I have always loved lighthouses and lets be real if you are on this site then you love a bookshop, so a bookshop in a lighthouse would be such a quaint idea. This was sich a cute and easy read. I loved it.

The Lighthouse Bookshop’ is the latest book by Sharon Gosling.

At the heart of a tiny community in a remote village just inland from the Aberdeenshire coast stands an unexpected lighthouse. Built two centuries ago by an eccentric landowner, it has become home to the only bookshop for miles around. Rachel is an incomer to the village. She arrived five years ago and found a place she could call home. So when the owner of the Lighthouse Bookshop dies suddenly, she steps in to take care of the place, trying to help it survive the next stage of its life. But when she discovers a secret in the lighthouse, long kept hidden, she realises there is more to the history of the place than she could ever imagine. Can she uncover the truth about the lighthouse’s first owner? And can she protect the secret history of the place?

If you’re looking for some company on this wet and miserable day, then ‘The Lighthouse Bookshop’ is the perfect book to curl up with.

Set in small Scottish village where everyone knows everyone’s business, it’s also a place where people come to start over. After escaping her old life, Rachel finds herself settling into new role working in the Bookshop Lighthouse along with Cullen, who’s taken her under his wing. He’s a kind, elderly gentleman who tragically dies leaving Rachel with the responsibility of the lighthouse. Taking the lighthouse under her wing, as well as looking after journalist Toby, who’s hoping the quiet tranquility will help inspire his book, Gilly is running from her past whilst Edie is having to exhausted of fighting with her neighbour over his adventurous goat.

The mix of characters in this story, make it a thoroughly enjoyable story, their boisterous collection of personalities all with their own problems but the small village connects them with its own unique bond. There is a villain in the story called Dora McCreedy, a woman who’s wanting to make changes to the village.

A story of love, friendship and secrets, ‘The Lighthouse Bookshop’ is a beautifully written and warmhearted story that was a delight to read.

You can buy ‘The Lighthouse Bookshop’ from Amazon and is available to buy from good bookshops.

I loved the idea of a bookshop in a lighthouse, especially a lighthouse that was nowhere near to the sea, but had been purposely built to house books. As soon as I heard about this book I knew that I had to read it.
I found the first few chapters difficult to get into and quite slow moving as there were a lot of characters and a lot to take in. It soon picked up pace though and there was a lot to hold my interest. There were a couple of slow burning romances, history and secrets as well.
This book is well written and the characters are well developed. I enjoyed reading this book and I will definitely be looking out for more books by this author.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for my ARC.

I absolutely loved this book. Most lighthouses are of course by the sea, but as you'll now have read in the blurb, this is a most unusual lighthouse. It was built in the early 19th century, miles away from the coast in the small village of Newton Dunbar and never intended to be a lighthouse. Instead it's a bookshop and I do love the idea of a bookshop in a lighthouse.

The characters in the book, with one exception, are just wonderful. That's not to say the author has written badly about one of the characters but that this particular character is truly awful! Sharon Gosling has written her characters so well that you can't help but take them to heart, from grumpy artist Edie, to young Gilly, from Rachel who found a home in this community to Cullen the elderly owner of the lighthouse who took her in, from Toby the journalist with his own demons to face to Sylvie his ex-wife. Every single character found a place in my heart - well, apart from one. Even the goat provided some smiles though not always for Edie!

The various different love stories in the book were a joy to read about. There's a slowly developing romance, hints at a missed opportunity and regrets and a love match that needed a large shove in the right direction! I loved the Much Ado About Nothing thread that ran through the book - one of my favourite Shakespeare plays. There's a historical element to the story too as Rachel tries to uncover more about the lighthouse. Some big issues are dealt with very sensitively in the book and the community at the heart of the book are by and large welcoming, caring and supportive.

I loved this book from the first page to the last. It's a beautiful story of secrets, community, friendship and love. The setting of Newton Dunbar and the lighthouse is wonderful. Sharon Gosling has written such a beautiful and memorable story. The Lighthouse Bookshop is a heart-warming and uplifting book and is one of my favourite reads this year.

