Loved reading this I could relate a lot to this book because I was born in Dubrovnik myself so this is why I applied for this book.
Claire is battling with Covid and she goes to a book shop, Luna is a lesbian and is dealing with that and hasnt told anyone, Valdren and karmela have issues of their own.

It was a good story you get to see the problems when dubrovnik use to be called yugoslavia with the war and when it was split making a new name.
I love how they spoke in croatian I actually could understand a lot of it because i am from ex yugoslavia.

Thank you for the netgalley book. This is my own opinion.

I only have three experiences of book clubs – one being an online book club called The Pigeonhole, of which I have been a member for six or seven years. In that time I have made ‘friends’ all over the world, shared our love of playing detective, and discussed as we read along – usually over a period of 10 days – a few chapters each day.

Number two was supposed to be Cheltenham’s ‘best book club’. We met in a pub and there were over 20 of us. We didn’t read the same book – we each brought our BYOB and talked about it to encourage others to read it. At least two-thirds were non-fiction which I don’t read. I was bored and never went back, though Covid arrived before the next meeting so I didn’t need to make any excuses.

The third is an online version of The Dubrovnik Book Club – we all read the same book and discuss at the next meeting, then vote for the next book out of a few as suggested by the members. Once we even had the author with us (Janice Hallett no less). And that’s what attracted me to this book. And the fact that I have always fancied visiting Croatia. It sounds beautiful.

But while Dubrovnik is a fabulous setting for the book, it’s the characters that make it special. Having just arrived in Dubrovnik where she will stay with her grandmother Fran, and her second husband Tetak, 23-year-old Claire Thomson starts working in The Welcoming Bookshop. It’s a challenge for her as she was very unwell with Long Covid for fifteen months and is still wary of mixing with people. But together with her cousin Vedran, employee Luna, and Karmela, a professor, they form an unlikely book club. Their first pick is a cosy mystery by a now famous author. But the next picks are more interesting and for some, very emotional.

Claire is always trying to fix everyone else’s problems. Vedran’s girlfriend Didi disappeared a year ago and everyone thinks he killed her. Luna is gay but terrified of ‘coming out’ as her parents are very religious and would never understand. Karmela is a refugee, whose father escaped with his family from Sarajevo during the war in the 1990s, while others stayed to fight, and she still feels guilty. I loved Karmela – I think I would go so far as saying she is my favourite character (apart from Mis the cat of course).

The book was very enjoyable and I could sense the atmosphere and the beauty of Dubrovnik, as well as the emotions of the characters. I felt as though I was there with them much of the time. The writing is beautiful and descriptive (in a good way), and everyone is brought to life with real depth. Even the more minor characters like Fran, Tetak, and especially poor Rafael feel rounded with their back stories. Thank goodness Claire’s fear following Covid is only mentioned a few times as I really don’t want to revisit that awful time, but if a book is set in the last few years, there will always be references. I hope to read more from this author in the future.

I enjoyed reading about Croatia, but had a hard time with the writing style. I may give this a reread in the future but for anyone that wants to escape to Croatia, this could be the read for you.

This is a great story. Each character has a challenge to overcome and the plot intertwines their lives beautifully. Add the stunning descriptions of Dubrovnik and it’s a great read.

This is an interesting story and I did like it but definitely wasn't a favourite.

I found the text quite clunky, being a kindle reader I didn't know there was a glossary till the end so got annoyed not knowing what words meant, and whilst the different stories were good, I wanted it to be more focused on the book club!

A group of people — each facing his or her own particular fears and worries — come together in a book club housed in the “Welcome Book Shop” in the heart of Dubrovnik, Croatia. Claire, recovering from a 15-month bout of Long Covid and terrified of catching it again, is imported from England as the manager of the book shop; Luna, the shop assistant, is a lesbian but is not out to anyone — not even her best friends; Karmela, an historian focussed on Dubrovnik in the middle ages, has kept herself emotionally withdrawn since her family fled Croatia as refugees during the Croatian War of Independence; and Vedran was the victim of an undeserved social media attack after his wife disappeared six months previously.

