I don’t remember reading anything by this author before but I must say I enjoyed this book. It held my interest from beginning to send and I will be looking for other books by her.

As a born and bred New Englander with family connections to Cape Cod, how could I resist this book? Books, beach, lobster rolls, a historic home, books, romance and second chances, what's not to love? I look forward to reading more from this author and it should be the beach-read of this summer.

I thoroughly enjoyed this sweet summer beach read set on the shores of Cape Cod.

Leah returns to her hometown of Chatham, MA, after having lost her coveted job in publishing and being dumped by her fiancée. At a crossroads, she feels aimless and rudderless until she stumbles upon a stately but abandoned old captain’s home that had served different purposes over the years but had fallen into disarray due to an absentee landlord. Everyone has a memory associated with the place, and she wants to give it new purpose. Her immediate impulse is to rent it and breathe new life into a much-needed community space—a local independent bookstore she names The Sandy Page.

Through this rehab project we meet Luke, a talented local craftsman and friend of Leah’s brother from their childhood who serves as a desirable new love interest for Leah; Brad, a Boston PhD student spending the summer on the Cape with his grandmother and whose sharp wit and sense of style give Leah the partner in crime she needs; Eudora, a local, widowed, retired high school guidance counselor with a crippling sense of anxiety, who can never turn off her innate sense to guide and advise; and Lucy, a local high school girl whose sister is in a rehab facility following a catastrophic car accident. The bookstore brings all of these people together, forming a pseudo family and providing each of them the comfort and support that allow them to heal.

A buttery lobster roll, the beach, and a good book evoke a sense of summer in this thoroughly enjoyable reading escape to the Cape.

Hannah McKinnon has become one of my go-to authors and I was so pleased to have this chance to read an advanced reader copy of her newest upcoming release. Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for the opportunity.

I do hope this will become a series. The characters are well written and likable. These cozy books make me want to a small town, start a business, and fall in love v

Small town, second chances and a bookshop, what more do you need? At first, and especially, the character of Eudora reached out to me. She is 75 and I am 82. I lost my husband last year and when I read her segment at the beginning of the book I was overcome with emotion. There she was on the page, but there I was as well. Did I want to continue reading this novel? In spite of my emotions, I did continue and was glad I did. A book with small town sentiment and enough coziness to overcome any negativity I have had at the start of this book. My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a sweet little read. I loved the slow burn of this story and although super predictable, we all have a Luke and I was just so delighted that this story wasn’t TOO steamy, wasn’t unrealistic, and it really just checked all the boxes for a sweet romance.

Welcome to one of the most awaited beach reads of 2025. Everyone's beach bag will be begging to have a copy of this in it. Even if you're not reading this by the ocean, the beautifully depicted scenes will have you believing you are. I was so sad when this one ended. I could have kept reading this forever. I truly felt like I was a part of the story.

Leah is fleeing home to the Cape after losing her job and her fiancé at the same time. With no where else to go, her father encourages her to go to the beach house until she gets her life back in order. Soon she discovers a beautiful old house rich in history and decides to rent it and turn it in to a bookshop. Along the way she meets and befriends Brad, Lucy, and Eudora. She also becomes reaquainted with Luke, her brother's childhood friend. Each of them is also carrying their own baggage, but as the bookshop opens and becomes a success, they rally around eachother to help them through their troubles.

This was such an amazing story. Anything that takes place on Cape Cod has my full attention. It had romance and friendship, but also the sense of community that is prevalent in small towns on the Cape. The characters are relatable and well depicted. The chapters are told through multiple perspectives and are easy to read. I could not put this down. I have read every one of Hannah's books and loved each and every one of them. I'm sad I have to wait another year for a new one!

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for the advanced copy

I was asked to read and review “The Sandy Page Bookshop” by Hannah McKinnon.

