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Kirrinfief #2
Raikkaita tuulia ja lukemattomia kirjoja
Yksinhuoltajaäiti Zoe on vajoamaisillaan pinnan alle. Kun hänelle tarjoutuu mahdollisuus lähteä Lontoosta töihin pieneen kirjakauppaan Loch Nessin rannalla, hän tarttuu tilaisuuteen. Asuntokin järjestyy, kun Zoe lupautuu au pairiksi kolmelle lapselle.
Skotlanti vastaa Zoen haavekuvia, mutta arki siellä on haastavaa. Lasten sinkkuisä vaikuttaa olevan yhtä raunioina kuin perheen asuttama vanha linna, ja kurittomat lapset on erotettu koulusta.
Zoen nelivuotias poika on kuitenkin onnellinen uudessa kodissaan, eikä Zoe halua luovuttaa. Kirjakauppaa pyörittävän Ninan avustuksella Zoe yrittää selättää vaikeudet. Mutta saako kirjojen, raikkaan ilman ja ystävällisyyden voimalla korjattua sirpaleisen perheen?
Skotlanti vastaa Zoen haavekuvia, mutta arki siellä on haastavaa. Lasten sinkkuisä vaikuttaa olevan yhtä raunioina kuin perheen asuttama vanha linna, ja kurittomat lapset on erotettu koulusta.
Zoen nelivuotias poika on kuitenkin onnellinen uudessa kodissaan, eikä Zoe halua luovuttaa. Kirjakauppaa pyörittävän Ninan avustuksella Zoe yrittää selättää vaikeudet. Mutta saako kirjojen, raikkaan ilman ja ystävällisyyden voimalla korjattua sirpaleisen perheen?
464 pages, Hardcover
First published June 13, 2019
2970 people are currently reading
30116 people want to read
About the author
Jenny Colgan
112 books11.4k followersJenny Colgan is the author of numerous bestselling novels, including 'The Little Shop of Happy Ever After' and 'Summer at the Little Beach Street Bakery', which are also published by Sphere.' Meet Me at the Cupcake Café' won the 2012 Melissa Nathan Award for Comedy Romance and was a Sunday Times Top Ten bestseller, as was 'Welcome to Rosie Hopkins' Sweetshop of Dreams', which won the RNA Romantic Novel of the Year Award 2013.
For more about Jenny, visit her website and her Facebook page, or follow her on Twitter.
Jenny Colgan has also been published under the name Jenny T. Colgan.
For more about Jenny, visit her website and her Facebook page, or follow her on Twitter.
Jenny Colgan has also been published under the name Jenny T. Colgan.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,218 reviews
May 31, 2019
Jenny colgan books are always like a massive hug in book form. The kind of hug that you desperately need and when you get that hug everything is made that little bit better and that little bit more brighter. I absolutely loved this amazing book.
July 2, 2019
There was apparently a serious lack of proofreading before this book went to press. Starting in chapter 2 and continuing on steadily throughout there were extra words in sentences and other errors (even use of the wrong character’s name) that disrupted the flow of this lovely book. A book so heavily advertised should have at least had a read through! I have never seen so many errors in published writing.
That being said, I really enjoyed the characters and storyline of this book even more than Bookshop on the Corner. Zoe is such a plucky and hopeful character. The writing was fine, but the basic errors were very distracting and while it was a story I would read again (and I bought the book, so I could), unfortunately because of the errors I wouldn’t. It makes for an unsatisfying reading experience.
That being said, I really enjoyed the characters and storyline of this book even more than Bookshop on the Corner. Zoe is such a plucky and hopeful character. The writing was fine, but the basic errors were very distracting and while it was a story I would read again (and I bought the book, so I could), unfortunately because of the errors I wouldn’t. It makes for an unsatisfying reading experience.
July 7, 2019
Goodreads giveaway win!
This book just wasn't for me. Jenny Colgan is a very popular author so if you love her books I'm sure you'll love this one too.
The Bookshop on the Shore did nothing for me. This book is over 400 pages and I could have gotten the same story in 130 pages. Nothing happens in this book, I'm sure if I really searched I could find the plot but I just don't care enough to look for it. All the characters were either boring or annoying. I didn't care about anything that happened to them.
This book isn't bad it just wasn't for me. I enjoy books with plots and interesting characters. I found neither in this book.
This book just wasn't for me. Jenny Colgan is a very popular author so if you love her books I'm sure you'll love this one too.
The Bookshop on the Shore did nothing for me. This book is over 400 pages and I could have gotten the same story in 130 pages. Nothing happens in this book, I'm sure if I really searched I could find the plot but I just don't care enough to look for it. All the characters were either boring or annoying. I didn't care about anything that happened to them.
This book isn't bad it just wasn't for me. I enjoy books with plots and interesting characters. I found neither in this book.
September 14, 2019
It was an enjoyable read up until the ending. I felt like I was dropped off the side of a building.
There were many serious issues the author chose to handle which added tremendous depth to the story. However, they were dropped for a sweet pat finish that unfortunately ended up trivializing the plot and making the characters unlikable. From the father who basically ignored his children, to the single mother who let everyone walk all over her, I kept hoping these two would grow into characters worth reading about. But, they didn't. I'm also not sure what the status is for a common law wife in Scotland. Did the book just end on an adulterous relationship that we're supposed to feel good about? (Not trying to judge, but definitely not my cuppa. At least, not in chick-lit)
Also, when did Nina (The Bookshop on the Corner) turn into such a shrew? I liked her in the first book, but she was a pain in the "arse" in this one.
