Maggie Banks comes to Bell River to help her friend's bookstore when she goes on maternity leave. What she think's will be an easy sell, turns out to be a lot harder after she realizes she can only sells books before a certain time because of the towns famously bookish history. When a series of mishaps suddenly tip the bookstore toward ruin, Maggie will have to get creative to keep the shop afloat. So Maggie takes a slightly unethical approach by breaking the rules and selling current books under the table. She also creates events with a twist that become a bit of a hit. Just when she think's she can get away with town secrets are exposed and Maggie will have to decide what's more important: the books that formed a small town's history, or the stories poised to change it all.

This was such a fun and enjoyable read. I loved the small town setting and the romance between Maggie and Malcom, which isn't really advertised in the blurb. The underground bookclub was so fun and the concept of re-writing classics with a genre bender is such a fun idea. I loved all the secondary characters that made the small town feel charming. I also enjoyed that Maggie didn't have herself put together and knew all the answers. She's just trying to get by like the rest of us. And sometimes spark or interest doesn't come before or after college. Sometimes it comes later.

Thanks to the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks by Shauna Robinson

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review 💕

“I was still new to reading, but being here, surrounded by people who love books - all books, not just Edward Bell’s dusty words - made me feel like I was part of a club again. ”

I’m not sure what it is, but Shauna Robinson does it again with another book about finding your voice and passion and using books to do it.

I think the overall message of this book is timely, considering the trending narrative that if you neglect to read “classical literature,” it somehow questions whether you are a “true" reader. I personally think this take is counterproductive. If you are a reader, you are a reader. And if you read, what you read has value, regardless of what genre it is or who wrote it and when. Whether you read strictly classical literature or current literature, nonfiction or fiction, or if you only stick to one genre, or if you are like me and dabble depending on your mood, there is space for all of us.

The character of Maggie had to grow on me. She was irritating in the beginning. Same with Malcolm. But as the plot picked up and Maggie began to grow bolder and more focused, I ended up loving her in the end. I hated Ralph from the beginning. But I liked how his character was used as a representation of someone so stuck in the past and their own self-interest, a person so set in their ways that they would rather censor and ban books than appeal to diverse authors or different literary needs.

And also, can you imagine only being relegated to books published before 1968? I mean, EXCUSE ME!

The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks celebrates the different types of book lovers in all of us and those of us fighting for the books we love, fighting for the authors we want, and fighting for the community we cultivate when books are involved.

Poorly written, hard to follow and little to no character development. This book was a huge disappointment.

The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks follows Maggie, a young Black woman who goes to the small town of Bell River, Maryland, where she temporarily fills the manager position at her friend Rochelle’s bookstore. Maggie is trying to figure out her place in the world and what she wants from life with her career. She sees this as an opportunity to clear her head until she decides what her next step will be.

What is so great about The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks is that it feels like a love letter to all book lovers. And it can be a way to bring in people who are not necessarily big readers. Maggie is a relatable character because she isn’t your typical book lover. When she starts working at Rochelle’s store, she meets a few interesting people, and she can’t fathom why anyone would want to devote so much of their time to books.

Maggie assumed she’d just be going in, managing the store, and selling various books all day. When she learns she can’t sell books from this century or even books published after 1968 which is when the town’s literary figure Edward Bell, died that changes her outlook. What’s the fun of reading if you’re being told what you can and cannot read? Working in a bookstore that limits what I can share with other readers would be painful for someone who loves to read.

Throughout Maggie’s time at the bookstore and in Bell River, as she gets to know the people, she starts to realize they, too, are not so happy being stuck in the past. Everything centers on Edward Bell, and he’s viewed as this god-like figure. And he’s, of course, a white man, making him all the more influential and appealing to tourists who hear about the “great Edward Bell” and his achievements. The people think he was a feminist icon when nothing could be further from the truth.

Though the people of Bell River are not interested in continuing to spread the gospel according to Edward Bell, they do it because it means job security. Everyone is afraid of losing their businesses if Ralph, who happens to be Edwards’s grandson and leader of the Bell Society, were to find out they were doing anything that went against him. That includes selling books. Maggie’s arrival shakes things up in a big way.

When Maggie doesn’t seem to be following the rules the way Ralph wants her to, he drastically changes the bookshop, which threatens the business for Rochelle. Maggie has to devise a plan because she can’t let her friend lose her shop. That decision is to start secretly selling banned books and hosting private book events.

The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks gave me so many good feelings because Robinson does a great job describing what book events are like. Any person who has ever been to the smaller ones will be able to picture each one that Maggie hosted vividly. I felt nostalgic reading Maggie’s trip to her first book convention because I could feel how much her thoughts on books and book lovers were being changed.

