The Bookshop of Forgotten Dreams

Thank you Net Galley for an ARC of The Bookshop of Forgotten Dreams by Emily Blaine. When I started reading, I thought I wasn't going to like this book, but that quickly changed. I devoured this book! This book but into my sleep time because I couldn't stop reading. If you love romances with a tortured main character, you'll love this! Highly recommend!

Thank you to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Bookshop of Forgotten Dreams by Emily Blaine is a delightful rom-com that will appeal to anyone who has ever dreamed about falling in love in a bookshop. (As a sidenote, I believe this book was translated from French into English, but the translation is perfect and in natural English. If it weren't for the names and location, I wouldn't know that it takes place in France.) The story revolves around Sarah, the shy owner of a bookshop that has suffered a recent flood, and Max, a bad-boy actor who has to help Sarah around the shop as part of his community service. As they get to know each other, will sparks fly? Will opposites attract? And can Sarah reform a "bad boy" into a decent boyfriend?

Here is an excerpt from Chapter 2, which is from Sarah's point of view:
"Buying second-hand books in bulk was cheaper, and I felt like I was doing a good deed by saving them from the bin. I would sort them, repair them, display them in the shop window, and sometimes include them in theme nights for the book club.
But my favorite part was this one: the moment of discovery, when the books and I made our acquaintance and I tried to imagine whose hands they’d passed through. I’d breathe their scent, stroke the paper, and get lost looking at the covers.
I’d never had the opportunity to travel. But I read, and it was almost the same – minus the jet-lag, plus the comfort of my sofa."

Overall, The Bookshop of Forgotten Dreams is a light summer read that is perfect for anyone who loves book-based romances like Beach Read or Plot Twist. It was both funny and romantic, which is all that I want from a rom-com. If I had to complain about one thing, I would say that I didn't enjoy the early chapters from Max's perspective. He is a "bad boy" who has no qualms with acting misogynistic with women and violent with their boyfriends. While some people might be into that, I was not a fan of his character in the beginning of the book. In addition, there was a lot more spice than I was expecting. Let's just say the "shy bookworm" doesn't stay shy for long. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above or if you're a fan of rom-coms in general, I highly recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in June!

I adored this book. Maxine and Sarah are two people with so much to give thinking that they won’t find someone and when they do it is filled with angst and laughs and just a wonderful story that I recommend to anyone in search of a good book.