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katifelix's review
3.0
Overall, I thought this book had great potential. Wonderful main characters, lots of emotional depth to explore, a romance set up for passion and true connection.
The plot was lovely and lighthearted, which I enjoyed. But the execution was woefully short-selling and lacked depth.
While Callie, our heroine, had so much to bring in terms of conflict, she seemed more or less ambivalent with what happened to her before she moves to Suffolk. There was no exploration of feelings, no closure, no resolution, no real hope for the future. Even a character from her past that should have gotten an emotional response from her didn't really do anything.
She was sad, and rueful, but I didn't really feel deeply what she was feeling.
Sam and Leo were male, and that's about all that was said for them. Sure, Sam had a tragic backstory, but we never get a full look at his feelings, either. We get glimpses and even a run-in with two characters that should have brought out more conflict, but it falls flat. It seems that this conflict with these characters from his past were designed to create more conflict later, such as in the climax, but nothing happened. A subplot that was never brought to its full potential.
In the end, I wanted so much more from these characters. Their premises were engaging and could have been amazing and deep. A lighthearted romance that could have been ideal for me, a book lover myself.
Instead, this book, from beginning to end, was shallow.
The plot was lovely and lighthearted, which I enjoyed. But the execution was woefully short-selling and lacked depth.
While Callie, our heroine, had so much to bring in terms of conflict, she seemed more or less ambivalent with what happened to her before she moves to Suffolk. There was no exploration of feelings, no closure, no resolution, no real hope for the future. Even a character from her past that should have gotten an emotional response from her didn't really do anything.
She was sad, and rueful, but I didn't really feel deeply what she was feeling.
Sam and Leo were male, and that's about all that was said for them. Sure, Sam had a tragic backstory, but we never get a full look at his feelings, either. We get glimpses and even a run-in with two characters that should have brought out more conflict, but it falls flat. It seems that this conflict with these characters from his past were designed to create more conflict later, such as in the climax, but nothing happened. A subplot that was never brought to its full potential.
In the end, I wanted so much more from these characters. Their premises were engaging and could have been amazing and deep. A lighthearted romance that could have been ideal for me, a book lover myself.
Instead, this book, from beginning to end, was shallow.
stephbookshine's review
4.0
*I received a free ARC of this book with thanks to the author and Rachel Gilbey at Rachel’s Random Resources blog tours. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
The Book Lovers is a lovely sweet romance novel, with the added bonus of lots and lots of books!
Callie has just come out of a bad marriage and has fled London for the Suffolk countryside, to lick her wounds and focus on her writing. Distractions loom however, in the form of three delightful bookshops, two handsome locals, and an irresistible family of Nightingales!
Don’t get me wrong – I liked Callie immensely – but the Nightingale family really stole the show here, and I suspect the author feels exactly the same way that I do about them, seeing as how they return in the rest of the series to tell their own stories, one at a time. The Nightingales are loud, warm, loving, chaotic and are book fanatics! What’s not to love! But they also each have their own distinct personalities and quirks and they clearly all have secrets to tell and background stories to explore.
In this story we follow Callie’s introduction to the family and their three – THREE! – wonderful bookshops: one for secondhand and rare books; one for new books; and one for children’s books… all independently run. It’s no wonder Callie spends more time looking for books than love. Still, it appears that love is determined to find her anyway, in the form of two very new different suitors and a tenacious ex.
What I enjoyed most here (other than books and Nightingales) was the gentle realism of the plot and the building character relationships. Rather than opting for lots of miscommunications (which always make me wonder how they get on once together, if they can’t even talk to each other!) or dramatic misunderstandings, the characters spend time together, chat about their interests, get to know each other.
That’s not to say that we don’t see some excitement! There is plenty of drama and conflict, with bad penny exes, inner battles with shyness and fear of being hurt, bloody gifts on a doorstep, and even a missing person or two. But all of it is framed by a warm, cosy glow of happy family and small village (with three bookshops. Did I mention the bookshops? I would move there in a heartbeat!) that keeps the reader enthralled in a happy, easy-reading bubble throughout.
Definitely recommend for sweet romance lovers and book lovers, and whilst I generally only fit one of those categories, I will make an exception and admit I cannot wait to continue with this series and find some Nightingale happy-ever-afters!
Callie Logan should never have married her publisher. That’s where it had all begun to go wrong for her. She’d been perfectly content to be single, happily writing her books in her rented flat on the outskirts of London and going out with friends each weekend, but then Piers Blackmore had appeared on the scene, praising her children’s book to high heaven and simultaneously sweeping her off her feet.
– Victoria Connelly, The Book Lovers
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpress.com/2020/04/11/blog-tour-the-book-lovers-victoria-connelly/
The Book Lovers is a lovely sweet romance novel, with the added bonus of lots and lots of books!
Callie has just come out of a bad marriage and has fled London for the Suffolk countryside, to lick her wounds and focus on her writing. Distractions loom however, in the form of three delightful bookshops, two handsome locals, and an irresistible family of Nightingales!
Don’t get me wrong – I liked Callie immensely – but the Nightingale family really stole the show here, and I suspect the author feels exactly the same way that I do about them, seeing as how they return in the rest of the series to tell their own stories, one at a time. The Nightingales are loud, warm, loving, chaotic and are book fanatics! What’s not to love! But they also each have their own distinct personalities and quirks and they clearly all have secrets to tell and background stories to explore.
In this story we follow Callie’s introduction to the family and their three – THREE! – wonderful bookshops: one for secondhand and rare books; one for new books; and one for children’s books… all independently run. It’s no wonder Callie spends more time looking for books than love. Still, it appears that love is determined to find her anyway, in the form of two very new different suitors and a tenacious ex.
What I enjoyed most here (other than books and Nightingales) was the gentle realism of the plot and the building character relationships. Rather than opting for lots of miscommunications (which always make me wonder how they get on once together, if they can’t even talk to each other!) or dramatic misunderstandings, the characters spend time together, chat about their interests, get to know each other.
That’s not to say that we don’t see some excitement! There is plenty of drama and conflict, with bad penny exes, inner battles with shyness and fear of being hurt, bloody gifts on a doorstep, and even a missing person or two. But all of it is framed by a warm, cosy glow of happy family and small village (with three bookshops. Did I mention the bookshops? I would move there in a heartbeat!) that keeps the reader enthralled in a happy, easy-reading bubble throughout.
Definitely recommend for sweet romance lovers and book lovers, and whilst I generally only fit one of those categories, I will make an exception and admit I cannot wait to continue with this series and find some Nightingale happy-ever-afters!
Callie Logan should never have married her publisher. That’s where it had all begun to go wrong for her. She’d been perfectly content to be single, happily writing her books in her rented flat on the outskirts of London and going out with friends each weekend, but then Piers Blackmore had appeared on the scene, praising her children’s book to high heaven and simultaneously sweeping her off her feet.
– Victoria Connelly, The Book Lovers
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpress.com/2020/04/11/blog-tour-the-book-lovers-victoria-connelly/
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