a fun story of personal growth, expectations, and reality. A recent divorcee retreats to an inherited cottage in Scotland and takes a job at the local bookstore. Though she hadn't planned to stay, it seems the right thing to do. She makes new friends and finds new purpose.

The plot of the story was charming. A middle-aged woman finding out she inherited her great uncles house and the belongings inside.
U fortunately about a quarter ways in, I put the book down and did not finish it. The story didn’t capturer my attention and it seemed to drag on. I felt like I was waiting for the good part, the thrill, and it wasn’t happening.
Even though it wasn’t the book for me, I hope another reader finds it enjoyable

I have to admit that this book took me a while to get through. I wasn't able to fully immerse myself in the story because all the characters and even the plot seemed a bit bland the whole way through. There was a slow burn romance between the new woman in town and the local grump (in my opinion a really cute trope that I enjoy) but there was no big point of tension or conflict. The story just kind of happened. I appreciate what the author was going for here writing a second chance story for a 40 something rather than the usual 20/30 somethings in many contemporary works, but it lacked the "umpf" ya know?

I received this arc from netgalley in exchange of an honest review. Thea is having a bad month. She is let go from her job and finds that her husband is having an affair with one of her friends. She is left an inheritance by a great uncle that includes a home and a large collection of rare books in Scotland and she goes with her friend to see the property and to get away from everything at home.

I enjoyed that Thea is in her 40's and not a 20 something, she seems enthralled by the new, and discovering what is around her. Of course since she is not looking for love it comes to her and that seemed a little on the nose but right for the character and that the relationship wasn't perfect either.

It was a great read and I'm wanting to read something else by this author!

I didn't love this one as much as I thought I would. I seem to read a lot of bookshop romances set in Great Britain, especially Scotland, lately. Thea is likeable enough, and so is Edward; he starts out as just a stand-offish grump but you found out later he has a badboy rep and why. The drama from Edward's past and the reason for the feud he has with his brother is a little unbelievable. And the story also felt anti-climactic. I still enjoyed it quite a bit, just not 5-stars worthy this time.

*received a free digital ARC from netgalley

I was in the mood for a light, easy book to disappear into and this fitted the bill perfectly!
If you need to escape from the doldrums of life, grab this book and enjoy a few hours of simple pleasure. Thea is a wonderful main character, blunt, opinionated and not one to take any flack. Yet underneath she is a sensitive soul who has been hurt very badly by people who should know better. A wonderful windfall gives her space to rethink her life and she meets the wonderfully brooding Edward (Mr. Darcy/Rochester) and slowly they help heal each other and find happiness.
Nothing unexpected happens but that's OK, sometimes I want to read a book that is simple and gentle, full of witty people and beautiful scenery. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC, this is my honest review.

I love that the author is a bit unknown and just the warm feeling I got while reading the book. I feel like this book is an amazing, fun read that really transported me to a tiny bookshop in a tiny town far away. Life is hard some days and looking forward to picking up this book at the end of a long day and getting lost between the pages in Scotland with a hot cup of tea was amazing. I think everyone can agree that life sometimes hands you lemons and what you choose to do with them is how you write your story. Thea had a pretty crappy thing happen to her, but instead of sitting around and feeling sad, she took a chance and went somewhere new and different. She made friends and connections that taught her life can be not what you expect but there are still plenty of good people to be with and adventures to be had. Of course, she has some bumps along the way, but don’t we all on the road to rebuilding and finding love. I enjoyed all the characters and really felt pulled into the location of the small town and beach as well.

This book was a little weird. I was with her until the part where the owner said he didn't hire women because he either falls in love with them or they with him. What?? I really couldn't take the book seriously after that at all.

Unique characters that you can really relate to help you connect to the storyline of starting over in middle age when life throws you an unexpected curve. The main character certainly accepts the change with more grace and calm than most women would, but then she did also just find out she has an inheritance that she was unaware of. It helps that she gets to start off her "new" normal in a new town. There were times that I felt the main character was a bit of a doormat, but she holds her own in a reserved way that makes you respect her more for it in the long run. Overall this is a good chic lit version of starting over and it was an entertaining read that made for an enjoyable afternoon.

I feel really bad because this book sounded right up my alley ,but I couldn't finish it. It was more me, then anything wrong with the story or the writing. I'd love to come back and try it again!

