The Battle of the Bookshops

Alexander’s (Storybook Ending) latest finds Jules Capelthorne summoned home to tiny seaside Portneath, England, to rescue her injured great-aunt Flo. Jules grew up surrounded by books in Capelthornes, the family’s century-old bookstore, and finds herself charmed to be rejuvenating the shop. The one fly in the ointment is Roman Montbeau, who has returned to open a massive bookstore right across the street, with the hopes of crushing the competition. Jules and Roman hate each other, as their family feud dictates, until they start to feel romantic sparks fly. Can they save their stores and love each other too? The parallels to Romeo and Juliet, as well as You’ve Got Mail, are impossible to ignore in this quiet, cozy book. More focused on Jules’s journey than on the romance, this gentle read is enhanced by quirky supporting characters and a secret grimoire found in the walls of the store. Delightful bookstore details, a family mystery that revolves around a witch trial, and a dash of enemies-to-lovers romance make for a breezy read.