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The Bookshop of Forbidden Books: A Must-Read Novel for All Book Lovers
LIVE. READ. RESIST.
Mitch, a passionate bookseller, is arrested one morning for committing an unthinkable selling books that have been banned. After five years in prison, all Mitch wants to do is to regain his freedom and settle back into his bookshop.
But fate has other plans.
On the same day Mitch crosses paths with the man who put him behind bars, he also encounters Anna, a woman who could well be the love of his life. From that moment on, Mitch finds himself caught between an irresistible desire for revenge and an irresistible desire for love . . .
A whimsical comedy brimming with charm, tenderness and humanity, and a tribute to the transformative power of literature, this is a novel that will capture the hearts of book lovers around the world.
Mitch, a passionate bookseller, is arrested one morning for committing an unthinkable selling books that have been banned. After five years in prison, all Mitch wants to do is to regain his freedom and settle back into his bookshop.
But fate has other plans.
On the same day Mitch crosses paths with the man who put him behind bars, he also encounters Anna, a woman who could well be the love of his life. From that moment on, Mitch finds himself caught between an irresistible desire for revenge and an irresistible desire for love . . .
A whimsical comedy brimming with charm, tenderness and humanity, and a tribute to the transformative power of literature, this is a novel that will capture the hearts of book lovers around the world.
Audible Audio
Published September 24, 2026
About the author
Marc Levy
200 books4,550 followersMarc Levy was born in France. When he turned eighteen, he joined the Red Cross, where he spent the next six years. In 1983, he created a computer graphics company based in France and the United States. Six years later, he co-founded an interior design and planning company with two friends; the company soon became one of the leading architecture firms in France.
At thirty-seven, Marc Levy wrote a story for the man that his son would grow up to be. In early 1999, his sister, a screenwriter (now a film director), encouraged him to send the manuscript to a French publisher, who immediately decided to publish If Only It Were True. Before it was published, Steven Spielberg (Dreamworks) acquired film rights to the novel. The movie, Just like Heaven, starring Reese Witherspoon and Mark Ruffalo, was a #1 box office hit in America in 2005.
After If Only It Were True, Marc Levy began writing full-time. Since then, he has written 18 novels. His work has been translated into 49 languages and has sold over 40 million copies worldwide.
In addition, Marc Levy has directed a short movie, written short stories and song lyrics for various artists, including Johnny Hallyday.
Le Figaro newspaper recently commissioned a nationwide poll asking the French to rank their favorite author: Marc Levy and Victor Hugo were #1.
Marc Levy currently lives in New York City. Readers can learn more about him and follow his work on www.marclevy.info
At thirty-seven, Marc Levy wrote a story for the man that his son would grow up to be. In early 1999, his sister, a screenwriter (now a film director), encouraged him to send the manuscript to a French publisher, who immediately decided to publish If Only It Were True. Before it was published, Steven Spielberg (Dreamworks) acquired film rights to the novel. The movie, Just like Heaven, starring Reese Witherspoon and Mark Ruffalo, was a #1 box office hit in America in 2005.
After If Only It Were True, Marc Levy began writing full-time. Since then, he has written 18 novels. His work has been translated into 49 languages and has sold over 40 million copies worldwide.
In addition, Marc Levy has directed a short movie, written short stories and song lyrics for various artists, including Johnny Hallyday.
Le Figaro newspaper recently commissioned a nationwide poll asking the French to rank their favorite author: Marc Levy and Victor Hugo were #1.
Marc Levy currently lives in New York City. Readers can learn more about him and follow his work on www.marclevy.info
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
September 28, 2026
We have a huge problem with censorship and book banning. This problem has existed for as long as writing itself, but in the XXI century censorship simply shouldn’t exist. After twenty-one centuries, we should be mature enough as a global society to understand the meaning of the role of literature, and to treat it as a part of our civic rights and responsibilities. But things are the way they are, and that’s why the author decided to protest against this idiocy and creeping totalitarianism. He chose to use the only weapon he has against the system — his own pen. And good for him.
(I’ll come back to censorship in a moment.)
The protagonist is Mitch, a completely ordinary man — a nobody, an average Smith. He doesn’t stand out in any way. He runs a bookstore, reads books, and seems to have no other life beyond that. Years pass, and the government introduces increasingly restrictive laws, not only banning the sale of certain titles but also their possession. Libraries can’t lend them, bookstores can’t keep them in the back room… The law is absurd, with no logical justification, and it hits Mitch’s world hard. It feels personal. He decides to save what he can by hiding the problematic titles in a secret room in his basement. Then he starts a book club, someone reports him, he ends up in prison, gets out and… nothing comes of it. After his release, it turns out the government has changed and censorship has been abandoned. And that could basically be the end of the book.
But Mitch is furious. He wants to do something, he’s restless, he doesn’t know what to do, he’s unpleasant to everyone around him. And that’s understandable — you can see why he feels this way — but in the end it leads nowhere. From that moment on, the book drags, completely loses momentum, the plot offers nothing new, and it feels like the author has already said everything he wanted to say. In other words, you can stop reading somewhere around 40–45%.
Returning to censorship. I feel like the discussion is two‑dimensional: people are either for or against it. Personally, I see a big “but”… A few years ago, when the whole controversy erupted, I saw a recording from a city council meeting somewhere in Florida. A woman, mother of an 11‑year‑old, was shouting that she demanded the removal of the book she was holding — and many others — from the school library. I thought: she’s crazy. Then she started reading aloud a long passage from that book, describing a 14‑year‑old explaining to a 12‑year‑old what it means to be gay and how to perform oral sex, asking if he wants to try it. This book was recommended to children aged 10 and up in school. I understand that woman’s outrage, and in this case I support her.
Let’s talk about other examples:
The Bible is banned in the Middle East and in all Muslim‑majority countries, along with texts about any other religion. That doesn’t stop those same states from sending the Qur’an in every possible language to prisons in the US, Canada, and Europe. In every bookstore in the Middle East you can find Mein Kampf by A.H., while in many democratic countries it is banned because it promotes hatred — which is true. One of Metallica’s albums has a row of crosses on the cover, so it’s sold under the counter or with a giant sticker covering the crosses.