While I would not call The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks a romance, some romance was thrown in. One of the people in town Maggie gets closest to is a guy named Malcolm, who works for Ralph as his resident tattletale. That’s not me being mean. Maggie literally calls him a tattletale. Because he works for the Bell Society, he’s tasked with checking in on all the businesses to ensure everyone is sticking to the ways of Edward Bell.

Unlike Maggie, Malcolm is an avid reader. They are on two different pages when they come into each other’s lives. He’s very much set in his ways, including maintaining Ralph’s standards regarding the Bell Society. Maggie brings a new way of thinking into his world, and the two of them form a book club of their own. His goal is to get her to read more and realize how much books impact a person’s life. She wants him to not only read books out of his comfort zone but also have him do activities involving exploring life outside Bell River.

If you’re planning to read The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks because you think it will be a story that focuses on books by Black authors being banned, this isn’t that. While it does have moments where it’s clear Robinson is talking about Black authors’ works not being sold, and there is a brief mention of the bookstore only carrying books that are slave narratives, the story doesn’t lean into that. Most of the focus on what’s banned is things like Romance, fantasy, and books that are thrillers.

It’s pretty safe territory which was somewhat surprising only because this book is about a Black woman working in a bookstore with such antiquated practices. Her friend Rochelle is also a Black woman who had to deal with that for years. I understand this book is more on the rom-com side, so I can see why the author chose not to make that one of the focal points. The story still gets the message that our voices are one of the most powerful things we have; if enough people get together and use those voices, they can make a difference.

Meet Maggie, a bit of a loose canyon. She has been living with her parents, isn't married, doesn't have children and just doesn't know where her life is going. Well she is about to find out.

Yes Maggie is a bit of a rule breaker on the side. And a very loveable one really. She doesn't do straight boring things. Well even up until this point she hasn't been much of a reader. And now she is looking after a bookshop for her friend for a few months while said friend is on maternity leave.

It's not long before Maggie is turning things upside down in the town. Take for a start the staid, only sells classics, from a certain era bookshop. It's about to be turned about. Or what about the curmudgeon who lives above the shop, he doesn't really talk to anyone. He has bargained without Maggie.

In point of fact, Maggie discovers things, she makes friends, maybe even starts a relationship with Malcolm. And she discovers where her talents lie.

I was a bit dubious at the beginning of the book but by the end I was a big Maggie fan and everything she did to sort out life in Bell River. Life is never going to be the same there and thank goodness for that.

Since graduating from college, Maggie has never found the career she wanted. When her college bestie asks Maggie to come east and work in her family's bookshop while she's on maternity leave, Maggie takes her up on her offer.

The bookshop has weird rules which make no sense. After meeting a romance author, Maggie comes up with a book event but has to plan it covertly. It's a rousing success, and Maggie finds a way to sell forbidden and banned books from the shop, covertly. The bookshop is doing well, but the secret is hard to keep, especially from the man who has piqued her interest, and the man who controls everything related to Bell River's literary icon.

Finding a secret initially seems the answer, but making it public could ruin the town's tourism business which so many rely on. With help from others, Maggie finds a way to reveal the truth and save the town.

A book rich with literary activism, community, and a bit of romance which will warm your book-loving heart.

I LOVED this book. This is the first book I’ve read by Shauna Robinson, and I couldn’t get enough. She writes with honesty, and I felt like Maggie was a realistic character with realistic flaws, which doesn’t also seem to be the case in romance novels. I also loved the storyline - fascinatingly woven between old male-dominated author world and newer, women-run businesses. Gorgeous read all around.

When I picked up this book, I expected it to be a heavy commentary on the importance of reading traditionally banned books. It's... not. It's much lighter than I expected it to be given the current conversations around banned books. It was an unexpectedly fun read and one I will definitely recommend!

I don't want to give anything away in my review, so I'll highlight a few things I loved the most about this book:
-One of the overarching messages is READ. WHAT. YOU. WANT. As a fiction fan who dabbles in smut, this was a neat message to read in a book, and the message really resonated with me.
-This book has all of the small-town vibes that I LOVE. An idyllic bookshop, a colorful cast of side characters, and the evil old guy who rejects progress. Y'all... it's... perfect.
-The main character is FULL ON MILLENIAL ENERGY. I read that this book is millennial fiction which is something I didn't know I needed. Our MC, Maggie, hasn't quite figured out her path in life and spends the book trying to get it right. She also doesn't settle because society tells her something is better than nothing. We need more Maggies. I loved her drive and refusal to stick to the status quo if it didn't fulfill her.

