The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend in Around the World in 80 Books

Jan 25, 2016 Karen rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I shouldn't have started this book, because I should be working on reading books from the 70+ countries I haven't read yet, oh well. Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was everything I wanted The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George to be, but wasn't. If you love books about books, this is one for you.
I loved that books, book quotes and book characters were so seamlessly brought into a present day story. ...more

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May 18, 2016 Lisa of Hopewell rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: audio-books, read-in-2016

"Reading" Notes (audio version), not review:

To DISC 5 and I've finally of found a few nuggets to like--but not so great that I pulled over and wrote them down. Still, I like Amy's letters. You can have Sara/Zara--so sanctimonious in her judgement of everything Christian. I can forgive a tourist for thinking all of America thinks like the top 1% of liberals, but it's a bit rich to say she can't picture the locals anywhere but there. Hello? Americans of all sorts go to Sweden! Many are of Swedish "Reading" Notes (audio version), not review:

To DISC 5 and I've finally of found a few nuggets to like--but not so great that I pulled over and wrote them down. Still, I like Amy's letters. You can have Sara/Zara--so sanctimonious in her judgement of everything Christian. I can forgive a tourist for thinking all of America thinks like the top 1% of liberals, but it's a bit rich to say she can't picture the locals anywhere but there. Hello? Americans of all sorts go to Sweden! Many are of Swedish descent!

I like most of Amy's thoughts on books and I DO love that Walden quote on good behavior. Some people just miss the point. The rest of the characters? I can't keep the men straight--they're all generic but with bad accents.

Let's see how PC we are? Bashes Christianity and Christians. Christians character is spoken of in mocking tones. Gasps over Amy having bios of "Republicans even," gushes over TKAM, Saintly Amy was married to an abusive racist (probably an avid Church goer--give it time, he's just been introduced) a gay couple has moved "home" to Nowhereville, Iowa [this is the only beliveable one--he comes home due to Dad] when one wants a life in, say, SF. Of course the "hicks" in Iowa say Europe, not Sweden and all are shocked that Sara doesn't have a driver's license. I realize Sweden is a socialist country, with cradle-to-grave social services, a very liberal outlook (but still a King and a State Church), but honestly--did the author wrote this stuff or did her 20-something never out of Manhattan editor ask for these changes?

Really? Did she get her knowledge of American clerics from M*A*S*H? The pastor's name is "William Christopher"--name of the actor who played Father Mulcahey.

Audio accents are awful! Everywhere outside Manhattan isn't the South! Geesh, make a few random calls to Iowa would ya? Nobody talks like this!

Apparently someone missed the ethic make up of Iowa, too. Lots of Swedes. Who don't drink Nescafe.

An American translator might have been a good thing--"the till?" How about "the register" or the "check out" or the "cash register?" "Pulling faces?" How about MAKING faces? "We are meant to be" How about We're supposed to.... And, best of all, a GREENGROCER'S--in IOWA??? Maybe near the University of Iowa some pretentious foodie place might call itself that! Really bad translation. ...more

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Oct 15, 2016 Nancy H rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Every once in a great while, a book comes along that is so captivating, so charming, and so intriguing, that the reader doesn't want to leave the book. The characters, the place, everything, is so perfect that you just want it to go on forever. This is such a book. What happens to Sara when she visits Broken Wheel, Iowa, is astounding to her, and to top things off, she finds love where she never expected it or even had it occur as a possibility in her mind. Sara is the perfect main character. Th ...more

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Aug 09, 2017 Rachel N. rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2017, small-town, reading-road-trip-u-s, chick-lit, books-about-books

Sara Lindvquist travels from Sweden to Broken Wheel, Iowa to visit her pen pal Amy for 2 months. Unfortunately she arrives on the day of Amy's funeral. The town insists she stay and to pay them back Sara opens up a book store using Amy's books. A cute, though totally unrealistic, book. I liked Sara matching people with books and the quirky town characters. ...more

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