Cover Image: The Bookshop by the Bay

The Bookshop by the Bay

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Member Reviews

What a cute beach read! Loved the cover and storyline. Easy read that gave me all the feels. Highly recommend!

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The Bookshop by the Bay had a premise that intrigued me. Two friends at different points in their lives looking for a second chance happen upon their childhood bookstore being for sale? And their daughters help? I was excited for the small town, easy breezy vibes of this book. I do feel like it delivered on being a light beach read. Overall, the story was engaging, and while predictable, it was comforting. I just felt that the drama peaked early and the resolution was to 'nice'.
Thank you St. Martin's Griffin for the copy through NetGalley in exchange for a review.

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Meh. Wasn’t bad, wasn’t great.

Too many characters with their own storyline. Absolutely no spice. Too long.

Thank you Net Galley & to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

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I think we can all agree that it's all of our dreams to open a bookstore in a beach town. I mean what a life that would be! I loved the dynamic of this book. it shows you that starting over isn't so bad especially when it involved books and the beach.

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This book took some time to pick up speed, but I'm glad that I stuck with it. The author's detailed descriptions of the town and its people made it easy to develop a personal connection with them. One of the most notable aspects of the story was the friendship between Jessica and Allison, as well as their relationships with their daughters. If you appreciate women's fiction that explores friendship and second chances, then I recommend adding this to your tbr!

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Thank you St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for the eARC of Bookshop By The Bay! All opinions in this review are my own.

I was first drawn to Bookshop By The Bay because of the synopsis. After Jess finds out her husband is having an affair, she invests in a bookstore with her best friend on Cape Cod. While I like the premise of this book, I found the execution to be a little lacking. The writing is very dialogue heavy, which is not my favorite. Also, what I thought was going to end up being the big conflict of the novel was resolved quickly and without much drama. Overall, this is still a good friendship story and would be a great summer beach read!

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This book is exactly what it promises - a little beachy escape. A story of friendship and starting over, The Bookshop by the Bay didn't have a ton of depth, but it was light and interesting enough to keep me going. A nice little distraction. Great for a light summer read.

I received a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

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A great great beach read! This book was the perfect escape from reality that still kept my attention from start to finish!

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I really liked this one, the story between the friends and the mother/daughter relationships really made the book for me. The hint of romances here and there didn't hurt. I especially loved the setting and the main theme of growing and overcoming life's obstacles. Books and baked goods didn't hurt. Overall a really good read. It was almost four stars, I think the one thing that didn't push it there for me was there were a lot of characters, and at times I couldn't keep track of who they were.

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I loved the idea of this book a little more than the execution of the book itself. This had all the makings to be a 5 star for me but fell a little flat in some ways. I wanted more substance and character building at times but the cute premise kept me engaged. I wish there would have been a little bit more to sink my teeth into but if you are looking quick read that is centered in Cape Cod that shows the love and support of women, then this would be a great book to pickup.

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Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

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Is there anything more healing than the beach, the water, books and friendships? I can assure you there’s not and this book took all of that and made it the perfect comfort read!
Thank you #griffin and #NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

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In my opinion author Pamela Kelley is a wonderful author.
I have enjoyed any of her books that I have read.
This book had the cover, title, and premise that are exactly what I look for!
Although it was an enjoyable read, a couple of things held me back from flying through it.
One thing was that so many of the characters all start with the letter J and I got confused.
I saw this on another review as well.
I Kept having to go back to figure out who it was.
The location, the storyline were excellent choices.
But it didn’t grab me enough to keep pulling me back to reading it, and I think it was mainly the idea that I couldn’t get the keep the characters straight, which normally isn’t an issue for me.
I still finished it though and I’m glad that I did.

Thankyou to author Pamela Kelley, Netgalley and Griffin Publishers for the opportunity to read this book and give an honest review.
Charlene @lastnownext 📚🌸🤗

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Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of The Bookshop by the Bay by Pamela M. Kelley in exchange for my honest review and opinion. From the moment I saw the cover and the author I knew this was going to be a great read! I loved everything about this book from the first page until the last. Great beach read and escape from reality. Do yourself a big favor and read this the first chance you get.

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Two lifelong friends are at a stop sign in their lives. Both of their lives are changing in the blink of an eye. Together they rebuild their lives as friends do, even their daughters are on board.
I loved this book so much it was a clean read, with all the emotions. I was pulled in to the point where i flt I was right there with them. It was a fast read.

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I read this book in one sitting it was so good! I loved the characters and how they supported one another through their struggles. It was a little predictable, but was a cute story to read.

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If you’re in the mood for a light read with a generally happy ending, look no further! The Bookshop By The Bay focuses on a couple of generations of the women in two families who both hail from Chatham, Massachusetts, a town on Cape Cod. Jess, a lawyer, and her daughter Caitlin live in Charleston, South Carolina now but head for Chatham for the summer when Jess discovers her husband has been cheating on her. Caitlin is “between jobs” so the timing is good. Jess’s best friend from childhood, Alison, still lives there as well as Alison’s daughter Julia, who is a talented jewelry designer. Jess and Alison jump on the opportunity to buy and manage the local bookstore, whose owner wants to retire, as well as the cafe next door. The focus of the book is about how all four women come to terms with their lives and careers, as well as hints of romance along the way.

I love the idea of second chances and finding your way when life doesn’t go the way you planned. I also love that the focus is on the growth of both generations of women. There’s also a wonderful character in Jess’s mother/Caitlin’s grandmother, who also has found a new passion in photography.

While I received the eARC from NetGalley, I wound up listening to the published audiobook by Macmillan Audio. The narrator, Stephanie Nemeth-Parker, did a nice job with the many voices, both male and female.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book, although I was quite late to it. All opinions are my own.

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The cover and synopsis drew me in, but I loved this small town beach read!

WHAT TO EXPECT
-small town
-beach read
-second chances
-Cape Cod setting

I paired the book with the audiobook format and loved this way to read! The narration was great.

*many thanks to St Martins Press and Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for the gifted copy

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Everything you want to find in a beach read! Fabulous descriptions of food and settings, scandal, family conflict, and characters becoming their true selves. This was a quick read for me and one that I very much enjoyed. I loved the sisterhood of the women and how they encouraged each other. The romance was nicely paced and the character easy to become invested in. This made for a fabulous read!

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Thank you, Netgalley, the author, and St. Martin's Press for the gifted e-book! ❤️ #gifted. My review is comprised of my honest thoughts.

Read this book if you like: Light reads, friendship stories, second chances

This was a light, fun, low drama beach read type of book. It was slow at times but still entertaining. This was a very wholesome, cozy feeling read about friendship and second chances. I recommend it!

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