This is an interesting, light and easy read which brings to fore the question we have all asked at some point- what makes a book a classic?

The Secret Book Club follows the adventures/ misadventures of unemployed Maggie, who takes over the running of a bookstore from her friend.

I love how relatable Maggie is ( her character is a sore subject). She doesn’t appear to have found her calling and she is simply herself.

I love the clandestine bookclub meetings and the idea behind it. Even though it is unbelievable that a town like Bell River exists today. I love the small town plot and the residents’ stories.

Besides, the obvious message in this book. There are other issues examined by the author- feminism, racial equality, book equality, plagiarism and so much more.

I did not think there was any spark/ romance/ chemistry between Malcom and Maggie. Also, the resolution to the crisis at the end felt a bit rushed.

If you love book about books, small town, cozy fiction then this is your book.

I received an advanced copy via Netgalley and the review is mine and voluntary.

A book about books is bound to make me happy, and this one did exactly that.

"The Secret Book Club" is what I would describe as a wholesome story about community, friendship, and self-discovery.
It follows the protagonist, Maggie, who is on a journey to find her place in the world after what seems to her a lifetime of failure.
Maggie gets a job working at her friend's bookstore while her friend is on maternity leave.
A passion for books is not something Maggie can brag about, but one for people and community, and that is precisely what she brings to the town of Bell River.

The novel explores the feelings of being lost in figuring out what you want from yourself and the life you are trying to establish. It is a general and important experience for many young people.
It navigated through the emotional aspects of figuring it all out and was done so beautifully. It had me hooked from the beginning.

At times, keeping track of the endless number of small lies Maggie was starting to make up felt a little overwhelming. I am too anxious of a person not to be stressing out on her behalf while reading, but I think the confrontations were handled well in a mature manner. Every character in the book was part of why it worked out so well; they were mature and able to communicate, and how refreshing it is to read.

Overall, I think this was a highly enjoyable book, and you really cannot in good conscience turn down a book about books, can you?

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with an advanced reading copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was provided a free advanced copy of this book from @netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
Maggie Banks is not sure what she wants to do with her life. But when her friend asks for her to look after her book shop while she's on maternity leave, Maggie jumps at the chance to move out of her parents' house, even if for just a few months. But what she doesn't expect is to find a purpose, great friends, and maybe a man too! Set in a fictional town obsessed with a fictional author and his life and legacy. Maggie comes in and breathes new life to the community with fun and rule breaking!
One of the things that threw me on this was the back of the book, which starts with, "Maggie Banks loves books." But in the story itself... She does not! At least at the beginning. She learns to love how books can bring people together, and realizes there are a ton of genres and a book for everyone! That should have been on the back. A book about how someone learns to love books and the book community (which is a pretty awesome community if you ask me ☺️)!! I also questioned some of the choices Maggie made, and her choices to keep so much from her BFF.
Overall it still was a fun read! I loved the book events she hosted and wish they were real! I was so excited about a book/author in the story that I Googled them to see if they were real! 😂
It is set to be published today (UK), and already available in the U.S. with an alternate title, The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks.
#NetGalley #TheSecretBookClub #TheBannedBookshopOfMaggieBanks

I was lucky enough to get invited to join a read along with One More Chapter for this fun bookish read. I really enjoyed the whole experience especially the WhatsApp group chat that went along with the read along, hearing everyone's opinions about the book and Maggie's situation.

I was kind of on the fence at times about Maggie as a main character. I really enjoyed her enthusiasm for creative thinking and finding ways to make a sometimes dull job more fun. She was excellent at bringing people together and creating a sense of community as well. I really felt for her though as she struggled against other people's expectations of her and feeling like a failure because she didn't follow a certain path. I didn't love how secretive she was especially when it came to her best friend, Rochelle and her possible new romantic interest, Malcolm. While the clever ways she thought of to create more business for her friend's bookstore were wonderful, it was hard to imagine that someone would cross all those lines or boundaries and just make the changes or put those plans into actions without discussing it first with the owner who was also her best friend. It felt like a real betrayal especially after her friend had been so supportive and kind by offering her the opportunity and had also made it so abundantly clear how tenuous the relationship with the co-owner of the bookstore was. I couldn't imagine keeping all of what she was hiding from a friend like that and Rochelle was so forgiving when she did find out about everything she had been hiding that I was shocked. I know I would have needed much more time to process all of that. When it came to Malcolm, I really loved how they were playful and flirty with each other while slowly opening up to each other. I could understand more why she would keep what she was up to from him considering his job and all but it felt like a bad way to start a relationship and especially icky when she used his key card.

