Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

A driven 18-year-old from London spends the summer in a small Cornish village and learns that slowing down can still get her where she wants to go. Anna had it all—a prestigious law firm internship, a perfect boyfriend, Max, and plans to attend a top university in the fall. But when she freezes up during her exams, the internship falls through, and Max dumps her, despite all their carefully laid-out plans for their future, Anna’s only option is to accept her aunt’s offer of summer employment at the Wildest Dreams Bookshop. Anna travels to Fox Bay, ready to make the best of things and find her way back to her dreams. But when she arrives, she quickly gets off on the wrong foot with Jacob, the local boy her aunt sent to collect her from the train station. At the bookstore, Anna is greeted enthusiastically by Aunt Josie and Pushkin the cat. As she gets to know the village, Anna finds a new friend in Raye, the other bookshop employee, and is charmed by the eccentric locals. Fox Bay—itself a character—brings out Anna’s best qualities, and she exhibits subtle and well-paced development. Fox Bay’s inhabitants shine as instigators of change, who help Anna on her path, and the romantic tension between Anna and Jacob crackles. Main characters read white. A sweet, character-focused summer romance that’s full of heart and hope.(Romance. 13-18) Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.

This charming and heartfelt debut celebrates second chances, the messy beauty of growing up, and the power of books in a lovingly rendered setting. Seventeen-year-old perfectionist Anna is sure her life is falling apart after her boyfriend dumps her and she’s convinced she failed her exams. Her aunt Josie gives her just the escape she needs when she invites her to spend the summer in her small Cornish beach town working at her seaside bookshop. It seems like a simple enough plan, but Anna encounters unexpected complications: an unsettlingly charming yet brooding local surfer, a celebrity author event she agrees to plan, and contending with her freespirited aunt’s eccentricities. Throughout, Anna’s relatable voice shines, as well as the cast of vibrant, loveable characters who embody irresistible small-town charm, and it’s all grounded in the well-wrought setting of the comforting bookshop. Fans of Jenny Han and Sarah Dessen will appreciate this cozy, witty, and warm novel that captures the joy of finding community and love in unexpected places.

Publishers Weekly
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After 18-year-old Anna Bishop’s plan for a summer law firm internship falls through and her boyfriend dumps her, she accepts an invitation to help run her “hippie” aunt Josie’s business, Wildest Dreams Bookshop. Surprisingly to Anna, the quaint village of Fox Bay, Cornwall, enchants her; also intriguing is handsome local Jacob, a surfer whose bad boy persona and lack of ambition do little to dissuade the interest of type-A Anna, who takes pride in her color-coded spreadsheets and lofty career goals. Even as Anna indulges in the fresh ocean air and patchouli-scented bookstore, she chafes against Aunt Josie’s lackadaisical business management, especially with the store’s finances in jeopardy. When her aunt is suddenly hospitalized, Anna—with help from Jacob—takes advantage of Josie’s absence to save the bookshop, for which she’s willing to risk everything, including her own heart. Debut author Page’s self-aware Hallmark movie–style narrative checks all the boxes for a sweet, immersive escape; Anna’s compassion and drive make her easy to root for, particularly as she navigates frothy romance amid a stunning coastal England setting populated by an amiable cast, who cue as white. Ages 13–up. (Nov.)

School Library Journal
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Gr 8 Up—A fun summer read. Anna, an 18-year-old from London with her whole life planned out, takes a detour from her summer plans. At the encouragement of her mom, she goes to visit her aunt in a small seaside town where she will work in her aunt's bookstore. Shortly after Anna arrives and gets settled in, Aunt Josie unexpectedly breaks her leg, and Anna is suddenly running the shop. She soon learns that the shop is in danger of closing and starts a mission to save it. The writing in the novel includes beautiful descriptions of the scenery and small town, making readers feel like they are right there. The characters are all charming in their own ways, and the town has a feeling of community where everyone cares about one another. This entire story is entertaining and sweet. VERDICT A must-buy for the young adult crowd; readers will be excitedly waiting for the next book in the series.—Margaret Puentes