The Bookshop of Idle Hours
Etna seemed to have everything: privilege, stability, and a clear sense of who she was. But when her father dies, a carefully guarded secret comes to light, one that shatters her identity and leaves her suddenly disinherited, betrayed, and alone.
With her world turned upside down, Etna is forced to start over. She moves to Barcelona’s Raval neighborhood, into the modest apartment her mother once called home. There, among forgotten belongings and lingering memories, she discovers not only a hidden past but also a long-abandoned family space: a former tavern. Inspired by her mother’s unfinished dream, Etna decides to transform the space into a bookstore. As she rebuilds her life from scratch, she finds unexpected support in the vibrant and diverse community around her: neighbors who become allies, strangers who become friends, and books that offer both refuge and purpose.
From literary gatherings that bring together people from vastly different walks of life to the quiet resilience requireId to keep the doors open, Etna’s journey is one of courage, reinvention, and connection. Along the way, she encounters stories of love, hardship, identity, and belonging.
But the past is never truly gone. As buried truths begin to resurface, Etna must confront not only where she comes from, but who she wants to become.
Request more informationOriginal Language
CATALAN | Columna
Translation Rights
GALICIAN | Kalandraka
ITALIAN | Garzanti
Prizes
Winner of the 2026 Illa dels Llibres Readers' Prize
Reviews
"Laura's book is an invitation to start over, a tribute to books and, above all, to bookstores. A unique, unrepeatable, unbeatable, free and democratic space where we feel represented and at home." Martí Gironell, author of Stars in his Eyes, for El Punt Avui