The Little Bookshop at Herring Cove book review [ARC]

The Little Bookshop at Herring Cove by Kellie Hailes
Published by HQ Fiction on June 17, 2019
Pages: 400
Source: Netgalley
Goodreads

The start of something wonderful…
Sophie Jones loves her little bookshop at Herring Cove. She’ll never give it up to big property developer, Alexander Fletcher – no matter how handsome he might be…

Yet beneath Alex’s sharp suit and persuasive manner, there’s something about him that makes Sophie want to trust him.

So when he offers to help make her little shop a success again, she wonders whether this could be the start of something wonderful for both Sophie and Alex – together?

Perfect for fans of Caroline Roberts, Cathy Bramley and Heidi Swain.

Readers LOVE The Little Bookshop at Herring Cove:
‘Loved this book. Great characters, easy read, uplifting, funny, romantic and charming…the perfect summer read.’ Beanie, NetGalley reviewer

‘I fell in love with Herring Cove and its residents. Kellie Hailes managed to bring this vibrant little village to life and the fact that there was a quaint little bookshop at the heart of the story was a bonus.’ Rachel, NetGalley reviewer

‘A page turner from start to finish.’ Ruth, NetGalley reviewer

‘Kellie Hailes knocked it out of the park with this cutesy summer read.’ Carrie, NetGalley reviewer

‘This is such a sweet love story, that your heart just melts!’ Debbie, NetGalley reviewer

‘The perfect novel to read on a rainy day or sitting by the pool!’ The Cosiest Corner

‘A fun and charming read that I couldn’t put down. This book definitely didn’t disappoint…I need to find more books by Kellie Hailes.’ Vikkie, NetGalley reviewer

The Little Bookshop at Herring Cove is definitely following the ongoing trend of reading of romance, following my review of Only Ever You. I am going to be reading another genre at some point this month but for now, I am well ingrained in the romance life. I think this book had all the winning points, the little quiet town, the “baddy” with the heart of gold and the stubborn woman who wanted to always stick to her guns. I loved the essence of this book and also the fact that although there was a lot of emotion within the story there wasn’t a whole load of angst to deal with. I don’t think there is anything I hate more than a sulky character who doesn’t appreciate everything they have. Luckily for me that wasn’t the case with Sophie!

For me the characters were the highlight of this book, I think they were all really well written and had really great stories for each of them. The relationships didn’t feel forced and I definitely felt as though they were all real people that I could meet down the street on a Saturday. The Little Bookshop at Herring Cove obviously centres on Sophie and Alex’s blossoming friendship but for a romance book, this didn’t steal the limelight, because the other characters were equally as interesting. I really loved this book for that, especially as I find it quite rare in romance novels.

I think the best bits of The Little Bookshop at Herring Cove would have to be the moment on the beach where Sophie and Alex start opening up to one another. This is the moment for me anyway where he becomes a normal human being rather than being “the hot one”. It gave the characters more depth and a better reason to be friends and potentially more. I really appreciated the insight it gave me into each of their stories. Another best bit for me was the friendship between the three girls, there were so many lovely bits, from Sophie babysitting the kids because she could see Natalie was struggling, Ginny being upfront with Sophie about everything that was going on, I loved them all. It was so nice to see a romance story where the women all held each other up rather than tearing each other down.

The worst bits are very few and between this book. The only complaint that I had was that maybe the problem was solved a little too quickly in this book. I actually wanted a little more drama to make it more realistic and the forgiveness in this book, man it was over and done with quick.

I would definitely recommend The Little Bookshop at Herring Cove I thought the story was well plotted and I adored each and every one of the characters and the individuality their stories past through the stories. Would definitely read again for that exact reason!

Are you a big fan of romance novels? What are some of your favourites? I would love to hear your suggestions!