The True Love Bookshop by Annie Rains - Book Review

The True Love Bookshop by Annie Rains

Series: Somerset Lake #3 (Standalone)

Publication Date: 05th July 2022

Genre: Contemporary Romance 

3.7 Stars 

One Liner: Nice 

*****

Tess Lane is the owner of Lakeside Books and loves the place with all her heart. What she loves even more is the weekly book club with her dear friends. Being widowed three years ago has left her feelings raw, but Tess does her best to get on with her life. She still wonders about the missing pieces of her husband Jared’s death. 

River Harrison shows up at the bookshop, and Tess is enraged. He’s a former Marine, a private investigator, and Jared's ex-best friend. Tess hates River, but she wonders if his unexpected appearance is her chance to uncover the truth of Jared’s mysterious death.

Tess realizes how much she can enjoy her life when she begins to follow a trail with River. But the secrets come out and put Tess in a vulnerable position. Can she handle the truth and move over the past? Can she find hope to love again and lead a happy life? 

The story comes in the third person POV.

My Observations: 

The writing is easy to read and adds a good pace. I could finish 350+ pages in a couple of days (a total of 2.5 hours). Such books always get brownie points. 

This is a series with standalone books (each book for each character). We don’t have to know their stories to read the book. There’s enough info to keep the book going. 

The small-town setting and its warmth reflect throughout the book. Tess is a bookshop owner, and we also have a plan for a book signing event. 

The story is pretty light and easy despite the heavy topics. Things happen conveniently. Even major emotional issues are resolved with a page or two. I don’t mind that much if it is consistent. 

That’s where the ending didn’t fully work for me. It contradicts the easy resolution in the previous chapters. While it is still HEA, it feels as if the author wanted to cater to multiple target audiences at the same time. 

The events either have to be realistic or convenient. A combination of both will create a sense of dissatisfaction, especially if the reader is rooting for the male lead. 

To sum up, The True Love Bookshop is a nice and lighthearted read with some sweet characters. 

Thank you, NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing), for the eARC. 

#NetGalley #TheTrueLoveBookshop