Rachel moved to the quiet Aberdeenshire village of Newton Dunbar five years earlier. She lives with a cat Eustace in the top part of the lighthouse there, which is a bookshop on the ground floor. She manages the shop after the owner Cullen MacDonald realised he was too old to continue to live there. The cat is his, but came with the lighthouse. I do love animals in novels and there’s also a collie dog called Bukowski in this one.
The village is full of interesting characters. New arrival Toby Hollingwood is a writer, who is renting a cottage in the village, hoping for creative inspiration. Edie Strang is an artist, she lives in Corner Cottage and hates her neighbour Ezra Jones with his wandering goat. Then there’s the appalling Dora McCreedy, who is vile, especially to homeless youngster Gilly. In fact, Dora is a real panto villain, I wanted to boo and hiss every time she appeared!
Everyone is shocked and saddened when Cullen dies. He has no family, so what will happen to the bookshop and the lighthouse? Can Rachel save it? And what is the mystery about it?
I love the camaraderie between the characters and the real community feel in the novel. I liked both Rachel and Toby straight away and I was intrigued about heir back stories and what secrets they were keeping.
The cover is beautiful too, definitely the sort of book I would be interested in, if I saw it in a shop. I bought Sharon Gosling’s first novel (The House Beneath the Cliffs) in paperback, but haven’t had chance to read it yet.
I enjoyed the historical element too, how we discover the history of the village and the lighthouse. After reading quite a few dual timelines this year, it was refreshing to read someone in the present day (Rachel) investigating the history through documents and items from the past, piecing together the clues. This added a whole extra dimension to the book.
Overall, the book is great on so many levels. Just one teeny tiny criticism – the italicised bit on page 105 was really hard to read! But otherwise, it’s a great story with memorable characters, it has a bit of everything in there and is beautifully written.

I loved Sharon Gosling's previous book "The House Beneath the Cliffs", it was a story on absolutely another level, beautiful and engaging - and so I was thrilled to start reading her second novel. I had some troubles to get into the story, at the beginning. There were many characters introduced to us, each of them with their own story and I really couldn't focus on any of them to be honest. The narration skipped from one to another and I was starting to feel annoyed, as I really didn't know what it is that I should focus on. It's a long book, the introduction was very long, then yes, it started to feel to be a bit quicker, things began to happen and it was easier to read, easier to concentrate on the plot, especially when one got used to the characters and started to know who is who and why. But still, more and more characters were being added and I truly felt overwhelmed with them.
I also think that some of the subplots either stopped abruptly, like with Dora, or were not finished and were left open - for another story, maybe? I have some questions still.

Nevertheless, the story was really well thought - over. It was told effortlessly and all the elements worked together very well, either the present or the past ones. It was more description kind of story, there are not many dialogues or interactions in comparision and it feels very long, however it is written in a lovely way, with care and heart. There is mystery, loss, grief and concern but also love, hope and new

After reading Sharon Gosling’s new book, The Lighthouse Bookshop, she has jumped firmly onto my favourite authors list and I know she will stay there for a very long time. I got such a buzz from reading this marvellous heart-warming and life affirming story. I can’t believe this is only the author's second book in this genre as it reads as if she has being writing women’s fiction for years and years so perfectly developed and executed was every aspect of this book. I haven’t read her previous book, The House Beneath the Cliffs, but I will certainly have to rectify that because if it is anything like this brilliant read then I know I am in for a real treat. I’m a sucker for any book that has bookshop in the title and the fact it was a lighthouse made me even more intrigued to discover what awaited me between the pages of a book that has such a stunning cover.

The bookshop in question isn’t actually based in a lighthouse but more of a tower and it is far away from the sea situated in the rural Scottish village of Newton Dunbar. Some would say oh therefore isn’t the title a bit misleading but it’s not at all and the further you delve into the book you’ll uncover why the word lighthouse is so important and this is also where the historical element of the story comes into play. This could have been your usual run of the mill story about a bookshop and its customers of which I have read so many and don’t get me wrong I love books like this but sometimes the story feels as if it has been told time and time again but here Sharon Gosling has added her own unique take on everything and this is what sets The Lighthouse Bookshop apart from all the stories currently out there that are set in bookshops.

