In the third book in Annie Rains' Somerset Lake series, she brings us THE TRUE LOVE BOOKSHOP, Tess and River’s love story. Tess is a widow who, three years after her husband’s passing, is still mourning him. River was her husband’s best friend, but after objecting to Tess and her first husband’s marriage on their wedding day, he is persona non grata in her world. But when River enters Tess’s book shop one night in a life or death situation, Tess is forced to help him. And then, against her better judgment, she begins to thaw.

First off, I loved the backstory between Tess and River. I’m a sucker for a man who’s spent years pining, and River is definitely a man to fall for. And while this book is the third in a series, it was the first installment I read, and I had no trouble following along. Having said that, I did struggle with this book. Tess’s late husband Jared’s sister was an odd character. She was impossible to get to know, and it was clear her only part in the story was to move it along. She never felt like she belonged there. I also struggled with how Tess could have a successful book shop in such a small town. Especially when she has customers who come in and ask her for a book recommendation doesn’t have any because, as her inner dialogue tells us, “They wouldn’t like the books I like.” Her job is literally to recommend books to people, so I’d expect that she’d be knowledgeable about all genres whether she reads them or not. Those were just a few inconsistencies that niggled at me. There were also a lot of themes in this book, but instead of picking one and exploring it, I felt like they were very surface level. I would have liked to see the author dive deep on a few of them.

River’s character was one I couldn’t help but root for. He was a private investigator who, against his better judgment, helps Tess figure out just what her husband was out of town for at the time of his death. I loved his family, and his story of not belonging was relatable for me. I really liked how everything wrapped up for him. 

While this was marketed as Romance, I would say it’s borderline Women’s Fiction. And once you can adjust your expectations for the genre, I think the book will be more enjoyable. I have enjoyed Annie Rains books in the past, and while THE TRUE LOVE BOOKSHOP wasn’t my favorite, I did enjoy aspects of it. The sweetness of her stories always wins me over, and I am excited to see what’s next for thE series. Fingers crossed the mayor and his unrequited love will be featured in the next installment!