The Bookshop on the Corner

This seemed a sweet story, but it got tiring fast and I was completely sick of it by the end. The main girl and her work struggles and being introverted were relate-able. But I didn't care for either of the guys the she was interested in.Both are essentially cheating to be with her. The first has a girlfriend and son back home that he fails to mention to her. She blames herself for not asking, which is ridiculous because there was no way for her to know she needed to. He's at fault for pursuing her without telling her. But he gets excused because he's lonely and apparently misunderstood the culture as a foreigner. The second is still married, though separated not yet divorced, at least he's honest about that. But she rightly dislikes him for treating her badly for most of the book, then suddenly realizes he's secretly sweet and cares about her. I'm sick of guys that treat women fairly horribly, but somehow are given a pass because they're socially awkward and don't know how to be polite and kind. Just no. Both of them turned me off badly.None of the other characters had any real believable depth.

Really upset that this is the exact same book as "The Little Shop of Happily Ever After" I am so mad that I bought this. Also finding that since Meet Me at the Cupcake Café, these books are all the same. Same premise, same happy ending. Done reading Jenny Colgan books.

Love me some Jenny! Read through this in just a few short days! I have read much of her stuff and can honestly say that she has just improved as a writer. Her earlier stuff is good, but a little longer to devout time to. But all her new stuff, Sweet Shop and Chocolate Shop and all that good English charm stuff is addicting. This one was great because it centers around one of my favs: BOOKS! A dream come true story. Colgan is a must have to my library!

For some reason the beginning of this book didn't click for me and I was thinking about putting it aside and trying a different one. Then after sticking with it for a while longer (I hate to ever give up on a book) all of a sudden everything fell into place and I really enjoyed it. I could relate to Nina' s love of books because I believe I fell in love with books before I knew how to read - the pictures, the feel and the smell of books was my favourite thing of all. My friends have teased me all my life that I can't ever come close to a bookstore and gravity sucks me right in there and I walk back out with an arm load of new books to read. Just love to read and always have.I could feel Nina's dream to have a bookstore so that everyone would always have lots of them to read. Loved her idea of the over-large van with books for everyone of any age. Also have felt the longing many times to move to some place New and find the perfect place preferably near the water and open spaces and feel like I've come home.So you can see I definitely related to this character. Enjoyed the other characters as well as the descriptions of Scotland. Great storyline and very entertaining. Very good ending.If you can skim over the first many pages, if you don't quite connect, the story will come together and I believe that you'll really enjoy it. I recommend you read this book.*Note: There are a few bad typo's in my review which for some reason my Kindle had a mind of its own and despite trying to correct them 3-4 times my Kindle won out because I gave up trying to change them back to what I was typing. My apologies.

Never having read anything by this author, I wasn't sure what to expect. Books about books always pique my interest and I was hoping for a light, enjoyable read that would keep me entertained - and I found it here.The main character, Nina, is a librarian who doesn't have a job as much as a calling. When the library where she works becomes more of a media center, shifting its focus away from books, Nina finds herself questioning her desire to work in this new environment and, quite honestly, whether she would be able to. Can she make the transition to a job that isn't at all what she loves to do? After all the dust settles, Nina's no longer working at the library and must figure out her next step. That ends up being the conversion of an unused van into a bookmobile and finding a more rural setting in Scotland that would greatly benefit from more easy access to books.I enjoyed this novel quite a bit as it was largely charming - both the setting and the protagonist - and some of the secondary characters where quite enjoyable to read about. Entertaining and an easy read, it was still more than "fluff" which allowed it to keep my interest. The opening pages were very good and I was "all in" for the first half of the book. Some very well written passages and quite a bit of wit early on. I didn't care as much for the second half as it veered off into more of a romance than I typically care for.The first portion rated 5 stars and the second portion a 3 (due to the romance-y bent) so the average comes out to a 4. I liked it well enough that I will be looking at other books by this author when desiring a fun, light read that is largely uplifting without being sugary sweet.

