Best-selling author Denise Huner is my go-to if I want sweet small-town love stories with depth.
Having read probably over half of this author's 40+ books I had high hopes for The Second Story Book Shop.
Shelby Thatcher has been helping her grandmother run her bookshop since she was in high school. Reeling from the death of her beloved grandma's passing she's shocked to learn at the will reading that her grandmother left her 51% of the book shop and 49% to Grayson "Gray' Briggs that man who broke her heart a decade ago.
Typically, I like Denise's heroines, but 80 pages in I was struggling to like Shelby. The only thing I liked about the heroine was that she was an avid reader. Bonus points for working at a bookstore. (I'd never make any money working at a bookstore.) I got a total character 'ick' when I found out she dog-ears her pages. That's a bookworm cardinal rule to never ever do in my opinion. (If you break this rule, I'm never lending you another book.) I know Shelby's just lost her beloved grandma, but I found her to be a little whiny and naive.
Gray Briggs left the second he graduated high school leaving the girl he loved. Now back because he's a beneficiary in his elderly friend's will he faces the same animosity of the town when he was younger.
I normally binge Denise's book in a couple of days. The Second Story Bookshop took me a little longer to finish. Honestly, I skipped the last ten chapters read the final chapter and epilogue.
The theme of this story centers around forgiveness and second chances. It explores how grief can change you and bring you back to people and places you thought you left behind. The Second Story Bookshop reminds readers that letting go of the past is hard, but necessary to make room for something new.
As for Shelby and Gray's relationship. There were a few moments of chemistry where they let their guard down were great. Maybe it stems from my lack of relating to Shelby's character that I had hard time believing their relationship.
I'd rate The Second Story Bookshop 3 stars out of 5. The premise of the story had potential with the shared inheritance of the bookshop and there were some sweet, small-town cozy moments. For me, the pacing lagged and I had a hard time connecting with the heroine. Longtime fans of Denise Hunter might still enjoy this story for the heart and message of second chances. I'll definitely keep reading her work, just not re-reading this one.
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