I enjoy reading all of Susan Mallery’s books. The Boardwalk Bookshop follows the lives of three women that become friends. Enjoy all their HEA stories.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and the publisher. This is my honest and personal review.

The summer, the beach, and a bookshop are an irresistible combination in The Boardwalk Bookshop by Susan Mallery. The story is about women who are entrepreneurs and who support each other. As in other Susan Mallery books, there is romance and physicality. Fortunately, the focus stays on the women, taking on some serious issues including emotional child abuse through the lens of the adult that child grows up to be. This, for me, is the lasting image of this book.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2022/06/the-boardwalk-bookshop.html

Reviewed for NetGalley.

It's been a while since I've read a book by Susan Mallery but after reading The Boardwalk Bookshop I am looking forward to more! I really enjoyed reading about Mikki, Ashley and Bree along with the problems they're dealing with and the men they love. I think we all need a man like Harding in our lives! :-) The end was very satisfying for me and I was quite happy with it!

The Boardwalk Bookshop is the perfect summer read!

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Published 31 May 2022.

The Boardwalk Bookshop is a bookstore, gift shop, and bakery all rolled into one, Bree, Mikki, and Ashley's combined business. That's going well, but not their personal lives. Bree is emotionally wounded and is determined to protect herself from further heartbreak, especially from Ashley's brother. Mikki is still friends with her ex and her in-laws, but a new man changes everything she thought she knew. Ashley's love never intends to marry, destroying her dream of being a wife.

As with her other books, Susan Mallery here writes about sisterhood, friendship, and love. It's a complicated mess, of course; we wouldn't have a full-length novel otherwise. I admittedly hurried through the first few chapters introducing our trio and their lives, not finding them terribly interesting. I wanted to see the challenges thrown at them, and how they managed it. Ashley's brother Harding kept going after Bree even though she kept telling him she wasn't interested, and I think I'm supposed to find it endearing. I really didn't. In contrast, once Mikki got over her fears, I enjoyed seeing her start to get out and date again. Ashley's reaction to "perfect" Seth is realistically painful to see.

These three women don't make choices for their happiness lightly, and especially in Bree's case, it's with a lot of emotional support and therapy. I like that therapy is normalized, and that they spell out emotional neglect as just as damaging as physical abuse. The trio makes mistakes and learns from them, with a lot of messy tears and wine. It feels like the ending was too pat and perfect, but this is a romance novel. Everyone gets a happy-for-now ending, with hope for the future.

I enjoy Susan Mallery’s books. This is a fun story, but you’ll want to yell at each of the main characters at some point in the book. Each women is in a different phase of life, and each comes with her own baggage, as we all do. Each has her own decision to make in regards to her current and future relationship. Good read, though.

Mikki, Ashley and Bree decide to go in together to share the rent on a beachfront property. They become fast friends. Bree is the bookshop owner and has no intention of having a relationship with anyone. Ashley owns the bakery and she has a boyfriend which she loves dearly, but does he love her. Mikki owns the gift shop. She has been divorced and has decided to start dating again. But, as you can guess, complications arise.

These characters stay with you a while. I loved each and everyone of them. I love how they grow in their relationship with each other as the story moves along. Throw in romance issues and you have a dang good read! I mean…you have books, beach, cute guys, and champagne…what’s not to love!

Need just an all around good read for the beach…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

The Boardwalk Bookshop by Susan Mallery is a romance but at its core it is truly about friendships. How friendships can give us the support we need, enter our lives when we really need them and fill a hole we never knew we had. I loved getting to know the three women from their perspectives. Their friendship and other relationships felt realistic and I had to keep reading to find out how they resolved their issues. I’ve read many books by Mallery and this is one of the best.

This was a fun little beach read by the amazing Susan Mallery. While not my most favorite of her books, I really did enjoy this story of Bree, Ashley, and Mikki. Each of these women has their own struggles in the beginning of the story, and each has their own, unique story arc that progresses naturally and beautifully throughout the book.

I love reading Mallery's stories of friendships between women. This was a cute, relaxing, quick read.

The Boardwalk Bookshop by Susan Mallery is a new contemporary romance novel. The story in The Boardwalk Bookshop is one that is told by changing the point of view between the characters to give all sides of the story.

