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3.59 AVERAGE
3.59 AVERAGE
Mallery seems to have success with her recipe; 3 women, strangers to each other, form a bond and discuss their less than perfect marriages. It’s repeated in this book, too, but she’s thrown in a rather enormous helping of sex and discussions surrounding it. I felt like I was viewing an odd section of life in a fishbowl. Are there truly people out there who act like this and enjoy reading about it?! It was all too petty and dramatic for me. I felt it overshadowed Mallory’s intent to explore friendship, sisterhood and the transformative power of love.
I was pulled in by the gorgeous cover and the idea of a bookshop pulling people together. The story had so much potential; a shared retail space with a gift shop and a bakery. I could see myself frequenting it often. I could even trudge through the endless arguments and discussions about their marriage problems, but I was repulsed with putting that alongside bedroom escapades and discussions of women naming their vibrators! Come on! Ugh.
Please check out other reviews as this author seems to have a following of 5-star reviewers. I wish someone had warned me prior to opening this book.
I was gifted this advance copy by Susan Mallery, Harlequin Trade Publishing, MIRA, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
I was pulled in by the gorgeous cover and the idea of a bookshop pulling people together. The story had so much potential; a shared retail space with a gift shop and a bakery. I could see myself frequenting it often. I could even trudge through the endless arguments and discussions about their marriage problems, but I was repulsed with putting that alongside bedroom escapades and discussions of women naming their vibrators! Come on! Ugh.
Please check out other reviews as this author seems to have a following of 5-star reviewers. I wish someone had warned me prior to opening this book.
I was gifted this advance copy by Susan Mallery, Harlequin Trade Publishing, MIRA, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
What I read: The Boardwalk Bookshop by Susan Mallery
Why I picked it up: I’ve liked Susan’s books on audio before, and I’m always up for a book about bookstores!
How I read it: On audio at 2x speed while traveling this week.
What it’s about: Three friends met when they all looked at the same storefront and it was too big for their needs. Now they’re learning and loving together.
What I liked: The book walks through each of their relationship stories, giving us a glimpse into some childhood abandonment, marriage issues, and difference of opinion about what a committed relationship should look like.
What I disliked: Seth was not my favorite. His reasons for not wanting to get married sounded like a kid yelling about how he thinks school is dumb because he doesn’t like math.
Genre: Open door romance.
Rating & Recommendation: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ and it’s fine. Heads up for a few open door scenes.
Why I picked it up: I’ve liked Susan’s books on audio before, and I’m always up for a book about bookstores!
How I read it: On audio at 2x speed while traveling this week.
What it’s about: Three friends met when they all looked at the same storefront and it was too big for their needs. Now they’re learning and loving together.
What I liked: The book walks through each of their relationship stories, giving us a glimpse into some childhood abandonment, marriage issues, and difference of opinion about what a committed relationship should look like.
What I disliked: Seth was not my favorite. His reasons for not wanting to get married sounded like a kid yelling about how he thinks school is dumb because he doesn’t like math.
Genre: Open door romance.
Rating & Recommendation: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ and it’s fine. Heads up for a few open door scenes.
It was good but fairly predictable. What I did like was the attention to the detail of how their businesses operated.
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Bree, Mikki and Ashley made a combined business decision that paid in dividends none of them expected. Not only are their individual businesses (bookstore, gift shop and bakery) thriving as they share the same space, but a lifelong friendship develops and blooms. In fact, the women also find more in their lives that they did not expect.
Their weekly get-together over champagne solidifies their bond week after week. But, during this time each woman finds herself involved in romantic entanglements. However, the chance for happily ever after for each of them seems highly doubtful.
For Bree, taking a chance with Ashley's brother is a risk, as she worries if things do not work out, will her friendship with Ashley be soured. For Ashley, she is in love with her partner and the two live together. But, when he tells her that he never plans on marriage, Ashley begins to doubt the strength of his love. Meanwhile, Mikki is enjoying a "happy divorce". She and her ex co-parent well, enjoy other activities together, and the question comes up as to whether or not they can give it another go. However, with a new man in her life, Mikki might be forced to view long-range plans for her life.