I’m always a sucker for book club / book store / interesting location books, but I admit that this book was not my cup of tea. For me, the writing was a bit clunky and did not arouse my empathy — I should have found the issues facing each of the characters consequential, but I didn’t. I also found the (many) descriptions of the city itself to be long in pictorial detail and short on significance. I don’t visualize well from long descriptions of cornices and other architectural details; instead I respond to accounts of how a character relates to his or her environment, and there was little of that. I found Claire’s help to her new Croatian friends a bit condescending as she was constantly letting them know that in England these things were freely discussed whereas in (unstated but clearly backwards) Croatia, they were not.

I did engage with the characters enough to want to know what happened in the end and I had no trouble reading through to the end! I found it a bit too long and stretched out with too much extraneous detail for the amount of “story” contained, but I think people who enjoy light romances and are happy with a tourist’s view of exotic (or at least different) locations could easily enjoy immersing themselves in this book without feeling the length at all.

In short — not me for me but will definitely appeal to some!

A nice modern story with plenty of story interest involving multiple characters. Wonderful descriptions of Dubrovnik with some information about it's history. It makes me want to visit Croatia/ Dubrovnik more!

I was excited to read The Dubrovnik Book Club because it is the first book I have read set in the ancient city. Its beauty shone through with the descriptive writing of its architecture, coastal charm, and labyrinthine streets. The sights, sounds, and smells made it feel as though I were there, walking its cobblestone paths taking in the majestic surroundings. The storyline followed the lives of a few different characters each trying to escape their pasts and start fresh in Dubrovnik. I thought the location and its historical fortress served as a metaphor, for the characters who felt trapped by fear, shame, and trauma, while at the same time defending their truths from enemies. The book club plot helped the characters to start new chapters and take back control over their stories.

While I liked the location and the general idea, I think parts of the story dragged a bit and I think the bookshop could have had a larger role in the story. I also found the parts about the Ragusans to be fascinating and I think there is potential for a historical fiction novel in the future.

The author's love for Dubrovnik is evident while also discussing some aspects of the Croatian culture that are not the most flattering, but I can't help but feel that the magical beauty of the city holds the promise for a whimsical and or fantastical story. This book talked about some heavy topics and I think a less serious storyline could have juxtaposed nicely with the rich ancient setting but that is just my own personal preference.

Overall I did enjoy reading The Dubrovnik Book Club and I look forward to reading more from the author.

Chronology of the female writers in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. This book shows the hardships that female writers endured. Some had to put their work in a male relative's name in order to be published.

Although this was the first time I had heard of Eva Glyn, I will definitely be looking out for any others she has written. An extremely enjoyable story, and perhaps not all the characters were "likeable", but all were most interesting. I Also picked up a few hints android for further reads!

I look forward to!prevent this author, and thank you so much for my copy.

P F

In January 2022, Claire Thomson travels to Dubrovnik to stay with her grandparents for a while to help her recover from long Covid. She has worked in Foyles in London, so is a great fit for a job in the Welcoming Bookshop, helping the owner whose wife is ill and she’s to work alongside Luna. Sadly, the bookshop is struggling financially and so they form a book club, hoping to encourage more custom in the slacker winter months. A small, disparate group attends, each with issues of various kinds. Luna herself carries a burden, there’s Karmela, a professor visiting from Zagreb, who has a difficult past in Sarajevo and there’s Claire’s cousin, Vedran. Claire and Luna become committed to wanting to help him by solving the mystery of what happens to his girlfriend Didi Kelmendi, who has disappeared whilst swimming. A huge cloud hangs over Vedran who has suffered much social media toxicity amongst the suspicion. So, there’s plenty going on in this book club in glorious Dubrovnik.

For me, the star of the show is Dubrovnik and I’m transported back there. I recall being very upset as I watched the footage of this stunning historic city being bombarded in the war of the early 1990s and became desperate to visit once peace has established itself and I fell asleep n love with the place. The atmosphere jumps from the pages, there’s a lot here on its recent and less recent history and I enjoy this as you can see signs of what has happened everywhere and so it’s highly relevant. There’s also a good sense of the culture which makes me want to revisit. There are other other elements too that are good, the mystery of Didi and the relationship with Vedran is immersive and it also touches on some heartbreaking issues such as loss and the attitudes towards the LGBTQ community. However, it’s chiefly a novel about friendship and about how books can bring people together and in this case of quest to save a bookshop that they grow to love. The friendship angle is very well done as it as at times it is both touching and poignant.

I do think the book is over long though, and because of this at times, I find the storytelling falls a bit flat. I’m not keen either on the Covid angle, but that’s a personal feeling as I wish to move on from it despite its continuing presence. Whilst I cannot say the ending is predictable, what I can say is that it’s not especially surprising.

