How to Find Love in a BookshopHow to Find Love in a Bookshop
Veronica Henry
9780735223493, Penguin Random House, Hardcover, $25, Pub. Date: August 15, 2017
Publisher Description: The enchanting story of a bookshop, its grieving owner, a supportive literary community, and the extraordinary power of books to heal the heart.
Nightingale Books, nestled on the main street in an idyllic little village, is a dream come true for book lovers–a cozy haven and welcoming getaway for the literary-minded locals. But owner Emilia Nightingale is struggling to keep the shop open after her beloved father’s death, and the temptation to sell is getting stronger. The property developers are circling, yet Emilia’s loyal customers have become like family, and she can’t imagine breaking the promise she made to her father to keep the store alive.
There’s Sarah, owner of the stately Peasebrook Manor, who has used the bookshop as an escape in the past few years, but it now seems there’s a very specific reason for all those frequent visits. Next is roguish Jackson, who, after making a complete mess of his marriage, now looks to Emilia for advice on books for the son he misses so much. And the forever shy Thomasina, who runs a pop-up restaurant for two in her tiny cottage–she has a crush on a man she met in the cookbook section, but can hardly dream of working up the courage to admit her true feelings.
Enter the world of Nightingale Books for a serving of romance, long-held secrets, and unexpected hopes for the future–and not just within the pages on the shelves. How to Find Love in a Bookshop is the delightful story of Emilia, the unforgettable cast of customers whose lives she has touched, and the books they all cherish.
WildlyRead Shelf-talker: For lovers of books about bookshops and love, this is the book (about love) for you! A charming cast of characters centers around Nightingale Books, with threads of plot interwoven with stories of the owner, who has recently passed, and the memories of his daughter, Emilia, who has come home to keep the bookshop alive. Tender but not trite, everyone goes home at the end of the day with a book (and most likely with a love). Fans of The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George (my review), Jenny Colgan’s The Bookshop on the Corner, and The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald (my review) will rejoice in this new addition to the book/love(r)’s canon.
Personal Notes: This story was delightful, and though it does center around a death, a lighter tone carries the plot throughout the book. Perhaps it was because the man who passed away was such a sweetheart himself, or perhaps it’s because the residents of this idyllic English village genuinely want the best for each other (most of them), but whatever the reason, there was not a lot of tension in this book, and I liked it that way. It was comforting and familiar, like a favorite book already on its first reading, and so that made it an absolute pleasure for me to devour in almost one sitting. That’s not to say there aren’t some tough moments facing these characters – they’re not one-dimensional by any means – but the story itself didn’t weigh heavy. A perfect late summer read.
WildlyRead 