This follows the story of Thea, a forty something woman going through a very difficult time in her life. Her husband of nearly two decades has left her for one of her close friends. At the same time she finds herself without a job, and completely lost. She soon learns that her great uncle in Scotland passed away and left her a house and a huge collection of antique books. She decides to leave her home for a few weeks. Escaping to a rural town in the middle of Scotland where no one knows who she is seemed to be exactly what she needed. This is where she meets Edward, a grumpy bookshop owner to whom she hopes to sell her uncle’s books. 
Overall thoughts: 
I had high hopes for this one but unfortunately I didn’t deliver for me. I loved the setting and the overall premise. The writing was okay, but the story was a little slow and boring at times. Thea’s character was not bad, but at the same time nothing memorable. I didn’t care at all about her love interest, Edward. I thought some of his actions were extremely juvenile and immature. It didn’t feel like I was reading about a 40 year old. This had so much potential and I really wanted to love this but in the end it just fell flat for me.

A huge thanks to NetGalley and Randomhouse for this eARC in exchange of an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

This review will be posted on Goodreads and Instagram.

This book started a bit slow... but soon I found myself unable to put it down. Absolutely enjoyed it - think Evvie Drake but set in cozy/rainy/delightful Scotland. This book is a slow burn romance.... which I really enjoyed. Thea lives in England and is fresh from a breakup with her husband (he was sleeping with her friend, so divorce is coming), has to move out of her house, lost her job and suddenly finds out she inherited a Scottage cottage and small sum of money from a great Uncle she rarely saw. Thea packs her bags and heads North not knowing what to expect in the sleepy little country Scot town. Add a dusty bookshop and grumpy owner, who just so happens to have his own family drama but isn't terrible looking - I loved this book. A HUGE win for me was the main character was SO MATURE AND REAL. Multiple times we get that she is really struggling with her inner self, what is right and how to protect her heart. I loved that she was careful and always weighing her options. This cover and title and characters were everything I could ever want in a book.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a fair and equitable review.

I love a story about starting over. I love books. I love stories set in Scotland. Add those together and you've got this book.

I enjoyed that the lead characters were a bit older! It's a great chic lit beachy fun read.

#TheBookshopofSecondChances #NetGalley

When Thea finds out that her husband has cheated on her with one of her friends after years of marriage, she is completely at a loss as to what to do with her life. She has agreed to let her husband live in their old home with his new partner, leaving her without a home or her old belongings. Suddenly, she finds out that not only has her great-uncle passed away, but that he has left her the entirety of his belongings, including a house in rural Scotland. Seeing this as a chance for her to have a break away from running into her old husband and the hearing the gossip of their mutual friends, Thea leaves to sort through her deceased uncle's belongings and the shredded remains of her life.

While in the little town in Scotland, she begins to make friends and decides to remain for the summer and try to find a job to fill her time. She applies at the local bookstore run by the the town grump, Edward Maltravers. Edward also happens to be a former lord who gave up his title for a more modest life and despises the rich lifestyle and his brother. As Thea finds a pleasant place for herself in her newly found home, she also finds herself warming to her cantankerous boss who refuses to find a reason to enter into a relationship for more than physical gratification. Will they be able to find room in their damaged hearts to try for love again, or will Thea let her past keep her from moving forward?

For the most part, I enjoyed this book. I had a hard time finding Edward's character empathetic after he revealed how he gotten revenge on his brother for twenty years after Charles played a cruel prank on him as teenagers. It seemed an extreme reaction to ruin his brother's happiness for twenty years over something stupid he did at sixteen. However, I did get over it as Edward redeemed himself, thanks in large part to Thea's influence on him, and the rest of the story resumed being a lovely read.

Any book that is set in a bookshop automatically jumps to the top of my list...add in Scotland and a main character who is a bit more mature? I'm sold! I did struggle at points to connect with the writing style and I would have liked to see more depth to the relationship between the main characters. I found it to be predictable in the way a romance novel typical is, but it was a fun breezy read that has me antsy to travel again!

When I read the synopsis for this book, I was worried it would be kind of blah and forgettable, because it seems like the plot of so many other books.

But honestly, I really loved this book. It's unique and tender and funny and swoony and lovely. It took me a bit to get into it, but once grumpy Edward was on the scene, I was hooked. Such an enjoyable read.

