Published in 2021 by Thomas Nelson Publishers, Hunter’s book is available on Amazon in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook formats, as well as at your local library or through the Libby App. Jessica Holtan narrates the audiobook. The narration is lackluster, and the characters’ voices come across as forced rather than natural. Therefore, in this instance, the audiobook is not recommended.

The title of the book, Bookshop by the Sea, is deceiving. Readers assume this will be a book about books, where one will find great book recommendations or even discover a new genre to explore. Instead, Hunter introduces a spineless protagonist that one could replace with a doormat, and readers would be none the wiser. Sophie Lawson has been a second mother to her twin brother, Seth, and younger sister Jenna ever since her mother became bedridden and her father walked out on them. Putting her dreams on the back burner to support her family, Sophie can’t seem to say no to her siblings, even if they’re adults with new jobs, or about to get married, or at her own peril.

The other problems with this book are the character traits Hunter showcases with Sophie and her male counterpart, Aiden Maddox. As mentioned above, Sophie is basically a doormat who lets her siblings walk all over her. Another trait Hunter shows through Sophie is her tendency to hold a grudge. The back story Hunter weaves into the plot is the high school sweetheart angle between Sophie and Aiden, which ended when Aiden left after receiving a partnership offer after graduation, leaving Sophie brokenhearted. The issue here is that Aiden doesn’t have a superpower. He can’t read Sophie’s mind. Therefore, by keeping quiet about her father walking out, etc., how is he supposed to know what is going on? So why is she putting all the blame on him?

When forced to see him at her sister’s wedding, Sophie is still full of resentment towards him and can’t wait for the event to be over so he can get out of town and she can finally open her bookshop. Mother Nature has other plans: a hurricane hits the small North Carolina town, stranding Aiden. With all the hotels booked, he must ask Sophie to put him up until the storm passes. The ensuing accidents are so implausible because no one in their right mind would go out in the middle of a hurricane to send an email! There is no end to her attitude, even when she’s called out on it. She only gets defensive, which gets annoying.

Aiden is the one who stays to help her get her bookshop ready and open on time for her grand opening and signing event. Not the family she bends over backwards for. The scripture quotes to help them through the many far-fetched accidents are, at times, aggravating. Aiden’s attempt to be patient with Sophie and to take the blame for leaving when they were kids is gallant. However, taking the blame is unnecessary. Hunter tries to show him as a runner, but in truth, all he did was accept a partnership that changed his future, and if Sophie couldn’t be brave enough to tell him what was going on, it’s on her, not him. He’s mature and wants to reconcile, while she’s juvenile and hurt, pushing him away at every turn. Aiden would have been better off getting on that plane he kept rescheduling. Yet Hunter creates this happily-ever-after for them, which feels off because they don’t jive as a couple.

Hunter’s choice of a protagonist who doesn’t realize she’s being taken advantage of, or worse, she does and lets the cycle go on, is unhealthy. The male paramour who navigates the surly immature attitude to gain her affection once more is toxic. The complete dysfunctionality of it all is what makes this book a 0.5-star read or listen.