THE IN-BETWEEN BOOKSTORE
A whimsical and healing novel about a trans man in New York who—almost 30, laid off, broke—moves back to his small Illinois hometown, walks into the bookstore he worked at in high school. . . and slips through time to come face-to-face with his pre-transition, teenage self.
If you had one chance to talk to your younger self… would you? What would you say?
When Darby left Oak Falls for college in NYC, all he wanted was to get as far away as possible, find a community where he could start fresh—and finally forget about his childhood best friend Michael,
A whimsical and healing novel about a trans man in New York who—almost 30, laid off, broke—moves back to his small Illinois hometown, walks into the bookstore he worked at in high school. . . and slips through time to come face-to-face with his pre-transition, teenage self.
If you had one chance to talk to your younger self… would you? What would you say?
When Darby left Oak Falls for college in NYC, all he wanted was to get as far away as possible, find a community where he could start fresh—and finally forget about his childhood best friend Michael, and just how painfully their friendship ended.
Now, about to turn thirty, Darby suddenly finds himself unemployed. With no better alternative, and questioning where he really belongs, he moves back to his hometown. But the changes in Oak Falls—the planned community with his mother’s new town home, the trendy coffee shop—make him feel off balance. And Michael’s still here, their relationship still distant and strained. Even though they’ve both changed.
One thing is familiar: In Between Books, Darby’s refuge growing up and eventual high school job. When he walks into the bookstore now, Darby feels an eerie sense of déjà vu—everything is exactly the same. Even the newspapers are dated 2009. And behind the register is a teen who looks a lot like Darby did at sixteen. . . who just might give Darby the opportunity to change his own present for the better—if he can figure out how before his connection to the past vanishes forever.
The In-Between Bookstore is a stunning novel of love, self-discovery, and the choices that come with both, for anyone who has ever wondered what their life might be like if they had the chance to go back and take a bigger, braver risk.
- Avon Books
- Hardcover
- January 2025
- 272 Pages
- 9780063357631
Buy the Book
$28.00
About Edward Underhill
Edward Underhill grew up in the suburbs of Wisconsin, where he could not walk to anything, so he had to make up his own adventures. He studied music in college, spent several years living in very small apartments in New York, and currently resides in California with his partner and a talkative black cat. He is the author of two young adult novels, Always the Almost and This Day Changes Everything, and a book for adults, The In-Between Bookstore. Visit him on Instagram @edwardunderhill.
Discussion Questions
1. How does Darby’s relationship with his childhood best friend, Michael, evolve throughout the story? What challenges do they face in reconnecting?
2. Name three things that most surprise Darby about returning to his small hometown.
3. What role does In Between Books play in Darby’s self-discovery?
4. How does Darby’s relationship with his friends in New York City compare to his relationships in Oak Falls?
5. What are the key moments from the past that define Darby’s present relationship with his pre-transition self?
6. How does Darby’s relationship with his mother change throughout the novel? Does it?
7. Would you describe The In-Between Bookstore as a love story? Why or why not?
8. How does Darby’s struggle with belonging and identity resolve by the end of the novel? Do you feel he has made progress?
9. Is there a moment from your past you wish you could revisit? If you could tell your younger self something important, what would it be?
10. How do Darby’s relationships with his friends, family, and his past self shape his understanding of love and acceptance?