Bree, Mikki and Ashley were strangers just a few short months back but all three women now count themselves as friends. The three women had all had their eye on what they just new would be the perfect retail space for their various businesses but the size and price was just to much for any one of them.

Bree, Mikki and Ashley got together after they found that they all had interest in starting up in the same place and decided they would combine efforts and all use the same space. This worked well for all of them and now they have turned to each other to lean on in their personal lives too. Bree needs to learn to not protect herself so closely, Mikki just how to move on after her divorce and Ashley opens herself up to new ideas and takes a deeper look at her relationship.

The Boardwalk Bookshop by Susan Mallery is one of those novels that once I picked it up and began to read it easily pulled me into the story and didn’t want to let go. I loved getting to know all three of the women involved and going deeper into their lives as they took their journeys and discovered themselves. Each situation is completely different and having the new friendships helped guide them all along and I was all for it with each turn of the page. Not being the first book I’ve read from Susan Mallery I knew I enjoyed her writing but with each read I finish I always just look forward to more.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

The Boardwalk Bookshop, an entirely appealing title by Susan Mallery, features three new friends and co-business owners who live and work in a small, scenic town on the California coast. The Boardwalk Bookshop is one part of the three businesses sharing this prime retail space: a bookshop, gift shop and bakery. The three women join forces to afford the high rent space, and not only did they share a business, but their lives as well.

The Boardwalk Bookshop is the story of friendship, relationship struggles and life issues, and it is filled with humor, drama, and a bit of romance. It was more graphic and sex-focused than I’d prefer in a story, but that does follow Susan Mallery’s style. This is a rather character-driven story, an easy-read, and a good choice for your summer reading list.

Susan Mallery is at the top of her game with her latest novel. Ashley, Bree, and Mikki are delightful characters that show the reader life--joy, pain, sadness, and more! I highly recommend this to readers of Mallery and anyone who enjoys a great friendship (with some romance mixed in) story.

Three strangers, Bree, Mikki and Ashley all show up to view a space for rent right on the ocean. They decide to all lease the space together and open a bookstore, gift shop and bakery all in one location.

Bree has hardened her heart after growing up with famous, yet distant parents and a marriage gone wrong. She is happy running her bookstore and does not need a relationship to fulfill her life. That is until she meets Ashley’s brother who is relentless in pursuing her.

Mikki is divorced and is quite content with her life owning a gift shop and being a mother to her two children. She has a great relationship with her ex-husband, but when she meets a new man, things start to get complicated.

Ashley loves owning her bakery and is happily in love with her long-term boyfriend. Any day now he is sure to propose, and she can then start living the life she has always dreamed of. When Ashley finds out that this may never happen, her relationship is put to the test.

These three-woman become close friends as they each embark on their own journeys of self discovery. Can they support each other through life’s difficult choices?

Susan Mallery brings us a novel with real life situations and choices that impact each woman’s future. I loved the way each character develops throughout the story and the diversity of each woman. The supporting characters enhanced the plot and kept me guessing what would happen with each storyline. As the women were new friends, we also get to see their relationship grow more on each page as they support each other. I enjoyed the story and would like to thank Harlequin for the book, which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

I couldn't put Boardwalk Bookshop down! The book followed three women as businesswomen, friends, and the roller coaster of their love lives. Each woman is unique and together they come together to support one another to become the best version of themselves.
Thank you, NetGalley, for an advanced copy of this book!

The complexities of love and friendship are beautifully interwoven! THE BOARDWALK BOOKSHOP brings together three women and their separate businesses into one beachfront store in the heart of California and shines a light on the growth of a friendship that supports each of them as life brings them love, turmoil and happily ever afters. The characters are intriguing, each of their lives bring a totally different aspect of love to the forefront and the strength of their friendship grows to support them when they need it most.

I highly recommend this story to anyone who enjoys drama, friendship and happy endings.

Another great book by Susan Mallery. 3 women show up to check out the Boardwalk shop to rent and realize it's big enough for the three of them to share the retail space. Working together they develop into good friends and great coworkers. Really good book I really enjoyed it.

4.5 stars

The way these three business partners come together and their friendship blossoms is really the most beautiful thing about this story. Bree, Mikki, and Ashley are three very different women. The are different ages, have wildly different upbringings, and seem to be in very different places in their lives. But they’re more alike than meets the eye, and that all seeps out as this story goes along.

