.Book Talk
Current Book for July/August 2026
The Story People
by Heather Kaufman
We will meet on Saturday, August 29, 2026
at The Point 104 W. Grand River Ave. in Portland (MI)
at 9:15 a.m. for breakfast to discuss the book.
About The Book
A small-town bookstore. A buried past. Stories that refuse to stay silent.
In rain-soaked New Holden, Indiana, Palermo's Books is more than a store--
it's a place where memories linger, grief settles deep, and something unseen
moves quietly between the shelves.
Ben Palermo never planned to stay. The family bookstore carries too much: his parents' loss, his uncle's legacy, and a life he left behind in Chicago. Still, the shop hums with life--Bible studies, curious regulars, and whispers of "Story People" who wander the aisles after dark.
When Rosemary returns home to care for her grandmother, she expects a pause--not a reunion with the boy who once anchored her world... or the silence that followed when his letters stopped. As old wounds surface and small-town expectations press in, their lives intertwine again in unexpected ways.
With gentle humor, memorable characters, and a touch of the uncanny, The Story People explores what it means to carry the past--and what it takes to finally move forward.
About The Author
Heather Kaufman's devotional writing has appeared in such publications as Portals of Prayer, Open Windows, YouVersion, and Guideposts, and her novel Up from Dust was a Carol Award finalist.
A former editor turned writer, Heather worked eight years in the publishing industry while earning her master’s degree and spinning tales late into the night. When she fell in love with studying the Bible through a cultural lens, the words of Scripture came springing to life, and Jesus became even more astoundingly beautiful. Now she crafts stories that imaginatively enter the lives of biblical characters and compel readers deeper into the Bible.
When not reading, writing, or accumulating mounds of books, Heather can
be found exploring new parks with her husband and three children near their
home in St. Louis, Missouri.
Book Talk
Our book club is very casual and welcoming.
Please plan to join us whether you read the book or not.
We do discuss the book, but it's also about the fellowship. The more the merrier!
Please feel free to contact us to confirm the date/time/locationfor our Book Talk, as
sometimes we do have to change it on short notice. Our contact information can be
found by clicking on the Contact tab at the top of this page.
Click on the Book List tab near the top of the page for a
complete list of all of the books that Book Talk has read.
Information about the book from: amazon.com
Information about the author from the author's website: hmkstories.com
This web-page updated 7-11-2026
Current Book for July/August 2026
The Story People
by Heather Kaufman
We will meet on Saturday, August 29, 2026
at The Point 104 W. Grand River Ave. in Portland (MI)
at 9:15 a.m. for breakfast to discuss the book.
About The Book
A small-town bookstore. A buried past. Stories that refuse to stay silent.
In rain-soaked New Holden, Indiana, Palermo's Books is more than a store--
it's a place where memories linger, grief settles deep, and something unseen
moves quietly between the shelves.
Ben Palermo never planned to stay. The family bookstore carries too much: his parents' loss, his uncle's legacy, and a life he left behind in Chicago. Still, the shop hums with life--Bible studies, curious regulars, and whispers of "Story People" who wander the aisles after dark.
When Rosemary returns home to care for her grandmother, she expects a pause--not a reunion with the boy who once anchored her world... or the silence that followed when his letters stopped. As old wounds surface and small-town expectations press in, their lives intertwine again in unexpected ways.
With gentle humor, memorable characters, and a touch of the uncanny, The Story People explores what it means to carry the past--and what it takes to finally move forward.
About The Author
Heather Kaufman's devotional writing has appeared in such publications as Portals of Prayer, Open Windows, YouVersion, and Guideposts, and her novel Up from Dust was a Carol Award finalist.
A former editor turned writer, Heather worked eight years in the publishing industry while earning her master’s degree and spinning tales late into the night. When she fell in love with studying the Bible through a cultural lens, the words of Scripture came springing to life, and Jesus became even more astoundingly beautiful. Now she crafts stories that imaginatively enter the lives of biblical characters and compel readers deeper into the Bible.
When not reading, writing, or accumulating mounds of books, Heather can
be found exploring new parks with her husband and three children near their
home in St. Louis, Missouri.
Book Talk
Our book club is very casual and welcoming.
Please plan to join us whether you read the book or not.
We do discuss the book, but it's also about the fellowship. The more the merrier!
Please feel free to contact us to confirm the date/time/locationfor our Book Talk, as
sometimes we do have to change it on short notice. Our contact information can be
found by clicking on the Contact tab at the top of this page.
Click on the Book List tab near the top of the page for a
complete list of all of the books that Book Talk has read.
Information about the book from: amazon.com
Information about the author from the author's website: hmkstories.com
This web-page updated 7-11-2026
