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A gorgeous new romantic comedy about taking chances and realising your dreams.

Libby Quinn is sick and tired of being sensible.

After years of slogging her guts out for nothing at a PR company, she finds herself redundant and about to plough every last penny of her savings into refurbishing a ramshackle shop and making her dream of owning her own bookshop become a reality.

She hopes opening ‘Once Upon A Book’ on Ivy Lane will be the perfect tribute to her beloved grandfather who instilled a love of reading and books in her from an early age.

When her love life and friendships become even more complicated – will Libby have the courage to follow her dreams? Or has she bitten off more than she can chew?

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Freya Kennedy lives in Derry, Northern Ireland, with her husband, two children, two cats and a mad dog called Izzy. She worked as a journalist for eighteen years before deciding to write full time. When not writing, she can be found reading, hanging out with her nieces and nephews, cleaning up after her children (a lot) and telling her dog that she loves her.

She has met Michael Buble and even kissed him. It was one of her best ever moments.

She believes in happy ever afters.

Freya Kennedy is a pen name for Claire Allan, who also writes psychological thrillers.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources, Netgalley, and Boldwood Books for this free copy. All quotes in this review are taken from the Advanced Reader Copy and may change in final publication.

Books like this really remind me of the kind of life that I live, meaning that I wish that I could just drop everything that I’m doing right now and just change directions and live the dreams that I want to live. I don’t think that I have the bravery or the finances to do so, and I probably would never do it, but getting to see characters in novels find their stride and take that plunge gets me feeling really happy for them. Libby Quinn is another one of those characters that I was so happy for because she finally got to leave her mediocre life and live out a dream that she’s had for a while.

I totally get what Libby feels about being sensible. Sometimes it’s so frustrating having to be an adult and being sensible all the time, that sense of being responsible and not taking leaps of faith. When you’re in a position where you have to make sure that you’re stable, meaning you need to make sure that whatever happens next month you still have a roof over your head, food on the table, clothes on your back – you know, the adult stuff that we need in order to take care of ourselves – then it’s very rare that you make decisions that could change that balance. Even if you have savings in the bank, even if you have PTO/Leave saved up, even if you have all of your processes in place, the idea of leaving even for just a little bit is enough to put you on edge because that means you have to come back to a pile of catch up work. It’s enough to cause stress for anyone, even if it means not getting the opportunity to take that much needed break.

So I was just so proud of Libby when she just said “screw it!” and made that leap and began to make her dream a reality. Opening up a bookshop takes so much more work than just “here you go! here’s my bookshop” and yet she did it. Well… she jumped at least, and started to do it. But of course there were obstacles in front of her because all dreams come with them. But some of the best dreams do, and especially since this one was so near and dear to her heart – opening up a bookstore in honor of her grandfather, the one that instilled a love of reading in her from a very early age – it only makes sense that this would be a dream that she would refuse to let go of, no matter the trials.

I think Libby’s story was heartwarming and inspiring and truly one that has touched my heart.