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im211's review
3.0
E-Arc received from Netgalley.com. Thank you Orion Dash and the author for this review opportunity.
Told from dual perspective, one the daughter in present time and the other her mother in the 80's.
Veronica, a recent divorcee arrives in London after the death of her estranged mother to inherit a bookshop. Veronica heartbroken and lost finds the essence of her mother in that bookshop which is in trouble... On the other hand Young Eloise in the 80's is being courted for marriage and she meets what she thinks her is her soul mate.... Alas things don't go how she wants them too. Meanwhile, Veronica is on a scavenger hunt set up by her mother, to lead her to the truth behind her leaving Veronica as a child. While Eloise tries to find the Elusive Edward before she has to make a decision that would change the course of her life, Veronica is looking looking for the mysterious annotater who left left notes in her favourite childhood book.
This is a bittersweet book, I'm sure we've read and seen on screen stories just like this but it never gets old.
Its a book about second chances at life, about fulfilling your dreams not quite they you planned and that books are always there to rescue you.
kirstyreviewsbooks's review
4.0
The Bookshop on Primrose Hill by Sarah Jio
I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Orion Dash and I am leaving this review voluntarily
Valentina Baker was only eleven years old when her mother, Eloise, suddenly fled to London, leaving Val and her father on their own in California. Now a librarian in her thirties, Val is fresh out of a failed marriage and utterly disenchanted with life.
One day, Val receives word that Eloise has died, leaving Val the deed to both her mother's Primrose Hill apartment and the bookshop she opened twenty years ago. As Val jets across the Atlantic, she wonders - could this be her chance at a new beginning?
In London, Val finds herself falling in love with the pastel-coloured flat and the cosy, treasure-filled bookshop. When she stumbles across a series of intriguing notes left in a beloved old novel, it's the start of a scavenger hunt that will take her all over London and back in time... but most of all, bring her closer to the mother she lost twice.
Valentina is recently divorced and finds herself inheriting a bookshop in London from her estranged mother. This is one for the booklovers - who will race through this book trying to discover the truth. A cute story, that I raced through.
Rating 4/5
I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Orion Dash and I am leaving this review voluntarily
Valentina Baker was only eleven years old when her mother, Eloise, suddenly fled to London, leaving Val and her father on their own in California. Now a librarian in her thirties, Val is fresh out of a failed marriage and utterly disenchanted with life.
One day, Val receives word that Eloise has died, leaving Val the deed to both her mother's Primrose Hill apartment and the bookshop she opened twenty years ago. As Val jets across the Atlantic, she wonders - could this be her chance at a new beginning?
In London, Val finds herself falling in love with the pastel-coloured flat and the cosy, treasure-filled bookshop. When she stumbles across a series of intriguing notes left in a beloved old novel, it's the start of a scavenger hunt that will take her all over London and back in time... but most of all, bring her closer to the mother she lost twice.
Valentina is recently divorced and finds herself inheriting a bookshop in London from her estranged mother. This is one for the booklovers - who will race through this book trying to discover the truth. A cute story, that I raced through.
Rating 4/5
annarella's review
4.0
I fell in love with the cover and liked this sweet story, heartwarming and entertaining.
I liked the due POV and the story made me smile and kept me reading.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
I liked the due POV and the story made me smile and kept me reading.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
brewtifulfiction's review
5.0
What a beautiful story.
Told through two different time lines, one for a mother and one the daughter, this was a joy to read.
Obviously the theme of books drew me to this tale but it was the content that really melted my heart.
There are two themes that were running side by side, the budding romance for both mother and daughter and then there was the long lost family feelings that were simmering throughout the pages.
I found the different points of view for mum in the past and the daughter in present times made the story so much more enjoyable. As the reader, I felt as though I was seeing them both grow and change with everything they were going through.
It all felt so honest, heartfelt.
A tender tale that shows us the importance of friendship and the love and support that they can provide when you most need it.
Of course the added romance made me swoon, I was rooting for a happy ending.
With a satisfying ending, I will definitely be reading more of Sarah's books in the future.
Told through two different time lines, one for a mother and one the daughter, this was a joy to read.
Obviously the theme of books drew me to this tale but it was the content that really melted my heart.
There are two themes that were running side by side, the budding romance for both mother and daughter and then there was the long lost family feelings that were simmering throughout the pages.
I found the different points of view for mum in the past and the daughter in present times made the story so much more enjoyable. As the reader, I felt as though I was seeing them both grow and change with everything they were going through.
It all felt so honest, heartfelt.
A tender tale that shows us the importance of friendship and the love and support that they can provide when you most need it.
Of course the added romance made me swoon, I was rooting for a happy ending.
With a satisfying ending, I will definitely be reading more of Sarah's books in the future.
rexiesmum's review
2.0
Thank you to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for giving me this ebook in return for a review.
Unfortunately I really disliked this book and I ended up ‘hate reading’ it. I’m always caught by books that are set in bookshops or libraries as an obsessive bibliophile, but this one failed to charm.