There are quite a number of characters to familiarise yourself with but I didn’t find this difficult at all because no character is glossed over with just fleeting attention paid to them every few chapters or so. Instead each character is allowed to share their story although a lot is kept hidden and revealed at just the ideal moment. It never felt like the book was overloaded with characters and therefore each individual wasn’t allowed to shine. In fact, it was the complete opposite but I will say the story was setting itself up nicely in the first few chapters and then Sharon had to go and break my heart when bookshop/tower owner Cullen MacDonald suddenly passes away. This broke my heart as even from a couple of pages I was engrossed and wanted to read more about him. I thought oh how can I read on but this was only the beginning of what developed into a memorable journey that will stay with me for a long time.

Rachel arrived out of the blue to the village over five years ago and has been very secretive about her past. Thanks to Cullen the tower above the second hand bookshop has been her home and refuge. She is calm, collected and unflappable but deep down there is a sense of nervousness and tension about her, that she can never really let go and be herself. As she can be quite reserved no one can fully read her nor have they any idea of her past and the reason why she is the way she is.

The bookshop is a focal point for the village. It has its own little community where people come and go. Rachel, despite her own issues, has a lovely manner about her in that she helps people whenever she can but when Cullen dies her life is thrown into disarray as it’s not quite clear who should inherit the tower and she doesn’t know if her job will be gone. When Rachel finds design plans for the tower a story from the past is unleashed and she is in a race against time to discover the truth of its origin in the hopes that business woman Dora McCreedy won’t get her hands on the land and do the unthinkable and destroy the bookshop which means so much to so many. Dora was an awful character and the baddy throughout. She was horrible to most of the characters and always seemed to have money and expanding her empire on her mind.

Toby Hollingwood has spent his life as a journalist reporting on important stories around the world but now he has come to Newton Dunbar to find some peace and solitude in order to write his own life story. But he has drawn a blank, not knowing where to start and the words are failing to flow onto the page. Toby is haunted by past experiences which may be the key to why he is suffering writer’s block but as he uses the bookshop as a place for inspiration to try and start the words to flow he forms friendships with Rachel and those that frequent the shop. By helping these people with their own issues in small ways maybe in turn he will start to help himself. As he aids Rachel in discovering the history of the tower and uncovering an interesting yet heart-breaking story the pair are drawn closer. But with Rachel being such an enigma and deflecting attention from herself can they each get to know the real person beneath the facades they portray to the world. The historical element of the story that Rachel becomes involved in was fascinating to read about and added such an air of mystery to the story as a whole. It was just one of a number of subplots that flowed aptly from the main strand of the story and I loved the twists and turns that ensued right until the end.

Edie Strang is an artist and lives next door to Ezra Jones. The pair have a feud ongoing for years and Edie can’t stand the sight of Ezra. I hated the way Edie treated him as Ezra came across as having a heart of gold. Edie too was hiding things, she had a fake toughness about her that surely couldn’t last. The reader could guess some of it but towards the end it was a lovely surprise when her story came full circle. Perhaps one of the most important characters alongside Rachel was Gilly. She is a teenager sleeping rough in the village having run away from many foster homes. She was guarded, defensive and rough around the edges not wanting to except help from anyone but Rachel sees a kindred soul in her and hopes the bookshop and its associated friends and customers will work its magic on her. Gilly’s storyline raised a lot of important issues and was also a classic case of the younger generation helping the older. I enjoyed seeing the development of her character and how her storyline melded together so well with everything else that was going on in the book. All these interesting and quirky characters helped in telling this story of giving people second chances and allowed for a community of acceptance and togetherness to develop in the most incredible of ways.

Once you finish The Lighthouse Bookshop you’ll want to go back immediately and read it all over again and believe me it’s very rare that I say that about a book but that just goes to show how good this wonderful read is. I couldn’t find one fault with any aspect of the story. The setting, the varied cast of characters, the themes and messages and the historical element were all just perfect and all the different elements of the story were woven together so well. It was all told so effortlessly but you could see the thought, care and attention that went into every detail and all the subplots. I was gutted when I reached the final page as you become so invested in each of the individual characters stories and you just want to keep reading more and more.