I did love the small town of Bell River and all of the interesting characters that lived there. It felt like an idyllic setting filled with everything you could want like a farmer's market and local bakery with all the best treats. I loved Vernon, the grouchy upstairs neighbour. Maggie was able to melt his heart even just a little and his whole backstory was very cool. I always fall for the local curmudgeon it seems and Vernon is no exception.

As a booklover, I definitely appreciated all the references and really enjoyed the discussions had within the book about the value of all books and genres. I appreciated the take that classics could use a shake up and questioning what makes a classic a classic as well as conversations about diversifying your bookshelf. I love that in the end, Maggie found books that spoke to her and made her a reader and how she found ways to bring new life to the classics with her book club twists. Sounds like a really fun idea for sure!

I received an advanced ebook copy of this book through the read along with the publisher, One More Chapter and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This was a great read.

I loved the semi mystery plot line and when the truth came out at the end it was so good

I loved the FMC and her slightly chaotic nature and how she brought fun to everything

I enjoyed the fact that despite the 3rd act having a lot of drama it all got sorted quickly and no one really held grudges making it a perfect feel good book as everything worked out good in the end

- small town
- FMC works at a bookshop in a town made famous by an author
- bipoc characters

I wanted to read this book because, well it's a book about books. It was my first time reading this author and I was pleasantly surprised by this enjoyable story.

This is a fun and easy read with small town vibes, think cosy Hallmark type of town. I love all the characters, especially the MC, Maggie. The story is full of humour but important topics are woven in too which I like in this type of book.

The only downside was the ending felt a little rushed. I would have liked to have seen the conclusion a little more fleshed out.

Still an excellent read and one I would definitely recommend.

I always love books about books. This was such a fun read, and I enjoyed it very much. Yes, there were loads of plot holes, and it's stretched the credibility to the max, but I still enjoyed it, and for a short while, I was able to join the characters in a secret book club. Highly entertaining and made the perfect beach/escape read.

I loved the title of this book and hoped it would as good as it sounded. In fact, it was amazing. A lovely, cosy read for those winter nights. Thank you for the ARC.

REVIEW
When Maggie Banks covers her friend's maternity leave at the bookstore in Bell River, she immediately falls foul of the president of the local literary society's strict rules. Trying to boost dwindling sales, she starts a secret book club. But when she unearths a secret about the town's esteemed author, it could throw the entire town's legacy into jeopardy.
There were parts of this book that I loved. I adored the community that Maggie was able to become part of (even clandestinely). I loved the camaraderie between the people who weren't fans of Edward Bell, of which Vernon, for me, was an unexpected highlight. And, I LOVED Maggie's idea for bookish evenings, and the literary mashups were hilarious.
I wasn't, however, entirely sure the romance worked very well, or was even necessary, as the story felt like it was more about Maggie's self-confidence and development. I didn't get any enemies-to-lovers vibes. It was more of an opposites attract, but with very few clashes. That said, what there was of them together was very sweet. I enjoyed their meetup at the book festival, but I was so sad that Maggie didn't invite him to TJ's evening, even though I understood why. Malcolm was lovely, if a little straight-laced, and I felt for him when Maggie's secrets came out. I found the fact that Rochelle, Maggie's best friend (and manager of the bookstore), was barely in it early on a bit odd. There was no dialogue between them after the initial introductions until over halfway (even though she was living with the family, and Rochelle's husband was mostly invisible. But I think the thing I struggled with most was that a small town could keep a bookstore running in this economy purely with old books and the legacy of some long-dead local author. Still, Maggie's first meeting with Ralph, the president of the Bell Society, was hilarious, even though he was an insufferable dictator, and the subterfuge added some amusing moments. What I think I loved the most, though, was the way Maggie discovered her own love of reading.
Books are for everyone, and no one should ever gatekeep which ones you can read!
Not perfect, but a fun, bookish read with a satisfying conclusion.

Overall Rating: ❤️❤️❤️.5

*Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to leave an honest review*

Favourite Quotes:

“Should I be offended that you’re recommending a children’s book to me?”
“You should be honored that I’m gonna lend you my favorite book in the world.”

“I like certain people.” His eyes locked on mine with enough significance to make something inside me flutter.
“I’m certain people?” I asked.
“You are.”

I loved this story, it was light hearted, fun and fast paced. Maggie was such a quirky character and she drew me in from the beginning. I loved her enthusiasm and the fact that she thought she had no purpose but it was quite obvious from the beginning that she had found her purpose she just didn't know it!
Her love of people was infectious, I wanted to be a part of her army, it seemed like such a fantastic atmosphere to be a part of.

