I like Denise Hunters books. In the absence of ability to give half stars please note I give this one 3.5. The narration was good, I felt engaged in the story, but I did not like the small town and I didn't feel like the town redeemed itself in the end. It was essential to the story line for the characters pasts, but felt like a bit too much for their present. Regardless, it was a a good read. It had some drama and issues that the characters had to overcome. It kept my attention, even if I didn't find a majority of the characters to be lovable.

Small town vibes make this a cozy book to curl up with if you are looking for an easy, happy read. Small bookshops are my happy place and the one is this book I wish I could go visit. There is just enough romance to keep you interested but not overtake the storyline.

Denise Hunter has done it again! This was delightful from start to finish! The book is full of themes of second chances and redemption. The plot was well-paced and the characters were charming and witty. This is definitely one I'll listen to again; the narration was fantastic. Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book.

Audiobook Thoughts:
When I started listening to this book, I had some reservations, particularly about the narrator. However, around the halfway mark, something changed. I enjoyed the narration, perhaps because I changed my mind about it. This audiobook has the potential to surprise the listener with its unexpected appeal.

Disclaimer: This was my first Denise Hunter book; you could take this review as an unbiased review or take it as it is.

Anyway, I scroll on NetGalley, particularly in the Christian Fiction section, and saw this book. I thought, "Why not give this author a try since I’ve been meaning to try her books after seeing her books being recommended within the Christian booktube community" Before I begin discussing the book, I will share my thoughts. I thought I would explain a couple of things that bothered me when reading books, specifically contemporary and clean romance novels. Throughout my reading journey, I’ve realized that I'm not a fan of clean romance books that include physical attraction between characters; however, I’ve also found books that handle this element well by integrating it into the story in a meaningful way, while others do not, often resorting to clichés and stereotypes. Second, I'm not a fan of stereotypical romance novels that are easy to predict the plot and characters' actions. Now to the review and a short synopsis of the book.

Short and sweet synopsis:
This is a second-chance romance, a heartwarming tale that takes place in a small town. We follow two characters, Shelby Thatcher and Gray Briggs. Shelby and Gary have a past; they were infatuated with each other and were in a relationship. However, their relationship soon ended on a rather sour note, leaving an everlasting scar on them both. Shelby loves working in her grandmother's bookshop, helping her grandma. Unfortunately, her grandma dies, leaving her the bookshop; however, to her horror, her ex-boyfriend, a.k.a. Gray Briggs, has been given half of the ownership of the bookshop. Putting her feelings aside, they are forced to see each other and work together.

This book took a while to unfold, and at one point, I found myself switching between the audiobook and the ebook in hopes of gaining my attention; however, that was unsuccessful. So, at around 50ish percent, I switched back to the audiobook and found myself enjoying it. But I wasn’t a massive fan of the relationship between Shelby and Gray, especially their physical attraction to each other, which just rubbed me the wrong way. Many times, I was uncomfortable and caught myself cringing at the descriptions. Another thing was that Shelby was already in a relationship, having thought about Gray's physique, which was just a no. As I said earlier, this book has two timelines, present and past, which I was confused about in the beginning and middle until I started listening to the audiobook, which became clear to me, which shouldn’t have taken me so long, but sadly it did. I also wasn’t a fan of the fact that in Shelby's past and present relationships, she hadn’t been honest with her boyfriends about her true feelings. At this point, you’re probably wondering why I rated this book so high. Well, it wasn’t until I switched back to the audiobook rather than simply reading it with my eyes that I started enjoying it a bit more. To my surprise, the characters began to grow on me and I found myself rooting for them. The character's growth in this book was well done, which is partly why I enjoyed it so much. I like the fact that this book centers around saving a bookshop and helping it gain attraction. The setting around the bookshop was beautifully described, and it added a unique charm to the story. Lastly, while this book is categorized as Christian Fiction, the faith in this book was very subtle; there were a few mentions of prayer, which was disappointing, as I enjoy a good romance novel with strong faith elements. Nonetheless, I recommended this book to those who want a small-town romance that talks about books and saving a bookshop.
Content warnings ‼️:
- Little to no language
- Death of a loved one

A second chance wholesome love story, not spicy but will pull at your heart strings. Set on a small North Carolina coastal city it feels very Nicholas Sparks. Good beach reach! Thank you NetGalley, Denise Hunter & Thomas Nelson Publisher

I really enjoyed this book!
My first read by this author and I had a fun time especially since it’s a second chance romance and small town!

