THE BOARDWALK BOOKSHOP by Susan Malley is a standalone women’s fiction that immediately had me thoroughly engrossed in three very different women’s lives as they come together in their business and personal lives.

Three women show up to check out a beach front business property on the California coast. While none can afford or use the entire space individually, they decide to come together and lease the property as the Boardwalk Bookshop. Bree runs the bookstore, Mikki runs the gift shop and Ashley runs the bakery. Every Friday they toast with champagne on the beach as their businesses thrive, their friendship grows, but their personal lives are in turmoil.

This is a wonderful story with three successful and intelligent businesswomen at different stages in their personal lives and I found all their stories believable. There is a roller-coaster ride of emotions with each. Bree was the toughest and yet the most damaged by her past. Mikki was very much like some personal friends and her decisions were very relatable. Ashley was an amazing character who gave so much, and I was very glad when she got her HEA. I fell in love with each of these main characters and even though they all could stand on their own, the men who eventually come into their lives and make them happy left me feeling very satisfied. The secondary characters were fully drawn, entertaining and at times quirky. Once again, Ms. Mallery pulled me into others’ lives effortlessly.

I recommend this women’s fiction story of three engaging women.

Three women decide to lease a building on the California boardwalk. They each have their own business, but they work together. Bree has a bookshop, Mikki has a giftshop and Ashley has a bakery. As the reader gets to know each of the women and their relationships with each other and their personal lives. This is a great beach read that keeps your attention until the end. It is a heartwarming story of friendship, love and relationships.

The Boardwalk Bookshop is a wonderful read centered around women’s friendship. They help each other deal with life challenges and are a great support system. The strong characters are written so you know them. I enjoyed watching the friendship grow and develop throughout the book.

Another wonderful read

I thoroughly enjoyed this latest book from Susan Mallery. I love her very complex but real characters and their challenges.

Ashley, Bree and Mikki are basically as different as can be, which is probably what makes this story work. I love that none of them have easy stories, they all have issues, something unusual in summer beach reads.

You have a divorced mom of adult kids who is trying to start over. A child of neglectful parents, famous authors, who runs a bookstore. And finally, someone who seems to be in a stable relationship, then the foundation starts to crumble.

I love that their friendship starts with their businesses, something else we don’t also see often. Seriously, we need more women running businesses and coming together to make them work. You see their work relationship grow and strengthen, which is so important, especially now.

The individual stories work well, together as one large story this shines.

While I generally enjoy reading Susan Mallery’s books, I was not a fan of this one. I found it difficult to engage with the three main characters who are friends and in business together. Bree, Mikki and Ashley are making a success of their business, but are less successful in their private lives.

Three ladies decide to share a large beachfront property for their bookshop/bakery/gift shop. They are very different personalities but they become good friends who support each other through the many ups and downs in their lives.

I received an advanced reader copy from Netgalley. Loving bookstores and the beach, this book was calling to me. The relationships of each character are explored as time goes by. Expectations of love, dating, and marriage affect how the three main characters react to situations. Mikki comes off as the mother figure, even though she and Bree are nearly the same age. Ashley appears to be more idealistic. Her thoughts on marriage affect her decisions. Family relationships and self esteem become determining factors in Bree letting herself love and be loved. The men are all so different from each other, Duane, Perry, Seth, Dave, Harding, Oscar, Lewis, and Sad Guy. Each woman has her own storyline, however I felt like Bree’s was the strongest. There is so much happening that you will be turning the pages to see what happens next. Great summer read! Enjoy!

Summer for me always means it's time for a Susan Mallery book (or two!), and in addition to her earlier The Summer Getaway (my review here), Mallery's The Boardwalk Bookshop is here just in time for beach weather.

Three women decide to take a lease on a building right on a California beach boardwalk. They each have their own business- Bree owns the Boardwalk Bookshop, Mikki has opened a touristy giftshop, and Ashley sells her delicious treats in the bakeshop.

Bree is a young widow, and was raised by parents who weren't interested at all in raising a child. They were too busy with their careers as literary authors. Bree was left on her own, wondering why her parents didn't love her. It made her cautious with others, unwilling to get close to anyone, let alone date.

Mikki is a divorced women with two teenage children she shares with her ex-husband. She gets along with her ex, and her ex-mother-in-law even works at her gift shop. It's been three years since her divorce, and her friends are trying to convince her it's time to start dating. In this world of online dating, it's daunting.

Ashley has the perfect boyfriend. She and Seth like the same things, and agree on just about everything- except for the concept of marriage. Ashley wants to get married, Seth thinks they don't need to be married to have a lifetime of happiness.

While their business seems to be doing well, their love lives need work. Ashley's brother is an author, and she fears that he will fall in love with the beautiful Bree who will break his heart. Mikki is contemplating connecting with a man she met online, and Ashley is torn between her love for Seth and her wish for the serious commitment of marriage.

The friends meet every Friday night to share a bottle (or two) of champagne on the beach and review their week. If you are a fan of the bubbly, you'll get some terrific suggestions for different bottles to pick up at your local liquor store for your next get-together.

