Sophie, Standing There

Maybe because I have worked at a book festival or because this book is just plain delicious—whatever the reason, you should drop what you are reading and grab Sophie, Standing There by Meg Mason. It took me a minute to get into it, but I am SO glad I did because these characters were worth their weight in gold. Sophie works at a book festival, going above and beyond, minding all the little details that go uncelebrated because she loves books so much. At this year’s festival, she is barely surviving the end of her marriage (to an absolute asshole, if you don’t mind me saying) and suffering from loneliness and an all-time low in her self-esteem. Her brother Laurie and her best friend Emma are as dear as any people I have met in the pages of a book, and they keep her going. In the midst of all this upheaval, she falls into a parasocial relationship with an author who suddenly arrives at the festival when Elizabeth Strout is unable to attend. This book was a favorite of mine this fall, and I recommend it with exuberance!