Each of these FMCs have a romantic storyline as well as the story of friendship. Bree keeps herself at a distance from everyone, especially when it comes to romance. She’s the use them and lose them type and doesn’t ever let anyone get too deep into her reasons behind that…until she does. She has a lot to overcome to find happiness. Mikki is divorced and, after 3 years, finally feels ready to start dating again. But is there still something between her and her ex-husband that is worth exploring? And Ashley is in a wonderful and loving relationship. New, young love is so exciting. That is, until she realizes what she wants and needs is drastically different from what her boyfriend sees for their future.

Once again, this author expertly weaves all of these tales together in a seamless way. All of the characters, from the FMCs to the in-laws to the past conquests are given their own voice instead of blending too far into the background so as to be unnecessary. Instead, I found myself looking forward to what they had to say in each situation.

I appreciate that each character looked within to find their happiness before making final decisions. Not that there weren’t bumps along the way where some of them tried to make others happy. In the end, they all realized they had to be comfortable with themselves and their decisions before pulling others into their sphere.

Bree, Mikki and Ashley made a combined business decision that paid in dividends none of them expected. Not only are their individual businesses (bookstore, gift shop and bakery) thriving as they share the same space, but a lifelong friendship develops and blooms. In fact, the women also find more in their lives that they did not expect.

Their weekly get-together over champagne solidifies their bond week after week. But, during this time each woman finds herself involved in romantic entanglements. However, the chance for happily ever after for each of them seems highly doubtful.

For Bree, taking a chance with Ashley's brother is a risk, as she worries if things do not work out, will her friendship with Ashley be soured. For Ashley, she is in love with her partner and the two live together. But, when he tells her that he never plans on marriage, Ashley begins to doubt the strength of his love. Meanwhile, Mikki is enjoying a "happy divorce". She and her ex co-parent well, enjoy other activities together, and the question comes up as to whether or not they can give it another go. However, with a new man in her life, Mikki might be forced to view long-range plans for her life.

What a wonderful book about friendship and the power of love between strong women who only want the best for each other. I enjoyed each "love story" as it developed and truly felt for each of the women as they explored the possibility of love and a happy future. For a book that will give all the feels, The Boardwalk Bookshop definitely checks all the boxes.

Many thanks to MIRA and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Please also enjoy my YouTube video review - https://youtu.be/JpubfnFC_9U

“𝙄 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚’𝙙 𝙗𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙭.”

With an opening line like that, Susan Mallery had my attention! I love books about bookshops, especially ones set in a beautiful California coastal town, and 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩 offers a heartwarming story about the bonds of friendship.

Bree, Ashley, and Mikki are all at various stages of life. But they are brought together when they enter into a business deal. Bree has her bookshop, Ashley runs a bakery, and Mikki owns a gift shop, and they agree to run them out of the same boardwalk storefront.

The three women begin not only a business partnership but a trusted friendship. We walk alongside them as they share their love lives, work, fun, and heartbreak. I loved that these women were of different ages, at different places in their lives, yet they became true, supportive friends. This is a perfect summertime read!

And just for the record, there is a bit of sex. 😉

Thank you @_mira_books_ @htpbooks @harpercollins for a spot on tour and a gifted ebook.

Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2022
I finished this book in a day. I could not put it down. My only complaint is that it wasn’t longer. I love the way Susan writes characters and tells their stories.

I love these characters. The women who own The Boardwalk Bookshop are real, they have problems, they struggle through life, but mostly they have each other. They support, love, and respect each other even when things are not going well. Bree, Mikki, and Ashley came to own the shop without being friends first and now are friends more than co-owners of the same store. Everyone should have friends like these three.



Susan Mallery did a great job of making her characters relatable. Their issues were real people's issues and their reactions were real people's reactions. I could relate on some level to each character. They all deserved love but did not know how to get there or if they deserved it. Ashley knew what she wanted and not being willing to settle for less was my favorite. My heart hurt for her, but I was proud of how she handled her life and made the decisions she did. Bree, dang her parents are not good parents. I wanted her to find out how to love, she deserved it so much. Mikki, oh girl… your relationship with your ex was admirable but I was glad to see her ready to move on.



The Boardwalk Bookshop is classic Susan Mallery. Three amazing women, all with their own struggles find their way to happiness together.