Read about how Saudi Arabia took control over video games and the film industry. Suddenly terrorists don’t come from the Middle East — they come from nowhere. There are no Christian symbols, no mentions of Israel, no references to magic, alcohol, pigs, dogs, etc. China also controls the global internet and Hollywood, as The Guardian has reported.
In Canada you’re not allowed to publicly quote the Bible, but Muslims can pray in the middle of the street. In schools in the Middle East, when teaching about antiquity, they don’t show ancient art because it’s full of nude figures; there’s no wine, no gods — because there is only one God. In other words, they rewrite history and that’s what our children are taught. Where are the protests? Why is no one talking about this? Instead, people prefer to shout “Free Palestine,” while our world is being reshaped by truly dangerous forces that are eroding our civilization from within.
(I’ll come back to censorship in a moment.)
The protagonist is Mitch, a completely ordinary man — a nobody, an average Smith. He doesn’t stand out in any way. He runs a bookstore, reads books, and seems to have no other life beyond that. Years pass, and the government introduces increasingly restrictive laws, not only banning the sale of certain titles but also their possession. Libraries can’t lend them, bookstores can’t keep them in the back room… The law is absurd, with no logical justification, and it hits Mitch’s world hard. It feels personal. He decides to save what he can by hiding the problematic titles in a secret room in his basement. Then he starts a book club, someone reports him, he ends up in prison, gets out and… nothing comes of it. After his release, it turns out the government has changed and censorship has been abandoned. And that could basically be the end of the book.
But Mitch is furious. He wants to do something, he’s restless, he doesn’t know what to do, he’s unpleasant to everyone around him. And that’s understandable — you can see why he feels this way — but in the end it leads nowhere. From that moment on, the book drags, completely loses momentum, the plot offers nothing new, and it feels like the author has already said everything he wanted to say. In other words, you can stop reading somewhere around 40–45%.
Returning to censorship. I feel like the discussion is two‑dimensional: people are either for or against it. Personally, I see a big “but”… A few years ago, when the whole controversy erupted, I saw a recording from a city council meeting somewhere in Florida. A woman, mother of an 11‑year‑old, was shouting that she demanded the removal of the book she was holding — and many others — from the school library. I thought: she’s crazy. Then she started reading aloud a long passage from that book, describing a 14‑year‑old explaining to a 12‑year‑old what it means to be gay and how to perform oral sex, asking if he wants to try it. This book was recommended to children aged 10 and up in school. I understand that woman’s outrage, and in this case I support her.
Let’s talk about other examples:
The Bible is banned in the Middle East and in all Muslim‑majority countries, along with texts about any other religion. That doesn’t stop those same states from sending the Qur’an in every possible language to prisons in the US, Canada, and Europe. In every bookstore in the Middle East you can find Mein Kampf by A.H., while in many democratic countries it is banned because it promotes hatred — which is true. One of Metallica’s albums has a row of crosses on the cover, so it’s sold under the counter or with a giant sticker covering the crosses.
Read about how Saudi Arabia took control over video games and the film industry. Suddenly terrorists don’t come from the Middle East — they come from nowhere. There are no Christian symbols, no mentions of Israel, no references to magic, alcohol, pigs, dogs, etc. China also controls the global internet and Hollywood, as The Guardian has reported.
In Canada you’re not allowed to publicly quote the Bible, but Muslims can pray in the middle of the street. In schools in the Middle East, when teaching about antiquity, they don’t show ancient art because it’s full of nude figures; there’s no wine, no gods — because there is only one God. In other words, they rewrite history and that’s what our children are taught. Where are the protests? Why is no one talking about this? Instead, people prefer to shout “Free Palestine,” while our world is being reshaped by truly dangerous forces that are eroding our civilization from within.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I want to preface this by saying that the audio production was fantastic. I really enjoyed the narrator, Nicholas Burns, whose delivery is well-paced and charming.
But the story itself? A major letdown, not gonna lie.
It started with an excellent author’s note about censorship and book banning in present day US. I appreciate the author taking a stance in this explicit way. However, the ensuing info dumps about the fictional political situation were, while realistic in their content, unnecessary--especially given the foreword. As a whole, the political dissection felt more like an essay that wanted to be a novel, something I noticed throughout the first half of the book, after which I DNF'd. Most characters seem like mouthpieces, and though I agree with them, I wanted to listen to a novel, not an essay. It lacks subtext and intrigue. Heavy topics such as assault, parent death and dementia are strewn throughout and I keep thinking: where is the cozy I was promised in the marketing copy?
Mitch is an unlikable protagonist without personality. When talking about Mathilde, the manic pixie college student he's sleeping with (and otherwise treats badly), the narrator says she unleashes ambition in men. „Ambition they didn’t even know they had until they slept with her.“ Seriously? The way this book treats women is so unpleasant. Anna and Mitch are not cute together. I hate the supposed stumbling-bumbling cute nerves. No!
I can't believe it. If there’s no internet, how does he get groceries if he allegedly never leaves the house? The first newspaper he sees is in a cafe and not a grocery store?
And again: this book is not cozy. Beware.
Thank you to NetGalley and W.F. Howes Ltd for the free audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.
But the story itself? A major letdown, not gonna lie.
It started with an excellent author’s note about censorship and book banning in present day US. I appreciate the author taking a stance in this explicit way. However, the ensuing info dumps about the fictional political situation were, while realistic in their content, unnecessary--especially given the foreword. As a whole, the political dissection felt more like an essay that wanted to be a novel, something I noticed throughout the first half of the book, after which I DNF'd. Most characters seem like mouthpieces, and though I agree with them, I wanted to listen to a novel, not an essay. It lacks subtext and intrigue. Heavy topics such as assault, parent death and dementia are strewn throughout and I keep thinking: where is the cozy I was promised in the marketing copy?
Mitch is an unlikable protagonist without personality. When talking about Mathilde, the manic pixie college student he's sleeping with (and otherwise treats badly), the narrator says she unleashes ambition in men. „Ambition they didn’t even know they had until they slept with her.“ Seriously? The way this book treats women is so unpleasant. Anna and Mitch are not cute together. I hate the supposed stumbling-bumbling cute nerves. No!
