3.5 please take me to this fascinating rural village to Scotland so I can take a break from this madness and I can get lost in the magical power of various book bundles, reminding myself of second chances of happy life stars!

Yes: I adored too many things about this book but in the meantime some parts didn’t work well for me. But it was still quiet better than my late self discovery- romance- second chances- fresh start- feel good fiction experiences.

Especially Thea Mottram is badass, smart, quick witted heroine stole my heart at the opening of the story. The realistic way she deals with her cheating bastard husband who was having affair with her best friend behind her back, living her house in despair, her honest humiliation, resentment, anger made me resonate with her.

Most of the romcom, chic lit stories have the same kind of beginning I’ve read lately. The MC gets dumbed or cheated, she/ he also loses her house and job, needing a fresh start. But at this book, the heroine’s pain and struggle parts were real and emotional. It was genuine and definitely not full of cliches.

After being slapped by the unluckiest hand she was recently dealt, Thea finds out her great-uncle she barely knows just died and left her a huge collection of valuable books and a house located in rural village of Scotland.
This is a great chance to change her location for a while for gathering her thoughts how she will do with her new life and of course if she sells the house and those valuable books she may solve her financial problems.

She travels there to meet with her uncle’s solicitor to learn more about the will. She meets with charismatic Maltravers Brothers- charming Charles, Lord Hollinshaw who buys all the houses around the village, interested to her house and and his estranged, very grumpy, bookshop owner Edward also made a quite memorable impression.

As you may imagine Edward has his own troubles, bottled up resentments, family problems. But of course Thea has her own ways to break his walls. So enemies to friends and becoming lovers cycle worked fine with them.

The thing that bothered me so much is I didn’t believe in their chemistry so much. Lately I read so many frenemies theme stories and I wanted to see more sparks, passion, sassy banters, pull-push, angsty manners between them. But I didn’t see earth shattering, heartwarming love growing on them. Don’t get me wrong, I loved both of the characters individually. But I didn’t find their love story accurate. Just because of that I lowered my stars.

But instead of that, it was still well written, soft, sweet, enjoyable, uplifting, feel-good novel! It’s impossible to love a book about the books! I still recommend it as a great, heart warming, easy, lovely holiday read!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing/ Ballantine Books for sharing this lovely arc with me in exchange my honest opinions.

Thea is having a terrible time of her. All those years of being married to Chris seems like a blatant lie now. Having been madly in love since college times, Thea cannot fathom the idea that Chris has been having an affair with her own friend behind her back for a couple of years now. To top it, she had no clue whatsoever. And he is leaving Thea for his affair which has manifested into a deeper relationship now. Deep enough to abandon his wife and throw away his marriage.

In midst of all this, Thea receives the news that her great uncle, whom she barely knew has left his large collection of books and house in her name. This comes to her as a great boon – a second chance to rise again in life.

Edward runs a bookshop in town. Grumpy and an almost recluse, he is surrounded by more books and less people. But there is more to him than just being a bookshop owner. He and his brother Lord Charles belong to an ‘Aristocratic’ family. But both of them are estranged from each other.

When Thea comes to this town she has endless time and a lonely life to look forward to. Until, she comes across The Bookshop, where Edward needs an assistant. But he doesn’t employ women/girls.

Will Thea start working at the bookshop?
Can she manage with grumpy Edward?
Does Charles start developing feelings for Thea?
Is it Edwards or Charles for her?
Will the brothers ever get cordial?

Rating – 4/5 Stars
Recommendation – High

Conclusion,

This is a sweet romance that warms your heart. From being heart broken, pained to single again, this book takes us through Thea’s life. What happens when she unexpectedly receives good news and how that changes the course of her path, is the crux of this book. After being married for nearly eighteen years, will she be able to find love again? Well, read it to know it. Overall a lovely read. I enjoyed this book.

Trigger Warnings – Nil

I loved this story.I was drawn out of my world into the small town ?The characters come alive a book that kept me reading late into the night.Ibwill Nye recommending this highly.#netgalley#rabdomhouse

Thea's year is off to a bad start -- first she loses her job and then she discovers that her husband has been having an affair with one of her friends. When she stops by her former home to pick up some of her belongings, she finds a solicitor's letter informing her that her Great-Uncle Andrew, whom she hardly knew, had left her his home and belongings (including a valuable book collection) in the small Scottish village of Baldochrie (and a tidy sum of money). When Thea arrives to settle affairs, she learns that the home (West Lodge) used to be part of the estate of Lord Hollinshaw. The current Lord Hollinshaw, Charles Maltravers, has been buying back the buildings that were sold off by his ancestors, with West Lodge the only building left. Charles would gladly purchase the house. His older brother, Edward, should be Lord Hollinshaw, but he renounced the title and is the owner and operator of a secondhand bookstore in town. Edward and Andrew were friends through their mutual love of books. Edward is grumpy, obnoxious, and disliked by most of the residents of the village. Edward and Charles despise each other, for very good reasons; Edward has gotten revenge on Charles for a hurtful teenage prank in the worst way possible.

