here’s always something uniquely magical about Jaimie’s books, especially this Ever After Series and this did not disappoint.

From searching for mermaids, handsome princes and potential happily ever afters, this has it all.

Mickey loves her shop of curiosities, but it has got a bit out of control, her link to her Dad the shop is her passion but it isnt exactly doing as well as it should. Single Dad Ren and daughter Ava find themselves thrown into Mickeys world, and shop. Ren is guarded, gorgeous and not a great fan of all the nonsense in the shop that usually injures him in some way.

The discovery of an old diary builds up hope of finally having proof of mermaids, as they work together to uncover the truth they discover things about themselves too. Changes need to be made by all but not everyone is comfortable making them.

Gorgeously romantic, a modern fairytale! Adored the characters – even grumpy Ren – and who isn’t fascinated by mermaids. Lovely to catch up with the street and previous stories. Always look forward to a book by Jaimie, never disappoints!

. The story is fun, full of secret diaries, romance and a classic combination of a grumpy single dad brought out of his shell by an intelligent, cute & quirky shopkeeper.. Run, don’t walk, to your nearest bookseller and buy Finding Love At The Magical Curiosity Shop.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this story in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Don’t read this unless you have time to read it all at once. I planned to just read for about 30 minutes, the next I knew it was 3 am in the morning. I had to finish the book. The characters are so engaging and real, I desperately needed to know what happens. #FindingLoveattheMagicalCuriosityShop #NetGalley

While this is the fifth book in the Ever After Street series, it can easily be read as a standalone - though it was nice to check in with old characters.
I’ve read a few of Jaimie Adman’s other books and enjoyed them, though this one wasn’t one of my favourites. The title is whimsical and endearing, and while the book is quaint… it lacked the hook for me.
While there are some enjoyable tropes and I like that the book deals with some serious topics, it just fell a little flat for me. I will still read future releases from the author though and if you’re looking for a predictable read by the pool this could work.

In this cozy and charming new novel, readers discover a curiosity shop and its whimsical owner Mickey Teasdale, who loves sharing and imagining stories behind the objects she sells. When her grumpiest customers -- single dad Ren Montague and his teenage daughter Ava -- enter, Mickey is put off by his dislike for the shop’s organized chaos but is impressed by his desire to see Ava smile. Ava discovers a secret diary in the store, and both she and Mickey think a mermaid may have owned it, so they drag Ren along to uncover the secrets of the diary even if it might disappoint them and discover secrets about themselves along the way. With a great group of characters and some fascinating dynamics between the three of them, readers will love this found family and skeptic-romantic pairing in this heartwarming title. The characters are the absolute stars of the novel and remind readers that whimsy and happy endings can still exist in the mundane everyday. With a great mystery and some excellent cozy and whimsical elements, this book is a brilliant story with incredible characters, charming relationships, and an enjoyable plot that romance readers and fans of Admans’s other books will love.

The other Jaimie Admans book I read—The Chateau of Happily-Ever-After, was a very good read, but this was not. Like really not. I loved the curiosity shop, and it has great prospects, but the author didn't do much about it. The love story, and the teenage daughter of the male protagonist, again both had potential, but ultimately they too did nothing for the plot (atleast for me) and the only salvaging point to mention is the story of the mermaid, which the main characters in the novel stumble upon in a journal lying around in the curiosity shop.

I was absolutely obsessed with this book. I literally could not put it down because all I wanted to do was find out more about the mystery mermaid!

The location, characters, everything was just love love love! This was probably my favourite of the series so far. Can't recommend it enough.

These books are very formulaic but easy to read. You know exactly how the story will pan out from the very first page. Despite this they provide a bit of escapism without having to think too hard about what you're reading.

The world is an absolute mess right now, and more and more people are turning to books as an escape. For me, Finding Love at the Magical Curiosity Shop is the exact type of escape I want: fun, funny, romantic, hopeful, lighthearted but with realistic and relatable topics, and a sprinkling of fairytale magic to remind me there's still good in the world.

