📚Review 📚 The Holiday Bookshop by Lucy Dickens

As a librarian, I’ve always had a dream about owning my own bookshop, so I’m sure that was why I was attracted to this book.

Marianne and Jenny have been friends since they were children and decide to set up their own book shop in their little home town by the sea. What starts as a beautiful adventure, begins to take its toll on their friendship a few years later. Marianne resents Jenny for making her feel guilty whenever she wants to take time off. Jenny feels fed up of constantly being left to organise everything. When a job offer comes up to set up a bookshop in the Maldives, Jenny jumps at the opportunity. The only problem is she will be away the same time as Marianne who has decided to go off with her new boyfriend and travel around America.

The story is told through alternating viewpoints and we get to experience the tranquility of the Maldives and the excitement of Las Vegas simultaneously. The descriptions of the places they visit are fantastic and it was lovely to imagine myself travelling to see both of these places.

Both girls find their are setbacks in their journeys and with each one, they realise how dependent they are on each other. They realise that even though they are complete opposites of each other, they make a dynamic team together.

This is a delightful, easy going tale that focuses on friendship and our need to grow and accept other people as they are. A perfect getaway read.

Thanks to @netgalley & @randomhouse for the digital copy of this book, which goes on sale on the 7th of June.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read The Holiday Bookshop.

An easy read which would be perfect for anyone travelling off on their own holidays. Two childhood friends with a shared dream but opposing personalities that complement in the business they share, but force niggles when both friends feel the need for a change. Mari travels to the USA on a spur of the moment road trip and Jenni embarks on a new career path to the Maldives.... both friends eventually appreciating that their friendship underpins their successes and dreams.
I read this and was pleasantly engrossed; no huge dramas but sufficient content and emotional pull to ensure that you read to the end.

This was a glorious book about friendship and love. Both girls stories were a joy to follow. It was true escapism. Lucy wrote the Maldives so beautiful. Evan made my tummy flutter. So well-written and joyous to the end. I loved it.

I received an ARC from Netgalley and the publisher in return for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book but mainly from the point when Jenny actually arrived in the Maldives. I thought the first quarter of the book was overlong and spent far too much time setting up the back story and the characters. I was starting to get bored and I kept thinking when is this going to actually start?

However once Jenny was in the Maldives and Marianne was in the US - both stories really picked up and I thoroughly enjoyed it from that point on.

It was a pleasant read with an engaging plot-line and great characters.

Absolutely loved it from start to finish.
Wish I was in the Maldives right now!
Left me wanting to know more about Jenny and Marianne!

Jenny is the owner of a bookshop but doesn't like to take risks. A job then comes up in the Maldives to open a bookshop so she goes for it and it changes her life

I think stories that’s involve friends are the best and this one certainly ticks all the boxes. Loved how the characters are written about and described and how they make the story happen. Loved it. Definitely a recommendation from me.

Rarely a story of friendships get to me, but this one did, I must admit I wasn’t too sure what to expect in the beginning and nearly gave up (in hindsight I was having a bad week) but I’m so glad I persevered. I love this author, she manages to totally engage her readers into the characters and this is what I love, to become so involved that I believe for a while I’m part of the story. To escape into a book is a must for me
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for early access to this title! Again a fun book that I devoured in one sitting! I will always have a love of romance books and this was a truly lovely read!

I love books and I enjoy a good road trip especially in the USA so I was always going to like this book. The focus on friendship and how they change but also stay strong was an added bonus. Really enjoyed the adventures of the girls. A great read for a long-awaited holiday.

The perfect getaway in your favourite reading spot.

For Jenny and her best friend, life has always been the same, Marianne is wild, carefree and adventurous whilst Jenny plans ahead and keeps things structured. Perfect partners in business and life. These best friends experience a rather big shakeup as they embark on their separate journeys. Leaving their little bookstore behind in Cornwall, Jenny adventures out to the Maldives while Marianne road trips across the USA with a newfound love. Whilst away these women experience some much needed perspective altering and lessons that may very well put them in each other’s shoes and ultimately teach them lessons they may not have learned had they not left their little corner of the world. What a book! It’s not often I sit down with something so cozy and really feel so immersed. I could all but feel the sand between my toes and the beautiful blue water that Jenny got to look out at and the fantastical fun that Marianne had on her roar trip was absolutely delightful to read. I love that it is character driven and excellent in its descriptions of places, food and minor details as well. The underlying lessons about the way friendships can evolve and change as we grow up we’re really well written and the romantic elements weren’t cringe worthy, making this a great recommendation for romance and adventure. The important details for me were the moments of perspective and growth that both ladies had during their time away from home. Realisations and reclaiming parts of themselves they hadn’t realised were missing and ultimately rounding out this book so sweetly you can’t help but be sad to have reached the end. A true delight and a must have getaway read, simply fantastic. I cannot wait to read more of Dickens work.

This was a quick, fun and easy read with well developed, relatable and likeable characters and a good storyline. I really enjoyed it.

A thoroughly enjoyable read with delightful characters for a change, one to take with you in your bag on holiday

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC of "The Holiday Bookshop" by Lucy Dickens.

This is a sappy story that features books heavily and I adore it. The romance was minor but was plenty enough for me. I loved the character development throughout the story.

What an amazing book!
The whole plot kept me intriguing.
This was so satisfying to read!
I'd love to read more from the author.

This was a very enjoyable book & i would like to read more by this author. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review this book.