4 stars / This review will be posted on goodreads.com today.


Clove Lore is a small town on the Devonshire coast. It is where Magnus Sturluson has landed here from Iceland to mend a wounded heart. It is the last place he would have chosen to spend his holiday. This was a gift from his brother, as a joke, before Magnus’s world began falling apart.

Alex has taken to the sea in her late father’s ferry boat. Escaping from the tragedy of her life in Port Hernou. Her parents have both passed away, and now she’s found her boyfriend of sorts in the arms of her best friend. She had no plans to run, but run she did, right into the path of a storm. A storm that will wash her up on the beaches of Clove Lore, and into the arms of a handsome Icelander.

But life is never this simple. Alex’s ‘family’ in Port Hernou is missing her and wondering where she is. Magnus has a locked away his heart and feelings. Not to mention all the other residents of Clove Lore.

This was a wonderful, heart warming story of a small village and how people can find love and happiness even in the darkest of times. It is the perfect little novel for Christmas! Although this is book number two of the series, it can definitely be read as standalone (as I have.) I dare you not to fall in love with the residents of Clove Lore. Especially the donkeys and little Aldous.

I didn't realize this is the second book in the series. I will have to get the first. Staying in a bookshop for a holiday sounds like fun to avid readers. I didn't know it was a thing. I'm intrigued. There are many interesting characters in this English village and romance is in the air when a storm threatens all during the Christmas holiday.

The cover of this book immediately drew me in! This is a sweet story of community and love. I adored all the villagers and the village itself felt so magical! I also loved Magnus and Alex and their love story. Read this sweet book by the twinkle lights this winter. It's the perfect escape.

This book was a solid 3.5 stars for me, I was so excited to read the next adventure at the borrow a bookshop …..this time we are introduced to a quiet Icelandic man and a broken young English woman . This story though also has some story lines outside of this relationship for those we met in the first book and a natural disaster thrown in.
I love the people and magic of Clove Lore ad find myself invested in all the characters . This book delves more into the lives of a few villagers we meet in book 1 and gives us some happy outcomes . I enjoy the authors writing and I enjoyed this book almost as much as the first book. At times it seemed like a lot was going on with all the storylines but I still enjoyed reading it. It’s a quick fun read .

I received a free copy from NetGalley and all opinions are my own .

I would recommend this book to friends and family and my book clubs

It's almost Christmas time! Christmas at the Borrow a Bookshop is a romance novel that will keep you hooked from the start till the end!

This is the second book of the Borrow a Bookshop series and I actually enjoyed reading both. The story follows an Icelandic man named Magnus who used to be a bookseller and who is nursing his old wounds. Then comes Alex, who finds herself stranded in Clove Lore saved by Magnus. The story follows how the friendship and eventually the romance between Alex and Magnus developed.

I do like the Icelandic phrases that were used in the book, making the reader feel a touch of Icelandic culture. I also like the writing and I feel like I was watching a really interesting Hallmark Christmas while reading the novel. I also found it interesting to read about Yule Book flood where families and friends get together to read a book and I thought it was such a unique thing to do.

Overall, if you like to read a good Christmas romance novel, then I would highly recommend this novel for you. Worth four stars.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Hera for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

I did not like this book and it was a DNF for me. I felt like it was all over the place and I could not connect with the characters. I will not post this review anywhere to give others a chance to make their own decision. Thank you for the opportunity.

i want to move to clove lore!!
as soon as i read the first couple of pages i knew i was going to adore this book, it has that feeling that you want to lose yourself in the characters.
i loved how the story followed loads of different characters live but that they all came together to build the mon storyline.
A comfy cosy book to get lost in on a lazy day

This is the second book in the series, but could be read as a stand alone. I myself haven't read the first book. Christmas at the Borrow a Bookshop is a perfect book to curl up to in the cold months to come. Such a cozy Christmas read.

With just two weeks until Christmas, everything in Clove Lore should be perfect. But the latest holidaymaker to the Borrow a Bookshop is feeling far from festive…
Icelandic ex-bookseller Magnús Sturluson might be surrounded by love stories in the Bookshop, but he’s nursing a sadness that not even fiction can fix.
When Alexandra Robinson finds herself stranded in Clove Lore, she finds a safe place to hide from heartbreak. After all, all that’s waiting for her at home is a cheater boyfriend and the memories of her parents. As Alex finds herself embraced by the quirky village community, she finds her tough exterior thawing – and as she grows closer to Magnús, she finds an equally soft heart under his gruff shell.
It seems that Clove Lore is working its magic once again – until a great flood on Christmas Eve brings devastation in its wake. It’s up to Magnús and Alex to batten down the hatches and help bring the village back together again, while also introducing the locals to the Icelandic tradition of the jólabókaflóð – Yule book flood – where families and friends gather on Christmas Eve to exchange books and read together.
But can Magnús and Alex truly rescue the ruins of the village, and salvage their Christmas spirit? Or is there another complication lurking even closer than they thought?