I can't believe it. If there’s no internet, how does he get groceries if he allegedly never leaves the house? The first newspaper he sees is in a cafe and not a grocery store?
And again: this book is not cozy. Beware.
Thank you to NetGalley and W.F. Howes Ltd for the free audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 25, 2026
2.5*
I really loved the premise of this book and the authors note at the start about censorship but the story itself just didn’t work for me. The main character was unlikeable, and it really didn’t feel like the book was much about the forbidden book bookshop at all.
The narration was great. I’ve listened to a few audiobooks by this narrator and always thoroughly enjoyed his reading.
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for the ALC in return for my honest review
I really loved the premise of this book and the authors note at the start about censorship but the story itself just didn’t work for me. The main character was unlikeable, and it really didn’t feel like the book was much about the forbidden book bookshop at all.
The narration was great. I’ve listened to a few audiobooks by this narrator and always thoroughly enjoyed his reading.
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for the ALC in return for my honest review
September 23, 2026
This absolutely resonated with me - the idea that when time was spent reading, it was time “spent combing through novels like an explorer searching for the Holy Grail. He wasn’t lonely. He simply had friends in fiction.”
This book focuses on Mitch, an ordinary man, running a bookstore. Rather unlikeable I must say. But that’s the whole point of him. He is arrested one morning for committing the ultimate crime. He is secretly selling books that have been banned. He has spent months trying to find a way to get around HB 1467. And it seems… his luck ran out.
In the book, HB 1467 becomes part of a wider crackdown, based around the idea that books were the latest culprit in corrupting young people, putting unsuitable thoughts into their heads, inappropriate desires, and misgivings. Even targeting books accusing them of dividing society by dredging up guilt over a past no longer ‘ours’. Books about slavery, racism, patriarchy, books about the world’s history. You name it. It was on this list. This list that Mitch received covered 1400 banned titles. It was sent to every bookseller, retailer and library in the country. Odyssey, The Portrait of Dorian Gray, Sodom & Gomorrah, even Anne Frank - these were just a handful of the titles added to this list. Removed from shelves immediately.
When in fact, the reality is that reading is not something to be feared. Reading holds a power unlike anything else. Reading teaches you the art of understanding rather than to judge hastily. You get to meet strangers, you travel to other cultures, to imaginary worlds, through time, you got to explore new and wonderful ideas, and also confront unfamiliar ways of thinking.
“it’s like keeping the magic of childhood alive. To read is to open myself up to the world.”
Mitch is finally released after serving five years in prison for, yes, selling a book. He returns to a changed world. He wants to settle back into his bookshop. Find his passion again. On the very same day that he crosses paths with the one who put him in prison, he meets, Anna. As for Anna, she fled years prior, after an event where a cop died from food poisoning right after assaulting her. Yes. Read it to find out more.
And so we continue Mitch’s story, where he finds himself caught between a desire for revenge - for selling a book, losing five years of his life - and this possibility of being able to move on, continue his life and maybe even find love.
This was not what I was expecting. I was going in thinking: a man, a bookshop, a passion, a fight for what's right and resistance against the banned-books law. But it was more than that. It's a simple, whimsical combination of romance and murder mystery, sprinkled with a little humour and set against a book lovers’ world.
Whilst this is translated fiction, it read well for the most part. It was slow in places, and whilst a book doesn't need to be a fast read to be enjoyable, I did wonder whether some of the connection was lost in translation - although that could equally be because it wasn't quite what I was expecting.
It had its romance elements, which to be honest, probably didn’t need to be in there. Was it just there to tick a box, or to move away from the overall low, moody, serious undertones? Who’s to say. It was nice to see, but didn’t bring anything extra to the narrative.
I found this an interesting, easy read, something a little different and, unexpectedly, quite informative. For me, the biggest takeaway was that whilst this was a work of fiction, it highlights the reality of what is happening around book censorship today.
HB 1467 was actually signed into law in 2022, requiring Florida school districts to be transparent about the selection and review of instructional materials, including library and reading materials.
And since then, book challenges and removals have become a documented issue in US schools. 1,406 book-ban cases across 33 Florida school districts were recorded during the 2022-23 school year.
You'll find a list of actual banned books from around the world at the end of the book, including banned classics, and this really drives home the underlying themes of political control and censorship. It was probably this element that stayed with me most. Because books aren't just books. They're history, culture, different perspectives, uncomfortable truths and entire worlds. And the idea of who gets to decide what we're allowed to read? That's the bit that really got me.
The archaic nature that the world is now turning to, despite it being 2026 is just… get me off this planet now.
Thank you to Marc Levy & Firefinch for sending me a copy, in exchange for an honest review.
This book focuses on Mitch, an ordinary man, running a bookstore. Rather unlikeable I must say. But that’s the whole point of him. He is arrested one morning for committing the ultimate crime. He is secretly selling books that have been banned. He has spent months trying to find a way to get around HB 1467. And it seems… his luck ran out.
In the book, HB 1467 becomes part of a wider crackdown, based around the idea that books were the latest culprit in corrupting young people, putting unsuitable thoughts into their heads, inappropriate desires, and misgivings. Even targeting books accusing them of dividing society by dredging up guilt over a past no longer ‘ours’. Books about slavery, racism, patriarchy, books about the world’s history. You name it. It was on this list. This list that Mitch received covered 1400 banned titles. It was sent to every bookseller, retailer and library in the country. Odyssey, The Portrait of Dorian Gray, Sodom & Gomorrah, even Anne Frank - these were just a handful of the titles added to this list. Removed from shelves immediately.
When in fact, the reality is that reading is not something to be feared. Reading holds a power unlike anything else. Reading teaches you the art of understanding rather than to judge hastily. You get to meet strangers, you travel to other cultures, to imaginary worlds, through time, you got to explore new and wonderful ideas, and also confront unfamiliar ways of thinking.
“it’s like keeping the magic of childhood alive. To read is to open myself up to the world.”
Mitch is finally released after serving five years in prison for, yes, selling a book. He returns to a changed world. He wants to settle back into his bookshop. Find his passion again. On the very same day that he crosses paths with the one who put him in prison, he meets, Anna. As for Anna, she fled years prior, after an event where a cop died from food poisoning right after assaulting her. Yes. Read it to find out more.