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. After a split with her husband and a surprise inheritance, Thea moves to the Scottish coast to make sense of things and deal with the house she inherited. She gets a job at the local bookshop and gets in between feuding brothers. I thought the story was predictable, but that was ok for me. It reminded me of The Bookshop on the Corner meets Bridget Jones's Diary. I liked the characters in the town, and it was really fun to imagine her work at the bookshop and turning her relative's house into something useful. Once I started the book, it was hard for me to put it down. Ultimately, this was 3 stars for me because it was fun and just fine.

I really liked this book. It was a great story about what to do when things fall apart, finding love later in life and how to go on when you're not part of a couple anymore. Who are you when you're no longer half of a couple, when your whole identity feels like it's been entwined with someone else's?

The story itself was very introspective and I liked seeing things through Thea’s eyes. Despite the fact that she’s older, she still carries some youthful insecurity since she hasn't dated in almost 20 years. There is not a whole lot of action in the storyline because what really propels this story forward is the journey of Thea finding contentment with herself and her life. I find the main love interest to be surly and entertaining, and for a while, like Thea, not really sure what to make of him. I did like how things eventually progressed (although I could have used more steam, I think the writer shied away from the physical intimacy with them and I would have liked to see more of it)

Most of the story takes place in Scotland and I found myself looking up objects and faraway places, I love that.

Overall I really liked this book and I would recommend it, especially to a 30+ audience

I'll be posting my review on my instagram page when the book is published on May 4th (@booksta.luv), for now i've just posted my review to goodreads.

I’m sorry. I was able to get through this book because of the infidelity.. The writing before I had to stop was great and the character development started from page one.

This was exactly what I had hoped it would be. It is an entertaining and fun read which allowed me an escape for all the going ons of today. A well written story that moved as a good pace to keep me engaged and with Thea and character I liked and could root for.
I found the book very refreshing and different for so many others offered in this day and age.
Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the early release addition of this littlle gem in exchange for my honest thoughts.

There’s nothing better than an grumpy romantic lead with a heart of mush, and it’s nice to see a love story between people over the age of 30 who have real flaws. For something a little different that gives you all the right feels, look no further.

👍🏼Well put me on a plane to Scotland right now because this is the most charming town ever. And anything involving books always makes me happy. I’m pretty sure I could spend an entire day in Edwards bookstore and be quite content. Thea’s character seemed liked someone I’d enjoy hanging out with and talking books.

👎🏼All of the relationships in this book seemed toxic - even Thea’s new love. It moved a little slowly and was pretty predictable.

🤷🏼‍♀️Despite the great setting and fun premise, the book felt a bit heavier than I expected. A nice light read but nothing memorable. If you’re looking for a closed door romance with lots of book talk thrown in, this is the book for you, otherwise I’d place at the bottom of the TBR pile.

Thank you @netgalley and Ballantine books for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

https://www.instagram.com/sarahandherbookworms/

This is a fun women's literature novel that was a very quick read. I liked the fact that the protagonist is an older woman (in her 40s) and I enjoyed the spunk and frankness of her character and thought the way she was coping with divorce seemed realistic. There may be a few weaknesses with some of the plot points such as Edward's character (hard to reconcile his behavior and actions to who he becomes and the plot point when he fires Thea) and the relationship between Edward and Charles (the brothers' dislike for one another seemed over the top), but I enjoyed this thoroughly entertaining novel and found the Scotland setting and language added to it's charm.

The Bookshop of Second Chances by Jackie Fraser was the perfect balance of renewal, heart wrenching, hilarious, and satisfying. Thea Mottram has experienced multiple challenges but gets an unexpected windfall. After losing both her job and her husband to a very public affair, she finds out she has inherited a Scottish estate. With no intent to reinvent herself she ends up doing just that. What follows is a redemptive journey showing that just because you are over 40, your life is far from over,

We are introduced to a wonderful Austen like hero, the brooding and grumpy owner of the local bookshop in Thea’s new Scottish coastal village. Edward has refused the title and chosen to live a solitary life. But, his plans are disrupted by the fabulous Thea. What follows is truly some of the most delightful and deliciously satisfying dialogue between Thea and Edward. The gyrations between Thea and Edward will have you rooting that they can find their own happily ever after, but it is far from a sure thing.

