The Bookshop Ladies is engaging women’s fiction about secrets, books, bookshops, art, and women supporting women.

The Bookshop Ladies by Faith Hogan

Genre/Categories/Setting: Contemporary Women’s Fiction, Complicated Family Drama, Secrets, Friendship, Women Supporting Women, UpLit, Ireland (and Paris)

*This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

My Summary:

Joy Blackwood and her husband live in Paris. When he dies unexpectedly (in the first pages of the book), she discovers that he has left a valuable painting to Robyn Tessier in Ballycove, Ireland. Joy sets out to deliver the painting and to uncover this mystery woman’s identity. Without revealing her purpose, Joy rents a room and becomes entangled with the community and Robyn’s bookstore business. By the time she realizes this woman’s relationship to her late husband, circumstances have become complicated and the truth changes all their lives.

My Thoughts:

Thanks Julie @ A Little Book Problem for the recommendation! Click over and read her review.

Secrets

I love complicated family drama (when it’s not overly dysfunctional)! The Bookshop Ladies includes the slow-burn revelation of a big secret, complicated new relationships to manage, and women supporting women. All the characters are likable and I cheered for a happy ending.

Setting

I adore a small town setting. If you also appreciate an Irish small town setting, there’s lots to love about the small community of Ballycove including a colorful cast of characters.

Books About Books and Bookshops

Books about Bookshops and Books will always have my heart! Joy’s first mission is to uncover the identity of this mystery woman and deliver the painting, but while she’s preparing to do that she begins volunteering at Robyn’s struggling bookshop and offers advice on a few marketing strategies. Eventually, business at the bookshop is looking up but revealing the secret is becoming more complicated. Because Joy’s husband was an art dealer and Joy is delivering a painting, art also is an important aspect of the story. Satisfying for those who appreciate books and art!

Content Consideration: car accident, loss, grief

Recommending The Bookshop Ladies

I’m recommending The Bookshop Ladies for fans of well-written and engaging women’s fiction, books about books, art, and women supporting women. Overall, I consider The Bookshop Ladies “uplit.” There is substantial content and thoughtful themes, but you will enjoy a happy and hopeful ending. Sweet sides of (closed door) romance for your added enjoyment!

My Rating:  4  Stars

Meet the Author of The Bookshop Ladies, Faith Hogan

Faith Hogan is an award-winning, million copy best selling author. She is a USA Today Bestseller, Irish Times Top Ten and an Amazon UK Number 1 Best Selling writer of ten contemporary fiction novels. Her books have featured as Book Club Favorites, Net Galley Hot Reads and Summer Must Reads. She writes grown up women’s fiction which is unashamedly uplifting, feel-good and inspiring.

Her new summer read The Bookshop Ladies is out in June 2024 and it’s a great big welcome back to Ballycove for her readers.

She writes twisty contemporary crime fiction as Geraldine Hogan.

She lives in the west of Ireland with her family and their Labrador named Penny. She’s a writer, reader, enthusiastic dog walker and reluctant jogger – except of course when it is raining!

Twitter @gerhogan

Instagram @faithhoganauthor

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QOTD:

Do you love books about books and bookshops?

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Happy Reading Book Buddies!

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