Cute story about starting over and second chances. I enjoyed the book although it did drag a bit and I felt the f word was used way to often.

Thea Hamilton is in her forties, recently lost her job and discovered that her husband cheated on her with her friend. Needless to say, it has not been a good year. Suddenly, an unexpected windfall arrives in the guise of an inheritance and Thea finds herself the new owner of an old house and a very old book collection. In The Bookshop of Second Chances, author Jackie Fraser has created a story that makes one want to curl up by the fire with a cup of tea. Full of interesting and sympathetic characters Fraser explores the themes of change, love and ultimately that elusive of all things, a second chance. This is a story worth having on your bookshelf to remind oneself that even the difficult days can still have a silver lining..

This was a total feel good, rise up, you go girl kind of read and I was here for it!

Coming off of reading a slew of dark (depressing!) and haunting thrillers, this was the break I needed. I loved this story and following along and the message of second chances.

Book review: The Bookshop of Second Chances 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Jackie Fraser drew me in from the beginning of this book. Thea Mottram is DOWN ON HER LUCK! The book’s first few pages fly by as one bad thing after the other happens. Thea’s job has been discovered as “redundant” at work and she’s let go. Within a week or two, she finds out her husband has been cheating on her with one of their friends and is leaving her for the other woman. Can we pause for a moment? This truly happens in the first ten pages, and oh my goodness, I was invested. Then, as Thea is packing up her items to leave their marital home, her soon to be ex-husband hands her the mail, in it is a letter from her great uncle’s solicitor. Her great uncle has recently passed and decided to leave her his home and books. Now unattached to Sussex, Thea decides to head out to Baldochrie and use this time as a great distraction for her life.

What Thea doesn’t expect to find is the charming village with it’s mostly friendly locals and the mysterious quality of the estate her great uncle’s cottage is located on that previously belonged to a wealthy family. Additionally, Thea discovered her great uncle’s book collection and asked local Edward Maltravers to help her determine its value. Edward owns a bookshop in town and Thea offers to help out in the shop while she’s deciding what to do with her uncle’s property and belongings.

This book holds some of the quintessential small-town qualities where everyone knows each other and their secrets, but it also continued to surprise me. As I turned the pages of Fraser’s novel, I found myself caught off guard by the developing and changing emotions Thea experienced. Baldochrie breathes new life into Thea who is excited by how alive she feels. The emotions Fraser pens to this protagonist made her so gosh darn related. Her excitement, nosiness, and embarrassment thought the book felt so authentic that I found myself occasionally blushing for her and just like her wondering why on Earth I should feel embarrassed.

If you’re looking for a down to earth, related, and refreshing read about a woman finding herself, you’ll love this book. It’s terrifying and exhilarating to start over, there’s so much promise of new opportunities and so much fear of the past repeating itself. Quick start, slow burn, twists and turns, and ultimately a story about self-love and being loved.

Thank you Netgalley for my copy. I really enjoyed the premise and set up of this story: Thea moving to Scotland after losing her job and marriage. I loved the town and her learning more about her ancestors, and her relationship with Edward. However, Edward and Charles and their feud was a little too ridiculous and immature for me.

With so much delicious possibility, with all the desirable elements floating about and hints about second chances, I had high hopes for this one. Unfortunately it left a lot to be desired.

Despite the charming setting, which was quaint as well as inviting in size, atmosphere, and company, the story itself ended up devolving into a tangled mass of juvenile conflict. For starters, the major point of contention between the two brothers, Edward and Charles, was ridiculous. Unnecessary. Downright infantile. The revenge angle wasn't what I found to be so grating about it either, but rather that it felt untoward and skeezy to learn that Edward, a supposedly grown-up middle-aged man, had cheated with all of his brother's girlfriends and wives for most of his adult life because of an adolescent slight he hadn't been able to get over in the thirty years hence. He also instituted a misogynistic "no girls allowed" policy at his bookstore, too, seeing as how he was afraid if a woman worked there she would fall in love with him or vice versa. Needless to say both of these things rubbed me the wrong way.

I understand the storytelling power of lasting resentment, I really do. Conflict-wise I will even venture to say I'm delighted when grudges exist between family members because it can give emotional density to the plot as well as to the characters. However, in this case, it felt half-baked and unpleasant. The needless immaturity of it all made me scrunch up my nose in distaste over and over again. The behavior seemed too teenager-y coming from men their age, I don't know. It didn't mesh well with Thea's second chance arc either, in my opinion. Just seemed to rehash all the hurtful drama she'd left behind her in England.

The stalled dialogue, with all the ellipses and interruptive 'but's,' got to be wearying after a while, too. Not only was it jarring in a bad way but it highlighted how there weren't any distinctive or marked features in any of their voices.

