Bookshop by the Sea
by Denise Hunter
A bit of a mediocre read. Sophia is just of an age for chasing when her father abandons the family and it’s down to Sophia to look after her ailing mother and younger siblings. Her high school sweetheart Aiden leaves her high and dry when she needs help the most. Seven years later after her mother has passed away and younger sister is getting married and Sophia can move on to the life she wants then at the wedding she sees Aiden. Can they resolve their differences and have a second chance at romance?

A delightful contemporary romance, enemies to lovers, with a cottage on the beach and a bookshop under construction. She's convinced her high school sweetheart is untrustworthy after he abandoned her in her greatest need the decade before. He's never quite been able to get her out of his memory. Both have tried to date others but somehow it simply doesn't quite work.

Her needy younger brother and sister take a hand in the story, and a hurricane barrels into the mix as well.

I really enjoyed the story and the efforts to get the bookshop open. It wasn't quite a five star for me because I don't care for the forced-proximity trope if there aren't any other people around, but it didn't ruin the story for me either. I was rooting for them from the very first, and I definitely loved watching them learn to trust each other after so long.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free reading copy. A favorable review was not required.

Denise Hunter makes me want to visit the bookshop by the sea. Scratch that - I want to own it lol. Once again Hunter delivers a delightfully sweet contemporary romance that makes me smile.

I received a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

like another reviewer said, when i see "bookshop" i automatically request. and i automatically regret most of the time. this was not for me

When I see the word "bookshop" in a book title, it's usually an automatic read for me. These types of bookd usually involve romance (like one of my favorites - How to Find Love in a Bookshop by Veronica Henry) and the much of the action takes place in, well, a bookshop. Denise Hunter's Bookshop By the Sea adds a third intriguing factor to these books -- the sea. But unlike others, it didn't resonate as well with me.

The book begins at Sophie Lawson's sister's wedding, where Sophie sees the best man (and her ex-boyfriend), Aiden, again. Years ago, Aiden moved away to start his own business, leaving Sophie to take care of her sick mother and two younger siblings. Sophie's dream was always to open a bookshop in a beach town, but she needed to put her dreams aside to take care of her family. Now years later, it's finally time to pursue her dream when Aiden enters the picture again.

Bookshop By the Sea suffers from too many implausible scenarios. How much bad luck can happen to one person in the span of a few weeks? Plus, I felt the title was misleading. While some of the book is about Sophie opening her bookshop, much of it takes place away from there. All in all, this book was just ok for me.

MY RATING - 2.5

Because of problems with my computer and e-reader my I didn't read the book and my copy has expired.

Due to a personal difference in beliefs (WITH THE PUBLISHER) I will not be reviewing this book outside of Netgalley nor do I plan to support Thomas Nelson in the future due to their decisions of late and the lack of fiction with good Biblical values.

This does not mean I do or do not like the book, it just means I will not be reviewing books for this publisher anymore as I do not care to support them when I do not agree with the way they have left their former standards.

The Bookshop by the Sea by Denise Hunter represents its genre well. It’s a sweet, clean, Christian romance with the expected HEA.

I am new to Ms. Hunter’s writing, but was suitably impressed by her ability to make me care about the main characters. While they succeed at their chosen careers, they had a lot of maturing to do in their personal lives.

The issues of child abandonment by parents raises awareness of the scars this leaves on their hearts.

I knew going in that this book was a Christian fiction. I did feel at times the Christianity was a bit forced. But, this didn’t detract from my enjoyment .

The characters exhibited flaws that made them seem very real. They needed to grow up enough to accept their flaws and try to overcome the issues from their past interfering with their present.

While the bookshop and the beach cottage provide excellent settings, I felt they were not the focus of the book, but left that to the characters.

Sophia’s life leading up to her grand opening of the bookshop began to run into massive catastrophes. From a hurricane to a locked-up engine to a tree in the middle of the bookshop, Sophie and Aiden needed the patience of Job to survive.

I enjoyed the story and if you love Hallmark movies with bookish themes, second-chances at love, and a Christian romance, you will too.



