Have you perhaps noticed that I’m not posting quite as often as I used to? As it’s my 70th birthday this year, I thought no-one would mind too much if I started to ease up a little, make time for other things I enjoy – but it also gives me the chance to try some new books that have caught my eye, and to sometimes catch up on those books that I’ve missed and really wanted to read. So I’m delighted today to share my review of A New Chapter at the Borrow a Bookshop by Kiley Dunbar: this is the fifth book in this lovely series, published on 23rd January by Hera Books, and now available on all major ebook platforms and in paperback. My thanks to the publishers for my advance reading e-copy, provided via netgalley.
I’ve been a massive fan of Kiley’s writing ever since she took me to Lapland for a full-on festive experience with Christmas at Frozen Falls back in 2019 (one of my Books of the Year that year, and you’ll find my review here) – and, if it’s one you haven’t read, it’s just 99p for your kindle, and you do know it’s never to early to start lining up your Christmas reads, don’t you? I went on to thoroughly enjoy my visits to Port Willow and Stratford-Upon-Avon – and if you fancy another really special Christmassy read, I’d thoroughly recommend The Gingerbread Christmas Village (review here – and that one’s just 99p for your kindle too). But I’ve particularly loved her Borrow a Bookshop series – I’ve only missed one (and I must, must, must remember to catch up!) and you’ll find all my reviews if you pop her name into my search bar. Seriously, what reader wouldn’t love to run a bookshop for a fortnight, especially in that wonderful Cornish location and surrounded by such a lovely community? And this time, it’s Harri and Annie’s turn…
Will her new love story be the one she’s read before?
A decade after they said goodbye after graduation, old friends Harri and Annie reunite in the beautiful village of Clove Lore in Devon – what more could these bookworms want than a holiday running the tumbledown bookshop?
Unbeknownst to Annie, Harri is arriving with a bruised heart after the end of his long-term relationship, while Annie is running away from painful memories in Texas.
Elsewhere in Clove Lore, the mysterious owner of Castle Lore has died, causing much gossip in the village. When Harri and Annie are sent to investigate the huge Gothic library, they find themselves locked in overnight and soon, are discovering their connection might be more than just good friends…
A gorgeously uplifting friends-to-lovers romance that will make your heart sing. Fans of Jenny Colgan, Trisha Ashley and Heidi Swain will adore this.
Old friends since their time together at university, there’s always been a bit of an attraction between Harri and Annie – but neither of them have wanted to ruin their special friendship. Harri arrives in Clove Lore and the bookshop – a trip they’ve been looking forward to for such a long time – having recently broken up with his long-time girlfriend, while Annie, working as a school librarian in Texas, has just been suspended over a bit of a kerfuffle over banned books. Harri’s a dab hand at making hangover buns, a staple from their university days – but he can widen his repertoire a bit to vary the cafe’s offerings – and there are always the welcome donations from the book shop’s many friendly volunteers. And Annie’s very much at home among the books – reading has been what’s kept her going through her current troubles.
While they both work on being the best of friends and nothing more – but my goodness, you can feel the attraction between them – Mrs Crocombe, matchmaking notebook in hand, decides to intervene. She rather misses the obvious, and finds a potential partner for each of them – only for the earmarked partners to find they’re more attracted to each other. But as the barriers between them slowly come down and they get closer to telling each other how they feel, there’s plenty to keep them busy. Annie starts a silent reading book club – what a wonderful idea! – and then there’s the ongoing mystery about the elderly man who appears to be homeless but who’s happy to make himself comfortable in a chair among the book stacks. And there’s new stock to source for the shelves – the dismantling of the library at Castle Lore after the death of the lord of the manor, and an invitation to the auction.
The community, of course, plays a major part in the story – their paths cross with those of former borrowers (something I always love), the wonderful drawn villagers young and old, and they get caught up in all the little day-to day dramas. The disappearance of two of the long-term residents gets everyone into a particular flurry – and I particularly enjoyed the way that situation was happily resolved. And through it all, there’s that growing chemistry between our two borrowers, as they try to solve a bit of a mystery – and the distinct signs of a much hoped for happy ending (and I have to say I thought it was absolutely perfect!).
This series has been a total delight – I know the author’s now working on a new series, which is always exciting, but I do so hope she’ll allow us to revisit Clove Lore at some point in the future to catch up with all the people who now feel like friends. This really was such a lovely read – wonderful storytelling, lots of laughs, plenty of emotional moments, a romance that was everything I wanted it to be, and a community I felt entirely part of. And can there be any reader who wouldn’t enjoy spending time in a bookshop? You could read it as a standalone – but you’d enjoy it even more if you read it as part of the series. Very much recommended – I really loved it.
About the author
Kiley Dunbar is a Scot living over the border in Northern England where she teaches English and creative writing, devours romance novels, fusses over Amos the Bedlington Terrier, and loves two little Dunbars. She thinks making imaginary people find happiness and fall in hopelessly in love has to be the best job in the world.
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Great review Anne. I think this has been my favourite in the series!