The side characters were great, Rochelle, Malcom, all the other business owners on Bell River, Vernon, the authors she met, all kept me interested. Even Ralph with his horrid attitude and bizarre ways entertained me.

This book drew me into Bell River, it made me want to visit this fictional town and try the apple cheese biscuits! I wanted to be a part of this bookish community and attend these underground events hosted by Maggie!

I highly recommend this book, not only because it is a book about the absolute joy that can be found in reading but that it highlights just how amazing the bookish community is. The town may be fictional but the ideas are not!

I found this book incredibly easy to get into and once I started I had it read in no time. It is cute, funny and entertaining.

I loved the idea of an underground book club but found many things unrealistic and a stretch to the imagination. A non book reader who falls into the job of running a bookshop and then suddenly develops a big love of reading. A businessman so obsessed with his ancestor that he won't allow modern books to be sold in his bookshop to the extent that he is in danger of going bankrupt.
The local people who don't order their books online (or maybe they are all boycotting the zon) and resort to buying them secretly from a person who has one box of books? But hey, the story was really cute so I just went with it.
Malcolm and Maggie have a sweet friendship/romance and I enjoyed their game where they each have to read a book of the other's choosing and then go out for dinner to chat about it. However, their romance was a bit bland and not central to the story.

I loved the quirky characters in this strange little town and the friendships they created as they bonded over their secret book club. It was very entertaining to watch the book club thrive whilst trying to stay hidden from the bookshop's owner.
Everything gets resolved in the end in a sweet and uplifting way.

I absolutely loved this novel, it was so hard to put down, I was just so invested in Maggie and I needed to find out what was happening next.

I loved Maggie's character, the realism of her was striking and her relationships with everyone was just lovely to see play out, especially with Vernon.

The way this novel is written is great, it creates a world that you can easily fall into, the whole creation around the Bell Society was fascinating in a way that I've not seen done in other novels. The rebellion of sorts played right into this and I was rooting for Maggie.

I really enjoyed reading this book and urge everyone else to pick up a copy

This was such a nice read but I was expecting more.

This book had everything that I love in books but it did not catch my attention a lot.

I really enjoyed it but was not thinking about all the times like it happens for me with a book im obsessed with.

Read from January 7th, 2024 to January 13th, 2024. Written on January 18th, 2024.

This was such a cute book and I had a really great time reading it! The challenges, the romance, the regrets and accomplishments all made this story so full of life. I mean, I genuinely believed Edward Bell was a real author that I could look up online and learn more about. The whole world created in this book felt so real!

I have no idea what else to say about this book: the story was amazing, the little forbidden moments at the bookstore were so cosy, in general, the whole thing was easy to read and very entertaining.

Enjoy the book, it comes out today!

Signing off,
B.

(Free ARC from NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter that I chose to review after reading)

When a call for help comes from her best friend
Maggie Banks agrees to cover till her need for maternity cover ends.
She'll be running a bookstore but with no modern book -
And at the 'other'classics' Maggie has never taken much of a look!

Bell River is the town and everything there
Is from earlier centuries she's made very aware.
There are rules to be followed, they're strictly enforced,
But rules are made to be broken, Maggie thinks of course!

She'd rather read something much modern and so
Starts a secret book club and business starts to grow.
However, keeping things quiet and dodging detection, too,
Could prove a very difficult thing to do!

A great read that's fun with a mystery, too,
Along with discoveries that paint a different point of view.
Maybe Maggie can discover her dream job after all,
Especially when romance may also pay a call.

So if you're looking for a rule breaking fun book to read
This may prove to be the very book that you need!
For my complementary copy, I say thank you,
As I share with you this, my honest review.

I love reading books about bookstores! They just make the book more cozy.
What I loved:
-the setting of a bookstore and the interesting characters surrounding it
-Small town setting
-Close friends and found family.
-Maggie and Rochelle’s friendship. I love how Maggie came down to help Rochelle while she was on maternity leave.
-I love how Maggie was not a reader but became a reader. I find this very relatable. It can take some time to find the right genre but once you do, you will get hooked!

What I did not love:
-Ralph Bell. I know he’s the villain but I did not like him.
-There was some miscommunication between characters and is always annoying to me.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would read more from this author. Maggie and Malcolm’s relationship is very cute and not forced. The supporting characters were great too.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.

When I first heard of this book, my excitement knew no bounds. As a confirmed bookworm with a love of all things mysterious, I grabbed the chance to be part of the read-along with both hands. Unfortunately, I was left a little underwhelmed. 