What a wonderful book about friendship and the power of love between strong women who only want the best for each other. I enjoyed each "love story" as it developed and truly felt for each of the women as they explored the possibility of love and a happy future. For a book that will give all the feels, The Boardwalk Bookshop definitely checks all the boxes.
Many thanks to MIRA and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Please also enjoy my YouTube video review - https://youtu.be/JpubfnFC_9U
Their weekly get-together over champagne solidifies their bond week after week. But, during this time each woman finds herself involved in romantic entanglements. However, the chance for happily ever after for each of them seems highly doubtful.
For Bree, taking a chance with Ashley's brother is a risk, as she worries if things do not work out, will her friendship with Ashley be soured. For Ashley, she is in love with her partner and the two live together. But, when he tells her that he never plans on marriage, Ashley begins to doubt the strength of his love. Meanwhile, Mikki is enjoying a "happy divorce". She and her ex co-parent well, enjoy other activities together, and the question comes up as to whether or not they can give it another go. However, with a new man in her life, Mikki might be forced to view long-range plans for her life.
What a wonderful book about friendship and the power of love between strong women who only want the best for each other. I enjoyed each "love story" as it developed and truly felt for each of the women as they explored the possibility of love and a happy future. For a book that will give all the feels, The Boardwalk Bookshop definitely checks all the boxes.
Many thanks to MIRA and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Please also enjoy my YouTube video review - https://youtu.be/JpubfnFC_9U
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Such a great story about friendship and overcoming trauma. These women figure out their lives and show that you can forge new friendships as adults.
There is a romantic element to each woman’s story, but I wouldn’t say that’s the focus of the book. I love that Susan Mallery can write so beautifully about women, their relationships, and their own personal journeys without focusing on finding themselves within a romance. The journey is is as important as the happily ever after.
My only complaint is the sheer volume of stories in this one book. Normally, I hate bouncing around, but somehow this was seemless, though I did wish I got to spend more one-on-one time with each woman. This book would have made a great series!
Plus, I think I need to steal the idea of #Champagne Fridays! Popping bubbles to celebrate another week in the books.
Conclusion
Women’s fiction lovers should snatch this one up, perfect for the beach reading.
There is a romantic element to each woman’s story, but I wouldn’t say that’s the focus of the book. I love that Susan Mallery can write so beautifully about women, their relationships, and their own personal journeys without focusing on finding themselves within a romance. The journey is is as important as the happily ever after.
My only complaint is the sheer volume of stories in this one book. Normally, I hate bouncing around, but somehow this was seemless, though I did wish I got to spend more one-on-one time with each woman. This book would have made a great series!
Plus, I think I need to steal the idea of #Champagne Fridays! Popping bubbles to celebrate another week in the books.
Conclusion
Women’s fiction lovers should snatch this one up, perfect for the beach reading.
This book was a perfectly entertaining, run of the mill contemporary romance. Nothing particularly stood out against the other romances of this genre, the characters were okay, the plot was okay, the story developed as you would imagine.
I didn’t particularly connect to the characters or was overly fond of them. Beige with an old fashioned feel novel about it. This was my first experience of this authors writing, and there’s nothing bad to say about it to pinpoint but I didn’t connect to it too much. Still entertaining audiobook though, with the narrator performing it brilliantly.
Thank you to the author and publisher via NetGalley for this book in return for my honest thoughts and review.
I didn’t particularly connect to the characters or was overly fond of them. Beige with an old fashioned feel novel about it. This was my first experience of this authors writing, and there’s nothing bad to say about it to pinpoint but I didn’t connect to it too much. Still entertaining audiobook though, with the narrator performing it brilliantly.
Thank you to the author and publisher via NetGalley for this book in return for my honest thoughts and review.
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
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:
Complicated