I absolutely loved this book! All of the characters were so well written, and the development throughout the story made me feel as if I was friends with everyone in the book. The whole time I found myself wishing I was right there in Chatham experiencing this for myself.

When your world is falling apart, best friends are there to help ride life's waves. After Jess discovered the truth about her husband's late-night meetings, she needed to get away from Charleston. Taking shelter in Chatham, the brilliant beaches and childhood friends provided an oasis from the storm.

Through their own stories, readers will meet the mothers and daughters that are fashioning the bay. Julia's has her own jewelry shop and is on the cusp of an exciting chapter. Alison, is considering booking a new adventure. Jess' daughter Caitlin, takes on what is supposed to be a summer job but falls in love with the bay and its residents. At the end of her escape period, will Jess return to Charleston or has Chatham's still waters run deep?

In the storms of my own life, I was seeking a feel-good escape read. The picturesque setting and Pamela M Kelley's charismatic characters provided a staycation.. I've found a new author to add to my go-to list and look forward to checking out her backlist and future titles.

The Bookshop by the Bay is my kind of beach read. It’s women’s fiction and involves longtime friends and their daughters – all going through personal dramas.

Jess has lived in Charleston for most of her adult life. Her daughter Caitlin is grown and at loose ends so the timing couldn’t be better for the two of them to visit Jess’s mother on Cape Cod for the summer. Having found out her husband was unfaithful and clearly heading in a different direction from Jess the time away from Charleston will give her space and time to think and make some decisions.

Jess’s best friend from childhood is Allison. She has always dreamed of owning a bookstore and when the opportunity arises she can only hope to make that happen. When Jess agrees to being a business partner suddenly the future looks brighter in many ways. Allison’s daughter is a local jewelry designer whose business is taking off. She wishes her love life looked as bright.

If you’ve read enough romantic women’s fiction you’ll predict the ending and probably be right. I enjoyed it all and look forward to reading more by Pamela Kelley.

This is a perfect beach’y read! I loved the characters and the setting. Definitely on my list to recommend to friends. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the early read.

While I personally kept getting the characters a bit mixed up, I did enjoy reading the book. It is a somewhat lighthearted read with the outcome as I had expected. Therefore, it did not disappoint! I found it quite easy to visualize the different locations, which made this such a nice mental getaway, as I do love the beach!
Thank you #NetGalley & #StMartinsPress for the ARC. I look forward to seeing this book on the best seller list next June - this is certainly a good book for a vacation read by the beach.

Two lifelong friends at a crossroads (Jess finds out her husband has been cheating and Allison makes a career pivot) open a bookstore by the bach.

If you are looking for a light and easy read right now, look no further.
Yes, it was predictable, but sometimes you want that in a read.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Jess finds out her husband is cheating on her and she and her adult daughter head North to her old home base to visit with Allison and regroup. Allison is going through her own challenges as her job is in danger of being cut. As the two besties commiserate and plan their future, their next act opens up as their old favorite bookstore goes up for sale. A new beginning for all four women as they forehead and open themselves up to new possibilities and new lives.

A great read and perfect for anyone who’s looking for that next act, or who just wants that good feeling that comes from reading about others finding it. I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.

An uplifting and fun beach read., set in wonderful Cape Cod and Charleston. Those descriptions rang true. it was a predictable plot with exploration of mid-life divorce, mother/daughter relationships, careers and second chances.

Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read this book. Sweet story about friends that decide to open a bookstore. If you are looking for a light read this is it. This would make a great Hallmark movie.

This is a sweet read for the right demographic and i don’t know that i was the right demographic, unfortunately,

It was very sweet, had moments I-enjoyed, but overall i found it repetitive and a bit predictable.

I received a free e-arc of this book through Netgalley. I adore books about bookstores, but that is pretty minimal in this book. The main focus is on relationships and everything that comes along with them. I would classify this as a predictable romance, but there are times when I want my books to be predictable. I felt like there was a bit of repetition that was a little annoying. I don't need to hear about sharks/seals 4 times. Once is enough. I also disagreed with the notion that a 30 year marriage ending in divorce is a failure. It served it's purpose. They successfully raised a daughter to adulthood.