And so we continue Mitch’s story, where he finds himself caught between a desire for revenge - for selling a book, losing five years of his life - and this possibility of being able to move on, continue his life and maybe even find love.
This was not what I was expecting. I was going in thinking: a man, a bookshop, a passion, a fight for what's right and resistance against the banned-books law. But it was more than that. It's a simple, whimsical combination of romance and murder mystery, sprinkled with a little humour and set against a book lovers’ world.
Whilst this is translated fiction, it read well for the most part. It was slow in places, and whilst a book doesn't need to be a fast read to be enjoyable, I did wonder whether some of the connection was lost in translation - although that could equally be because it wasn't quite what I was expecting.
It had its romance elements, which to be honest, probably didn’t need to be in there. Was it just there to tick a box, or to move away from the overall low, moody, serious undertones? Who’s to say. It was nice to see, but didn’t bring anything extra to the narrative.
I found this an interesting, easy read, something a little different and, unexpectedly, quite informative. For me, the biggest takeaway was that whilst this was a work of fiction, it highlights the reality of what is happening around book censorship today.
HB 1467 was actually signed into law in 2022, requiring Florida school districts to be transparent about the selection and review of instructional materials, including library and reading materials.
And since then, book challenges and removals have become a documented issue in US schools. 1,406 book-ban cases across 33 Florida school districts were recorded during the 2022-23 school year.
You'll find a list of actual banned books from around the world at the end of the book, including banned classics, and this really drives home the underlying themes of political control and censorship. It was probably this element that stayed with me most. Because books aren't just books. They're history, culture, different perspectives, uncomfortable truths and entire worlds. And the idea of who gets to decide what we're allowed to read? That's the bit that really got me.
The archaic nature that the world is now turning to, despite it being 2026 is just… get me off this planet now.
Thank you to Marc Levy & Firefinch for sending me a copy, in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
4.5 stars
"I'm always sorry that people ban my books. Many times I've been called the most banned. Many times my books are banned by people who never read two sentences." — Maya Angelou
As a librarian and a lifelong, wide-ranging, avid reader appalled at the dramatic increase in censorship and book banning, I was absolutely delighted to receive a GIFTED proof of Marc Levy's upcoming novel, The Bookshop of Forbidden Books, which will be published by Firefinch on 24th September.
Here's a little summary:
Mitch, a passionate bookseller, is arrested one morning for committing an unthinkable crime: selling books that have been banned. After five years in prison, all Mitch wants to do is to regain his freedom and settle back into his bookshop. But fate has other plans. On the same day Mitch crosses paths with the man who put him behind bars, he also encounters Anna, a woman who could well be the love of his life. From that moment on, Mitch finds himself caught between an irresistible desire for revenge and an irresistible desire for love . . .
On the surface, this is a whimsical, breezy combination of a love story and a murder mystery, laced with comedy, wrapped up in charm, and offering a heartfelt tribute to the transformative power of literature.
It's a truly delightful and entertaining read, but it's not just hearts, flowers and saccharine. This is a book with a vitally important message, as it explores themes of right-wing authoritarianism, power and control.
The government in the country depicted within this novel's pages sees books as dangerous weapons to be censored and controlled. A list of banned titles is drawn up, with a very hazy definition of how or why they are deemed worthy of banning, and any access to these titles is removed. A move which sounds all too familiar, and has played out through history with book bans and burnings; arrests and imprisonment.
But this isn't something confined to history, it's playing out, right now, in the so-called free world, in America AND the UK, and Marc Levy is giving us all a wake-up call.
His cast of characters is drawn with great sympathy and humanity, and his story is wonderfully entertaining, well-written and pacy, but we ignore this book's warning at our peril.
As Ray Bradbury wrote in his dystopian novel Fahrenheit 451: "You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them."
The inclusion at the end of the novel of a list of books banned in the real world, and accompanying statistics, drives home the precarious nature of our freedom, and the threat of political control.
Yes, Marc Levy is bringing us a really enjoyable love-story for sure, but he is also presenting us with his heartfelt and passionate defence of literature, free thought and intellectual freedom, and the vital role that booksellers play in the ongoing battle against censorship.
As a lifelong reader, and as a librarian, a profession also fighting on the front line of this raging war, I absolutely loved this novel, and thoroughly recommend it!
Remember:
Not all heroes wear capes.Some carry books.
LIVE. READ. RESIST.
"I'm always sorry that people ban my books. Many times I've been called the most banned. Many times my books are banned by people who never read two sentences." — Maya Angelou
As a librarian and a lifelong, wide-ranging, avid reader appalled at the dramatic increase in censorship and book banning, I was absolutely delighted to receive a GIFTED proof of Marc Levy's upcoming novel, The Bookshop of Forbidden Books, which will be published by Firefinch on 24th September.
Here's a little summary:
Mitch, a passionate bookseller, is arrested one morning for committing an unthinkable crime: selling books that have been banned. After five years in prison, all Mitch wants to do is to regain his freedom and settle back into his bookshop. But fate has other plans. On the same day Mitch crosses paths with the man who put him behind bars, he also encounters Anna, a woman who could well be the love of his life. From that moment on, Mitch finds himself caught between an irresistible desire for revenge and an irresistible desire for love . . .
On the surface, this is a whimsical, breezy combination of a love story and a murder mystery, laced with comedy, wrapped up in charm, and offering a heartfelt tribute to the transformative power of literature.
It's a truly delightful and entertaining read, but it's not just hearts, flowers and saccharine. This is a book with a vitally important message, as it explores themes of right-wing authoritarianism, power and control.
The government in the country depicted within this novel's pages sees books as dangerous weapons to be censored and controlled. A list of banned titles is drawn up, with a very hazy definition of how or why they are deemed worthy of banning, and any access to these titles is removed. A move which sounds all too familiar, and has played out through history with book bans and burnings; arrests and imprisonment.
But this isn't something confined to history, it's playing out, right now, in the so-called free world, in America AND the UK, and Marc Levy is giving us all a wake-up call.