I feel there is definitely room for a sequel and whether that will be the next book the author writes or future books down the line I know I will read anything she publishes this really was a book which deeply reminded me just how much I love reading. This is one of those books that when you finish reading it you look up and realise, oh I am back in the real world and no longer inhabit the books world which is such a pity as I could have stayed reading about Rachel and co for many more hours. The Lighthouse Bookshop deserves to be consumed in one go and it should come with a warning that you will not get any work done whilst you read it. Come the end of the year when I cast my eye back over my favourite reads of the year this will be up there high on my list and it deserves all the praise in the world. It’s an absolute triumph from beginning to end.

I really enjoyed this book, the cover enticed me to read it. I love old buildings and the way the story wrapped around not just the lighthouse but the village pulled me into the book. Great characters all believable with great depth. The story touches on death, homelessness and coercive behaviour. Five stars from me. Thank you netgalley for the advanced copy

Thank you to Laurie at Simon and Schuster for my invitation to the tour and copy of the book, in return for a fair and honest review.

Toby is a journalist who has come to Newton Dunbar to write his memoir. A small knit community in a remote inland village which at its heart has a bookshop. Not any old bookshop though, a lighthouse with a history. Rachel works at the shop and is employed by Cullen who owns the lighthouse. There are some real characters in the small village and some of them have a past that they don’t want to be discovered.

This is a really lovely story, set in a small village there is a real sense of community. Everyone knowing everyone’s business plus some busybodies. Gilly arrives and some of the community are suspicious of her and she of them. What is her story ?

This is a perfect escapist read I was transported to this little village and I felt like a real part of the story.

Fantastic read !

Thank you to Laurie and Sara-Jade from Books and the City (Simon and Schuster) for the invitation to join The Lighthouse Bookshop blog tour, and a copy of the book to read and review. Sharon’s debut novel, The House Beneath the Cliffs was one of my five star reads last year and you can read my review at https://mentoringmumof2bookreviews.home.blog/2021/01/14/the-house-beneath-the-cliffs-by-sharon-gosling/

I’m pleased to confirm that this is a another five star read from Sharon Gosling. To start with we have a bookshop, in a lighthouse which holds secrets from the past. Add into the mix an eclectic mix of characters who live/work/spend time at the bookshop, many with secrets in their past too.

Rachel lives and works at the bookshop, and is devastated when her employer/landlord dies suddenly. Rachel also finds herself helping a young girl who appears to be homeless, something she appears to know about personally.

With help from a visitor to the area, Toby, a journalist who is supposed to be writing his memoirs, Rachel finds out more about the history of the lighthouse and works to protect it from being demolished for a new road. Will Toby also find out more about Rachel too?

This book features so many stories within stories, from the friendship of two men who felt they had to keep their true feelings a secret, to the plan Ginny has to pair off the two people who appear to despise each other but may actually love each other (great references to Much Ado About Nothing here). A perfect blend of friendship, secrets, community spirit and romance.

I loved escaping into this book, and hope you you will too after reading my review. The book is currently £3 for the paperback in Sainsburys so pop a copy in your shopping basket.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers Simon & Schuster for an early copy of “The Lighthouse Bookshop” by Sharon Gosling. It is a fantastic book. I genuinely struggled to put it down. A beautiful setting, intriguing characters, a dab of romance and a mystery or two to solve. I absolutely loved my trip to Newton Dunbar after all who doesn’t enjoy visiting a bookshop? A rainbow of colourful characters frequent the unusual bookshop. l challenge anyone not to shed a few tears & share a laugh with them as they read. I thoroughly recommend this book.

The Lighthouse Bookshop, is a delightful story.

This story has 2 of my most favourite things in the world especially in literary terms - Books and a Lighthouse. I am a fan of story within a story,this one has it and what a moving, wonderful one it is. The characters, the history and the interweaving of past,present and future was simply a delight to read.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I really enjoyed this book.

There is a bookshop in a lighthouse that Rachel runs. But it’s more than just a bookshop, it’s a place for the community.