I absolutely loved Mickey and Ren's story. I connected with each of them and appreciated how they were both hurting, both a bit lost, and both coping in ways that weren't the healthiest. When they met, they turned each other's worlds upside down in the best ways possible and shone a light on all the deep, dark feelings each of them had shoved aside instead of dealing with head on. As someone who's currently in the depths of grief and has developed some less-than-ideal coping mechanisms, I connected with these two easily and loved how they helped each other, both in gentle ways and sometimes not-so-gentle ways.

I also really loved Ava, Ren's 13-year-old daughter, who was smart and sassy, and also dealing with her own hurt and trauma...on top of teenage hormones. Watching this trio come together and find love, along with a sense of belonging and home, was such a joy. I think we can all relate to wanting to feel seen, heard, valued, and loved unconditionally, and that was conveyed beautifully through the course of the story. I also loved the mermaid mystery and how it kept me guessing as it played out!

I've always said Jaimie Admans' stories are like sunshine in book form, and Finding Love at the Magical Curiosity Shop is no different. It's hopeful, heartfelt, and romantic, and I loved every second of it. I just wish Ever After Street were a real place!

Another enjoyable read from Jaimie Admans. The plot here was a little strange at times but overall it worked. Wasn’t too keen on the ending but it still felt satisfying. Not ready for this series to end.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have loved every book I've ever read by Jaimie Admans and she has knocked it out of the park again with this book. I loved it so much!

In a Nutshell: A contemporary romance-drama with a Little Mermaid twist. The fifth book of the Ever After Street series, and can be read as a standalone. It had a few charming moments, but didn’t work too well for me, partly due to my reading preferences and partly because of the lacklustre characters and romance. My least favourite of all the books I have read by this author so far. This is an outlier review.

Plot Preview:
Thirty-eight-year-old Mickey runs a quaint curiosity shop on the charming Ever After Street. Lately, the number of customers and sales has dwindled, but she has hopes that her beloved curios will find a new home someday. Until Ren walks in with his no-filter attitude and points out all the reasons Mickey’s shop is a mess. Ren’s teenage daughter Ava is much friendlier to Mickey, though she too has her share of sass.
When Ava discovers a secret diary in one of Mickey’s treasures, both are convinced that it must have been written by a mermaid. But the more pragmatic Ren is obviously sceptical. As they explore the mystery together, the trio discovers learns some important life lessons.
The story comes to us in Mickey’s first-person perspective.

Though not an avid romance reader, I have read quite a few Jaimie Admans novels for their gorgeous settings, lovely meet-cutes, and adorable (and realistically vulnerable) MMCs. Not a single Admans book has failed to impress me. Until this one. I never thought I would be so disconnected from an Admans story, but I suppose even favourite authors can end up disappointing us at times. I didn’t hate this book, but I didn’t love it the way I had anticipated.

Bookish Yays:
🎵 The Little Mermaid connection: This story isn't a retelling, but many scenes are loosely derived from the Disney version. There are also some glimpses of the original Andersen story. No complaints on this point. I am not a fan of the original fairy tale, but I liked this ode to it.