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to review the advance read copy in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Kiley Dunbar the author and to Hera the publisher. Publication date is September 1, 2022.

Comfort read? Yes, please!!! I am a mood reader so it took a second for me to pick this one up but I am so glad I did! Loved the premise - and now I am actively googling how to “borrow a bookshop” because let’s be honest, that is definitely every book worm’s dream!

I will most definitely be rereading at Christmas time. It’s the perfect holiday read to curl up next to a fire with a cup of cocoa!

What a treat to be able to catch up with the residents of clove lore, alongside some new additions.

The borrow a bookshop continues to have a huge waiting list for book lovers to undertake the chance of 2 weeks working in a bookshop/ cafe. This time is almost Christmas and magnus has travelled from abroad to mend his soul after his own bookshop failed at home.

Alex comes home one day to find her boyfriend and best friend in an embrace. She immediately leaves and takes her boat, left to her by her father, to the seas to escape her sadness. Winter brings storms and having lost control of her boat, is washed on clove lores shores. Joining the rescue party Magnus feels he has met a beautiful version of a mermaid.

As severe storms hit the village, residents are forced to pull together, and with no other options, all end up at the big manor house.

A really warm, feel good read where indivduals all battle their own struggles resulting in strong relationships and the rebuilding of an old village.

Highly recommend a read.

A fun read, if a bit muddled. The villagers are still delightful but I wish so many stories were t touched on at once, it leaves things feeling messy and not detailed enough to follow along with comfortably. Magnus and Alex were lovely but their relationship did move a bit too fast for me. Glad to see things changed up with the bookshop and I look forward to reading the next in the series.

Wouldn’t it be great to sign up to work in a cozy bookshop for a week or two?! What a fun premise. Magnus and Alex had a sweet story, and I liked seeing them both work through their issues as individuals so they could see where they should be as a couple. Magnus’ way of listening but not prying was so sweet. I loved the friendships and the way the residents of Clove Lore cared for each other. There were some heavy themes, and, I would have liked a few more lighthearted scenes.

Notes: death of a parent, death of a spouse, infidelity, loss of business, natural disaster, same sex marriage, a couple fade to black scenes

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

“Lestu, Borðaðu, Elskaðu, Dreymdu.”
~ Read, Eat, Love, Dream ~

Author Kiley Dunbar’s second book in the Borrow-A-Bookshop series features the ultimate Airbnb for us bibliophiles - a chance to stay for two weeks in a book shop! Can you imagine? 24/7 surrounded by books in a quaint Engish seaside village! Renters are encouraged to change the displays to books of their liking, bake using their own favourite recipes and sell in the attached coffee shop, recommend their one favourite authors and enjoy sleeping in a bedroom overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. I would be giddy with excitement!

Magnus Sturluson has booked the coveted two-week spot over Christmas and New Year in an effort to get away from festivities and happy people. He’s an Icelandic former bookseller but knows that his sadness runs too deep for fiction to fix.

When Alexandra Robinson’s 27ft river cruiser, Dagalien, crashes ashore at Clove Lore, Devon, in Storm Minnie, the locals know that her secrecy means she’s been sailing away from something or someone. Alex wants to be as far away from Christmas and happy people, too. When she is rescued by the hunky Icelander she has no intentions of “running towards the first hot landlubber she laid eyes on.” Fortunately, fate has other plans for her!

What delightful characters! Not only is Magnus delightful to look at, he’s also beautiful on the inside. You’ll have to read to find out more about this hunk with a heart….all I’ll tell you is that he bakes! Hunky, sweet and bakes! The delightful cast of characters in this seaside village will warm your heart.

You’ll love the Icelandic flavour of this novel as Dunbar discusses Icelandic words, food, and traditions. I loved learning about Jolabokafloo and how it connected to Storm Nora.

I loved Dunbar’s reminders not to live our lives afraid of failing, to find the courage and strength to carry on and hold on to hope for a brighter future, and to support others to get through their stormy days. Dunbar wants readers to channel what they garnered from recent world events about supporting each other and use this to create a better world for themselves and those around them.

