Shelby and Gray’s story is very emotional. Amazing characters, loss, second chances, family, a small town and many challenges all make this a book you won’t be able to sit aside.

This was a great palate cleanser for me in between reading thrillers. A second chance romance with the setting of a bookshop, two of my favorite things! I fell in love with Shelby and Gray (and even Gram) and enjoyed seeing their story unfold.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction | Thomas Nelson for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Denise Hunter, this book is absolutely charming!! And one of my new favorites from you. I adore your sweet writing. It was beautiful.

I've always loved Denise Hunters's books and this is one of her best ones yet. defintely 5 stars!!! Would recommend to friends and family!

Denise Hunter has such a brilliant skill in engaging her readers with relatable characters and life situations. The path for Shelby and Gray was beyond difficult and it seemed that their only support was Shelby's deceased grandmother, in life and beyond the grave. 'The Second Story Bookshop' is a tender story of redemption portrayed personally and in a larger sense from a community. I shed some tears and would highly recommend it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

DNF at 30%

The premise of this sounds amazing, and has incredible potential and there are people who will absolutely adore this book. I just think this author is not for me. I could not get into the writing style, and the characters felt a little too immature and Hallmark movie for what I was hoping for. It just was not for me.

You just can't go wrong with a Denise Hunter book! I adored this sotry with it's lovable characters, second chance romance, reconciliations and justice finally happening. Of course, saving the inherited bookshop in NC (my home state) is a huge bonus too. Great book with a great message!

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for the eARC. Publication Date: 10/7/25

I think 3.5 is a more fair rating for me. If you like a Hallmark movie in book form, this is absolutely for you. A second-chance romance, with high school sweethearts being reunited. I prefer my books a little spicier -- this was 0 chili pepper: some kissing but nothing else was even implied.

The FMC and MMC both have histories of emotional trauma that they need to address, and both seem to come to terms with them. Throughout the book the FMC seems to be having imagined conversations with her deceased grandmother (not a spoiler, it's the premise of the book), and I would have liked more of that, as the grandmother was funny and spunky. I also wanted a bit more development of the relationship between the FMC and MMC as adults. The description of the development of their high school relationship had more depth than why they *still* wanted to be with each other 10-11 years later. I did enjoy the development of the relationships in the FMC's family.

Overall, this is sweet and cozy. It's a bit of a crazy small town with some issues (honestly, I thought some of the issues went a bit too far). But, it was an enjoyable book. I'm glad it's being released in October, as it would be a good fall cozy read. I'd watch the heck out of this as a Hallmark movie.

The Second Story Bookshop came as an surprise to me, while I was expecting a cozy romance, I got a lot more. The plot turned out way more thrilling, but in a good way. And topic like otherness are handled with care.

The Second Story Bookshop was another winning novel from Denise Hunter. These are great beach reads to me. The ones you can get through pretty fast. Not really much depth. Just a fast paced plot and good characters.

This is a high school sweethearts to enemies story. The guy from the wrong side of the tracks. The bad boy and the popular cute girl. I definitely rooted more for Grayson over Shelby. ;) Small town prejudices plays a big part too. And that grandma. Oh i love that grandma even if her character is more...from the grave.

Topics: Abandonment

The story has a great arc and even goes back in time so that we can understand Gray and Shelby's high school romance history and where everything went wrong. And also how undealt with traumas will follow you into adulthood.

While a Christian fiction, there isn't mention of God or scripture--so it's just a clean read.

4 STars

*Thanks to the publishers and NetGAlley for my ARC. All opinions are 100% my own.

Denise Hunter's The Second Story Bookshop is a charming and heartwarming tale perfect for fans of contemporary romance. Set against the cozy backdrop of a beloved bookshop, the story follows Nora as she navigates unexpected changes and finds connection in the most surprising places. Hunter skillfully crafts relatable characters and a comforting atmosphere, making the reader feel right at home among the stacks of books. It’s a gentle reminder that sometimes, the best stories are the ones we live. This novel is a delightful escape, offering a sweet romance and a satisfying journey of self-discovery.

I fully enjoyed this story. It was my first book by Denise Hunter but definitely will not be my last. I loved the setting in this book, for all of the booklovers, who wouldn't love to c0-own a bookstore. I found this to be an emotional second chance love story. It also had a few hard subjects entwined in the story. I felt that there was great character development as well.

I would highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a second chance love story.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. This was a sweet romantic novel that was very enjoyable. An easy read by a talented author. The ending was wonderful and I recommend this book.

As with all of Denise Hunter's books. I loved it. This is about Shelly who loves working in the charming bookstore that grandmother owned in the Lakeside town of Granville. When Gram [asses away she leaves 51% of the Bookstore to Sheely and 49% to Gray. He and Shelly were friends when in high school and Gram really cared for Gray. Gray wasn't accepted well in town as his dad killed someone there. Gray joined the military and then made a name for himself in the town of River Bend. . He came back to town to help Shelly get the bookshop on track, See what they go through and does he finally get acceptance in town. Does he and Shelly end up together. A GREAT READ.

Pretty sure this was my first Denise Hunter book... but definitely not my last! I started it late, stayed up way too long, then woke up early just to finish. All the feels with this one.

I loved the way the story moved between past and present. It didn’t slow things down, it filled in all the emotional gaps and made me believe in the chemistry between Shelby and Gray, then and now. If soulmates are real, it’s them.

