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463 reviews by:
wretchedtheo
How to Find Love in a Bookshop by Veronica Henry was just what I expected it to be: a sweet, warm and playful love letter to books, and to those who love them. Light and easy to read, it's the kind of book that can appeal to everyone.
I liked the style. It was simple yet evocative. It didn't stumble and meander around trying to show off how erudite and well-read the author was. No. There's no nonsense about Veronica Henry as she pleasantly describes houses, food, clothes, people, music. The style makes you feel like you're having a friendly chat with the author in a cozy café. You feel loved as you read this book.
I liked all the characters, and they were all complex, relatable and interesting in their own ways. In fact I grew so attached to each and every one that it seemed like 376 pages just wasn't enough. I wanted more. I felt their stories weren't, shouldn't be over yet. But then again, I suppose that's how life is. It's never really over. There's always gonna people you'll never meet, foods you'll never try, stories you'll never hear... *deep contented sigh*
You can tell the author herself is a great wine enthusiast. It's everywhere in her writing! The people of Peasebrook sure know how to live, that's for sure - they'll take any opportunity to whip out a bottle of Perrier-Jouet! 🍷😆
Another thing about the style is that the author herself is inescapably THERE. Nostalgic and sometimes mildly naughty, you practically hear her throughout.
One thing I didn't like was the using of the "big bad corporate asshole who will stop at nothing to get his hands on the struggling quaint little bookshop that the protagonist is sentimentally attached to" cliché. I mean, I understand that it's probably hard to think of any other dramatic situation that could possibly endanger a book shop. But still, I felt that it detracted just a little bit from the originality of this romantic summer yarn.
Of all the characters I felt especially attached to Julius himself. I was honestly so sad reading about his death. I enjoyed the fact that his story and person were more fleshed out in this book than the dead parent usually is in fiction. One actually gets to know him quite well. He's a wonderful and kind character and oh God, the chapters about him were some of some of my favorites. Soon as I'm done here I think I'm gonna go read them again. Jackson was another of my favorites - the saddening picture of a man with all the potential but the worst luck, trapped yet silently defiant. (Also he's cute 😉🤫)
So to sum this up, How to Find Love in a Bookshop was a wonderfully charming little read. The kind of book you breeze through in a few days, but keep in your heart forever.
I liked the style. It was simple yet evocative. It didn't stumble and meander around trying to show off how erudite and well-read the author was. No. There's no nonsense about Veronica Henry as she pleasantly describes houses, food, clothes, people, music. The style makes you feel like you're having a friendly chat with the author in a cozy café. You feel loved as you read this book.
I liked all the characters, and they were all complex, relatable and interesting in their own ways. In fact I grew so attached to each and every one that it seemed like 376 pages just wasn't enough. I wanted more. I felt their stories weren't, shouldn't be over yet. But then again, I suppose that's how life is. It's never really over. There's always gonna people you'll never meet, foods you'll never try, stories you'll never hear... *deep contented sigh*
You can tell the author herself is a great wine enthusiast. It's everywhere in her writing! The people of Peasebrook sure know how to live, that's for sure - they'll take any opportunity to whip out a bottle of Perrier-Jouet! 🍷😆
Another thing about the style is that the author herself is inescapably THERE. Nostalgic and sometimes mildly naughty, you practically hear her throughout.
One thing I didn't like was the using of the "big bad corporate asshole who will stop at nothing to get his hands on the struggling quaint little bookshop that the protagonist is sentimentally attached to" cliché. I mean, I understand that it's probably hard to think of any other dramatic situation that could possibly endanger a book shop. But still, I felt that it detracted just a little bit from the originality of this romantic summer yarn.
Of all the characters I felt especially attached to Julius himself. I was honestly so sad reading about his death. I enjoyed the fact that his story and person were more fleshed out in this book than the dead parent usually is in fiction. One actually gets to know him quite well. He's a wonderful and kind character and oh God, the chapters about him were some of some of my favorites. Soon as I'm done here I think I'm gonna go read them again. Jackson was another of my favorites - the saddening picture of a man with all the potential but the worst luck, trapped yet silently defiant. (Also he's cute 😉🤫)
So to sum this up, How to Find Love in a Bookshop was a wonderfully charming little read. The kind of book you breeze through in a few days, but keep in your heart forever.
