The main storyline is cute and reminds me of Hallmark movies. Girl goes away for a while, meets an eye-candy whilst there. Romance blossoms. The storyline is a bit predictable but I suspect that my teenage students might just like this. I am a bit too old for this. The characters talk in a more mature way than their supposed age though.

Anna is not having the best start to her summer. She thinks she has failed her A levels so her uni place in September is looking unlikely, her boyfriend has dumped her in order to go off to Paris and “find himself” and the legal internship that she had lined up has evaporated too. The problem is that Anna is ultra-focussed and goal orientated so what should she do now all her plans have fallen through? Her slightly scatty aunt invites her to come and help in her bookshop in a small Cornish seaside town, so Anna arrives in Fox Bay in her sharp London outfits and finds herself in a whole different world than the one she is used to.
The Wildest Dreams Bookshop is the perfect easy reading escapist YA summer romcom for fans of cozy bookshops and small-town communities. The failing bookshop and Anna’s book launch party rescue plan is a solid plotline to which the salt and surf romance takes second place. I liked that it was more than a romcom as Anna takes on a challenge and finds out where her talents might lie.

The Wildest Dreams Bookshop by Gracie Page is a charming and heartwarming read that will delight book lovers and fans of coming-of-age stories. Seventeen-year-old Anna is having a tough summer—she’s pretty sure she’s failed her exams, her boyfriend has dumped her, and she feels isolated while her friends enjoy their exciting holidays. When her aunt invites her to spend the summer at her bookshop by the sea, Anna reluctantly agrees, hoping to escape from her problems.

What Anna didn’t expect was the arrival of Jacob, a local surfer who is as irritating as he is attractive. Despite her initial reluctance, Anna finds herself drawn to him. When disaster strikes the bookshop, Anna and Jacob must work together to save the end-of-summer party, and in the process, Anna begins to realise that real life can be much sweeter than fiction.

The book’s setting is vividly described, with the picturesque village and Cornwall’s blue waters coming to life on the page. The dynamic between Anna and Jacob adds a light, romantic touch, while the bookshop itself is a central character in the story. The marketing campaign for the bookshop’s event is cleverly woven into the plot, adding a fun, creative element. The Wildest Dreams Bookshop is a delightful, easy-to-read escape that will leave you smiling and wishing for your own seaside bookshop adventure.

3.5/5.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

📢 Review:
So, imagine your life is a complete disaster—your grades are trash, your love life is nonexistent, and your solution? Move to a tiny seaside town and take over your aunt’s struggling bookshop. Because why not? ✨ That’s exactly what Anna does, and honestly? I respect the delusion.
Now, let’s talk about Jacob—the town’s so-called bad boy™️. Except, plot twist: he’s not actually bad, he’s just a victim of small-town gossip (relatable). 🙄 He’s not grumpy, he’s just misunderstood, and let’s be real, that makes him even hotter.
But WAIT—romance? Not the main plot. (Shocking, I know.) This book is actually about Anna figuring out her life, proving she’s not a failure, and, oh yeah—single-handedly throwing a book launch party to save the shop. 🎉📖 Because when in doubt, throw a party, right?
Between small-town shenanigans, bookstore chaos, and a misunderstood soft boy who just wants people to stop judging him, this book was funny, heartwarming, and gave me an overwhelming urge to move to a coastal town and start a bookshop. (Anyone wanna fund this dream?)

💖 Why You’ll Love This Book:
✨ It’s the bookshop fantasy – living by the sea, running a cozy bookshop… we all want it. 📚🏖️
✨ Jacob is NOT the bad boy – but everyone thinks he is, which makes the drama extra spicy. 🌶️
✨ Book launch party mayhem – because obviously, this is how you fix your life. 🎊📖
✨ Anna’s personal glow-up – from "I have no clue what I’m doing" to "CEO of book-saving." 💼
✨ Quirky small-town vibes – aka everyone is in your business, and it’s hilarious. 🏡

📚 Tropes Inside:
🏡 Small-town charm
📖 Bookish dreams
🖤 Misunderstood love interest
🎉 The ultimate book event
💕 Slow-burn romance (but like, really slow)

📢 Final Thoughts:
If you love books about books, characters who are just trying to get their lives together, and seaside small-town chaos, The Wildest Dreams Bookshop is for you. Read it, love it, and then join me in my mission to open a bookstore (seriously, I need investors).

This author’s books have the ability to simultaneously make you unable to stop reading while wishing you could bury the book somewhere deep underground where it can't be found. Compelling and didn’t want it to end!

I really enjoyed this novel. The small town setting captured my attention, Anna grew on me as a character throughout the book. The themes of family, loyalty, community and a love for books shines through.

I loved this book so much, anything set in a bookshop with a little romance on the side is my cup of tea and I loved it. Gracie is a new author and I can tell she is going to be a big hit with readers like me. A cute summer rom com that you wont want to put down. The cover is gorgeous too, very summery. Anna is not having a great summer so far, everything seems to be going wrong until her Aunt invited her to stay with her. But what she didn't realise is how bad the bookshop her aunt owns is going down hill rapidly. When her aunt has an accident, it is up to Anna to save the day and pull the bookshop out of deep water. With a few other people to help including hot Jacob, could Anna have a little romance going on here too? Gracie has done a great job on detailing how a bookshop is run and I really found that side of things interesting, also they are a few funny parts too. It was a great and uplifting summer read. I cannot wait to see what Gracie writes about next.

This book was really cute. FMC goes to spend her summer at her aunts bookshop in Cornwall and ends up running it and planning a massive book launch with the help of FMC. The descriptions in the book were on point - I could see the village perfectly and those blue Cornwall waters, and the launch party was really easy to visualise. It was easy to read, and kept me interested in what was coming next - I'm a sucker for anything bookshop related though! Also the idea for the marketing campaign within the book was brilliant.

However I don't really understand why they tried to sell MMC as a 'bad boy' - he throws parties and drinks is the logic given in the book...but that's standard British teenager behaviour? I think emphasising the surfer side would have worked better (but that's obviously not as popular a trope as bad boy). The ex boyfriend was a proper bell, and it did annoy me how she was letting him just walk all over her for a while. Like girl grow a backbone.

Overall an enjoyable read. Thanks Netgalley for the ARC.

No because WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT'S OVER??

If you loved Instant Karma by Marissa Meyer or Safe Harbor by K.sinko, you'll love this YA contemporary.

This book is a 100% a love letter to readers, romantics and anyone who feels immense empathy toward fictional characters. I loved how Anna was determined to pick back up her aunt's bookshop and help it flourish again. She doesn't take no for an answer taking up challenges because she deeply cares for her aunt. I really wanted to see her succeed. Then she starts to care about the small town of Fox Bay and a little too much for the tall surfer there....
In comes Jacob, who was reluctant at first to Anna's presence, but quickly fell for her without realizing it. They are so so sweet!

"Do you ever let anything go?"
"I treasure every insult from you, Anna."

He grovels ladies, GROVELS!!

I liked that the romance wasn't the main focus, but also the familial relationships alongside the friendships.
The way the town came to Anna's aid... I teared up at the end.

Oh I loved his town and the people. If anyone has ever felt lost, almost in doubt of their abilities, you'll feel seen through this novel. It's not always about preparing for the future, but rather remembering to live in the moments, or else you might miss something.


"I'll drown."
"Maybe. But at least you will have lived."

Note: I'll be post my review on my instagram closer to release.