Thea did have some shining moments, though. I liked her for her quick wit, her literary musings, her ability to put those who hurt her in their rightful place. You could feel the despair and humiliation she experienced over the ending of her marriage keenly, which I appreciated, just as you could sense her overwhelming love of books.

This book was okay. Just not my cup of tea.

*Review to be published to my Tumblr blog "A Skirmish of Wit and Lit" closer to publication date in May*

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group, and Ballantine Books for the ARC!

I really enjoyed this book! Good character development, well written and good pacing. I liked that the main characters were in their 40s, and the setting was great. I would normally give a title like this one that I enjoyed 4 stars, but I am only giving it 3 stars because for me, there was a lot of swearing that was unnecessary and added absolutely nothing to the story.

After a shocking end to her marriage, expertly coinciding in her redundancy at work, Thea Mottram is met with even more (as in additional, probably not equally as shocking as the end of a marriage she believed to be quite healthy!) shocking news. Thea's great uncle has died and left her with some land and a home in Scotland. Determined to make the most of this time away from her home and other responsibilities, Thea travels to Scotland to see what can be salvaged of her late uncle's estate.

Everything about this book was wonderful. There's an actual Lord! There are friends who don't pull punches and say it like it is. Thea realistically approaches heartbreak and the reader experiences her loss, grief, and growth through the book. The characters that make up the tiny Scottish town are diverse and interesting and I couldn't get enough of it! This is a romance book, but really it's so much more - it's about friends, loss, hope, and growth; it's about not settling for good enough. The romance is just a small part of the story. I would love to know so much more about this town and the other characters in the story. This book could easily become a series, giving the reader a look into the lives of this quirky cast of characters.

4/5 Stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for providing me with an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

So, so cute. I’m inspired to be bluntly honest in most situations, especially if I can be funny while I do it.

This wasn’t the You’ve Got Mail/The Holiday mashup I’d hoped, but here’s to second chances and moving on!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. Thea finds out her husband is having an affair with one of her friends. She moves to a flat in town while this women moves in with her husband. She receives a letter that a long lost uncle passed away and he gifted his house with an extensive library of rare books to her. Given this amazing opportunity to leave town, she moves to his "lodge" and speaks to the local used book store about buying these books. Edward, the owner of the bookstore is grouchy, angry and set in his ways. Thea needs a job to take care of this new house and asks to work at the bookshop. Edward, who doesn't hire women is desperate and has agreed to a temporary position. Can Thea show him there is more to life than hiding in a bookstore? Cute read!!! #thebookshopofsecondchances #jackiefraser #apr2021

This one wasn't a favorite for me. I felt like I was forcing myself to read it so I ended up DNF'ing it at about 50%. I may pick it up again at a later time

I am a sucker for stories about bookshop, libraries etc.
So needless to say, I was drawn to this bookshop in a Scottish village.
Story starts out somewhat similar to many. Our protagonist 40 something Thea Mottran gets dumped by her husband; she loses her job and her house.… She sets out looking for a fresh start. It comes in the way of her great-uncle leaving her with a manor and a large collection of valuable books.
With the help of the local brothers Edward and Charles she settles in.

I am an avid reader and of course, love a book about books! However, I didn’t love this as much as I thought I would ~characters were not all that likeable; I had a hard time with the romance.

Want to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing group - Ballantine for this e-Galley. This file has been made available to me before publication for professional review purposes only. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for May 4, 2021

I'm a sucker for books about books AND books that take place in Scotland, so this one got some bonus points. This is just the feel good book that I needed, with a spunky likeable heroine that I found easy to root for. It made me want to pack up my bags and move to this tiny Scottish village ASAP. If any of these things strike your fancy, this one is for you (think The Bookshop on the Corner and How to Find Love in a Bookshop).

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for an earc to read in exchange for a review!

I really liked the sound of this one. It always intrigues me when a blurb mentions starting over, bickering, and feuds. It usually means I am in for a good time! The thing is, this book wasn’t anything like I expected and I can’t say I much liked the characters or the plot. They were all just a bit much most of the time.

Thea is dealing with a lot. She is newly single as her husband has been shacking up with her friend and she is ready for a fresh start. Luckily, her great uncle left her his house. That’s when she heads off on a new adventure.

I think Thea started off as a strong character but then I didn’t understand her fascination with Edward. We will get to that further in the review. I did feel for her and her situation. It’s hard having to move on from someone, and even your house, that you have spent so much time with. It’s even harder when your friend is the reason for it all. I did like seeing her journey in that aspect of finding herself away from her old life.

Now when it comes to Edward, I disliked him and never changed my mind. He is seriously horrible and for an older man he acts like a child.

