Jenny and Marianne have been friends for years, yet when they decide to run a bookshop, it seems that it’s Jenny who does all the work while Marianne is more carefree, leaving the work to her friend.
When Marianne decides to travel to the USA with her boyfriend Evan, Jenny feels it’s the last straw and decides to take a temporary job in the beautiful Maldives. Arriving at Bounty Cove Cay, with its beautiful beaches, and glistening aquamarine shores, Jenny is hopeful for her stay opening a new bookshop.
The story is told from two perspectives, Jenny in the Maldives and Marianne travelling in America, giving a more rounded picture of their characters. There is romance in the air for both women, and a light, humorous tone throughout the story. Descriptions of the diverse settings are beautifully written. The exciting journey through the USA taken by Marianne, and the more exotic, beautiful settings in the Maldives, although not without its problems as Jenny discovers.
An enjoyable journey for both women where they learn more about themselves and each other. Warm and welcoming, this book is enjoyable light reading for summer.

Took me a while to really get into the book. I must admit I skipped through the first 3/4. After that it was a bit more interesting. Not my favourite.

This is a lovely, sweet story of two best friends.

Jenny and Marianne are best friends, having grown up together and are now business partners in a small Cornish Bookstore. While online, Jenny discovers and advert for a manger of a new bookshop in a resort in the Maldives, and she surprises herself by applying, not expecting to get it. However, when carefree Marianne announces aces off on an American adventure with her boyfriend, Jenny accepts the position and they argue. Both heading off on their adventures with things said and regrets made.

The book is easy to follow despite being set in two locations and two stories at the same time. The characters are well written, easy to like and believe in. I found myself wanting to bang their heads together with how stubborn they both were, and happy when they realised they could both take the first step in finding their way to back to each other,

Jen and Marianne are lifelong friends who own a bookshop together. Marianne's brother Evan lodges with Jen in her flat above the bookshop and they are developing very new feelings for each other.

Jen likes to be organised and make spreadsheets before making a descision.in an analytical way. Marianne is more daring and adventures and is a likes to fly by the seat of her pants type of girl.
Jen thinks Marianne doesn't do enough work in the bookshop as she is now too busy with her recent boyfriend Drew who is also an author. The truth is Jen does too much work and is now burning herself out.

Both girls decide at the same time that they want leave to do something different. Marianne to America and a road trip with Drew and Jen to The Maldives to open a new bookshop for an exclusive holiday resort. Both girls leave without speaking to each other.

What a lovely read this was. The Maldives so warm and tropical and relaxing. Las Vegas with the bright lights and noise and scorching dry heat. It was great to see the two girls finding their own way in life and realising their faults in the way they usually make decisions.

The transfer from Jen's island adventure to Marianne's American road trip was seamless. The atmosphere of each place was perfectly described by the author and I felt myself being there too.
Good story, great main and supporting characters who helped the telling of the story.
Well worth a read.

Free courtesy of Netgalley

Another new author for me but what an amazing book this is, a perfect summer read (even though it's spring). I read this in a few days as I couldn't out it down, I wanted to be in the Maldives too.

Jenny and Marianne are best friends and have opened a bookshop together in their hometown by the sea. Jenny is a planner, very reliable and hardworking, too hardworking and as she has moved above the shop she never seems to have fun anymore. Marianne is quite the opposite a free spirit and plans nothing, very creative but I felt, very selfish. They do work well together until they start getting on each others nerves. Jenny applies for a job she has seen opening and setting up a bookshop on an island in the Maldives, it's a 3 month contract and she never thinks she will get an interview, whereas Marianne has announced she is going to America on a road trip with her boyfriend for 2 months. They have a massive argument and as Marianne's brother said he would run the bookshop for them, they both go their separate ways. We follow the journey of them both, whilst they find out more about themselves and how they rely on each other to make a success whole. It is a beautiful story with you yearning to go to the places in America and The Maldives. I would highly recommend this book as your summer read, even if your only in your back garden

Well, I feel like I’ve just come back from a two centre holiday! A fast paced adventure of a road trip in America with feisty Marianne and her boyfriend Drew, followed by a more relaxed break in the beautiful Maldives, swimming with turtle and whale sharks, drinking coconut water straight from the nut and reading while gently swaying in a hammock with Jenny. Delightful story of friendship, adventure, getting out of your comfort zone, self discovery and a pinch of romance. The perfect beach read! I loved it!

A lovely book which I read in one sitting, nice and light and refreshing, would highly recommend this book ..

What a cracking read!!!. I loved this book and read it just 3 sessions. Everyone needs to read this book.

Whisked away to an island where the sand is white and the sea is blue, relaxing and following the journey of Jen and her best friend Marianne.

A must read for the summer

5 stars from me

In this book we meet Jenny who always likes to play it on the safe side, never really doing anything out of her comfort zone. However when her best friend decides to go on a once in a life time American road trip, Jenny decided that it is now or never to have an adventure of her own adventure and accepts a job running a bookshop in the Maldives. The bookshop isn't doing too well and the people who own the bookshop are threatening to close it. Is Jenny able to turn it all around and save the bookshop?

