Member Reviews
I enjoyed so much this book, really.
If you are a totally bookworm like Hallie and you love books, you will delight in. Totally I am going to be a fangirl, but friends this book was like reading my goals and dreams.
Who wouldn´t want to own a Bookshop in a cute and sweet town in England? And Who wouldn´t want to meet someone who trust, believe and knows about every weird thing that you say?
First, we must talk about the characters:
Hallie,
“From hardship comes greater strength”
The typical girl who never has luck and always do “weird” things, (but really is we the bookworms lives in other dimension, a good place where all the characters that we love lives in).
So, everything changes when she won the Bookshop, but the big thing that you know it must change is the perception of Hallie about what she deserves.
It is a change that you see between the pages, she starts to believe in herself, which it is excellent because something you do not see you worth. And didn´t see but with this spark of luck she does, and I fancy so much watch her grow.
She is so sweet, and she believe in love stories in the books, I felt so identified with her about what she dreams and hopes.
I like her because of she is so weird, and the fact that at the end she embraces the fact of the weirdness is what makes her unique and special.
Dimmitri
“My head is alive with a million characters who have stayed with me all over the years”
He is so sweet, so nice, so perfect.
He is an artist who came to the bookshop because she wants to “recreate” an old book for the kids.
Dimmitri visits everyday the bookshop and helps Hallie to got throw the whole process of adapt to her new life
I read a lot of character from the handsome and rude guy until the beautiful misunderstood I-do-not-know my beauty. But him, he is the must desirable men in my world.
Something that I really fancy about him is his uniqueness, weirdness and how gentlemen he is.
Is like the author read what I want and put it in Dimmitri.
His way of thinking is something that I relay on, we must do what we really want because the life is too short to do anything else.
Is the dream guy for a bookworm, he has so much knowledge, so much to share that makes me cry because someone like him doesn´t exist.
Also, he is so positive, and he believes in something good is going to happen in any minute.
Robert
“Books can change live and make people feel not alone”
The former owner of the Bookshop.
For me is kind of wizard who knows a lot and knows what it is the best for everybody.
You do not read a lot about him in the book, but his presence is all the bookshop and hi is behind the curtain in the story.
You will love him too.
Last thoughts
“There’s a unique magic in the books of never knowing what you might find”
This book is a unique source of good luck 😊
I just finished a bad book, and this story makes me laugh so much, it makes me dream and believed that a good thing is going to happen.
Is like a daydream.
If you choose to read it you will never regret, truly.
“Bookish people are the best people.”
Hallie is a clumsy woman who got picked out of a raffle contest to take over a bookshop in Buntingorden where she met Dimitri. They both worked on the bookshop to save it from its downfall. While cleaning up the place, they discovered secrets in it that have been there for years and they decided it would be a great way to give the bookshop a new meaning for the townspeople.
Trust me when i say that EVERY BOOKISH PERSON SHOULD READ THIS because this is OUR STORY. Here is a fictional story of all of us bookish people when we imagine ourselves owning our own bookshops and putting that dream to life. Using our talents, knowledge, and creativity to bring to life what our imaginations had drawn up.
I can officially say that this is going to be added to mu favorite stand-alone books because i felt like it was my story as a person (except the clumsy part) who loves books and someone who wants to have her own shop just like this one. A MUST READ FOR BOOK LOVERS!!! (i cannot stress that enough)
I hope you enjoy this as much as i did! Happy reading!
Stars: 4/5
I was provided a digital copy of this story for free in return for an honest review.
I was super excited when I saw I had been provided with a copy of this story - the whole thing seemed like a book-lovers' dream and it really is!
Characters: As a non-clumsy person, I found the clumsiness of both Hallie and Dimitri to be cute, charming and slightly irritating. Did it add to their intrigue? Absolutely! They were two adorable dorks who were apposed to love and... we all know where this is going (if you don't you should read it!). Though I found this characteristic of both Hallie and Dimitri slightly annoying, their other interests maintained my intrigue. I enjoyed how they were the same, but different. It's hard to explain but they understood each other and clearly had chemistry from the second you saw them together. I must say, there were moments where my heart strings were pulled to the point where I physically felt it. I loved these two together.