Hari and Patrick were definitely the stars of the show. Everything else paled in comparison.
There were many serious issues the author chose to handle which added tremendous depth to the story. However, they were dropped for a sweet pat finish that unfortunately ended up trivializing the plot and making the characters unlikable. From the father who basically ignored his children, to the single mother who let everyone walk all over her, I kept hoping these two would grow into characters worth reading about. But, they didn't. I'm also not sure what the status is for a common law wife in Scotland. Did the book just end on an adulterous relationship that we're supposed to feel good about? (Not trying to judge, but definitely not my cuppa. At least, not in chick-lit)
Also, when did Nina (The Bookshop on the Corner) turn into such a shrew? I liked her in the first book, but she was a pain in the "arse" in this one.
Hari and Patrick were definitely the stars of the show. Everything else paled in comparison.
May 12, 2022
I am a sucker for a book that says “The Bookshop... " After all, bookshops are were us readers love to spen our time, and I have been in quite a few in my life, loving the old used bookstores best. Forget Barnes & Noble and other modern stores; I like quaint.
Well, this book was supposed to be about a bookshop on the shore. Very little time is spent in the bookshop, and I have no idea what the shore has to do with this book.
The audio book was narrated by a British woman, which made me think of the British voices in “Doc Martin” or even “Last of the Summer wine.” So, I gave it a try, just because her voice was charming, as was she. But, at seven hours into this13 hour book I was bored.
Zooey, the main character in this book, lived in an apartment in London with her mute child, Harry, but due to circumstances, she is being kicked out. A friend of hers gets her a job in Scotland and asks her to also sell books out of her book mobile while she, herself, is in the hospital. So, Zooey packs up and moves to Scotland, moving into a very large house to care for this man’s children. Aha, I thought, another nanny story like those I read in my youth, like those that I grew bored of reading by the time I was 22. Only, unlike those books, she doesn’t think that the man could be dangerous or even evil. Yet she sees shadows. Ghosts? Maybe later in the book she will become suspicious since his wife disappeared. Maybe his wife is the ghost. But 10 hours into this book there is no more mention of a ghost that she thought she saw in the beginning.
The man, Ramsey, is very tall with huge hands. He is so tall that he ducks down when entering a room so he won’t bump his head. . I And then she is wishing that he would put his “large hands” all over her body. And I am realizing that I am not a 16-year old that can’t wait to turn the page. I want to be reading Paul Theroux’s new book on his traveling by car in Mexico, which was something that a friend and I had done at least 3 times in the 80s. And I just know that he will put Mexico down all the time, but at the same time it sounds much more interesting.
Well, this book was supposed to be about a bookshop on the shore. Very little time is spent in the bookshop, and I have no idea what the shore has to do with this book.
The audio book was narrated by a British woman, which made me think of the British voices in “Doc Martin” or even “Last of the Summer wine.” So, I gave it a try, just because her voice was charming, as was she. But, at seven hours into this13 hour book I was bored.
Zooey, the main character in this book, lived in an apartment in London with her mute child, Harry, but due to circumstances, she is being kicked out. A friend of hers gets her a job in Scotland and asks her to also sell books out of her book mobile while she, herself, is in the hospital. So, Zooey packs up and moves to Scotland, moving into a very large house to care for this man’s children. Aha, I thought, another nanny story like those I read in my youth, like those that I grew bored of reading by the time I was 22. Only, unlike those books, she doesn’t think that the man could be dangerous or even evil. Yet she sees shadows. Ghosts? Maybe later in the book she will become suspicious since his wife disappeared. Maybe his wife is the ghost. But 10 hours into this book there is no more mention of a ghost that she thought she saw in the beginning.
The man, Ramsey, is very tall with huge hands. He is so tall that he ducks down when entering a room so he won’t bump his head. . I And then she is wishing that he would put his “large hands” all over her body. And I am realizing that I am not a 16-year old that can’t wait to turn the page. I want to be reading Paul Theroux’s new book on his traveling by car in Mexico, which was something that a friend and I had done at least 3 times in the 80s. And I just know that he will put Mexico down all the time, but at the same time it sounds much more interesting.
July 22, 2021
Jenny Colgan whisked me away with another charming tale of family, friendship, and books. What I love about her books is that they have the perfect balance of warm and fuzzy with just enough grit to keep them from becoming Chick Lit. There are romance elements, but they're more Jane Austen than Fifty Shades, which I appreciate, and her characters never remain stagnant. She pushes them and throws roadblocks in their paths and though they stumble, positivity prevails in the end. My only critique is that the title doesn't really match with the plot, but I understand that it was the publisher's pick, so that's on them.
August 9, 2019
The title with the word bookshop drew me to this novel, but it is not about a bookshop. (A bookmobile plays a fairly minor role here) It turned out to be a decent comfort read.
June 19, 2019
4.5 Stars. This book totally surprised me. I went into this one thinking it was a cute summer romance with a ditsy woman who loved books, boy was I wrong. Jenny Colgan has introduced us to a family in chaos. Zoe packs up and heads to Scotland with her four year old son Hari, from busy London to become a nanny for a family with three children. What she did not expect were the issues this family has and still is dealing with. She also works part-time driving the local bookmobile when the owner is put on bedrest during the end of her pregnancy. What happens is a wonderful, sometimes amusing, sometimes sad, but always entertaining story.