After Shelby’s Gram passes, she leaves the bookshop to both Shelby and Gray. He’s not welcome in town (due to family history/rumors) and plans to leave, but sticks around to help save the shop. What neither of them planned for was how much the past and feelings still lingers between them.

This had heartbreak, healing, and a love that was impossible to ignore! The way the town treated Gray made me so frustrated, but his quiet patience and steady love for Shelby carried the story. I really felt it!

I gave this book 4.5 stars rounded to 5!
I received a complimentary copy. This review reflects my honest opinion.

The Second Story Bookshop was a cozy, second-chance love story that warmed my heart. It took me a little while to get hooked, but once I did, I was fully invested in Shelby and Gray’s journey. Their second shot at love, paired with the mission to save a sentimental small-town bookstore? Yes, please! This is a closed door romance which is always my preferred story! I loved the charming setting and the themes of growth, healing, and learning from the past. While some of the flashbacks felt a bit repetitive, and I wished we got to dive deeper into both characters’ histories, this was still a sweet, heartfelt read that left me smiling.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Second Story Bookshop by Denise Hunter opens with an emotionally resonant funeral scene that immediately sets a tone of loss and healing. Grayson, introduced early on, is a standout character whose painful past adds depth, emotional complexity, and authenticity. His resilience and quiet compassion carried the story for me.

One of the novel’s strengths is its portrayal of familial support—especially the way Shelby’s family surrounds her with warmth and protection. These dynamics felt both comforting and aspirational.

However, I found it difficult to connect with Shelby’s character. Her decisions often felt self-focused and emotionally disengaged. A particular moment—when she accepts Grayson’s help with the bookstore without offering compensation or sincere acknowledgment—left her feeling more entitled than empathetic. Despite her central role, her emotional arc didn’t resonate with me.

The structure also presented challenges. The frequent time jumps and flashbacks disrupted the narrative flow, making the story feel more event-driven than character-centered. As a result, some of the emotional weight, particularly around the romance, felt diluted.

There’s real potential here—especially in the themes of second chances, healing, and resilience. Grayson’s character was beautifully rendered, and I appreciated the gentle undertones of redemption. With stronger character development and more cohesion in structure, this could have been a more emotionally immersive experience.

Still, readers who enjoy small-town settings and protective family dynamics may find much to appreciate here.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine.

Fantastic Romantic Fiction! Loved this book so much! Even quoted from the book to my husband on our anniversary " Mature love grows deeper, stronger, with a beauty all its own." Another sigh worthy story with a message! Definitely worth the read. This book was provided by the author and publisher through NetGalley. All thoughts expressed are my own opinions.

I'll preface my review by saying this wasn't the typical style book I prefer. I love romance, read 200+ of them a year. But I always avoid Christian romances and I keep 'clean' romances to a minimum unless they're Christmas books, because I'm a sucker for those (despite having never watched a Hallmark movie lol). I didn't know going into this that it was both a clean romance and one done with a Christian book publishing group, otherwise this wouldn't have been one I picked up.

That said, this book was just okay for me. Honestly, it was just a really depressing book and seemed to focus on drama and less on romance. Maybe I just wasn't in the right mindset to read a book where the entire book is focused on townspeople being bullies and hurting others. Gray really didn't deserve a single bad thing that happened to him as a teen and he really didn't deserve the same bullying to continue many years later once he returned. I'm glad that he finally had people stand up for him, but it literally took the entire book for that to happen and I was over people being terrible human beings.

I liked the premise of the book, but the romance was severely lacking. Shelby doesn't even really like Gray for most of the book. She keeps him at arms length because he broke her heart when they were in high school. I'm sorry, but that's way too long to carry a grudge against someone. We all did stupid things in high school, things we likely regretted. Our brains aren't even fully developed. Yet we're supposed to expect other teens to have it all together and not make a mistake? I hate when authors write MCs that use a breakup that happened in high school as a reason for not liking or forgiving someone as an adult, especially when nearly a decade has passed by.

Eventually they decide to start dating, but again, it's towards the end of the book. The author only writes about one date and never really goes into their time together once they decide to be a couple. Or at least not in a way that made me think they had really fallen back in love again.

The ending was cute. I loved Shadow (Dog). I liked the fact that the book took place in NC (my home state). I just wish this one had focused more on the drama and less on the bullying.

The premise of inheriting something that needs to be shared with someone you don’t want back in your life, was intriguing. I enjoyed the author’s exploration of abandonment, meddling, bullying and shame. Most of all, I appreciated her spotlighting the feeling of belonging.

The love story did feel organic, but something about the romance arc didn’t click for me. I don’t think the right balance between tension and payoff was achieved. I liked Shelby and Grayson, but didn’t feel their arc was fully developed. The conversation-heavy prose made me uncomfortable because (1) I could see that the author was trying to make her characters feel real and dynamic, and (2) because I could feel the momentum slowing. The ‘fluff’ was glaring at me, and I found myself skimming. When I willingly set down a book, I know there’s something not quite right.

The Summer of You and Me, Wildflower Falls, and Bookshop by the Sea were all 5-star reads for me. Character development and less dialogue would have elevated A Novel Proposal and The Second Story Bookshop for me.

I was gifted this copy and was under no obligation to provide a review.