Pages:
108
Date: December 26.2014
Grade:
4.5
Details:
Received from Love Lane Books Ltd
Through Love Romances and More
E-book
The
blurb:
“What happens when a broken man has to trust in
the impossible?
Chapter One is an antique book shop and is the last tangible thing Joshua Blakeman and his mom have left of his father. Nestled in a quiet square a few steps from London's St Paul’s Cathedral, it is boarded up with whitewashed windows and no new stock. The place is a sad reminder of loss and it has to go, but destroying a business that has been in his family for generations is not a role Josh is looking forward to.
Michael is the owner of Arts Desire, the shop next door. With his rainbow pride mugs and his sunny outlook, he is the complete opposite of what Josh thinks he needs in his life.
But, when Josh and Michael become friends, Josh learns that finding true love starts with making big decisions—and that everyone deserves their own Christmas miracle sometimes.”
Chapter One is an antique book shop and is the last tangible thing Joshua Blakeman and his mom have left of his father. Nestled in a quiet square a few steps from London's St Paul’s Cathedral, it is boarded up with whitewashed windows and no new stock. The place is a sad reminder of loss and it has to go, but destroying a business that has been in his family for generations is not a role Josh is looking forward to.
Michael is the owner of Arts Desire, the shop next door. With his rainbow pride mugs and his sunny outlook, he is the complete opposite of what Josh thinks he needs in his life.
But, when Josh and Michael become friends, Josh learns that finding true love starts with making big decisions—and that everyone deserves their own Christmas miracle sometimes.”
My thoughts:
I adored this Christmas story. Angel in a Book Store had all the
ingredients to not only make this a perfect read for the time of year but to
make it a wonderful read, regardless of when you might find yourself picking it
up. What’s not to love about a book featuring two men, both in need of finding
love and both having good reasons to be wary about their feelings and the
future?
Poor Josh has been through so much when he first visits his deceased
father’s bookshop and meets Michael. Between bad decisions when it came to his
love-life, a scandalous departure from the bank he worked for, and the secrets
he keeps from his mourning mother it is no wonder he has a hard time keeping it
all together and faces panic attacks whenever his emotions get stretched too
far.
From the first time Josh meets Michael there is a connection between the
two men, although Josh is initially reluctant to acknowledge and subsequently
embrace it. Watching Josh as he moves from trying to resist the pull he feels
towards Michael to almost desperate to push things forward was beautiful and
mesmerizing.
The reader knows more about Michael than Josh does. Short paragraphs at
the start of each chapter give us an insight into Michael, his history, his
thoughts and his feelings. I loved this aspect of the book and the manner in
which it allows us to gradually learn more about the mystery that is Michael.
When a book is written solely from one perspective I often find myself wishing
I could have known more about the second protagonist. In this book I knew
enough about Michael to fall for him and understand why Josh fell in love. The
fact that the reader is aware of Michael’s doubts and fears – even if Josh
isn’t for most of the book – enhanced my reading experience greatly.
For a relatively short story, Angel in a Book Shop is wonderfully
complete. We really get to know the two characters, are given a clear picture
of their world, their thoughts and their background. At no point did I find
myself wishing I knew a more about one thing or another. The beautiful words
and vivid descriptions turned reading this book into an almost sensual
experience.
Angel in a Book Shop was my first book by R.J. Scott and I’m looking forward to reading
earlier (as well as future) books by this author.
No comments:
Post a Comment