Plot: At one point I honestly thought there would be too many sub-plots. There were hints and reveals to each and I picked them up and thought to myself "oh no, another one? Will this get too busy?" but it didn't. The resolutions all tied in so well and my only complaint is the slow burn! (I needed more romance sooner but that's just me being greedy). There was a reveal that I read when I was walking my dog and I must have looked crazy as I read it. I genuinely looked around to see if anyone saw my reaction, it was quite external.
Setting: Mainly a bookstore, in a small town, in the UK, also a beach comes up. Basically the perfect setting don't try to change my mind. I know my retirement plans.
I recommend: to all book-lovers, YA-lovers, romance-enjoyers and maybe 12+. There's no mature content.
WARNINGS: chronic illness (cancer?) from a family/carer perspective
This book was exactly what I was hoping it would be! I am a total sucker for a good rom-com and this was totally that! I loved everything about it from beginning to end!
I loved Hallie and Dimitri from the very start. I felt a special kinship with Hallie solely based on her love of books! Everything came together oh so perfectly in the end! I would definitely recommend this book!
Hallie was such a loveable character. I didn't want this book to end. She seemed so realistic and everything just seems to be going wrong. Plus her mom can't quit trying to hook her up with every eligible bachelor she knows. Then Hallie whens a bookshop.... what ensues is a totally believable, exciting, and funny journey that kept me turning pages. Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this advanced copy!
It took me a little while to get into this book....I was having a hard time getting into the characters and the plot. At times it felt a little juvenile to me, all the blushing between two thirty somethings. But as I read, I became more intrigued by the characters. I could tell there was a bit of a mystery from one of the main characters. I was also interested in the idea of the love notes in books, and reuniting people. I loved how books were talked about, as something magical to transport you anywhere and save you, in a sense. Ultimately, I would recommend this book. Well written and not difficult to follow, there were funny moments and poignant moments, dramatic moments and sad moments. I kept reading and I'm glad I did.
Such a fab book by Jaimie Admans. I can't say I have ever been disappointed by this authors books but I must say this is a favourite. Romance and bookshops what's not to love about that!!??
A fab summery read that I highly recommend.
So utterly adorable! I was drawn in by the beautiful book cover and the fact it’s based in a bookshop (I’m ever so slightly obsessed with them- You Got Mail is a favourite film of mine!) and oh my goodness it was a beautiful storyline too!
Hallie is such a fabulous character, sure she has her issues, clumsy and has little faith in her abilities but she certainly makes up for it with her enthusiasm for books and that does finally help her to have her dream come true - to actually own a bookshop! I loved how she embraced the challenge, head first with no idea of what she was taking on. Into her life stumbles the gorgeous and quirky Dimitri, quite literally and you just know they are a match made in heaven (or a bookstore!)
So many amusing characters too, her mother with her cooking and match making efforts that go so terribly wrong, as well as the chaos of the reading club had me giggling away.
I adored the messages in the books and the idea of romance being stored in the books at the shop. A very novel and interesting story with moments of pure joy as you watched the progress of Hallie and Dimitri’s friendship and the way the shop grew in the community.
And who knew a fish could be so entertaining!
This was such a gorgeous book, full of charm on every page ❤️
What can I say? A book that keeps you hooked and a must for every book love and for anyone who believes in romantic dreams coming true! It made me laugh and cry and even when I thought I knew what would happen, it proved me wrong. A great storyline from a brilliant author. If you want a book that you cannot put down then this is definitely one for the list. I don't want to spoil the story at all but if you think your life is on a downturn, then read this because you will hopefully start to believe that dreams really do come true! Enjoy!
This review will be live on May 12th on the below-mentioned book blog,bookstagram and twitter accounts.
Thanks to #netgalley and the publishers #HQDigitalUK for this ARC, this review is straight from my heart not biased in any way.
Book Title: The Little bookshop of love stories
Author: Jaimie Admans
Genre: Fiction/Romance
Line Summary :
The very unlucky bookish girl found her luck, love, life through an old little bookshop for which she became an owner by luck!
