I was drawn to this book because of the book and the synopsis. A book about four best friends who want to open a bookstore? Oh, and there is personal drama in all of their lives? This is right up my alley!
Sadly, the book just did not live up to my expectations. I enjoyed a few moments, but overall, it was not for me.
I believe that all of the women deserved to have their stories told as a whole and on their own. I think this would have been better if each woman had received her own book in a 4-book interconnected series (with shorter stories, like 200-250 pages each). Their stories were not as fleshed out as they could have been while trying to fit all four into one book.

Positives:
Real stories. Some relatable.

Negatives:
There was so much drama all at once it was a little overwhelming to follow.
Most of their voices sounded so similar that I struggled to follow whose story was whose at the very beginning.
The women are in their 30s but act like they are in their early 20s/late teens.
The ending wrapped things up. But it felt very fast to me.

Overall, this book was not for me. I hope that it finds its audience, though!
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the opportunity to read the eArc in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a lot. I wanted to love it, but there were too many traumatic storylines to really enjoy the journey. Every single character was going through a major life crisis and it was hard to believe that all of this could be happening at one time. It would have been more palpable and enjoyable if maybe one character was experiencing great trauma and the others could rally around her while dealing with their own minor issues. But no, every single characters' world was collapsing. It was a lot to take in. I did enjoy the nod to great books and great authors. I loved how their friendship centered around books and that book club was the only constant and comfort in their lives. I loved how you got a "3rd act break-up" moment with their friendship, and the bookstore brought them back together. Overall, I liked what the author's purpose for this book was, it just needed less trauma.

After years of hard work, four best friends—Celeste, Yasmeen, Toni and Leslie—are finally on the verge of opening the bookstore of their dreams. A place where their community can find solace with an intriguing new read, a comforting beverage and book-loving friends.

This was such a fun book to read 🥰 I have a book club and me and my book besties talk about owning a bookstore in the near future! We will fill it with black indie authors books ! I really enjoyed this so much ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

A warm and engaging story about the power of friendship and resilience. The interactions of the characters feel genuine and heartfelt The pacing is uneven at times but overall it was an enjoyable read.
Many thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I almost always love a book centered on bookshops or libraries. In The Bookshop Sisterhood, a group of friends gets together to open a bookshop. But that is about the involvement of the bookshop in the story. Each friend has so much drama going on in their lives that interferes with their plans. It was almost too much drama for me and I found myself confused about which drama belonged to which character. In the end, some things get resolved but I felt like it just kind of ended. There were a lot of book and pop culture references thrown in that I'm not sure will stand the test of time.

I received a digital ARC of this book thanks to the publisher and NetGalley.

Michelle Lindo-Rice’s *The Bookshop Sisterhood* is a heartfelt novel that explores the strength of friendship and resilience. As four best friends—Celeste, Yasmeen, Toni, and Leslie—strive to open their dream bookstore, they face personal crises that test their bonds. Lindo-Rice captures their struggles with sensitivity, weaving a story of hope, love, and the power of community. Despite some predictable plot twists, the novel’s emotional depth and authentic characters make it a compelling read about the beauty of new beginnings through the support of those we hold dear.

I enjoyed this so much. I honestly didn't think it was gunna be no more than a cozy read but boy was I wrong, I’m glad it was more than just about books. The drama, friendships and the life’s unexpected events. Thank you for giving me a chance to read this!

I liked this sisterhood/romance novel. There's a lot of drama involved, and I liked that these friends have such a deep love for each other that they feel free to be vulnerable with each other without fear of their relationships beaking. I think that's the test of true friendship.

Michelle Lindo-Rice's The Bookshop Sisterhood is a captivating and heartwarming novel that delves into the power of friendship and the resilience of the human spirit. The story revolves around four best friends—Celeste, Yasmeen, Toni, and Leslie—who are on the cusp of realizing their dream of opening a cozy bookstore. However, their plans are upended by a series of personal crises that test their bonds and their strength.

Lindo-Rice skillfully portrays each character's struggles with empathy and nuance. Toni’s devastating news before her wedding, Celeste's faltering marriage, Leslie’s shocking family revelation, and Yasmeen’s troubling change in fortune are all explored with depth and sensitivity. The author’s depiction of these trials and their impact on the characters’ lives is both moving and engaging.

The bookstore, intended to be a sanctuary for the community, becomes a poignant backdrop for the unfolding drama. The way the friends come together to support each other through their individual challenges is both inspiring and heartfelt. The themes of friendship and personal growth are handled with grace, making the novel a compelling read.

While the pacing occasionally feels uneven and some plot developments may seem predictable, the book's emotional core and the authenticity of its characters make up for these minor shortcomings. The Bookshop Sisterhood is a testament to the importance of leaning on loved ones and finding hope even in the face of adversity.

Lindo-Rice’s novel is a beautiful reminder of how life’s unexpected twists can lead to new and rewarding beginnings. It's a story that will stay with readers long after they’ve turned the final page, offering both comfort and inspiration.

Review based on final copy.
I like the idea, but while the bookish references were fun, I found the characters dull and the drama frustrating.

I stopped reading this at 50%. The writing felt too cheesy to me and I couldn't connect with any of the characters.