There are also delightful casts of characters, long held family drama, and gorgeous descriptions of landscapes that transport you in a time when travel is challenging. This book has it all!

Jackie Fraser is a debut author, and she did not disappoint; she engaged me fully from page one and tugged at my heartstrings! She provides the perfect blend to keep the reading engaged and characters that will not be soon forgotten. I was provided a free advance reader copy from Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine Books in exchange for my honest review on Net Galley. The opinions shared in this review are my own.

The Bookshop of Second Chances by Jackie Fraser is both a tale of bookish delight and second-chance love amidst the backdrop of a small, coastal Scottish town. When Thea discovers her husband has cheated on her with her best friend and her uncle has left her a home in his will, Thea moves to Scotland. There she takes a job in a bookstore owned by Edward, a modern day equivalent of Mr. Darcy. I highly enjoyed The Bookshop of Second Chances for its delightful rom-com vibes as well as its bookish charm.

Thank you to Random House - Ballantine and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Bookshop of Second Chances by Jackie Fraser is a fun and light-hearted romantic comedy about a woman to heads to Scotland to work in a bookshop. I recommend it for fans of the Netflix show Emily in Paris, which is the closest thing that I can compare it to. I was excited to read this book, because I love bookshops, so I thought this would be an entertaining read in between my usual books in the fantasy and thriller genres.

The book revolves around a woman named Thea. When her great-uncle dies, she moves to Scotland to deal with his collection of antique and valuable books. She ends up working for Edward, the owner of the bookshop where she sells her uncle's collection. She also meets his brother, an actual lord, who has a sibling rivalry with Edward. Soon, she is helping boost sales through social media.

Here is a quote from Chapter Ten about Thea's social media prowess:

"There are some shops in Castle Douglas that still have their 1960s shop signs; I've been photographing them for my own Instagram. One got nearly eight hundred likes; I'm a social media maven. Ha."

I would have loved if there was more talk of the bookshop and of books in general. That was what I was expecting. Instead, most of the book is filled with dialogue that is somewhat pointless. I expected witty banter between Thea and Edward. The description makes it sound like he acts like a jerk to her initially. and that this would be an enemies-to-lovers romance. But I was surprised to find that's not the case, and he acts pretty decently to her from the beginning. Instead, the dialogue is just sort of there to take up space.

Here's a conversation between Thea and Edward from Chapter Twelve:

"Should I open this wine, then?" I ask him.
"Did you want some?"
"Not really."
"Can't drink the whole thing myself."
"You can take it home with you, can't you?"

Besides the lack of witty banter, there was also a lack of tension in the plot. There is an interesting development at the 60-65% mark, but it gets resolved quickly. Then again, I am used to reading books in genres that have more action-packed plotlines, so it might be unfair of me to expect that from a romantic comedy. Overall, The Bookshop of Second Chances is a fun, light-hearted read, and if you're a fan of rom-coms, then you should check it out when it comes out this summer!

Thea gets let go from her job and her husband leaves her. Just when it feels it can’t get any worse, she learns an uncle has died and left her a good sum.so she goes to Scotland to see where this uncle lives and discovers she likes the village. She gets a job at the book shop where the owner has already been a challenge. Fast paced yet thoughtful novel.

For anyone who likes British romances, this book is right up your alley. Thea is crushed with major life Changes. I commiserated with her angst about what's take and what's to leave from her marital home. I liked all the books Memtioned and that they were a focal point. Several scenes with Edward were quite awkward. He sneered at Mills and Boon romances. I was a faithful reader of Betty Neels for over 20 years so I laughed at that sentence. Thea's emotions were messy and that's to be expected. I liked the ending a lot. It's a refreshing read.

The Bookshop of Second Chances was a quick read as it held my interest. It is a first person romance between a woman who has her heart crushed by her husband's affair and a bookshop owner that deals in first editions and rare books. She upends the bookshop owner's life and he realizes he loves her. It takes place longer thab most romances seem to. There is a conflict between Edward, the shop owner and his younger brother as Edward slept with either past girlfriends of his brother or his wife. Needless to say even that relationship improves by the end of the book. I recommend it for anyone who likes fruends to lovers books.

This book was so fun and refreshing. It was a quick paced and easy read. I love that the setting took place in Scotland. The characters were enjoyable and loved their wittiness that really kept the story going.