Bookshop By the Sea is a sweet second-chance romance that will make for a perfect summertime read. I mean a romance novel about opening a bookshop at the beach, what more could a booklover want? Sophie and Aiden are reunited at her sisters wedding after not having seen each other since they broke up several years earlier. After the wedding, getting stranded by a hurricane forces them together. Let's just say it literally takes a storm to force them to start dealing with the storms in their own lives. Although there are plenty of fun and sweet moments in the story, readers also go alongside Sophie and Aiden as they face abandonment issues, miscommunications and misunderstandings, and learning how to face their problems instead of running from them.

Since I call North Carolina home, I was excited for Denise Hunter to set another book here in this fabulous state. Also, I might have gotten a bit excited for a cameo appearance of some characters from her Bluebell Inn series. If you haven't read the Bluebell series, it won't ruin anything. But if you have, you just might be as giddy as I was.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this novel. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Ever since her mother died and her father abandoned the family, Sophie Lawson had been acting as both a mother and a sister to her siblings, Jenna and Seth. Now her younger sister is getting married, Seth has got a job and Sophie is going to open up a book shop but gets a surprise when the best man at the wedding was Aidan, her ex boyfriend who dumped her many years ago.

I really enjoyed reading this book! The book was warm, funny and I do like the relationship between Sophie and Aidan, that Aidan still finds that he had feelings for Sophie still. The writing was engaging and I was hooked into the story and vouched for both Sophie and Aidan to get back together!!! Though the ending is predictable, nonetheless it is a cure romantic love story set in a small town in North Carolina, and how a storm actually brought these two former love birds together.

I really enjoyed reading this book so worth four stars! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book--the review is based on my honest opinion.

Another bookshop novel! I love this trend! And isn't that a charming cover?

Our heroine is a dedicated, giving, maternal older sister who saw her family through some tough hardships. I liked her strengths but it was tough watching her family members take advantage of her willingness to help them. The hero saw through their manipulation but our heroine needed to learn to set boundaries. It was a little hard to believe she would parent/nurture her twin, but since he let her, that makes it more believable. Age isn't always a factor where need and roles are concerned.

The bookshop setting is a favorite, both to write and to read!

The hero’s sense of humor and sarcasm were fun and once again, Denise delivers a strong story. She includes insightful nuggets about how to treat others and how God sees us, which I highlighted. I'd quote them, except I read the ARC, and the wording may have been changed in the editing phases.

Our hero is trying to outrun abandonment, which was a theme throughout, and an issue for each. Overcoming it will take courage and honesty and even transparency. Readers will relate if they’ve had to overcome a past wound.

Another theme was how the heroine gave herself in the care for others, but neglected herself, even putting her own life at risk to do something for them that they could learn to do for themselves. People often take the easy way out if you let them.

I liked how Denise tackled relatable issues in a delightful, seaside bookshop location. This is a charming and enjoyable read.

I received a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest opinions.

Denise Hunter is back with a sweet romance filled with engaging characters, second chances and…books (plus there’s a cameo from a character from her previous series).

In Bookshop by the Sea, Sophie and Aiden are brought back together not once, but twice. As the two are forced to spend time together, old hurts and resentments are set aside and attraction simmers again. We learn what drove them apart the first time around and the obstacles facing them now.

While bookshop is in the title, we don’t really see it until the middle of the book, but once there, it’s as inviting as the book cover. Hunter always delivers heartwarming romances with subtle elements of faith that organically weave through the story, and this novel is no exception.

Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Bookshop by the Sea by Denise Hunter is a sweet Christian romance. It contains Denise Hunter’s conversational writing style which draws the reader into the book. The book has realistic characters. I like that the characters were not perfect. It gave them a chance to learn from their mistakes and grow. I just love Pippa, Sophie’s dog. She was such a sweetie. I enjoyed the descriptions of the Piper’s Cove. It sounded like a quaint town where I want to live. The residents are just great. This is a special community where people help each other in time of need. They are a welcoming bunch. Sophie had a vision for the bookshop that was special. I could relate to her love of books. My favorite phrase from Bookshop by the Sea came from Sophie when she said, “I love how books can transport you to another place.” For those who love Christian romances, you will thoroughly enjoy this charming tale. While it is a lovely story, it is predictable and there are repetitive details. I like how the Christian elements were woven into the book. There are good life lessons learned by our characters. We see that we are never too old to learn from our mistakes and change our ways. I appreciated the epilogue that nicely wrapped up the book. Bookshop By the Sea is a story about healing, forgiveness, realizing dreams, and second chances.

Sophie and Aiden get their second chance at love. Will it all work out or will their unwillingness to change send them down the same path?
I love Sophie's love for her family. She stepped up, way up, to take care of everyone else, and now it's her turn to grab her dreams...which Aiden is not part of. Aiden had a great part in this story. I enjoyed seeing him take responsibility for his past actions and try to make things right. Their relationship felt genuine and the sparks certainly flew every time they were on the page together. And when you're trapped together during a hurricane, that's a lot. Sophie has a passion for the bookshop that drove her and she faced every hurdle with the kind of grace I wish I had.
I received a copy of the book from NetGalley. I was not required to leave a positive review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Bookshop by the Sea is the latest offering by Denise Hunter. Sophie Lawson, older sister of Jenna, twin to Seth, has been the one her siblings turn to for their sanity since their mother became severely disabled from her fight with MS and their father simply left. For years, Sophie gave up her own plans and dreams to care for her family. Less than a year ago Sophie’s mother succumbed to the disease. Since then, Sophie has been organizing her sister’s wedding and putting in place the plans she and her mother put together for her bookshop by the sea, both in Piper’s Cove, NC.

Once the wedding is over, Sophie will be able to move on, right? But the wedding will be like running a gauntlet, keeping their father away from her brother and being maid of honor with best man Aiden Maddox, the one who broke her heart seven years ago.

When the wedding and reception are complete and the bride and groom have left on their Bahamas honeymoon, Sophie is happy to kick off her shoes and begin the clean up of the outside area of the groom’s family’s home where the festivities were held and Sophie will be staying as she prepares her shop and upstairs apartment for the special grand opening and book release in just two weeks. At least that’s the plan!

What really happens is a hurricane that targets Piper’s Cove and cancels some flights. Unfortunately, Aiden’s flight is one of them. Although Aiden is ready and willing to help get ready for the coming storm, Sophie would rather face the storm alone than be holed up to face the storm with Aiden.

There are many twists and turns in the next few days, all of which lead Aiden to staying to help Sophie with her shop. But when her grand opening and book release from North Carolina’s own Nathaniel Quinn come to pass, Aiden is far away. Had he been wrong about Sophie and had she equally been wrong about him?

In this well woven story, Denise Hunter has presented her readers with a complex tale of human emotion, devotion, and the evolution of a family. I very much enjoyed this book and I do recommend it!

This made me want to open up a bookshop by the sea in a small coastal town and fit into the community. But then I remember that I'm not the biggest fan of the beach and I don't have the finance to do such a thing. This book gave me a great escape from reality and I really enjoyed it. Sophie was such a great character and it was great to see her realise she needed to stand up for herself and have the courage to do so. She had put her dreams on hold for so long and she was going to make them happen despite all the challenges that happened along the way. I will admit it took me a while to warm up to Aidan but you could tell his heart was in the right place and he was going through his own battles. I liked seeing Aidan and Sophie work together and rebuild their friendship. The story was beautiful and if this doesn't make you want to open up your own bookshop by the sea I don't know what will.

Bookshop by the Sea is out now and is well worth buying.

Denise Hunter's done it again!

The story's premise has some general similarities to Summer by the Tides. It's good, though it sometimes reads more like a women's fiction novel than romance. Still, I've yet to read a book by Denise Hunter that I didn't enjoy, & this one is no exception!