The Bookshop Sisterhood by Michelle Lindo-Rice gave me all the feels, and I’m not even sorry about it. This book is like a warm hug on a tough day. The friendship between Celeste, Yasmeen, Toni, and Leslie? Pure magic. Sure, they’re all dealing with life’s messiest curveballs—bad marriages, devastating losses, and that whole “money doesn’t solve everything” lotto drama—but the way they come together made my heart melt. It’s sappy in the best possible way, and if you’re a sucker for stories about love, loss, and finding strength in sisterhood, this one’s for you. I seriously couldn’t stop rooting for them, and by the end, I felt like I was part of their little bookstore fam.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 3.25 Stars

“The Bookshop Sisterhood” by Michelle Lindo-Rice is my first read from this author, and overall, it was an enjoyable experience. The story centers on four best friends—Celeste, Yasmeen, Toni, and Leslie—who share a deep bond over their love for books and their dream of opening a bookshop together. What worked well in this novel is the authenticity of their friendship. The dialogue, banter, and drama between the four friends felt natural and believable, making their connection truly come alive on the page.

Each character had her own storyline, and I appreciated how the author managed to balance these multiple perspectives without sacrificing depth or interest. It’s often challenging to maintain equal engagement across several POVs, but Lindo-Rice nailed it. The pacing of the drama was also a highlight, as it was fast enough to keep me turning the pages.

However, there were a few drawbacks that impacted my overall experience. The plot felt a bit too familiar, as if it followed a well-worn path seen in other novels of this genre. The author includes a cameo by Kimberla Lawson Roby, and while it’s a nice nod, it also made the story feel even more derivative, almost as if it were a continuation of one of Roby’s books. Additionally, the characters were somewhat predictable, and I found myself accurately guessing the ending long before I reached it.

Another issue was the heavy use of pop culture references, which can be a double-edged sword. While these references are relatable now, they risk dating the book in the future, potentially diminishing the reading experience for later audiences.

Overall, “The Bookshop Sisterhood” offers an engaging story of friendship, love for books, and personal drama. While it didn’t break new ground for me, it was an enjoyable read that kept me interested until the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me this book for free in exchange for my review! All opinions are my own.

This was a beautiful and heartwarming book that I would highly recommend to anyone who is an avid reader (essentially all of NetGalley I suppose!)
This book is very positive and puts a smile on your face.
I am proud to be a member of the Harlequin Hive influencer program which granted me access to this delightful book. This is a perfect beach read!

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Many Thanks again to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest review.

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This book packed a punch of drama, a little too over the top most of the time. I loved the premise of best friends wanting to open a bookstore and cafe together but it seems just as they start planning everything in their lives starts to fall apart.

While I was expecting a nice cozy read, with some best friends and some best friends that is not at all what we got. They were mean to each other, judgmental and condescending at the best of time. At the worst of times they just down right didn't support each other. From a lottery win, secret gambling, a child illness, infertility, and PTSD from a car jacking months prior. All of this leads to each woman spiraling on their own journey.

It didn't end how i was expecting it to, and that did make it a little more enjoyable for having gone through it, If you can get through all the drama there are some underlining themes that are worth reading about even if just for the book recommendation they sprinkle throughout the book.

I had a hard time with this book. The story description didn't really prepare me for the true nature of the story.

Yes, it's a story about four long time friends who are planning to open a bookstore together. But that is really just the backdrop against which the real stories take place.

The book follows the stories of each of the individual women as they struggle with personal problems and family tragedy. The chapters flow from one character to the other, delving into the trials each of them are facing. Though they look to each other for support, they are unwilling to listen to advice they are seeking, often keeping secrets they fear sharing with even their closest friends.

This story is full of angst. At times I wanted to reach in and a slap a character, encourage them to listen and get a clue. I can admit the story was well written and the changing point of views didn't detract from the continuity of the story. I just wish I had been prepared for the amount of anxiety and uncertainty threaded through the story

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing MIRA Books for gifting me a digital ARC of the new book by Michelle Lindo-Rice. I have to say it was compelling reading and I raced through the book to see how things worked out for these 4 besties living in Delaware who planned to open a bookstore together when each of their lives began to unravel in record time. The drama ensued for each of them and other than the fact that it was completely over the top and unrealistic that so many things would happen to each of these women all at the same time, it was fun to take the ride with them. It wasnt believable but it was enjoyable. For much of the book, the women weren't even that likable but they stuck together through all the drama and ended having all grown as individuals and were more able to be a 'team' by the end of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the chance to read and review this book.

The Bookshop Sisterhood by Michelle Lindo=Rice had a great premise: 4 longtime friends decide to open a bookstore together to fill the void in their community of physical booksellers. They especially want to focus on diverse books and have lots of offerings of titles written by and for people of color. All of this seems like a great premise.

But from the very first page, I simply could not relate to these characters. They constantly name-dropped fashion designers and judged one another for their "last-season's" clothing. They just weren't realistic characters; they were superficial, deceptive, immature, and lacked common sense. A bit of that is the human condition, but when all four characters are constantly making every wrong decision, it's a bad soap opera.

I really, really wanted to enjoy this book. There are so any good bookstore tales out there right now, but this one wasn't for me. The bookstore was really a distant secondary consideration to the drama in the characters' lives. I would have liked more realistic dialogue, characterization, and plot development.

This story follows the friendship of four women and the ups and downs of their lives all while trying to open a bookstore together. There is so much going on in each of their lives that the bookstore storyline is secondary. I would have liked more details about key moments in their stories.

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC in exchange for a review.

What a dream, to be opening up a bookshop…with friends. 😍 I’ve always thought it’d be amazing to own a bookshop/cafe that sold local art. That’d be the life.

This story was such a great reminder of the highs and lows of friendships and the results of tough decisions.

It was a good premise of a story, but the lottery win and blackmail line got a little cheesy (2 different character events).

The end did wrap it up for me and made me long for friendships such as these. It was a sweet story with lots of drama.