The first thing that I would like to point out is that this is a translated book. Reading books that have been translated from another language can be a bit of a mixed bag. Does that translator get the gist of the original text. I will admit that there were several reasons why this book appealed to me and why I requested it.

Firstly I am a big Italophile. I spent 7.5 years living there. Lucca itself holds a specific significance in my own life. But this book is set in Lucignana (which is a small village approximately 40 minutes north of Lucca).

Secondly, it is about a bookshop in a small village!

Thirdly, as I do speak Italian, I was curious to read a book about an Italian (but translated in English).

Once I got going, I found this book hard to put down. The bookshop opened on 7th December 2019. I was very sad to read that a fire on 30 January 2020 closed it down briefly. But as a result of more crowd funding it reopened. However then there was the covid pandemic to contend with.


That’s one thing that made me pause as I was reading the book. There are many books mentioned here. Books that Donati has read. Books that have been recommended to her. Books that are purchased at the bookshop. A veritable literary treasure trove.

One thing is certain, there are books that are mentioned within the pages that I now would like to read.

This is a book about books, about opening a bookstore in a very small town in Tuscany, and life.
I read it in Italian, requested by mistake as I loved the title, and re-read. The translator did an excellent job and the English release it's well done.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

A beautiful account of opening a bookshop in Tuscany and the community that surrounds it. The struggles of a small town (and business) facing the pandemic were told with humour and truth. I loved this, thanks NetGalley!

It’s every avid reader’s dream to either help out in a bookshop or own one of their own. Few of us actively pursue such wishful thinking. Alba Donati is a rare exception. And this isn’t any ordinary, ten-a-penny bookshop. No, it’s the only one in the tiny village of Lucignana.

As an act of faith, it takes a lot of courage. Thankfully, Donati isn’t short of grit and determination and vision and enterprise. Despite the odds, she finds the ideal venue and is supported by a wonderful, eclectic cast of characters who assist her with birthing her dream.

Yes, there are detractors and setbacks and side issues in her life demanding time and attention. There are also willing villagers who trickle into the emerging bookshop, drawn by curiosity at first, then by awe and wonder as it all takes shape and they experience the joy of having their very own bookshop on their doorstep.

Word soon spreads across the region and elsewhere as book hungry travellers arrive from far and near. And beyond Italy’s environs as online orders start to flood in. People are captivated by the romantic setting and stylish decor as much as the books and book-related gifts they can purchase.

This book is full of charm. What I loved most were the observations on books Donati recommends and her daily sales list. Because I couldn’t resist looking up those I was unfamiliar with. A great way to add to a reading wish list!

The narrative includes snippets of Donati’s personal life, family relationships, and local history, interwoven with the story of the bookshop which grows from a tentative start to a successful venue which secures a fond spot in people’s hearts. Grateful thanks to Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for the ARC.

Utterly Heartwarming…
A hectic life as a book publicist in Florence is exchanged for a tiny Tuscan bookshop in this delightful account from the author. Opening the tiny bookshop in her home village is a risk but it is also a dream come true. Not only do we read of the battles, disasters and disappointments but also the sheer delight and joy of her endeavours and the positive impact that the tiny bookshop made on the community and also far and wide.. Enlightening and utterly heartwarming in equal measure.

Thank you to NetGalley for this copy. This is a really good book, kept me entertained throughout and I would thoroughly recommend to all.

I Couldn't Help but Enjoy reading this Book, It Reminded me of The Diary of a Bookseller by Shaun Bythell which I Borrowed Many times from my Local Library.
(Thanks to Net Galley for this Book).

The inspiring story of a bookseller. It takes a brave person to leave Florence and open a bookshop in a tiny Tuscan village. Thank goodness for crowdfunding! In a way, Covid helped too, as people had more time to enjoy reading and books could be posted. The shop's main asset though is owner Alba with her magic touch, finding each customer the perfect book. Love the list of books sold each day. The downside was that having short entries for every day mad for rather jerky reading, but then it is a real diary.

Absolutely delightful, and more than just a depiction of bookstore life. Donati's love of her village, the nature that surrounds her, and of course of books, seeps through every page.

I struggled a bit with this one, it didn't seem to flow and the characters didn't jump off the page. Having said that it was an interesting story and illustrated some of the problems associated with Covid.

Unfortunately I struggled with this book and in the end didn't finish reading it. I suspect the issue is with the translation, as the prose was stilted and disjointed and some of the vocabulary used seemed wrong. A shame, given that the book contains some poignant reflections on life, but it just wasn't for me.

An excellent insight into an Italian Libreria! Loved it.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me read this book in exchange for my review.

This little book wasn't quite what I was expecting but I did enjoy it after the first few pages which didn't seem to read well. Maybe that was the translation? But it improved and became an interesting account of people, places and past events as well as the very real and invasivel Covid pandemic. I enjoyed seeing how many of the books listed in the Daily Orders I had read over the years. Quite a few! But I have never read anything by Alba Donati so I shall look for her work in translation. with thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read and review a e-ARC of this title.

This is an absolutely charming and fascinating book . Alba Donati invites us into the world of her bookshop on a hilltop in the village of Lucignano. Told through a series of diary writings, the trails, tribulations and joys of the bookshop are conveyed but more intriguing are the intimate portraits that Alba paints of her family, friends and the community around her that all contribute to her daily existence. Written with warmth, passion, knowledge and a desire to spread the joy of books, this is a beautiful read . It also gives food for thought about potential books to read and ultimately will make every book lover wish they too could escape to the hill tops nearby and open up a literary paradise .

Snapshot of the authors life through diary extracts.
I found some of these interesting, lovely to hear about the beautiful Tuscan views.
Interesting to dip into the lives of the people with little snippets.
Easy to read quickly because of being in diary format.
Thank you NetGalley and Orion publishing for an advanced e-book copy. Opinions are my own.

A very powerful and gripping story that is difficult to read in some parts but worth sticking with. This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

I don’t know if this is because the book is translated but the English is very stilted and makes it hard to get into the book.

I found it interesting to learn about the author’s childhood and the story of the bookshop and how it came to be but it was not the book for me.