This is not your typical "meet cute". These are more mature characters with a lot of baggage! The story is complex but the setting is a book lovers dream. I would read more books by this author.

I adored this story. Glad I was given a chance to review this. It was a small step back from the in your face hard romance that I usually read. This was a slow burn of second chances set in a quaint, idyllic town in Scotland.

Thea and her husband have separated after 25 years of being together; he was cheating on her with a friend. The blows keep coming as she is also let go from her job. The only shining light seems to be that a Great Uncle Andrew has left her his lodge and books in his will. Keep in mind, she had only met this man a few times. But this is the diversion she needs.

While in Scotland she meets the Maltravers brothers: Edward and Charles. One is actually Lord Hollinshaw (Charles) as the first born (Edward) gave up the title. Charles is a curmudgeon who often keeps to himself and runs a second hand bookshop.Too keep herself occupied while deciding what to do with her new inheritance she asks for a job working for Edward.

He warns her about working for him. That he usually employs a rule of not hiring females as they fall in love with him. But Thea is most definitely looking for a relationship right now,

Their friendship is beautiful in its slow progression. Thea becomes friends with other towns people and thinks she might actually stay there after all.

Like I said the slow progression of this book was a welcome change/diversion. I loved the characters and was able to envision the town and surrounding countryside. The description brings you there. I was also able to tap into the heartfelt emotions of Thea from her sadness over her divorce, anger, feelings of inadequacy to the butterflies of kindling romance.

Definitely one-click this now! You won't be disappointed.

I have this obsession with what I like to call 'divorcee romances’, which I think are more respectably called 'second-chance romances' but not quite as fun. Books and movies like Eat, Pray, Love or Under the Tuscan Sun that really just tug at my heart strings. Unsure where this love stems from as I’m a 27-year-old who has never been married, but alas the heart wants what it wants. The Bookshop of Second Chances fits perfectly in this category and I’m also an absolute simp for romances about bookstores (so I can feel extra highbrow when I understand the literary references) and so I was thrilled when I was granted the opportunity to read this bad boy early.

Jackie Fraser writes a lovely debut novel about finding love and belonging in Scotland after she finds out her husband is having an affair with one of her friends. The novel is sweet and hopeful and all the things a romance book should be. The beginning was a bit slow for me and lacked some depth in what the characters were feeling. However, our leading lady, Thea, makes up for it as she slowly comes out of her shell to become quite a spitfire, as she regains confidence in herself. I was left a bit confused about her proclaimed love for her husband by the lack of anger she showed towards him, especially with how much anger she showed towards Edward (our hero) when they’d merely been friends. Overall, a nice story that serves as a reminder of the endless possibilities’ life can hold, even when it feels all has been lost.

Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read and review this book early!

Thea Mottram nee Hamilton has just had her worst day ever. Her husband accidentally sends her an intimate picture meant for his girlfriend and she loses her job. Weeks later Thea learns her Scottish uncle has died and left her his lodge and some money. With nothing to lose, she heads to the small town of Baldochrie and finds herself in the middle of a family fight between the Lord of the manor and his bookstore-owning brother. Her initial hope was to sell the lodge and find a small apartment back in England, but the lure of the small town and the unconventional bookstore tugs at her. A charming tale of second chances in a extraordinary town.

This was such a charming, comforting read - a little cozy, a little escapist. The two protagonists are well-sketched and believable.

I wanted to like this... and really, I do know the exact customers in my shop that will love it, but from the male perspective, this fairy-tale feels short-sighted. It's about a long-term relationship that is no more and the transformation of the main character. Everything is well written, the characters are well developed, but it feels a little shallow. The only real struggle is the main character coming to terms with the fact that she needs to find her way in the world. The settings are magical and I know some of my clients will love it. I think I'm just not the target market for this read.

This book was received as an ARC from Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

There was a sign that I had to read this book. Any book that is about overcoming hardships and new beginnings is very heartwarming for me and I could not help but love every page of this book. I loved how warm and welcoming the community was with Thea moving into her uncle's house and when she discovers her uncle's antique book collection in hoping to sell them to the bookshop owner around the corner. The thing is, the owner is not so welcoming to Thea and holds grudges to almost everyone that wrongs him or reminds him of anyone who has wronged him (such as Thea). Thea is very persistent on winning over the owner no matter the circumstance that she ends up discovering more about herself than she has ever known and her new life is becoming more complicated than the one she escaped from. Even though there were many complications to this book, it was such an enjoyment to read and I know our library community will love it.