I truly liked all the characters in this endearing novel. Mikki's mother (who works with Bree) and her mother-in-law are both wonderful characters, and the way that all the women support each other is heartwarming. The men in this story are also interesting, well-drawn, not stereotypes.

As someone who works in a bookshop, I really enjoyed that aspect of the book. I would love nothing more than to work in Bree's bookshop on the beach, it would be heavenly. Put The Boardwalk Bookshop in your beach bag this summer, you'll enjoy spending time with these three ladies.

Thanks to Harlequin Books for putting me on Susan Mallery's tour.

Six months ago, Bree Larton, Mikki Bartholomew and Ashley Burton were strangers. It was serendipitous when all three were eyeing (literally) a prime beachfront property for sale in Los Angeles. It was too large and expensive for them individually but after sitting down over coffee together, they realized their combined businesses and resources would be ideal. So, Driftaway Books, The Gift Shop and Muffins to the Max became The Boardwalk Bookshop and one shared space on the beach. Their becoming friends was a lovely bonus. Business life was good but their personal lives…not so much.

Bree’s troubled upbringing left her commitment phobic and down on the possibility of love, even when the right one showed up. Mikki’s amicable divorce was working pretty well until she began dating and met a wonderful man. Ashley and her boyfriend were deeply in love with each other but he was unwilling to ever marry, a surprise she stumbled upon.

I got caught up in these women’s lives from the onset as they were interesting and had so many layers. I loved their relationships with each other and how supportive they were even though they’d only been friends for a short time. On the surface, their issues didn’t seem that complicated but as the story progressed, they became much more nuanced and less clear cut. The men in their worlds were all decent guys, none of them doing anything that would easily cast them as heels. I found myself going back and forth about their situations, totally immersed in trying to figure out the right resolution.

This was a wonderful exploration of modern day, mature relationships that had lots of edges and considerations. Bree, Mikki and Ashley were beautifully developed and fleshed out, so much that I felt a kinship with them and wished their store was a real one. I listened to the book and Tanya Eby’s storytelling skills were ideal for these characters. Each time I had to pause I couldn’t wait to get back to these women to see where they’d land. It was a great listening experience about three women confronting relationship challenges that were realistic, relevant and not so easy to figure out…just like real life.

Always a wonderful experience to catch new titles from this authors. Her stories are written with a flair for friendship. Anything bookstore or library is my kind of book

The Boardwalk Bookshop is a good way to kick off the summer. I really enjoyed the friendship between these women and how that grows into a found family. We also get plenty of romance, and this one is steamier than I've seen from Susan Mallery before. That's not a bad thing by any means, it was just unexpected. All three women are relatable, and the romances are easy to root for. This one is a good combination of women's fiction and romance with neither overshadowing the other. If you're looking for something to get lost in for a weekend curled up on the couch or a beach read for vacation, this one is a good choice. The story is engaging, the characters are likable, and the dialogue is witty - definitely an entertaining read.

Mallery is an auto-buy and I love how she’s moved into meatier stories. I loved each of these women and wish for a set of friends like this. I disliked how Mikki was characterized in the early part of the book: all references were to her weight, as if that is what defined her. However, as I kept reading it became more about her. I feel like Mallery was using it as a device to show the changes in Mikki, but it put me off at the start. If you are a fan of female friendships this is the perfect summer read.

Three women come together to rent space on the boardwalk. They are strangers to begin with, each with a life that seems relatively perfect for them. But there are currents underneath and all three are about to find their metaphorical boats rocked.
Bree is a bookstore owner who holds her heart close, even for the author who is currently in town.
Ashley loves her boyfriend and she's ready to take the next step but he doesn't appear to be.
Mikki is divorced but she is still good friends with her ex. That might be a problem for the man she's dating.
There is so much sturm and drang in this book. It was a little much for me this time but I think regular readers of Mallery's contemporaries will enjoy it.

Three stars
This book comes out May 31, 2022
ARC kindly provided by Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

Susan Mallery has written another great book, The Boardwalk Bookshop. Mallery never disappoints in her books. This is a contemporary romance that is heartwarming and yet will pull at your heartstrings! This is a story of three women who meet by chance, all with their own unique stories and challenges. They come together and grow together in ways none of them saw coming. Mallory’s characters are real and extraordinary! She shows you all their sides, how they support each other, give each other the strength the keep going and yet provide the care and advice when needed. You will find romance, family, friendship, drama and a little sex in this one. A very good pool or beach read that I highly recommend!

Thank you NetGalley, Mira Books, HTP Influencers and Susan Mallery for an advanced copy of this incredible story! My review is my own.
#netgalley #mirabooks. #htpinfluencers
#thenoardwalkbookshop. #susanmallery
#arc

Holy cow, THE BOARDWALK BOOKSHOP is one crazy story! It is also my nineteenth book I’ve read by Susan Mallery. After you read this wonderful story, you will know exactly why. Three women share a retail space after each being interested in renting the store. Bree owns the bookstore, Ashley owns Muffins to the Max and Mikki owns the gift shop. They didn’t know each other before sharing the space, but in six short months they have become great friends. I was so excited to read this book and it wasn’t because its about a bookshop right on the beach, well not the only reason. Oh, who am I kidding……that is totally the reason. The women give each other strength and lots of advice to help in dealing with the problems they are going through.