A nice romance, with beautiful scenery and an interesting cast of characters. Could easily have been a Hallmark movie, but that would have needed a big highland wedding. Any lover of books will like this one.

When I first started reading this tale I wasn't immediately won over. However by about 30 pages deep I found myself being completely sucked in to this fictional world and suffering from the reader's curse of "just one more chapter then I'll go to sleep". As the story progresses I found myself beginning to get jealous of Nina's new life - let's face it it all sounds absolutely idyllic and who wouldn't want to run a Book Bus? Somehow the author managed to get me to bypass my normal "well that's not how business works" knee jerk reaction and to just go with the flow.Nina works in her local library in Birmingham and shares a house with Surinder. Not only does she work with books but she absolutely loves books, much to Surinder's dismay as there home is being overtaken by piles of them in every room, on the stairs (to be honest I think my husband knows how Surinder feels, he was so happy when I took to using an eReader with alacrity as he no longer needed to worry about the ceilings caving in). Unfortunately for Nina her life is about to take a sharp about face as the local library service is consolidated and she has to apply for a job in the new multi-media version, a defiantly 21st Century take on the library service that puts a love of books way down the list. Slowly events conspire to lead Nina to purchasing a quirky old van and setting up a travelling book shop in a remote area of Scotland.There is something almost nostalgic about the story. From the perfect highland setting - quirky local characters, beautiful scenery and a very welcoming community; the star crossed romance that beckons and the grittier aspects of modern life. It is a gentle jumble of romantic fantasy and some of the realities of modern life all seen through a rather rose tinted lens but the whole makes a world I found myself wholly inhabiting whilst reading. So much so I was quite sad to finish the book and I really hope there is a sequel to this book so we can visit the wonderful setting again and get to follow some more of Nina's book choices.One of the things that really grabbed me about the book was how people read the most unexpected things. You have old men reading bodice rippers and genteel old ladies reading gory thrillers, very true to life. What did surprise me was how each person really only settled on one genre to read, in my experience readers will give anything a try and even if one book in a genre is not to your taste it doesn't stop you trying others in the hope you will find a good one. The book is really a great big hug for the reading community and a celebration of all that is glorious about settling down with a good book (or even a passably okay one).The characters are warmly written and whilst a little stereotypical and predictable the author's affection for each and every one of them comes through on the page and that can't fail to engage the reader. The plot itself is a little far fetched and the romantic aspects predictable but the writing manages to take the reader past it's shortcomings. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would not hesitate to recommend it to even the most casual reader as an ideal way to pass a few happy hours.

Don't buy this book if you have already read The Little Shop of Happy Ever After as it the same book, i purchased thinking this was a new release, sadly it is not.

I couldn't resist this - I love books, libraries and Scotland.However, I had low expectations as from the title and cover I'd pegged it a romance of the type that people tend to read on the commute, or on holiday, which I generally find infuriatingly twee and insubstantial. (I know that's snobby.) Jenny Colgan instead delivered a feel good story without the ick, with interesting characters and progression. It started a bit rough, but once the story got going it was a very enjoyable read. I was a bit sad to leave the characters at the end.

Started off Enjoyable. Girl looses job at the Library, moves to Scotland, Buys a Vintage Van & does it up as a Travelling Library (although how she managed to fit Table,Chair & Beanbag Seats,Books & all the other Paraphernalia in , it must have been the size of a Lorry) !!I can even see the Love Affair she had with a 'Midnight Train-Driver' passing through. But then she starts a Relationship with the Divorcee Farmer whom she's Renting her Barn Convertion off. Well you can guess the Sickley Sweet ending - which turned to (let me Vomit) Mush !! # I'd love an Author for ONCE to have an ending where - the Girl stays Independent, Single & Happy to be so !!

Have just finished this book. absolutely lovely. A beautiful light read which I couldn't put down. While you can guess what is going to happen it's how to get there that pulls you in. A lovely community which doesn't welcome you with exactly open arms as you wonder what you are doing in this oh so different place. Really recommend this to while away a few hours, leave the housework and READ.