How to Find Love in a Bookshop

From the title, you'd think this is a love story - and it kind of is - but not a traditional one. We don't have a center couple with side characters, and the plot doesn't revolve around their misunderstandings. No, the main character here is Emilia Nightingale, entrusted with her late father's book shop, and the romance is with the town. There are several side characters, and while Emilia does get a romance, it's the side characters' love lives that we spend the most time with. We have the heiress to the local estate and her devoted gardener, the property developer's minion and his estranged wife, the housewife longing to be a career woman again and her career husband who wants to stay home, the shy but sweet chef and the cheesemonger. (That one's my favorite! Bonding over books and food? Girl after my own heart!)

The main conflict in the book comes from the financial straits of the bookshop and Emilia's efforts to stay afloat - everything else revolves around that. We dip back in time to Emilia's father's life to learn about the founding of the shop and his own romances, which helps us see how some characters are emotionally invested in Emilia and the current status of the bookshop.

This is a sweet, gentle book that's perfect for a rainy day and a cup of tea. Combining characters who love books, the enchanting magic of a good bookshop, and the (mostly) serene atmosphere of a quiet English village, the book is just cozy and comforting and I absolutely loved it.

You can find all my reviews at Goddess in the Stacks.