Thank you @NetGalley, @ThomasNelson and @ZondervanFictionAudio for providing me with this pre release audiobook of “The Second Story Bookshop” in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this one! It was quaint, wholesome, and cozy, but not as predictable as a typical Hallmark movie, which I thought created the perfect balance. It felt like a mix of "Gilmore Girls," "One Tree Hill," and a touch of "The Notebook." I appreciated the relationship between Shelby and Gray, and I always love to see the underdog come out on top! I will definitely be reading more of Denise Hunter’s books.

I downloaded this because it was “Listen Now” on NetGalley from a publisher I trust, and I am so glad that I did. I needed help staying on-task while packing up our house in anticipation of our move next month. (🙃) Audiobooks always make any mindless task so much easier to stick to.

I flew through this one! It’s a sweet, second-chance story that navigates reputation, community, grief, and family-dynamics. These all sound like very deep topics, but the overall feel of the book is light-hearted. The romance is closed-door, completely, but the romantic tension in the book with dual timelines is the kind that makes you kick your girly little feet. The only thing I didn’t love was how quickly everything seemed to wrap up with a nice bow. After hours of tension and angst surrounding the main point of conflict, for everything to completely de-escalate in a few moments felt a bit like being robbed. On the flip side, if you like your HEA with minimal stress, boy do I have good news for you.

A thoughtful book with romance and heart for the reader that likes a closed-door experience with light faith elements and no swear words.

FOTMS: 🫑🫑

The narration was excellent!

I loved this second chance, small town romance. This is what I love to listen to. 5 stars

Many thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for an audio ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was not sure what to expect in a Christian Romance novel, but was completely delighted by this audiobook. The narration was awesome, the story was well laid out, and the chemistry between the main characters was palpable.

Shelby inherits her grandmother’s bookshop, but must co-own it with Gray, her ex-boyfriend. As they work together, old feelings resurface, but past problems and a new threat to the bookshop challenge their love.

A tale of second chances in life and love, The Second Story Bookshop is full of emotion, drama, mystery and love.
The main character's Shelby and Grey are enemies to lovers, but the world is against them, or rather the small town of Granville, North Carolina, who holds Grey to the crimes of his father. When they are reunited after the death of Shelby's grandmother, who leaves half her bookshop to Shelby, and surprisingly the other half to Grey, they are flung together years after Grey walked out on her. While this seems to be a perfect situation created by Shelby's grandmother, it soon becomes clear that not all is well with the bookshop. With Grey's help, Shelby starts to turn things around, despite Grenville being determined to run Grey out of town. Shelby and Grey grow together on their journey back to each other and to saving the bookstore.
What i love about this book is that there is no spice, it is full of Christian values and the slow burn romance/reconnection ends perfectly. I also love the connection between Shelby and her grandmother, and their shared love of books. The narrator brings each character to life, especially Shelby's family members who are relevant but also don't overwhelm the love story of Shelby and Grey.
Thank you to Netgalley, Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for this advanced listener copy.

I throughly enjoyed The Second Story Bookshop. Well written with a great plot and believable characters. Denise Hunter has written another winner.

This started off cute and sweet and then kind of dragged. I liked the premise of the story but just couldn’t get into it.

I really enjoyed this contemporary romance. I loved the flashbacks to senior year. The reader gets the back love story of Gray and Shelby. I loved the entire journey.

The narrator was wonderful and was easy to listen to.

There are no swears or alcohol and level 2 kisses only.

I received a complimentary copy from @Netgalley and @thomasnelson. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

She inherits the bookshop of her dreams . . . But she has to run it with the ex she vowed never to speak with again. Shelby and Gray were high school sweet hearts which was not easy in this small and sometimes judgemental town. Gray's father is in jail and he is considered to be a bad egg. Shelby falls for Gray, accepting him for who he is when no one else does. Due to a scandal in high school where Gray is accused of cheating he losses his full ride scholarship. With no other options Gray up and joins the military so that he has a way to pay for college. Shelby is heartbroken and at the time doesn't understand. Shelby's grandmother kept in touch with Gray and when she passes she leaves her bookstore to Shelby and Gray. They are forced to put aside their differences and come together to save the store. I enjoyed the overall story it felt wholesome and I love a good second chance romance. I love that the voice in Shelby's head is that of her grandmother, it is so sweet and shows the bond they had. The narrator was perfect for this story, pacing was good and the way the characters were presented felt organic.