I received a digital copy from #NetGalley. This review is my honest, unbiased opinion. #BookshopbytheSea

That you to NetGalley for an advance read copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This book is a modern day, sweet romance that is about a reunited couple finding their way alone and together. It’s a sweet book. I really enjoyed the story. It does have Christian references in it, so if that bothers you, be forewarned. It definitely doesn’t bother me, but I felt like they were thrown in as an after thought. They didn’t flow smoothly in the story..

One thing I did love was the attention to detail. As a very type A personality, it drives me nuts when authors don’t tie up loose ends like reservations, or itineraries. The author does a wonderful job of this and I really appreciated and enjoyed the book more for it.

I would recommend this book to lovers of Christian romance.

Bookshop by the Sea is a contemporary romance novel written by Denise Hunter.

Summary: Sophie Lawson has been taking care of everyone since she was a kid. An absentee father and a mother who she nursed through a traumatic illness until her death a few years back, forced her to be a surrogate parent to her twin brother and younger sister.

But now, her baby sister is finally getting married, her brother has a new job, and it’s time for Sophie to follow her dream of opening and running a bookshop.

If only a hurricane hadn’t thrown everything for a loop. Now she has days to renovate her shop in time for the grand opening, and to complicate things further, her ex is back in town.

Can she pull everything together in time to make her dreams come true?

My Thoughts: This was a lovely easy-read romance. I liked the characters, the plot, the situational drama and how they worked through their problems, and the cute romance.

I enjoyed reading the book, and would recommend it.

I would like to thank Thomas Nelson-FICTION for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for my review. Thank you!

Christian Second Chance Romance.

Sophie sees her high school sweetheart for the first time in 7 years at her sister’s wedding. Sophie thought she was over Aiden, but her heart skips a beat every time she looks at him. When his flight back to Charleston is canceled due to inclement weather, they end up staying at a friend’s beach house together. Will their time together ignite their love for each other or will they continue living separate lives?

I enjoyed reading this second chance romance about forgiveness, letting go of the past, strengthening relationships, following your heart, and living your dreams. Sophie and Aiden were the perfect main characters. They complimented each other but had enough tension between them to keep the story interesting. Alternating between Sophie and Aiden’s points of view was enlightening because the reader got to experience both sides of the story. The story was a little predictable, but I loved it! I also this book because of the sense of community it evoked. I would love to read more books by the author. There are discussion questions at the end of the book which is very helpful for book clubs or buddy reads. I would highly recommend this book to someone looking for a blissful beach read!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Thomas Nelson . Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Bookshop by the Sea

by Denise Hunter

Sophie Lawson knows about abandonment and the pain it leaves in its trail. Her father left her family to fend for itself in the midst of her mother’s fatal illness on the very same day her boyfriend Aiden Maddox pulled up stakes and moved five hours away to start a new life. Aiden knows abandonment too. His mother left him sitting on the porch steps as a little boy and never looked back.

Sophie and Aiden loved each other or thought they did. Seven years later, just as Sophie’s dream to open her own bookshop is about to come true, Sophie and Aiden are thrown together once more—by a wedding and a hurricane. Can love revitalize and conquer bitterness, hurt, confusion, family obligations, and distance?

In Bookshop by the Sea, Denise Hunter paints an emotional in-depth picture of Sophie and Aiden, their pasts and the possibilities for their futures. Disaster keeps striking for Sophie who really deserves a break, but it’s hard to see how she’ll get one in time for her grand opening and book signing event. Those stressors are the backdrop for their relationship drama as the threads weave together, breaking in places only to be retied to push the characters towards growth and healing.

Bookshop by the Sea is a clean book with Christian undertones as the characters mention praying over situations. I enjoyed reading it, not really knowing if it would have a happily ever after ending, but hoping so. The characters definitely have baggage to work through—even the more minor characters as found in Sophie’s family. There is a lot of realism as no one’s life is presented as a fairy tale. There is also a lot of hope, kindness, and community spirit.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Rating: 4/5

Category: Romance

Publication: April 13, 2021—Thomas Nelson

Memorable Lines:

He’d forgotten how easily words of affirmation rolled off her tongue. She’d always made him feel like he could do anything. Be anything. He let the admiration in her eyes wash over him like a cool wave on a hot summer day.

