I, too, am a bit ambivalent about the rating here. I was looking for a lightweight read after a couple of heavier novels. This is okay....but maybe too "light"? Too much family drama. A lot of soap opera relationships and not enough "bookshop", not enough "bay" as the title promised. A good book but....
i was hesitant to rate this book with 4 stars because it wasn't totally worthy of it. if i could rate it 3.5 that would sit better. i zipped through this book in about 24 hours so it was definitely an easy read. definitely a beach read. definitely the book i needed after reading some intense books and about to read more deep stuff. so i needed something light and fluffy. the characters are likable and believable. a multi generational group of women, all struggling with their identities, their relationships with the men in their lives and their career paths. and there was a bookstore involved. that always makes me happy. i would've enjoyed more details about the bookstore and books. it was predictable but had some tense moments as well. maybe 4 stars is just right after all............