Sharon Gosling

I loved the idea of a bookshop in a lighthouse, even though this Scottish lighthouse was built away from the sea, so I was excited when I found this novel. Although the start was slow, I soon fell in love with the setting and the characters. There was a wonderful cast of people in the lighthouse bookshop but my favourite was definitely Gilly, the young homeless girl with a sassy mouth. She often had me laughing at her antics or the things she said.

With secrets, romance, mystery and a strong sense of community, "The Lighthouse Bookshop" was a sweet read.… (more)

I would like to thank NetGalley, Simon & Schuster and Sharon Gosling for the e arc of this book to review.

In this book we see Anna move to Crovie, a small coastal village in Scotland after the death of her father and the break-up of her long term relationship with her chef boyfriend. She has purchased the property sight unseen and when she gets there she realizes that it isn’t much more than a shed and also at least one of the locals doesn’t want her there. She initially thinks she will get the place looking a bit better and then move on but the place and the people get under her skin and she gradually gets her life back on track, returning to cooking which was her profession and beginning to enjoy life again. I don’t want to say anymore about the story as it would spoil it.

This was a really enjoyable read about restarts and friendship and overcoming obstacles which I highly recommend.
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A lighthouse and a bookshop? In the same book? What a perfect combination. Somewhat strangely, the lighthouse in this story does not serve to provide help to those at sea as it stands inland. The mystery of why it's there is a huge part of the story and I thought it was a rather wonderful tale that I could never have guessed at and which unfolds throughout the whole book.

Rachel runs the bookshop in the lighthouse. An incomer to the village of Newton Dunbar, she's made her home there and some excellent friends too. The characters in this book are all beautifully drawn and make up a delightful (with one notable exception), and somewhat eclectic, community. However, the sudden death of the owner of the bookshop means that Rachel might have to find herself a new job and a new home. But before that, she has to unravel the secrets of the tower.

Having loved Sharon Gosling's first book, The House Beneath the Cliffs, The Lighthouse Bookshop was high on my list of books I was looking forward to. I wasn't disappointed and found myself enjoying another gorgeous story of a tight-knit community, a small and remote location, and a challenge to be overcome. I was also pleased to read a nod to that first book in this one, with the Crovie Inn making a cameo appearance.

Gosling is a fantastic writer, creating characters and locations that I really cared about, and weaving them into a story that I enjoyed very much. Whilst a fairly easy read, The Lighthouse Bookshop refers to some difficult subjects and a historical thread that is very moving. I thought it was a perceptive book full of warmth, friendship and discoveries.… (more)