Though nothing momentous or dramatic happens in this quiet story centred on a bookshop, this is a wonderfully calming and heartwarming story.

Yeong-ju, after a life spent doing everything she was supposed to do (university, marriage, good job), finds herself at a crossroad. She's burned out, not finding herself satisfied, so she leaves it all behind her to make her dream of owning a bookshop a reality.

In a quiet neighbourhood, Yeong-ju sets up her shop, and at first, things are sedate. She spends all her day reading and crying, and there are few customers. When she decides to also serve coffee, a young man, also at loose ends, becomes the barista. Eager to learn to make quality coffee, he gets to know an unhappily married coffee roaster nearby.

Gradually, the clientele expands, and Yeong-ju figures out new ways to attract customers (run a book club, invite authors to speak, etc.) and she meets an author whose work intrigues her and who finds her intriguing in turn.

I love bookstores, so a book about setting up a bookstore and figuring out ways to keep it running was interesting. Yeong-ju and her personal struggles touched me. She makes mistakes but she is always eager to learn, and to find better but realistic ways to keep her dream alive.

Everyone who enters the bookshop's orbit has their own issues; they are all trying to find something to fill their lives, whether a purpose, a fulfilling relationship, or expanding one's mental horizons. Through their connections at the bookshop, they all begin making small changes in their lives, and are well characterized as they struggle forwards against the usual narrative of get a good job and get married. Their progress felt real and where they end up by the book's end was satisfying.

The writing was incredible at evoking the emotions of the characters, as well as the scent of the superior coffee served at the bookshop.

The slow, meditative pacing totally worked for me, as well as the wonderful relationships cultivated over the course of this soothing, and sometimes sweet, story.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Bloomsbury USA for this ARC in exchange for my review.

Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop can be categorized as a cozy slice of life type of book. If you are a fan of books like Before The Coffee Gets Cold, then you will probably like this one.

There is not alot of that happens plot wise and I struggled to be motivated to read the story. This was especially true in the first half of the book as Yeongju is establishing the new bookshop and customers slowly become regular patrons. As these characters are introduced, their backgrounds are slowly revealed and relationships between the characters begin to unfold. This development is what I liked most about the book. The cast of characters begin as complete strangers but then as they get to know each other, sweet bonds and friendships are built.

Despite the difficulty I had with the pacing, there were many moments that contemplated about topics that were relevant to me (and mostly like many other readers) such as workplace culture, mental health, and happiness and passion in life. As I read, I kept thinking that what these characters are feeling is exactly how I feel. They just felt like moments of epiphany that I had to stop and think about in terms of my own life.

I would recommend Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop who are looking for a thoughtful, slow-paced book about friends in a bookshop. If you've read this book, I would love to hear your thoughts on it!

This book was a big ol' hug and a quiet conversation about learning what you want out of life...being afraid to want something different and doing it anyway despite the objections of others....this is about finding pockets of joy and making them encompass your whole life...This gave me similar heart vibes to Legends & Lattes (without any fantasy elements).

I picked this up because my dream, like so many others is to drop everything and open your own bookstore. The cover was what caught my eye so I was happy to be able to read it. To me the book is about finding your way and also about finding acceptance. Everyone has a past, but sometimes we want to forgot what happened and just move on. Sadly it is never really that easy, sometimes we have to work through those times to come out better on the other side.

This is a feel good book, but I did find sometimes that things were too easy. Everything Yeongju wanted, she got, but for me I was hoping for a bit more in the way of challenges. It didn't feel like real life because, again she got everything she could have. I do however like the other characters: her lonely employee who works at the coffee shop and the unhappy married coffee roaster. We meet characters who you would like see in a book shop and learn that books really do have the power to heal.

Overall, it was a great book, very easy to read if you are looking for something like but still meaningful

There were a lot of aspects of Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop that I really enjoyed. I appreciated the cozy bookshop vibes, the examination of burnout and existential work angst, and the relationships formed between characters. Thematically, it reminded me a bit of A Psalm for the Wild Built, one of my favorite recent reads.

Unfortunately, I found the translation (from Korean to English) to be a little clunky. There were certain phrases and exchanges that seemed to lose their meaning, and/or the translation felt awkward. Overall, though, I enjoyed the book and would love to read more works by this author.

