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3.59 AVERAGE
3.59 AVERAGE
The Boardwalk Bookshop follows Bree, Mikki and Ashley, who need new friends, and some help to keep their businesses afloat.
Sharing one place for three businesses is just what they needed, and being on the boardwalk brings them all more customers as well.
As their friendships build little by little, there is also love in the air - different ways for each of them.
I loved this exploration of female friendships, but with a little something more going on as well.
Sharing one place for three businesses is just what they needed, and being on the boardwalk brings them all more customers as well.
As their friendships build little by little, there is also love in the air - different ways for each of them.
I loved this exploration of female friendships, but with a little something more going on as well.
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Where to start with this book? Many mixed thoughts about it.
The gist of this novel is centered around three friends & entrepreneurs Bree, Mikki & Ashley who all agreed to lease some beachfront property for their respective businesses, which are all combined into one store from what I read of it. Each of these women face challenges and emotional hardships with their respective interests-Harding, Duane & Seth respectively.
I will preface this by saying I do not think "The Boardwalk Bookshop" is an appropriate title for this book. A more appropriate one would be "The Sex Lives of Thirty Somethings" (a mere working suggestion), though I don't think Ashley is 30+ in this book, but if you read it, you'll understand what I mean. I felt the bookshop was a very minor character in the novel. Yes, some big events in the story take place there, but it was not a big enough part of the story to be put in the title. So that was slightly annoying.
The truth is, I was hoping this book would be more about the power of friendship and the bonds we form as ladies of a certain age group and how we learn to open up and rely on each other for such support. I do not believe this story was about that overall, but the character development of Bree had her learn to open her heart to these two other women who love and support her. She finds a family with them she never really had before, which was something beautiful.
Another truth about how I feel about this book is that I actually did not appreciate how much this story centered around sex. It was literally mentioned so often in the first I'd say about 2/3 of the book that I was just so annoyed that it seemed that's all these friends could talk about. I don't think the book lived up to it's potential of emphasizing the greatness of these women being successful female entrepreneurs. I wish the writer had written more about the bonds between the ladies rather than emphasizing on their romantic woes and flaws. Or maybe this just wasn't my kind of book, I'm not sure.
What was a redeeming factor for me in regards to my low thoughts of it was how we see each of these ladies grow and learn from their respective situations. Especially Bree. Towards the end when she embraces her grief with a counselor and decides to let herself be in love and with Harding, her transformation is remarkable and oh so relatable.
Also, I didn't like how the relationship between Bree and Harding was started. It seemed so artificial and forced, I couldn't really root for them, though the "intimate" scene between them was hot! I did like how Mikki & Duane and Ashley & Seth were written. I was almost rooting for Ashley & Seth because I thought it was so great how they were written as both willing to at the very least see things from the others' point of view and compromise. But ultimately, I'm glad they didn't end up together and that she ended up with Dave. I also liked how at first, we don't really see Dave and Ashley as a possibility, but the author started to lay down hints that these two were better together than her and Seth.
I think it was also well written how the friendship between these three women evolved. They helped each other heal and that's a beautiful thing.
Overall, the story was not a bad one, I mean I did finish it. I just think the author missed an opportunity to focus on other things in it.
I also liked that there was a recipe at the end!
The gist of this novel is centered around three friends & entrepreneurs Bree, Mikki & Ashley who all agreed to lease some beachfront property for their respective businesses, which are all combined into one store from what I read of it. Each of these women face challenges and emotional hardships with their respective interests-Harding, Duane & Seth respectively.
I will preface this by saying I do not think "The Boardwalk Bookshop" is an appropriate title for this book. A more appropriate one would be "The Sex Lives of Thirty Somethings" (a mere working suggestion), though I don't think Ashley is 30+ in this book, but if you read it, you'll understand what I mean. I felt the bookshop was a very minor character in the novel. Yes, some big events in the story take place there, but it was not a big enough part of the story to be put in the title. So that was slightly annoying.
The truth is, I was hoping this book would be more about the power of friendship and the bonds we form as ladies of a certain age group and how we learn to open up and rely on each other for such support. I do not believe this story was about that overall, but the character development of Bree had her learn to open her heart to these two other women who love and support her. She finds a family with them she never really had before, which was something beautiful.
Another truth about how I feel about this book is that I actually did not appreciate how much this story centered around sex. It was literally mentioned so often in the first I'd say about 2/3 of the book that I was just so annoyed that it seemed that's all these friends could talk about. I don't think the book lived up to it's potential of emphasizing the greatness of these women being successful female entrepreneurs. I wish the writer had written more about the bonds between the ladies rather than emphasizing on their romantic woes and flaws. Or maybe this just wasn't my kind of book, I'm not sure.
What was a redeeming factor for me in regards to my low thoughts of it was how we see each of these ladies grow and learn from their respective situations. Especially Bree. Towards the end when she embraces her grief with a counselor and decides to let herself be in love and with Harding, her transformation is remarkable and oh so relatable.
Also, I didn't like how the relationship between Bree and Harding was started. It seemed so artificial and forced, I couldn't really root for them, though the "intimate" scene between them was hot! I did like how Mikki & Duane and Ashley & Seth were written. I was almost rooting for Ashley & Seth because I thought it was so great how they were written as both willing to at the very least see things from the others' point of view and compromise. But ultimately, I'm glad they didn't end up together and that she ended up with Dave. I also liked how at first, we don't really see Dave and Ashley as a possibility, but the author started to lay down hints that these two were better together than her and Seth.
I think it was also well written how the friendship between these three women evolved. They helped each other heal and that's a beautiful thing.
Overall, the story was not a bad one, I mean I did finish it. I just think the author missed an opportunity to focus on other things in it.
I also liked that there was a recipe at the end!
The 3 women who own the boardwalk shops, Bree, Mikki and Ashley, challenge each other and themselves to be more. Every night I told myself just one more page, just one more chapter. The book has everything I've come to expect from Mallerey, women you want to be friends with, men you want to fall in love with and lots of laughter along the way.
This was Fabulous! Three stories in one and each of them turned out so great! I just love this author! By the time your finished with one of her books they feel like family. Five Amazing Stars! I will continue to read everything this author puts out!
I received a complimentary copy to read and voluntarily left a review! Sensational book! Will definitely get a copy for my shelf!!
I received a complimentary copy to read and voluntarily left a review! Sensational book! Will definitely get a copy for my shelf!!
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I’m going to have to give this without a break. The fat phobia was strong in this book. I feel like they could have split the three ladies stories into independent novels.
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes