"Emma Rini is in a rut so deep she could shelve books there. While her sister awaits her first baby, and her parents kick off retirement with vow renewals and travel, Emma stays put among the stacks of the family bookshop. In fact, she can't remember the last time she took a vacation. Or had a romance that hovered above disappointing. When her parents assume she'll take over the shop for them without a break, she realizes she needs to get away--back to the nineteenth century. Channeling her favorite poet recluse, Emily ...
Read More
"Emma Rini is in a rut so deep she could shelve books there. While her sister awaits her first baby, and her parents kick off retirement with vow renewals and travel, Emma stays put among the stacks of the family bookshop. In fact, she can't remember the last time she took a vacation. Or had a romance that hovered above disappointing. When her parents assume she'll take over the shop for them without a break, she realizes she needs to get away--back to the nineteenth century. Channeling her favorite poet recluse, Emily Dickinson, Emma rents a crumbling manor house outside Amherst where she can learn how to be quietly, blissfully alone. But becoming a world-weary spinster isn't easy. She can't start a fire or reason with the bunnies that are destroying the garden. She finds herself sparring constantly with the grumpy-hot architect who is renovating the manor. And then there's the secret admirer who keeps sending her complicated floral messages... No matter what she does, the outside world keeps knocking, and Emma starts to dream about the future. Will she forgo love for the family legacy? And will she shrink away or become the sort of bold person fortune favors?"--Goodreads.
Read Less
Add this copy of Not Quite by the Book to cart. $9.85, like new condition, Sold by GreatBookPricesUK5 rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Castle Donington, DERBYSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2025 by Lake Union Publishing.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Fine. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 317 p. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
Add this copy of Not Quite by the Book to cart. $11.38, new condition, Sold by Ria Christie Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Uxbridge, MIDDLESEX, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2025 by Lake Union Publishing.
Add this copy of Not Quite by the Book to cart. $11.60, new condition, Sold by GreatBookPricesUK5 rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Castle Donington, DERBYSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2025 by Lake Union Publishing.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
New. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 317 p. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
Add this copy of Not Quite By the Book to cart. $13.57, new condition, Sold by Books2anywhere rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Fairford, GLOUCESTERSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2025 by Amazon Publishing.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
PLEASE NOTE, WE DO NOT SHIP TO DENMARK. New Book. Shipped from UK in 4 to 14 days. Established seller since 2000. Please note we cannot offer an expedited shipping service from the UK.
Add this copy of Not Quite By the Book: a Novel to cart. $14.94, new condition, Sold by Kennys.ie rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Galway, IRELAND, published 2025 by Lake Union Publishing.
Add this copy of Not Quite by the Book to cart. $12.26, new condition, Sold by Booksplease rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Southport, MERSEYSIDE, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2025 by Lake Union Publishing.
Add this copy of Not Quite By the Book: a Novel to cart. $10.71, good condition, Sold by Goodwill Industries rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Eugene, OR, UNITED STATES, published 2025 by Lake Union Publishing.
Add this copy of Not Quite by the Book to cart. $19.37, new condition, Sold by Ingram Customer Returns Center rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from NV, USA, published 2025 by Lake Union Publishing.
Add this copy of Not Quite By the Book: a Novel to cart. $25.99, new condition, Sold by Russell Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Victoria, BC, CANADA, published 2025 by Lake Union Publishing.
Add this copy of Not Quite By the Book: a Novel to cart. $7.99, very good condition, Sold by Greenworld Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Arlington, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2025 by Lake Union Publishing.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Very Good condition book with a firm cover and clean pages. Shows normal use and some light wear or limited notes markings. A solid nice copy to enjoy.
Emma Rini has been left to run the family bookstore while her sister and her husband get ready for the birth of the first child and her parents celebrate another vow renewal and travel while planning to retire from the bookshop soon. These changes wonââ?¬â?¢t change anything for Emma because her entire life has been the bookstore. No vacations, no romantic relationships, just shelving and selling books. After she sees her family all having fun without her and assumes she will keep the store going after their retirement Emma hits a breaking point. If she ever has a chance of any ââ?¬Å"me timeââ?¬Â?, it is now.
Emma�s favorite poet is Emily Dickinson and she has the chance to stay in a deteriorating manor house in Amherst, Dickinson�s hometown, and find her inner Emily. She quickly books a six-week stay. But living a reclusive life isn�t as easy as she thought. The manor is cold and can�t build a fire. She planted a garden but the rabbits decided it was planted as their lunch. The handyman�s visits to help her are contentious. Plus she keeps receiving flowers with unsigned cards. Did she have a secret admirer?
She finds herself pulled in several directions. She has some big decisions to make. Does she finally put herself first? or will she return to what she had hoped to leave behind?
I have read several of Emily Dickinson�s poems over the years so the theme of this story made me excited to read this book.
I immediately felt for Emma. Family businesses are hard when everyone is on the same page but horrendous when one person is left responsible for everything. Emma is just like I was, not wanting to make waves, so she holds everything in but I was still upset with her family for making assumptions and decisions and not including her in the conversations. The people she met in Amherst were interesting and felt true to life. She met several at a letter-writing class at the local bookstore and I love the whole idea of the class. Davis, first known as the ââ?¬Å"handymanââ?¬Â? turned out to be her landlord and an architect with a plan to renovate the manor as soon as possible. He is also very easy on the eyes. Plus, he has an adorable dog.
Emma tries so hard to do things Emily Dickson did but she does start to open up slowly. She is unsure about a lot of things, putting more pressure on herself every day. Davis also deals with pressure and strife within these pages. I had fun watching them grow right up to the final page. One mystery in the story was evident to me quickly but that didn�t lessen my enjoyment of this story. Another was a mystery until it was revealed.
Not Quite by the Book is a fun entertaining read. I was drawn in more with each chapter. The pacing was perfect. The world-building created great imagery and loved that the wi-fi was nonexistent in the manor. For me, it was A Perfect Escape.