Bookish Mixed Bags:
🧜‍♀️ Mickey: Has her charms, especially the way she lives life on her own terms, but is also too impractical and impulsive, all the more for an indie business owner. She never behaves as per her age. Her repeated declarations about Ren’s attractiveness and about how he alone made her realise the shortcomings of her shop further prove her naïveté.
🧜‍♀️ Ren: I connected better with Ren than with Mickey because he was more practical in his thinking. Some reviewers have called him ‘grumpy’ to Mickey’s ‘sunshine’, but I find him level-headed as he uses his common sense no matter the circumstances. (Gimme a man with common sense any day over brawny hotties!) Unfortunately, his attitude especially at the start of the book, is a huge turn-off.
🧜‍♀️ Ava: For a thirteen-year-old, she is mostly okay except in the crucial scene in the final quarter where she seems to misbehave just to set the foundation of a third-act breakup. Also, I don’t like the way she complains about her own dad to Mickey, an absolute stranger.
🧜‍♀️ The secret diary: I relished the story in this diary and even more, the resolution of the mystery. I also love that it sounded like a diary instead of like a novel. What I don’t like is the reaction of Mickey and Ava to the diary, with their immediately jumping to the conclusion that it might be written by a mermaid. How come neither of them even wondered how a mermaid had access to writing equipment, or even how a “mermaid” would know how to *write* English? Ren seemed to be the only fellow thinking clearly.
🧜‍♀️ Pet peeve: I hate it when characters take the entire novel to read a newly-discovered diary/journal. But I also appreciate that the reason for this is clarified (for once!) in this book.
🧜‍♀️ The Curiosity Shop: I love the shop’s name ‘The Mermaid's Treasure Trove’ and its intent, but not how Mickey manages it. I wish we would have had a chance to explore some more curios beyond the dragon fruit table.
🧜‍♀️ The themes: Some good themes in this book include knowing yourself, handling grief, relationship breakups, single parenting, and understanding the importance of organising even when your heart isn't into it. These are quite decently handled, even if I didn’t understand why Mickey kept calling her ex “my ex” even in her first-person inner monologues. The only theme I didn’t like (probably because it went firmly against my grounded Capricorn head) was the championing of being free-spirited and believing in (English-writing) mermaids if needed. Errmm…. okay! 👀
🧜‍♀️ The series continuity: Every book in the Ever After Street series can be read as a standalone. However, considering that all the books are set on the same shopping street, the characters from the earlier books always make an appearance in subsequent stories. This is usually one of my favourite aspects: meeting the older favourites. However, in this book, the earlier characters are mostly in the background with no talking scenes. The only one who gets enough page space is Lissa, who is the lead of the next book.

Bookish Nays:
🐡 The romance: I just didn’t see the connect between the lead pair, which is all the more disappointing for a Jaimie Admans book. Mickey and Ren have nothing in common; one is super-organised, and the other is chaos. Ren even criticises Mickey’s approach to life, and yet, within six short weeks, he is declaring undying love. It is all so abrupt and unconvincing. Further, there’s not much romance-y romance, with a major chunk of the book feeling more like general contemporary fiction. Heck, I even missed the Admans’ ubiquitous touchy-feely stuff, which is a miracle in itself as I am absolutely not into anything touchy-feely!
🐡 The Parenting Trap: This is the first time (as far as I know) this author’s book has a single parent as a main character. It’s not a trope I am fond of, as it usually involves the same done-to-death ingredients: painful breakup, annoying/uncaring ex, troubled child, magical recovery after the new relationship. This book follows the formula to the T. But it has one thing that didn’t sit well by me: Ava and Mickey always gang up together while Ren is forced to give up on his (much more logical) reservations and succumb to their demands. There are also scenes where Mickey suggests that Ava not reveal some things to Ren. As a parent myself, I get annoyed by such tactics, especially as Ren isn’t even a bad father.
🧜‍♀️ The third act breakup: I hardly ever mention this trope in my romance-genre reviews as I consider this reveal a major spoiler. However, this time, I cannot help myself. This scene is easily the weakest point of the whole book, making no sense at all and turning away from the characters’ established personality. I’d rather not have a third-act breakup in a book, but if it has to be written, it should feel genuine, not formulaic. I wish this tiresome trope would be retired. Isn't there any way to end a romance novel without resorting to a breakup in the penultimate few chapters?

All in all, perhaps this book was a tad too whimsical for me. (I am not the kind to get gooey-eyed about mermaids.) But I would have still taken this in my stride had the connection between the lead pair been strong. If I cannot root for a couple to come together even in a romance, there’s no way to save the experience.
Many of the reasons for my dissatisfaction stem from personal preferences, so they hopefully won't affect other readers as much. The ratings anyway confirm that I am very much an outlier. I think this story would work better for those who have a more imaginative and spontaneous mindset.
The 2025 series jinx continues with this book. I have enjoyed all the other books of the series, so this experience is a shocker to me. With just one more book to go, I hope Lissa’s story helps me say goodbye to Ever After Street with a teary smile instead of only tears.
Recommended only to staunch Jaimie Admans fans and Ever After Street fans. If you want to begin your Jaimie Admans journey, please try the earlier novels of this series, each of which is a standalone.

2 stars.

