Reviewed by Valerie
TITLE: The Beautiful Things Shoppe
AUTHOR: Philip William Stover
SERIES: Seasons of New Hope
PUBLISHER: Carina Adores
LENGTH: 221 pages
RELEASE DATE: January 26, 2021
BLURB:
Their collections may clash but their hearts are a perfect match.
Moving to eclectic New Hope, Pennsylvania, and running The Beautiful Things Shoppe is a dream come true for elegant and reserved fine arts dealer Prescott J. Henderson. He never agreed to share the space with Danny Roman, an easygoing extrovert who collects retro toys and colorful knickknacks.
And yet here they are, trapped together in the quaint shop as they scramble to open in time for New Hope’s charming Winter Festival.
Danny has spent years leading with his heart instead of his head. The Beautiful Things Shoppe is his chance to ground himself and build something permanent and joyful. The last thing he needs is an uptight snob who doesn’t appreciate his whimsy occupying half his shop.
It’s only when two of New Hope’s historic landmarks—each as different as Danny and Prescott—are threatened that a tentative alliance forms. And with it, the first blush of romance. Suddenly, running The Beautiful Things Shoppe together doesn’t seem so bad…until Danny’s secret threatens to ruin it all.
REVIEW:
Arthur is retiring from selling antiques and wants to pass on The Beautiful Things Shoppe in New Hope, Pennsylvania, to a younger generation of collectors. He plays matchmaker in finding the poster boys of polar opposites; only he can see the wisdom in pairing Danny, a vintage toy collector, and Prescott, an antiques dealer, in the same shop. And perhaps he sees a successful pairing of a personal kind, too. Neither man knows they’ll be sharing the retail space, though, and there’s plenty of animosity. The snark is off the scale hilarious. Danny knows how to push Prescott’s buttons perfectly. Their arguments are epic, over-the-top, and often public.
The juxtaposition of their ridiculously dichotomous merchandise is delightful. Prescott sells antique letter openers and Chippendale tables, while Danny’s side is stuffed with Smurf trinkets and Muppet paraphernalia. The descriptions of the store interior and the wares are so interesting. Prescott’s inexhaustible knowledge of the provenance of each item he sells, and Danny’s exuberance over the history of his collection are contagious.
This tale fully embodies the opposites attract trope. For example, a typical outfit for one is a vintage Hawaiian shirt, or a Fozzie Bear t-shirt, under a sherpa-lined corduroy jacket with an R2-D2 knit cap and CROCS that look like cheeseburgers. The other is comfortable in a blazer worn over a pressed button-down shirt with a Burberry scarf, a tweed hat, and penny loafers. Can you guess which is named Prescott J. Henderson? The differences don’t end with their sartorial choices. Danny is charismatic, gregarious, and is loved by everyone in town. He is the heir to his family’s multi-generational, international corporation. Prescott is an uptight, pretentious pretty boy who comes from a meager upbringing. He’s awkward and shy and inept at small talk.
The plotline that pulls Danny and Prescott together is the impending demolition of two historic buildings in town. They spearhead the citizens’ effort to stop the developers. By getting involved, Prescott begins to feel a sense of belonging in New Hope and grows more comfortable socially. As they work together, they come to appreciate the significance and importance of each other’s collection. They also come to appreciate the others’ personal assets and a mutual attraction grows. Eventually they reach a truce.
What is not revealed in the book is that the town of New Hope is not fictional, and while many details are changed, the landmarks, culture, and ambience of the small town are conveyed realistically. Philip William Stover says New Hope is “on the corner of Quaint and Queer”; I grew up a few miles downriver and I’ve never heard a more accurate description. Stover has a talent for world building, both in creating the scenery and his characters. I appreciate that he kept many of the side characters’ appearances vague, particularly with respect to gender. LGBTQ+ stereotypes are pleasantly avoided in this strongly queer locale where “diversity and inclusive [are] at its core.” At least two characters use gender neutral pronouns and it’s never explained why, or how the characters present. I applaud this. It’s a non-issue, as it should be. The charming secondary characters include Vince and Tack from the first book in the series.
This book does have a downfall, though, in the form of a Big Misunderstanding – my biggest fiction pet peeve. Danny is keeping a big secret from Prescott, not outright lying, but certainly misleading him. About one third through the book, Prescott shares his own painful past, explains to Danny why he is afraid of getting hurt, and gifts him with his trust. Ugh! I wanted to scream at my tablet because I knew in my bones this was going to build to a similar denouement as The Hideaway Inn, whose misunderstanding I hated. I cannot fathom why the author used this same plot device for both books in his series. I was sorely disappointed. Oddly, I would’ve enjoyed this book more if I hadn’t read the first book in the series.
I wanted to love this book for its idyllic locally, excellent world building, multi-layered characters, and strong storytelling. Unfortunately, knowing the story was building to the Big Misunderstanding created unpleasant tension for me. However, the good outweighed the bad and I can still recommend The Beautiful Things Shoppe.
RATING: 
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