The Bookshop plays and important part in the story, not only adding funds to Zoe's coffers, but getting both her and Hari out of the huge estate home. She meets some great characters along the way, who come to her rescue by the end of the book, as well as helping her to fit in and feel like her and Hari finally have a home. The children drove me crazy at the beginning of the book, but as I got to know more about them, as well as the circumstances of the family, I wanted to reach out and pull them to my breast. There was also a lot of humour to offset the darker, sadder spots in the book. The chicken scenes are hilarious. The descriptions of the land and the people, that are included in the book, made we want to get on a plane and head off to Scotland. Having visited the Loch Ness area a couple of years ago, I definitely felt that I needed to go back and visit again, the real Scotland. Although it's a romance, I love how she touched on mental health issues in such a sensitive way, and tackled the different family structural dynamics we grow up in and how they affect us. This book had my emotions all over the place, what a great experience when reading this story. Jenny Colgan did a wonderful job with this story and I will be looking for more from this author.
I listened to the audio book of this story and loved the experience. The narrator, Eilidh Beaton did a wonderful job performing this story, with the many and varied voices. From little children to older men with thick brogues, I connected to these characters. Some of the voices were a bit close together, but most were easily distinguishable. The expressions, intonation and pacing were right on and pulled me into this story. I will be adding Eilidh Beaton to my list of narrators to watch for. I received a copy of this audio book from the publisher upon my request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.
The Bookshop plays and important part in the story, not only adding funds to Zoe's coffers, but getting both her and Hari out of the huge estate home. She meets some great characters along the way, who come to her rescue by the end of the book, as well as helping her to fit in and feel like her and Hari finally have a home. The children drove me crazy at the beginning of the book, but as I got to know more about them, as well as the circumstances of the family, I wanted to reach out and pull them to my breast. There was also a lot of humour to offset the darker, sadder spots in the book. The chicken scenes are hilarious. The descriptions of the land and the people, that are included in the book, made we want to get on a plane and head off to Scotland. Having visited the Loch Ness area a couple of years ago, I definitely felt that I needed to go back and visit again, the real Scotland. Although it's a romance, I love how she touched on mental health issues in such a sensitive way, and tackled the different family structural dynamics we grow up in and how they affect us. This book had my emotions all over the place, what a great experience when reading this story. Jenny Colgan did a wonderful job with this story and I will be looking for more from this author.
I listened to the audio book of this story and loved the experience. The narrator, Eilidh Beaton did a wonderful job performing this story, with the many and varied voices. From little children to older men with thick brogues, I connected to these characters. Some of the voices were a bit close together, but most were easily distinguishable. The expressions, intonation and pacing were right on and pulled me into this story. I will be adding Eilidh Beaton to my list of narrators to watch for. I received a copy of this audio book from the publisher upon my request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.
December 1, 2019
I always look forward to reading a Jenny Colgan book as it’s always a lovely read. This one was no exception it had all the elements that I love and they are always I her books. Although this was a large book I flew through the pages and read it very quickly. It was full of the usual highs and lows but it always finishes on a high. Every book I’ve read of hers is a joy to read and I always look forward to reading her next one when it is out.
May 28, 2022
Yet another DNF for me. 100 pages in and nothing grabbed my interest. Maybe "light-readings" are just not my thing?
April 7, 2019
Zoe’s a single mom with no money living in London. Her son’s father never seems to have money to help, so when she gets a job offer in Scotland as a nanny and a bookseller, she takes 4 year old Hari, who has never spoken, to the remote Scottish village. Much to her chagrin, she learns that the children have gone through at least 6 nannies in the recent past, and are determined to be rid of the 7th as soon as they can. Jenny Colgan is a great storyteller, and I enjoyed reading about Zoe’s adventures.
August 15, 2019
Do you ever just completely forget to post a review? Because SAME. I read this over my vacation back in early July and thought it was adorable and I just now realized I never shared my thoughts 😳 This was charming, sweet and cozy with a fantastic setting and a cast of quirky supporting characters. My first Jenny Colgan book but definitely not my last, I can see myself turning to one of her books when I want something comforting and light.
July 14, 2020
A single mum moves to Scotland to live in an old, Manor House with a moody boss and his children and work in a local mobile bookshop. It’s all very charming with The Sound of Music vibes. It would have been 5 stars but it diverts into mental heath issues at one point which felt completely at odds with the feel-good story and it wasn’t something I signed up for.
July 14, 2019
Zoe is a single mother living in London. She is struggling to make ends meet, and wants a better life for her and her son, Hari. With some help from Surinder, Hari's father's sister, Zoe gets an opportunity in the Scottish Highlands. Zoe will work as a nanny for a single father of three and will run Nina's bookmobile while Nina is on bedrest during her pregnancy.
Some familiar faces from The Bookshop on the Corner - Nina, Surinder, and Lennox - are in this book, but this is very much Zoe's story. Zoe is at her wits' end and needs a fresh start. She takes a big leap of faith with relocating to Scotland. She doesn't know anyone there, and she's not really sure what to expect from the town, the people, or the jobs she has accepted.