The days are getting warmer (and longer) and this was a perfect book to read while sipping a glass of lemonade (or white wine) and relaxing on the porch. After Leah’s life falls part, she returns to her family home in Cape Cod. With the severance package left to her by her employer, she decides to open a bookstore in a former sea captain’s home that is in a state of disrepair. As she puts together her business, she meets a variety of both locals and tourists. She also has a chance at romance with her brother’s friend, Luke.

This is a warm, heartwarming tale. Maybe it’s slightly predictable but that does not mean you won’t still enjoy the intriguing characters and the gorgeous setting.

Four out of five stars.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the ARC.

Thank you for allowing me to read this book for my review.

I'm not normally a beach read type of reader, but I was pleasantly surprised how much I LOVE this book! This book was enjoyable to the point where I could barely put this down! I became so obsessed with having to know what they characters were doing, what they were up to, how they were and what was going to happen to all of them. I love when books have a chapter that's dedicated to that one character so we see that chapter in their point of view. I feel like I get more involved in their lives and get to enjoy the stories more. It feels less like I'm reading a book, more like I'm reading a diary or a story being told to me in person by those characters. I felt a part of the story, as if I could just hang out with Lucy or Leah tomorrow. Or go check up on Luke and Leah (see what you did there & I love it!) to see their budding romance.

I was born in Massachusetts so maybe that's why this book was such a pleasant and an indulgence for me to read. I felt like I was right there in that bookshop with all those characters, like I could walk to that beach one day & feel like I was in that book along with them. Anyone who's ever been to New England will enjoy this book as such a walk down "memory lane" for them. This book describes the town(s) as if they're a real place that we can adventure to.

I've read another book by this author and I wasn't so impressed. I feel like this book, she wrote from her experience and made the characters so much like people you could actually meet in that beach town. The story progressed so well and ended so nicely (no spoilers) that I want to read more about those characters, like catch up with them in a series or something (think about it). The author definitely did a great job writing out the stories about each character that you felt like you were in the book, not just a reader reading it. Thanks again for letting me read this book, it was such a pleasure.

This was an awesome book. It was hopeful to not give up on dreams and love when roadblocks get in the way. I enjoy books and arts and crafts and this book gave me both.

A book that takes place on Cape Cod and revolves around a brand new bookstore is a winning combination to me. I started going to Cape Cod on vacation when I was a young girl and it was the highlight of my summer. Leah Powell was a Cape Cod native who was lucky enough to have a place to escape when her life in Boston came tumbling down around her. Her hometown of Chatham was a quaint beach town which held many special memories from her childhood. Leah had no idea what to do next with her life, but a solitary walk through town brought her to an historic home that was waiting for a new lease on life, and she was just the person to make it happen. Along the way Leah made new friends, reconnected with old friends, and found that being back home was the perfect beginning to the next chapter in her life.

Even though she was busy, Leah found herself distracted by her contractor, Luke Nicholson, an old friend of her younger brother. He had certainly become a handsome and thoughtful man, but did Leah really have time for fun and flirting when she was on a deadline to open her new bookstore? The community supported Leah’s new venture and she assembled the perfect staff to meet, greet and assist all the shoppers. Leah had even more ideas of what she could offer at the spacious, and historic captain’s house. I became part of the cheering crowd as Leah opened the doors for the first time at The Sandy Page Bookshop. I browsed for the latest beach read and chose a cute bookmark so I would never lose my place. This is a special and emotional book that will always have a place on my nightstand!

Gave this 4 stars—perfect for fans of small towns, second chances, and books about books.
This was a sweet, heartwarming beach read that felt like a hug in book form. Leah’s return to Cape Cod after a tough breakup and career crash sets the stage for a second-chance story—not just in love, but in life. The bookstore-reno plot? Adorable. The contractor with a quiet crush? Even better.

There were cozy community vibes, found family moments, and just enough slow-burn tension to keep me flipping pages. If you're looking for a comfort read with seaside charm, this one delivers.