Overall, this book was a GEM. It's a book about books that gets everything right. A quick and satisfying read for any book lovers - - especially us millennials.

Books about bookstores are a weakness for me and I really enjoyed this one. Was the storyline particularly unique? No. But the character were adorable - whether they were bubbly sunshine, curmudgeonly, or snobbish. The story was cute and I found myself chuckling often. Plus diverse characters!! Quick, enjoyable read for any reader who can't resist a book about a bookstore.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this ARC!

Don’t judge a book by it’s cover, beverage this book may start and appear to be a light read, but it is so much more, a multilayered and multidimensional read, it covers issues such racism and sexism. This book is definitely a topical read ,especially with so much debate of feminist literature and classic literature and what makes these books so, but it is still a lovely, enjoyable read with some light romance too

As soon as I see the word bookshop in a book’s title, I always want to know more and often go on to read the novel. We book lovers seem to love titles set in one of our favorite locations. That was certainly true for me in this case.

Readers will enjoy getting to know Maggie Banks. She moves to a small town to help run a friend’s bookstore. It turns out that this is a shop with rules about what can be sold. Maggie has her own ideas and begins to implement them. Will she be successful? Who should be informed about her decisions?

This is a book that, while easy to read, raises some questions about the ability to buy and read the books that we want and how bookstore agendas are set. See if you agree with the old guard who have their reasons or with Maggie.

Readers will cheer for Maggie as she begins to find herself and her voice. Her growth is something to applaud.

This book has a little of many enjoyable tropes. There are good characters, a small town a secret, a bit of romance and more.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this title. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC digital copy. I was not compensated for this review and all opinions are my own.

Bookshops and banned books are interesting topics as I am a librarian!
I enjoyed the determination Maggie demonstrated in managing the bookshop. Her creativity was a highlight. Unfortunately, the fact that she deceived so many people unnecessarily was a trigger for me and I just could not enjoy that aspect of the storyline.

3 out of 5 stars and my respect to the author.

The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks by Shauna Robinson is set in quaint Bell River, think Stars Hollow, where Maggie has moved to help out a friend, but quickly discovers the Bell Society has more rules and limits than anticipated. While filling in for her friend she manages to lose the bookstore’s main source of income, identify a new revenue stream, and accidentally lead an uprising against the most influential person in the town.

I enjoyed the quick pacing and lighthearted scenes like a farmer’s market and Halloween festival. They really sold the small town vibes. Grumpy Vernon was A++, and probably my favorite character. However, I did feel that he and many of the other characters were small town caricatures as opposed to robust characters with personality.

I loved that Maggie’s resistance to the rules began not as a plan to overthrow the current system, but rather as a way to provide the people of a community with what they wanted, specifically contemporary books. It felt realistic because Maggie hasn’t lived in the town long enough to fully understand its history and nuances, but does understand people! Maggie, in her effort to keep the bookstore profitable and support her neighbors, launches underground book events that draw in authors, community members, and general book lovers. However, the Bell Society, committed to honoring the legacy of Edward Bell cannot find out about them, or they’ll be shut down and the bookstore will be at risk of going under. Nevertheless, Maggie continues on her quest to run her underground book club and discover more about herself in the process.

I wouldn’t say that this is a political book, but it’s certainly not apolitical either. Robinson touches on a variety of social issues like landlord and tenant relationships, and control by the wealthy, while focusing on silenced voices. For example, Malcolm, who supports the Bell Society, but hopes to change it from within pointed out that by keeping to books that were popular and existed during Edward Bell’s time the town was keeping the bookstore very white. Technically, the residents of Bell River have access to any books courtesy of a distant Barnes & Noble, but it’s a great call out for how a policy can have an unintended negative effect when not considered fully, and accessibility is important for sharing diverse voices.

Initially, it’s a bit frustrating to see Maggie put herself down and feel like a failure because she’s approaching her skills all wrong. She’s hopped from job to job constantly looking for something that will be fulfilling, fit her parents’ idea of a career, pay her bills, and justify getting her degree. As a result of working at the bookstore she discovers that her perception of her talents and skills has been distorted by other people’s expectations, and she is a talented individual who just needed to find her niche and embrace her personality.

The bookish elements of this story were very fun. There were a lot of book name drops and references from both more classic literature, as well as contemporary novels. Overall the messaging and vibe is very positive and gives a sense as it ends that Bell River is becoming pro- community, pro-independent bookstores, and pro-Diversity and representation.

