July 1, 2026 – My Sanctuary

Review Card & Book Review- Happily Ever After Bookshop By Emma Bennet

She’s sworn off romance. But this summer, love might rewrite her story . . .

Single mum Carrie Worsley doesn’t need another disappointment — she needs a fresh start. So when she’s offered the chance to run her great-aunt’s romance bookshop in the Cornish seaside town of Castle Cove, she packs up her six-year-old daughter and takes the leap.

Secret beaches. Golden sunsets. And The Happily Ever After Bookshop — a pastel-pink sanctuary filled with stories of second chances. But it’s only temporary. Until she meets Michael — the quiet, brooding, local bookbinder with kind eyes and an adorably chaotic dog!

Michael isn’t looking for forever. Carrie doesn’t believe in it anymore. But stolen glances turn into slow-burn tension. Friendly coffees become lingering touches. And suddenly the chemistry isn’t just fictional — it’s undeniable.Between sea-salted evenings, cinnamon-scented mornings, and long afternoons lost among the shelves, Carrie begins to wonder . . .

What if this time, the love story is hers?

About The Author

My Review

This book is about single mum Carrie, who escapes London with her six-year-old daughter, Poppy, to spend the summer running her aunt’s seaside romance bookshop. Hoping for a fresh start and some breathing space, Carrie instead finds herself revisiting treasured childhood memories — and reconnecting with neighbour Michael, whose quiet strength and devotion to his teenage daughter, Layla, make him impossible to ignore.

I loved the gentle, low-angst tone of this story. The seaside setting feels warm and welcoming, and the bookshop itself is a charming backdrop filled with nostalgia and possibility. Watching Carrie and Michael’s families gradually blend together is one of the novel’s greatest joys. The bond between Poppy and Layla adds depth, and the sense of community in the town makes everything feel comforting and authentic.

The romance is a true slow burn, unfolding naturally and tenderly, which suits both characters and their responsibilities as parents. Overall, it’s a heartwarming, uplifting read about second chances, found family, and discovering that sometimes a new chapter begins exactly where your happiest memories were made.

Second Chance at Happiness

Slow-Burn Romance

Found Family

Small-Town Seaside Setting

My Rating

Link To Purchase

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Happy Publication Day – 1 July 2026

The Museum Of Second Chances By Jo Leevers

Every morning, Evelyn Silver walks the shoreline before the rest of Portheast wakes, gathering what the tide leaves behind. Broken cups. Lost trinkets. Objects others have discarded. In her small Museum of Maritime Curiosities, each one earns its place—because to Evelyn, every forgotten thing deserves to have its story told.

At the heart of the museum lies her most precious possession: a fragment of Cornish lace, found pinned to her blanket when she was abandoned as a newborn. For over sixty years, she has kept it close, hoping someone might one day recognise it and tell her who she really is.

So when the local council threatens to close the museum, Evelyn stands to lose far more than her livelihood. Forced out of her solitude, she rallies the community around the museum’s curious collection—and as the objects begin to give up their secrets, lives start to intertwine in ways nobody expected.

Because sometimes, the most precious things aren’t lost at all. They’re simply waiting to be claimed.

The Sky Beneath Her By Mary Ellen Taylor

It’s been seven years since a tragic diving accident took her mother’s life, leaving Tula Cassidy with a crushing fear of the sea. The ocean she once loved is no longer a part of her. And she can’t imagine it ever will be again.

Until her return to the Outer Banks changes everything.

While clearing out an old beach house, Tula receives a mysterious manuscript about the Oceanus. The passenger ship’s final voyage ended in disaster in 1942, and its underwater wreckage ultimately became her mother’s final resting place.

As Tula unravels the ship’s haunting history, she uncovers not only an unexpected family connection, but also a story of survival that helps her understand her own journey toward healing.

With help from Nathan, the charming dive instructor she left behind years ago, Tula faces her deepest fears to unlock the secrets of both past and present. Sometimes the greatest journeys begin when we find the courage to dive back in.

Review Card & Book Review- The Time Of My Life By Samantha Tonge

How far would you go to change your life?

When Eliza Woods sees an advertisement for someone’s whole life for sale – their house, car, all their belongings, even their clothes and cat – not to mention a trial-run in their job and an introduction to their friends… she decides it’s fate.

Grabbing a different life with both hands is exactly what she needs. Even if 26-year-old Carrie’s wildly-social life and job in a bar couldn’t be more different from Eliza’s quieter existence.

As for Carrie, she’s heading off to Greece, desperate to run away from everything she’s familiar with in England. The two women message each other after the deal has gone through, with Eliza excited to go for cocktails with Carrie’s friends before her first shift at her new job.

What Carrie doesn’t tell her is why she put her life up for sale. And what Eliza doesn’t tell Carrie is that she’s about to turn 75. And that isn’t her only secret…

About The Author

My Review

This is about Carrie, a young woman barely keeping her head above water — juggling two jobs, struggling with money, and feeling increasingly alone after falling out with her best friends. In a desperate but impulsive move, she sells her life to fund her dream trip to Greece. The buyer? Eliza — a woman in her seventies — who steps straight into Carrie’s flat, job, friendships, wardrobe, and even her beloved cat.

I absolutely loved how original and layered this story turned out to be. What starts as a quirky, almost whimsical premise quickly becomes something much deeper. The mystery surrounding Eliza’s reasons kept me hooked, and just when I thought I’d figured things out, the plot shifted in ways I didn’t expect.

Both Carrie and Eliza are beautifully developed, with emotional depth that slowly unfolds as secrets come to light. It’s clever, twisty, heartfelt, and thought-provoking — a story about regret, identity, and second chances that stayed with me long after I turned the final page.

Second Chances at Life

Strangers with Shared Secrets

Fish Out of Water

Found Family and Reconciliation

My Rating