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laurensilva's review
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Alcoholism
Minor: Death of parent
kekepania's review
1.0
Ugh, I wanted to like this. Bookshop & bakery owners sounds so cute. But the main guy is a total jerk, and super hot/cold. She says she's shy and "mousey" but instantly jumps into PDAs and sex - which is fine, but feels inconsistent? I loved that they said they're in their 30s, but they act like immature teenagers.
If his main trauma is an alcoholic mom, huuuuuge red flags that he keeps WHISKEY at WORK for stress!
If his main trauma is an alcoholic mom, huuuuuge red flags that he keeps WHISKEY at WORK for stress!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism and Alcohol
iamauden's review
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Addiction and Alcoholism
aesantiago's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Medical content, and Abandonment
allingoodtime's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Both Joelle and Max are wonderful characters. They have a great connection and the makings of a beautiful relationship. Their downfall, over and over, is they do not know how to fight.
Joelle has always been the one to make everyone around her comfortable, often at her own expense. She is giving, caring, selfless, and just pretty amazing. She also grew up in a very loving and supportive family. While there was a bad thing that happened to her family years ago, there isn’t a lot of conflict in her family. That not only makes Joelle ill-equipped to handle conflict in a relationship but also gives her blinders when it comes to how families often act in other people’s lives.
Max grew up neglected and unwanted, or at least that’s how it felt to him. He’s been without a family for years, since cutting the toxic people out of his life and never looking back. Yet Max never dealt with the ramifications of those past familial relationships and how they shaped him. He hasn’t learned to deal with his anger and find true peace. Max doesn’t understand that harsh words and disagreements do not mean you no longer care.
After initially giving in to their attraction, Joelle and Max hit a roadblock and things get downright tense and nasty at times. To a point that I was getting annoyed and felt it was too much. Once the couple finally works things through, they have a delightful romance. I loved how much they were so obviously into one another and built each other up. But again, they do not know how to fight. When things were good they were very, very good. When things were bad they were horrid.
Overall this is a solid romance read. While I felt the characters had a strong connection, I didn’t necessarily get a lot of warm fuzzies. The side characters are warm and interesting. An odd complaint I have is the cover. There are plenty of covers I’ve disliked throughout the years and it’s not even that I dislike the cover. I dislike it for this story a lot, though. The characters of Max and Joelle are supposed to be polar opposites in looks, like nobody would guess they would be a couple. For some reason, this cover (maybe because I’ve seen it a lot since the book was published?) stuck in my mind and I couldn’t settle the characters in my mind with how they were being described. Maybe that’s partly a writing issue, but it bothered me for some reason. I told you, it’s an odd complaint.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Alcoholism
rebeccaelizabeth94's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I liked this book but it won’t be one of my top reads this year. I liked how Joelle and Max hit it off in the beginning and I was hoping for more of that consistently through the book. I liked the forced proximity when they had to share a space. I enjoyed the silly little adventures and the big road trip. I liked how they planned dates to show the other something they never had or always wanted. That was absolutely the sweetest thing and I loved it. The road trip up the coast was so wholesome. There were two moments that stuck out to me as impractical in the book. The first was when Pumpkin got out and ate some of Max old books. I feel like he was right to say Pumpkin should stay at home. After all Pumpkin is a hamster that goes to a bakery where there’s no space so he’s by the food. Not a good look for me. The second was how easily Max and his mother reunited after years of trauma and neglect. The author kept writing that things aren’t fully better but it seems to me that that wouldn’t be something that resolves itself in 19 months.
Content Warnings
Minor: Alcoholism and Abandonment
mslori's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Pretty adorable, not sure if I could have gotten over Max's anger issues like Jolie did, but she was a cinnamon roll and I'm not. Also earned points for the MCs talking the first misunderstanding out pretty early in the book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism
fbzreadswhatever's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Chronic illness, and Pregnancy
giaciccone's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism
Minor: Infidelity
thatreadingmom's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Get your favorite Filipino baked good and settle in for a sweet and fun read! The book had some grumpy/sunshine, friends to lovers and a dash of found family! The Boy With The Bookstore grabbed my attention from the beginning and didn’t let go till I was done the book.
The book follows Joelle who is a good hearted, shy, baker who’s owns a Filipino bakery right next door to Max who owns a book store. Max and Joelle have been secretly crushing on each other for two years but neither has had to courage to do anything about it. One day Joelle and Max’s flirting finally turns into something more only for it to be derailed when they find out they have to share a non ideal retail space while their respective stores get renovated.
Max and Joelle’s relationship goes through some ups and downs because of their stresses of owning a small business and personal family problems. I felt the relationship was pretty realistic to how relationships go especially when one of the people in the relationship has had a traumatic up bringing.
All the characters were great including Joelle’s family and best friend, the spicy scenes were excellent, and it was paced well. Overall i really liked this book and definitely recommend it!
The book follows Joelle who is a good hearted, shy, baker who’s owns a Filipino bakery right next door to Max who owns a book store. Max and Joelle have been secretly crushing on each other for two years but neither has had to courage to do anything about it. One day Joelle and Max’s flirting finally turns into something more only for it to be derailed when they find out they have to share a non ideal retail space while their respective stores get renovated.
Max and Joelle’s relationship goes through some ups and downs because of their stresses of owning a small business and personal family problems. I felt the relationship was pretty realistic to how relationships go especially when one of the people in the relationship has had a traumatic up bringing.
All the characters were great including Joelle’s family and best friend, the spicy scenes were excellent, and it was paced well. Overall i really liked this book and definitely recommend it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism and Abandonment
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