The English Bookstore in Bologna: A Novel

Against the sunlit backdrop of Italy, five expats discover each other—and rediscover themselves—in a charmingly funny and poignant novel by the author of An Unfinished Story and A Spanish Sunrise.

Tucked away on a cobblestone street in enchanting Bologna, Italy, is the only English bookstore in the city. It’s owned by prickly Sandy Cooke, who keeps love, and even romantic fiction, at a distance. Her employee, timid and hopelessly optimistic Moira, dreams of transforming the struggling shop into a vibrant community hub. Against the odds, one Bolognese summer, it becomes a haven for fellow expats at their own crossroads.

Bianca is a psychotherapist escaping both a breakdown and withering reviews of her new self-help book. On her heels is her father, George, wrestling with retirement—and regrets. He’s had a few, but the light of his life has always been his daughter. Then there’s Harold, a young and awkward barista from Denver recovering from his first belly-flopping high dive into love. Maybe it’s time for reinvention.

At the only English bookstore in Bologna, paths converge for five damaged souls who discover that healing doesn’t require much—just honest connection and an open heart.

Bestselling author Boo Walker initially tapped his creative muse as a songwriter and banjoist in Nashville, but a career-ending hand problem sent him scrambling to find another creative outlet. After a stint as a day trader in Charleston, he headed west to Washington State, where he bought a gentleman's farm on Red Mountain, a small wine-growing region in the desert.

It was there among the grapevines and wine barrels that he found his voice telling high-impact stories that now resonate with book clubs worldwide. His novels, rich with colorful characters and boundless soul, will leave you with an open heart and lifted spirit.

Always a wanderer, Boo has lived in South Carolina, Tennessee, Florida, Washington State, New York, and Valencia, Spain. He now resides in Cape Elizabeth, Maine with his wife, son, and two troublemaking dogs. He also writes thrillers under the pen name Benjamin Blackmore.

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Praise for The English Bookstore in Bologna

“Boo Walker delivers a sparkling, bighearted novel about reinvention, regret, and the risky magic of connection. Set against the irresistible charm of Bologna’s porticoed streets, his story features a band of misfit toys who embody the wit, longing, and beautiful flaws that mark their humanity. With humor and tenderness, Walker reminds us that it’s never too late to begin again—and that love, like a good book, can find you when you least expect it. A delight from first page to last.” —Susan Wiggs, New York Times bestselling author of Wayward Girls