There was a lot happening in this story, and though it was all intertwined, it took me a bit to make sense of some of it. The story is told from different points of view, starting with two, then adding more characters until it is up to four.

Of the 4 main characters, three are family, the fourth is not related, though her life is intertwined with theirs in a few different ways. And while the story focuses on these 4, there are quite a few secondary and minor characters throughout. Some of these characters didn’t feel necessary, especially one who wasn’t introduced until one of the final chapters.

While the interlinked stories are mostly resolved, some pieces were left incomplete and a few of the resolutions felt rushed, so I wasn’t fully satisfied with the ending. I discovered after finishing the book that it is actually the middle book of a trilogy, so perhaps the loose strings and late addition of a new character are resolved in the third book.

Disclaimer: I received a DRC of this book through Net Galley on behalf of the publisher for review consideration. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

If Goodreads would allow I'd give this book a solid 2.5 stars. The actual writing in the book is very good. I'd like to read more of Sophie Nicholls if all of the writing is this good. The plot on the other hand needs a little bit of refinement. The plot wavers between being a supernatural chick lit book and just your everyday run-of-the-mill chick lit book (you know, women bored with wife/motherhood; looking for more fulfillment). But the two themes didn't really jive that well together. I was super interested when it was about Ella with The Signals running the super cool bookstore but less interested when it was passive aggressive Ella who was questioning her choices as a mother.

Overall, the book seemed a little messy to me and I found I lost interest in it.

Family, friendship, mothers, and daughters. It would have helped, I think to have read the first book bit Nicholls is quite sincere and I found the characters well done.

Unfortunately, I have not been able to read and review this book.

After losing and replacing my broken Kindle and getting a new phone I was unable to download the title again for review as it was no longer available on Netgalley.

I’m really sorry about this and hope that it won’t affect you allowing me to read and review your titles in the future.

Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity.
Natalie.

Really enjoyable read. Good characters and a Good story. Well worth a read. Think others will enjoy.

With her marriage flagging and finding parenting a struggle, Ella turns to her mother - who flies to her rescue, bringing the special supernatural gifts that run in the family

Fans of Sarah Addison Allen and Alice Hoffman will enjoy this tale of family ties and friendship. Throw in some herbal lore and a touch of magic and you have an entertaining tale.

This book was a great palate cleanser about family, friendship, and dreams. I found it hard to follow at times, but that may have been due to the fact that it is the second in a trilogy and I do not have the backstories to be able to fully understand certain relationships. Nonetheless, it is a light, fast, and entertaining read.

I'm not entirely sure what I thought of this book, except it was a bit weird. I thought it was going to be about books, but it wasn't sadly. Until I read other reviews I also didn't notice it was a sequel (it wasn't made clear), which is perhaps why I was a bit confused reading this book. The book did feel like it was well written, but it got lost in a plot that lost itself. I couldn't really feel for the protagonist who was a bit down on her privilege life. The flashbacks seemed out of place (though now that I know it's a sequel it makes more sense) and I just didn't understand the way that mental illness was dealt with in this book. The whole novel felt a bit ethereal and the cosy vibe of it just wasn't for me.

A very sweet heartwarming novel of the value of family, friendship and life. Two very different women, Mother and daughter on opposite sides of the world rejoin as family to discover they do need each other after all. Very nice story .

Ella runs a book shop in the heart of York. She's a wife to a successful man, and mother to an adorable child. but she hasn't really connected with her when she had to have a section so things aren't all perfect for Ella.

Ella is suffering with post natal depression and as such her self confidence is at an all time low.

Bryony comes into the bookshop one day and Ella and her have an instant connection. For things aren't all perfect for Bryony either.

I love how the light hearted nature and the magical element coincided with the more serious subject of mental health.

Many of the characters are eccentric and likeable apart from Selena Ella's older sister (who was painted suitably for the type of person she was).

There are enough layers in this plot, such as Bryony's complex relationship with her father that could be made into another book.

I really liked the premise behind the book and I loved the bookshop setting. However, this was just an average read for me. The plot was not very cohesive in my opinion and did not really hold my attention. Thank you to Netgalley and Zaffre for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Firstly let me thank Ellie Burns from Bonnier Zaffre for sending me a copy of Miss Mary’s Book of Dreams by Sophie Nicholls to review.

What a peculiar novel. Miss Mary’s book of Dreams is a novel set in a book shop in Yorkshire. It has a colourful cast of characters and it has quite a few different threads to the story. We have shop owner Ella who is a writer struggling to write her next story and also finding it difficult to be a young mum. Then there is Bryony who is struggling with her mental health and an evil sister. Together they find each other and are helped to find themselves.

I enjoyed reading Miss Mary’s Book of Dreams but I can’t honestly say that I fell in love with the story. It was well written, I would never criticise Nicholls writing talent. Her ability to tell a story is evident I just didn’t gel well with the book. I wasn’t gripped and I didn’t find myself consuming the book at the speed that I regular do but I can see how others may love this book.

Miss Mary’s Book of Dreams by Sophie Nicholls is available now.

For more information regarding Sophie Nicholls (@wordsauce) please visit www.sophienicholls.com.

For more information regarding Bonnier Zaffre Books (@BonnierZaffre) please visit their Twitter page.

Another beach read down! Sophie Nicholls' books are made for my beach days and this one didn't disappoint. Read in one sitting! Loved it

This is a beautiful novel, and a worthy sequel to The Dress. I love the combination of an author, a bookshop and a touch of magic. The characters are wonderful and draw you into their personal stories, so much so that you feel part of their story and feel invested in their future. It felt like meeting old friends again. It is well written and has a charm about it that draws you in and keeps you engaged until the last page. An easy read that will leave you smiling, highly recommended. I'm looking forward to reading the next instalment in The Glass.

Miss Mary's Book of Dreams by Sophie Nicholls is the story of three generations of women – Maadar Bozorg, Fabia, and Ella - and of two sisters Selena and Bryony who enter their lives. Strong women. A bookshop. A really special book. A little big of magic. A beautiful combination for a sweet, engaging story. Definitely one for the "feel good" pile of stories. Note that this book is a sequel to Sophie Nicholl's book The Dress, but it can stand alone as a story.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2017/04/miss-marys-book-of-dreams.html

Reviewed for NetGalley

I struggled with this book for a couple of weeks before I finally finished. It just never resonated with me. There was a general impression of disjointed segments that never came together as a cohesive whole. Unfortunately, I just couldn't give it more than two stars.

This was an enjoyable read although at times I kind of zoned out. It just didn't hold my interest as much as I thought it would.

At the beginning of each chapter, there was a spell from Miss Mary's book of dreams. So Miss Mary is basically a book, not a character in the book. I enjoyed the magical parts but felt as if the story was lacking something. I didn't feel a connection with any of the characters. I think I liked the authors style of writing more than the actual story. I have to say that I would try another of her books.

* I was provided an ARC of this book to read and reviewing it was voluntary.

For all of us who look for more even when we seem to have the perfect life. Perfectly captures the doubts we have as mothers!

Granted that this is the second book in a series, I found that it is readable as a stand alone book. Four generations of women are featured all linked by magic. The plot was somewhat jangled and it did not seem to flow all that well, and the characters took a while for me to sort out.