Storybook Ending
Moira Macdonald
A charming story about romance, friendship, and a love of books, in which two women—a lonely remote worker and a widowed single mom—and a handsome local bookstore clerk find themselves in an unusual love triangle when an anonymous note left in a book finds the wrong recipient.
April, a smart and lonely tech worker, worries work from home has gotten out of hand: She’s left an anonymous note in a book for Westley, the clerk at her Seattle neighborhood bookstore who has a gentle smile and looks great in flannel. But thanks to fate, Laura—a busy single mom who had given up on love—buys the book, finds the note, and thinks Westley has left it for her. A handsome man who loves books seems like just the plot twist she has been looking for.
Meanwhile, Westley—not the most perceptive—is too distracted by the movie filming at the store and the ambition it’s unlocked in him to notice either of the two women. But as April and Laura’s anonymous correspondence continues back and forth, their mundane routines are challenged, sparking a glimmer of hope. Is a happy ending in the cards for them?
A hilarious and intricate web of mistaken identities and serendipitous encounters, Storybook Ending is a playful tribute to romance, friendship, and bookstores, and to the objects—from a forgotten slip of paper to someone’s heart—left between the pages of books we loved.
Praise for Storybook Ending
“Moira Macdonald’s debut novel Storybook Ending is a joyous gift . . . Partway through the first page . . . I started crying. Not with sorrow — the novel starts with the most intriguing two sentences, then takes us directly into the luminous, cinematic mind of one of the main characters, April. It was joy, pride and a strange, wonderful recognition.”
—The Seattle Times
“Storybook Ending is so radiant, so big-hearted, reading it feels like receiving an unexpected gift, one that you’ve waited a lifetime for. It’s a love letter to the secret, unspoken longings nestled within the pages of ordinary lives. In a world filled with love stories and tangled triangles, this one stands out—reaching a resolution as unique as it is profoundly satisfying. I absolutely loved this book.”
— Jamie Ford, New York Times bestselling author of The Many Daughters of Afong Moy
“An absolutely charming love letter to bookstores and the magic that happens inside there.”
—Annabel Monaghan, bestselling author of Summer Romance
“I sat down to start Storybook Ending and before I knew it a hundred pages had passed. Moira Macdonald’s novel is just that good—wildly clever, funny, and filled with enough Princess Bride and Nora Ephron references to melt my cold Millennial heart. It’s also a heartwarming homage to books and the people who cherish them—a celebration of a story’s power to fill our lives with hope. romance, and community. I loved it.”
—Grant Ginder, author of The People We Hate at the Wedding
“Although there are romances brewing, the story is ultimately about the courage it takes to go after the life you want…A perfectly charming read for devotees of the written word and anyone who’s ever hoped to find love in a bookstore.”
–Kirkus
“MacDonald shades in the details of her protagonists’ lives with colorful depictions of their friends and relatives, quirky coworkers, and awkward former lovers. It’s a diverting slice of life.”
–Publishers Weekly
“Storybook Ending is the ultimate catnip for bookstore lovers everywhere—oh, the things we leave between the pages of our beloved books! Heartfelt, soulful, and distinctly cozy, Storybook Ending weaves a deeply satisfying tale of anonymous love letters, mistaken identity, and the complexities of human connection.”
–Suzanne Rindell, author of Summer Fridays
“The perfect balance of coziness and originality—warm, comforting, with a hilarious mix-up at its heart that I couldn’t wait to see unravel.”
–Beth O’Leary, author of The Flatshare and The Road Trip
“New friendships blossom and romances bloom in this feel-good read that is a must for those who believe bookstores are special places.”
–Booklist
“Ideal for fans of thirtysomething second-chance love stories with appealing secondary characters.”
–Library Journal
About the Author
Moira Macdonald is the longtime arts critic for The Seattle Times. Storybook Ending is her first novel.
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