Overdue by Stephanie Perkins (2025 fiction)

I am not normally a big fan of love stories, but this is a good one. Ingrid Dahl works at the public library in the small North Carolina town of Ridgetop. She likes, but doesn’t love, her job. She is good friends with her co-worker, Macon Nowakowski, on whom she has secretly crushed for years. She and her boyfriend of 11 years, Cory, are “taking a break” for a month to see other people before they decide about the permanence of their relationship. Ingrid quickly makes a big mistake with Macon, alienating him, and then Cory isn’t ready to get back together after the month has elapsed. Her story continues through a round of dating, and then Cory announces the unthinkable, that he has found someone else, forcing her to examine her future, not only in relationships, but with her living arrangements and ultimately, her career. This is a lovely story, at times poignant and at times very funny. The characters are all delightful, including her co-workers, the library patrons, her friends, and a tuxedo cat named Edmond (Dantes). Ultimately, Ingrid decides to open a bookstore, and she and Macon resume their friendship. I won’t say any more than that. This is also a beautiful book edition, with illustrated endpapers and the logo of the bookstore stamped on the front. I recommend it for anyone who likes both books and romance.

Reviewed by Ginger Russell