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A review by theresaalan41
The Bookshop of Second Chances by Jackie Fraser
5.0
4.5 stars rounded up
I’d read two (good) suspense novels in a row, so I needed a change of pace, and this well-written novel was perfect. It’s set in Scotland, a beautiful country I adore, and since I’m not traveling physically anytime soon, at least my mind can go on a trip someplace. This is not a fast-paced, plot-driven story, so if that’s what you’re looking for, this isn’t the book for you. There are times when the narrator, Thea, describes rooms in far more detail than I’d ever need. Also, in some parts we’re really in her mind about quotidian stuff like her reflecting on her finances, which, at this time in her life, are a wee bit tricky because she left her husband after discovering he was having an affair with someone she thought was her friend, which means she’s owed half of a house but doesn’t have the money yet.
When she inherits a large manor in Scotland from an uncle she barely knew but shared her love of books, Thea travels to this small Scottish town to see if she should sell the estate or convert the property into something she can rent. Plus, there is an elaborate library filled with rare books that she could sell. Thea had been made redundant from her job, and with her unexpected inheritance, she doesn’t have to find a job right away.
She discovers that she likes the town and decides to stay on a bit, and, to fill her time, finds a low-paying but enjoyable job in a bookstore owned by an irascible man who, in his late forties, is just a few years older than she is. She’s still healing from the end of being with a man she loved and trusted for almost twenty years. At this point, she’s certain she’ll never find love again. So yes, you can guess what happens, but the attraction doesn’t happen overnight. Her turmoil from the loss of her marriage and her reluctance to enter into a relationship with a man who has had considerable issues with women is not something she enters into lightly.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this novel, which RELEASES IN THE STATES MAY 4, 2021.
I’d read two (good) suspense novels in a row, so I needed a change of pace, and this well-written novel was perfect. It’s set in Scotland, a beautiful country I adore, and since I’m not traveling physically anytime soon, at least my mind can go on a trip someplace. This is not a fast-paced, plot-driven story, so if that’s what you’re looking for, this isn’t the book for you. There are times when the narrator, Thea, describes rooms in far more detail than I’d ever need. Also, in some parts we’re really in her mind about quotidian stuff like her reflecting on her finances, which, at this time in her life, are a wee bit tricky because she left her husband after discovering he was having an affair with someone she thought was her friend, which means she’s owed half of a house but doesn’t have the money yet.
When she inherits a large manor in Scotland from an uncle she barely knew but shared her love of books, Thea travels to this small Scottish town to see if she should sell the estate or convert the property into something she can rent. Plus, there is an elaborate library filled with rare books that she could sell. Thea had been made redundant from her job, and with her unexpected inheritance, she doesn’t have to find a job right away.
She discovers that she likes the town and decides to stay on a bit, and, to fill her time, finds a low-paying but enjoyable job in a bookstore owned by an irascible man who, in his late forties, is just a few years older than she is. She’s still healing from the end of being with a man she loved and trusted for almost twenty years. At this point, she’s certain she’ll never find love again. So yes, you can guess what happens, but the attraction doesn’t happen overnight. Her turmoil from the loss of her marriage and her reluctance to enter into a relationship with a man who has had considerable issues with women is not something she enters into lightly.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this novel, which RELEASES IN THE STATES MAY 4, 2021.