Bookish Buys: Battle of the Bookstores by Ali Brady
Bookish Buys
Inspired by Battle of the Bookstores by Ali Brady
Wearing a butter yellow pencil skirt with a crisp short-sleeve white button-down, paired with red pumps and a bold beaded red necklace, doesn’t just say “put-together”—it says Josie Klein. It says literary heroine in charge. It says sharp mind, sharper wardrobe. And it just might be the ticket to making you feel like the main character in your own life.
Inspired by Battle of the Bookstores by Ali Brady, this outfit is a love letter to women who color-code their planners, alphabetize their shelves, and know that Austen deserves her own section. Josie Klein is a woman who means business, especially when the future of her beloved bookstore is on the line. But just beneath the structured silhouette of that buttery yellow pencil skirt? A heart that still believes in happy endings—even if she'd never admit it out loud.
The tailored blouse tells the world you’re buttoned-up, but those red accessories hint at the passion simmering under the surface. Passion for stories, for connection, and maybe—just maybe—for that infuriatingly charming rival next door who doesn’t take anything seriously and somehow still manages to win people over. (We see you, Ryan.)
When Josie finds herself juggling a summer-long rivalry, unexpected chemistry, and anonymous late-night book forum chats, it’s her steadfast belief in doing the right thing—and her willingness to let her guard down—that helps her rewrite the story she thought she was living.
So slip into that butter yellow. Step into those red heels. Pin your hair back or let it fall wild—whatever feels most you. Because whether you're managing bookstores or just managing to keep it all together, this look is your reminder: You’re not just a supporting character in someone else’s plot. You’re the heroine. And this? This is your turning point.
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Bookish Buys: Battle of the Bookstores by Ali Brady
About Battle of the Bookstores by Ali Brady:
Rivalry and romance spark when two bookstore managers who are opposites in every way find themselves competing for the same promotion.
Despite managing bookstores on the same Boston street, Josie Klein and Ryan Lawson have never interacted much—Josie’s store focuses on serious literature, and Ryan’s sells romance only. But when the new owner of both stores decides to combine them, the two are thrust into direct competition. Only one manager will be left standing, decided by who turns the most profit over the summer.
Efficient and detail-oriented Josie instantly clashes with easygoing and disorganized Ryan. Their competing events and contrasting styles lead to more than just frustration—the sparks between them might just set the whole store on fire. Their only solace during this chaos is the friendship they’ve each struck up with an anonymous friend in an online book forum. Little do they know they’re actually chatting with each other.
As their rivalry heats up in real life, their online relationship grows, and when the walls between their stores come tumbling down, Josie and Ryan realize not all’s fair in love and war. And maybe, if they’re lucky, happily ever afters aren’t just for the books.