*Romance level: passionate kisses

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Denise Hunter has once again knocked it out of the ballpark once again. This book will move you to your core, I know it did me. Denise's storytelling is spot on and riveting. I could not put it down until I finished it and it was well worth the time. Denise weaves together a fantastic storyline with relatable characters (I know it's relatable because Sophie's and Aiden's story sort of mirrored my own life). You will not regret picking this book up.

This book is appropriate for all ages.

Bookshop by the Sea was such a wonderful story! I was amazed at how quickly both Sophie and Aiden burrowed into my heart. I loved the way they were thrown together during the wedding and the hurricane, forcing them to confront their painful breakup from seven years earlier.

This was a beautiful second chance love story. I liked that both Aiden and Sophie began to realize how much they cared for each other and the way Aiden’s decision to stay and help Sophie get the bookshop ready showed that he was not the same person that he used to be. However, both Aiden and Sophie had some things in their personal lives that needed to be addressed in order for a future together to be a real possibility. Their path to happily-ever-after included some painful moments, which made it all the more realistic. Their journey back to each other was a beautiful one.

I loved this story from start to finish and it is definitely one that I will read again and again.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Bookshop by the Sea
By Denise Hunter
Rating: 4.5/5

Another winner from Denise Hunter! If you’re looking for a good beach read, this is the book for you. It has some serious moments but also some lighthearted ones too. The chemistry between the two main characters is electric but their personal issues are also real and relatable.

Sophia Lawson dreads seeing her ex-boyfriend, Aiden Maddox, when he shows up for the wedding of her little sister, Jenna, and his friend, Grant. It’s been years but when she sees him, she still gets butterflies. After the wedding, Sophia has plans to renovate and open her bookshop in a short amount of time in order to have a grand opening with a book signing of Nathaniel Quinn’s newest release. When Aiden isn’t able to leave right away due to a hurricane, he must stay at the same house as Sophia until he get home. Stuck in the same house with Aiden doesn’t help her feelings but Sophia is determined to go through with the plans for her bookshop. When an accident occurs, Aiden decides to stick around and help Sophia get her shop ready for the grand opening event. Can Sophia trust that Aiden won’t leave again? Can Aiden face his fears that he’s not good enough for Sophia?

Denise Hunter is such a talented writer and I always love to read what she writes. She never disappoints and her characters are alway interesting and authentic. Despite his struggles in school, Aiden was still able to be successful with the encouragement of Sophia and the right partnership. Not everyone can go to college or finish college but Aiden didn’t let that deter him from pursuing his dreams. I did get so frustrated with Sophia’s twin brother, sister and father and the way they treated her. I was so glad that part got resolved - although, it resolved rather quickly.

Highly recommend if you enjoy Christian fiction with romance and second chances.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No positive review was expected and no compensation received.

Wow, I sure love this cover and I would sure love to go to this bookshop by the sea. Actually, I'd love to own a bookshop just like this and be like Sophie. Books and the beach should always go together. At least for me.

Sophie and Seth have a history together. An unresolved, wounded history, at least for Sophie. I liked Seth's determination to get to the root of it and work it out. He was really trying to understand and fix things. Sophie is so soft hearted and had given up so much of her life for her family. I loved her dream for a bookshop and how hard she worked to achieve that goal. The characters were real, flawed and easy to like.

I loved watching Seth and Sophie unravel the past and the present together. It wasn't easy but it was worth it. For them and for me as a reader. Very satisfying. I really enjoyed this one. 4/5 stars

Content: kissing,

- I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

This was a beautiful story of family dynamics, love, loss, abandonment, and dreams. I did not wnat the book to end and I could not storp reading it. Sophie had given up so much for her family, while taking care of her mom, especially after her father abandoned his family. I liked that she was finally getting to see her hopes and dreams come true with her bookshop.

I also felt her love story with Aiden came full circle as they both dealt with their pasts and their fears of abandonment ane tried to be there for each other.

