I did not finish this book. The naivety of the main character was grating, instead of sweet. It did not make me root for her, instead I was annoyed. Perhaps I could have gotten over it but if the first 50-60 pages didn’t do it, I doubted it.

I have read all Jaimies other books and thoroughly enjoyed them and this one was no exception. A book about a bookshop - what is there not to like? Hallie wins a bookshop called Once Upon A Page in a raffle - slightly unbelievable but then the story gently unfolds in the sleepy little village setting. She is introduced to Dimitri who shares her love of books and together they try to sort the bookshop out and put it back on the map. It is light hearted read - perfect for escaping the current situation we find ourselves in. A delightful read as always from this author.

This was a cute and cozy read with a lot of good one liners about books and reading. The romance was a little saccharine and predictable, but I was still swept into it. Both of the main characters were likable and quirky, and I just wanted them to be happy.

Bad luck follows Hallie Winstone like a dark cloud, so she is understandably amazed to find herself the winner of a quaint old bookstore.

Reading has always been Hallie’s comfort and she’s dreamed of owning her own store one day- but she didn’t realize how much work it would be to reorganize the old shop. Good thing it comes with a flat upstairs because the store is taking over her life. Financial concerns makes her wonder if she’s jumped from the frying pan to the fire, but a handsome, quirky artist convinces Hallie not to give up.

With Dimitri’s help, Hallie begins to get a handle on the business and excitement blooms when they find books with inscriptions inside their worn covers. The romantic in Hallie wants to bring the people in the messages together, so she and Dimitri hatch a plan to advertise the notes online and the results are more than either of them expected.

This is a sweet, charming rom-com with an underlying message of trust that I found refreshing. Klutzy Dimitri and hapless Hallie make a great couple. And who wouldn’t love to find romance in a bookshop!

“I voluntarily read an ARC of this book which was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.”

The concept of this book had me hooked from the beginning. Hallie Winstone is the most unlucky and clumsiest person in the world, and to top it off, she gets fired from her waitressing job. Her luck changes when she gets one of the biggest surprises of her life: ownership of the most charming bookshop and flat in a quaint little town. A book lover’s dream come true! The cherry on top literally falls into the bookshop, Once Upon a Page, on her very first day in the form of dreamy, book-nerdy customer Dimitri. The two strike up a quick friendship and get to work organizing the bookshop and all it’s charm.

The author penned many charming moments throughout the book, bringing the awkwardness of Hallie and Dimitri to life, as well as providing comedic relief with the adorable dog-watching goldfish in the window. While I enjoyed all of the sweet moments – and they carried throughout the book – I struggled a bit to keep going. It seemed that there was momentum in the beginning, then it began to wane a bit. I enjoyed Hallie’s mum at first, but her obsession with Hallie getting married and the directness she had toward her goal was a little unnerving at times.

Overall, I would say this was an enjoyable, light-hearted book that is perfect reading for book lovers daydreaming about what it’d be like to own a bookshop. It was charming, laugh-out-loud funny at times, and arse-over-tits romantic! Though a bit predictable at times, it is the kind of story that brings a smile to your face, and what more could you want during this time of quarantine?!

Thank you to NetGalley and HQ Digital for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

First Thoughts
As I stated at the beginning of this post, book-lovers love books featuring books. So I simply had to read this book when I saw it on NetGalley; a book about books, and bookshops, and love stories. The title, cover, setting, and the description ensured I was falling in love before I started reading it. And when I was done with it, I was, bottoms-over-chests (ahem!) in love with it many times over.

The Review
The Little Bookshop of Love Stories is that scribbled note full of love on the first page of a book; addressed to books themselves and to book lovers everywhere.

Granted, it was predictable (for me) almost from the very start, and some of it a little too perfectly wonderful to be believable; but then it is fiction after all. Nevertheless, there was a delight in reading this book that kept me going till the very end almost in one sitting. And I am sure it will be the same for you too.

Jaimie Admans takes her characters, and thus her readers on a joy-filled, heart-warming journey through the pages of this book. The setting is perfect – both the bookshop named Once Upon a Page (and who would not love that!) and the town it is in; and all the characters fit their mold perfectly too. Hallie and Dimitri are both adorably clumsy, wonderfully quirky book-lovers, and totally relatable. I also loved that with all that was going on in the book, blossoming love, rekindled love stories literally from the pages of books, and more, the focus still remained on books!

Have you ever indulged on light airy sweet-treats sprinkled with humor, with that wonderful smell of books and wrapped in a warm hug? You can, when you read this book. This book is where dreams meet reality (oh to own a bookshelf!!!) ; where books meet book-lovers; the words leave your heart feeling warm; where witty banter and happy accidents resulting from klutzy characters leave your face smiling as wide as it can; where social media meets quaint bookshops; and one which leaves you believing in happy-ever-afters!!!

In Summary
Quirky, heart-warming, adorable, light-hearted, sweet romance (for books and love stories) that is perfect for anyone who loves books, bookshops, fairy tales, happily-ever-afters, a little bit of magic, charming little towns, and yes, even baking.

