THE LAST PAGE

A bookseller and a business consultant go from enemies to friends to lovers.

At 27, Carmella Sanchez has spent more than half her life at The Last Page, a charming independent bookstore nestled in New York City’s West Village. The eldest daughter of Peruvian immigrants, Ella was mentored by the shop’s owner, Leo Martin, who became a surrogate grandfather to her and prepared her to inherit the store. When Leo dies, grief-ridden Ella expects the future she’s been promised, only to learn the shop has instead been left to Leo’s estranged grandson. Twenty-eight-year-old Henry moved to Tennessee at age 10 after his father’s death, spending his summers at The Last Page until 12 years ago, when he had a fight with Leo and stopped speaking to him altogether. He arrives in New York intending to stay just a month to stabilize the store before returning home. Ella, however, resists any attempt to update the shop. With their egos clashing, animosity deepens until Leo’s secret is revealed: The Last Page is in dire financial straits, only months from closure. Forced to set aside their pride, Ella and Henry work together to save the store, finding they have much more in common than they originally thought—and there’s a growing attraction that’s becoming harder to ignore. Ella and Henry’s slow-burn relationship is sweet, but the novel’s greatest strength lies in its characters. The wide cast of booksellers shines, from Mabel the elderly clubbing kickboxer to “resident grump” Jack. "Staff Picks” at the beginning of each chapter cleverly deepen storylines such as an ongoing situationship between two employees while also providing great book recommendations to readers. While the central conflict could use more tension, the novel ultimately serves as a nice ode to the power of good bookstores—and booksellers.

A cute literary-themed romance with light stakes.