Thea had not intended to stay more than a couple weeks, just long enough to dispose of Andrew's belongings and possible sell the Lodge. However, she is at loose ends, with nothing pleasant awaiting her back home in Sussex, and she finds that she likes the Lodge and the village. As time passes, Thea decides she needs something to occupy her time and so she asks Edward for a job. Edward has a policy against hiring women, but his assistant is getting ready to leave for university and Thea is persuasive, so he reluctantly agrees. Edward is the obnoxious curmudgeon that people have described, but Thea believes that his grumpiness is part of an act and does not really mind it. Thea proves to be an asset for the shop and Thea and Edward develop a friendship of sorts, in part because she does not take herself or him too seriously, and while she is shocked and disgusted by the actions that caused the rift between him and his brother, Thea does not hold that against him.

The "Second Chances" in the title refers to Thea and Edward. Thea is in her forties, separated from her husband of twenty years, and does not see herself as someone anyone would be interested in having a long-term relationship with. Edward's past behavior and experiences have caused him to believe that he is not deserving of a proper relationship and happiness; he has "relationships" but chooses women with whom there is no chance for anything permanent. The story focuses on their developing relationship and how they help each other realize they are deserving of happiness; however, the journey is not without significant obstacles and complications. Thea and Edward are somewhat unconventional characters, but at the same time, their fears and self-doubt are experiences with which many readers will be able to relate. "The Bookshop of Second Chances" was an enjoyable book.

I received a copy of the e-book via NetGalley.

I loved this book!!! The story itself draws you in. You feel like you have become part of the book itself. You fall in love with the town and the people. Just an all around amazing work of fiction.

The Bookshop of Second Chances by Jackie Fraser is a wonderful novel that is a heartwarming story of second chances, romance, and finding that second lease on life.

Just when Thea Mottram thought her life was dug into a ditch: she lost her job, her husband leaves her, she finally gets a positive sign when she is given an adorable small home in a rural village in Scotland left to her in a will by an unknown relative. Thea takes this as an opportunity to escape and hide out while she nurses her wounds.

While she is there, she finds a fabulous collection of books that are also now in her possession and in the process of trying to get the local bookshop owner to possibly purchase these, she meets her match (or her opposite) in its sassy owner Edward Maltravers who has his own battles that he is attempting to overcome. The story then progresses as we see a slow burn of a friendship and romance blossom out of an opposites-attract, push-pull romance between Edward and Thea. In the process, both find solace in one another and within themselves as they forgive those that have wronged them and also forgive themselves.

I liked Thea and Edward. Both are realistic, likeable, and creative characters that seemed to have mutual chemistry. I also loved the adorable town, Scottish landscapes described, and the character cast that it all included. It definitely added another positive aspect to a wonderful novel.

This is a wonderful book that allows the reader to get a first-person glimpse at a fun, relaxing, and entertaining story and relationship all amongst the beautiful Scottish landscapes.

5/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine/Random House Publishing for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.

Thea loses her job and her husband and her luck. But after the passing of a distant uncle, she learns she’s inherited his Scotland home and large antique book collection. She takes the leap and leaves for the Scottish coast to start a new chapter.

In short, this was cute.
Things I liked:
- The setting: a sleepy coastal Scottish town (swoon). I loved all the descriptions of the local bookshop and antique books. I mean... YES PLEASE
- Within the first paragraph, Thea describes her husband as “that bastard”... I knew I was going to like her lol

Things I disliked:
- The writing style is very much stream of consciousness, and in this case, I found to a bit choppy. I found it difficult to find my reading rhythm and “get in the groove”
- Thea and Edward (the local bookshop owner) had very little chemistry, no cute banter, and zero flirting. It needed way more steam in my opinion.

It by no means was unenjoyable, I was just hoping for a bit more depth, chemistry, and romance given how much potential the plot line had. But overall, it was a cute read.

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and Netgalley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a charming YA contemporary romance that takes place abroad. I think it’s perfect for fans of Again, but better.

Thea was fired from her job and her husband decided to leave her for her friend. However, her bad luck has run out. She inherited a beautiful cottage away from the city in a very small town. There she starts her life over.

It was a cute love story. Thea's voice and mannerisms seem much younger than that of her age. So it's hard at times when Edward and Thea are talking to really picture the characters. Edward is rigid and boring. The characters don't seem to match, but hey that's love. The story doesn't really go up or down, it's more of a monotone. There was no witty banters between Thea and Edward. The relationship with Edward and Charles seem so petty even up until the end. It was a nice love story but not the best.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I just picked this one up this afternoon and finished it in one sitting. I love a romance that involves actual adults working real life people. Plus the main character, Thea, was easy to fall in love with and root for. I so appreciate that even though she’s been recently heartbroken and betrayed, she doesn’t hate men and hasn’t given up on herself. Instead she takes steps forward in trying to create a new life for herself. One that involves the grumpy bookshop owner. I do think the book went on a little bit too long at the end and could have resolved in one of the earlier chapters and the story could have explored her uncle and his connection to Thea and Edward more.