My Review:
One of the close to heart read! What a brilliant way to capture the audience! It’s a book about two book lovers and they can’t share any more similar thoughts with the readers! It feels like we are reading our thoughts in the book as a booklover! The plot is simple and cozy I want to visit/live in the bookshop! The narration is so witty I laughed out loud right from the first chapter! The characters are so intense and close to the heart! I can’t give up the thought the story stretched a lot than necessary especially on the final chapters! Other than that I Immensely enjoyed this slow-paced journey with each and every page and I highly recommend it to all the book lovers to enjoy!
Thoughts While Reading:
This section has some subtle spoilers,
The narration is so hilarious as I mentioned above I often laughed out loud! Even when I am not a small smile lingering all through the read.
The way she describes the village and the bookshop is adorable, I want it to be real and to visit the bookshop and lost into its book pages as the characters do!
The characters ( Hallie and Dimitry) can’t be close to the heart than any other book characters in recent times! It feels like the author described me and all the book lovers I met in my life as characters!
The conversation between them made me feel Deja Vu! I am dying to have such conversations with my fellow book lovers, but after some time it seems too repeated and too much of dose even for the book lovers!
The messages from books and the way it made people catch up are lovable, dreamy yet unbelievable!
And even the way Hallie manages to run a shop without any prior experience seems too good to be true in practical ways but the way the story travels made us forget about it
The storyline is very simple and often predictable so the way Hallie reacted to the truth is made my eyes rolled out! Is it really necessary to have such a drama in that lenient story? Why can’t Dimitry simply explained it and made a deal with his brother on the spot? I felt it’s an unnecessary drama and it’s my least favorite part.
Other than this I thank the author to capture the world of the book lovers their emotions, their dreams in a most precise way! Must read for all the book lovers!
Quotes from the book :
"Because books can change lives and make people feel not alone when they most desperately need it."
"I always believe something most wonderful is about to happen."
"There will always be something to look forward to even if it’s only the knowledge that things will get better."
Set in a small Cotswold village, the story of Hallie, the Once Upon a Page Bookshop, and her resident friend /artist / booklover Dmitri and the goldfish Heathcliff is simply a MUST READ for everyone. Book lovers will instantly relate to Hallie and Dmitri, their quirkiness, their love of reading and the transformative power of books, and with a little mystery involving dedications and notes written inside the covers of the many used books in the shop – an utter delight.
That’s all – the entire review. Grab this book if
You’ve ever turned ‘One more chapter’ into ‘oops time to get up and go to work’
You have at least one (and most probably more) books with you at all time – in no particular order because you never know what you’ll want to read in the moment.
Your TBR pile is inconsequential when you pass a bookstore – or display – or library
You live with people who don’t understand that Reading is a THING
Your FB feed is full of books, sales, authors and new reads …
You love the idea of love being eternal, and enjoy famous literary couples from the classics,
You can still remember favorite childhood books, and aren’t afraid to re-read them and share them with others – adults or children
You're tired of the news cycle and want to feel like you can meet more of “your people” without the social distancing restrictions.
You just love a good story and want another one.
A favorite read for all the above reasons, the heart, the laughs, the struggles and the growth. Go – grab it now. I promise you won’t regret it – and may even thank me for the recommendation!
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Review first appeared at <a href=” https://wp.me/p3OmRo-aHh /”> <a> I am, Indeed </a>
Hallie has bumbled her way through her life until, at 34, she has just been fired from a job she hates, flat shares with a student who eats her food, and lives her life through the books she reads. Until she opens the email from Robert, the owner of Once Upon A Page bookshop, telling her that she has won the raffle to become the new owner.
As an avid reader myself, I could really empathise with the main characters love of books and reading, and the comfort it gives to just lose yourself in a really good book. The description of the bookshop is definitely the sort of place book lovers would want to spend time in. Add in a budding romance with a good looking man, who bakes, I was hooked. Most readers have books they love from their childhood (Heidi & Black Beauty for me), and used books often have dedications in them that intrigue the new owner. A lovely gently moving read, which I tried to read slowly to savour it.
Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in return for an honest review.
I am a huge fan of this author's books and after reading this one, I am once again transported to whatever world she creates, with a big smile on my face.
Poor Hallie has been drifting from one dead-end job to another, never settling anywhere for very long as her clumsiness always gets in the way. Luckily for her, she wins a bookshop in a raffle. As you do. Seriously though, this is a bookshop where she has spent many happy hours and the owner, Robert, is getting a bit on the elderly side to keep up with what needs to be done so he decides to give it away to a good, new owner. Hallie discovers that this particular bookshop seems to come with its own artist-in-residence, in the form of Dimitri - a nerdy, clumsy fella with a heart of gold. Naturally enough, we figure that perhaps Dimitri and Hallie might end up together, but these two are pretty complex and the true path of love never runs smooth.
I loved this book, it gave me all the feels. Dimitri was such a caring and yet troubled fella, I just wanted to put my arms around him and give him a big hug. I also felt that Hallie didn't have a lot of people in her corner either, especially at the beginning of the book, and yet she was courageous and hard-working and deserved all the good things that came her way. I was shouting encouragement the whole way for these two!
5 stars from me, of course.
Thank you to NetGalley and HQ Digital.
Finished the book 10 minutes ago and I'm still smiling! This is definitely one of the cutest stories I've ever read. Anyone who loves reading can't help but fall in love with Hallie, a down-on-her-luck 30-something with a meddling mother and one dead-end job after another. She wins a bookshop and her life is never the same. As a lover of books, I now want to own a cute bookshop, preferably on a quaint cobblestone street in England. Oh well, one can dream! This was a terrific escape read, one that I would recommend to anyone who has a love for books and the incredible stories they tell.
An absolutely perfect book for bookworms and those believing in that magic feeling a book can give you. At school i hated text books with writing in them, however there does seem to be something special about finding messages written inside a novel or in a gifted book and that is what we discover at The Little Bookshop of Love Stories. One seemingly unlucky lady, who is an avid bookworm, wins the bookshop that she loves in a raffle. I recommend you read this book to follow Hallies story and to be part of that dream of owning your own bookshop.
A beautifully written light hearted read. A love story set in a book shop is a perfect combination. I loved Hallie and Dimitri’s story and their marketing campaign.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.
A brilliant perfectly loving read. If you need a book to change your views of love or anything then this is for you.
We start with Hallie who is accident prone and is always losing her job from her clumsiness, this being her waitressing. Just as she has given up, she gets an email that shes acquired the local bookshop along with a flat... set in the beautiful village of the cotswolds, theres always someone who wants to rain on your parade and that's the local businessman who wants that failing bookshop. Hallie is under terms and conditions for the bookshop to keep hers but she loves books and wants to keep it but it's not exactly a busy bustling bookshop.the accounts arent great.. but she has hioe when theres an artist who comes to help her out as all the books are on the wrong shelves but theres an underlying reason to stay in the bookshop with all the love shes finding written inside them and with the help of the artist she starts to find those who wrote in the books for the happy ending..
Hallie mother is one woman who wants the best for her daughter and is trying to get her with every single man whether hes gay or old as long as he has a pulse.
I loved the relationship hallie has with the artist.. her relationship with the the shop owner is just brilliant. She travels all the way to cornwall for the answers she needs. Heathcliff the goldfish goes on the travels with her.
I loved the setting, the writing and I was kept hooked after 2 chapters. Brilliant read.
My thoughts
Narrative and Plot
The Little Bookshop of Love Stories is a simple and adorable love story in the backdrop of a book shop. It is a treat for any book lover. Hallie speaks for all those book lovers who cannot articulate their love of books into words. And to find a perfect book boyfriend in Dimitry, who also bakes is just the fairy tale that you can swoon over. The writing style and tone of the book is so refreshing that you want to come back for more.
The plot is straightforward and simple. It is predictable and yet that doesn’t stop you from reading it. Because if you’re in the mood for a sweet romance, then carefully balance that tray of cookies while you cuddle up in a corner with this book.