*Spoilers, Spoilers!*
I knew from the beginning that she would find herself fancying Edward. They started working together and as the colder brother of the two (who also hates women unless he is having sex with them (friends with benefits but he really doesn’t even have friends)). One day he even goes on to tell Thea why him and his brother don’t get along and it’s because he sleeps with all of his brother’s girlfriends and wives. Now, you would think that Thea would stop talking to this guy and find a different job but no. She just shrugs it off and still hangs out with him. The reason for him doing this is just so childish. He does it because when he was a young lad he told his brother about a girl he liked and his brother said he would talk to her. Well, his brother at a party started making out with her and Edward saw so then his brother became the bane of his existence. You would think he would get over it but no. Childish.

This also comes into play around the last bit of the book when Edward’s brother locks Thea in a room to I guess try and sleep with her. Just no. That is so bad! You never fight fire with fire. He ends up not doing anything with her but obviously gets punched in the face. It’s just too much!

*End of Spoilers*
The minor characters are just there for added plot twists and most of the plot twists I saw coming. There was just too much drama for me and not enough character development or even likable characters for me to really care much about this book. There would be times that I would get sucked in just a bit but then something would shut it down quick.

Overall, it was okay but not a book for me.

The Bookshop of Second Chances is a contemporary romance-ish book about English 40-something Thea who inherits a mysterious estate from an eccentric uncle in Scotland at just the right time - it turns out her husband has been cheating on her (with her friend, no less) and some time away in the country sorting out her inheritance and her life is the perfect solution. While in Scotland, Thea meets a few new friends and begins employment at a small bookshop owned by a super grumpy, handsome, single, artistocracy-adjacent dude. The rest? HISTORY (or carefully formulated tropes and elements of romantic comedies that add up to predictable yet satisfying endings designed to give readers a sense of comfort and happiness in this hellscape that we call life - you choose!).

I will never, ever turn down a book set in a small bookshop in Scotland. Like, it will *never* happen. This is basically my dream fantasy. The Scottish bookshop part, not the....rest of it. Except maybe for the obscure Uncle leaving me his cozy cabin with a huge library in the Scottish highlands. I guess that would be okay too. But the husband cheating with my friend thing? Definitely pass. Another big plus for this story is a romantic protagonist in her late 40s, instead of 26-29, which is by far the norm for this kind of story. Based on the protagonist and the setting alone, we're already mostly there. Storyline is rather predictable, but in a way that makes me happy.

Ok, apologies for yelling, but I NEED MORE BOOKS WITH MATURE WOMEN! And by mature I mean, not 22 and trying to find the meaning of life. I digress. This book was brilliant! I loved Thea and her sense of humor and her willingness to tell people what she thinks rather than trying to beat around the bush. Her husband just left her for after 19 years for someone she thought was her friend (rude) and she’s suddenly inherited a house in the middle of nowhere Scotland. She meets the local gentry, including Charles who is Lord Something and quite posh and charming, and Edward, Charles’ older brother who gave up the title and is quite grumpy. I love the characters, there is a real depth to them. And I love the bookshop!!! And mostly, I love Thea who is broken hearted but still strong as she is trying to figure out her life and her next steps.

A recently divorced woman inherits a house and in doing so, starts a new life. I didn't love this book, but the premise was great.

40something year old Thea inherits an old lodge house in Scotland just after finding out that her 20 year old marriage is over. Thea goes to Scotland to clear her head and to deal with the estate. She meets two feuding brothers who both seem to have an interest. One is a posh lord, the other a surly, unpleasant sort that has given up society life to run a bookstore. Thea is still reeling from her husband's betrayal. Is she ready to open her heart to love again?

I wanted to like this more than I do but it just didn't do it for me. The banter between Thea and Edward was good but I found that the rest of the narrative was just too wordy and descriptive for me. I kept wanting the author to just get to the point and keep the story moving. It was fine, but just not really my cup of tea.

This isn't the book I intended to start the new year with, but I received an ARC and once I started, I was immediately wrapped up in Thea's story. I'm always interested in a novel featuring a bookshop and one set in Scotland is even more intriguing. Mostly I enjoyed Thea's authenticity and her honesty about her struggles. I appreciated her ability to use humor to work through complex and sometimes uncomfortable interactions. As a romance reader, I really enjoyed the strong romantic subplot too. The longstanding rift between Charles and Edward is so relatable and I liked how Thea refused to accept that the divisiveness remain "as is".
There are numerous layers and themes to explore within this story: regrets, avenging perceived wrongs, refusing to make amends, justifying wretched behavior because sometimes that's easier than making the effort to change. Ultimately, the theme of second chances and having the courage to love again after tremendous heartache resonated with me.

Sensitive reader alert: if foul language is offensive, proceed with caution.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the complimentary copy. All opinions shared here are my own.