The In-Between Bookstore

📘 About This Book

“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.

📖 Summary

The In-Between Bookstore by Edward Underhill is a poignant, innovative, and enchanting novel that explores identity, time, and personal transformation through a distinctly magical lens. Published in 2025 and spanning 264 pages, this tender fiction work offers a fresh and clever spin on the classic time-travel trope. The narrative centers on Darby, a trans man who finds himself unexpectedly unemployed and searching for a fresh start. Seeking a path forward, he decides to move back to the small Illinois town of Oak Falls that he had previously left behind. Upon his return, Darby discovers that Oak Falls has changed almost as much as he has over the years, leaving him to navigate the strange intersection of his past memories and his present reality. A central focal point of the story is a mysterious, magical bookstore that possesses the astonishing ability to transport Darby through time. Inside this mystical establishment, Darby comes face-to-face with his teenage self, bridging the gap between who he used to be and the person he has fought to become. This extraordinary encounter provides Darby with the rare, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to closely examine his life, confront his past struggles with his identity, and reevaluate the choices that shaped his journey. As Darby interacts with his younger self, the novel thoughtfully examines what we might say to our adolescent selves if given the chance, and how looking backward can sometimes illuminate the path toward a meaningful new beginning. Hailed by bestselling author Jodi Picoult as a tender, smart, and beautiful study of self-discovery, the book captures the deep emotional resonance of learning to trust oneself and embracing one's truest identity. Underhill weaves together themes of nostalgia, community, personal growth, and the courage required to reinvent oneself when life takes an unexpected detour. Through its imaginative premise and deeply human characters, The In-Between Bookstore invites readers to reflect on their own histories, honoring the versions of themselves they once were while finding compassion and hope for the future.

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