I absolutely adored The Bookshop Ladies by Faith Hogan! Such a tender and triumphant story that shows no matter how terrible the past you can start afresh in a new place with new friends and even learn to love those who have done you wrong. Forgiveness is a huge part of this novel’s moral fabric and the best way to work through it. Being open to letting go of those hurts allows for a chance of healing. The story shows well how bitterness, anger and guilt can only drain and damage the ones holding on to it. It can even affect creativity as it did for Robyn’s mother, Fern, a great artist. But yes, it is hard to get to that place. Possibly the only way is meeting the challenge head on by communicating with the person who has caused the injury to your heart. Injury to emotions is painful and Joy has every right to be angry when her husband confesses a truth, just before he passes from a tragic event on his retirement party night.

The sense of betrayal Joy feels after a secret is revealed is understood. But how she ultimately deals with the shock and after-effect is constructive—even if she does not realise what she is doing at first. For her, the natural reaction is to head to Ireland to hand deliver a gift left in her husband’s will. Her plan is to just drop off the painting, meet Robyn, and run back home. But what meets her there is nothing of what she expects: acceptance, love, friendship and an appreciation for her exceptional business promotion skills. The people of Ballycove bring out in her some very positive reactions. She begins to blossom like the beautiful green leaves of spring. And when she meets Robyn in her little bookstore, struggling, she feels compassion towards this innocent girl whose likeness to someone she loved deeply, almost takes her breath away. The longer Joy stays and becomes more involved, the more the betrayal begins to fade. And the warmth of the community wraps itself around her heart and allows her to heal in places she did not even know she needed before. With the loss of her husband and really nothing to keep her in Paris, will she decide to make Ballycove, Ireland her new home?

I felt completely engaged with the characters and could sympathise with each of them for various reasons as this novel seems to level everyone—not elevate any one individual. It shows each person’s humanness: how everyone will make a mistake at one time or another. Which drives a message home to us all. Nobody is perfect: we all do something we regret at some point in our lives. Nobody can truly cast stones at another. But how we deal with those errors and hurts determines our outcome. As seen in The Bookshop Ladies, it is best to confront the issue. And looking at it from another’s perspective can make a difference. Then help your ‘neighbour’ where you can (as Joy did) and this itself often provides release from one’s own pain. The bookshop resurrection was a delightful pathway to restoration from all three ladies and the valuable discoveries within it. This wonderful setting invokes passion and where lives become renewed and pieces of the puzzle are completed.

So, in summary: this is a heart-warming novel with flawed characters who make mistakes but experience restoration. These three women’s journeys (Joy, Fern and Robyn) are beautifully executed. We get to hear from each of them and share in their perspectives. Another great character is Albie. I love how he seems to be the voice of wisdom throughout! His gentle humour, unconditional love and far-reaching understanding provides a lot of cheer and common sense in the story. The settings: Paris and Ballycove are both inspiring. But my heart was truly snatched away by Ireland’s charm when Joy makes her life changing choice. I felt many emotions and by the end I was filled with awe and brimming with satisfaction. I loved this story so much and highly recommend it. This is my second Faith Hogan novel and I will be reading many more! 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to Aria and Aries and Netgalley for my review copy.

What a great read, I loved the way the book evolved and all the characters were written in such a way that they were believable. It was interesting to see how Joy's like became entwined with Robyn and her mum. This is the first book I have read by this author and I am pleased to find there is a back catalogue for me to explore. I would highly recommend this book.

Having read a previous book by the author I was looking forward to this one and it didn’t disappoint. The same setting has been used and some of the characters made an appearance but Joy and Robyn were the stars of the book.

The book unfolded with the secrets being kept but all with a good reason and you hoped as the secrets came out the bonds of the friendship weren’t destroyed,

Looking forward to the next book.

I love Faith Hogan as an author and this is another wonderful book. The characters, setting and plot were very engaging and I devoured the book! A lovely warmhearted story of family and community.

Faith Hogan has the ability to draw you into her stories and make you care deeply about her characters and that's absolutely true of this one!
I really didn’t want this book to end.

Faith Hogan takes you on a journey of how secrets and betrayal does not mean the end. It can bring friendship and extended family.

Faith has been able to draw you in and connect with the three leading women (Robyn, Fearn and Joy)!and the developing relationships despite a big secret hiding under the surface.
Teamed this with a charming little struggling bookshop owned by Robyn and the help of Joy they try and turn the bookshop into a success. You have gripped a book lovers heart.

Albie the loveable great uncle who is the glue to the family is like a comfort blanket and warm hugs.

I would 100% recommend and without a doubt read more of Faith’s books.

The Bookshop Ladies is a lovely gentle tale with twists and turns, secrets, guilt and revelations based mainly in Ballycove in Ireland. Hogan has the ability to draw you into her stories and make you care deeply about her characters.

Robyn has taken on the running of a bookshop but has to find the social skills to make it a success. Joy arrives in Ballycove with her own agenda but gets drawn into making the bookshop a success. Robyn’s mother Fern has her own problems and past secrets and she ends up helping the bookshop too. The glue keeping these disparate characters together is the lovely elderly Albie with his pet giant tortoise, Dolly.

