I have read several books by Katherine Reay and will rank this one among my favorites. It is the story of three women who run a bookshop following the death of one of the protagonist’s relatives. The main characters are Madeline, who inherits the shop; Clare who feels unseen by her family and struggles with her teenage daughter; and Janet who made one mistake that led to the end of her marriage and another that led to a major crisis for the store. The stories of these characters overlap and form the basis for the novel.

The novel takes place in a small town outside of Chicago. The location feels idyllic as does the bookshop.

If you have ever had a dream about owning a bookstore that enhances a community, you will enjoy this novel. There are definitely struggles for the store but the author makes owning a bookshop feel so worthwhile.

I enjoyed this novel very much. There are friendship, romance and books, books, books within these pages. An added bonus was the number of books that are named in the novel and the complete list of those titles at the end. This list is a great resource for future reads.

So…if you like a light story with a great setting, think about this one. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book about books.

The Book Lover’s Guide to London

by Sarah Milne

If ever a book was written that could combine two of my favorites, London and books, this is surely it! This title can be enjoyed by those in London or by armchair travelers. Divided by geographic areas, as for example, Central London or West London, readers can organize their read or walk to spend time where they most wish. The end of the book lists all of the writing included in the book and also contains a bibliography.

I was drawn to so many areas in my reading. I went to Soho, Charing Cross, Hampstead Heath, Belgravia and many more. Just a few of the authors about whom I read were Dickens, Virginia Woolf, and Sylvia Plath. There are many others. The reader’s fictional journey is enhanced by the many photographs that are part of this book.

So, book lovers, take a look when this one comes out. It is a fun read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

I have enjoyed many mystery series set in Italy and its surrounds. There is no one like Brunetti or Montalbano. More recently, I began to read a series by David Wagner. Now, a new series to explore!

When this Italian set novel was brought to my attention by publicist Emily Keough, I knew that I would want to read it. I am glad that I did.

The story opens in Bologna during truffle hunting season. An English detective is asked to find a missing young person who has a “super taste” for truffles. What happened to him? And, what is going on in Bologna? Some things are not very pretty.

Follow protagonist Daniel and a TV journalist as they try to makes sense of things. One of them faces an accusation.

This is a readable story that I enjoyed. The sense of place is one thing that kept me turning the pages. I liked spending time with the characters. I also wanted to know how the case was solved.

The author has written several mysteries. This is the second. I feel that it can be read on its own though I will want to read the first book.

For those seeking a virtual vacation in a very real Italy, give this one a try. It is worth it.

Have you watched the Grantchester mysteries on PBS? I have and I have very much enjoyed them. Would you like to go back to the origin of the stories? I decided that I wanted to. I had read this book, Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death a number of years ago. I was curious to reread it now that I have watched the TV show.

First off, the books and the TV show differ at times. I have found this to be true of other TV adaptations as well. One that comes to mind is the series of novels by Peter Robinson about Detective Banks. Knowing this means that the read is different but not one bit worse for that.

For those who don’t know Sidney is a Canon who is assigned to the village of Grantchester. He runs a parish church and also teaches classes at nearby Cambridge University. Oh, and he begins to solve mysteries.

This book contains six stories. All are set in the 1950s. In the first story, Sidney investigates the death of a lawyer. In the next, he tries to find out how and why an engagement ring was stolen. And so it goes through a series of long, short stories. (I know that is a funny juxtaposition of words).

Every story shows Sidney to be a good man. He is able to question, is not in any way stuffy, and is someone with whom readers will enjoy spending time.

For those who watched the shows, in this book be introduced to series favorites like Sidney’s housekeeper and Amanda. I was especially delighted to meet Leonard for the first time here.

I highly recommend all of the books in the series. There are six. They take place across decades in Sidney’s life.

Below find my review of The Road to Granchester. This was published AFTER the six other books but it tells Sidney’s origin story.

As soon as I saw this title on NetGalley, I desperately wanted to read it. Many thanks to Bloomsbury and NetGalley for granting my request. The opinions below are my own.

I read the first Sidney Chambers novel, Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death, when it was first published. I was captivated by the character of Sidney and wanted to know more about him. I have continued to read the stories and have adored the Grantchester series on TV. For me, James Norton has personified Sidney in a most satisfactory way.

The Road to Grantchester tells the story of Sidney before he was the TV character or the man in SC and the Shadow of Death. I was so pleased at the prospect of learning how he became himself.

The beginning of the book was not easy. After a brief prelude, Sidney is immersed in the horrors (and I mean horrors) of WWII in Italy where he serves with Robert Kendall. Robert is the brother of Amanda, a key character in the series.

What Sidney and his fellow soldiers witness and participate in is truly unspeakable. James Runcie has written about war in a way that will make the reader long for peace. Survival in his circumstances is kind of a miracle for Sidney. However, not everyone important to him makes it home safely.

As a reader, because of how awful it was, I was relieved to move to the part of the novel that was post war. Sidney comes home to a world that has changed and yet he has changed even more. He tries to understand what he is meant to do with the gift of his life. After much reflection, he decides to join the church. The reader follows Sidney on his on-going faith journey.

This book is about those important to Sidney. There is Robert his best friend and war compatriot…no spoilers here so I will not say more. As in the TV series, there is prickly Amanda whose relationship with Chambers (as she calls him) is complex but important.

I left this book wanting to reread all of James Runcie’s books. This is an excellent read if you are a fan of Sidney, want to remember why war is a mess or if you want to understand a protagonist’s wish to live a meaningful life.

This novel may not be for everyone but for me it was a five star read.

Pub Date 04 May 2021

The Bookshop of Second Chances is a light women’s fiction novel. The title tells readers a lot; yes, there is a bookshop (and one that I wish I could visit) and yes, there are second chances. So, if this appeals to you, take a look at this book.

Readers learn early on that Thea has been dumped by her husband…and not just that, her (former) best friend is now living in her house. Luckily Thea has another good friend, Xanthe, who is there to help and to travel with Thea to Scotland. Why are they going there? Because Thea has inherited a relative’s house and, get this, it was left to her because her relative remembered her as a person who loved to read. Won’t that make book lovers hope for a surprise inheritance?

So, Thea begins a new life in Scotland. She makes some friends and begins to work in Edward’s bookshop. He is a somewhat crusty individual but the two slowly become friends. Will they become something more? Read the book to find out.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title. All opinions are my own.

I have just started to read this Nutcracker retelling.

The original Pooh and friends. I saw them today!

The Bibliophile book is a delight for book lovers.

From simple, family treats to delicious cakes & desserts: Official Cookbook

by Grégory Cohen

When I was a college junior, I spent a semester in England. While there, I was introduced to both Marmite and Nutella. Nutella won hands down. I still have a nostalgic love for this spread.

So, I was happy to have a chance to look at a cookbook featuring this delicious ingredient. It was a delightful experience. I am sure that Nutella lovers and others will want to give some of these recipes a try. Just a few of those included are Nutella tiramisu, Nutella tarte tatin, Nutella truffles, Nutella profiteroles and Nutella opera cake. By now, you should know if this book is for you. It is for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title. It is well illustrated and clear in its directions. The photos of the completed recipes made my mouth water.

All opinions above are my own.