I'm not sure how to feel about it. It's not really like any book I've ever read before.
The plot is very interesting the worldbuilding is skilled, making for a very immersive read.
However, I feel like the author tries too hard to make everything "raw and real". Like, do we really have to hear every single detail about the characters peeing or vomiting or masturbating? I know it's supposed to make the characters more relatable and human or whatever but like, jeez, okay, I pee too, I'm aware that this does in fact happen to people, I dont need to READ all about it. I don't know if this point of view makes me old-fashioned or whatever, but this is simply something I have never been able to enjoy in a book. It's unimportant to the plot and really quite detestable to me.
Not to mention there some parts that were just downright... weird. I don't know.
Also, at times it feels like the story is being narrated too fast. I don't know, I get the impression that the author doesn't give her major plot points enough dramatic buildup. That, however, is simply my opinion.
On the other hand, every single detail of life in ancient Greece is described so minutely. In a novel set in our times I would find a writing style of that sort tedious, but in The Sweet Girl it is fascinating. It's so amazing to learn how people, especially women, lived their lives and related to one another so long ago. (The history of private life has always been a great passion of mine!) You don't hear so much about the lives of ancient Greek women, and Pythias, daughter of Aristotle is such an intriguing protagonist.
In short, The Sweet Girl confuses me, but I can't put it down. It's an easy and convincing read. Like I said before, it's perfect for y'all Greek geeks out there.
The plot is very interesting the worldbuilding is skilled, making for a very immersive read.
However, I feel like the author tries too hard to make everything "raw and real". Like, do we really have to hear every single detail about the characters peeing or vomiting or masturbating? I know it's supposed to make the characters more relatable and human or whatever but like, jeez, okay, I pee too, I'm aware that this does in fact happen to people, I dont need to READ all about it. I don't know if this point of view makes me old-fashioned or whatever, but this is simply something I have never been able to enjoy in a book. It's unimportant to the plot and really quite detestable to me.
Not to mention there some parts that were just downright... weird. I don't know.
Also, at times it feels like the story is being narrated too fast. I don't know, I get the impression that the author doesn't give her major plot points enough dramatic buildup. That, however, is simply my opinion.
On the other hand, every single detail of life in ancient Greece is described so minutely. In a novel set in our times I would find a writing style of that sort tedious, but in The Sweet Girl it is fascinating. It's so amazing to learn how people, especially women, lived their lives and related to one another so long ago. (The history of private life has always been a great passion of mine!) You don't hear so much about the lives of ancient Greek women, and Pythias, daughter of Aristotle is such an intriguing protagonist.
In short, The Sweet Girl confuses me, but I can't put it down. It's an easy and convincing read. Like I said before, it's perfect for y'all Greek geeks out there.
challenging
dark
emotional
slow-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I was sucked into the world of Rachael King's writing from the very first page. I know that many readers have commented on the way the beginning takes off somewhat slowly, but that wasn't a problem for me, as I like slow-moving novels. Anyways, the story starts to take off until it's a whirlwind of intrigue and subtle tension. I've seen numerous glowing reviews praising the richness of both her narrative and her descriptions, and every word of them I found to be true. The story shifts from the staid and strict world of small-town Edwardian England to the hot and sultry jungles of the Amazon, throbbing with mystery and corruption. Once again, I cannot praise the worldbuilding enough.
The characters are complex and at times even relatable. I was wholly drawn in by the portrait of Thomas Edgar, a promising young scientist almost driven to madness by his obsessive search for the mysterious black and yellow butterfly.
Obsession, murder, beauty and pain await in this thrilling, gripping novel.
The characters are complex and at times even relatable. I was wholly drawn in by the portrait of Thomas Edgar, a promising young scientist almost driven to madness by his obsessive search for the mysterious black and yellow butterfly.
Obsession, murder, beauty and pain await in this thrilling, gripping novel.
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
If I started writing a review it would turn into a phd dissertation
Funny, readable, informative and witty.