Disclaimer: Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the eARC of the book; these are my honest opinions after reading this book.

Thank you to net galley, the publishing house and the author for the opportunity to read a complimentary advance reader copy of this book and return for review based on my honest opinion,

If you are looking for an absolutely wonderful book about a bookstore, about books, about love, second chances, dreams come true with a little humour rolled in, this is the book you’re looking for. I absolutely adored this book,

Hallie is accident prone and unlucky, she cannot keep a job or a boyfriend, she is always waiting for the next thing to go wrong. When she wins her favourite bookshop in a draw, she can hardly believe her luck, she wonders if the universe saved all her luck up for this one event. The bookshop not only comes with an apartment above it but with a goldfish and clumsy artist who comes to the shop daily to work on his book, but the shop is failing financially. As Hallie with the help of Dimitri try to keep the bookshop alive and keep the wolves from her door she starts to live like she’s never lived before. Can she trust that Dimitri is all he seems to be, has her luck finally changed or is the bookshop in the red too far to be saved?

This book was funny, romantic, heartwarming and so enjoyable to read. I loved all the references to books although I found it hard to believe that she had never read The Princess Bride as that is one of my favourite books. I’ve loved every book I’ve read by this author and can’t wait for her to write more.

I literally couldn’t put this book down. I laughed cried and I shouted at Halle!l numerous times throughout reading this. This is such a light but brilliant read with fab characters, a lovely village and you wont regret reading it.

A charming read all about romance and books. This light and easy read will leave you feeling happy and warm inside. Loved the unique characters too, this book had a magical feel to it

The reader really needs to suspend belief for this novel. The characters seem a bit cliched and it is easy to guess some of the reveals in the plot before they happen. OK.

I absolutely adored this book. Yes on the surface it is your boy meets girl Chick lit but it is so much more than that. Hallie wins the bookshop of her dreams giving he,r up to now mundane life, meaning. Compelled to honour the previous bookshop owner's wishes, she sets out to make a success of the business. Dimitri the ever present resident book illustrator comes out of his shell as he and Hallie discover a world of dedications and messages written inside some of the second hand book stock and seek to discover the original inscribers and their stories.

All of the characters are beautifully written in this lovely book. I would say the ideal holiday read but at present the ideal lock down read. Enjoy!

I received an advance copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review

A light read with a lot of charm. Loved the characters and the ode to literature. Thank you for allowing me to tead this book.

I couldn’t put this book down. I laughed, I cried and I shouted at Halle.! A brilliant read, super characters and a delightful village setting.

This book is an ode to all book lovers. A big warm cuddle of bookish delight. A tribute to brick and mortar bookstores and the joy of holding a physical book in your hands.
It is utterly and completely enchanting and all things that are wonderful about books.
It made me smile from cover to cover. It made me want to own a bookshop. It made me want to find a second hand bookstore and start my own search for messages written within the pages.
It was delightful.

Hallie and Dimitri are quirky, clumsy and relatable. They are me, and they are you, (i.e ordinary people, living their lives, and loving books) and watching them fall in love while breathing new life into an old bookstore brought nothing but happiness.
This pair were made for each other and even the predictable "twist" (and subsequent overreaction) couldn't dim the feeling of bookish euphoria this book generated in me as I knew it would all work out in the end and it did.

This book is completely unapologetic in what it is. It's a feel-good romance, full of wish fulfilment, with a definite happy ever after that leaves you feeling invigorated and optimistic.

It was exactly what I needed at the moment and I know that when I think of this book I'll smile, so I'd say that's a job well done for the author!

I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Right now, you can get your copy here for free!https://www.amazon.com/Little-Bookshop-Love-Stories-gorgeous-ebook/dp/B08545YBDQ
OK, as a Bibliophile, owning my own bookshop is like a dream come true. I would be the WORST shop owner because I would be lost in a book and forget to help patrons or just talk their ears off about this book or that one.
We begin this book with Hallie being fired again, this time after almost a year. She was a waitress at a dog-friendly pub. She stumbled over a plastic toy, the ice cream sundae that she was carrying ended up on a boy as a hat. If this wasn’t bad enough, the family dog licked it up after the bowl had proceeded to the floor. The chaos that ensued after was something, so needless to say, you can see why she was fired. She gets home to see if anyone posted in her facebook group about a good book recommendation only be sidetracked by an email entitled- YOURE THE WINNER! She wins ONCE UPON A PAGE in a drawing! Can you imagine? She can hardly believe that this is real. Everything comes with a caveat though, nothing in life is really free. There is a flat above the bookstore with a rooftop terrace. A FLAT!! She is so excited about the flat, as she currently shares her place with a twenty something who steals her food and is just plain annoying! The caveat is that the bookstore must never be sold! It has been passed from one person to the next since the 1870s. Hallie knows nothing about book selling, but she is about to learn quickly. Robert, the owner leaves behind his Goldfish. Hallie faces many obstacles, as early as the first day as the owner. We are taken on quite the adventure as she tries to rehab the bookstore.

