Book Review: The Little Shop of Happy Ever After by Jenny Colgan
The Little Shop of Happy Ever After turned out to be such a happy little surprise! From the beautiful cover to the great introduction to the story itself, this book just made me really happy. Before this, I'd never read anything by Jenny Colgan, so I didn't know what to expect. I bought this book purely based on the back cover. It promised to be a cosy and lighthearted read about a bookworm with big dreams. Which was exactly what I was looking for at the time. Now, Jenny Colgan is one of my favourite authors and I find myself thinking about her books and searching for them at every bookstore I visit.
The Little Shop of Happy Ever After by Jenny Colgan
... where dreams come true. Nina loves books, she loves to read them and be surrounded by them and has always dreamed of running her own bookstore. Then one day, the library she works in is shut down and her role is made redundant. This could be the perfect opportunity to take the leap and follow her dreams. So, taking her redundancy as a sign, Nina packs up and moves to the highlands of Scotland to find out if dreams really can come true.
My Thoughts on The Little Shop of Happy Ever After...
For some reason, this book just really spoke to me. I absolutely love the way that Jenny Colgan starts with 'A Message to Readers'. Reading that put a huge smile on my face and made me even more excited to read The Little Shop of Happy Ever After. It was a great introduction to Jenny Colgan's writing style. Easy to read, funny, and lighthearted. Nina, the main character, talks about books a lot. I didn't know many of these books and that's something that would usually make me feel insecure and want to stop reading. I hate when I've picked up a book for enjoyment and it makes me feel inferior. But I'm pleased to say that was not the case in this situation. It was an easy read, that had me grinning from ear to ear and got me super motivated. I'm not sure if that's what this book was trying to do, or if that was just an added bonus. But I love how Nina takes a huge risk, jumping completely out of her comfort zone to chase something that makes her happy. I completely relate to Nina when she talks about wanting to be surrounded by books. That's one of my happy places too. By about halfway through the book I wanted to be bold, and courageous myself, and go after what I want! On top of that, the descriptions of the Scottish Highlands by Jenny Colgan were amazing. I could really picture everything she was describing so vividly. It sounded beautiful and romantic and now it's a destination at the top of my 'to visit' list. Plus there's a love storyline. What more could you want from a cosy weekend read?
The Verdict...
I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars on Goodreads. I loved it so much that I have already searched my local library to find another book by Jenny Colgan. And success! I've managed to get my hands on a copy of The Little Beach Street Bakery. I'm only a few chapters into that one, but I already want to start baking! Stay tuned for that review, which I'm sure won't be too far away. Are there any books that have left you feeling like this? Inspired and eager and wanting to be a part of the story itself? I'd love to hear about it in the comments if you have :)Cheers, Jess