Source: Publisher
Description: A charming literary-themed novel about a young woman determined to save her great-aunt’s beloved bookshop from extinction by the shiny new competition—which also happens to be run by the handsome son of her family’s rivals.
The cute, seaside town of Portneath has been the home of Capelthorne’s Books for nearly a hundred years…
The shop, in the heart of a high street that stretches crookedly down the hill from the castle to the sea, may be a tad run-down these days, but to Jules Capelthorne, the wonky, dusty world of literary treasures is full of precious childhood memories. When her great-aunt Florence gets too frail to run it alone, Jules ditches her junior publishing job in London and comes home to make the bookshop’s hundredth birthday a celebration to remember.
Jules quickly discovers things are worse than she ever imagined: The bookshop is close to bankruptcy, unlikely to make it to its own centenary celebration, and the lease on the building is up for renewal. With a six-figure sum needed, the future looks bleak.
To make matters worse, the owner of the property is the insufferable Roman Montbeau, from the posh, local family who owns half of Portneath. The Montbeaus and Capelthornes have feuded for years, and Roman has clearly not improved since he tormented Jules as a child. Fresh from a high-flying career in New York, he is on a mission to shake things up, and—unforgivably—proves his point about Capelthorne’s being a relic of the past by opening a new bookshop directly opposite—a shiny, plate-glass-windowed emporium of books.
Jules may not be able to splash the cash on promotions and marketing like the Montbeaus, but she’s got some ideas of her own, plus she has a tenacity that may just win the hardest of hearts and the most hopeless of conflicts.
Let the battle of the bookshops commence…
Genre: Fiction
Why I Picked This Book: I've enjoyed other books by this author and then throw in the bookish element and I couldn't' resist.
My Impression: There was a lot I liked about this book. I like Poppy Alexander's writing style. I loved the village "coming home" setting. I really loved the relationship between Jules and Aunt Flo and appreciated the complicated relationship between Jules and her mother. I also liked all the complicated details of running a small business - and reviving one that has been failing. I liked the Romeo & Juliet and the You've Got Mail vibes.
Unfortunately, I really struggled with the relationship between Roman and Jules. They had one tiny interaction when they were teenagers and it's a bit hard to believe it was such a pivotal moment in two very separate ways to both of them. As well, Roman's a bit of a jerk when it comes to running a business. The fact that he opened the bookstore right across from Capelthorne's and takes steps to put it out of business was enough to not like him. I just couldn't root for him. As well, Jules seems like she needs a hug, a nap, and maybe some therapy before I could really root for her in a relationship.
I've enjoyed the previous two books I've read by this author and found this one very readable even though the relationship wasn't a win for me.
Would I Read More of this Series/Author? I will definitely be keeping my eye out for future books even though this wasn't a total winner for me.
Would I Recommend this Book? I would definitely recommend this author if you enjoy cozy rom-com type stories and if you like her writing style than give this one a try.
* I received this book in exchange for an honest review. As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *
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