THE BOARDWALK BOOKSHOP is exactly why I love Susan Mallery’s books. She had me sad on one page and giggling out loud on the next. This story is all about friendship and relationships and the life lessons are heart tugging. It had me flipping through the pages like a woman on a mission. I had to know what was going to happen to these three women and all the secondary characters. So when you have three women who work and relax with eachother, there is bound to be some drama right? The sisterhood they share is exactly what they all need at this time in their lives. THE BOARDWALK BOOKSHOP is a perfect story that will hold you hostage until the very last page. Once you start reading, it will be very hard to put down! You also won’t be able to stop yourself from laughing at Harding and the way he won’t leave Bree alone!

In THE BOARDWALK BOOKSHOP, all of the characters are very interesting and believable, so much so that I felt as if I’ve known them for a long time. I would love to hang out with these women. I’m sure they could teach me a thing or two and I know they would keep my laughing all day long! I love how Susan Mallery does that to me each and every time. She has me longing to find friends just like her characters. There is so much heart in Susan’s writing that I was left with a huge smile on my face and my heart very happy. Susan Mallery is the queen of writing heartfelt stories about women and family drama. If you are looking for a quick, funny, feel good story, you can’t go wrong with THE BOARDWALK BOOKSHOP!

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

A great summer read and the compelling story of a female friendship. Three women in different phases of their life, a lovely setting, interesting professional life.
Susan Mallery can surely write stories that keeps me turning pages and this one was no exception.
A bit slow at time but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Three women are business partners and through this they have become friends. Bree, the owner of the bookshop is a widow who keeps relationships at arms length. Ashley owns the muffin business and is in a long term relationship, but she is ready for the next level. Mikki is the gift shop and has been happily divorced for three years and may just enter the dating market, but it could turn her world upside down.

As I like to warn folks who read my reviews, there were definitely some sexy times in each of the women's stories and while it worked in each of their stories, if you try to avoid books with these scenes, this one may be on the cusp - but you may want to try this one as there is enough plot to enjoy this book.

Out of the three women and their storylines, I think I liked Brees the most. She had the best arc from beginning to end. From her rocky childhood to a bad relationship, she had the most bottom to top rise and I enjoyed her as a character. On the other side, Ashley's story was frustrating. To spoil a bit, her boyfriend isn't into the formality of marriage and that is what Ashley wants next. Her story felt like it plateaued and fast and had no rise or fall - I found her to be whiny and just didn't love her story.

I love a Susan Mallery stand alone book and always enjoy a summer weekend with one by the pool or just soaking in some sunshine!

"The Boardwalk Bookshop" follows three friends, Ashley, Mikki, and Bree, as they work to build their friendship, their relationships, and their businesses. Mikki is the oldest at just 40, divorced for three years and tired of being the passenger in her own life. She is trying to slowly try new things and that now includes online dating, where she meets Duane- right when ex-husband Perry says he thinks they should get back together. Ashley is the youngest of the three, a twenty-something, madly in love with her boyfriend Seth and waiting for him to propose. When she discovers he doesn't believe in marriage but wants to live with her forever, Ashley has to decide if she is willing to give up what she wants in order to keep Seth. Bree is the most complicated one- emotionally neglected by her parents and former husband, Bree never wants to put herself in another situation where her heart is in jeopardy- meaning no chance of love. But Ashley's brother Harding moves back in town and is determined to get her to take a chance on them.

We get to watch the relationships between the three women grow and deepen from the beginning, when they've only really known each other for a few months, through the end when they are their best support system and willing to not only help each other through the hard times but tell each other the truth as they see it- not always a comfortable thing but sometimes a necessary one. They come to understand each other better, help each other grow, and support each other not only professional but personally. As each of them experiences the ups and downs of new relationships, the others are there to be happy or console as needed. This is a love story about friends as much as it is about romantic relationships- maybe even more.

This was a seriously powerful book on a lot of levels and didn't pull punches. While Bree or Mikki could have supported a book successfully alone, I think it worked well mixing the three stories together in part because they are so powerful. We are emotionally invested in the characters, ride the rollercoaster with them, and it helps us to break from one character to another and see a new point of view. Whether they are being taken for granted, challenging their views of themselves and life as they see it, or stepping into the uncomfortable unknown of trying something new, a new point of view, a good friend, and a good bottle of champagne on the beach help solve many of life's problems.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

I love Susan Mallery books so much. The Boardwalk Bookshop is another great one that comes out in Tuesday - May 31st!

While her series are my favorite, i enjoy her standalone books too! I know I'm going to get a story with a few women who are in different phases of life and I love that aspect of her books. In this one you have 3 women- Ashley who is hoping her boyfriend will propose, Mikki who gas been divorced for a few years and is ready to date and Bree who has sworn off love.

I enjoyed the beachy California scenes and the bookshop/giftshop/bakery store these three women run. I enjoyed all three romances and this book put me in the summer mood even if it's rainy and gross today!