We will consider adding this title to our Fiction collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.
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I loved this sweet, funny romance and story of a middle aged, recently separated woman finding herself.

I will be reading other books by this author!

The book features those who love to read, a great plot and a strong central female character, all of which makes for book perfection!

Jackie has a way with words that makes you feel like you're in the story with the characters. I really enjoyed the interaction between all the characters.

Just lovely. I adored that the protagonist was in her 40s and they were all middle aged and that was normal. It’s seems so dark to read something where everyone is my age and normal things are happening and they’re getting on with life. Just a lovely, gentle read.

Thea truly needs to start over. She lost her job and her husband, both without warning. She gets a lucky second chance when an uncle leaves her his charming cottage in rural Scotland. She decides to get a part time job and ends up working in a bookstore with a very cranky owner -- who of course turns out to be the love of her life. I really enjoyed this story. The true strength of this book is the voice of Thea. She is smart, sensible and incredibly funny. The dialog is so entertaining. I think readers who enjoy Elizabeth Berg, Susan Elizabeth Phillips and newer books like Evvie Drake Starts Over and Beach Read will like this. I look forward to recommending it.

So cute!
I'm a sucker for "bookshop books" and this one did not disappoint.
The plot centers around Thea, who in the first chapter loses her job and her husband. She's not having a good run!
But then, her distant uncle in Scotland dies and leaves her a house and an extensive book collection. Thea is off to Scotland.
I loved Thea; she was spunky, clever, funny, so realistic. Her circle of friends, Edward, Charles, Xanthe, and others, are all equally well developed and engaging.
I was engaged in this novel from the first page and could not put it down.
Jackie Fraser sets her novel in a charming Scottish town; the bookshop is dreamy, and Thea's house is perfect.
All in all, I loved this book.

Thanks to Random House/Ballantine and NetGalley for the ARC.

The Bookshop of Second Chances, was a very entertaining story, that had me giggling like a school girl in love. I absolutely loved Thea, she is who I would want to be with in any situation. She took all the drastic changes in her life with such grace and positivity, I was in awe of her. I also loved Edward, and it may just be me but his character reminded me of Mr.Darcy and I was smitten with him from the beginning. This was my first novel by Jackie Fraser, but if all of her books are like this one. I will be a fan for life.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of The Bookshop of Second Chances. The author, Jackie Fraser, wrote a wonderful story about broken people that found each other and turned their sad situations into friendship, love and happiness. My only criticism is at times I felt the author gave too many details. Overall, a very fun read I will recommend.

An entertaining romance with some surprises that you do not expect! I really enjoyed this story and the characters in it. I was sorry when it ended- I hope for a another chapter in the lives of Thea and Edward.

The Bookshop of Second Chances is a great feel-good book. I am such a sucker for books that involve some kind of transformation and The Bookshop of Second Chances delivered. I loved Thea so much and I loved that she is not an ingenue who is typically the trope for this kind of genre. Thea has baggage and it’s significant baggage. She is not doe-eyed and waiting to fall into every open arm, instead, she is witty, calculating, and honest with her intentions. When her distant uncle passes away and has left her his house and quite a few second-hand books, she decides to put a pause on her deteriorating life to try and sell the house in the Scottish Lowlands. It turns out her opportunities changed when she made the trek and settled into town a little bit and the reader journeys with her to discover if this decision was worthwhile.

Jackie Fraser has written Thea so well that she is lovable while also being left incredulous of the things that would come out of her mouth. I particularly loved the conversations between Thea, Edward, and Charles. And Edward as the classic curmudgeon even has his arc at the end, which I must say was a little predictable. Since he was not the protagonist, I was not overly upset by his decisions.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to escape to a Scottish town and fall in love with a slew of characters. This would be a great book to read while sipping some tea, and if you could find yourself in a second-hand book shop, you could just slide right into this narrative.

Thank you, NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC!

