If you are a regular visitor of my blog, or in fact of any book blogs, love books and love a good story, then The Book Lovers is definitely the book for you. In fact I would suggest you stop reading this review, take my word for it that its a great book, and start reading it for yourself.
I suppose there is of course the chance that you may need a bit more persuasion, or are genuinely interested in what I thought, and don't want to impulse buy based on an opening paragraph, which is understandable.
It may have been a few years since I last picked up and read a Victoria Connelly book, but once I spotted this had been released, I knew it wouldn't take me long to make the time to read it, and I am so glad that I have. It is a very easy to read story, about Callie who is a children's author, who has moved to Oak Cottage in Suffolk, to recover from her marriage breakdown. There is also Sam Nightingale, one of the massive Nightingale family, all of which are involved with books, with 3 book shops among them.
Sam runs a second hand book shop, and Callie is hooked on it, the second she steps foot in the place. If you have ever wanted to discuss books with an informed independent book shop owner you could do a lot worse than visit Sam's shop. Although I don't fully appreciate it myself, there is a great discussion about book sniffing early on, as well as a mention of other issues relevant to books and book lovers.
Callie also meets Leo Wildman who is a big fan of walks in the woods and foraging for fresh produce from which to cook with. Callie's first meeting with Leo is in a rather bizarre situation, but before long they have hit it off and are enjoying each others company.
I loved all of the Nightingale family that I had the fortune to meet, including Grandpa Joe (which every time I read that I thought instantly of the Grandpa Joe in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory), and Bryony who is the bundle of energy running their children's book shop and very excited that Callie is now living in their little village.
The Book Lovers is a gentle, easy to read romance that will leave you nodding with recognition at some points, and generally feeling good after you have read it. I firmly believe The Book Lovers is a fabulous way to open a brand new series by Victoria Connelly.