His cast of characters is drawn with great sympathy and humanity, and his story is wonderfully entertaining, well-written and pacy, but we ignore this book's warning at our peril.
As Ray Bradbury wrote in his dystopian novel Fahrenheit 451: "You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them."
The inclusion at the end of the novel of a list of books banned in the real world, and accompanying statistics, drives home the precarious nature of our freedom, and the threat of political control.
Yes, Marc Levy is bringing us a really enjoyable love-story for sure, but he is also presenting us with his heartfelt and passionate defence of literature, free thought and intellectual freedom, and the vital role that booksellers play in the ongoing battle against censorship.
As a lifelong reader, and as a librarian, a profession also fighting on the front line of this raging war, I absolutely loved this novel, and thoroughly recommend it!
Remember:
Not all heroes wear capes.Some carry books.
LIVE. READ. RESIST.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I believe this is the first of his books I've read.
I mean, it's a book about books and bookshops - that's already a winner for me. Banning books feels like it should only be a thing in fictional words and it's a shame that is not. And even though we're in 2026, censorship of books is still a big thing, particularly in the States (I'm glad in the UK we don't really go down that route), it seems so archaic and even though this was a fiction, you can read Marc's love for books and hatred of censorship.
I enjoyed this straight away. Translated books can lose some of their charm, and even though I can speak a bit of French, it wouldn't have been enough to cover the entire novel. But this still felt like it had charm and the original emotion.
Even though I'd read the synopsis, I was expecting a sedate - but not boring - historical book about banning books. But I got something completely different. Yes it's about banned books but there's a this almost thriller/mystery element about it, as well as romance and crime. Not sure where I got the historical element from as it doesn't suggest that at all. I wonder if it's because banning books is so linked to activities in the war, perhaps.
Mitch is our main protagonist but we get to know quite a large number of other characters, with big and small roles, some through their POVs and some through Mitch's. I like multiple character views, I know some people don't. But I admit at a few times I had to refresh myself, trying to remember who was who and how they linked. Like I say, some have bigger roles than others and some are more likeable than others. But they are all well written and have an interesting effect on the main story. Not all of them have depth to them and normally I would have an issue with that but I think the story itself is strong enough to even it out.
The romance aspect of the book didn't really work for me. I understand why it was there but personally, I felt it was added so they could tick the 'romance' box rather than the story needing it. I think it would have been just as enjoyable - maybe even more - without that aspect.
It was a little slower than I'd have liked. At 320 pages it's not a short book but nor is it overly long. And a book doesn't have to be 100 mph for it to be enjoyable. But I like a mixture of fast paced and slow paced and this definitely heavily favoured the slow pace.
I read this on a July day where it was 100 degrees and I was melting but it was very good company. Bizarrely, I think it might hit harder during the winter. There's a sort of feeling I get of wanting to tuck up under a blanket in front of the fire with a hot cup of tea, all cosy-like.
I mean, it's a book about books and bookshops - that's already a winner for me. Banning books feels like it should only be a thing in fictional words and it's a shame that is not. And even though we're in 2026, censorship of books is still a big thing, particularly in the States (I'm glad in the UK we don't really go down that route), it seems so archaic and even though this was a fiction, you can read Marc's love for books and hatred of censorship.
I enjoyed this straight away. Translated books can lose some of their charm, and even though I can speak a bit of French, it wouldn't have been enough to cover the entire novel. But this still felt like it had charm and the original emotion.
Even though I'd read the synopsis, I was expecting a sedate - but not boring - historical book about banning books. But I got something completely different. Yes it's about banned books but there's a this almost thriller/mystery element about it, as well as romance and crime. Not sure where I got the historical element from as it doesn't suggest that at all. I wonder if it's because banning books is so linked to activities in the war, perhaps.
Mitch is our main protagonist but we get to know quite a large number of other characters, with big and small roles, some through their POVs and some through Mitch's. I like multiple character views, I know some people don't. But I admit at a few times I had to refresh myself, trying to remember who was who and how they linked. Like I say, some have bigger roles than others and some are more likeable than others. But they are all well written and have an interesting effect on the main story. Not all of them have depth to them and normally I would have an issue with that but I think the story itself is strong enough to even it out.
The romance aspect of the book didn't really work for me. I understand why it was there but personally, I felt it was added so they could tick the 'romance' box rather than the story needing it. I think it would have been just as enjoyable - maybe even more - without that aspect.
It was a little slower than I'd have liked. At 320 pages it's not a short book but nor is it overly long. And a book doesn't have to be 100 mph for it to be enjoyable. But I like a mixture of fast paced and slow paced and this definitely heavily favoured the slow pace.
I read this on a July day where it was 100 degrees and I was melting but it was very good company. Bizarrely, I think it might hit harder during the winter. There's a sort of feeling I get of wanting to tuck up under a blanket in front of the fire with a hot cup of tea, all cosy-like.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
LIVE. READ. RESIST.
Mitch owns a bookshop. It’s his life, until he is arrested for selling banned books and sentenced to five years in prison.
When he finally gets out, his bookshop is still there, just as it was before he was sent away. Mitch wants to return to his old life, but things aren’t that simple. He crosses paths with the man who sent him to prison, and with Anna, a woman who could become the love of his life.
Mitch is torn between revenge for the five years he has lost and the possibility of love. Anna has been away for five years too, carrying secrets of her own, and she has returned determined to fulfil her dream of opening a restaurant.
This is much more than a romance with a murder mystery. It is a story about books, freedom, censorship and the power of literature to change lives.
The government in the story sees books as dangerous and believes they must be controlled. Books are banned from schools and bookshops, and those caught selling them face arrest and imprisonment. While this is fiction, the underlying issue is very real. Book challenges and bans are happening in the real world, making the story feel particularly relevant.
I loved the cast of characters, and there is plenty here for book lovers to enjoy. The story is well paced, engaging and completely pulled me in. I whizzed through it in a day!
I also really appreciated the author’s notes at the end, which include books that have been banned or challenged in the real world, along with statistics. It highlights just how powerful, and sometimes threatening, books and ideas can be to those who want to control what people read.
And sometimes, banning a book only makes you want to read it more!
A gripping and thought-provoking read that combines romance, mystery and a passionate defence of literature, intellectual freedom and free thought.
