"The Sandy Page Bookshop" by Hannah McKinnon was the perfect summer read! The main character, Leah, returns to her hometown after a break up and career explosion. She decides to open a bookstore and connects with others, all of whom have their own lives in turmoil. I really enjoyed this book!

The Sandy Page Bookshop by Hannah McKinnon was a sweet heartwarming beach read. We meet Leah Powell, who returns to her hometown of Chatham, MA.; have lost her job in publishing and dumped by her fiancé. During her walk-through town, she stumbles upon an old abandoned Captain’s House, which is in disarray; the house calls to her, as she dreams to open a bookstore.

Leah decides to rehab the place, and name it The Sandy Page; she has help from Brad, a student spending the summer at the cape, as well as Luke, a friend of her brother, who is a talented craftsman. Also, Leah hires Lucy, a high school student, who loves working with Leah; who also hides that her sister is in rehab from a serious accident. A short time later, Eudora, a local widow and retired high school counselor, decides to help Leah; she is seriously trying to get past her anxiety due to her husband’s death.

The bookstore brings all of these people together, providing comfort and support for each of them. Together they come up with ideas to expand the bookstore, which in other rooms, include knitting, book-club, and a café. The Sandy Page slowly becomes the town’s go to spot for locals and tourists; and getting to know each of the character’s POV.

Luke found himself very attracted to Leah, always helping her fix everything in the bookshop, as well as building different rooms for expansion. Leah also finds herself attracted to Luke, but she slowly backs away, since she is determined to concentrate on the shop. She did feel that she did not really have time for fun and flirting. Leah was happy with her co-workers, met new friends, connected to old friends, which was turning out to be a wonderful chapter in her life.

The Sandy Page Bookshop was a sweet, emotional, heartwarming romance that had a bit of everything. The Sandy Page Bookshop was very well written by Hannah McKinnon. I really enjoyed this feel-good story, as it had my attention throughout. I suggest you read this book, as it was a great read.

The Sandy Page Bookshop by Hannah McKinnon is a delightful novel about the power of books and their ability to change lives. If you are a bibliophile like me, you will love this beachy summer read.

The main character, Leah Powell, loses her job and her fiance in a matter of days. With no where to go, her father suggests that she return to their summer home in Chatham, Massachusetts. This adorable cottage on Cape Cod is Leah’s safe place. It allows to her to figure out where she is headed.

Her new found mission is to renovate “The Captain’s House” – which is in pretty bad shape but steeped in history. She bargains the owner for the rent and begins her journey of self discovery while renovating this charming home into a bookstore.

Her brother’s old friend Luke from high school has had a crush on Leah for a very long time. She is oblivious to his feelings. He is a master carpenter and offers to help her with the renovations. Leah hires Brad and Lucy. Brad is living with his grandmother and afraid to tell her he is gay. Lucy’s sister was in a car crash and has horrible injuries. Eudora is a retired Guidance Counselor from the local High School and comes to help them. Her husband passed and since then she has had terrible anxiety attacks. Some so paralyzing she can’t leave her house. This group of people form the interesting cast of mismatched characters who probably would have never met if it wasn’t for the Captain’s House turned bookstore. I believe the Captains House is a character in it’s own right. If you love book stores and have ever dreamed of opening your own shop this book is hard to put down.

The book is told from different points of view. Each chapter is dedicated to one character and what is going on in their lives. We get to know them well. Feel ourselves rooting for them. I wasn’t sure how this diverse group of people would end up but I will say that each reached a satisfying place.

I loved this story. It’s about books, second chances, new beginnings and a small town romance in an area I have been to many times. It is also a clean romance. The setting is accurate and just as Chatham is in real life. This is great summer read. You should put this on your TBR list right now. I can’t wait to see what she has in store for us next. Well done.

I would like to thank Hannah McKinnon, Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Sandy Page Bookshop by Hannah McKinnon. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Great development of characters that swept you into their stories. I didn’t want to put it down. Great beach read, can’t go wrong with a small beach town and a bookshop. Thank you to #NetGalley and #AtriaBooks #TheSandyPageBookshop

The Sandy Page Bookshop is a great summer beach read with a nice setting on Cape Cod and of course, a bookstore. The story brings several people together and we see each one's story as the POV changes with different chapters. Leah Powell goes home to Chatham after losing her job and her fiancé in Boston. After seeing a historical house/landmrk up for rent, she decides to open a bookstore. She reconnects with her brother's old friend, who does renovations and hires a couple of people who have their own stories, along with some locals who attach themselves to the shop. We see some healing, resolutions, romance, and new beginnings. Sweet beach read.
I received a copy for an honest review. These are my thoughts.

I was very sorry to see this book end as it seems this author only writes standalone novels.
The story is told from multiple viewpoints and there are multiple stories going simultaneously. It was a bit much at first but as each story evolved, I wanted to know more. I got invested in each character’s storyline. And in the middle of all the side stories was Leah and her bookshop.
This is a wonderful story of family, endurance in hard times, the value of community and appreciation of the small things in life.
It was a beautiful story, even if it did make me cry.
I received this book as a free ARC and am leaving my review voluntarily.