In this fairy tale, when a middle-aged woman is left by her husband, she discovers that she has inherited a house and its valuable contents in Scotland from a distant family member. Off she goes, Cinderella to the ball! Once in the house, she makes friends in the town and begins a friendship with the local bookseller, who happens to be rich and handsome, albeit emotionally very, very screwed up. The heroine wins him over and makes him want to be a better person, although why, I don't know--he's emotionally abusive and violent at times. But it's a fairy tale, so apparently that doesn't matter. And he promises to be better. Then he gets into a fistfight with his brother, but the heroine helps t hem reconcile. Did I mention it's a fairy tale? In the end, everyone is happy. There's a token Sassy Black Friend and Devoted Lesbian Couple, in place apparently to make the story more diverse than it really is: it's about white, financially comfortable people having mid-life crises and overlooking really serious issues in other people in order to convince themselves that they are still sexy, still desirable, still valuable in a society that values those attributes. It was all kind of sad to read.

This book was adorable. It made me want to run off to Europe and get a job in a used bookstore somewhere. Reeling from her simultaneous recent split from her cheating husband and loss of her job, Thea doesn't know what to do with herself. When she finds out she has inherited a house in Scotland from a great uncle that she has only met a few times, it seems to be the perfect opportunity to take a break. What is planned as a two week trip turns in to an open ended stay and she searches for a local part time job to help her meet people. Enter Edward, the son of a local lord with a reputation for being a misanthrope, and his used bookstore on the town square. Thea's two week trip turns in to months, and eventually seasons, and her role as minimum wage sales clerk at the bookstore turns in to a lot more responsibility and enjoyment than she anticipated. It also starts to involve some feelings about grumpy Edward that she isn't ready or willing to face so soon after her whole world fell apart.

This story was so cute, it was an absolutely lovely read. Well written, engaging, with colorful characters and just enough drama and angst to make the romance feel real.

"The Bookshop of Second Chances" by Jackie Fraser is a book that I was highly looking forward to when added to my TBR list, and it didn't disappoint. I love a good frenemies to more book, and this delivered in that in droves.

Thea has lived a pretty typical life up to this point, being a good house wife to her husband, Chris. Unfortunately, he sleeps with one of her friends and she decides to leave the house. Her great-uncle has unfortunately passed, but he has left her his estate in a small village in Scotland, and she decides to stay there for the time being as she settles her affairs.

Two brothers want something from her. Charles wants the estate, and Edward has had his eyes on the books that are housed in the beautiful library in the house. While Thea is trying to deal with her emotions and how she wants to move forward with her life, she finds herself drawn more to the beautiful village, and the book shop keeper who is tall dark and brooding.

The chemistry between Thea and Edward is palpable, and it left my heart racing more than once as Jackie weaves her tale of love and loss. Themes brought up in the book are highly relatable, and I found myself more drawn into the story as it progressed.

For people who love a good rom com or chick lit read, this will be a must-have on your shelf. I couldn't put it down once I started reading, and it will definitely stay with me now that I have finished.

**Received from Netgalley and Randomhouse as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to both for the opportunity.**

This is a wonderful escape that was fun, touching, and as cozy as a cuppa in front of the fireplace. Women’s fiction usually has me wishing for a stronger romance subplot, but this one had enough to keep me happy even though it was not enough to be categorized as a romance novel.

I absolutely loved the setting in a small Scottish town, which added to this book’s charm. Add in a bookshop as a pivotal location and it could hardly get better. Except for the private little beach hut which takes it into perfection territory.

I was also pleased to read a story featuring a mature woman in her forties. Despite her current run of bad luck, she is fun and smart and likable. I greatly enjoyed her interactions and growing friendships with the people she meets in Scotland. This book also has some major cha-chings for anyone who fancies the inclusion of a manor and a younger brother who is the lord because the grouchy older brother gave up the title. The brothers have interesting dynamics that add much to the book.

Although the main characters face real issues, this book never feels too unsettling or painful. If you have ever daydreamed about moving to a small town and working in a bookshop owned by a gorgeous grouch who is much softer on the inside than he lets on, this is one you must read. I also recommend this for anyone looking for cozy and feel-good Women’s Fiction.