Avon Books
The In-Between Bookstore
Couldn't load pickup availability
“What would you tell your teen self if you could go back in time? Underhill’s tender, innovative debut is the smartest take on this trope I’ve ever read. . . and for the record, I read it in a single sitting. A beautiful, thoughtful study of how we find our truest selves, and whom we choose to trust with that gift.” — Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author
A poignant and enchanting novel about a magical bookstore that transports a trans man through time and brings him face-to-face with his teenage self, offering him the chance of a lifetime to examine his life and identity to find a new beginning.
When Darby finds himself unemployed and in need of a fresh start, he moves back to the small Illinois town he left behind. But Oak Falls has changed almost as much as he has since he left.
One thing is familiar: In Between Books, Darby’s refuge growing up and eventual high school job. When he walks into the bookstore now, Darby feels an eerie sense of déjà vu—everything is exactly the same. Even the newspapers are dated 2009. And behind the register is a teen who looks a lot like Darby did at sixteen. . . who just might give Darby the opportunity to change his own present for the better—if he can figure out how before his connection to the past vanishes forever.
The In-Between Bookstore is a stunning novel of love, self-discovery, and the choices that come with both, for anyone who has ever wondered what their life might be like if they had the chance to go back and take a bigger, braver risk.
Share
Book Details
ISBN:
9780063357631
EAN:
9780063357631
Binding:
Hardcover
Pages:
272
Authors:
Edward Underhill
Publisher:
Avon Books
Published Date: 2025-14-01
View full details
I always loved time travel stories and looked forward to this one. Then I found the main character was trans with the gay friends and I almost stopped reading it (yes I’m conservative but I can see other points of view)I kept reading and got pulled into Darby’s story, his conflicts and how he just wanted to make things right. There is a happy ending but not the one you think. Overall, I ended up liking it more than I thought I would
Absolutely beautiful, human, book written with humor, with, and a totally different spin.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book, as I just thought it was about a time traveler at a book store. I didn’t read the synopsis or any reviews and went into this book blind. So when Darby was first introduced I thought Darby was a woman because of some of the things Darby was thinking and doing. So I was surprised to find out that Darby was a trans man.I enjoyed the story and the time travel aspect, but I had a bit of a hard time trying to understand the trans experience. As a 59 year old woman, this story felt more like a YA novel than a novel for adults. Darby felt more like a 19 year old than someone who was turning 30, and his interactions with Michael didn’t feel like two adults, but more like two teenagers.While the story started off fairly strong, it kind of fizzled out about 2/3 of the way through. I was hoping for a stronger finish but it was just OK.
What would you tell your younger self if given the chance? Darby, a trans man just hitting his 30th birthday gets the chance when he returns home to the small Midwest town he lived his youth in.
Darby Madden, a trans man, has recently been laid off from his employment and is feeling lost and unsure of his place in New York. So he calls his mom back in Oak Falls, Illinois, and she tells him that she has decided to downsize and sell her house and buy a condo. Thus, Darby decides to temporarily move back to Oak Falls to help his mother move.Once Darby arrives in Oak Falls he decides to drive by "The In-Between Bookstore" and when he looks in the window he sees a teenager who looks strangely alot like him when he used to work there while in high school. On his way back to his car, he bumps into Michael Weaver, his best friend from high school.The next day, Darby stops in at "The In-Between Bookstore" and discovers that he has been transported back in time to the year 2009 the week before his 17th birthday. Present day interacts with his younger self and helps himself come to turns with his identity. Hopefully, prevent the argument between Darby and Michael and the resulting falling out the two have during their senior year of high school.I loved the conversations between Darby and his younger self and personally would love to encounter a time traveling bookstore so I could give my younger self some advice!
