Cover Image: The Little Bookshop of Love Stories

The Little Bookshop of Love Stories

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Member Reviews

A book that includes the Mondayest Monday ever had me from the get go.

I firstly feel like I need to apologise to Jaimie I had hoped to have read this before publication day but a month into lockdown I lost a good week of reading thanks to a headache from literally reading. I then had a few other commitments so it’s taken me a while but man this is a book that will sweep any bookworm up in the pure romance of the love of a good book and the stories they hold way past the story that the actual author wrote.

It also had me thinking about the current situation we are in. Will we ever share books the way we used to? Will we be able to search for the ones with messages in. Covid 19 has left so many unanswered questions and in reading the gorgeous notes found in a number of the classics that Hallie finds in the Once Upon a Page bookshop it made me think of the stories and I was literally on the edge of my seat.

Hallie is amazing from the get go and as her story progresses I found myself fully invested in her and her bookshop. Winning a bookshop is every single book worms dream and I loved seeing her flourish with every change she made. She’s a very capable woman but she’s never really found her calling in life but she’s always had a love for Books. Stories have been her salvation and her escape especially when life got tough.

There are so many gorgeous quotes about books getting your through scenarios in life and how books have formed friendships and enhanced love stories. So many of my favourites were mentioned Les Mis, general classics (not that I’ve read enough of them) Enid Blyton and how book boyfriends really are too good to be true.

I adored Dimitri from the beginning and as the story went on I worked out a few little things but wasn’t expecting the end results. I won’t be spoiling the story but I loved seeing the drama unfold and if I had been reading this in public I sure would have been given some strange looks. I also loved how Robert initially played such a small part in the book but his love of books and of love meant he was at the heart of the story and I relished every single aspect of his journey.

Jaimie has created a gorgeous story that incorporates books, life, loneliness, grief, community spirit and living for the moment. We can accomplish anything we set our minds to at whatever age we are.

I’m my own worst enemy so in that aspect I relate to Hallie but I know deep down I’m stronger than I’ve ever given myself credit for. This book has swept me away and left me feeling empowered and simply full of love. I hope we can still write notes in books and share them as the stories are timeless and they will out live us all.

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This is a feel good easy read. Go through the trails and tribulations of the main character as she wins a book store in a raffle (yes you read that right!) she comes to realise how out of her depth she is, but, along comes a tall handsome artist to help out, read along as you watch them slowly firm a bond. Highly recommend

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Very nice and cozy read by Jaimie Admans! If you love reading, if you are in love with books and literature, if you are in love with bookshops this book is for you!!!!! This lovely story is all about books, the love of reading and the love of books and is also so romantic! So if you love romance and books in general, I would highly recommend this book! You will LOVE it!!!!! 4 stars out of 5 (not 5 stars because in my opinion this book is a little bit too slow paced at times).

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Hallie Winstone had been having the worst day, being fired from her latest job, before she received a lucky e-mail -- she was the new owner of the Once Upon a Page bookshop! A dream come true for a bookworm like Hallie, she's also overwhelmed at the monumental task before her of successfully keeping the bookstore thriving. Throw in a realtor shark who wants to buy out the store from her, and Hallie is feeling the pressure. But with help from an equally clumsy and just as bookish friend, Dmitri, Hallie uncovers the magic of the shop.

Really enjoyable, lighthearted romance read! I loved the idea of winning a bookshop, and all the trials and tribulations that go with it. Hallie Winstone is a relatable protagonist as a somewhat clumsy, down-on-her-luck bookworm. She's very opinionated and enthusiastic about books which makes her perfect for Once Upon a Page. Hallie's growing relationship with Dmitri is also very endearing and pure, and it was great to read along as they fell in love.

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What a gem of book. I thoroughly enjoyed the unfurling of the story and meeting all the nice people (except one)! This is a perfect book for us who like romance novels, I found myself inwardly smiling at some of the plot lines and I even laughed out loud at one time. You can tell that Jaimie has enjoyed her research of reading lots of good cheesy books. How you can bring a goldfish quite convincingly
into the storyline and not bat an eye lid is fantastic. Dimitri and Hallie are wonderful and their story gently unfolds to the ending that we are all waiting for. A lovely read.

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Jaimie's books always make me laugh and cry, she got me again with this one. I connected with Hallie straight away and rooted for her from the get go. I loved all the little notes and although the twist was a little pradictable it was still a great read.

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Love this book!!!
Wonderful love story. I was cheering the main character on from the start. Hop ring they would get together

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3.5 stars. This was an enjoyable read that had a wonderful setting in a bookstore and good characters. I do wish that every romance didn't have to include the one argument that causes a breakup but besides that point this book was a fun read.

Thanks to netgalley for the copy for my honest review.

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If you’re in a reading slump and need an easy read, then this is it. Great read, perfect romance story. Definitely one that makes you happy and feel a glow inside.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

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One of my favourite films of all time is You've Got Mail. and this story has echoes of this with vaguely similar premise. As an avid reader, anything that's set in a bookshop is bound to get my vote and this doesn't disappoint. Sweet, charming and romantic it fulfills all the requirements of a novel to immerse yourself into. Characters you are rooting for, villains you wish would get their comeuppance and a wonderful setting as a backdrop. A gorgeous read with an equally gorgeous cover.

