By: Pamela Kelley
Narrator: Stephanie Németh-Parker
Macmillan Audio
ISBN: 9781250861610
Publisher: St. Martin's Press,
St. Martin's Griffin
Publication Date: 06/06/2023
Format: e-book and audio
My Rating: 4 Stars (ARC)
The Bookshop by the Bay is a breezy, escapist beach read from powerhouse bestselling women’s fiction author Pamela Kelley.
Two lifelong friends. One bookshop by the beach. And the summer that could change everything.
Jess loves her work as a high-profile lawyer in the respectable and austere city of Charleston. But when she finds her husband, Parker, has been cheating on her with his assistant, she retreats, with her thirty year-old daughter Caitlin for support, to her childhood home on Cape Cod, in Chatham. Caitlin has always been bright but directionless, looking for her passion but keeps coming up blank. And Jess needs to regroup with the help of good food and wine, the company of her best friend, Allison, and come up with a plan for the future.
Allison’s career has hit a low. After twenty years as an editor for the Chatham magazine, circulation is dwindling and though her boss and long-time friend, Jim, does everything to keep her, she has no choice but to take a step back. With a career on hiatus and her main relationship being with Chris, her ex-husband who is still a good friend, Allison is at a pivotal point in life. Her daughter Julia opened her own artisanal jewelry shop a year prior, and she has the kind of day-to-day fulfillment Allison yearns for.
When Allison stops into her beloved local bookstore one day and learns that the owner wants to sell, a long-held dream turns into a reality, thanks to Jess. Allison and Jess set a plan in motion and what was once a place that held warm childhood memories is now theirs to run. As the two friends, along with the help of their daughters, reopen the doors of the cherished bookstore and adjacent coffee shop to the community, they also open themselves up to the possibility of romance, the bonds of mothers and daughters, and the magic of second chances.
My Review
Pamela Kelly's THE BOOKSHOP BY THE BAY is a charming summer beach read featuring two friends, two daughters, a book and coffee shop, and a summer of change and new beginnings!
Set in a quaint seaside town of New England —Cape Cod, Massachusetts, a heartwarming generational tale of mothers, daughters, friendship, and strong women.
Jess is a high-profile lawyer in Charleston. Her husband, Parker, has been cheating on her with his assistant, and she is pregnant.
She accompanies her daughter, Caitlin, age 30, to the childhood home on Cape Cod in Chatham. Caitlin has not found her passion, so she and her mom, Jess, are here for the summer.
Allison is Jess's friend, and her career takes a hit when her editor's job at a Chatham magazine goes part-time and is ultimately cut due to the economy and online business. Her daughter Julia has her own jewelry shop that she loves.
Allison discovers her local bookstore wants to sell, which has been her big dream. Jess helps her with the financial end, and they go into business together—a place of fond memories of their childhood.
With the help of these friends and their daughters, they open the bookstore and the adjacent coffee shop with new ideas and new beginnings.
No matter your age, it is never too late to start over. The women come together with new friends, new business, good food, and wine—finding Cape Cod the perfect place for second chances. These women drink a lot of WINE!
THE BOOKSHOP BY THE BAY is a light, breezy beach read about mother-daughter relationships, friendships, family, romance, and taking chances.
Who doesn't love quaint bookshops, coffee shops, and charming beach towns?
For fans of Sherryl Woods, Viola Shipman, Susan Wiggs, Mariah Stewart, Kristy Woodson Harvey, and Debbie Macomber.
I read the e-book and listened to the audiobook narrated by Stephanie Németh-Parker for an engaging beach escape.
Thanks to #Macmillan Audio #StMartinsPress #StMartinsGriffin #NetGalley for a gifted ARC and ALC for review purposes. #SMPInfluencers
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 4 Stars
Pub Date: June 6, 2023
Praise
"This cute, summery tale offers plenty of scenic views." —Publishers Weekly
"Anyone who’s ever wanted to turn the page on their old life or felt the whispered promise of a new dream, and a fresh start will fall in love with Pamela Kelley’s charming new novel."
―New York Times bestselling author Mary Kay Andrews
"Four women who are each discovering a new path in life. Taking chances, supporting one another, coming to terms with disappointment. Succeeding... Grab your beach chair, umbrella and a cooler full of snacks and enjoy." -
Susan Wilson, New York Times bestselling of One Good Dog and What A Dog Knows
"As refreshing and relaxing as a crisp glass of wine with a summer breeze, The Bookshop by the Bay is an evocative novel of second chances, romance, and the magic of summer."
- New York Times bestselling author Emily March
“Perfect for fans of Nancy Thayer and Susan Mallery, The Bookshop by the Bay is a delightful escape to the shores of Cape Cod in a story about love, friendship, and second chances. Anyone who’s ever wondered ‘what if’ should tuck this heartwarming novel into their beach bag.”
- Jamie Brenner, bestselling author of The Forever Summer and Blush
"Pamela Kelley’s The Bookshop by the Bay had me hooked from page one. It’s a delightful story about family, friends, and finding our own happiness. And the setting is deliciously charming with all the makings of the perfect summer read!"
- bestselling author Jenny Hale
"Pamela Kelley has crafted a wonderful multi-generational story about mothers, daughters, and friendship set in a quaint seaside town on Cape Cod. If you love talk of bookstores, delicious food and coffee shops, this one is for you!"
―Rachel Hanna, author of the South Carolina Sunsets series
"Who hasn’t dreamed of owning a bookshop? I know I have, which is why I loved Pamela Kelly’s story about a woman who makes that dream come true. Set in Cape Cod, Massachusetts (I could almost smell the salt air as I was reading), The Bookshop By the Bay is a charming tale of friendship, love, and perseverance when life throws you unexpected challenges."
- Mary Simses, bestselling author of The Irresistible Blueberry Bakeshop & Cafe and The Wedding Thief
"A charming story of two moms and their daughters, who embark on an adventure of old dreams and new beginnings, as they take on their favorite childhood bookstore, a bakery and unexpected chances for love. Be sure to save room in your beach bag for this delightful summer read."
-Shelley Noble, New York Times Bestselling Author of Summer Island.
"Set in a coastal town so charming you’ll wish it was your own, and filled with characters so warm and familiar you’d gladly call them friends, The Bookshop by the Bay has all the ingredients of a perfect beach read. As refreshing as an ocean breeze, and brimming with heart, readers will savor this sparkling story of friendship, family, new love, and the unique magic that can only be found in coming home again."
- Erika Montgomery, author of A Summer To Remember and Our Place on the Island
"Once again, Pamela Kelley has delivered! There’s much to love about The Bookshop by the Bay: fabulous food descriptions, beloved characters, a friendship story that kept me turning pages, and a satisfying, happy ending. I adored this book and I think you will too."
―Karen McQuestion, bestselling author of The Moonlight Child
About the Author
Pamela Kelley is a USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of women's fiction, family sagas, and suspense, such as The Restaurant and The Hotel. Readers often describe her books as feel-good reads with people you'd want as friends. She lives in a historic seaside town near Cape Cod. She has always been an avid reader of women's fiction, romance, mysteries, thrillers and cookbooks. There's also a good chance you might get hungry when you read her books as she is a foodie, and occasionally shares a recipe or two. WEBSITE
