How to Find a Romance in a Bookshop, Poppy Alexander (Review by Stephanie Rowitz)

Petra has recently made a major snafu at her job as a literary agent, so she’s taking a much-needed (and much-demanded) sabbatical to run a little bookshop by the sea. It should be the perfect job: be around books all day and get free room and board in exchange for running the shop, if only she weren’t currently disenchanted with books, that is. While working there, she meets Ross McCloud, a seemingly one-hit-wonder in the literary world who’s trying to love writing again. Can these two kindred spirits learn to love their chosen professions again, or will they forge a new, unexpected path for themselves? This book features many of the quintessential romance tropes, such as friends-to-lovers and small-town romance. However, it reads more like a contemporary fiction novel than a romance because the relationship moves from friends to lovers very quickly and remains behind closed doors. If you’re someone who likes the idea of a romance novel but appreciates the privacy aspect, this book may appeal to you. I’m a sucker for this kind of premise: a woman needing a break from her regular life gets the opportunity to run a bookshop in a quiet, seaside setting. I liked how Petra became a part of the local community and found a place for herself outside of her relationship. Petra stayed constant in who she was but developed a deeper connection to herself and those around her as the novel progressed. The prose is a little too wordy for my taste. I prefer writing to be a bit more succinct, but style is very subjective. So, if you like prose that is a bit more poetic, this might be just the book for you. Overall, How to Find a Romance in a Bookshop is a sweet, lighthearted novel about finding your place in this crazy world with a touch of romance.