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applestokiwis 's review for:
The Bookshop on the Corner
by Jenny Colgan
This book is truly a work of fiction. It felt like the author was trying to stuff every chick-lit cliche and romance trope into this book. Nina is an introverted woman, 29 years old, who somehow has always used books as an escape from reality. It's not until she with reckless abandon and the majority of severance check opens a mobile bookshop in Scotland that her life well and truly begins.
I loved the descriptions of the Scottish countryside and the cranky old men that Nina befriends. Colgan paints such a vivid picture of this quaint Scottish town with its farm fresh food and its indulgent country sausage breakfasts. Nina herself I related to in the beginning, but as the book went on I began to feel frustrated because it is just so chick-lit cliche. Nina begins the book feeling out of sorts and unsure of what to do with herself now that her job has come to an end. Once she buys the van it sets forth a series of events that all go perfectly well. She easily gets the perm it to sell books on Scotland and what do you know this town is teeming with handsome red blooded males. Her landlord is one of these said males who is equal parts grumpy as he is apparently intriguing and handsome. Her rented home is absolutely charming and wonderful fitted out beautifully with the most gorgeous view. Her books fly off the shelves and she happens to have collected the perfect bits and bobs to decorate said van. Maybe I am too jaded to fully enjoy cute fluffy books like this anymore. I should have absolutely loved this book, and a few years ago I would have.
This book was written beautifully though and the author's love of books seeps through the writing of it. But the saccharine sweetness of this book was too much. I mean come on Nina has almost no hardship in the book. There really isn't much plot driving this book forward, other than Nina's love life and that didn't captivate my interest enough for me to care.
Nina as a character felt too naive and starry eyed. I liked Surinder more and felt that she helped balance Nina out, but unfortunately she's only there to play supporting BFF role until Nina's true love journey kicks in. I picked this book, because I thought it would be a light easy read. But it was too light hearted and too fluffy and felt divorced from any reality. The best part of the book is that there is a dog named Parsley.
I loved the descriptions of the Scottish countryside and the cranky old men that Nina befriends. Colgan paints such a vivid picture of this quaint Scottish town with its farm fresh food and its indulgent country sausage breakfasts. Nina herself I related to in the beginning, but as the book went on I began to feel frustrated because it is just so chick-lit cliche. Nina begins the book feeling out of sorts and unsure of what to do with herself now that her job has come to an end. Once she buys the van it sets forth a series of events that all go perfectly well. She easily gets the perm it to sell books on Scotland and what do you know this town is teeming with handsome red blooded males. Her landlord is one of these said males who is equal parts grumpy as he is apparently intriguing and handsome. Her rented home is absolutely charming and wonderful fitted out beautifully with the most gorgeous view. Her books fly off the shelves and she happens to have collected the perfect bits and bobs to decorate said van. Maybe I am too jaded to fully enjoy cute fluffy books like this anymore. I should have absolutely loved this book, and a few years ago I would have.
This book was written beautifully though and the author's love of books seeps through the writing of it. But the saccharine sweetness of this book was too much. I mean come on Nina has almost no hardship in the book. There really isn't much plot driving this book forward, other than Nina's love life and that didn't captivate my interest enough for me to care.
Spoiler
The biggest problem she faces is that her romantic love story with Marek is not that. He's got a girlfriend and two kids in Latvia. Also he gets deported because Nina kept asking him to stop the train for her to smuggle books, and he gets fired as a result. Wow Nina, wow. Way to go. Also the author tries to pull a Mr Darcy with Lennox, but her treatment of it does Jane Austen no justice at all. I didn't feel any of the swelling emotions I felt when Elizabeth realized Darcy truly loved her and she loved him.Nina as a character felt too naive and starry eyed. I liked Surinder more and felt that she helped balance Nina out, but unfortunately she's only there to play supporting BFF role until Nina's true love journey kicks in. I picked this book, because I thought it would be a light easy read. But it was too light hearted and too fluffy and felt divorced from any reality. The best part of the book is that there is a dog named Parsley.