Lovely story, I read this in 2 sittings. Really enjoyable. The characters were believable and relatable. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion

Okay, so I would love the job and maybe I could be somehow spared for 3 months from normal life. I am just about all those things and I could easily get around not working in a bookshop before due to retail and other book experience.

Okay, I'm obviously not the candidate. Jen is the successful candidate and is off for a new life in the Maldives to run the bookshop.

Jen and Marianne were once best friends, but something happened that caused cracks, that becomes a bit of a rift. They ran and co-owned a bookshop called:
The Book Nook, so you really feel for them that things aren't working out quite as well as they might and both end up leaving Marianne's brother to run it. Jen, as said, goes off to the Maldives and Mari, along with her boyfriend, plan a trip of a lifetime.

The book is part adventure as it takes you from your cosy reading nook to various places by page. It's adventure by location and life as, especially Jen, when she meets different people, discovers something quite special, but just needed a nudge to see it.

It's a lovely read, just when it's that time of year of planning holidays or lazing around on a beach for a day or even in the garden on a warm day. Even on a rainy day, this brings guaranteed sunshine and joy.

I absolutely loved this book. The mix of coastal England and tropical islands were the perfect concoction!!

I wasn't much a fan of Marianne. She seemed very selfish and I didn't like the idea of Jenny trying to continue to foster a relationship with her. I appreciate they had a huge history but she was very self involved. Despite that I did enjoy her mishaps and American adventure.

Jenny was a wonderful character. I really enjoyed the development for her. She definitely needed some solo time to spread her wings . I also loved the cast of characters she met during her new job.

One thing I will say is the name for the resort was bounty cove cay. To me it didn't make much sense and should have been bounty cove bay. Every time I came across it my brain just assumed it was a typo!

Overall a hugely enjoyable read that I couldn't put down. Lovely and light with just the right sprinkle of drama!

Very lovely summer read! Enjoyed the writing style and found it had a quick pace which is my favourite type of book. Would recommend to pick up whilst laying by a pool for sure!!

Thank you Penguin and NetGalley for this lovely holiday read. I loved the format of the book and the two different journeys Jenny and Marianne took and how both journeys brought them back together towards the end of the book. A great read and can’t wait to read more from Lucy Dickens in the future.

A lovely easy summer read, when Jenny and Marianne start to see cracks in their friendship a rift suddenly appears that looks like it’s beyond repair..
Jenny and Marianne are lifelong friends who co own The Book Nook a bookstore at the beach. Suddenly they don’t seem as close as they one were.
When Mari’s brother encourages Jen to apply for a job setting up a book shop in the Maldives Mari and Jen have a row like never before.
Jen goes off to the Maldives and Mari plans a trip of a lifetime with her new boyfriend Drew. Leaving Evan ( Mari’s brother) to run The Book Nook.
The story follows both and teaches both of them how much friendship means to them both.
A gorgeous summer read set in both beautiful settings.
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin for an ARC of this book.

My favourite genre is thrillers, in which, of course, for the most part, bad things happen! So every now and then, it's nice to read something light and refreshing. This fits that bill: once you've got familiar with the characters and a general gist of the plot, you know more or less how it's going to end and that it will be pretty much how you wanted and happily. Okay, yes: predictable! But, it's easy to read and untaxing for the ol' grey matter.

In this, we've almost got a bit of a travel guide thrown in, as two besties, who co-own a coastal bookshop in southwest England, take a break from each other after a minor disagreement: one in Las Vegas, ticking off her bucket list with her boyfriend, and the other in The Maldives, where she's taken a three-month job to turn around the fortunes of an on-site bookshop in a luxury holiday complex.

It's an enjoyable story of a friendship that's rock solid, wobbles a bit, then goes back to being rock solid. Throw in some romance and you've got your summer beach read.

But, Mr or Ms Editor: when you get on a bike, you pedal, you don’t peddle (seriously?). And please, learn the difference between less and few.

That aside, an entertaining, fun, light-hearted read that's well written.

Ah take me back to the Maldives please… this book has given me serious holiday blues of when we went to the Maldives for our honeymoon a couple of years ago so of course I had to share a few photos…

This was an impromptu buddy read with @reading_with_wine but I really enjoyed it and we both read at quite a quick pace as it had such a good flow and the pages seemed to just fall away. I think we both saw elements of how it was going to finish but this didn’t take away from the magical holiday feeling that it delivered.

The whole premise of the book is really good and something that we need more off personally - I’m always seeking out the book exchange shelves that seem to be popping up more nowadays but overall this just gave me massive holiday blues (and yes I know I’ve only just got back off holiday)

If you saw my recent review for Book Rivals then this has a similar bookshop on holiday vibe, Bookshop Holiday has a more varied approach though and an American holiday to experience alongside…

Sunshine in the palm of your hand!!
Perfect for all of us armchair travellers, we aren't all able to jet set off on holiday every year, so we predominately travel through books and this is perfect for soaking up the sun without actually ending up looking like a lobster.
This is so feel-good, so summery and full of friendship and of course books - what more could we ever want?
I loved the story with its multiple subplots, the characters and their journeys through different stages of their lives, I adore everything about this, it will certainly put you into the holiday mood whether you're hitting the road or just finding a new reading spot in the garden, this is the book you need!!

