What a beautiful book, the characters, the setting, the bookshop! It all feels so real and you honestly care about the characters. Dubrovnik is so lovingly described that I want to go there and try all the delicious sounding food. I’m hoping this book will be a huge hit because it’s very, very good.

Claire is in Dubrovnik, living with her grandmother and trying to get over her debilitating fear of Covid. Her grandma arranges her to work in a bookshop, where she's tasked with leading a bookclub.

With the bookclub, she meets a cast of characters, all with different struggles, that she becomes quite close with. Together, they join up to keep their beloved bookshop from closing.

The setting of the book was really lovely--it felt like being in Dubrovnik. That was my favorite part of the whole thing, as I'm afraid Claire wasn't a sympathetic character to me. It was very difficult for me to like her, and that ended up tainting everything else.

This is a thoroughly engaging novel about four people who bond in a bookstore. Yes, it's a bit trope-y but Glyn has created lovely characters and the setting- Dubrovnik- makes a terrific backdrop. The addition of the mystery made this an even better read. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Perfect for a relaxing afternoon.

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I really enjoyed reading this book.

The story is set Dubrovnik. Each of the members of the book club have their own problems that they’re going through.

I couldn’t put this book down, it covered some hard subjects and you feel for the characters, wanting them to overcome the problems.

I recommend this book.

Claire is new to Dubrovnik, Croatia, and is cautious about her new job at a small bookstore. She has recently recovered from long Covid and is still hesitant to be out and around people, but accepts the challenge of leading a newly formed book group at the store. Other book club members include Vedran, her cousin through marriage; Luna, an employee of the store; and Karmela, a visiting professor on a mission. Each of them has secrets or demons to deal with, and as their friendship deepens, they learn to rely on each other and figure out how to deal with their pasts.

I’m not sure what I expected from this book, but this wasn’t it. It was engrossing tale about how newly formed friendships can develop into deep bonds – with a little bit of mystery thrown in. Although I wasn’t sure about any of them at first, I ended up liking all four main characters and rooting for them to work through their various issues. I had never heard of the city of Dubrovnik, and all I knew about Croatia was that it’s somewhere near Serbia and Bosnia. After reading this book, however, I would love to visit there some day to explore the town and its surroundings.

Even though Ms. Glyn is a new author for me, I see that she has several other books already published. I enjoyed this one enough that I will check those out, and will be watching for any future books she might write as well.

I love to escape real life with a book and the backdrop of Croatia was a lovely place to escape to. The characters were all well written and loved their back stories and the back story of Croatia and the war too.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

A story of a group of women set in a wonderful city like Dubrovnik. I enjoyed the story but I felt it was a bit suspended in time as there was not past that was quite tragic.
Well plotted, entertaining.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

The Dubrovnik Book Club appealed to me for a variety of reasons: a book about books, set in a place I have never been, and the fact that I will be visiting Dubrovnik in 2025 on a cruise. When I was invited to participate in the blog tour, it was a no brainer.

The story features several characters all involved with a book club held at a small local bookstore. Claire Thomson travels to Dubrovnik to stay with her grandparents while dealing with her fear of going out in public. She had long covid and is still afraid to be around people she doesn't know or to be in a crown. Her grandmother gets her a job managing the Welcoming Bookshop, helping the owner whose wife is ill. Luna is the only other employee in the store. She is a wonderful young woman who loves decorating the windows and is great with the customers. She has a secret, she is gay and has not yet come out. Croatia is not very welcoming to gay people. Vedran is is Claire's cousin and he was recently suspected of killing his girlfriend. He is a bit of a pariah now, but even though he has evidence that might remove the cloud of suspicion, he is ashamed of things about the relationship. Karmela is a professor visiting from Zagreb to research Dubrovnik's history. She has a difficult past also involving the war, where her family fled Sarajevo and she keeps herself walled up. She meets her neighbour who has PTSD from his role in the war. How does this unconventional group come together?

