The Bookstore Diaries: A Novel of Secrets, Drama and Second Chance Love – A Captivating Small Town Romance About a California Bookstore

By Susan Mallery

This summer, the town's juiciest secrets are revealed in New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery's joyful and sparkling new novel Jax has a slight issue with control--as in, she needs it. Always. Too bad she has power only over the Painted Lady Bookstore, the Victorian mansion turned bookshop she inherited. No one else listens to a word she says. Her ex gets engaged for questionable reasons. Her beloved sister, Ryleigh, wants to move away to find a husband. And the handsome contractor Jax has chosen to convince Ryleigh to stay is only interested in Jax. Still, she's living the bookworm dream--until an unhappy accident erases the names from the bookshop lockboxes where the town keeps their diaries. Which means the only way to find a diary's owner is...to read it. As secrets spill and scandals surface, life at the Painted Lady Bookstore gets a lot more colorful and chaotic. But for a woman who's always had to take charge, Jax will see that losing control--especially with the right wrong guy--can set you free. Don't miss these other great reads from Susan Mallery: - Otherwise Engaged - Beach Vibes - The Boardwalk Bookshop - Once Upon a Holidate - One Big Happy Family

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Published Mar 3, 2026

374 pages

Average rating: 5.92

13 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

Carli Petow
I just couldn’t do it. Made it 100 pages and still couldn’t get into it. I don’t know why, I just couldn’t connect with the story like I hoped I would.
annsipansy
9/10 stars
Couldn't put it down. Lots of storylines happening at once - all thought provoking, in a book setting. Characters have depth.
Elizabeth Richards
6/10 stars
3.8..Cute read

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