For the move, Zoe accepts two jobs. Her position as a nanny provides housing for her and her son. She's working for a man who is mostly absent from his kid's lives, and Zoe starts to make some changes in their home life. Bringing order, laughter, and joy into their house, she makes a home. The second job is to run Nina's bookmobile while Nina is on bedrest. This one gets Zoe out and amongst the local, but she soon learns everyone relies on Nina for book recommendations, and isn't too keen on a newcomer. For the book van to keep making money, Zoe makes some changes and puts her touch on the bookshop.
An enjoyable and light read about a young mother wanting to change her life. Zoe is a likable character. She has a good heart, she works hard, and she puts her son first. Zoe does have a difficult time fitting in with the locals, but she stands her ground and finds her place.
A heartwarming story with quirky characters. Family life, romance, and humor combine into an enjoyable read, sure to delight fans of The Bookshop on the Corner.
Some familiar faces from The Bookshop on the Corner - Nina, Surinder, and Lennox - are in this book, but this is very much Zoe's story. Zoe is at her wits' end and needs a fresh start. She takes a big leap of faith with relocating to Scotland. She doesn't know anyone there, and she's not really sure what to expect from the town, the people, or the jobs she has accepted.
For the move, Zoe accepts two jobs. Her position as a nanny provides housing for her and her son. She's working for a man who is mostly absent from his kid's lives, and Zoe starts to make some changes in their home life. Bringing order, laughter, and joy into their house, she makes a home. The second job is to run Nina's bookmobile while Nina is on bedrest. This one gets Zoe out and amongst the local, but she soon learns everyone relies on Nina for book recommendations, and isn't too keen on a newcomer. For the book van to keep making money, Zoe makes some changes and puts her touch on the bookshop.
An enjoyable and light read about a young mother wanting to change her life. Zoe is a likable character. She has a good heart, she works hard, and she puts her son first. Zoe does have a difficult time fitting in with the locals, but she stands her ground and finds her place.
A heartwarming story with quirky characters. Family life, romance, and humor combine into an enjoyable read, sure to delight fans of The Bookshop on the Corner.
July 13, 2019
OMG I loved this book, I just was so annoyed when it ended, the best kind of annoyed though. I have read this every spare minute I had, I love this kind of book magic that draws me into a story. It often surprised a laugh out of me. It often had me worrying over the outcome for characters. There are some serious issues that are explored.
Zoe brings her own brand of book beliefs to the blue van while Nina is busy holed up in a hospital bed. She brings her own brand of being a nanny to three "lost" children and she is a wonderful mother to her own.
Set in Scotland - in a big house like a castle. Some time I hope I'll hear this on audio because I am sure would be wonderful with the right narrator.
LOVED IT.
Zoe brings her own brand of book beliefs to the blue van while Nina is busy holed up in a hospital bed. She brings her own brand of being a nanny to three "lost" children and she is a wonderful mother to her own.
Set in Scotland - in a big house like a castle. Some time I hope I'll hear this on audio because I am sure would be wonderful with the right narrator.
LOVED IT.
December 20, 2019
DNF. 50% I'm so bummed after I absolutely LOVED Bookshop on the Corner, but this story feels very threadbare and doesn't really flow. All the characters feel two dimensional and don't really seem to have much depth. Such a disappointment. 💔
April 1, 2023
Two and a half stars.
Single mother, Zoe, is struggling to cope financially in London. When the landlord raises the rent Zoe doesn’t know how she will manage to provide for herself and young son Hari, who is selectively mute. When she learns of two jobs going in the Scottish Highlands, she thinks this could be the solution. After all, how much worse off could she be? And moving out of London might just be beneficial to Hari. It could be the change they both need. But when confronted by Ramsay and his three out of control children, Zoe begins to question the wisdom of the move. And what about her job driving the mobile library van and taking over from the heavily pregnant Nina, how is that going to work when Nina resents any changes Zoe makes?
This is a light read though it does touch on some important issues. Zoe is a likeable main character. The three children Shackleton, Mary and Patrick for a long time seemed one dimensional as did their father Ramsay and Zoe’s ex boyfriend and father of Hari, Jaz. Not entirely convincing.
It took me a while to get into this book and then it seemed to go on too long at times. I skimmed a bit.
Towards the end I was more interested, though a couple of things were skated over and their importance trivialised for this reader. So, a pleasant enough read without being memorable. But others may well have a different view. I know this author has plenty of fans out there.
Single mother, Zoe, is struggling to cope financially in London. When the landlord raises the rent Zoe doesn’t know how she will manage to provide for herself and young son Hari, who is selectively mute. When she learns of two jobs going in the Scottish Highlands, she thinks this could be the solution. After all, how much worse off could she be? And moving out of London might just be beneficial to Hari. It could be the change they both need. But when confronted by Ramsay and his three out of control children, Zoe begins to question the wisdom of the move. And what about her job driving the mobile library van and taking over from the heavily pregnant Nina, how is that going to work when Nina resents any changes Zoe makes?
This is a light read though it does touch on some important issues. Zoe is a likeable main character. The three children Shackleton, Mary and Patrick for a long time seemed one dimensional as did their father Ramsay and Zoe’s ex boyfriend and father of Hari, Jaz. Not entirely convincing.
It took me a while to get into this book and then it seemed to go on too long at times. I skimmed a bit.
Towards the end I was more interested, though a couple of things were skated over and their importance trivialised for this reader. So, a pleasant enough read without being memorable. But others may well have a different view. I know this author has plenty of fans out there.