The coziest, kindest of reads. I can see why it was so big on original release. Every page felt thoughtful, each chapter like a string of short stories held together by the bookshop and the community surrounding it. I’ve got such an affection for our main character Yeongju, her grief and growth was a lovely experience to read.

Kdrama recs based off this are My Liberation Notes and Summer Strike.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the publisher for my arc!

I absolutely adored this, i love translated work and this was no different. Such a cozy read that i couldn't put down.

First of all, if a book title has the word bookshop in it, I am in! And, this time, I am so glad that I was. This is a lovely book that has been translated from the Korean. It is thoughtful and delightful.

Many know what it is like to think that they were on a path that turned out to not be the right/best one for them. This is what happened to the book's protagonist who now runs a bookshop. The shop, the protagonist, the characters all are fully realized in this book about connections and life choices.

Anyone who enjoyed books like Until the Coffee Gets Cold or Days at the Morisaki Bookshop, here is your next read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury USA for this title. All opinions are my own.

Yeongju leads a relatable life, one of burnout. She has an epiphany about her anxiety-inducing corporate job and her marriage without affection. After quitting her job and divorcing her husband, Yeongju decides to pursue her childhood dream of opening a bookshop and settles on the Hyunam-dong neighborhood. We follow Yeongju and the bookshop regulars through every day happenings, including hosting bookclubs and seminars, roasting coffee and serving it at the bookshop, and even knitting decorations for the bookshop, in an attempt to create a communal space filled with the companionship and escape that books provide to us all. This is a slow-paced introspective read, with a protagonist who encourages the reader to have courage to start a new chapter and rewrite their ending. Thank you to Bloomsbury Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced readers copy of Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop.

Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop is a warm and compassionately written slice-of-life love letter to booktores and literature written by Hwang Bo-Reum. Written in Korean and released in 2022, this English Language translation from Bloomsbury is 320 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links.

This is such an appealing and inviting book. MC Yeongju is burnt out and sheds her old life and searches for new meaning and seeks to build a more contemplative life as a bookseller in a residential neighborhood outside the metro area. It's touching and fulfilling to see her build herself back up book by book.

This is 100% character driven; there's not a plot with a beginning-middle-end. As such, western readers might find the pacing unusually slow and meandering. There isn't a clear denouement, it's a series of small daily vignettes.

The translation work by Shanna Tan is seamless, and it doesn't read as if it were translated (except that the pacing and vibe are definitely not western in style or feel).

Four stars. A contemplative read.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

hmmm noope i'm sorry but after trying to around read 30% of this book, I realized that I didn't care about the characters or the story at all. just a persona preference, I suppose.

I want to thank Net Galley for giving me this book and apologize for not getting it read before publication. I suck. This book, does not suck. It is not really a novel as much as it is a series of stories about people in a book store who sit, think big thoughts, and talk. Nothing happens but everyone changes. I am here for it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book quite a lot. The translation felt very smooth and natural. This is a slice-of-life, slow-moving story about a woman who owns a bookshop. I enjoyed the slow pace, and this book was different from what I normally read. It also talks about some hard topics with care and grace and doesn't shy away from them. All in all, an enjoyable read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for the e-book copy!

Rarely do I read a book and feel sad about it ending. I tend to read books and rush to see how things end but this story felt like it could go on and I would still enjoy it. Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop is a story about Yeongju and her journey in opening up a bookstore after getting a divorce and leaving her previous job. There is no overarching plot in this novel but I think that's what makes it good. It's just stories about everyday life for Yeonju and her interactions with patrons, staff, and her family. Reading this, audiences can see themselves being represented and that's what makes this story worthwhile. I highly recommend checking this out if you need a palette cleanser.

Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-reum offers readers a cozy retreat into the soothing embrace of Yeongju's newfound haven. Yeongju's journey from burnout to self-discovery unfolds against the backdrop of the charming Hyunam-dong neighborhood, where she breathes life into a bookshop.

As the protagonist, Yeongju's importance is paramount, serving as the catalyst for change and renewal both for herself and those around her. Her decision to leave behind the trappings of her old life and pursue her abandoned dream sets the stage for a heartening tale of resilience and reinvention. The supporting characters, or also known as the daily inhabitants of the book shop, play vital roles in shaping Yeongju's journey and infusing the narrative with warmth and depth. Through their interactions and shared love of books, they form a tight-knit community that offers solace and support to the lost souls who find refuge within the bookshop's walls.