Everything, EVERYTHING about this book is good. The characters are wonderfully written and developed, the setting was perfect and it all made me want to be in the story. If I could, I would want to work at and live above The Sandy Page Bookshop. I am very grateful to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read The Sandy Page Bookshop in exchange for a fair and honest review

The Sandy Page Bookshop is such a warm, feel-good read that wraps you up like a cozy blanket on a rainy day. Leah’s journey back to her small coastal hometown after everything falls apart felt so real and relatable — who hasn’t needed a fresh start after life throws you a curveball? I loved how the story centered around her restoring that old sea captain’s house into a bookstore café. It gave the book such a charming, nostalgic vibe, like stepping into your own little bookish hideaway.

Luke, the local contractor who helps her, brought a lovely balance of steady support and small-town kindness. Their slow-burn friendship and chemistry added just the right amount of sweetness without being over the top. The author did a great job making the community feel alive, with quirky locals and a strong sense of belonging.

Overall, this book is perfect if you want something light but meaningful — a story about healing, second chances, and how books can bring people together. It’s the kind of book you want to sip tea with while watching the waves roll in. Super cozy and totally heartwarming!

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books | Atria/Emily Bestler Books for an early copy of this book in exchange for a honest review. I absolutely love this book and read it in one day. It was such a sweet, cute book. I loved the storyline and the characters. I thought the characters had great growth. I would definitely recommend this book.

This is a sweet, small-town romance about second chances and new beginnings. I love the way each chapter focuses on one character's backstory as they all unfold together. There was a long list of mismatched characters who would never have met or interacted with one another if it weren't for the old captain's house turned bookstore, which was a character in its own right. Who doesn't love imagining renovating a historical building into a cozy hub for the community as a bookstore?!

A perfect summer read at the beach or lake in an afternoon. If you are a fan of found family and beachy coastal towns, you'll love this book. If you love books about books or have ever dreamed of opening your own indie bookstore, you'll find this book hard to put down. If you are looking for a clean romance, then you have to put this one on your TBR.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC!

The Sandy Page Bookshop, by Hannah McKinnon, is a story of second chances and new beginnings. Soon after Leah Powell lost her publishing job her longtime fiancé decides they want different things, breaking their engagement and causing Leah to find a new home. Her family home in Chatham on Cape Cod is being used as a summer rental since her mother’s passing. Leah and her brother have grown and moved away from Chatham as has her father after remarrying. When Leah calls her dad to tell him what has happened he immediately tells her to go home to Chatham, then cancels the summer rentals. This will give Leah a place to stay and time to figure out next steps without the pressure to act right away.

Though Leah is the primary character, this story is a perfect blend of other people’s stories that entwine with hers. Widowed Eudora Shipman is a retired guidance counselor whose world seems to revolve around her little rescue dog Arthur and working with rescue groups trying to rehome pets. However, as much as Eudora needs to interact with others, her anxiety keeps her home most of the time. Teenaged Lucy Hart is caught in the emotional turmoil of her family dealing with her sister Ella’s very serious injuries following a terrible car crash. The bookshop and her job become Lucy’s escape. Luke Nickerson is a very talented woodworker with his own business. In much demand, particularly when the summer people are present and doing updates.

When Eudora asks Luke to help Leah as she begins her quest to turn the old captain’s house into a new bookstore, it is also an opportunity to reconnect with his best friend’s sister. Luke had had a crush on Leah as a teen, an attraction now, and hopes that things might go well for them. But most of all, he just wants to help Leah succeed in her new endeavor.

These dynamic and nuanced characters interact in a plot so entwined the readers will be led on a web of stories that will disappoint no one. This story is truly a small town blend showing how people’s stories are never singular, but rather a melding of all life’s interactions. Told with such heart, Ms. McKinnon has woven a tale in the same vein as Karen White or Mary Alice Monroe. I did very much enjoy this book and I do recommend it!

2⭐️Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an advanced copy of The Sandy Page Bookshop.

Leah has lost her job so she decides to return to her hometown of Cape Cod. She comes up with her new venture of opening a bookstore/coffee shop. Luke a local contractor remembers Leah even if she does not remember him and he decides to help her out.

This one was just okay, it was just a little too cheesy for me at some points. I was just kind of overall bored with the story.

A wonderfully warm and uplifting beach read set on Cape Cod but with a small town feel. Leah has seemingly lost it all, her career in publishing, her fiancé in Boston, together with her life and friends in their joint apartment, her parents with her mother’s death and her father’s recent remarriage. She leaves to her parents” beach house in Cape Cod neglected after her mother’s death to regroup and figure out her options and ends up opening a book store and turning it into a community hub. Helping herself find and establish a new life and helping others along the way. The bookstore community was inspiring. This book has some romance in it but it is not the point or the main focus, yes, Leah does find someone along the way but my favorite part was actually seeing all different storylines, Lucy’s, Brad’s, Ethel’s and the ones thy interlooped with like Ella’s unfold and come together. This book is the perfect beach- or poolside read. It is heartwarming and will leave you with a smile on your face and the desire to open a small town bookstore.