July 17, 2019
1/5 stars
I can't give this more than 1 star. Was this a joke? I don't think this book was edited. At one point the wrong character name was used. The phrasing was off so much I felt like I reread half of this book. The storylines didn't blend. Nina felt TOTALLY different.
I hated this. I wish I wouldn't have read it. I loved the first one. If you did too leave it at that. This was a joke.
I can't give this more than 1 star. Was this a joke? I don't think this book was edited. At one point the wrong character name was used. The phrasing was off so much I felt like I reread half of this book. The storylines didn't blend. Nina felt TOTALLY different.
I hated this. I wish I wouldn't have read it. I loved the first one. If you did too leave it at that. This was a joke.
July 5, 2019
(free review copy) Dare I say.....my new favorite Jenny Colgan? I have yet to meet a world of hers that hasn’t utterly enchanted me and this return to Loch Ness and the traveling book shop utterly enchanted me.
September 23, 2019
For my full review, visit me here at https://mrsbrownsbooks.wordpress.com/...
When I saw this book approaching my hands, ready to be devoured, I was so excited. I have had many positive experiences reading a Jenny Colgan novel, and this was no exception. I loved this book on many levels and I could not put it down. In fact, I am a little sad that it is now finished!
For my full review, visit me here at https://mrsbrownsbooks.wordpress.com/...
When I saw this book approaching my hands, ready to be devoured, I was so excited. I have had many positive experiences reading a Jenny Colgan novel, and this was no exception. I loved this book on many levels and I could not put it down. In fact, I am a little sad that it is now finished!
For my full review, visit me here at https://mrsbrownsbooks.wordpress.com/...
September 10, 2019
I really enjoyed Zoe’s story. This story takes up just after The Bookshop on the Corner finished. The MC of that one, Nina, is pregnant and on an enforced bed rest. Circumstances lead to Londoner, and single mum, Zoe travelling to Scotland to take over the travelling Bookshop and become an au pair for 3 very unruly and problematic children whose mother has left them and father is not coping.
I didn’t like Nina as much in this book, she was a minor character this time - Zoe had a different book selling style but still sold gangbusters. Nina supposed to the hearts of her customers and Zoe went for their needs. Neither were wrong but Nina got quite stroppy, which I thought was a bit horrible.
As well as fending off Nina, Zoe had her own little boy who doesn’t speak, and the 3 disturbed kids she is nannying which has a side thread that is very interesting. The story often got quite dark but was enough humour to carry it through.
If there is a 3rd book I would read it.
I didn’t like Nina as much in this book, she was a minor character this time - Zoe had a different book selling style but still sold gangbusters. Nina supposed to the hearts of her customers and Zoe went for their needs. Neither were wrong but Nina got quite stroppy, which I thought was a bit horrible.
As well as fending off Nina, Zoe had her own little boy who doesn’t speak, and the 3 disturbed kids she is nannying which has a side thread that is very interesting. The story often got quite dark but was enough humour to carry it through.
If there is a 3rd book I would read it.
June 30, 2019
3.5 — I jumped into this new Jenny Colgan expecting my usual comfortable J.C. formula: quirky girl meets boy, quirkiness ensues, love prevails and wins, and all is happy in the end. But NO. Jenny surprised me a bit here. Because while, yes, the precious J.C. formula does shine through eventually, it's not quite as prevalent as usual. Instead of the usual hippy-happy rom-com, this one has a little more depth to it. A desperately poor, lonely single mum with a toddler who won't speak and a deadbeat dad. A family of unruly children with a missing-in-action mother and an out-of-touch father. Stand-offish neighbors/coworkers. The romance in this novel doesn't even show up until the last 15-20% of the book! Do not fret, however, dear readers - there is much to sink your teeth into here: you will feel deeply for Zoe and Hari, as well as the rag-tag misfit group of children she comes to care for and love. And let us not forget - Nina's bookish van is on set once again for our immense enjoyment! Who can complain about that? Not I, friends. Not I.
August 12, 2019
Her books can be a bit predictable, but when I'm looking for a damsel in distress rescued by a handsome prince, and a fun book to listen to that won't require a lot of concentration while I'm doing something else, these books are perfect. And the Scottish setting on the shore of Loch Ness was a nice bonus! This would make a great beach read too. Audiobook by Fiona Hardingham, also nicely done.
August 1, 2025
The Bookshop On The Shore is a tender and quietly uplifting story that deepens the world Jenny Colgan first introduced in The Bookshop On The Corner while carving out its own distinct narrative space. where its predecessor centered on personal reinvention, this book explores themes of resilience, belonging and the complicated yet transformative nature of caregiving and community.
the story follows Zoe, a single mother from London who, faced with financial hardship and the emotional demands of raising her young son Hari, takes a job in the Scottish Highlands, running a mobile bookshop while also working as a nanny for a widower and his three children.
