One of the fun things about reading is the wide variety of book types that are available. There are always classics and serious pieces, but sometimes, you may want a book that you can curl up with or read on the beach. “The Bookshop on the Corner,” by Jenny Colgan, is just this kind of book.
The protagonist, Nina Redmond, is a librarian in Birmingham, England, who has been made redundant. The library is closing branches and has less need for librarians, and her passion lies in connecting the right book with the right person.
At a team-building event, Nina is encouraged to think about what she would love to do if she could do anything. Not surprisingly, Nina wants to run a bookstore. On a whim, she travels to Scotland in response to an advertisement for an incredibly large van for sale that she imagines she could convert into a bookmobile.
Nina is forced into the “now what” position of having lost her job and having spent a large sum of money on the van. However, she experiences a sense of calm and happiness in the remote village and takes the leap to truly start over.
As in any life reboot, Nina experiences stops and starts on her adventure. In the crisp, clean air of Scotland, Nina begins to blossom. As she slowly opens up her shop, Nina thrives in her new role. She starts to think of Scotland as home and learns just how important it is to look past a person’s “book jacket” and discover the meat of what is inside.
From helping her grumpy landlord deliver a lamb to sharing picnics with a charming train conductor who serenades her with poetry, Nina discovers there’s plenty of adventure, magic, and soul in a place that’s beginning to feel like home . . . a place where she just might be able to write her own happy ending.