The Battle of the Bookshops - Large Print by Poppy Alexander (Paperback)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

A charming literary-themed novel about a young woman determined to save her great-aunt's beloved bookshop from extinction by the shiny new competition--which also happens to be run by the handsome son of her family's rivals.

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...

Review Quotes

"A heartwarming romance about family, friendship, love and rivalry set in competing seaside bookshops - the perfect summer read." -- Ella Allbright, author of The Last Charm

"Delightful bookstore details, a family mystery that revolves around a witch trial, and a dash of enemies-to-lovers romance make for a breezy read." -- Library Journal

"A seaside-village, second-chance romance that tugs all the right heartstrings. I couldn't wait to see how our modern-day Romeo and Juliet would quiet their feuding families and find their happy ending." -- Sue Moorcroft, bestselling author

"Prepare for a charming battle of hearts and books in Alexander's latest (after Storybook Ending, 2024), a contemporary reimagining of Romeo and Juliet... Readers who are fans of Sally Blakely will enjoy this sweet romance."
-- Booklist

"This book has all the magical qualities of a perfect small-town bookish romance, with a witchy and Shakespearian vibe that sharpens up a cosy, clever and compelling read you'll want to curl up with and lose yourself in." -- Harper Ford, author of Hot Not Bothered

"Alexander... could very well ignite a desire to travel to England and visit the Devon coast. But the next best thing is certainly to take a staycation and read all about it. And thanks to Poppy Alexander's delightful descriptions and captivating characters, we can do just that." -- Bookreporter.com