When I started this book, I was unaware that it is part of a series, but the author does a good job as it can be read as a standalone. I dare say readers who have already enjoyed the previous books may have enjoyed this a bit more than I have.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

Another excellent read from Eva Glyn. I loved the setting and the description of the area was wonderful and really made me want to visit - maybe not in the very hot days. The characters were people you would want for friends as they were so helpful and kind. Karmela, Vedran, Claire and Luna each with their own difficulties but as a group helped each other through them. The book shop was a great setting for people to gather and feel safe to discuss the wonderful books that they were set each month. It was beautifully written and you can tell just how much research goes into all of her books which makes for a great read. You can just imagine the smell of freshly made coffee and those pastries sounded delicious. I did like that we were kept up to date with the characters at the end of the book.

Brilliant - I loved it! Great story lines, with each character bringing something entirely different and unique to their personal struggles.

Set in Dubrovnik old town with its many historical landmarks, Claire battles against her fear of Covid; her young assistant Luna finds enough confidence to face her sexuality; Karmela forgives herself for deserting her best childhood friends; Vedran learns that his girlfriend planned her disappearance; Ezra the IT geek has a romantic side. Together the group work tirelessly to save the bookshop from closure.

Fun, compulsive and a great read.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers One More Chapter for this advance copy.

I received a free copy of, The Dubrovnik Book Club, by Eva Glyn, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Claire Thomson moves to Croatia to work in a book shop, she decides to start a book club and solve a mystery. This was an enjoyable read. Croatia is such a beautiful country, great setting for a book club.

A lovely story from the perspectives of four members of the small Dubrovnik book club at The Welcoming Bookshop. It is beautifully told and watching how each member helps the others as they evolved over the course of about 7 months was a testament to friendship, support and love

It was really hard for me to stay interested while reading this book and admittedly it wasn’t for me. Not to say it’s a bad book, but it just wasn’t a book that I could fully commit to. I made it about halfway through and couldn’t push myself to go further.

However, I do like the authors writing style and the way they describe their story’s settings and characters.

I visited Croatia many years ago & really enjoyed this book that took me back there.
Will recommend to others.
Thanks for the opportunity to read & review it.

Having visited Croatia, I was excited to read a book that takes place in the lovely setting. This is a great story for anyone who likes to read/is in a bookclub, and values friendships.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for access to this digital copy.

There seem to be an awful lot of books out there at the moment about book clubs and bookshops but this is definitely one of the most enjoyable that I have read.
Clare and Luna begin a bookclub and each chapter is dedicated to one of the books that have been chosen. Within each chapter we see events from the POV of each of the four main characters and I loved the different perspectives as the story unfolded. I quickly became invested in each of the characters and wanted things to end well for each of them. The friendship that grows between the characters was a really strong feature of the book. There is a list of the books chosen at the back of the book too which was helpful.
One of the things that I enjoyed about it was that there were several different themes of the book. Each of these were important and all handled well. The story takes place post Covid and Clare, the bookshop manager, is struggling to re-enter society after suffering with long covid for over a year. Her assistant, Luna, is gay but hasn’t told anyone as she comes from a small island where attitudes are very fixed. We also meet Vedran and Karmela who are both suffering with issues of their own although it takes a while for Karmela to realise that she actually has a problem. We see the repercussions of the war that followed the dissolution of Yugoslavia as well as the conflicts that arise in a historical city that is visited by so many tourists.
The other thing that I really loved was the setting of Dubrovnik itself. The author obviously loves the city and that love is clearly portrayed in the book. I have visited Dubrovnik many years ago and this story definitely made me want to revisit.
This was a great read and I’m grateful to Net Galley and the publishers for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Dubrovnik Book Club by Eva Glyn

The Welcoming Bookshop in Dubrovnik launches a book club and brings friendship and support to a group of people - Claire who is struggling in public places after having Long Covid, Luna who fears rejection by her deeply religous parents if she comes out, Karmela who keeps herself aloof after the trauma she experienced in the war, and Vedran whose girlfriend disappeared, placing him under suspicion.

What a lovely book, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Fabulous setting of Dubrovnik - I loved the descriptions of the city, the bookshop, food and history. Great characters and themes associated with each one. And a lovely story. Very VERY highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.