Mitch owns a bookshop. It’s his life, until he is arrested for selling banned books and sentenced to five years in prison.
When he finally gets out, his bookshop is still there, just as it was before he was sent away. Mitch wants to return to his old life, but things aren’t that simple. He crosses paths with the man who sent him to prison, and with Anna, a woman who could become the love of his life.
Mitch is torn between revenge for the five years he has lost and the possibility of love. Anna has been away for five years too, carrying secrets of her own, and she has returned determined to fulfil her dream of opening a restaurant.
This is much more than a romance with a murder mystery. It is a story about books, freedom, censorship and the power of literature to change lives.
The government in the story sees books as dangerous and believes they must be controlled. Books are banned from schools and bookshops, and those caught selling them face arrest and imprisonment. While this is fiction, the underlying issue is very real. Book challenges and bans are happening in the real world, making the story feel particularly relevant.
I loved the cast of characters, and there is plenty here for book lovers to enjoy. The story is well paced, engaging and completely pulled me in. I whizzed through it in a day!
I also really appreciated the author’s notes at the end, which include books that have been banned or challenged in the real world, along with statistics. It highlights just how powerful, and sometimes threatening, books and ideas can be to those who want to control what people read.
And sometimes, banning a book only makes you want to read it more!
A gripping and thought-provoking read that combines romance, mystery and a passionate defence of literature, intellectual freedom and free thought.
October 4, 2026
“No other profession could have made me this happy. I became a bookseller so I could share that feeling. Encountering new ideas, travelling through time, discovering lost civilizations, different ways of thinking… It’s like keeping the magic of childhood alive. To read is to open myself up to the world.”
This is a gorgeous, effortlessly flowing read by contemporary French author Marc Levy, inspired in part by the law that was passed in 2022 in Florida, granting any state resident the right to request the removal of books from school curricula as well as from public and school libraries accessible to minors.
Having grown up in a home filled with a love of books, Mitch feels he is living the dream: owning his own bookshop and matching readers with the perfect novels. That is, until one day the government passes a law prohibiting the sale of certain books, many of them classics, on the grounds that they are detrimental to ‘social harmony’. But where does the desire to protect end and something far darker begin?
Being the book lover he is, Mitch tries to find a loophole in the law, only to be arrested and sentenced to five years in prison. His trial is little more than a formality, seemingly designed to make an example of him. So when he is finally released, Mitch is consumed by a desire to take revenge on the man who put him behind bars. But then he meets Anna, who might just turn out to be the love of his life. Anna understands his thirst for revenge, but she also knows all too well the price one can pay for acting on it.
Full of charm, this novel celebrates the love of books as well as make you sit back and think about what it could be like if suddenly you weren’t able to pick up a book you liked the sound of.
This is a gorgeous, effortlessly flowing read by contemporary French author Marc Levy, inspired in part by the law that was passed in 2022 in Florida, granting any state resident the right to request the removal of books from school curricula as well as from public and school libraries accessible to minors.
Having grown up in a home filled with a love of books, Mitch feels he is living the dream: owning his own bookshop and matching readers with the perfect novels. That is, until one day the government passes a law prohibiting the sale of certain books, many of them classics, on the grounds that they are detrimental to ‘social harmony’. But where does the desire to protect end and something far darker begin?
Being the book lover he is, Mitch tries to find a loophole in the law, only to be arrested and sentenced to five years in prison. His trial is little more than a formality, seemingly designed to make an example of him. So when he is finally released, Mitch is consumed by a desire to take revenge on the man who put him behind bars. But then he meets Anna, who might just turn out to be the love of his life. Anna understands his thirst for revenge, but she also knows all too well the price one can pay for acting on it.
Full of charm, this novel celebrates the love of books as well as make you sit back and think about what it could be like if suddenly you weren’t able to pick up a book you liked the sound of.
September 30, 2026
So the premise here is actually pretty great. We're in a near-future dystopian era where censorship laws have banned thousands of books, & Mitch, our main guy, runs a bookshop with a secret cellar where he hosts a clandestine book meeting. He gets caught, goes to prison, & comes back 5 years later wanting revenge on the prosecutor who put him there. Meanwhile, there's Anna, a woman who fled after a cop died from food poisoning right after assaulting her. Isn't it interesting? A cozy crime vibe mixed with a book ban dystopia? I was so intrigued. And I appreciated how much this book celebrates reading as resistance. Reading can be a form of defiance against oppression & censorship. That part genuinely resonated with me.
But unfortunately I just couldn't connect with the characters. They felt distant, like I was watching them through fogged glass instead of actually feeling anything with them. Mitch is kinda unlikeable, & not in an interesting way. The romance between him & Anna is supposed to be a big emotional pull, but it just isn't. I kept waiting for a spark, some tension, something, but it felt like the book's just going through motions. Even the crime itself, which is deliciously absurd in theory, never really challenged me in any way. There are plotholes, things that don't add up, & the storyline just didn't work for me.
That said, it's still alright. It's light, easy, & if you're into cozy crime with a political twist, you might breeze through it just fine. I wouldn't call it a must-read, but I wouldn't warn anyone off either. Sometimes you just want something fun & low-stakes, & this fits that mood.
But unfortunately I just couldn't connect with the characters. They felt distant, like I was watching them through fogged glass instead of actually feeling anything with them. Mitch is kinda unlikeable, & not in an interesting way. The romance between him & Anna is supposed to be a big emotional pull, but it just isn't. I kept waiting for a spark, some tension, something, but it felt like the book's just going through motions. Even the crime itself, which is deliciously absurd in theory, never really challenged me in any way. There are plotholes, things that don't add up, & the storyline just didn't work for me.
That said, it's still alright. It's light, easy, & if you're into cozy crime with a political twist, you might breeze through it just fine. I wouldn't call it a must-read, but I wouldn't warn anyone off either. Sometimes you just want something fun & low-stakes, & this fits that mood.
Review of advance copy
*spoilers ahead*
The book was.... ok. I love the reasoning behind it, I love showing the absurdity of going to jail for 5 years for merely selling books that are deemed controversial.