Zoe’s arc is compelling precisely because it feels grounded in the realities of her circumstances: her self-doubt, her fierce love for her son and her quiet determination to create a better life. Colgan resists painting her as a martyr, instead, she is portrayed as a woman who is deeply human, as she is flawed, exhausted and sometimes uncertain, yet willing to face discomfort to carve out a future for her family.
the secondary characters add richness to the narrative. the Muir family, particularly the three children Zoe cares for, bring a mix of heartbreak and humor, embodying how grief and healing often coexist. their complex dynamics challenge Zoe but also invite growth, pushing her to confront not only their pain but her own lingering fears. we also see cameos and connections to characters from the previous book, including Nina, which deepens the sense of continuity and community across the two novels.
the author handles grief, isolation and hope with a deft touch. this is a book about starting over in the unlikeliest of places, but it’s also about the emotional labor of caring for others while trying to hold yourself together. the Scottish Highlands provide more than just a backdrop: their rugged beauty and slower pace mirror Zoe’s own journey toward stability and self-discovery. there’s also a recurring motif of books as both escape and connection, reinforcing Colgan’s belief in their ability to bring people together in even the most fractured circumstances.
the lessons here are quiet but meaningful and we are invited to explore the idea that home is often something we build rather than find, that connection can emerge in unexpected places and that it’s possible to reclaim your sense of self even when life has narrowed your options.
while the narrative occasionally lingers on predictable beats, the emotional authenticity of the characters more than compensates. Colgan’s prose is warm and accessible and she balances the lighthearted moments with an underlying depth that gives the story staying power.
all in all, I believe this book is more than a charming small-town tale. it’s a thoughtful meditation on rebuilding, caring for others and rediscovering hope when life feels overwhelming.
the story follows Zoe, a single mother from London who, faced with financial hardship and the emotional demands of raising her young son Hari, takes a job in the Scottish Highlands, running a mobile bookshop while also working as a nanny for a widower and his three children.
Zoe’s arc is compelling precisely because it feels grounded in the realities of her circumstances: her self-doubt, her fierce love for her son and her quiet determination to create a better life. Colgan resists painting her as a martyr, instead, she is portrayed as a woman who is deeply human, as she is flawed, exhausted and sometimes uncertain, yet willing to face discomfort to carve out a future for her family.
the secondary characters add richness to the narrative. the Muir family, particularly the three children Zoe cares for, bring a mix of heartbreak and humor, embodying how grief and healing often coexist. their complex dynamics challenge Zoe but also invite growth, pushing her to confront not only their pain but her own lingering fears. we also see cameos and connections to characters from the previous book, including Nina, which deepens the sense of continuity and community across the two novels.
the author handles grief, isolation and hope with a deft touch. this is a book about starting over in the unlikeliest of places, but it’s also about the emotional labor of caring for others while trying to hold yourself together. the Scottish Highlands provide more than just a backdrop: their rugged beauty and slower pace mirror Zoe’s own journey toward stability and self-discovery. there’s also a recurring motif of books as both escape and connection, reinforcing Colgan’s belief in their ability to bring people together in even the most fractured circumstances.
the lessons here are quiet but meaningful and we are invited to explore the idea that home is often something we build rather than find, that connection can emerge in unexpected places and that it’s possible to reclaim your sense of self even when life has narrowed your options.
while the narrative occasionally lingers on predictable beats, the emotional authenticity of the characters more than compensates. Colgan’s prose is warm and accessible and she balances the lighthearted moments with an underlying depth that gives the story staying power.
all in all, I believe this book is more than a charming small-town tale. it’s a thoughtful meditation on rebuilding, caring for others and rediscovering hope when life feels overwhelming.
June 26, 2019
Single mother Zoe is desperately struggling to make ends meet in London. Her 4-year-old son Hari is perfect, except for the fact he doesn’t speak – at all. When Zoe’s landlord raises the rent on her dismal studio flat, she realises she has nowhere to turn.
When an opportunity for not one but two jobs arises in Scotland, Zoe decides this could be the change she desperately needs.
Faced with her new boss Ramsay, and his 3 unruly children, Zoe begins to wonder if she’s made a terrible mistake. But the Highlands have a way of getting under your skin and in her heart, Zoe doesn’t know whether she could ever leave.
Firstly, I would like to start this review by mentioning the foreword from the author. I am not a great reader of this section usually, but I find Colgan fills hers with as much fun and wit as the rest of the book. However, this particular piece really sat with me, especially this line:
“If you read…It means there are more heads to be in, more lives to be lived than simply your own.”
I have loved books my whole life, having started reading from an early age, books hold some of my fondest memories. One of which is snuggling down at bedtime next to my mum for a chapter of the next great adventure. As an only child and being quite introverted, I found that by devouring stories I could live exciting journeys to faraway lands from the comfort of my home. Even now as an adult following my own adventures, and being slightly less introverted, the feeling of joy that comes from meeting new characters and discovering new places has never diminished. The sheer love of books is what ultimately shines through in this story, and that’s a plot I can wholeheartedly get behind!
Colgan instantly transports the reader to the Scottish Highlands in this new book, with her delectable descriptions and faultless writing style. This is a skill I admire, and find in very few authors, the ability to show you a place/environment rather than telling you. I could clearly see and feel the haar in the mornings and the late afternoon sunshine glittering on the loch.
The characters have such a mishmash of personalities, that they all brought something different to the story. At first, I wasn’t sure if I was going to warm to Zoe, but once she arrived in Scotland, I found myself liking her more and more. I think she just needed some gumption! Ramsay made me angry at first, but he grew on me as we discovered more about his life, and the children were all hilarious in their own ways. Unfortunately, the only person I disliked in this book was Nina. She always seemed ungrateful and I found that grated on me throughout.
I am happy that this title was more than the boy meets girl story typical of this genre. There was a thin veil of mystery that gave this book an edge over its peers, and it was highly enjoyable.
** Thanks to Little, Brown Book Group (UK), via NetGalley, for this ARC **
For more reviews, please visit: https://twiabblog.wixsite.com/theworl...
