#Book Review #ARC – The Sweet Shop of Second Chances; H. Lynn

Book review stop! Today I’m delighted to be the host for The Sweet Shop of Second Chances, a rom-com book written by H. Lynn.

First thing first, let me thank Rachel and the author for providing me with an e-copy of this book. Much obliged *hat tip*

MEET THE BOOK

Holly Berry has it all; a good corporate career, a steady boyfriend, and enough savings that they will soon be able to buy a nice little house. But when she finds out her boyfriend has been cheating on her, she decides to retreat to the Cotswolds and a place full of far sweeter memories.

Quite literally.

However when Holly discovers the quaint village sweet shop that she worked in as a teenager is starting to crumble she decides that maybe the sensible life isn’t what she wants after all. Putting all her chocolate eggs in one basket, she says goodbye to the city, and sets her sights on Just One More.

After all, how hard can running a sweet shop be?

With charismatic Giles, ready to rescue her at every turn and the local bureaucrats breathing down her neck, it certainly isn’t the quiet life she expected. Can Holly really save the place from the the wicked developers, or will she be the reason Just One More closes its doors for good?

Full of laughter, sweet clean romance and cozy village life, The Sweet Shop of Second Chances will make you believe that the best things in life really are worth fighting for.

Rom-com
354 pages
Holly Berry Sweet Shop #1
Publication date: July 22
Purchase links: mybook.to/hollyberrybook1

Win one of Five Signed Paperbacks – https://www.subscribepage.com/hannahlynncomp

READ MY REVIEW

Cover: Hm. The kissing scene is cute, but not the focus of the story?

What a great read!

First thing first, the story arc is super. Great idea, great execution, the ups and downs are well-timed, and the MC is so relatable. You end up caring about Holly within the first chapter, about her struggles and the way she responds to them. Is she a bit naïve sometimes? Of course *cough cough*. Is she able to overcome her fears and go through an excellent character growth? Yes. Color me satisfied.

The cast of characters is medium-sized, but! It feels like it’s small, minimalist almost, and I can’t thank Lynn enough for that. Unintrusive characters are hard to write—it takes a lot of skills to pull them off and make the entire story, ah, sound believable? Realistic? I can’t pinpoint the right term.

I won’t lie, I was worried this book would be centered on the romantic part rather than on Holly, but Lynn decided to let it be a subplot, keeping the focus on her MC’s journey. I’m so, so pleased about it 😀

Complaints? A tiny one that won’t affect the final rating: what about Dan? He just disappears after the rent text, and while I agree he’s not the focus of the story, he should get a formal send-off.

5 stars on GR.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Hannah Lynn is a multi award winning novelist. Publishing her first book, Amendments – a dark, dystopian speculative fiction novel, in 2015. Her second book, The Afterlife of Walter Augustus – a contemporary fiction novel with a supernatural twist – went on to win the 2018 Kindle Storyteller Award and the Independent Publishers Gold Medal for Best Adult Ebook.

Born in 1984, Hannah grew up in the Cotswolds, UK. After graduating from university, she spent 15 years as a teacher of physics, first in the UK and then Thailand, Malaysia, Austria and Jordan. It was during this time, inspired by the imaginations of the young people she taught, she began writing short stories for children, and later adult fiction.

Now settled back in the UK with her husband, daughter and horde of cats, she spends her days writing romantic comedies and historical fiction. Her first historical fiction novel, Athena’s Child, was also a 2020 Gold Medalist at the Independent Publishers Awards.

Social Media Links –

https://www.instagram.com/hannahlynnwrites/
https://www.tiktok.com/@hannahlynnwrites/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/HannahLynnAuthor/
Twitter @HMLynnauthor
Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13830772.Hannah_M_Lynn
Bookbub – https://www.bookbub.com/profile/hannah-lynn