But the characters. The characters are.... bland at best. Their entire personalities are unrealistic and a mish-mash of reasonable thinking, some attempt at mysterious and somehow by the end they are detectives. There is an irony to the 'bad guy' going to jail for a murder he did not commit, but one of our main characters ends up not only evading justice for a murder she committed out of revenge but she also killed a man for someone she barely knew at the time?
It's an easy read, I'm not sorry I read it, I genuinely wanted to know how this was going to wrap up, but it's not as challenging for thought as it seemed it might be. It's presented as 'a man caught between an irresistible desire for revenge and an irresistible desire for love', and while the revenge aspect of it was shown reasonably well, the love part is just.... well, bland. In the end, revenge was taken from him, it was never really explained what his thought process was being in Salinas's house. It was never really explained how Anna poisoned Salinas. The entire thing is filled with plot holes.
In the end, it's an ok read.
The book was.... ok. I love the reasoning behind it, I love showing the absurdity of going to jail for 5 years for merely selling books that are deemed controversial.
But the characters. The characters are.... bland at best. Their entire personalities are unrealistic and a mish-mash of reasonable thinking, some attempt at mysterious and somehow by the end they are detectives. There is an irony to the 'bad guy' going to jail for a murder he did not commit, but one of our main characters ends up not only evading justice for a murder she committed out of revenge but she also killed a man for someone she barely knew at the time?
It's an easy read, I'm not sorry I read it, I genuinely wanted to know how this was going to wrap up, but it's not as challenging for thought as it seemed it might be. It's presented as 'a man caught between an irresistible desire for revenge and an irresistible desire for love', and while the revenge aspect of it was shown reasonably well, the love part is just.... well, bland. In the end, revenge was taken from him, it was never really explained what his thought process was being in Salinas's house. It was never really explained how Anna poisoned Salinas. The entire thing is filled with plot holes.
In the end, it's an ok read.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I loved everything about this book. It is easily one of my favourites this year. The title has an immediate draw for any book lover, and the fact that it was inspired by the images of the Nazi book burnings and the banning of books in the US.
The writing is excellent, but I guess some of the praise should go to the translator. Told with witty humour, love and passion, it engages from the start, and in the final gripping chapters whilst eager to know the ending, I equally didn’t want to finish it as I was enjoying it so much.
Mitch, the owner of the bookshop, is a warm, likeable character, although he can be a little naïve at times, you so much want him to succeed in his protest against the inexplicable banning of certain titles. Returning to his bookshop after serving a prison sentence of 5 years when banned titles were found in his storeroom, revenge is on his mind. But then along comes love in the form of Anna, a talented chef with ambitions for her own restaurant – could she be the love of his life?
I haven’t read any of Marc Levy’s books before but I will certainly be looking at his other titles now.
Many thanks to Marc Levy, Firefinch Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy, it is much appreciated.
The writing is excellent, but I guess some of the praise should go to the translator. Told with witty humour, love and passion, it engages from the start, and in the final gripping chapters whilst eager to know the ending, I equally didn’t want to finish it as I was enjoying it so much.
Mitch, the owner of the bookshop, is a warm, likeable character, although he can be a little naïve at times, you so much want him to succeed in his protest against the inexplicable banning of certain titles. Returning to his bookshop after serving a prison sentence of 5 years when banned titles were found in his storeroom, revenge is on his mind. But then along comes love in the form of Anna, a talented chef with ambitions for her own restaurant – could she be the love of his life?
I haven’t read any of Marc Levy’s books before but I will certainly be looking at his other titles now.
Many thanks to Marc Levy, Firefinch Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy, it is much appreciated.
September 26, 2026
If we are going to judge a book by its cover then it won’t be a surprise to you that I had a hard time placing the time period this was set in.
Banned books happen in any point of time and the introduction about the Florida book bans threw me. But then I couldn’t place the location or time period. Mitch’s parents had jobs that aren’t that popular and Anna had a bad encounter with an inspector. I kept thinking that this is definitely Europe somewhere. Maybe Paris?
What is unique is most chapters titles are the title of a banned book and some of the books he was recommending like 1Q84 didn’t come out until the 2010’s. Then when Mitch went to prison, it sounded like it could be a WWII prison.
I was struggling. And the book needed more detail, more worldbuilding and more background for both romances. They were both instantaneous and had not much chemistry.
Then the crime was slightly chaotic and it all sort of got wrapped up in a bow at the end? Will Anna not be investigated any more about the other death?
Was this written by AI?
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC to this.
Banned books happen in any point of time and the introduction about the Florida book bans threw me. But then I couldn’t place the location or time period. Mitch’s parents had jobs that aren’t that popular and Anna had a bad encounter with an inspector. I kept thinking that this is definitely Europe somewhere. Maybe Paris?
What is unique is most chapters titles are the title of a banned book and some of the books he was recommending like 1Q84 didn’t come out until the 2010’s. Then when Mitch went to prison, it sounded like it could be a WWII prison.
I was struggling. And the book needed more detail, more worldbuilding and more background for both romances. They were both instantaneous and had not much chemistry.
Then the crime was slightly chaotic and it all sort of got wrapped up in a bow at the end? Will Anna not be investigated any more about the other death?
Was this written by AI?
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC to this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
The Bookshop of Forbidden Books is a gentle comedy tale of passion, love and retribution that's tender and packed full with with genuineness and real, humble humanity.
With some with a central theme of banned books, we follow Mitch, who's arrested for selling banned books and serves 5 years in prison. Upon his release, he wants nothing more than to get back to selling his beloved books, but an unexpected turn of events changes everything and as fate would have it, Mitch finds himself caught between true love and revenge.
But what will Mitch choose? Be sure to pick your copy up to find out.
So all in all, this really was such an enjoyable read. There's humour and whimsy and we meet lots of interesting characters along the way, some I connected with, others not so much, but all were believable and felt real.
The pace, for me, was medium, but that's not a negative, not all books should or need to be fast paced and full of action, so the slower pace worked very well here.
I read this in two sittings.
4 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.
With some with a central theme of banned books, we follow Mitch, who's arrested for selling banned books and serves 5 years in prison. Upon his release, he wants nothing more than to get back to selling his beloved books, but an unexpected turn of events changes everything and as fate would have it, Mitch finds himself caught between true love and revenge.