“Don’t borrow trouble. ‘Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life?’ ’’ She gave him a wry look. “Did you just quote Scripture at me?” “Hey, there’s a reason I have it memorized. If I’ve learned anything it’s that worrying does nothing but stress you out.”

I guess somewhere along the line I started believing that when the going gets tough…people leave.” Sophie’s heart went soft and squishy at his words, his vulnerability. At the little boy who watched his mother drive away from him and never return.

I did not finish this book. I tried to pick it up and get into it at least 3 different times, but it just didn’t grab me. And it was so promising!

Enjoyable and well written, “Bookshop by the Sea”, by Denise Hunter is a story of a second chance love between two very decent people who deserve happiness, set in a North Carolina hospitable beach town. We all need boundaries in our life and Sophie is finding that a hard thing to do. This book is sweet and emotional. It is the kind of book I'll be recommending to others. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC, this is my honest review.

Another win from Denise Hunter. Flawed characters with emotional trauma has all the set up for healing, growth & second chances.

Add to it a beach town, a bookshop that has been the fulfillment of years of dreams—and getting trapped together through a hurricane with the ex she never truly stopped loving and you have everything you could wish for in a inspirational romance.

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC, this is my honest review.

Loved reading this book and author. If you haven't read it yet I highly recommend her books. Happy reading and enjoy

Cute cute cute! This is a fun story. The characters feel like friends. And the location makes me want to visit. Love the little plot twists and turns. It’s not super predictable which is great. Great end of the year read. Snuggle up with a cup of something yummy and a blanket and be transported to a beach town!
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. I was in no way required to write a positive review. All thoughts are my own.

This book was a very good read that would have been even better if I had been able to read it by the pool, or even better while sitting on the beach. I loved everything about this book. There was not one negative thing I could say about this book. The book flowed very well and was well written. I enjoyed the romance and how they came back together, even by "forced" by nature. Of course, my favorite thing about the book was all of the details about the bookshop coming together. I kept cringing when things happened that made it seem like it wasn't going to happen and then, of course, I was so happy when it opened up on time.

"This book was provided to me by NetGalley and Thomas Nelson. I was not required to write a positive review, and have not been compensated for this. All opinions are my own.”

There's something about a story centered on a bookstore and the beach.

This book, by Denise Hunter, was an easy, light romance that was a good palette cleanser after my typical choice of thrillers.

Sophie and Aiden were each others first loves seven years ago. When they meet again at Sophie's sisters wedding, we discover that the flame is still there between the two. We also discover that they both suffer from abandonment issues and the fear of letting someone in.

As they get to know each other again, miscommunication and mishaps abound.

I enjoyed the storyline of setting up the bookstore and seeing how Sophie and Aiden learned to talk through their fears.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced copy ebook in exchange for my honest review.

“Bookshop by the Sea” by Denise Hunter is her latest stand alone book. I enjoyed this read. Denise is one of my favorite Christian contemporary authors so I was excited for this one. This book focuses on a former high school couple, Sophie and Aiden, who reunited at Sophie’s younger sister’s wedding. Sophie was heartbroken when Aiden took a job offer after high school instead of staying with her in their town. She had to give up her dream school to take care of her dying mother. She still held a grudge against him (along with some of her family members as well). Because Aiden was trapped in town because of tumultuous weather, Aiden was forced to stay with Sophie and the rest is history. Sophie is opening a bookshop and Aiden helps her with it. While it was a nice story, it was predictable. Sophie’s family wasn’t that likable especially her grandmother and her father. Another plot in this story is how he’d family takes advantage of her. I though how her family (except Jenna, her sister) treated Aiden was unnecessary. He was a teenage boy who saw an opportunity and decided to take it; he wanted Sophie to come with him. Her father didn’t like Aiden for that yet he did much worse. Nonetheless, Sophie’s family apologized to her about their neediness. Sophie and Aiden’s relationship was sweet although it did get annoying at times with the back and forth. It was a nice read.