The main reason it failed to grab me it was that although this book is set in London it was clear that the writer had no idea what it was like to be English and to speak British English. Why bother to set it in London at all?
The book is called “The bookshop on primrose hill” but not one of the characters call it that so it feels like false advertising! They call it a book “store” and it made me what to cry!
The Americanisms are overwhelming. Has the writer never watched a British tv programme or read a book by an English person?
Just a few examples: a person who went to ‘grade’ school; a Londoner who had ‘bangs’, walked on a ‘sidewalk’, for several ‘blocks’ and also had a ‘tea kettle’ which she used on the hob - I mean seriously? I’ve never seen a kettle that isn’t electric! The daughter complained she’d never received any communication from her mother only to be told by a British septuagenarian that her mother ‘wrote her’!! We also don’t use closets, entryways, slacks, cellphones, government assistance, or eat egg plants, candy or grilled cheese. We content ourselves with aubergines, chocolate and cheese on toast. It would be most unusual to see a FedEx man on a regular (meaning often) basis but a Parcelforce chap or your postman - yes!
I have no idea what a town car is? Is it different from a country one? Probably it’s only different in Fall, because that seems to be when the author thinks daffodils flower? We probably only have termites in zoos and definitely not in basements. And people never buy condos off real estate agents. Our estate agents are never pretend so we don’t feel the need to state their existence every time we reference them.
The thing about all of this is none of this is difficult. It is so well known that we have different words for things! And it is so careless the create a British character - or several (there’s only really one American for the majority of the book) who doesn’t speak correctly. The old adage of ‘write what you know’ seems to have bypassed this author.
There are a few massive plot holes too! The character in 1968 has to marry someone but the reason disappears yet she stays with him for another 30 years! All the while complaining how lonely she is. Her motivation is never clear. Although the author’s is pretty clear…!
Also I’m sorry but if a person gave me a large sum of money and told me to leave the country and my daughter, I’d go and collect her from school on the way to the airport and use the money to buy her a ticket!
The other thing that saddened me was the book they both went on and on about wasn’t even a real book. I get that it was a plot device but if you’re a book lover couldn’t you recommend a book you actually enjoyed?
So I’d say: if you’re British don’t bother, this book will just annoy you. If you’re American, please don’t assume you’re reading something authentic. Pick up a British book and if you’re a bit stuck on a few words or ideas, Google is a wonderful thing.
Unfortunately I really disliked this book and I ended up ‘hate reading’ it. I’m always caught by books that are set in bookshops or libraries as an obsessive bibliophile, but this one failed to charm.
The main reason it failed to grab me it was that although this book is set in London it was clear that the writer had no idea what it was like to be English and to speak British English. Why bother to set it in London at all?
The book is called “The bookshop on primrose hill” but not one of the characters call it that so it feels like false advertising! They call it a book “store” and it made me what to cry!
The Americanisms are overwhelming. Has the writer never watched a British tv programme or read a book by an English person?
Just a few examples: a person who went to ‘grade’ school; a Londoner who had ‘bangs’, walked on a ‘sidewalk’, for several ‘blocks’ and also had a ‘tea kettle’ which she used on the hob - I mean seriously? I’ve never seen a kettle that isn’t electric! The daughter complained she’d never received any communication from her mother only to be told by a British septuagenarian that her mother ‘wrote her’!! We also don’t use closets, entryways, slacks, cellphones, government assistance, or eat egg plants, candy or grilled cheese. We content ourselves with aubergines, chocolate and cheese on toast. It would be most unusual to see a FedEx man on a regular (meaning often) basis but a Parcelforce chap or your postman - yes!
I have no idea what a town car is? Is it different from a country one? Probably it’s only different in Fall, because that seems to be when the author thinks daffodils flower? We probably only have termites in zoos and definitely not in basements. And people never buy condos off real estate agents. Our estate agents are never pretend so we don’t feel the need to state their existence every time we reference them.
The thing about all of this is none of this is difficult. It is so well known that we have different words for things! And it is so careless the create a British character - or several (there’s only really one American for the majority of the book) who doesn’t speak correctly. The old adage of ‘write what you know’ seems to have bypassed this author.
There are a few massive plot holes too! The character in 1968 has to marry someone but the reason disappears yet she stays with him for another 30 years! All the while complaining how lonely she is. Her motivation is never clear. Although the author’s is pretty clear…!
Also I’m sorry but if a person gave me a large sum of money and told me to leave the country and my daughter, I’d go and collect her from school on the way to the airport and use the money to buy her a ticket!
The other thing that saddened me was the book they both went on and on about wasn’t even a real book. I get that it was a plot device but if you’re a book lover couldn’t you recommend a book you actually enjoyed?
So I’d say: if you’re British don’t bother, this book will just annoy you. If you’re American, please don’t assume you’re reading something authentic. Pick up a British book and if you’re a bit stuck on a few words or ideas, Google is a wonderful thing.
justbooks46's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
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