Page 113 of Authentically, Izzy
“I couldn’t agree more.” He exchanged a look with his mum and then reached for Isabelle’s hand. “We have an evening appointment to tour Carlstern Castle and then we’ll enjoy a nice dinner in the city before we return to Skern. With an imagination like yours, Karre, you simply must visit arealcastle.”
Chapter23
From: Anders Sutherland
To: Brodie Sutherland
Date: June27
Subject: Twinkle lights???
Brodie,
What have you done? I thought you said your little girlfriend was going to make a few adjustments to the bookshop, but I visited Skern today to find Sutherland’s completely transformed. Pink parasols?? White twinkling lights? Puff dragons? Grandfather would be rolling in his grave! Who approved of placing a plastic crown on the statue of Lord PercivalII? Plastic? Did you speak to Mother about these things? It's positively preposterous. And what happened to the History section? It’s been replaced by plush pillows and picture books and a pair of fighter planes hanging from the ceiling. I have no words. How any of this will help sales is beyond me! People visit bookshops for books, not... theatrics and teacups. I expect things to return to their former structure and predictability once Isabella returns home. I just hope we haven’t lost too much business by then.
Anders
PS: What do twinkling lights have to do with either books or royals? Clearly Isabella is American.
From: Brodie Sutherland
To: Anders Sutherland
Date: June27
Subject: Re: Twinkle lights???
Anders,
I have attached ten links to various successful bookshops in countries neighboring ours. Twinkling lights are all the rage. And I think Lord Percival looks rather dashing with a crown. He always wanted to be king, as you recall from history, so we’ve just fulfilled his wish posthumously.
I look forward to allaying your fears about sales once the festival is over.
Brodie
PS:Isabelleis her name and I’m rather fond of her being an American.
From: Izzy Edgewood
To: Luke Edgewood, Penelope Edgewood, Josephine Martin
Date: June28
Subject: The Book Matchmaker
Cousins,
I’m so sorry I’ve missed emailing you guys for the past few days, but the whole bookshop thing has taken up almost every waking moment. I can’t tell you how much fun I’ve had.I’m exhausted, overwhelmed, thrilled . . . and I’ve nearly cried three times. I love books! I know that’s not a surprise, but more than that, I love helping people not only love books but experience them.
I know your mom loves me, but I’ve spent so many years keeping quiet about my ideas because I’d convinced myself that I shouldn’t say anything, that I needed to keep quiet because she and Uncle Herman were so kind to take me into your family when I lost mine. I know it’s crazy and untrue, but the idea kept me quiet when I should have spoken and still when I should have moved. But something happened when Brodie and his mom gave me freedom to renovate Sutherland’s. Actually I think it all started with Josephine’s matchmaking madness with Heart-to-Heart. The anonymity to be me and then the realization of me pretending to be someone else to help Eli and then how Brodie encouraged my authenticity when I didn’t even realize I was opening up to him... Well, here I am. The Book Matchmaker.
What is that, you may ask?
It seems that after we restructured what we could over two days, the curious locals couldn’t get enough and the tourist traffic from the incoming festival had an upswing. The place was so crowded, they even called in Anders, Brodie’s brother, who appears to be less enthused with customer interaction. Needless to say, I took over his shift when he couldn't remember who wroteGreat Expectationsand then later made another child cry—those were unrelated events.
It was like I’d stepped directly into a lifelong dream that I didn’t even know I longed to find. Listening to what people were looking for, helping them find the right book, sharingmy love for the stories and even finding a few new reads for myself. So when Brodie brought a young woman to me, with an adorable glint in his eyes, he said, “She wanted to see the Book Matchmaker.” As Brodie told me later, one person mentioned my “matching” them with a few books and from that point on the moniker stuck.
I found my perfect job description! If only it paid! LOL.
