I want to thank NetGalley and StMartin’s Press for allowing me to read and review The Bookshop by the Bay, written by Pamela M Kelley.
This is a feel good woman’s novel which takes place mainly in Chatham Massachusetts. It sounds like a wonderful place to live in and Ms Kelley had me practically drooling over some of the descriptions of the food.
“To mothers and best friends, forever”.
The Bookshop by the Bay publishes 06/06 2023.

I received an Advanced reader copy from Netgalley for my honest review. This novel is so well written that I felt like I was in the town of Chatham with Jess, Alison, Caitlin, and Julia. The bookshop provides a chance for new beginnings for the women. The mothers are best friends and their daughters develop a close friendship. Everyone has a relationship issue to work through. The importance of family and friends combined with following your heart opens many opportunities to all four women. I will definitely read more books by Pamela Kelley!

Stunned by her husband’s affair, Jess leaves Charleston, SC, for Chatham, MA on Cape Cod. Her daughter Caitlin, who has lost her job and her boyfriend in the same day, accompanies her. Staying with her mom, Jess reunites with her best friend and together they start a new business with a bookshop/coffee shop. Jess and Caitlin plan for this to be a summer vacation but they quickly fall in love with their new town. Pamela Kelley has done a nice job of developing the characters and the story. This is a sweet, cozy read. As a senior citizen who spent childhood vacations in Chatham, it brought back a lot of memories. I thank NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I was excited to be approved to read this book because I grew up in Chatham, and was curious about the story. A well written beach read about two lifelong friends and their two daughters.

Jess has been living in Charleston for many years, and only going to Chatham for a week or so in the summer. Her best friend Allison stayed in Chatham. When Jess finds out her husband has been cheating on her, she decides to get away, and Chatham is just the place to go. Her daughter Caitlin has just been laid off from a job, and decides to join her mother to regroup, and decide where her passion actually lies.

It was fun to read this book and recognize some of the real Chatham places, like The Squire, Red Nun, and a few others.

You can’t go wrong with a story about bookstores and this one was good! I loved the cast of characters and I never felt like it was too much to follow. I enjoyed the mother-daughter aspect of the storylines as well as the life changes and growth.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This type of review is hard for me because this book has all of the ingredients for a great read, but when put all together, it just didn't work for me.

For starters, there were just too many storylines and characters: 4 main and 5 secondary. To add to the confusion, 4 of the 9 had names starting with the letter J. I felt like each time the POV changed, (sometimes within a chapter) I had to stop and think, "wait, who is this person and how do they fit into the story?". The hardest part, however, is that the writing was very dry. It read more like a journalistic/documentary retelling of events, rather than an engaging story that draws you in and just flows. For example, 3 of the characters went out to dinner and we were given a detail accounting of the roughly 8 dishes ordered. It was choppy and obscure details were given page time instead of actual substance or character building dialogue.

There were also some predictability and believability issues. Who buys a bookstore and an out of business coffee shop and gets both up and running all in a matter of 2-3 weeks? Mind you, this was all done by people with no prior experience.

So the deal is that the premise is cute. I especially loved the idea of the mother-daughter relationships and all of the "it's never too late to start over and create your best life" vibes. However, this really felt more like a first draft to me and could really use some significant editing.

I LOVED The Hotel! When I seen another stand-alone I had to jump at the opportunity because Kelleyis becoming one of my absolute favorites!
The beautiful cover is what caught my attention first, but then reading the synopsis I knew I needed this book in my life!

The Bookshop by the Bay by Pamela M. Kelley is a beautiful and sparkling story about two lifelong friends. One bookshop by the beach. And a summer that could change everything!
Jess and Allison grabbed ahold me and sucked me straight into their story.
Even their daughters are believable, well developed beautifully written characters.
They are so likable, fun and full of wit.
Kelley's writing is fresh, engaging and so fulfilling.
Her style pulls the reader into the minds of her characters and brings them to life.
I genuinely felt so involved in their stories.
The setting and vivid descriptions were done so well as usual.
A very entertaining women’s fiction that kept me wanting more and not wanting it to end!
A beautiful story about starting over, friendship, family, a sweet romance, the bonds of mothers and daughters, and the magic of second chances.
A great unputdownable read! That was absorbing right from the start!

Now I just need to buy the Nantucket Beach Plum Cove series and all will be right!
Because after devouring this book I need more of Kelley's books in my life.

