PINTEREST
BLOGLOVIN
GOODREADS
In a tiny bookshop in Dubrovnik’s historic Old Town, a book club begins…
Newly arrived on the sun-drenched shores of Croatia, Claire Thomson’s life is about to change forever when she starts working at a local bookshop. With her cousin Vedran, employee Luna and Karmela, a professor, they form an unlikely book club.
But when their first book club pick – an engrossing cosy crime – inspires them to embark upon an investigation that is close to the group’s heart, they quickly learn the value of keeping their new-found friends close as lives and stories begin to entwine…
MY THOUGHTS
My thanks to Rachel of Rachel’s Random Resources for the tour invite and to the publisher for the ecopy to review via Netgalley. I’ve read previous books by Eva Glyn under her other name of Jane Cable (you can find reviews of those via the search bar) and knew that I wouldn’t be disappointed. The Dubrovnik Book Club is published by One More Chapter and is available in ebook, audio and paperback formats (14 March 2024).
I’ve been to Dubrovnik a few times as part of cruise holidays and its one of my favourite destinations – I was delighted on my last visit to be able to walk the city walls for magnificent views of the old town. With the book’s vivid and evocative descriptions, I could easily imagine being back in this wonderful city. The Welcoming Bookshop and its bookclub is exactly that. Welcoming to anyone and everyone thanks to the kind hearts and enthusiasm of everyone involved – no prejudices are allowed in the bookclub.
Claire Thomson isn’t a native to Dubrovnik but is there temporarily for 12 months staying with her grandparents Saffranka and Jadran. Having suffered very badly from Long Covid she is fearful of any public interaction which could make her ill again however she attempts to overcome her fears by taking up a position as manager of the bookshop. Assisting her is Luna, a young girl facing her own issues which she is scared to reveal.
The story is told from various perspectives with Claire and Luna being the driving force however there are other characters who are just important including Claire’s cousin Vedran, a lawyer who is suffering in silence because of past events – I felt there was a mystery element attached to him inspired by the intriguing prologue. Professor Karmela Simic has unresolved issues relating to the Serbian war. Her happy place is her research into the history of Ragusan women and her interest in the bookshop is primarily because of historical relevance of the building to her research. She joins the bookclub primarily for her own reasons but despite her naturally reserved nature slowly finds herself drawn into the lives and problems of her fellow book lovers.
The bookshop whilst being at the centre of this story shares its focus with other themes too, some of which affect the diverse characters here including mental health issues involving trauma and PTSD, whatever the cause. It’s about inclusion without religious or personal prejudice regardless of sexuality. Above all its focus is acceptance and friendship. Fun and romance give a lighter touch to the story and of course there is bookish chat too. The books chosen by the fictional bookclub are listed with each having a relevance to the story.
There was so much I loved about this book, the location, the bookshop and its heritage, the characters each with their own backstory and personal hurdles to overcome. Eva Glyn has written a superb multi faceted story that is authentic and entertaining. I was a little sad at the end to have to say goodbye to characters such as Karmela that I had grown extremely fond of. On the back of reading this I’ve purchased another of Eva’s books The Collaborator’s Daughter, historical fiction rather than contemporary being set in 1944 in war-torn Dubrovnik but which features one or two of these characters.
If my review has tempted you at all, The Dubrovnik Book Club is currently available in Kindle format from Amazon UK for just 99p. An absolute steal. You can also enter the giveaway below to win a paperback copy.
Eva Glyn fell in love with Croatia during her first holiday there in 2019; the incredible scenery, the delicious food, the country’s dramatic twentieth century history all played their part, but most of all it was the friendliness of the people.
One of these was tour director Darko Barisic, who told an incredible story about growing up in underground shelters during the war in the 1990s, and she knew she had to write a book around his experiences. This became her first Croatian novel, The Olive Grove, and she and Darko have become good friends and he continues to advise her on all aspects of Croatia.
Eva delves into Croatian history and everyday life for her inspiration, and visits the country as often as she can, having uncovered so many stories by talking to local people. Travel in general is her passion, followed closely by food and wine, which also find their way between her pages.
Although Welsh by birth she now lives in Cornwall with the man she met and fell in love with almost thirty years ago. She also writes as Jane Cable
Follow the author: Website | Twitter/X | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok | Goodreads | Amazon UK
Purchase Links – https://mybook.to/TheDubrovnikBookClub
Other retailers:
UK https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/the-dubrovnik-book-club-eva-glyn
US https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-dubrovnik-book-club-eva-glyn
*** Giveaway to Win a paperback copy of The Dubrovnik Book Club (Open INT) ***
On behalf of Rachel’s Random Resources
*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
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