As I read this book and learned about everyone's issues, I was a bit worried that it would be a book that would be extremely depressing, but I was wrong. Yes, there are heartbreaking moments in some of the revelations, but the best thing is how the books helped them come about. I loved how this odd group become friends and support each other as they heal and make important decisions about their live moving forward. The story is told from four points of view, Claire, Luna, Vedran and Karmela. The author does a good job bringing the various issues to light, and tying them together in a cohesive story. There are many issues dealt with in this book, but mental health is a large part of it. I was worried about the covid part, but it was really well done and people who are not ready to read about the pandemic and it's aftermath, shouldn't have a problem with this story. I have to say something about the descriptive and beautiful writing. I could picture the countryside, the buildings, the food and the people so easily. I can't wait until my visit to the area after reading this book. If you enjoy books about people and books, especially how they bring people together and help them to heal, then I highly recommend this book.

I absolutely loved this book. It’s set in one of my favourite places Dubrovnik with a cast of wonderful characters and who doesn’t love a book about a book club? This was a real page turner for me.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review. It was an absolute delight.

Clare moves to Dubrovnik to recover from long covid and her fear of crowds . Starting a book club at the book shop she manages is the start of a new chapter in her life, overcoming her own fear and helping others do the same, as well as finding love and forming true friendships . Wonderful reading, as well as including a travelogue of Dubrovnik.

I really enjoyed this story. The setting was beautifully described and gave a real sense of place. The characters in the book were engaging and each came with a back story that was intriguing and emotional in different ways. I felt the author dealt with the difficult issues with care and although COVID is very recent, I didn't find it triggering in any way. It was dealt with very sympathetically. A great story of friendship, romance and mystery.

The prologue set the scene for a gripping mystery with a disorientating narrative style, however this didn't continue. There are several narratives and povs happening all at once that reads as if they are separate from the main story or mystery of Didi (Vedran's girlfriend), yet seem to converge oddly. The setting of Croatia was well written and I hadn't read any books with this setting so this was a unique starting point.

The character point of views relied heavily on emotional or personal trauma that brings these characters together at the bookshop, however this detracts from the over arching storyline. which I assume is Didi's murder. From the blurb I was anticipating that this mystery would take shape in the traditional way of looking at clues etc and working as a team, but this didn't happen. Claire with the help of Luna and Ezra instigate re-opening the case of Didi's 'murder' but it isn't followed through, instead Vedran solves the case through healing from his trauma and piecing his memories together..

The author writes the character's individual traumas with a lot of depth and finds a way for each to heal and find closure to a point and tackles significant issues such as homosexuality in Croatia, grief, abuse in a relationship, COVID and illness. I didn't enjoy the realism and continual repetition of these issues that many might find upsetting - such as COVID. It is still an event that many are struggling with and in living memory that needed more care when addressing.

Overall, I wasn't too bothered about these characters aside from finding out the truth of what happened to Didi and even that didn't have closure. The plot needed streamlining and building a better foundation if the author's intention was to focus on the 'murder' - for example have a contradiction that Didi was a likeable character yet abusive to Vedran but it needed to be written in a way that people wouldn't believe him because she had built this loving facade. I also think the book needs an epilogue to show that closure is possible despite having these traumas.

Claire Thomson has come to Croatia for a year at her grandmothers request. Having suffered from Covid, Claire is afraid of being out in public and her grandmother knows she hast to help her get over this in order for her to live her life. with a job as manager of a bookstore, Claire will need to interact with people and customers, and build up the courage to be out and about once again.

One of the first things she does in her new role is set up a man a book club. A cousin joins the group, with his own battles that he has faced. An employee at the bookshop is currently facing her own battle in life. And then there is a professor who joins the group merely to get a look at the old historical building, But soon finds herself facing her own demons from the past.

Can this book club help each other move forward and get past the challenges they have each faced? Family isn’t always blood, but it is always there to help and support each other. And that’s exactly what this group of book club members becomes, family.

I wasn’t quite expecting such a heartwarming story, given that it was listed as a mystery. But I was completely immersed in the lies of each and every member of the book club, and could not wait to see how everything ended. This one did not disappoint.

I hadn't read anything by this author before and although the setting was lovely and the idea was a good one I felt that the writing was missing something. Also I think that too many topics were covered in the book. The following might be *SPOILERS* so be aware.- coming out as gay, domestic abuse, long covid, dementia, diaspora, PTSD just to list the obvious ones. The bookclub was a good idea for a group of people to get together but we never really hear them discuss the books. Thats was somthing I was looking forward to, but it didn't happen. And there were far too many mentions of weepy eyes and trying not to cry, or having a full on crying fit. It didn't really spark any enthusiasm with me as it felt like it was written for a very young audience.

