Zoe O’Connell’s life hasn’t turned out how she’s expected. She works a menial job that barely supports her living in a cramped apartment, her son Hari doesn’t speak a word yet the doctors have continued to be unhelpful, and Jaz, Hari’s dad, flits in and out of their lives on a whim. Now the rent has increased and Zoe doesn’t know where to turn. Fortunately, Surinder Mehta steps in and helps Zoe find a job in Scotland. Now, Zoe is the nanny for three unruly children who dub her “Nanny Seven,” living in a rundown castle and trying to drive a van and sell books to customers who only want to know when the owner, Nina, will be back. Despite the hectic nature of her jobs, Zoe can’t help but appreciate the peacefulness alongside Loch Ness, however. Can Zoe find happiness for both herself and Hari in this new environment?

I love sinking into Jenny Colgan’s stories! She crafts realistic characters facing true to life scenarios and then shows us the healing power of books and a peaceful setting. I want to roam along the banks of Loch Ness right along with the characters, and then sit along the shores with a good book and just relax. Jenny Colgan has a true gift for drawing the reader into her storylines, as I never want her books to end.

THE BOOKSHOP ON THE SHORE is the second book in the Scottish Bookshop series but can easily be read as a standalone as it’s not truly a sequel. The mobile bookstore and its owner, Nina, along with her husband, Lennox, and her friend, Surinder, are the connections to the first book, but a reader can easily appreciate and enjoy THE BOOKSHOP ON THE SHORE on its own merits. However, I suspect that readers unfamiliar with the first book, THE BOOKSHOP ON THE SHORE, will find themselves quickly picking it up afterward, as Jenny Colgan’s stories are heartwarming and engaging. Jenny Colgan is quickly becoming a favorite author of mine and I strongly recommend THE BOOKSHOP ON THE SHORE to anyone who loves books about the healing power of books and nature.