The ending of the novel left me wishing for a bit more. Everything magically resolved itself in that way that only books and movies about small towns can. The final decisions made about the bookstore and other places in Bell River felt like they needed a lawyer present and a bit more paperwork, but that’s the small town magic for you.

As a booklover I constantly hear those around me who do not share the same love for books as I do say that books are not for them. And to anyone that says that I will instantly be directing them to this book right here. I loved the main character Maggie more than anything and I know for a fact that many people who read this will find her relatable. I love that this book is unafraid to bring in controversy as classics are not everything. Although, I quite enjoy classics (probably why I love Malcom so much) I am a die hard for all genres including romance. The fact that this book shows that all books should be respected is a message whilst underrepresented needs to be heard. Not to mention, Robinson does an an extraordinary job in creating a variety of full-fledged characters that are intriguing and keep the plot flowing throughout something I really appreciate as there is not a single moment where I have felt bored reading this book

Thank you NetGalley and Shauna Robinson for the opportunity to read this book and to any one reading this I strongly suggest you give it a go it will be worth it.

Maggie Banks is out of a job and out of ideas as to what to do.Her best friend, Rochelle, asks her to mind her bookshop while on maternity leave. For Maggie, it is a perfect way to figure out what she really wants to do as a career.
The bookshop begins to grow on Maggie as she creates alternative ways to bring in money covertly as the bookshop is half run by the town bigwig. He states no contemporary books-only books written during the time of Edward Bell, famous author of the town and his grandfather. Hilarity ensues as Maggie plots and plans.
A darling novel full of great characters and Maggie’s fun antics.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was such a cringy book. I had to give up as the main character kept making stupid and immature choices.

Title/Author: The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks by Shauna Robinson

Publish Date: 11.01.22

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Summary: When Maggie Banks takes on a job to help out a friend, she didn’t expect to lose something important or to find herself and her place along the way to getting it back. Life works in mysterious ways, especially in Bell River, but was Maggie meant to be more than the chronic failure she feels she is? Malcolm, the bookshop, and other Bell River business owners might just be the key to figuring that out. She just has to figure out how to fix the Ralph problem first.

Review: Shauna Robinson is amazing! The whole book is clever, cute, and quirky—and I loved every minute. It’s clear just how much Robinson loves books and literature as she creates her characters’ stories.

Maggie is the most relatable character. She doesn’t know where she fits, but she finds the one place she really wants to belong and she’s willing to fight for it. She has the best intentions and often finds a way to make things fun. She’s a likable, quirky character, but she still manages to be and get better. Maggie doesn’t stay stagnant and she learns from her mistakes, even if it takes her awhile sometimes.

The other characters were just as real. Though Maggie was my favorite, Malcolm was close second with his love for rules, order, and making things better in a controlled way. Their relationship is so cute.

Really, though, what makes this book so adorable is that the romance isn’t the focus: it’s a bonus. It’s almost like a coming-of-age story for adults. Instead of writing a main character with her life put together who has to find a way to overcome some problem. Maggie comes into herself, but as she does, we see that—even as adults—it’s okay to not know what we’re doing.

The writing was fun, the tone light-hearted, and it was a cute, easy read. I liked that consequences to actions were explored because it’s easy for authors to make things go away to smooth the way for their characters. It was nice to see the results and how other characters reacted to the climax as well as its results.

Definitely a cute read to recommend for romance readers looking for low spice and a gorgeous slow burn. I’m so excited for this to publish!

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

Maggie Banks is searching for direction and purpose in life when she agrees to fill in for a friend at the bookstore she co-owns. In an attempt to keep the bookstore running despite strict limitations on the books they can carry and sell, she creates an underground bookstore catering to the much-loved genres that the local readers actually *want* to read.

At times I got frustrated with Maggie as she seemingly flitted around complaining about lack of direction while also not committing to anything. However, as she discovers a community and uncovers what she loves to do, the light begins to dawn for both her and the reader. She begins to capitalize on her strengths in ways that benefit herself, her new friends, and the town she decides to claim as her own. Overall, an enjoyable read.

I just finished this book and i'm a bit disappointed. As a young reader the book is really confusing and hard to read so this book isn't for kids but the book cover is really childish like it is for young kids. Somethings I liked about this book is that it is detailed description of things. I think that this book is just not for me. Thank you for giving me this book to read.

Shauna Robinson has created a town that I would love to live in. Not really sure of her place in the world, Maggie takes on the running of her best friends bookstore while she’s trying to figure out what to do with her life. There are lovable characters, bookish scenery and moments, and I devoured it.