While the plot may lack in intensity, Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop captivates with its cozy atmosphere, relatable characters, and heartfelt exploration of second chances and the transformative power of literature. It's a perfect read for a rainy day, inviting readers to curl up with a cup of tea and lose themselves in the comforting embrace of Yeongju's story.

In the wake of her divorce and burned out from a demanding career, Yeongju, a woman in her mid-late thirties, decides to make a fresh start and pursues her dream of owning a bookshop. Being surrounded by her favorite books and the responsibility of running her own business gradually prompted her to embark on a journey of healing and self-acceptance. It’s not an easy road and there will be moments of self-doubt, the stress of running an independent bookshop and unresolved past trauma but along the way, she meets several people who will become an integral part of her daily life – peers, colleagues, friends –those who look to her for inspiration and from whom she receives kindness and support enabling her to effect positive changes in her life.

I found Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-reum (translated by Shanna Tan) to be an insightful, charming and thought-provoking read. There is no doubt of how avid readers feel about the role of books in their lives. A bookshop is a haven for book lovers and The Hyunam-Dong Bookshop is no exception. I loved how the author tackles the theme of second chances, not only in terms of one’s career trajectory but also in terms of relationships. The characters and their struggles are real and relatable. Topics such as divorce, job satisfaction and career choices, loneliness and depression are addressed with compassion, wisdom and maturity. From a teenager on the cusp of adulthood to weary adults searching for direction everyone else in between, Yeongju’s bookshop provides a sense of security, belongingness and community– whether one wants to sit with a favorite book or in a corner pondering over life or share confidences over a cup of coffee. I thoroughly enjoyed the segments on the daily activities involved in running a bookshop as well as the book references mentioned throughout the narrative. It was a joy to read about Yeongju’s love for books, her courage to start over and how she inspires others to effect change in their lives in the course of her own transformative journey of healing and self-renewal.

The narrative does suffer from minor repetitiveness but this does not detract from the overall reading experience. The pace is on the slower side, but this suits the nature of the story. Overall, this is a beautifully penned novel that needs to be read with time and patience.

Many thanks to Bloomsbury USA and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This was a sweet novel about changing your life and figuring out what makes you happy. Set in Korea, it’s a story of a bookshop owner, her employee and customers. For anyone who runs or works in a bookstore this ideally touches on all of the trials and tribulations of making a bookstore last.

This was a really cute book about how an independent bookstore finds it legs and helps many people find their way in life along the way. I loved the short little chapters, it made this story a quick read. Definitely a good book for people who love books and find that books and bookstores are a happy and calm space.

I loved this book so much and I enjoyed savoring every word and chapter. Thank you to Net Galley and Bloomsbury for an e-ARC.

There's a kdrama called Summer Strike where the main character gets burnt out and leaves Seoul to start anew in a small village doing "nothing." This story gave me the same vibes of the drama because the main character spends a lot of time at the library, whereas this character opens up their own bookstore. They both end up finding their own community though.

In a time where a lot of people are calling for the creation of third spaces, libraries/bookstores are always at the top of lists for third places that already exist. I loved reading about the little community that was built and being able to hear about all the different characters. I think all of the characters will stay with me for a while. One character I particularly adored was Mincheol. I appreciated the approach his mother took versus letting him "mope" around at home. While he didn't take a traditional path that society says he should, I like that he was able to confide in adults about his thoughts and receive actual answers versus "You should force yourself to do this." I think that is a conversation a lot of people need to have with others.

Overall, I think this book was an amazing read and I'll pick up a print copy so I can lend it to others. I'll also keep my eyes out for more translated titles.

Hwang Bo-reum’s debut novel is a heartfelt exploration of human connection and the power of storytelling to heal. The book follows Yeongju, who can no longer endure her demanding career and onerous husband and decides to leave the city and divorce her husband, She chooses to returns to her passion for literature and opens a quaint bookshop in a serene corner outside of Seoul.

This is not a successful venture in the beginning. Her continuous crying was less than inviting, Yet she moved forward. and with the help of barista, Minjun, they look to find a better way of living. Soon others become regulars; knitting potholders that were given away to customers; a book club was created; author readings were scheduled. The bookshop became an integral part of the community.

The story shows the healing, introspection and bonding that can take place through stories and community. This is a slow character driven book. If you are looking for an action packed, this is not the read. If you are looking for a reminder of why you read and what it brings to your life, then cozy up.

My thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.