Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Collection
Publication
Margaret K. McElderry Books (2020), 272 pages
Description
Romance. Humor (Fiction.) Young Adult Fiction. Young Adult Literature. To All the Boys I've Loved Before meets You've Got Mail in this charming and hilarious rom-com following two teen booksellers whose rivalry is taken to the next level as they compete for the top bookseller bonus. Shoshanna Greenberg loves working at Once Upon, her favorite local bookstore. And with her moms fighting at home and her beloved car teetering on the brink of death, the store has become a welcome escape. When her boss announces a holiday bonus to the person who sells the most books, Shoshanna sees an opportunity to at least fix her car, if none of her other problems. The only person standing in her way? New hire Jake Kaplan. Jake is an affront to everything Shoshanna stands for. He doesn't even read! But somehow his sales start to rival hers. Jake may be cute (really cute), and he may be an eligible Jewish single (hard to find south of Atlanta), but he's also the enemy, and Shoshanna is ready to take him down. But as the competition intensifies, Jake and Shoshanna grow closer and realize they might be more on the same page than either expects . . .… (more)
Awards
Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers (Selection — 2022)
Language
User reviews
LibraryThing member AnnaWaffles
A quick feel-good read for younger teens.
In the week leading up to Christmas, Jewish teen Shoshanna Greenberg has a lot on her plate. Her moms are fighting, her friends are struggling with insecurities, and even her indie bookstore job isn't the haven it used to be thanks to Jake, her hot mean new
As a teen librarian, I thought the protagonists were pretty realistically portrayed. Among teen book characters, they read quite young compared to Katniss or Clary or even America Singer. Shoshanna and her friends face a few difficult circumstances, and I was afraid that everything would be magically resolved by the end without any regard for reality. A lot of things do work out for Shoshanna and her loved ones, but not without a few lessons in taking responsibility and learning what you can and cannot control. Shoshanna is very immature at the beginning of this book, but she takes these lessons to heart without losing her characteristic energy and compassion. The ending is decidedly unrealistic, but I don't think it diminishes the significance of the issues at hand.
The romance between Shoshanna and Jake is very sweet. They grow closer while competing for sales at the bookstore, but a week is still a week, even in teenager time. Jake is also Jewish, a rarity in Georgia and a pleasant surprise for Shoshanna who doesn't have to translate or explain that part of herself. As Shoshanna learns more about him, she discovers a person with more depth and kindness than he initially lets on. (And he bakes! Swoon.) Be prepared for warm fuzzies during every scene with Jake's adorable mom, especially when all the moms hang out. So cute. It's also very, very tame, perfect for younger teens who want to start reading romance.
Finally, I appreciated the low-key diversity in this book. Shoshanna is a Jewish girl with two moms, her boss uses a wheelchair, one of her best friends is queer, and all her friends come from a variety of racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. The book strikes a good balance here: rather than ticking a diversity box or going into "issue book" territory, these qualities factor into each character's life in different ways. I can't speak to the authenticity of the Jewish references and language throughout the book, but it's clearly an important and positive part of Shoshanna's identity.
All in all, this book stands out among fluffy teen romances with a bit of hidden depth, and I'll be recommending it with confidence come the holidays.
I received a copy of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
In the week leading up to Christmas, Jewish teen Shoshanna Greenberg has a lot on her plate. Her moms are fighting, her friends are struggling with insecurities, and even her indie bookstore job isn't the haven it used to be thanks to Jake, her hot mean new
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coworker who doesn't even read. Shoshanna is determined to solve these problems head-on, sure that her enthusiasm and good intentions will save the day. Of course things don't always work that way, and it turns out Shoshanna has a lot of growing up to do.As a teen librarian, I thought the protagonists were pretty realistically portrayed. Among teen book characters, they read quite young compared to Katniss or Clary or even America Singer. Shoshanna and her friends face a few difficult circumstances, and I was afraid that everything would be magically resolved by the end without any regard for reality. A lot of things do work out for Shoshanna and her loved ones, but not without a few lessons in taking responsibility and learning what you can and cannot control. Shoshanna is very immature at the beginning of this book, but she takes these lessons to heart without losing her characteristic energy and compassion. The ending is decidedly unrealistic, but I don't think it diminishes the significance of the issues at hand.
The romance between Shoshanna and Jake is very sweet. They grow closer while competing for sales at the bookstore, but a week is still a week, even in teenager time. Jake is also Jewish, a rarity in Georgia and a pleasant surprise for Shoshanna who doesn't have to translate or explain that part of herself. As Shoshanna learns more about him, she discovers a person with more depth and kindness than he initially lets on. (And he bakes! Swoon.) Be prepared for warm fuzzies during every scene with Jake's adorable mom, especially when all the moms hang out. So cute. It's also very, very tame, perfect for younger teens who want to start reading romance.