My thanks to Boldwood Books for a complimentary copy of 'Finding Love at the Magical Curiosity Shop' via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. Sorry this didn’t work out better.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC publication for an honest review.

I didn't know this was a series and will definitely be checking out the other books.

This was a grumpy/sunshine, opposites attract, single dad romance...but with a magical thread weaved throughout. I loved the romance with Mickey and Ren but also adored the relationship with his daughter Ava. This was a whimsical, small-town romance with quirky characters and such a unique, fun setting in a curiosity shop! As well as a mystery...

4 stars

I was unable to put this superb book down. I loved the characterisation. They were so balanced. I laughed out loud in quite a few places and when I was out in public areas reading, I got quite a strange mixture of funny faces looking at me. The setting of a Curiosity Shop was great. I could visualise visiting it and trying to look for a treasure. The description of the shop were amazing.

A story of years of hurt and unable to trust letting anyone into your life, as wounds run deep. When you eventually do, you are always waiting for everything to fall apart. Do the two main stars of the book ever get past their unhappy pasts and albe to make new memories together. Get downloading or getting a physical book to find out the answer. You will not be disappointed.

Thank you Jaimie Admans for keeping entertained. This really does deserve to be a huge success.

Completely love the thought of a curiosity shop, looking through and finding things, its what drew me to the book. Lovely story, thank you netgalley for the advance copy

Thanks to netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Mickey ruins a curiosity shop that is filled with to the brim of Knick-knacks which her makes up magical stories about. The magic of the shop is starting to dim, then Ren and his daughter Ava arrive at the shop. Ava discovers a secret diary that she and Mickey decide must have belonged to a mermaid. Will they discover the truth about the diaries origin?

Don't miss the gorgeously romantic and BRAND NEW story from Jaimie Admans, guaranteed to warm your heart and bring a smile to your face! In a shop full of stories, some magic is real. Mickey Teasdale loves her quaint curiosity shop, where every item feels magical to her. She loves imagining the past owners of her knick-knacks and telling her made-up tales to customers, but lately, the magic has dimmed; the shop feels cluttered, and even her stories seem as worn as the items she sells.
Everything changes when the grumpiest customer Mickey’s ever met—single dad Ren Montague—walks in with his surly teen daughter, Ava. Ren hates mess and clutter and prefers order and calm, but he'll do anything to see Ava smile. Yet, something shifts in him when he meets Mickey, who seems like she stepped out of her very own fairy tale. When Ava discovers a secret diary, hidden from years long ago, she and Mickey believe it must have once belonged to a real-life mermaid! Ever sceptical, Ren tries to protect Ava from disappointment, but as they unravel the mystery together, something special happens… Ren learns that happy ever afters still exist if you're brave enough to look for them, and Mickey discovers that real-life can sometimes be way more magical than anything she could have ever imagined.

Finding Love at the Magical Curiosity Shop is a heartwarming and whimsical romance filled with charm, hope, and just the right touch of magic. Mickey’s quirky shop and imaginative storytelling collide beautifully with Ren’s practical world, creating an irresistible opposites-attract love story. With a hidden diary, a possible mermaid mystery, and a journey of healing for a father and daughter, this story reminds us that sometimes the most magical love stories happen in the real world—if you’re brave enough to believe. Perfect for fans of cozy romance with a hint of fairy tale wonder! 💕📚

Book 5 in the Ever after series by Jaimie Admans, Thanks to netgally, the publisher and author for this eARC. I cried so many tears, happy and sad. Such sensitive topics in this. Have to have a good heart to read this. At the end they did resolve everything but I did shed tears over all of the topics that I wasn't ready for. Is a perfect rainy day read.

Well, this was a nice one, I don't have much to say to be honest since it's a bit predictable, I liked the diary theme (it was the most memorable part), I loved our main character, her way of being, how she never stopped being herself or believing, I liked it, I can say that her evolution was beautiful. But yes, I have a but and it's our male protagonist and his daughter, I don't know, I wasn't convinced (although yes, she is a girl entering her teenage years so I understand that part). It took me a while to get the hang of the story but I ended up reading it and yes, I liked it.