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Once in a while a book comes along that leaves you with such a warm, wonderful feeling that you are sad to come to the end. This book ticked all the boxes for me- set in a bookshop , lovely characters, dreams and aspirations all wrapped up in a beautiful read.
Hallie wins her favourite bookshop in a lottery and is then tasked with turning it round into a commercial success. Dimitri is a lovely character - he draws illustrations and spends time at the bookshop. She finds his help invaluable and you are hoping that the cupids arrow will find them. He makes beautiful window displays for her so that people are drawn to come in and I can just imagine the mermaid window and all the books.
I really could picture the bookshop in my mind and wanted to spend time browsing all the shelves. They come up with a unique idea of trying to reunite people who wrote inscriptions in the book. Although I never write in my own books I will admit to being charmed when I find a second hand book with an inscription.

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Hallie does not seem to have the best luck until one day she wins a Once Upon a Page bookshop. Unfortunately, the bookstore isn't doing the best financially, but for book lover Hallie, it is a dream come true. With the help of Dimitri, Hallie hopes to stay afloat and uses the little stories written inside book covers to do so. There were so many bookish references and you couldn't help but love Hallie and Dimitri. They are awkward and quirky, but they complement each other well and seemed perfect for this story.

For the most part, this was a fun and easy read especially for summer. I went with 3 stars, because overall the book is good, but a little too fluffy for me. I saw most of the twists coming from pretty early on which is fine, but it didn't add anything extra to the story for me. I loved the added element of the stories that are written inside of books and wish there would've been more of that.

I was able to get early access to this book thanks to #NetGalley and #HQDigital

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What a lovely book to read. So much love on one place. It was smooth. So well written. Flowed to well. Perfect for being stuck in on lockdown and it’s pouring down here. Lose yourself in this wonderful plot

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Well, I really wanted to like this one. I was in need of a light read, but in this case, it was just too cheesy for me to get past the writing. The klutzy characterization of Hallie bordered on hyperbole, and the over-exaggeration of everything was a bit too much for me to get past. Those in need of a light read will enjoy the trope of the story in a bookshop, but I couldn't get past the writing.

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This is such a lovely read.
The characters are very relatable and the story flows with ease.
Time seemed to fly by when reading.
If you want a gentle read then this if for you.

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Found this to be cute and light and funny (though frankly, at the start I was like, Just how much bad luck can someone have??? It just seemed a tad too over the top) But it has a light and bright vibe and that was very much a joy to follow and read through, making this an enjoyable book

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The world needs more books like this to make us all feel better. So sweet and just a lovely read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

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Lucille is a perfectionist. She does everything as per by the rules and as she is supposed to be doing. She doesn't have enough time to go out with friends, act on silly crushes or enjoy life as she wants. Because she needs to prepare for a flawless future.

So when she gets an email from Life2 for beta testers to enroll in an experimental clone program she agrees to it. Finally she can be a normal teenager and be an overachiever too. But what happens when her clone, Lucy starts living Lucille's life better than her? Lucy does what she really wants to, not what she thinks she should want to, and Lucille is left wondering how much she was even a part of the perfect life she'd constructed for herself.

Review-

The issues discussed in the books makes for a home run. Every individual can relate to being able to get all or to achieve all the things they desire. There is a constant pressure to better ourselves. To meet the expectations of others regarding us. But what do we want? Do we really want what others expect from us? Or we are just choosing an easier path so that we can always blame others when things don't go as per plan.

This same issue is with Lucille. She is not living her life as she wants to but as she is expected to. And thus she is always running behind something, trying to achieve everything and unintentionally starts judging and blaming everyone around her when things go wrong.

This is such a sensitive topic and author has nailed it. Lucille is a character with whom everyone will connect. In the starting you feel pity and bad for her but as the story progresses, through Lucy you understand the other side of the situation.

The Science Fiction part is written with such ease and simplicity that it is not complicated or over the top at all. You understand each and every scientific phase of the book. Author has excelled at the main elements of the book, the emotional content and the science fiction content.

Only the ending was quite rushed. I felt such a huge world shocking news to have a clone was taken very lightly and everything got solved very quickly. I was waiting for some big earth slipped from my feet kind of ending, but everything was as normal as discovering a twin not a clone.

Aside from that if you are looking for YA Science Fiction that this book is an ideal choice. It has teen friendships, academic expectations. romance, over thinking everything and a mirror that shows you how to do better in your own life.

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Enjoyable read. Would recommend to friends and family. I could sympathise with characters (important for any fiction novel!) and looked forward to picking it up and reading the next few chapters! Interesting plot line and a good ending. Will look out for more novels by the author. Thank you.

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***Feedback given in return for being able to read this book by NetGalley***

The Little Bookshop of Love Stories is about a clumsy woman called Hallie who loses her job and manages to ‘win’ the ownership of a bookshop in a town near to where she lives called ‘Once Upon a Page’. On her first day, she meets the handsome Dimitri, named after the ‘hero’ in the Disney fim. ‘Anastasia’ and they become fast friends.

A property developer named Drake Farrer, is after Hallie’s new store so he can build a leisure centre to bring ‘more tourism’ into the little town of Buntingorden, The Cotswolds. Hallie has all of these new, innovative ideas to help modernise the bookstore. Upon doing an inventory to see what she has, along with new friend Dimitri’s help, they find many books with handwritten, personalised dedications in them, which sends them in the hunt to find the people who wrote them, and to see what their stories are currently.

Fast forward towards the end of the book and there is a very predictable plot twist, that I figured out about a third the way through the book, however the ending is lovely and rounds the story off nicely.

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