The risk of the bookshop closing is there too as not many people come in, Rachel is now concerned about this as the person owning it is no more, and they’ve not left a Will.

Rachel is really affected by Cullen’s death and feels that she needs to do everything she can to keep the lighthouse bookshop running.

The characters in the story were interesting and I liked the little storylines that made the story more than about the bookshop.

Secrets are untold and there’s one about the lighthouse. It was nice the background to the area, the way some members of the community like Edie, Gilly and Toby who recently moved to the area but quickly found himself included in what was happening.

I recommend this book.

An interesting and enjoyable read, it was just as I expected but that isn't a bad thing. There is a lot of things happening in this book but all connects well and is easy to follow.
I love that its set in a small remote village in Scotland with an interesting set of characters all of whom have a story.
Secrets and stories being uncovered - always makes a good book.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for a review.

This book had so many things going on but all connected, Set in a remote village in Scotland there's an interesting cast of characters all of whom have a story to tell. Loved it.

How to get me interested in a book - make it about lighthouses and bookshops!! The perfect combination!! And this was such a fabulous read, mixing in the lighter sides of life with secrets of the past to add some drama and darkness!

Rachel runs a bookshop in a lighthouse, which is more than just a shop but a place of community and seeing as there's often very little passing trade, there's always the danger of it having to shut. And that fear is bought nearer when the owner dies with no will. Cullen was very close to Rachel and she feels his death deeply and wants to do all she can to keep the legacy of the lighthouse bookshop going.

There's such an intriguing cast of characters in this story, with various little sub plots that add to the depth of it just being a story about a bookshop! There's plenty of secrets being uncovered, including that of the lighthouse itself and I loved finding out more about the history and past of the area. And while there are those in the village who are just looking out for themselves, it was also lovely to see others doing what they can to help those in need, especially Edie with Gilly, and also Toby who is a writer new to the area but soon finds himself involved in the goings on.

This was a wonderful and enthralling story and I'm looking forward to reading more from this author!

Having read and thoroughly enjoyed Sharon Gosling’s last book, The House Beneath the Cliffs, I was excited to discover this new work, with its intriguing title. Once again, this story is set in north east Scotland and had my imagination reeling right from the start.

The lighthouse of the title is in fact a folly on a once grand country estate many miles from the sea, and was originally the landowner’s library. All that is left on the estate is the gatehouse and the lighthouse tower, now a bookshop. For the last five years, the bookshop has been run by Rachel, who also lives on the top two floors. She arrived there running away from something in her past and was taken in by the owner. As well as a shop, the lighthouse is a meeting place for some of the residents from the nearby village. When the owner of the shop and gatehouse dies suddenly without leaving a will, Rachel is tasked with looking after the place until its fate is decided. In the meantime, she makes a startling discovery and, with the help of a visiting journalist, begins to unravel the history of the tower and the secrets therein.

What an enjoyable and enthralling read this was. Not only did the reader have the pleasure of visiting this wonderful building and its surrounding landscape, but there was romance in the air and a marvellous mystery to solve; there was even a visit to the lovely little village that was the setting for Sharon’s last book. There are some delightful characters in the book, each with their own stories to tell. As Rachel and journalist Toby researched the discoveries in the lighthouse, they uncovered a two hundred year old story that was poignant and tragic, and quite different from the history of the estate that local people believed. I can confidently recommend this book; I’m sure it will appeal to all.

I enjoyed Gosling's previous adult novel, The House Beneath the Cliffs, but I really loved this. A wonderful, fascinating setting, a delightful selection of interestingly quirky characters, mysteries both modern and historical, the power of friendship etc. etc. Potential for a sequel? Don't see why not. Really jolly and also very touching in places. Top stuff.

After the success of The House beneath the Cliffs I had high hopes for this book and I wasn't disappointed! We are once again given a village of characters to get to know and love which is easy with the wonderful way in which they are written. Another triumph!

This was a utter delight of a read. I loved the mystery behind the lighthouse and exploring that with the main character. I really loved what it had to say about giving people a second chance. I just want to turn up to the lighthouse bookshop and be part of the wonderful community.