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

A fun summer read. A feel good story. Leah returns to her hometown after the loss of her job and boyfriend. With visions of a book store she buys and renovates an old building turning it into that vision. There are several interesting characters and their stories are told along the way. I definitely enjoyed this book and highly recommend it!

A delightful summer read.
Leah's life has fallen apart. Lost her job, engagement is off, out of the apartment and heading back to her family home on Cape Cod with her tail between her legs. Her severance package will carry her for a while, but she has to get it together sooner rather than later - and all she wants to do is cry and sleep. While walking in the touristy section of town, she can't help but notice the Captain's House. Large, empty, needing paint, porch isn't safe to walk on. She walks on the porch anyway, peers in the window and suddenly, the Sandy Page Bookshop is born.

What makes this book a little different from other beach reads are the numerous other characters who soon come to populate the pages. There is Eudora, retired school counselor, who has developed anxiety since her husband died, Lucy, whose sister was headed for great things and is now learning to care for herself, walking, talking, feeding, since a tragic car accident. Brad, the newly hired assistant in the bookshop, can't tell his grandmother he's gay. And Luke, the local woodshop owner, who makes time out of his overloaded schedule to do the work on Leah's bookshop.

MacKinnon captures perfectly the way the Sandy Page Bookshop brings both tourists and locals together. Everyone has a story and all their lives will be enriched by entering the Sandy Page Bookshop.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Atria Books/Emily Bestler Books, in exchange for a review.

Thanks NetGalley for an ARC. Wow, I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this book so much. The secrets one keeps has the potential to tear a family apart. Leah, fresh from a heartbreak and job loss, relocates to the Cape to start over. The romance between her and Luke provides hope to all that are looking for love. Ella and Lucy’s secrets from their parents proves that teenagers think they know best. Once information is revealed the tone of the story changes. Overall this was a quick beach read.

"High school reunions were like a small-town carnival: subpar food; clowns from your past; roller-coaster emotions."

#thesandypagebookshop was my first @hannahmckinnonwrites, and I read it in one day while undergoing some medical testing. It was absolutely perfect for that day, completely distracting and engaging. I couldn't stop thinking about the characters, and McKinnon does such a good job of writing them, they seemed like real people. Like a #hallmarkmovie? Absolutely. But in the best way. If you're looking for some escapism, especially one about people who love books, give it a try. I will definitely be adding Ms. McKinnon's back catalog to my wish list.

P.S. Thanks to #netgalley for the ARC.

I adored this book! It had all the things I enjoy in a summer read, set in a beach location, filled with characters I identified with, and brimming with friendship and a little romance. Plus isn’t the Sandy Page a perfect name for a beach bookshop?It just made me smile. The bookstore location was the perfect place to bring a variety of people together and to remind readers that stories matter. At the heart this is a book about discovering the stories of the people in your life.

Leah is reeling by her life falling apart and takes refuge in the house she grew up in on Cape Cod. She is looking for a new direction and the neglected Captain’s House calls to her. She has a dream to open a bookstore but she can’t do it alone. Eudora, a widow that has developed anxiety since her husband’s death, Lucy, a teenager struggling after a family tragedy, and Luke, a contractor that was her brother’s friend and had a crush on her growing up, plus Brad her assistant. Become caught up in making Sandy Page a reality and become a family.

Each chapter is from a different character’s point of view and each of the characters is facing a challenge and are ready for a new beginning. I wish that Brad had his own chapters, he made me laugh but that probably would have been too many different points of view. I enjoyed the characters and felt like I was a part of the Sandy Page family. The challenges the characters were facing added depth and made the story real.

I highly recommend this books to readers that enjoy summer reads with friendship and community and finding a new path.

A very sweet story that ties various interconnected stories and characters together with “words” as a theme. I enjoyed the characters and the beautiful setting.

Leah returns home to cape cod; she buys a dilapidated sea captains' cottage and turns it into the Sandy Page Bookshop. good book