Bookworm in the City

The bookshop ladies / Faith Hogan
What is it: a cozy read
Did I like it: I sure did

The story kicks off in Paris, which hasn’t been a small town for many centuries, but then quickly moves to Ballycove, Ireland. Having lived in Ireland, books set there always make me happy, even the dark and heavy ones. This book is warm and cozy and made me extra happy.

The first chapters introduce the three different characters: Joy, an American woman living in Paris, Robyn a young woman living in Ballycove, and Fern, a young artist breaking through in the art scene with a show at a fancy gallery.
When Joy’s husband dies, he uses his dying breath to reveal a big secret. Deeply upset, Joy has her world turned upside down and is unsure of how to move on. When she learns that her husband left a painting to someone living in Ballycove, Ireland, it gives her something to focus on and she wraps up the painting and travels to western Ireland.
In Ballycove, she finds Robyn who owns the only bookshop in town. Running a bookshop has been Robyn’s dream but she’s a shy bookworm, more likely to sit reading in her store than actually running it. Realizing she needs help, Robyn puts up a sign asking for volunteers. When Joy enters the shop, she is mistaken for an applicant and accidentally talked into accepting the non-paying job. By the kind of coincidence that only happens in books or movies, Joy has had a career in bookshop marketing, and she knows what she’s doing. She’s happy to be back at work, and she brings the kind of energy that isn’t overpowering but allows Robyn to grow into her own as a businesswoman.
Then Fern arrives as well, and soon the three of them become a team. But there are some secrets lurking in the background and when they are brought to light, it changes the team dynamics. With the big official launch of the shop only days away, it is bad timing and the three of them need to find a way to make things work or walk away.

The town of Ballycove sounds just lovely and there are some interesting background characters moving around, which I’m assuming might be popping up in the other books by this author. From what I could tell the books aren’t an official series, just mostly set in the same place, at least that’s what it reads like. The main characters are nice but have their flaws and show growth, and the setting made me want to drink coffee and enjoy the sound of seagulls in the distance.
If you’re looking for a cozy read set in a small-town and or bookshop, you will like this one.