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

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a light, easy read but the story was predictable in every way. Jess and Allison are lifelong best friends. Jess is an attorney living in Charleston with her attorney husband Parker and her 30 year old daughter Caitlin. Allison is a divorced magazine editor living on Cape Cod where she and Jess grew up. She also has a 30 year old daughter Julia who owns a local jewelry store. Parker cheats on Allison with his secretary and Caitlin loses her job, so they decide to take a few months off and spend the summer on Cape Cod with Jess’s mother. The magazine Allison has been working for is struggling and going through layoffs. She wants to buy the local bookstore when the owner retires, but she can’t afford to. Jess decides that it would be a fun investment for her and she would love to be partners with Allison. As they learn how to grow their business with the help of their daughters, all of their love lives (both mothers and daughters) take a turn for the better. Unfortunately, there’s not even one unexpected thing that happens with this story. I can’t really recommend this unless you’re just looking to read something really light. Thanks to #netgalley and #stmartinsgriffin for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Bookshop by the Bay by Pamela M Kelley

Ms. Kelley has yet to write a book that I haven’t devoured. I love her way of writing. I love her characters. The Bookshop by the Bay does not change any of this.

What happens when two friends, originally very close, go their separate ways: one to Charleston and one staying in Cape Cod? Can they reunite and be as close as they once were? Find out when Jess, who loves her life in Charleston, turns to her friend Caitlin for support after she discovers her husband has cheated on her.
Jess and Caitlin soon become “my” friends. Ms. Kelley develops their personalities in such a way that I can easily relate to both of them.

The Bookshop by the Bay is an easy and fun read. I read it in several sittings over one day. If you have not experienced any books by Pamela Kelley pick one and get started. You will be happy you did.
12.04.2022

I loved this book. Great relaxing read. Love the characters and was sad when I was done reading the book. Great read for a beach day or even a relaxing afternoon on the couch.

First off huge thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this eARC.

The author introduces us to Jess and Alison, best friends, who are embarking on a new adventure. You're also introduced to their daughters Caitlin and Julia, who are more acquaintances in the beginning but grow to be good friends by the end of the book.

I enjoyed reading this book but I'll admit it took a bit to get the characters down. I've been reading a lot of dual POV books where every other chapter is the same character and this one was a mixture of the four main characters, Jess, Alison, Caitlin, and Julia. Once I got into the groove it was much easier to keep track of who was talking and what was going on. I don't know that that is anything negative about the book or the author's writing, more so just the types of books I've been reading recently.

I loved the descriptions of all the different places we venture to in this book. You can see what she's describing and I could picture myself walking right there with them, taking in the beautiful views.

Jess and Alison are both going through some life changes, as well as their daughters, and I felt like someone in their friend group during their conversations and figuring out what was next for them.

I would definitely recommend this book.

The Bookshop by the Bay – Pamela M. Kelley

3.5/5 Stars

Publication Date – June 6, 2023

I’m so excited to have my first advance reader copy (arc) book review! Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for sending me this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

I love that this book is mostly about female friendship – friendship between two women and also their daughters. As I’ve said before, I also love reading stories about women building their own business, and in this book there were two businesses – the bookstore/café which is the main focus, and also Julia’s jewellery business as a secondary plot line. I think these kinds of stories make my organizational/operational brain very happy and intrigued. This book also really made me want to own my own bookstore!

Overall a super cute and fun book. It’s great timing that The Bookshop by the Bay is coming out in June because it’s a perfect summer/beach read! For me it’s 3.5 stars but rounded up to 4 for Goodreads.

Description: “Two lifelong friends. One bookshop by the beach. And the summer that could change everything.”

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*Many thanks to St. Martin's Press, Netgalley, and Pamela M. Kelley for my ARC for an honest review. Publication date 6/6/23*

This was such a cute story about friends, daughters, mothers, finding love, and second chances.

When mother and daughter Jess and Caitlin head to Chatham Cape Cod to visit Jess's best friend Alison and her daughter Julia they realize their beloved bookstore is for sale. Jess and Caitlin buy the bookstore and also open up a coffee shop next door. As the 4 women also have their own personal stuff going on in their lives they all need to make choices on what they want for their futures.

This is a perfect beach read with a beautiful setting and I could picture myself walking down Main St and stopping into both the bookstore and coffee shop.

What could be better than a summer on Cape Cod? Spending that time with family and friends. The bookshop by the Bay by Pamela Kelly is about relationships, taking chances, and listening to your heart. Two long time friends, their daughters, their Mom’s and new friends all add up to a wonderful story. Of course, it is a great beach read, but I read it in front of the fire and pretended I was there! Her characters are well thought out, and come across as realistic and people I would want to hang out with. Thank you to Netgally for the ARC of this book. I hope to see more of Pamela’s books in the future.

