“They would ‘date,’ it had been agreed. They would ‘hang out.’ Nothing heavy. No commitment. Just a few months of fun, over the summer.”
Thank you to NetGalley, Poppy Alexander, and HarperCollins for the advance copy. All thoughts are my own.
There’s something about a small-town bookshop story that immediately has my heart, and Battle of the Bookshops delivered exactly the kind of cozy, comforting read I was hoping for.
When Jules returns to the seaside town of Portneath after her Aunt Flo suffers a bad fall, she quickly realizes things are worse than she imagined. Aunt Flo’s beloved bookshop—the kind of place filled with stories, memories, and heart—is struggling to stay open. Just as Jules steps in to help, a shiny new bookshop opens directly across the street, run by someone from her past she never expected to see again. Old rivalries resurface, and suddenly the future of the shop—and the town—feels uncertain.
Battle of the Bookshops Blurb
The cute, seaside town of Portneath has been the home of Capelthorne’s Books for nearly a hundred years…
The shop, in the heart of a high street that stretches crookedly down the hill from the castle to the sea, may be a tad run-down these days, but to Jules Capelthorne, the wonky, dusty world of literary treasures is full of precious childhood memories. When her great-aunt Florence gets too frail to run it alone, Jules ditches her junior publishing job in London and comes home to make the bookshop’s hundredth birthday a celebration to remember.
Jules quickly discovers things are worse than she ever imagined: The bookshop is close to bankruptcy, unlikely to make it to its own centenary celebration, and the lease on the building is up for renewal. With a six-figure sum needed, the future looks bleak.
To make matters worse, the owner of the property is the insufferable Roman Montbeau, from the posh, local family who owns half of Portneath. The Montbeaus and Capelthornes have feuded for years, and Roman has clearly not improved since he tormented Jules as a child. Fresh from a high-flying career in New York, he is on a mission to shake things up, and—unforgivably—proves his point about Capelthorne’s being a relic of the past by opening a new bookshop directly opposite—a shiny, plate-glass-windowed emporium of books.
Jules may not be able to splash the cash on promotions and marketing like the Montbeaus, but she’s got some ideas of her own, plus she has a tenacity that may just win the hardest of hearts and the most hopeless of conflicts.
Let the battle of the bookshops commence…
.png "Book Reviews: Battle of the Bookshops by Poppy Alexander, cozy romance, contemporary romance, small town,")
At the heart of this novel is a long-standing family feud between the Capelthornes and the Montbeaus—a subtle, bookish nod to Romeo and Juliet—paired perfectly with the rivalry between two competing bookshops. Beyond the romance, there’s a strong focus on family dynamics, generational tension, and what it means to protect the things (and people) you love, even when it’s complicated.
What I loved most about Battle of the Bookshops was how comforting it felt to read. The pacing was steady, the banter was charming, and there were several moments that genuinely made me smile. It’s the kind of story you curl up with on a quiet afternoon, turning pages just to spend a little more time in its world.
This was my first book by Poppy Alexander, and it definitely won’t be my last. I rated Battle of the Bookshops 4 stars, and I’d happily recommend it to readers who enjoy cozy, small-town romances, bookish settings, and stories with heart. Fans of Jenny Colgan and Beth O’Leary will feel right at home here.
🌙 What do you think—read it or skip it? Let’s chat in the comments! And if you want more reviews, fantasy favorites, and bookish treasures, hit that subscribe button.
No comments