Characters and Conflicts
Hallie is thirty-five and she has never had any particular luck in life, before. And then she is the winner of this bookshop that comes with a flat. So when luck comes it is always in bundles. Hallie has the will to give everything she has in this fresh start. She owns the responsibility and works hard even though she doesn’t admit it much to herself.
The clumsy, sweet and book loving protagonist is your anchor to the story. With Dimitri in the picture, and their relationship as it progresses reminds you of the Beauty and the Beast. And just when you think that, the book calls it out. The charming village and the colourful folks are all lovely to read. There is no in depth soul searching or deep hidden meanings in this one. No one should be looking for that in this book.
This is a story of people with hope and optimism. It tells the story of people who are a ray of sunshine even after encountering tremendous amount of grief. The book has a whimsical tone to it which is definitely enjoyable.
Conclusion
The story itself acknowledges that it is going to be this sweet fairy tale-ish romance. And if you’re looking for something light and fluffy with a ton of bookish references to grin at, you must read this one. And don’t forget to leave a loving message for someone once you are done.
Hallie has always had the worst luck. Whether it’s with jobs, relationships, or even keeping her plants alive. But on the same day that she’s fired from her waitressing job, Hallie gets an exciting email that she is the winner of the Once Upon A Page Bookshop! It’s a dream come true for Hallie, who has always wanted to own a bookstore. Even knowing that she’s inheriting a store in financial trouble can’t dampen her spirits, especially when she meets handsome and funny Dimitri, and together they start posting the hidden inscriptions forgotten inside the used books in the store inside online to reunite people. But can Hallie truly trust that her luck has changed forever?
Talk about all the fuzzy and warm feelings! Though a little unbelievable, the idea of a bookstore that can never be sold, but only given to another book lover when the time is right, is super endearing. I’m not sure there’s a bookworm in the entire universe who wouldn’t dream of winning ownership over a bookshop!
But beyond the cute bookshop, this was also just a fun story. I loved how obvious the author’s own love of books is in this novel. There were numerous references to other novels, both classics and modern tales, and the use of inscriptions in the books to recreate love stories was heart warming. I’m sure any true bookworm will want to go through their own used books collection, looking for inscriptions after they read this book!
Hallie and Dimitri were also just really likeable characters. I live for witty banter, and Admans did it so well with these two characters! There were multiple times when I found myself laughing out loud at something one of them said (usually Dimitri!).
I do wish we had been given more time with Hallie’s family. They were pretty invisible for most of the book, and I wish they had had a more prominent role in the whole book! Overall though, I enjoyed this read and can’t wait to read more from this author!
This book came out May 8, 2020. I would definitely recommend for a light read! Thank you to Net Galley, HQ Digital, and the author for a review copy!
I recieved a free digital edition of the book from the publisher HQ Digital via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own, no one else's and are given freely.
So i expected a cute fluffy romance and that is exactly what I got. This one took me three days to read because I just didn't care... Both Hallie and Dimitri are typical romance characters, but they were so boring.
Hallie is constantly saying throughout the book how clumsy and unlucky she is and except for the first chapter, it just isn't true, and I'm sorry tripping over over a kids toy (despite the outcome) isn't a sackable offense surely since it's not actually her fault.
At no point is she unlucky in fact she is the luckiest person alive for the entire book - so her complaining all the time was really annoying. More back story would have probably helped and made her less annoying.
Dimitri was sweet as characters go, and honestly I thought Drake was his father, never occurred to me that he could be his brother. Why he didn't tell her everything on their date is beyond me. Despite the fact he'd kept secrets that probably would have been the best time to come out with it all.
They had a typical huge blow out, in front of a ton of customers on the actual shop floor - Drake was right, that's abismal management - her almost invisible mother and sister are Sydney there to be supportive despite never being supportive before that moment.
Robert was a dick for leaving her in the deep end - I understand why but for the love of everything, why not tell her about Drake and why not do it all sooner.
I was disappointed with the ending - it was rushed and lacked something - I wanted him to open it back up as a bakery :( an epilogue would have added to the ending so that it didn't feel rushed and like Dimitri was a totally different person in the last chapter.