The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman Published by Berkley Books on July 9, 2019
Pages: 352
Format: ARC
Genres: Contemporary, Romance
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The author of Other People's Houses and The Garden of Small Beginnings delivers a quirky and charming novel chronicling the life of confirmed introvert Nina Hill as she does her best to fly under everyone's radar. Meet Nina Hill: A young woman supremely confident in her own...shell.
The only child of a single mother, Nina has her life just as she wants it: a job in a bookstore, a kick-butt trivia team, a world-class planner and a cat named Phil. If she sometimes suspects there might be more to life than reading, she just shrugs and picks up a new book. When the father Nina never knew existed suddenly dies, leaving behind innumerable sisters, brothers, nieces, and nephews, Nina is horrified. They all live close by! They're all--or mostly all--excited to meet her! She'll have to Speak. To. Strangers. It's a disaster! And as if that wasn't enough, Tom, her trivia nemesis, has turned out to be cute, funny, and deeply interested in getting to know her. Doesn't he realize what a terrible idea that is?
Nina considers her options.
1. Completely change her name and appearance. (Too drastic, plus she likes her hair.)
2. Flee to a deserted island. (Hard pass, see: coffee).
3. Hide in a corner of her apartment and rock back and forth. (Already doing it.)It's time for Nina to come out of her comfortable shell, but she isn't convinced real life could ever live up to fiction. It's going to take a brand-new family, a persistent suitor, and the combined effects of ice cream and trivia to make her turn her own fresh page.
Awkward heroines are my catnip, and Nina Hill is the new queen of quirkiness. My dear fellow introverted bibliophiles, let it be known that I was utterly charmed by The Bookish Life of Nina Hill.
The book is written with a cheeky sense of humor that may be over the top for some, but I loved it—particularly the more I read. It fits Nina’s quick wit and eccentric personality. I enjoyed her overactive imagination, her endless well of trivia knowledge, and her compassion. Nina’s struggle with anxiety and her delight in solitude really resonated with me. I got a kick out of her full but regimented life, and I particularly looked forward to her cute daily planner notes at the beginning of each chapter.
Her long lost family boasts a colorful and diverse cast of characters. The way she navigates these new relationships is incredibly fun to experience. Throughout all the highs and lows, Nina embraces her weirdness, and you’ve got to admire that.
This lovely, lighthearted story fit my summer mood perfectly. A reader’s guide with some great discussion questions is included at the end, so you could easily make The Bookish Life of Nina Hill your next book club selection.
Recommended for fans of:
Bookstores
Trivia
Quirky heroines
Introverts
Artisanal ice cream
* An early copy was provided by the publisher to voluntarily read. *
Read the first chapter of The Bookish Life of Nina Hill here!
About Abbi Waxman
Abbi Waxman, the author of Other People’s Houses and The Garden of Small Beginnings, is a chocolate-loving, dog-loving woman who lives in Los Angeles and lies down as much as possible. She worked in advertising for many years, which is how she learned to write fiction. She has three daughters, three dogs, three cats, and one very patient husband.
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