The premise is a good one; Maggie is invited by her friend Rochelle to look after her bookstore whilst she is having her second child. Maggie, at a crossroads in her life, grabs the opportunity but finds herself in a town built around the legend of one man and run but when I could only describe her as a literary dictator. The shop must not sell anything beyond a certain period, making it difficult to make any money. This is where the idea of a clandestine book club, selling 'banned in the town' books comes to fruition.

Like I said, this premise grabbed my heart and I was so excited to delve in. I think the problem for me was that I didn't really warm to Maggie. She is a girl who accepted a job at a bookstore out of necessity rather than a love for words. Also the fact that Ralph, the town's owner in effect, hadn't been overthrown Captain Blythe style at the start of the story really got my goat. 

Maggie's romance with Ralph's employee Malcolm also felt a little rushed and forced to me, going from enemies to lovers within the space of a chapter. I feel this could have been fleshed out more and taken at a slower pace to really build the relationship between the pair.

The writing, however, is faultless with witty humour and a personable style which kept me reading to the end. Some of the characters I really loved, like not-so-grumpy Vernon, Maggie's upstairs neighbour and fellow conspirator. I also loved the message of the book, which is predominantly that no book should ever be banned and that reading is for all and should not be dictated by those in power.  This is what lifts the book to a solid 3.5 rating for me.

In conclusion, The Secret Book Club is a solid read and in part enjoyable. I just wished that some areas could have been fleshed out and time taken with them rather than rushed. That being said, this is a good debut from an exciting writer and I can't wait to see more of what Shauna Robinson has to offer.

Thank you to One More Chapter for an advance copy to take part in the read-along and in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 3.5

The Secret Book Club really drew me in to its world. It has all the best things: a plucky protagonist, a cute town with a cozy bookstore and a coffee shop with great scones, and a sweet romance. The writing is great - I started this as part of a "read-along" prior to the UK re-release, but it quickly drew me in and I finished well ahead of schedule. The perfect book for a snowy weekend!

Aside from its bookish charms, The Secret Book Club has a few points to make. The story's main theme is the protagonist, Maggie's, distracted (her word) approach to life, and her coming to respect her own interests and needs. This is a lovely idea, even if twenty-eight-year-old Maggie doesn't seem old enough to need reassurance that it's okay she isn't married yet. And the major plot centers around the town's literary society, which controls the bookshop and its other business and looks down on newer literature and especially genre fiction. Book-lovers could argue all day about the relative merits of Melville and Irving, Austen and Henry, but Maggie - despite running a book store in a book town - is no book lover, and she only really likes rom coms and the occasional thriller. If the protagonist's narrow taste in literature is a book's major flaw, that seems like an okay flaw to have.

Thank you to NetGalley and One More Chapter for the ARC of The Secret Book Club!

After losing another job Maggie gladly accepts her best friend Rochelle's offer to cover the running of Rochelle's bookstore while Rochelle is on maternity leave. What Rochelle doesn't mention with the offer is that the bookstore is in a town that is completely dedicated to the great literary mind Edward Bell. Edward Bell's grandson Ralph runs the Bell Society which has its hooks in every profitable business in town. Rochelle's bookstore is only allowed to sell books that the great Edward Bell could have read so nothing is stocked that was published after 1968.As Ralph uses Rochelle's leave to try to worm in to the bookstore even more, Maggie begins scheming to make the bookstore more profitable despite being under the constant watch of one of Ralph's underlings, Malcom. Luckily, Malcom is much kinder than Ralph and Maggie and Malcom's quirky friendship blossoms into something more.

I LOVED this story! It is such a beautiful ode to books and the writing is so good. It is so cinematic; I'd love to see this made into a movie or TV show. It definitely has Gilmore Girl vibes. The crotchety neighbor, the parking lot pumpkin patch, the increasingly ridiculous attempts to make the entire town revolve around Edward Bell - I loved it all. I literally googled to see if TJ Hull was a real author because I was ready to buy the children's book she described (he isn't real). This will definitely not be my last Shauna Robinson book.

I really enjoyed reading this lovely book and often found myself smiling while reading. The relationship between Malcolm and Maggie is wonderful as they bring the best out of each other. I fell in love with the inhabitants of Bell River in particular the grumpy Vernon. Maggie is like a breath of fresh air that challenges long held traditions in the town, refusing to accept the restrictive measures Bell's legacy imposes on all the local businesses. I loved all the book references and would definitely have attended one of the secret book club meetings if I could. A real feel good read.