Thanks Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for this ALC all opinions are my own.

The whole inheriting something you have to work on with someone you have strong negative feelings for is such a classic concept for contemporary enemies to lovers. That being said, I feel like Denise made it her own with the touch of darker / realer topics discussed. Such as abandonment, bullying, shame, and corrupt people in positions of power. With these darker themes also came some warm light ones like family, belonging, and, of course, love.

The characters were all very distinct, and I understood why characters were the way they were. As someone who lives in a small town I know first hand how the actions of your parents will impact you. Some might say the town acting the way it is isn't realistic, but unfortunately, it is very real.

All in all this was a very well balanced and fair paced past / present, second chance, enemies to lovers romance. 3.5⭐️

I for sure recommend!

DNF 20% review: I have really enjoyed several of Denise's books - specifically The Summer of You and Me was 5 Stars and I enjoyed A Novel Proposal and Love, Unscripted.

This book releases in October. I was really excited to pick this up because I love the premise....an inheritance twist, a cozy small-town bookshop, and a second chance romance sounded right up my alley. Denise Hunter’s writing style pulled me in quickly, and I was ready to see how Shelby and Gray’s story would unfold. Shelby and Gray dated many years ago, didn't work out, she inherits her Gram's bookshop after she passes away and Gray gets the other half.

However, one thing took me out of the story pretty early on. Shelby already has a boyfriend, Logan, and they’ve been dating for five months. I flipped ahead to see when that would resolve, and the breakup doesn’t happen until around 66%. I personally have convictions about reading romances where one of the characters is already in a relationship for a significant portion of the book, so I decided to set this one aside.

I think readers who don’t mind that setup and enjoy second-chance romance tropes will still enjoy this one, it just wasn’t the right fit for me.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for a copy of the audiobook and ebook to read and review. All thoughts are my own.

Two firsts for me on this one - first book by Author Denise Hunter and Narrator Kim Churchill. I truly enjoyed both.

I loved how the Then and Now story was weaved together. It was clear how much love was still beneath the surface for both Gray and Shelby. You can't help but root for these two to find their way back to one another.

Gray had such a horrible life growing up. He finally finds a glimmer of hope with Shelby. He is working so hard to find his way in the world and ensure they and realize their dreams together.

All of the bullying and criticism he receives due to his father's past is absolutely heartbreaking. It is so fulfilling to see him finally get his happy ending and support of the community.

This one is a closed door romance for those that have a preference.

This was a sweet and wholesome read and I enjoyed it ♥️ this definitely gave Hallmark vibes!! The plot felt a little flat for me and I felt the connection/ spark between Gray and Shelby was missing. I wish there had bee more moments between them both to really build up that anticipation and tension that is needed for a slow burn. Overall, it was a cute read!

Thank you so much NetGalley, Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for the ALC!!

Out October 7th, 2025
Cozy Comfort in Every Chapter This feels like stepping into a warm hug wrapped in pages. With her trademark small-town charm and tender storytelling, Hunter delivers a tale that celebrates second chances, community, and the quiet magic of bookstores.

From the very first chapter, I was drawn in by the delightful setting and emotionally resonant characters. The bookshop itself feels like a character—dusty shelves stacked with possibility, tucked into a town that’s brimming with secrets and slow-blooming love. Hunter's prose is gentle yet evocative, and while the romance unfolds at an unhurried pace, the emotional depth gives it staying power.

This isn't a twisty, edge-of-your-seat read, but that's its strength. It’s the kind of story you curl up with on a rainy day, feeling your heart soften with every page. I appreciated the subtle growth arcs, the compassion threaded through dialogue, and the theme of rediscovery—whether it’s of passion, purpose, or love.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and to Thomas Nelson for the ALC and ARC!