I can’t wait for book 3 in the series coming in Spring 2023.

This delightful bookish break novel needs to top your Christmas reading list.

I was gifted this advance copy by Hera Books and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of christmas at the borrow a bookshop!
this is my first book by this author and i was looking for something heartwarming and cozy and that's exactly what i got! i haven't read the first book in the series but this can be read as a standalone book which i appreciate a lot as i didnt feel lost! ill definitely be re-reading this book again at christmas! thank you again netgalley and the publisher for the book!

This was so cute! A wonderful romance, filled with witty banter, delightful characters, and just enough steaminess. A must read for romance lovers!

Thank you to NetGalley and Hera Books for this eARC!

Kiley Dunbar has done it again with a sweet, romantic, warm-and-fuzzy holiday tale. A story of healing and love set against the backdrop of a seaside town thrown into turmoil with the arrival of an unwelcome and severe storm.

This was a delightful story, just the kind of light bedtime reading I love!

The title of this book has the words “Christmas” and “bookshop” in it, so that’s an instant 5-star book for me.

I’ve not read a Kiley Dunbar book before but going on this, I will definitely be taking a look at her others, especially as I’ve found this is not the only festive book she’s written - and we all know how much of a sucker I am for a festive book.

I loved that the two protagonists - Magnus and Alex - liked each other straight away (as is noted in the author’s acknowledgements). Most happily-ever-after type books start with the man and woman hating each other before miraculously falling in love. And don’t get me wrong, I love those kinds of books just as much, but it was nice to see something slightly different. Another thing I thought was really nice is that this wasn’t just about Magnus and Alex. Yes, they’re our main characters, but everyone else has their own story going on. The protagonists could have easily been changed to another person, their stories are so developed and interesting.

There’s a large cast of supporting characters, and they’re all delightful, there’s no-one I didn’t like. They are a proper close community and that really comes through for the reader. They have their ups and downs but at the end of the day, they’re all here for each other and they support each other, and those kind of communities don’t come around very often. I’d love to live in a place like that, especially if it contains a hunky Icelandic man and a bookshop. I mean, what more do you want?

I also loved the use of a non-English character like Magnus. I’ve never been to Iceland but I’ve always wanted to go, particularly at Christmas time, and I really liked that Kiley had included so many references from a traditional Scandinavian Christmas.

I didn’t realise that reading this book would cost me money though. She mentions a number of Scandi-related food items, and they all sounded so delicious I went and ordered a baking recipe book, full of Scandinavian Christmas sweet treats, and whilst I’m aware it’s only August and 33 degrees (at time of writing), I cannot wait to get stuck into those wintery flavours.

Even thought it has “Christmas” in the title, and it’s set during December and there are festive elements, for me, it’s more about the spirit of Christmas rather than the day itself. It means it’s a perfect book to read at any time of the year - although I’ve never let the season dictate my reading habits.

It turns out this the second “borrow a bookshop” story, but I didn’t find that out until after I’d finished, which proved that it’s not necessary to read the first before this. Sure, it may give you more context but it doesn’t affect the reading of this one at all.

It’s a cosy and warming book, without being corny. It feels very realistic but with a touch of magic - much like Christmas itself - and you can’t help but find yourself smiling constantly. It’s not a very long book, and if you’re like me, you’ll finish it in one sitting but that’s good. I don’t think I could have faced putting it down halfway through. I was so invested in this village and in this community.

This was fun, though I think I would've liked it even more had I read the first book in the series. The writing wasn't quite to my taste, but the premise certainly lured me in and kept me entertained.

I loved the first borrow a bookshop book so was really excited to read Christmas at the borrow a bookshop and it certainly didn’t disappoint!
Books,baking,a hunky Icelandic man, a damsel in distress, familiar characters from book one and the fantastic setting of clove lore make for an entertaining, romantic read that will get you into the Christmas spirit!
Lovely to be reunited with characters from the last book and to see how the magic of clove lore and the bookshop can help another couple achieve a happy ending, I’m intrigued to see what happens to its newest borrowers so really hoping for a book three!
A lovely feel good read with great community spirit,friendships, second chances at love and new beginnings! Would highly recommend!
Thank you netgalley for this early read.

‘Tis the season for finding love… and the perfect book.

I loved the premise and cover of this book, that’s what immediately drew me in.

Overall, the scenery and descriptions were done spectacularly! The plot flowed through and was well-written! Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!