The bookshop by the sea sounded wonderful. What more could one want with books, the ocean, and the sun? I really liked the small, quaint, beach town of Piper's Cove and how they all came together to help bring Sophie's dream to life when she needed their help.

This was such a fun, romantic story but it was so much more than that. I would definitely recommend it to my friends to read. I received an advance copy of this book and I willingly chose to write an honest review.

Bookshop by the Sea is a glorious read. I picked it up too early for beach season, but reserve the right to read it again in the summer.

Sophie Lawson is a dream heroine. Her flaw – being all together too kind to others. This manifests itself by turning Sophie into a doormat for her family, but not one without a spine. After missing out on college to care for her dying mom and effectively raise her siblings, Sophie isn’t down or out. Not, she’s opening her dream bookstore, on a deadline and a shoestring.

First, she’s got to get through her little sister’s wedding, complete with the man who broke her heart as the best man. Nothing could prepare her for seeing Aiden Maddox again, not even the hurt she wear like anger to protect herself from falling in love all over again.

Aiden never stopped loving Sophie but couldn’t miss out on his dream shot to run an extreme sports business. The move cost him his heart but he left without knowing Sophie’s father had also abandoned the family on the same day.

As a hurricane tears through town, Aiden feels compelled to stay and help Sophie clean up the damage and save the shop. Risking his heart in the process.

This is a brilliantly crafted and beautifully delivered second chance romance. I especially liked the little cameo from Hunter’s previous series. Highly recommend this book and can’t wait for next release..

Visit Denise Hunter’s website…

For my review of Denise Hunter’s last series, click here…

This is a well written second chance romance! Sophia Lawson had to grow up early and was wise beyond her years. She knew even in high school that she met the one. Life doesn't always go as planned. Aiden Maddox was not someone you would call smart but an outside the box thinker. When offered an opportunity to make something of himself, he took the chance. Sophia's sister is getting married and the groom's best man is her first love. Thankfully to a storm, they are forced to talk about everything and ask for forgiveness. Old habits die hard. Each are have issues to deal with. The town of Piper Cove is a small community and when one is in trouble, they all come together. It takes a dust up to clear the cobwebs. No more living inside your head. The ending was perfect.

The last third of Bookshop by the Sea took the novel from a pleasant but predictable beachside second-chance romance to an engrossing story that delved into the past that made Sophie bend over backwards to do her siblings' bidding and Aiden all too eager to give up when faced with any obstacle to a committed relationship.

The local and loyal community, the cute dog, and the hurricane brewing all lend themselves to a sweet romantic escape.

Sophie and Aiden's tale of broken hearts will definitely hold you captive. This is a very interesting book with some twists and turns. If you like sweet Hallmark/Lifetime movies, this will definitely be up your alley. It's a little predictable, but that makes it an easy read to enjoy in your free time.

#BookshopByTheSea #Netgalley

Sophie, is a people pleaser, especially when it comes to her family. When her younger sister gets married, she makes sure everything is perfect, while dodging her ex boyfriend Aiden. With the wedding out of the way, Sophie can finally focus on opening her bookshop, a dream about to become a reality. With a hurricane heading towards town and an unexpected roommate, the demands of her family, something is bound to happen. I really enjoyed this last installment in the series.

This was a sweet second chance love story! I loved the setting of the beach and the bookstore, two of my favorite things together! The community of people she met were amazing and really rallied around her in her time of need. I hope we get stories about some of them in the future! Sophie and Aiden reconnected and realized their feelings never disappeared but they might just have some of the same issues as before. I actually was pretty frustrated with Sophie as she kept doing favors for her siblings and even her dad when she was incredibly busy and even to the detriment of her health and safety and they didn't seem to care. She definitely had some problems with boundaries. They both were dealing with some abandonment issues because of a parent but in different ways. They also both were people of faith but not perfect as God was still working on them. It was fun to see a couple of old friends from Denise Hunter's previous series. I would recommend this book if you enjoy love stories.

I received a kindle copy of this book free from NetGalley. I was not compensated for this review. All opinions are my own.