The Bookshop of Second Chances was a charming if not "quiet" novel. I'm a sucker for books centered around a character inheriting an estate at a convenient time in their life when they need to escape and start all over again. This is what happened to Thea, who lost both her job and her husband. Although I liked the love interest, I found some of his backstory extremely troubling and hard to forgive. I was also hoping the bookshop would play a bigger role, but it was a setting more than a character. I would recommend this book for lazy rainy-day reading with a cup of tea.

I was instantly charmed by Thea, and how she deals with the incredibly painful circumstances in her life. Throw that together with a trip to Scotland, an inheritance and a whole new town of friends and I had a delightful story of growth and redemption. The only thing that marred this from perfection was the atrocious language and life-style choices of some of the characters. It was just too far removed for me to be perfectly comfortable. But with that forewarning I can't recommend these characters and this location and story enough. I would love to go back and learn more.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

This is not the novel I expected but it is lovely. I think from the description I expected a lighter more humorous novel and certainly more of a romance but that’s really not the heart of the story. At its heart is Thea trying to recover from the shock of rapid and unexpected changes to her life. Thea is too much of a pushover for me. Who makes tea for their husband who leaves them for their friend? Then pays the mortgage while he moves her in after you leave? Plus she constantly puts herself down about her looks and her age which grated. What’s the point of a main character who is forty something if she’s annoying? I wanted a mature protagonist as a fun change from the usual twenty something immature lead but it often felt ridiculous how much of her life was not together and they way she belittled herself. She is not so much of a doormat that she’s a bad character. She’s just too kind but is very sweet. This story is not so much a woman who finds herself but a woman who is reacting to circumstances around her. Despite my criticisms of her character the story has good pacing. I did like the love interest Edward more than Thea because he is a more solid character. He is fun and grumpy which makes him a great character. I do think he has a dumb backstory for why he behaves as he does and for why he and his brother don’t get on which takes up a good portion of the story. Overall I do think it’s a good story and so well written I was surprised to find it was a debut for the author. It’s certainly not perfect but you will find yourself moved by the story.

I just couldn't get into the book. The mood or feel of it never clicked with me. It didn't seem like a romance but just boring story.

I loved this book! Jackie Fraser has a fabulous debut novel on her hands, and I can't wait to read more of her books. Love the characters, the way the story unfolds, everything. Her writing and the story remind me a bit of Jenny Colgan. I did not want this one to end. Just, read this book!

Thea just keeps getting knocked down - her husband of twenty years cheats on her with her friend and she loses her job, so when Thea's great uncle leaves his house to her she jumps at the chance to escape to the Scottish coast, even if just for a little while. This escape gives Thea a chance to turn her life around. She gets a new job at a bookstore working for (and bickering with) the handsome yet cranky, Edward. Thea seems to win over everyone in the town except for Edward but fighting with him leaves Thea confused as her feelings for him start to grow into something more.

I loved Thea's attitude in the face of everything that was going wrong in her life. She remained funny and charming through it all, and was able to build friendships and truly become a part of the small town.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for sharing this cozy and charming book with me!

This book took a little time to grow on me and by the end I really loved it. Thea was a wonderful character and so vibrantly brought to life - amazing dialog writing. The setting in Scotland was charming and I loved that it was centered around a bookshop. Thea inherits an old house in Scotland and it's a welcome refuge from her unfaithful husband who betrayed her with Thea's best friend. To say she's not in the best place emotionally is an understatement but the book is a testament to her strength and determination to make a new life for herself even if she's not sure how. Edward was a more difficult character to warm to but as the story progressed and under Thea's influence it was impossible not to appreciate him. I look forward to reading more by this new author.

The Bookshop of Second Chances is a wonderful story that doesn't start so wonderful for its main character, Thea, who has not only lost her job, but her husband has left her for one of her friends. On a bright note, she is informed that she has been left some property in Scotland, so she leaves London to find out exactly what she has been left and to deal with that.

When she arrives in Scotland, she finds that she has been left a derelict cottage estate and a sum of money. She decides that it must be updated in order to either rent it out or sell it, so she stays on to get that done. She takes on a job at a bookstore, working for a crotchety man named Edward, to fill her days while she stays in this town where she can live anonymously while she recovers from the trauma of her recent life. As one does, she begins to make friends and become part of the fabric of this small town, in spite of the fact that she thinks she must return to her life in London...but does she? Or is this really a second chance?