When an opportunity for not one but two jobs arises in Scotland, Zoe decides this could be the change she desperately needs.
Faced with her new boss Ramsay, and his 3 unruly children, Zoe begins to wonder if she’s made a terrible mistake. But the Highlands have a way of getting under your skin and in her heart, Zoe doesn’t know whether she could ever leave.
Firstly, I would like to start this review by mentioning the foreword from the author. I am not a great reader of this section usually, but I find Colgan fills hers with as much fun and wit as the rest of the book. However, this particular piece really sat with me, especially this line:
“If you read…It means there are more heads to be in, more lives to be lived than simply your own.”
I have loved books my whole life, having started reading from an early age, books hold some of my fondest memories. One of which is snuggling down at bedtime next to my mum for a chapter of the next great adventure. As an only child and being quite introverted, I found that by devouring stories I could live exciting journeys to faraway lands from the comfort of my home. Even now as an adult following my own adventures, and being slightly less introverted, the feeling of joy that comes from meeting new characters and discovering new places has never diminished. The sheer love of books is what ultimately shines through in this story, and that’s a plot I can wholeheartedly get behind!
Colgan instantly transports the reader to the Scottish Highlands in this new book, with her delectable descriptions and faultless writing style. This is a skill I admire, and find in very few authors, the ability to show you a place/environment rather than telling you. I could clearly see and feel the haar in the mornings and the late afternoon sunshine glittering on the loch.
The characters have such a mishmash of personalities, that they all brought something different to the story. At first, I wasn’t sure if I was going to warm to Zoe, but once she arrived in Scotland, I found myself liking her more and more. I think she just needed some gumption! Ramsay made me angry at first, but he grew on me as we discovered more about his life, and the children were all hilarious in their own ways. Unfortunately, the only person I disliked in this book was Nina. She always seemed ungrateful and I found that grated on me throughout.
I am happy that this title was more than the boy meets girl story typical of this genre. There was a thin veil of mystery that gave this book an edge over its peers, and it was highly enjoyable.
** Thanks to Little, Brown Book Group (UK), via NetGalley, for this ARC **
For more reviews, please visit: https://twiabblog.wixsite.com/theworl...
July 4, 2020
Min favorit av Colgans böcker. Här fanns både mys, kärleken till böcker och svärta. Som en modern version av Mary Poppins. En solklar feelgood som passade perfekt att spendera midsommarafton tillsammans med.
October 11, 2019
I loved the follow-up novel set in the Scottish Higlands. In fact, I binge read this on an 8-hour trip back home after vacation. It's an easy read but still with enough substance to be intellectually engaging. There's a lot to process, with mental illness, single motherhood, and how abandonment affects children - as well as plenty of bookish conundrums, like whether bookshops should sell 'tourist tat' that pays the bills or stick with more literary endeavours.
Nina and company are here, and if you haven't read the first book, I'd recommend starting with Bookshop on the Corner. Otherwise, you'll be like me - reading the first few chapters, then backtracking to the first book because you have to know how everyone got to where they are at the beginning of book 2.
Overall, it's another solidly enjoyable novel for bookworms with a taste for all things Scottish.
Nina and company are here, and if you haven't read the first book, I'd recommend starting with Bookshop on the Corner. Otherwise, you'll be like me - reading the first few chapters, then backtracking to the first book because you have to know how everyone got to where they are at the beginning of book 2.
Overall, it's another solidly enjoyable novel for bookworms with a taste for all things Scottish.
March 2, 2020
LOVED this book. RTC.
December 4, 2020
Truthfully, maybe this book isn’t so bad as one star, but when I noticed it was some percentage points higher rated than the first book in the series, I needed to punish it. And one of the most glaring Bad Things about it was that there didn’t seem to be an editor available to give this book a once-over. Misspellings, sentences that seemed to start with one idea and finish with another and make no sense at all, the wrong damn character name used at least once? YUCK.
If you came to this book from The Bookshop On the Corner, you’ll find that Nina is a dick now :( Look, we’ve all been enormously pregnant and cranky because of it - having what is essentially a parasite literally kick your butt from inside of your body sucks, ok? - but I don’t recall being mean to a helpful stranger (at least to their face) when I was knocked up, so it was gross to read someone else doing it. I also kind of felt like her having any sort of story here was a bad choice. You already had your book, girl! Go rest.
I did appreciate the Jane Eyreness of the ex-wife-gone-mad thing, but this reveal didn’t come about until 90something% into the book, and was rushed through, and confusing, and didn’t make me feel sympathy for any party involved in it. I think it was supposed to, but my main takeaway from that plot, and most of the book, is that every parent in this story was shit. Oh, your “common law wife” (which, couldn’t it have just been wife?) went crazy and so you locked yourself away in your giant library (congrats) and let your kids live on literal toast and never bathe or go to school? I *am* the wife who went crazy and I still manage to stress myself out making sure my picky eating child eats some fucking fruit. And Jaz? How dare we share a nickname! That dad was dead. beat., and I kept wishing he’d just go away forever, but then I think I was supposed to forgive him at the end because he finally introduced his parents to their grandchild? (The kid was four, by the way.)