Great story about finding your independence and a new life after a divorce. And it takes place in a great place, cape cod. Romance, friendship, and family make for a good read.

I am reviewing The Bookshop by the Bay by Pamela Kelley. The release date is June 6, 2023.

I have read all of Pamela's Nantucket Beach Plum Cove series as well as her The Restaurant series. She never disappoints and always invites you back for more.

In The Bookshop by the Bay, I love the slow, steady story build to the end of the book. She has a talent for adding layer after layer to each of the simple story lines to keep the pace and interest level high. I appreciate the character development that leaves you wanting more from your 'new' friends at the end. And I enjoyed the tidy ending that teases more is to come for these new friends.

I love Pamela skill at Mother/Daughter relationships. There are challenges to overcome, but they find a way together. This book, like her others, brings in multiple generations of Mothers and Daughters. It is so lovely that Pamela builds in love for all ages, not just the young. She gives hope to us in our 50s.

I recommend this book for a quick, engaging read. You'll want to read more about these characters by the end.

This is a wonderful beach read for 2023 by popular author Pamela Kelley. Once again, she has written a warm and uplifting story which takes place in a beautiful setting. This story is centered around two life long friends and their two adult daughters. Attorney Jess, who has lived in Charleston her entire adult life, has left her husband and retreated to her childhood home on Cape Cod. Her somewhat adrift daughter Caitlin joins her for the summer. Allison has stayed on Cape Cod enjoying her quiet life as a magazine editor, mother of jewelry designer Julia, and close friendship with her ex-husband. It is a summer of discovery, growth and romance for all the characters. This book is very well written, the writing flows smoothly and the characters are relatable and well developed, A very nice element of this book is the portrayal of different generations and the varied questions each generation struggles with. Definitely a book for the Summer 2023 TBR list! Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Griffin and the author for a digital ARC of this book.

The Bookshop By The Bay is a delightful story about mothers and daughters. After an unfortunate turn of events leaves Jessica and her daughter Caitlin in need of some time to clear their heads, they return to Jess's hometown of Chatham, MA. Jessica's life long friend Alison and her daughter Julia welcome them to town and the two mothers decide to go into business running a bookstore in town. As the summer goes by, Jessica and Caitlin both discover a different way of living than they were used to in South Carolina, and they both discover that perhaps what they thought they needed to be happy has changed. This book will take you away to the Cape, with a group of old and new friends and I didn't want it to end.

The Bookshop by the Bay is exactly the kind of book you want to read on a stormy or snowy day when you're stuck inside and want to curl up and read all day. Pamela Kelley's descriptions of Cap Cod in the summer and the fine food and shops put you right there in the middle of the story. Jess is a high-powered lawyer in the beautiful, historic city of Charleston. She loves her life but as she notes in her calls to her BFF Allison on Cape Cod, Jess and her husband Parker are growing apart. This is confirmed when she notices the loving look Parker gives his gorgeous, young, and newly pregnant assistant. She and her daughter Caitlin, who at thirty is completely at loose ends, flee to Cape Cod and their family home to lick their wounds and figure out the next steps. Caitlin lost her job and her boyfriend in the same day and needed some time to figure out what she really wanted to do with her life. Allison and Jess have been friends since childhood. Allison never left Chatham on Cape Cod, choosing to raise her daughter Julia, similar in age to Caitlin, on the Cape. She divorced years ago but remains very friendly with her ex to the point where she's not dating anyone else. Editing the Chatham magazine for twenty years kept her busy and happy, but as the way of print in the computer age, the magazine is slowly going under. Allison's daughter Julia recently returned to Chatham to open a shop on Main Street where she could sell her original jewelry designs and is doing quite well. Allison and Jess learn that their favorite bookstore on the Cape was closing so in a leap of faith Jess buys the store and the adjoining coffee shop so she and Allison can run them. The friends work together, and with the help of Caitlin and Julia soon have a booming business. Now it is up to the four women to make decisions about the rest of their lives - what they want to do, where they want to live and who they want to be. An excellent beach read, fans of Sheryll Woods, and Mary Alice Monroe will love The Bookshop by the Bay as will anyone who enjoys a well-written story of family and friendship. Thanks to Net Galley for the chance to read an ARC!

I'm a long time reader fan or Pamela Kelley and was excited to receive an ARC of The Bookshop By The Bay from #NetGalley. I thoroughly enjoyed this longer length women's fiction release. It's the story of two women who are best friends becoming business partners after one of them buys a bookstore/coffee shop. Along the way, the women's adult daughters develop a deeper friendship.

There's hints of romance but it's a clean story.

Five stars from me.