The Bookish Life of Nina Hill

I was skeptical going into this book because it seemed like it could have been manufactured by a faceless corporation trying to tick off every box that would appeal to readers: introvert heroine, loves to read, works in a bookstore, anxiety attacks, cat owner, etc. But it turned out to be very genuine and charming. Nina is an introvert, true, but she's not portrayed as a lonely spinster virgin cliche. She has friends and a fairly active social life, and she has had lovers in the past. She just would prefer to be at home with a book and her cat. Then she suddenly learns about the father she never knew and meets numerous relatives she never knew existed, and her quiet life changes drastically. And of course there's a romance in the form of her trivia quiz nemesis.

There are too many secondary characters to keep track of, and I wasn't always a fan of the snarky omniscient narrator who liked to head hop too much, but through all of it I was rooting for Nina to find her happy ending. Props to Abbi Waxman for allowing Nina to remain very much herself, while realizing that she had room for the new people in her life.

Perhaps a little too much plot for 325 pages, but that might leave room for a sequel. I'd be happy to read more about Nina, her family, friends, lover and of course Phil the cat.