Zoe was a fine protagonist. I’m drawn to stories about mothers and young sons (there aren’t many that don’t involve ~rooms~) because I am a mother with a young son. I loved how much she loved her kid, I loved the memories she had of giving birth to him, being with him when he was a baby, and how fiercely she wanted to do what was right by him at all times. She deserved better than her baby-dad, and better than the Mr. Rochester dad who was for some reason completely absolved of his child neglect because he had big hands and kissed good. Did his not-daughter almost kill Zoe’s kid? Yes, but wasn’t he super tall, just like, so so tall, you never stop reading about how tall he is, and also he had a lot of rooms to fuck in? Yes 2.
Good luck to all of these characters who are fictional and made me so mad anyway!
If you came to this book from The Bookshop On the Corner, you’ll find that Nina is a dick now :( Look, we’ve all been enormously pregnant and cranky because of it - having what is essentially a parasite literally kick your butt from inside of your body sucks, ok? - but I don’t recall being mean to a helpful stranger (at least to their face) when I was knocked up, so it was gross to read someone else doing it. I also kind of felt like her having any sort of story here was a bad choice. You already had your book, girl! Go rest.
I did appreciate the Jane Eyreness of the ex-wife-gone-mad thing, but this reveal didn’t come about until 90something% into the book, and was rushed through, and confusing, and didn’t make me feel sympathy for any party involved in it. I think it was supposed to, but my main takeaway from that plot, and most of the book, is that every parent in this story was shit. Oh, your “common law wife” (which, couldn’t it have just been wife?) went crazy and so you locked yourself away in your giant library (congrats) and let your kids live on literal toast and never bathe or go to school? I *am* the wife who went crazy and I still manage to stress myself out making sure my picky eating child eats some fucking fruit. And Jaz? How dare we share a nickname! That dad was dead. beat., and I kept wishing he’d just go away forever, but then I think I was supposed to forgive him at the end because he finally introduced his parents to their grandchild? (The kid was four, by the way.)
Zoe was a fine protagonist. I’m drawn to stories about mothers and young sons (there aren’t many that don’t involve ~rooms~) because I am a mother with a young son. I loved how much she loved her kid, I loved the memories she had of giving birth to him, being with him when he was a baby, and how fiercely she wanted to do what was right by him at all times. She deserved better than her baby-dad, and better than the Mr. Rochester dad who was for some reason completely absolved of his child neglect because he had big hands and kissed good. Did his not-daughter almost kill Zoe’s kid? Yes, but wasn’t he super tall, just like, so so tall, you never stop reading about how tall he is, and also he had a lot of rooms to fuck in? Yes 2.
Good luck to all of these characters who are fictional and made me so mad anyway!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 22, 2019
In the real world, Children’s Services would have been involved way before any of this situation escalated enough to become 400 pages of something akin to a ‘book.’ Zoe is supposedly a knowledgeable expert in childcare, having relocated from a London daycare to Scotland in order to have a fresh start. Her approach to the three children (and her own child) entrusted in her care though was definitely not ‘expert’ behaviour.
The dialect - trying to write the odd sentence in Scottish dialect is a half-hearted attempt at introducing some authenticity into the book. Other go the whole hog, or don’t do it at all in my opinion.
This books feels rushed and extremely un-edited. There were several type errors that made words change completely. There was even the beginning of a chapter that randomly threw in the wrong character name. There’s no clear structure as to who is speaking in each chapter and it just appears to be a jumbled free for all of everyone’s thoughts and feelings.
Now can we talk about the complete over-use of the word ‘absolutely?’ It was just monotonous. It’s one thing having a child use it enthusiastically as part of their learning but it wasn’t just the child, it was peppered throughout the narration and at one point I read it four times on one page. ‘Yes you can absolutely do that… It is absolutely not fair…. You are absolutely not going to….’ And so on and so on.
There were bits I loved - the setting was beautiful, the crisp Autumnal days and chilly Winter evenings were cosy and drew me in. But it’s a book that’s about a ‘Bookshop’ on the ‘Shore’ and there were too many missed opportunities for introducing classics and exploring well read titles. Oh the odd one was thrown in here and there but it felt like a feeble attempt.
Not all of Colgan’s books are this poor and there are some great reads out there, I just felt like she had an amazing idea with this one and didn’t have the room to properly run with it.
The dialect - trying to write the odd sentence in Scottish dialect is a half-hearted attempt at introducing some authenticity into the book. Other go the whole hog, or don’t do it at all in my opinion.
This books feels rushed and extremely un-edited. There were several type errors that made words change completely. There was even the beginning of a chapter that randomly threw in the wrong character name. There’s no clear structure as to who is speaking in each chapter and it just appears to be a jumbled free for all of everyone’s thoughts and feelings.
Now can we talk about the complete over-use of the word ‘absolutely?’ It was just monotonous. It’s one thing having a child use it enthusiastically as part of their learning but it wasn’t just the child, it was peppered throughout the narration and at one point I read it four times on one page. ‘Yes you can absolutely do that… It is absolutely not fair…. You are absolutely not going to….’ And so on and so on.
There were bits I loved - the setting was beautiful, the crisp Autumnal days and chilly Winter evenings were cosy and drew me in. But it’s a book that’s about a ‘Bookshop’ on the ‘Shore’ and there were too many missed opportunities for introducing classics and exploring well read titles. Oh the odd one was thrown in here and there but it felt like a feeble attempt.
Not all of Colgan’s books are this poor and there are some great reads out there, I just felt like she had an amazing idea with this one and didn’t have the room to properly run with it.
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