By Ashley Lessa

Nina Redmond is a librarian with a gift for finding the perfect book for her readers. But can she write her own happy-ever-after?

Published by HarperCollins Publishers, Jenny Colgan’s The Bookshop on the Corner is a light, fun novel that reads like a love letter to books and the fairy tales they contain.

A 29-year-old Birmingham, UK resident, quiet librarian Nina Redmond loves a good book. She prides herself on finding just the right book for each person that visits her. When the library closes, and Nina finds herself without a job, she decides to follow a long-held dream: to open a bookshop of her own.

When a large van comes up for sale in a remote area of Scotland, she makes the spontaneous and out-of-character decision to travel there, buy the van and bring it home to turn it into a mobile bookshop. Unexpectedly enchanted by the village and its residents and she decides to make this her home base.

Soon the once shy Nina begins to flourish (and flirt) in the countryside town. However, even as she makes new friends and creates new readers through her bookshop (which she names “The Little Shop of Happy-Ever-After”), she finds herself lonely, longing for love and romance like the kind she reads about in her books. Luckily for her, there seem to be a few prospective candidates.

The Bookshop on the Corner is the perfect read for those who need a light, uplifting story. While it is not immensely deep, the plot is sufficiently complex. Colgan paints a lovely picture of the Scottish countryside, of Nina’s book shop, and her little farmhouse. The characters in the story, while not dynamic and a bit stereotypical, are immensely lovable and endearing.

While traditional romance does come in to play, it is heaviest in the latter part of the story. This feels just right; the focus is on Nina, and her adventurous spirit and the love interests are just an extra delight.

However, for those looking for a romantic read, this story delivers. Sweet, positively steamy but not crude, it is both whimsical and realistic, something akin to a beautiful daydream.

All in all, this was a delightful read. The Bookshop on the Corner a light story but a well-crafted novel filled with an adventurous spirit. (★★★★☆)

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