Imagine winning a bookshop at a raffle while you consider yourself the most unlucky person ever. Well, welcome to Hallie's world! Hallie cannot believe it: she won a full blowm bookshop, with a flat!! So she is thrilled to leave her old life behind.. and her crappy flat. What booklover would not consider that a DREAM! To top it off, on her first day as a business owner at Once Upon a Dream, she meets a regular "customer" named Dimitri. Jaimie Admans will take you on the most adorable journey, full of surprises, cuteness, love, heartwarming awkwardness between Hallie and Dimitri and the rebirth of the bookshop.

The author is extremely talented; not only were many scenes laughing-out-loud funny, but the characters were relatable, there was a strong story involving the characters' past and their respective families, there were many references to literary classics for all the book lovers out there, and a dash of mystery.

I look forward to discovering Jaimie Admans literary work as I fell in love with her style. And if you love books and adorable love stories, you will love this book. This book was like a slice of warm apple pie --it tasted so delicious that I was slowly enjoying every single bite as I did not want it to end.

A very big thank you to Net Galley and HQ Digital for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book had me laughing and smiling all the way through. There are a couple of places I wanted to slap a character. I completely became Haillie Winstone from the beginning. She has not had a very happy childhood. She would lose herself inside a book. Haillie had great enjoyment going to the local bookshop and loved talking to Robert, the owner. On the worst day of her life, to date, she had got the sack from her job. Opening her emails she discovers that she is the winner of a competition, she has become the proud owner of Once Upon a Page, her favourite bookshop. What more could a true book lover want to win, nothing. She also finds out that the flat above goes along with it. Haillie has never run a shop, had no idea on retail. She had to learn quickly. Looking at the account books she realised that the business was in a bad way.. To make this a successful business she has to put her thinking hat on. For someone who only believes that love is found in books has many ideas. Join Haillie Winstone on her journey to see if she is able to make a success of her childhood dream. Meet her colourful friends and family. Feeling down? For a brilliant pick me up read this book. Thank you to NetGalley and Jaimie Adams for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

‘How amazing would it be to own a bookshop? To get to live and breathe books every day? To get paid for stroking books, arranging books, talking about books, recommending books, and thrusting books into the hands of unsuspecting strangers?’

This book was exactly the escapism I was looking for, having everything a booklover could ask for: the main lead being a bookworm who wins ownership of a bookshop in the Cotswolds - what’s not to love? This is a book all about ... well, books and how they capture and represent everything from our greatest loves to our greatest sorrows. Add in the sweetest romantic interest and this book is sure to transport you away from your self isolation.

‘Books are magical in that they can transport you to another time and place, introduce you to people you come to know as friends, in both characters, authors, and now in real people who, at some point in their lives, have chosen each book as carefully selected gifts for someone they cared about.’

There are many things to entice the reader here. Hallie, who ‘wins’ the bookshop is an obvious introvert preferring the company of books. Being a booklover, is easy to relate to as reading guarantees pure escapism providing a place to lose yourself in. The bookshop itself would be a treasure trove to sort through inclusive of the small living flat above. The love interest, Dimitri, proves a friend as Hallie adjusts to her new life. Together they come up with some great ideas to entice customers in. Their relationship, predictable as ever, was a still worthy journey that I enjoyed going on with them.

‘...he won’t judge me for being clumsy and awkward, and getting excited about stupid things that other people don’t care about, like book release dates, pre-orders popping onto my Kindle at midnight, notebooks that are too pretty to write in, and tote bags with handles long enough to slip over your shoulder and fit a decent amount of books in.’

The unique aspect in this tale was finding the inscriptions in second hand books and their efforts to unite and recreate the relationship that was responsible for the original purchase of the book. It just adds an extra layer and brings a touch of magic to this story. I also appreciated the references to many well loved book titles. There are an array of fun secondary characters and the compulsory lovers tiff, but this is everything I signed up for.

‘Do you really come in here every day?’ ‘Depends. Will you think I live a sad and lonely existence if I say yes?’ Once again, it makes me smile. ‘No, I’d think you were a sensible and sane person who enjoys being surrounded by lovely books with characters who are much nicer than real people.’

At its heart ‘The Little Bookshop of Love Stories’ is about forging new paths, throwing off the shackles as you stay true to yourself and embrace who and what you love. It’s a great little story with sweet romance and loads and loads of books!

“I’ve always tried to play down how many books I have and how much time I spend reading and living vicariously through book characters’ lives instead of going out and actually living my own, but meeting you has . . . I don’t know, it’s like you’ve given me permission to be myself. You’ve shown me that there are people like me out there, people who will “get” me, and I’ve been looking in the wrong places and trying to be someone else until now.”




This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

This is the third book in a row i have read which has been ideal for Lockdown. Delightful characters, lovely story with a happy ending and a writing style which transports you to another time and place. I loved it!

I received a complimentary copy of The Little Bookshop of Love Stories from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Love. This. Book! If there was one novel that I could crawl into and live within, it would be this one!!! Why? 1. Slow to ignite romance, 2. Most fun and interesting job on the planet, 3. Flawed, believably crafted, lovable characters. Enough said. Do yourself a favor; read this book!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.