The Second Story Bookshop Review

About the Book

 She inherits the bookshop of her dreams . . . But she has to run it with the ex she vowed never to speak with again.

Shelby Thatcher adores working in the charming small-town bookshop her grandmother opened years ago. Since high school she's helped Gram turn the shop into a community hub for book lovers in the lakeside town of Granville, NC. When her beloved grandma passes away, Shelby inherits the bookstore. But to her shock, Gram leaves half ownership to Gray Briggs, the man who broke Shelby's heart years ago.

Granville residents have been vilifying Gray as long as he can remember. After graduating high school he couldn't skip town fast enough, even though it meant leaving the girl he'd fallen deeply in love with and alienating her family once and for all. Now he's back, the beneficiary of his elderly friend's will. Facing the town's animosity is difficult, but seeing Shelby again is sheer torture. No one could ever stir his heart the way she did.

As the adversaries are forced to work together, Gram's beyond-the-grave scheme is working--Shelby's old feelings for Gray begin to resurface. But the problems that destroyed their relationship before still remain, and a new one surfaces--one that threatens Gram's beloved bookshop. Is their love doomed to fail again, or will they find a way to make it work this time around? (Goodreads)

Pre-Order HERE.

My Thoughts

This is an enjoyable read that is delightfully set in a quaint bookshop. I enjoyed both Gray and Shelby and there a good bit of character growth that added a lot to this story. It is a second chance romance, so as you can imagine there is baggage and things that were left unsaid. I could easily see this as a Hallmark movie due to it's sweet and predictable plot. It did get a little slow for me in the middle but held my attention to the end. Gram knew what she was doing when she wrote her will and it is always fun to see how life plays out when upended. This is a great quick and sweet read.

Four stars. 

"I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review."