Running a bookshop in the Maldives! What an amazing opportunity if you have no ties! I immersed myself in The Holiday Bookshop and couldn't put it down. Escape to the sunshine with Jenny and read about what most people can only imagine!

Set between the tropical Maldives and the American landscape this story tells the tale of two best friends working through their personal differences. Each on a journey of discovering who they are without the other and in the process learning why they are so important to one another. Jenny Sets off to run a tiny bookshop on a resort island in the Maldives, learning to relax and work to her strengths while trying to overcome every mishap with opening the bookshop. While on the other side of the world her best friend travels across America with her partner on a series of eventful adventures. Both friends learn through their separate adventures what they really mean to each other and the ways they make each other stronger. The book also features some great supporting characters including the lovely Rish and Layla who each help Jenny learn that what she really wants has been in front of her the whole time. The book left me with a big smile and itching to visit the tropical paradise of the Maldives! I’d recommend it to readers who enjoy stories about friendship and adventure with multiple settings. A great read!

I wish I'd read this sooner, such a great holiday read. It made me laugh and made me cry, sad and happy tears. I enjoyed the parallel story of the two best friends Marianne and Jenny, such opposites and yet so great together. Especially enjoyed the descriptions of the Maldives - much better that these April showers!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for my gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.

Two best friends Jenny and Marianne run a bookshop together but they decide to go off on separate adventures. Marianne goes on a road trip to USA and Jenny to the Maldives.

I enjoyed the visiting the various locations in the book as the author describes them well, however, I found the main characters quite irritating at times. I also found the book a bit slow at times but it did pick up.

Overall, it was a nice easy read.

Oh my wordy word I cannot gush about this book enough!! The story of two best friends who are beginning to grate on each others nerves. Which of course is made even worse by the fact they’re business associates/co owners of a lovely little bookstore. I couldn’t have guessed where this was going (I’ll admit I hadn’t read the blurb), and, having been already sucked into a fab story, was thrilled when both were uprooted from their comfort zones. I’ll admit I adored one’s journey more, but then with the other I loved how she got a wake up call (not that I didn’t like her, it was more that I could empathise with her!). My heart melted as they both stayed away yet were thinking of each other, and I nodded along all the way to the finish of a book I will be recommending for sometime to come. So recommended.

A brilliant read and one I really enjoyed. The characters are loveable and varied, the plot is one that is engaging and medium paced. I found myself completely drawn into the story and enjoyed the writing style.

Two best friends Marianne and Jenny own and run a little bookstore by the beach in the UK. Having worked hard to get the shop flourishing they both need a break and changes but the tension this causes in their relationship leads to their separate paths for discovering themselves and hopefully each other again.
There is a lot of travelogue style writing, and at times I found the refusal to be the first to talk to the other frustratingly petty, but overall it was a nice lighthearted read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. I have chosen to write this honest review voluntarily and it reflects my personal opinion.
The book starts as 2 best friends, who own a bookstore business together, are beginning to take each other for granted. They have both reached a point where they want to undertake a brief change but haven't discussed it, and a row ensues. As each goes on their travels their behaviours are more suited to toddlers - "I won't contact her because she's not contacted me" and it becomes increasingly difficult to believe they are best friends. Marianne's travels are described in such minute detail I felt as though I was being dragged alongside her (despite never wanting to go to America) and Jenn's 2-week preparation for opening the bookshop are omitted altogether. She's armed with her plans and spreadsheets but doesn't do any market survey which does not fit with her characterisation. The narrative alters between the two friends but both use a lot of modern language and abbreviations which were beyond my comprehension at times, such as OOTD!
I could not sympathise with either of the characters and didn't find this slow story at all engaging. I have given it 3 stars because I believe that younger female readers are likely to to find it credible, with the constant checking each other's Instagram feeds while refusing to actually contact someone

This is a charming, humorous, and sweetly romantic book.
It is the ideal holiday choice because of its wonderful scenery and topic, and was very easy to read.
This is a really wonderful, uplifting novel.

A good holiday read. The story is about two friends who are feeling restless and wanting more in life and decide to embark on separate adventures that could affect their friendship. A nice bit of escapism.

A lovely escapist read for the summer – when we get there again. I timed this review wrong! 🙂

I did mostly enjoy this book, what’s not to love? A book about running a bookshop and on an island in the Maldives. I’ll admit, I was slightly disappointed. As the word ‘bookshop’ is in the title, I expected more bookshop. I imagined delving through the shelves and instead was delving through the main character life.

I enjoyed reading about the different parts of the world and the different experiences that the two girls went through, but I found a lot of the dialogue a bit too stiff, and the plot was too unrealistic at times. It was a good light read though. At first I wasn’t keen on how the narrative switched between Jenny and Marianne but it grew on me and all tied up together in the end.

It was a warm hug of a summer holiday and I very much enjoyed that feeling. The story was fairly standard chic lit, the characters stereotypical and the at times the writing was a bit jittery. If I’m honest I’m not sure that the author has actually visited the Maldives but I could tell that she had travelled to the American locations as these were written better and very much real. All in all a light escapist read and a firm three stars.