This is a charming novel with everything you could want in a good read. Make yourself a cuppa and settle in for a long spell...you'll love it! Thank you to the author, Ballantine Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

*** ARC provided on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review***

Thea has been through a lot in her personal life, but luckily her great uncle has left her his old lodge in Scotland and this is, unknowingly to Thea, the perfect opportunity for a fresh start.

I really enjoyed the cast of characters in this book and definitely got the small town feel that I really enjoy reading about. This would be a perfect beach or vacation read as it has just enough romance without being too cheesy. As an avid reader I loved that the romance took place in a bookshop as I always believe that to be a romantic setting myself.

Overall this was a light and fun read that was perfect for my February vacation!

I received this book from #NetGalley for an honest review

A ton of fun! I so enjoyed this and I can think of thing negative to say. Great read.

#TheBookshopOfSecondChances

After Thea finds out her husband of 18 years is cheating on her - with one of her friends - she decides to go to Scotland to escape and to see the house her uncle left to her. Thea ends up staying in Scotland longer than planned and meets new friends along the way. Thea is down to earth and practical and is a great contrast to Edward, who is curmudgeonly but likeable. This was a great book with well developed characters that were fun to read about. This book was very enjoyable and immediately made me want to own a bookshop and go to Scotland! Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy..

Scotland has always been on my to-travel list, and with that not happening anytime soon it was nice to read this book and have a bit of an escape. The setting of this book is lovely and I enjoyed the slow burn romance aspect.
Thea finds out that her husband of 19 years has been cheating on her with one of her friends. As she is moving out she discovers that her Great Uncle has left her his house and belongings up in Scotland. Thea goes up to sort out his belongings and ends up staying while she figures out what she wants to do with life. She befriends some of the locals as well as Charles, the local Laird, and his older brother Edward, who gave up the title and runs a bookshop in town.
I enjoyed that the characters in this book were all older, which you don't see much of in these kinds of rom-com.
I wish there had been more depth in the disagreement between Charles and Edward. Tt did color Edward's relationship with Thea well but at times I found it very childish.
But overall, I enjoyed the book and found it to be a nice escape during this very deary winter.

Thank you to @NetGalley and @randomhouse Publishing Group Ballantine for allowing me to preview this book.

I love reading books that are set in small town bookshops and libraries. Now add some tea and romance and you have a wonderful story.

In The Bookshop of Second Chances, Thea’s marriage falls apart and she loses her job. Her life is looking pretty hopeless until she inherits a house in Scotland. There she meets some new friends and finds a new job with a grumpy man named Edward. They form a friendship as they work side by side in the bookshop sharing book jokes and quotes throughout the day and this eventually leads to a relationship. However, with any new relationship there are a lot of obstacles.

What I liked about the story is Thea isn’t trying to find a new boyfriend. She is really looking for new friends and trying to put her life back in order. Thea tries to start each day positive and make the day good for her. What didn’t work for me in the book was Edward. His life up to Thea was so bizarre and then he just seemed so attentive with caring with Thea. I would say this is a ⭐️⭐️⭐️ star read for me. I liked this book.

Read this one in a day, so obviously enjoyed it. Who wouldn't want to basically inherit a whole new wonderful life. Like that the characters were in their 40s. ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

When I saw the cover of this book and read the description, I couldn't wait to get into the story. I was looking forward to reading a new author and felt it had so much promise.

Thea's husband has been cheating on her with one of her friends and all at once, she loses pretty much everything she values. That is until she receives an inheritance from her great-uncle, providing her a second chance in the Scottish Lowlands.

Initially, I was drawn in to Thea's life and curious about all that might come to pass, but I found the characters to be a little flat. I found myself having a hard time remembering certain people and felt that that could have been remedied with a bit more development.

Overall, I really wanted to love this book but simply had a hard time getting into it.

