The Corner Shop in Cockleberry Bay by Nicola

I must admit that the cover art for this book is not my favourite, but I’m so pleased I ignored it. The Corner Shop in Cockleberry Bay by Nicola May is such a good time to read! Rosa, the leading lass, did not immediately strike me as attractive.

She has a tendency to bite the hands (or heads) of anyone trying to assist her and can be a touch standoffish and even spikey. She was of legal age. But as a disturbed, misguided adult, all of her early insecurities surged to the surface and erupted like an uncontrollable firework when she drank.

Rosa is a lovely person, but it’s evident from the affection she shows for her rescue dachshund Hot that her experiences have strengthened her defences. Her more endearing character traits also emerge as the vibrant Cockleberry Bay people take her under their wing and support the establishment of her Corner Shop, including her inner strength, determination, and well-placed sass.

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There are many colourful characters in this book. Josh, Rosa’s steadfast male friend, the handsome new love interest, the neighbourhood bartender, the Cockleberry Coven, flashy restaurant employees, and many more characters are available for viewers to love or loathe. In addition to the alarming local crime the police are looking into and that small issue of the secret benefactor that brought her to town in the first place, they are all mysteries that need to be solved in their own unique ways.

The Corner Shop in Cockleberry Bay has a devoted and inquisitive dachshund in almost every scene, making it difficult not to be captivated by the tale. However, what I most loved about the book was the multitude of little narratives that were active at any given time. It succeeds as a charming romantic comedy book, but it also works as a cosy criminal mystery and a powerful tale of personal development and change.

A really gratifying conclusion with plenty of emotional closure is also provided by Nicola May, even though this is only the first book of a three-volume Cockleberry Bay Series. I’m eager to read more writing from this author.

About The Book

Rosa Larkin is struggling in London, so when she inherits a nearly abandoned corner store in a little Devon village, her first instinct is to sell it for money so she can get her life in order. But nothing about this legacy is simple. Although her benefactor’s name is still unknown, he or she has left one significant legal stipulation: the shop cannot be sold and must instead be given to someone deserving of receiving it.

Rosa decides to give it a shot and commits all of her resources to reopening the store in the sleepy beach town of Cockleberry Bay. Can she manage it on her own, though? If not, who will support her efforts to succeed, and who of the following will sabotage her efforts in secret?

Rosa will gradually reveal the mysterious details of the inheritance while simultaneously bringing her own, long-hidden heritage into the open, with unexpected and heartwarming effects. Rosa will always be accompanied by her small sausage dog Hot.