Review of “Bookshop by the Sea” by Denise Hunter

PUBLISHER DESCRIPTION

Sophie Lawson should be enjoying her sister’s wedding day. But nothing could have prepared her to see the best man again.

After her mother became bedridden and her father bailed on the family, Sophie found herself serving as a second mother to her twin brother, Seth, and younger sister, Jenna. Sophie supported her siblings through their college years, putting aside her own dream of opening a bookshop in Piper’s Cove—the quaint North Carolina beach town they frequented as children.

Now it’s finally time for Sophie to follow her own pursuits. Seth has a new job, and Jenna is set to marry her college beau in Piper’s Cove. But the destination wedding reunites Sophie with best man Aiden Maddox, her high school sweetheart who left her without a backward glance.

When an advancing hurricane strands Aiden in Piper’s Cove after the wedding, he finds the hotels booked to capacity and has to ask Sophie to put him up until the storm passes. As the two ride out the weather, old feelings rise to the surface. The delay also leaves Sophie with mere days to get her bookshop up and running. Can she trust Aiden to stick around? And will he find the courage to risk his heart?

“Sophie and Aiden had me hooked from page one, and I was holding my breath until the very end. Denise nails second-chance romance in Bookshop by the Sea. I adored this story! Five giant stars!” —Jenny Hale, USA TODAY bestselling author

“Denise Hunter has never failed to pen a novel that whispers messages of hope and brings a smile to my face. Bookshop by the Sea is no different! With a warmhearted community, a small beachside town, a second-chance romance worth rooting for, and cozy bookshop vibes, this is a story you’ll want to snuggle into like a warm blanket.” —Melissa Ferguson, author of The Dating Charade

• Sweet and thoughtful contemporary read
• Stand-alone novel
• Book length: 75,000 words
• Includes discussion questions for book clubs

My Review:

This book has wonderful characters that completely pulled me into their stories.  Sophie Lawson, the main character, immediately had my full support.  She has experienced great losses in her life, but she will do anything to help make the lives of her twin brother and younger sister go smoothly. Since they are both adults now, Sophie is finally at the point she can begin to follow her own dreams of owning her bookstore by the sea.  All seems to be on track for Sophie, but she never expects a hurricane and her former boyfriend, Aiden, to have a major impact her plans.

This book has some heart-touching moments between Sophie and her siblings.  The romance between Sophie and Auden is clean and sweet.  There’s a very light theme of faith in the book, mainly highlighting the theme of dependence on God to lead us along life’s path.  This is another lovely story by Denise Hunter. I’m hoping she’ll have another new series in the near future.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.  All opinions are my own.
Click here to purchase a copy:
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=bookshop+by+the+sea+denise+hunter&crid=20FTEFGZRMDEC&sprefix=Bookshop+%2Caps%2C182&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_4_9

Author of almost forty heartwarming love stories

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

“…Small-town romances with big-hearted characters.” USA TODAY “Denise Hunter writes with a deep understanding of complex family dynamics… A perfect blend of romance and women’s fiction.” – SHERRYL WOODS Denise Hunter is the internationally published bestselling author of almost forty novels, three of which have been adapted into Hallmark movies. She writes hope-filled, small-town love stories, peopled with layered characters who deal with real-life issues. Denise has won or finalled in The Holt Medallion Award, The Reader’s Choice Award, The Foreword Book of the Year Award, and the RITA. When Denise isn’t orchestrating love lives on the written page, she enjoys traveling with her family, drinking chai, and playing drums. Denise makes her home in Indiana where she and her husband are enjoying an empty nest. You can learn more about Denise through her website  DeniseHunterBooks.com  or by visiting her FaceBook page at  facebook.com/authordenisehunter