I really didn’t want this book to end and feel it lends itself to a continuation of the story in another book. I have now read every Faith Hogan I can find and have never been disappointed.

This is the first book I have read by Faith Hogan but it definitely won’t be the last as I absolutely loved it.
The story is set in the beautiful setting of Ballycove a small town in Ireland and is all about Robyn Tessier and her bookshop.
The characters were all wonderful and I really felt like I was there with them. My favourite character was Albie.
A 5 star beautiful heart warming story that shows the true meaning of family. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a sequel.
Thanks to NetGalley, Aria and Aries and Faith Hogan for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

Another fantastic read. When Joy's husband leaves a valuable painting to a young lady in Ireland, as much as she is reeling from a secret he confessed fo her she decides to fly over to Ballycove and deliver the gift as instructed. When she meets Robyn who is struggling to get her bookshop profitable she suddenly finds herself helping out the delightful girl and really starts to get close to her and the rest of the family. A lovely story, warmhearted setting and delightful characters that you really resonate with and I really enjoyed it

The Bookshop Ladies by Faith Hogan is a fabulous read, it makes you feel good for having read and enjoyed it. It is a story of friendship, also secrets, lies and family. Most of all family in whatever shape you want to make it.
Jo Blackwood is haunted by her husband’s last words to her about a daughter. He sees but then le@ves a painting to this daughter that Jo never knew about.
So she goes to Ireland from France to find her and give her this precious painting. Robyn Tessier, who is living in Ballycove, a small town on the west coast of Ireland, is a very shy retiring young woman, who has no idea that Jo’s husband was her father. Her mother, Fern has never told her.
It is a story of people getting to know each other and becoming friends in the most unlikely situations and becoming a family.
Highly recommended

This was my first book by this author and won’t be my last. This was a poignant read of how events of the past can shape the future and of the bonds between family and friends and how secrets and betrayal always come out in the end.

This was heartwarming and beautiful read that was heartbreaking at times and set against the beautiful backdrop of Bally cove. I also enjoyed the references to Paris as this is one of my favourite cities and what’s not to love about a book set around a bookshop.

I would love a sequel to this to see where the characters lives go and how the bookshop continues to grow.

A fabulously enjoyable book. I've enjoyed books by this author before and this was no exception. Full of warm heartedness and feelgood moments to lift the spirits. Delightful characters with a good sense of community and welcoming strangers in their midst. Set in Western Ireland in a close knit coastal village although the book does start in Paris. A wonderful holiday read which will restore one's faith in human nature with strong family and friendships

Firstly I love this cover and it instantly draws you in. I am a big fan of the authors work and really enjoyed being brought back to Ballycove. Faith Hogan is a wonderful storyteller and this is the perfect summer read. Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the chance to read and review this book.

This was a very cosy read and as someone who is from Ireland and loves the description of the country I usually love novels like this. The premise was great but I found that the characters were not fleshed out very well. It felt like we were skipping through the story too quickly and any hint of emotional climaxes fell flat. I wasn’t really invested in the characters.

I’ve not read anything else from this author to it could be a one off.

Captivating and heartwarming this story will make you feel good from the very beginning. Faith Hogan is an amazing storyteller and this book just confirms it once more. I loved being back to Ballycove ( such a pleasure to see a cameo from previous characters, too!) and hope to read more soon!
One of my favourite Irish novelists, most recommended.
Thank you to NetGalley, Aria - Head of Zeus and the author for an early copy.
#TheBookshopLadies #NetGalley

This is a book about the important things in life. Family (whether actual or found), community, a sense of purpose. A lovely easy read which is both warm hearted and well written. The characters were sympathetic and felt very real. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and wished it was longer.

This is the first book I’ve read by Faith Hogan and I definitely plan to check out more of her work.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this book to review.

Firstly, what a lovely cover. It draws you straight into the Bookshop world. A mystery unfolds, when Joy's French husband dies in an accident, having just managed to tell her that he has a daughter, He has left a painting to his daughter, Robyn, and Joy goes to Ireland to deliver it, becoming very involved in helping to promote the bookshop.
This is a lovely book, without being sentimental it draws on the family relationships. Thanks to netGalley for a chance to read and review this book.

I absolutely loved this book, my favourite read of the year so far. Such a feel good vibe from the book, with the characters so well described I felt like I knew them.

When Joy's husband is suddenly dying of a heart attack he reveals that he has a daughter in Ireland and he wants her to take a painting to her. Ballycove is a small Irish village and Joy gets roped into helping Robyn run her bookshop and also meets her mother Fern. Lovely book thoroughly enjoyed reading it

A book of two parts. One set in the art world of Paris where a career as an artist is started, a baby is born, one is lost and a couple is formed. Those simple events are then unpicked over the summer in Ireland in a tiny village. tTe characters are great, they have their own hurts, and fears and nerves that shape them and the relationships that they have. The women are strong and fight for what they want, and that isn’t millions, but the joy of a life together painting, running a bookshop and happily retired above a bakers. A lovely lovey tale of friendship and love,