Another wonderful read by Pamela Kelley! In the Bookshop by the Bay, you get to follow the story of best friends Jess and Allison, who are in their 50s, and also Julia and Caitlin, their daughters as they all navigate through life. You also get to meet a cast of characters ranging from their friends, to coworkers, to their families. Pamela’s books always feature such likeable and kind characters and that holds true in this story as well.

Pamela’s book are also so descriptive and written in a way that I feel like I’m in the book, and the characters are my friends. This book tackles important matters like divorce, being laid off, cheating, controlling relationships, friendship, and not knowing what you want to be “when you grow up”. Her books have the ability to transport you to the Cape while you’re reading her story.

A truly delightful story that kept me smiling and interested each page. Thank you to Net Galley for the advanced copy by one of my favorite authors Pamela Kelley.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read The Bookshop by the Bay by Pamela M. Kelley. I enjoyed reading this book, but felt, at times, it did drag. With that said, I never wanted to stop reading it or skip pages. I was fully invested in the two mother/daughter duos and what issues they were experiencing. I could’ve predicted the ending by mid book, but that didn’t make it any less special for me when it all rolled out and came together. I would definitely recommend this book.

I read this book in 2 days. It covered many important topics, and was both soul-searching and uplifting. Unfortunately, it has a huge amount of errors -- it is seriously in need of a proofreader. I give the story 5 stars. The use of redundancies such as "replied back", the constant use of "up" as in grill up, cook up, type up, etc. appeared to be simply a desire to increase the word count. I give the writing/editing 3 stars.

This is definitely a book I would recommend if you’re looking for something easy and light. A beach read, you might say. Although I did find everything a tad predictable, it wasn’t necessarily predictable in a bad way. The plot points were exactly what anyone would want from such a light-hearted read. If you’re looking for something with a little more substance to it, you should probably pick up something else.

two best friends buy a bookshop on cape cod, love this story. I always enjoy a book by Pamela Kelly. enjoyed the story very much.

A fun light hearted read that I enjoyed very much! Definitely a perfect beach read.
Yes, some was pretty unbelievable but that's why it's called fiction. I think that's why I love reading fiction because it's fun to imagine yourself in Jess and Caitlin's place. Well, not in a couple of places. I wouldn't want that at all!
I've read this author's work before so I was happy to see this book. Of course I grabbed it. I devoured it right away! More please!
I feel like that I would know Cape Cod if I went there thanks to the author's wonderful description.
I feel like it's a magical place almost like my beach town here but much more beautiful and interesting!
I hated to leave after I finished this book. I didn't want to come back to reality.
5 stars for a job well done! I highly recommend!
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I received an advance copy of this book from Net Galley. I love every Pamela Kelley book that I have read and this is no exception.

The book is set in two of my favorite places in the United States- Charleston and Cape Cod.

It is the story of two best friends who buy a bookstore on the Cape and how their lives change. They each have a daughter and their lives intertwine with their daughters and all explore and evaluate their lives.

I would recommend this book to anyone who needs an uplifting and happy book.

Seriously good! This book was a fantastic romantic comedy. The characters were lovable, and I was so sad when it ended. I loved it!

The Bookshop by the Bay is another great beach read by author Pamela Kelley. If you’re not familiar with this author you’re missing out and should definitely pickup her newest book. The book was entertaining and the setting in Chatham, Cape Cod sounded like a great place to visit. The story is about family, friends, and starting over.

Jess and Alison have been lifelong friends and are both at a crossroads in their lives. Jess is an attorney living in Charleston with her husband and thirty year old daughter. Jess discovers her husband is cheating and retreats to her home town in Chatham along with her daughter for support.

Alison is an editor for the Chatham Magazine but due to low circulation her boss and friend has no choice but to cut her job. Alison’s daughter Julia opens a jewelry store and is quite fulfilled something Alison is looking for.

When a beloved bookstore comes up for sale the two best friends go into business together along with reopening the coffee shop next door. With the help of their daughters the women discover friendships that grow, bonds will strengthen, and love is a possibility when starting over. I appreciate that the main characters were older women who discover that you can start over and there are second chances when it comes to romance.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the eARC I received in exchange for my honest opinion.

My review will be posted to Goodreads on 11/06/22 and Amazon closer to the publication date.

5/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️