I have to say that the descriptions in this book are wonderful. You really can feel that you are in Bounty Cove and you can feel the white sandy beach sand between your toes, you can smell the glistening turquoise waters, and imagine the gorgeous palm trees.

This is a lovely, feel good book, with a warm, uplifting storyline and great characters.

The book follows the story of 2 friends - they have been best friends since childhood, and in their early 20s open a bookshop together in Cornwall. A few years later, they both need a break and so take some time to enjoy different adventures. For Marianne this is travelling with her boyfriend, and for Jenny it's opening a new bookshop in the Maldives.

This was a it meh for me. I really liked the fact they left a book shop in Cornwall - so many of this genre is based on people moving to Cornwall. The background of the Maldives was also unusual and I enjoyed some of this description.

Overall though I felt it lacked interest. It certainly wasn't terrible, but for me, there was nothing that grabbed me. Also I found Jenny and Marianne quite annoying. I could also have done without some of the food guilt in the early chapters - if jenny wants to eat chips, she can eat them without having to 'scoff' them.

Thanks to Net Galley for a free Arc in exchange for an honest review.

A Pleasurable Escape..
A pleasurable escape in this sunny, friendship fuelled journey to Bounty Cove Cay where a resort bookshop is in dire need of some love and attention. A once in a lifetime opportunity, perhaps. Everything that Jenny had hoped it would be but the adventure is not without it’s pitstops. Is a happy ending on the way?

What a wonderful escape!

Lifelong best friends open up their own bookshop but after years of working together, they both need a break. Jenny applies for a job she never thinks she’s going to get, starting up a bookshop in a resort in the Maldives.

Not only does this book give a total escape to what seems like a piece of paradise but we also get the adventure of Jenny’s friend’s adventure in America. The two places were a great contrast but still both equally kept me hooked to the story.

I couldn’t put this book down and it was the perfect read for me, taking me off to two completely different places.

I really enjoyed this book. It was well written with strong relatable characters. I kept reading late into the night as I was so absorbed in the story and wanted to know what was coming next.

Imagine the sun is shining, you're sat by the beach, around a pool, maybe even just in your garden. You have a cold drink to hand and just when you think it can't get any better, you lose yourself within the pages of Marianne & Jenny. Yes this is THE perfect summer read! (Spring in my case)

The main characters couldn't have been more different but had built an amazing friendship that soon becomes put to the test when they open their book shop together and then again when they are worlds apart in different countries. All of the characters are so easy to adore, and I found myself rooting for relationships to blossom & for them to thrive on their travels.

There was many moments that bought me to have a huge grin on my face, but to also feel a little bit sad at times, however this all built on the story! The main thing that I really liked about this was how the characters grew and how their perspectives changed over time because lets face it that is real life right there!

A fantastic story to truly escape in.

One woman. One island. A bookshop in need of revival... this was a fun novel, that I enjoyed without having the usual head scratching my thriller reading gives me.

Jenny and Marianne have been friends forever and for the last three years have run a bookshop together in their seaside hometown. Marianne is carefree and Jenny is a planner, thinking about every last detail. Then totally out of character Jenny takes a job in the Maldives for three months to be a bookseller in luxury resort, while Marianne takes a road trip to America with her fairly new boyfriend Drew. The story follows both the main characters equally and I really liked the supporting characters as well. At times I could imagine actually being in some of the locations described! A story about taking risks, making new friends and a lifetime of friendship. Escapism at its best but also an inspiring story about commitment and taking yourself out of a comfort zone, with some romance too! Thank you to Netgalley and Cornerstone for the opportunity to read this lovely book.

Jenny and Marianne have been friends since they were little, and now run their own bookshop in their home town. But Jenny yearns for some adventure, wishing she had Mariannes adventurous and brave way with life. Instead she just dreams about being brave, until things between the two come to breaking point and Jenny finds herself on an adventure of a lifetime.

Although this is called The Holiday Bookshop, this isn’t just about Jenny’s adventures but also Marianne, who has a commitment problem, and wants to be free to be impulsive and spontaneous. Both girls are stubborn, and although they know that they need each other, neither wants to be the one to make the first move. This is really a feel good book, with lovely descriptions of both Jenny’s and Mariannes travels to foreign parts, and it certainly made me feel I need to go to where the girls went. It’s a story of true friendship, love and adventure, not being afraid to make mistakes, just so long as you try your best. I liked the eco side of Jenny’s adventure, and the madcap antics of Mariannes. Although I could see where both girls lives were heading, it was still a book that had me reading late into the night to finish. Pure escapism, well written and observed. Just the sort of book you’d want to find in the Holiday Bookshop.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

The Holiday Bookshop is a feel-good escapist read set in the beautiful Maldives. A book about the sometimes tricky dynamics of female friendship as well as some fun romance. The characters are both likeable in their own way. It is a relaxing story, perfect for your summer getaway beach read, or a staycation escape.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an advance copy of this title. I have not read any of this authors books previously but I will certainly be reading more of her work! I loved the character of Jenn though I took longer to warm to Marianne. It’s a great story of a friendship which has lost its way and how sometimes you need to take a risk to find yourself.

Cute storyline set in an amazing location, I enjoyed reading this book, it would be the perfect beach read