The Sandy Page Bookshop
By Hannah McKinnon
Atria, July 2025, 384pp.
The Short of It:
Sweet story about starting over.
The Rest of It:
After her publishing career and engagement fell apart in Boston, Leah Powell has no choice but to return to her hometown. Feeling lost and discouraged, she stumbles upon a once prominent sea captain’s historic home that now looks as dilapidated as she feels. Suddenly inspired, Leah decides to transform it into a bookstore and café she will call The Sandy Page. ~ the publisher
The Sandy Page Bookshop is a little predictable but delivers what you’d expect. A sweet story, lovely bookish moments, actually more of them would have been welcomed and a tiny bit of romance.
Leah’s engagement falls apart and her ex-fiancé seems to have moved on. What’s left to do but start over? She returns home, sees this wonderful old property and rolls up her sleeves to start something new. The bookshop becomes so much more than a just a shop. It’s a community creative space, a small cafe and the people that gather there all have a story to tell.
To do this though, Leah needs help and that help comes in the form of Luke, someone from her past that resurfaces to help make her dream a reality. Luke is handy and can build anything but he and Leah seem to connect and then, not. It’s complicated.
This is a story about starting over, taking chances, and having faith that things will work out in the end. There are some sweet moments between the characters, friends and lovers alike.
Recommend.
Source: Review copy sent to me by the publisher.
Disclosure: This post contains Bookshop.org affiliate links.
Book Chatter 
This sounds light a nice break from heavier reads. There sure do seem to be a lot of books published about bookstores lately! Even some with the same premise as this one. Glad you enjoyed it, Ti!
Oddly enough there wasn’t a whole lot about books. The store but mostly as a community meeting place, no bookish talk. I wanted more of that but it was sweet and a nice break. Not overly sappy or romantic.
This book sounds like certain ones that I have picked up from time to time. And they are almost always just what I need at that moment. It does sound sweet and a book about a bookshop is also good. Happy it worked out for you. Take care!
Hi!! How are you?
Yes. It was a pleasant read and not overly sappy or romantic. I am not big on romances.
I’m a fan of books where people start over.
You would enjoy this one and you would LOVE the book I just reviewed this morning, Finding Grace.
What book lover wouldn’t want to read a book about books?
I meant with a bookshop
For real. I actually wanted even more of the bookshop stuff. Plus any shop by the water has my vote.
Anything by the water has my vote! I grew up with a lake as my front yard and then moved to California and had an ocean across the road.
This sounds like a sweet book.
It was pretty good. Hey, have you hit that new bookshop in Summerland yet? I just saw it come up on Instagram. https://godmothers.com/ I want to check it out it looks way cool.
I have been to Godmother’s Books only once for a Lisa See event. It seems like a good shop; they have lots of author talks. It has a bit more of a fancy vibe than Chaucer’s