But what will Mitch choose? Be sure to pick your copy up to find out.
So all in all, this really was such an enjoyable read. There's humour and whimsy and we meet lots of interesting characters along the way, some I connected with, others not so much, but all were believable and felt real.
The pace, for me, was medium, but that's not a negative, not all books should or need to be fast paced and full of action, so the slower pace worked very well here.
I read this in two sittings.
4 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
A love-letter to the power of reading, resistance, and human connection. The characters and plot were sketched lightly but with style, which gave them the whole thing, for me, the charm of a graphic novel or animated film and made this novel of weighty themes (book-banning, abuse of power, SA, murder, prison, institutional brutality) feel surprisingly airy and elegant read.
The setting, an unspecified town at an unspecified time, is sketched almost as lightly as the people, with the exception of the secret bookshop, which is given in enticing detail. From the blurb, I'd expected more about book banning and politics, but romance and mystery solving were unexpectedly prominent.
Expect Amelie-like stylised story telling and imagine your own jazz soundtrack to accompany the meandering threads of romance and mystery (and don't read with expectations of deep-dive psychological realism - and give a Gallic shrug to any plot loose ends).
Big thanks to the publisher for an advanced review copy.
The setting, an unspecified town at an unspecified time, is sketched almost as lightly as the people, with the exception of the secret bookshop, which is given in enticing detail. From the blurb, I'd expected more about book banning and politics, but romance and mystery solving were unexpectedly prominent.
Expect Amelie-like stylised story telling and imagine your own jazz soundtrack to accompany the meandering threads of romance and mystery (and don't read with expectations of deep-dive psychological realism - and give a Gallic shrug to any plot loose ends).
Big thanks to the publisher for an advanced review copy.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I loved this story and the reason behind Marc Levy writing it, banned books. Let's be honest, this is an anathema to any book lover!
The story tells of a bookseller, Mitch, who, enraged by the ban on selling classic literature, decides to lend banned books instead and ends up arrested and imprisoned for 5 years. After being released, he returns to his bookshop wanting nothing more than a quiet life. However, he can't forgive the man who put him away, and when he meets Anna, he is torn between revenge and love.
I loved the characters in this story; they are well written, and I easily connected with them and their plights. I loved Mitch's quiet determination and Anna's strength of character. The whole story is beautifully written and sucks you into their world easily.
This is a wonderful book, full of passion, revenge, and love. I loved reading it and applaud the stand Marc Levy is taking about the banning of books in the US today. A must-read for all book lovers.
The story tells of a bookseller, Mitch, who, enraged by the ban on selling classic literature, decides to lend banned books instead and ends up arrested and imprisoned for 5 years. After being released, he returns to his bookshop wanting nothing more than a quiet life. However, he can't forgive the man who put him away, and when he meets Anna, he is torn between revenge and love.
I loved the characters in this story; they are well written, and I easily connected with them and their plights. I loved Mitch's quiet determination and Anna's strength of character. The whole story is beautifully written and sucks you into their world easily.
This is a wonderful book, full of passion, revenge, and love. I loved reading it and applaud the stand Marc Levy is taking about the banning of books in the US today. A must-read for all book lovers.
Review of advance copy received from Autre
J’ai dévoré ce roman, mais c’est surtout son propos qui m’a marquée. À travers Mitch, emprisonné pour avoir vendu des livres interdits, Marc Levy questionne la censure et notre capacité à résister lorsque quelqu’un décide à notre place de ce que nous pouvons lire ou penser.
J’ai aimé cette idée que la résistance peut aussi être intellectuelle : continuer à lire, transmettre et confronter les idées.
Le parallèle avec certaines préoccupations très actuelles donne encore plus de force au récit, sans pour autant transformer le roman en essai.
Une lecture accessible, prenante et surtout un sujet qui reste en tête une fois le livre refermé.
J’ai aimé cette idée que la résistance peut aussi être intellectuelle : continuer à lire, transmettre et confronter les idées.
Le parallèle avec certaines préoccupations très actuelles donne encore plus de force au récit, sans pour autant transformer le roman en essai.
Une lecture accessible, prenante et surtout un sujet qui reste en tête une fois le livre refermé.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I quite liked the story.
It’s a unique plot which is quite interesting as you move on with the chapters. Loved how author has named the chapters on ‘forbidden books’ .
The book was written in a fun way and at one point you begin to almost feel pity for the main protagonist.
A interesting read however I felt at times it’s moving at a very slow pace ,hence you may put it down at times..
Overall an interesting concept and a light read.
It’s a unique plot which is quite interesting as you move on with the chapters. Loved how author has named the chapters on ‘forbidden books’ .
The book was written in a fun way and at one point you begin to almost feel pity for the main protagonist.
A interesting read however I felt at times it’s moving at a very slow pace ,hence you may put it down at times..
Overall an interesting concept and a light read.
September 11, 2026
I love the premise of this book more than anything but something about it didn’t work.
There is a chance it might just be the translation but I think even then something would have been off.
Overall I still enjoyed it though.
There is a chance it might just be the translation but I think even then something would have been off.
Overall I still enjoyed it though.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I went into this expecting cosy and ended up wondering if we were reading the same book.
The premise sounded so promising, especially with the themes around censorship and book banning, but the execution just didn't work for me. The first half felt heavily focused on political commentary and exposition, and I really struggled to connect with the characters. There were also some pretty heavy themes and storylines that made the whole thing feel very far from the cosy read I was expecting.
I think the biggest issue for me was that I kept waiting for the cosy, bookish heart of the story to come through... and unfortunately, I never really found it. Definitely one where the premise sounded much more up my street than the actual reading experience.
The premise sounded so promising, especially with the themes around censorship and book banning, but the execution just didn't work for me. The first half felt heavily focused on political commentary and exposition, and I really struggled to connect with the characters. There were also some pretty heavy themes and storylines that made the whole thing feel very far from the cosy read I was expecting.
I think the biggest issue for me was that I kept waiting for the cosy, bookish heart of the story to come through... and unfortunately, I never really found it. Definitely one where the premise sounded much more up my street than the actual reading experience.
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