3.25 ⭐️

This was a sweet, uplifting story about second chances. I really enjoyed the cozy hometown atmosphere, especially the café and bookstore setting. It gave the story a comforting, small-town charm.

The pacing was a bit slow for me, and I didn’t feel fully hooked throughout. While I appreciated the message and warmth of the story, it just took me a while to get into it. uplifting but again my only gripe was the pacing and getting hooked to the story.

Leah's world has crashed around her - so she leaves Boston for the cape and a new life.

A story of not giving in or up - of taking life as it comes and making it yours. A perfect summer beach read and even a fall one to remind us that summer will come again!

Loved the characters - they were all so well written - they seem like old friends by the end.

Beach reads are a must for the summer! Set on Cape Cod, the story of a failed career and long-term relationship molds into a new venture and a host of people that unite because of this sweet, renovated historical home turned bookshop.

Slow burn romance, multiple life events, and a community that mends its tragedies through friendship and connection.

Multiple POV bring this story alive and take the reader into their thoughts and struggles. Each individual tries to heal on their own but end up turning to each other for help.

Thank you, NetGalley, and Atrai Books, for the advanced reader's copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#NetGalley #TheSandyPageBookshop #Romance #GeneralFiction #WomensFiction #CapeCod #Entrepreneurship

I love books about summer in New England, and I love books about books—needless to say, I really enjoyed THE SANDY PAGE BOOKSHOP! This was a lovely slice-of-life read showcasing the magic of new beginnings and second chances. After her publishing career and her engagement fall apart in quick succession, Leah Powell is forced to abandon her life in Boston and move back to Cape Cod. Once in her hometown, she discovers a beautiful historic building in town and decides to turn it into a bookshop. In the process, she forges a fresh start not only for herself, but also for her new friends and coworkers.

This was such a sweet read! I found it hard to put the book down once I started, I was so absorbed in the story. Hannah McKinnon does a great job of depicting the setting and getting readers invested in the characters. They’re all going through their own individual struggles in their personal lives, but the Sandy Page Bookshop soon becomes a place for them to find healing, community, and growth. If you’re looking for a summery story with lots of emotional depth, definitely add this one to your TBR! Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC, provided in exchange for an honest review.

Leah Powell, 35, has returned to her hometown of Cape Cod after her engagement to Greg ended followed by her losing her job. Her family home has been a vacation rental, but now she has moved into it. Nursing her wounds, she has found a beautiful old building built many years ago by a ship’s captain but which has been used for other businesses over the years but now sits empty. Leah decides she wants to rent it and open a bookshop.

Cleaning the place out, she advertises for an assistant and a young, gay man, Brad, answers her ad and helps her get the building ready.

Lucy Hart is a teenage girl hoping to find a part-time summer job and Leah sees the potential in her and hires her. Lucy is nursing her heartache as her sister, Ella, is in a hospital healing from a car accident with her boyfriend. She was in a coma for sometime but is slowly trying to wake from it.

Eudora Shipman, 75, is a retired high school guidance counselor and a fairly recent widow. Since losing her husband, she has been plagued with panic attacks when she tries to leave her home. But she becomes intrigued by the new bookshop and is happy when Leah asks her to lead knitting classes..

Luke Nickerson is a talented craftsman and has lived his entire life on Cape Cod. He remembers Leah from school and has always admired her. When he learns that she needs some work done in the bookshop so she can get it open quickly, he jumps in to help her.

All of the characters are carrying some kind of pain but work together for the success of the bookshop.

I really enjoyed this book and especially felt like I came to know all of the characters personally. There is heart here and shared pain but great friendships. Don’t miss this one.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The Sandy Page Bookshop is a sweet, leisurely-paced novel that’s perfect for a beach day escape. Set during the summer season in Cape Cod, it offers a character-driven story filled with vivid details—from sun-warmed, vine-ripened, juicy tomatoes to specific beaches favored by locals and tourists alike—that bring the setting to life. Yummy local specialties like lobster rolls and clam chowder add a delightful regional flavor that left me craving a seaside visit.

The story follows Leah Powell, whose decision to turn a nearly-forgotten historic home into a bookshop is fueled by her deep love for her hometown, a career pause in publishing, and a dose of hope. As Leah’s dream takes shape, she connects with an eclectic cast of characters, including Lucy, a high school student trying to find her way in the midst of family tragedy, and Eudora, a retired school counselor confronting the complexities of her past. The rotating POV among these three women adds depth, offering insight into multiple life stages and perspectives.

While the plot holds few surprises, its predictability is part of the charm. The emotional arcs, gentle drama, and the sense of community make the journey worthwhile. It’s the kind of book where you can see where things are headed, but still savor each step along the way.

Warm, comforting, and rich in local color, The Sandy Page Bookshop is a feel-good read with heart—an easy recommendation for fans of cozy, character-centered fiction.

A feel-good story of second chances and the worlds we build together. Leah returns to her hometown to lick her wounds and weigh her options. When she decides to restore a historic building into a bookstore, she has no idea that she'll be building a community center where people can come together and perhaps find their future along the way.