Thea Mottram, a forty-year-old mother of grown children, has recently lost everything that defined her life: her job, her marriage, and one of her best friends. She is reeling with grief when she receives notification that an uncle has passed away and left her his house in Scotland. When she travels there to look over her inheritance, she discovers that life sometimes gives you second chances. She becomes immersed in the life of the remote village, where she becomes embroiled in a local family feud and develops unexpected friendships and a new vocation working in a bookshop devoted to antiquarian and second-hand books, having convinced the misogynistic owner, brother to the local lord of the manor, to hire her as his assistant. The novel is full of heart, beautifully written, and believably depicts how Thea comes to terms with the loss of her old life and begins to forge a new one. The relationships develop authentically as the narrative progresses and Thea learns to trust life and love again. I enjoyed the descriptions of the antiquarian book business, the humor inherent in the personalities of the characters, and the development of the new relationships between Thea, her boss Edward, and her new-found friends in Scotland. The narrative is written in the first-person and present tense, which intensifies the growth of the main character as the story unfolds and gives immediacy to her emotional journey.

This was such an enjoyable book, I couldn't put it down. Thea, the middle-aged "heroine" is so well defined as well as the other eccentric characters. The dialog between Thea and Edward is hilarious. In the end, a poignant telling of second chances and romance.

This was a lovely story. The protagonist is an outspoken emotionally wounded woman and her employer is equally wounded but emotionally unavailable Scot. She has inherited a home from a distant relative who met her only a few times, when she was more interested in reading her books than on any other activity. That was recommendation enough. I enjoyed the developing relationship as well as her inability to pull any punches.

'The Bookshop of Second Chances' by Jackie Fraser was just the warm-up I didn't know I needed on a cold & wintry day.

As a woman happily hanging out in her early 40s, I was pleasantly surprised to read a book about someone my own age finding herself again, as well as finding love & friendship. Back in the late '90s and early aughts, I was an avid reader of the Bridget Joneses and Rebecca Brandons (nee Bloomwood) - annoyingly labeled Chick Lit. I loved the drama and the sweeping off of feet. But, at some point, it became slightly less appealing to me. It wasn't my life anymore. It wasn't even a possibility of being my life anymore.

Now, don't get me wrong, I still enjoy reading these stories. (Which are now labeled Women's Fiction. *eye roll*) But Thea's love affair with a small Scottish town, a well-loved cottage, and a bookshop and its proprietor was a slow, cozy read. It was never boring. It had its moments of drama. But in the end it just felt REAL. I was pulled in by Fraser's accurate depiction of love & friendship in midlife. I fell right into the story and watched it all unfold as if I were one of the nosy townspeople gossiping about the will they/won't they - and I loved every second.

... ... ...well almost. There were moments when Thea spoke a little too British. [Spoiler Alert] One particular scene where Thea had just been intimate with someone, she sounded so proper that I giggled and took a screen shot of the page because it was so entertaining. While it may have very briefly pulled me out of the story, it didn't put me off it.

This book was a solid 4.5 stars for me. (Can I give it 4.75 stars? Is that a thing? I want it to be a thing.) A Huge THANK YOU to NetGalley & Ballantine Books for the opportunity to read and review this adorable book.

Thea goes North, and discovers that sometimes, a book CAN be judged by its cover in Jackie Fraser's "The Bookshop of Second Chances."

Thea's marriage has dissolved after she discovers her husband has been cheating on her with a family friend. Luckily, she has just inherited her Scottish uncle's property. She goes up to sort the estate, and decides to stay for a bit and figure out what she wants next. She meets the local curmudgeon, who also owns a secondhand bookshop, when he comes to purchase some books and revalue her uncle's collection. Thea applies for a job with him, and we see Thea building a new life in the North.

Thea has a good voice, and it's refreshing to see a middle-aged heroine who isn't completely hapless and hopeless. Her reactions are what you'd expect from someone in her situation, and she doesn't wall herself off from others while she grieves her dead marriage.

Now, her love interest and boss, Edward, is a bit lacking in several areas. He and his brother seem to be stuck in adolescence, and I struggled to see what Thea saw in him. He's rude and the fact that he kept sleeping with his brother's exes just to get at him would have been enough to put me off.

Somehow, though, I was rooting for Thea and if Edward is her choice, well, at least she's moving forward. Moderately recommended for lovers of tatty bookshops, irascible Scots, and second chances.

2.75 out of 5 stars.

I received an advance copy from NetGalley and Ballantine in exchange for my honest review.