Finally, I appreciated the low-key diversity in this book. Shoshanna is a Jewish girl with two moms, her boss uses a wheelchair, one of her best friends is queer, and all her friends come from a variety of racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. The book strikes a good balance here: rather than ticking a diversity box or going into "issue book" territory, these qualities factor into each character's life in different ways. I can't speak to the authenticity of the Jewish references and language throughout the book, but it's clearly an important and positive part of Shoshanna's identity.
All in all, this book stands out among fluffy teen romances with a bit of hidden depth, and I'll be recommending it with confidence come the holidays.
I received a copy of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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LibraryThing member SJGirl
The holiday season isn’t looking so merry and bright for Shoshanna with her moms not getting along, the new guy at work being both attractive and annoying and even her friendships hit a rough patch.
For plot reasons, understandably there wasn’t much time for celebrating Hanukkah here, but there
I enjoyed the romance most when things were more antagonistic between Shoshanna and Jake. While I didn’t dislike their relationship taking a turn for the sweeter, I would have liked to see their sparring and competition continue on as a fun aspect of how they are together.
Something I really appreciated and that is often ignored particularly in lighter contemporaries is how frequently financial issues were addressed, whether the book store fighting for survival or how costly books and cosmetics actually are, it’s a touch of the real world that especially now a lot of readers can relate to.
A couple things maybe worked out too easily (thankfully the moms were not one of those), but overall, I enjoyed this warm holiday story, particularly the author’s voice, the humor and heart she brought to every page definitely has me interested in reading more from her.
For plot reasons, understandably there wasn’t much time for celebrating Hanukkah here, but there
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were Yiddish words and phrases sprinkled throughout, references to Shoshanna’s Star Of David necklace, and her love interest, Jake, is Jewish, too, all of which is fantastic since Jewish characters still aren’t commonplace in fluffy contemporary fiction. I enjoyed the romance most when things were more antagonistic between Shoshanna and Jake. While I didn’t dislike their relationship taking a turn for the sweeter, I would have liked to see their sparring and competition continue on as a fun aspect of how they are together.
Something I really appreciated and that is often ignored particularly in lighter contemporaries is how frequently financial issues were addressed, whether the book store fighting for survival or how costly books and cosmetics actually are, it’s a touch of the real world that especially now a lot of readers can relate to.
A couple things maybe worked out too easily (thankfully the moms were not one of those), but overall, I enjoyed this warm holiday story, particularly the author’s voice, the humor and heart she brought to every page definitely has me interested in reading more from her.
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LibraryThing member bookworm12
I requested this from the library last year, but maybe light and sweet wasn’t what I was in the mood for this month. I kept rolling my eyes at Shoshanna’s decisions and self-absorbed attitude. Typical teen, but it got old. I liked the bookstore setting and the diverse characters, but overall it
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was a meh read. Show Less
LibraryThing member Herenya
I love the cover and thought a story about a teenager working in a bookshop would be my cup-of-tea. To my surprise, it wasn’t. Rather than being about books and reading, it was about December’s crazy commercial season. I didn’t really enjoy descriptions of crowded shops nor the pressure to
Also, I wonder if I’d view Shoshanna differently if I were a teenager -- if her mistakes and the things she learns weren’t so very obvious to me.
But it’s not the book’s fault if I’m just not the right audience for it.
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make the most sales -- and, as someone who prefers to browse undisturbed, I felt sorry for the store’s customers.Also, I wonder if I’d view Shoshanna differently if I were a teenager -- if her mistakes and the things she learns weren’t so very obvious to me.
But it’s not the book’s fault if I’m just not the right audience for it.
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LibraryThing member ewyatt
Shoshana loves her job at Once Upon A, a book store in the mall. It's the leadup to the holiday season and the mall is busy. When her boss announces a contest for $250 for the highest number of sales, she knows she has to win to get the money she needs to fix her car. A new employee, Jake, has
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other plans. Jake and Shoshana clash immediately, even though she can't get over how cute he is and how good he smells. Shoshana is kind of impulsive at times which lands her in hot water with her friends and her moms, but she's working on it and always means well. She grows over the week the story takes place, even when her life feels like it is falling apart for awhile with trouble at work, home, and with her friends. Show Less
ISBN
1534474196 / 9781534474192