Claire, a UK native staying with family in Dubrovnik, has recovered from long Covid. Sheis a great fit for a job in the Welcoming BookshopSadly, the bookshop is struggling financially and so they form a book club. And there they come the other characters. Luna, Karmela and Vedran.

This was an enjoyable read. The writing was beautiful and I enjoyed learning more about a beautifully historic place such as Dubrovnik.

In a tiny bookshop in Dubrovnik's historic old town, a book club begins. Newly arrived on the sun-drenched shores of Croatia, Claire Thomson's life is about to change forever when she starts working at a local bookshop. With her cousin Vedran, employee Luna, and Karmela, a professor, they form an unlikely book club. But when their first book club pick - an engrossing cosy crime - inspires them to embark on an investigation that is close to the group's heart, they quickly learn the value of keeping their new-found friends as close as lives and stories begin to entwine.

Claire is staying with family in Dubrovnik after she recovered from long covid. She gets a job in a bookshop and decides to start a book club. Claire is still wary of mixing with people. Claire, her cousin Vedran, employee Luna, and professor Karmela are the members of the book club. They pick a cosy crime mystery by a now famous author as their first read. Each of the four characters has either a backstory they are trying to escape from or a secret they need to share. So many issues are dealt with in this book.

Published 8th March.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #HarperCollinsUK #OneMoreChapter and the author #EvaGlyn for my ARC of #TheDubrovnikBookClub in exchange for an honest review.

When I saw this available on Netgalley, I had to read it. I have been to Dubrovnik several times, and it is really beautiful, plus it has a tragic story of war. Reading this book brought back lovely memories, plus it is about a book store.
The interrelated stories of the characters, each with a secret, are very well done.
Claire, an English woman who suffered from long covid, has come to live with her grandmother and her husband. Claire is afraid of being around people for fear of getting Covid. She becomes a manager of a small bookstore selling mainly English books. She does speak Croatian because of her grandmother. Her employee, Luna, comes from a small religious island, and she escapes to Dubrovnik, hoping to come out as gay.
Vedran, who is Claire's cousin, has the saddest secret. The book actually opens with Vedran thinking his girlfriend Didi has drowned and he is accused of murder. We slowly find out his secret, and the mystery of Did is solved with the help of Luna and her techie friend and roommate. He is a fascinating character and eventually meets Claire.
The last important character is Karmela, a professor from Zagreb who is researching a book. We learn her background because she was a refugee in Berlin after escaping Sarajevo. These unlikely characters are in a bookclub Claire starts at the bookstore. The characters form a bond, helping each other deal with their problems. Told in the first person through alternating chapters, we learn how the war affected and still affects people, how difficult it is to be gay in Croatia, how guilt at leaving during the war can fester, and more, such as psychological abuse in a relationship can strip a person of self confidence. But most of all, how friendships can heal the soul.
Dubrovnik plays an important role in this story, its beauty and resilience.
We learn the medieval history through Karmela's research, as well as the more recent history through some of the other characters.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the EARC. This is my honest review. When you read this book you will want to go to Dubrovnik, especially if you are a Game of Thrones fan

This was a warm hearted story about friendship and living truthfully, all tangled up with a mystery that threatens the book club that brings them all together. I really enjoyed this book, especially the way it illuminated the history of Croatia alongside modern issues.

I’m not very well travelled but one city I have visited is Dubrovnik, and I loved it! Hence being drawn to this book. In a tiny bookshop in Dubrovnik, a book club begins. It is not set far back, although to say it is not historical, is not true as anything which has already happened, immediately becomes history. This story is set post covid so relatively recent especially in terms of the vast history of an old city like Dubrovnik. The lovely thing about this book is all the places and snippets of older history interwoven with the lives of the book club members. Like most of us, they each have their own troubles and stories to be told and this really sums up the book. A story about modern day, believable characters set in a beautiful and fascinating European city.

This was a great story to get lost in. There were so many interesting characters each with their own stories and pasts. The author interwove them all beautifully and although some parts of the story were predictable (relationships blossoming) I did actually learn a little about Dubrovnik and its history. The author also dealt with some difficult topics such as domestic violence, PTSD and sexuality & religion brilliantly so as well as being a great story about friendship, love and the love of books it should also teach us about inclusivity as well.