The Bookstore Diaries: A Novel of Secrets, Drama and Second Chance Love – A Contemporary Romance About Sisters and Scandals in a Small Town Bookshop
About this product
This summer, the town’s juiciest secrets are revealed in New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery’s joyful and sparkling new novel
Jax has a slight issue with control—as in, she needs it. Always. Too bad she has power only over the Painted Lady Bookstore, the Victorian mansion turned bookshop she inherited. No one else listens to a word she says. Her ex gets engaged for questionable reasons. Her beloved sister, Ryleigh, wants to move away to find a husband. And the handsome contractor Jax has chosen to convince Ryleigh to stay is only interested in Jax.
Still, she’s living the bookworm dream—until an unhappy accident erases the names from the bookshop lockboxes where the town keeps their diaries. Which means the only way to find a diary’s owner is…to read it.
As secrets spill and scandals surface, life at the Painted Lady Bookstore gets a lot more colorful and chaotic. But for a woman who’s always had to take charge, Jax will see that losing control—especially with the right wrong guy—can set you free.
Don't miss these other great reads from Susan Mallery: Otherwise Engaged
Beach Vibes
The Boardwalk Bookshop
Once Upon a Holidate
One Big Happy Family
Read more
Editor's Take
Amazon-style retail signals for The Bookstore Diaries are positive overall, with Target-style ratings showing strong customer approval and many readers recommending it as a warm, feel-good contemporary romance. Goodreads reviewers are mixed but generally favorable, with several 4- to 5-star reactions highlighting the sisters, the small-town bookstore setting, and the emotional comfort of the story.
On book blogs, readers praise the charming atmosphere, the sister dynamics, and the bookshop setting. Several reviewers describe it as cozy, heartwarming, and easy to enjoy, while a dissenting review says the publisher description overpromised drama and that the diaries thread was less central than expected.
Overall, the main themes across reader opinions are: charming small-town vibe, likable characters, romance and sisterhood, and a cozy bookstore backdrop. The most common criticism is that some readers expected more scandal or mystery than the final story delivered.
YouTube search results did surface real videos mentioning the book, but the found videos were about a broader book haul or author interview rather than dedicated review/unboxing content for this specific title. Because no clearly product-specific YouTube review or demo video URL was found in the results, the YouTube ID list is empty.
Price History
Specifications
| Genre | Fiction |
| Illustrated | No |
Product Details
| Publisher | MIRA |
| Publication date | March 3, 2026 |
| Edition | Original |
| Language | English |
| Print length | 384 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 133562970X |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1335629708 |
| Item Weight | 1.22 pounds |
| Dimensions | 6.16 x 1.13 x 9.09 inches |
| Best Sellers Rank | #33,463 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #86 in Feel-Good Fiction #422 in Sisters Fiction #469 in Women's Divorce Fiction |
| Customer Reviews | 4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars (1,184) |