This was an enjoyable, escapism read to the Scottish Lowlands. I like the character, Thea, a mature woman who finds herself at a loss when her husband no longer wants to be married and has slept with her best friend. A second chance comes about when she learns a distant great-uncle left her a large collection of books and a house. She meets two brothers and some locals and she soon finds a job in a bookshop. The title of the book grabbed my attention, and I was soon engrossed in this book. I enjoyed immersing myself in Thea's new life while reading this entertaining story. Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thea's husband of 20 years is caught in an affair with a woman she considered a friend around the same time she is made redundant at her job. Her losses leave her devastated and floundering.

Then, out of the blue, a letter from a solicitor arrives letting her know that she inherited a country estate from a great uncle. The timing is fortunate, and Thea leaves to settle the estate and take a break from her problems.

The break leads to unimagined second chances.

The novel is somewhat predictable, but the characters are fabulously flawed and real. I love the book,.

Thea escapes to an estate she’s inherited in Scotland after finding out her husband has been cheating on her with a friend. Armed with her best friend Xanthe, Thea meets locals and lands a job at a bookstore owned by Edward. Over the months she develops her sense of self along with some friendships, and eventually into a relationship. The first third of the book meandered a bit for me, but as Thea settled in her life I got more settled in reading about her life. This book is great for a cozy weekend read while enjoying a cuppa.

Thea Mottram's life has turned upside down and she's not sure of her next steps. Sadly, her uncle died. He had no other family and Thea reminded him so much of himself, he left her everything he owns. She regrets not spending more time with her uncle and is happy to visit his town and take care of his belongings. She began new relationships in Scotland and forged great friendships. But, she never expects to fall for Edward Maltravers and stay in Scotland indefinitely. This is a sweet easy read and fun to learn what will happen next.

This book was like cozying up under a warm blanket. I loved the story of second chances and finding not just love, but also yourself after heartbreak. I also appreciated how the author focused on the protagonist's self-deprecation, making sure to show off her flaws and insecurity...but not too much. It was a very enjoyable book and one I looked forward to picking up every day.

I really, truly tried to like The Bookshop of Second Chances. I did. The beginning was lovely, Thea was strong and plucky, and her decision to move 6 hours away from her (cliche) cheating husband was the right one. I just found that about half-way through I didn't care about her anymore. The intended love interest, while also an intriguing character, just didn't seem to fit with Thea. As friends yes, but not as a couple; they were missing the spark that made it all believable.

Two stars because I just didn't care enough.

Thank you NetGalley for this advance copy of The Bookshop of Second Chances, by Jackie Fraser. I enjoyed this book, a nice story set in a lovely place. I could almost hear the Scottish accents. It is nice to have the main characters in their 40s vs romantic life seemingly to open happen to the young. I felt the author did a great job of creating rich characters (albeit ones that are good looking and fortunate enough to have means) whom you bond with throughout the story. I, for one, love any story set in a bookstore and this one did deliver. I could imagine the coziness of the shop and the villagers who frequented it. I thought the main character had a lot of moxy and was wondering if I would have been able to move on in the same way. Again, it is lucky for her that a dead relative's inheritance allowed her a place to lick her wounds and have a place to remove herself too.
Overall I liked this book and enjoyed meeting all the characters. 4 stars because it was a pleasant story, well written, not because it was earth shattering in any way.

Who doesn't love a book set in a bookstore? Thea moves to a Scottish town when she inherits a house from a distant relative and must decide whether to sell or stay. She's already disillusioned as her marriage recently ended when her husband slept with her friend. So she is wary of men, especially the gruff Edward whose long-standing feud with his brother is a point of contention in their dealings. Can she find happiness? I enjoyed this but got a little bogged down in the middle as there are so many meet-ups that end in both of them not knowing what each other is really thinking. Overall, it was a lovely story and I would read more from this author.

A story about getting away and starting over in a new place? Yes, please.

After the breakup of her marriage, Thea learns she's inherited her great-uncle's home in Scotland. She decides to take some time to go through his house and get away from her home where her husband is currently living with one of her former good friends. She decides to stay awhile and wrangles a job at a local bookshop, despite the curmudgeonly owner's "no girls" rule.

There is a slow burn romance with said curmudgeonly owner (which shouldn't be a surprise given his no-girls rule.) It's also emotional and heartwarming. The dialogue was snappy and the characters were well-drawn, Thea was very relatable, and her pain felt real. This really is a story of healing, too.

This is a wonderful book about grasping onto opportunities, taking chances, and starting over. It's also a great choice for those who love UK romances, stories set in bookshops, and strong female characters - and for anyone who dreams of starting over.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Ballatine books for the arc.

I kept thinking about the story told in "The Book Charmer". Any book that deals with strong female characters that love books work for me. I'm not always the biggest fan of romance, but this one didn't bother me at all. In fact, I kindof looked forward to it!