I am so excited to be hosting Marcie Steele / Mel Sherratt today on CrimeBookJunkie for The Second Chance Shoe Shop Blog Tour! And not only that #bookjunkies, Claire Knight, one of my amazing Guest Reviewers is co-hosting! So two reviews featured here today on #CBJ ? YAY!!
Noelle & Claire’s Rating: we both give this book 5/5 ….of course!
Noelle’s Review:
First I need to say a massive thank you to Marcie Steele (Mel Sherratt) & Kim Nash/ Bookouture for giving me an ARC in exchange for a honest review.
OMFG! Marcie Steele has WOW’d me again with this absolutely stunning story of love, friendship and perseverence! The author reminds us that sometimes you just cannot rekindle the past, you need to move forward/let go of things and just enjoy the moment for your own happiness. If anyone can turn this CrimeBookJunkie into a ChickLitAddict it is definitely Marcie Steele!
The story is set in a quaint town called Hedworth, where three friends: Riley, Sadie and Dan work in Chandlers ~a shoe shop. The shop is at risk of closure, so the friends use social media, outside influences/other friends and the local newspaper to raise some hype and hopefully draw in the crowds. But this is not the only thing they attract….
What I love about this author’s books is the way you can totally relate to the characters, the friendships, the story-lines. These are not those unrealistic romance novels where the main character ends up in a happily-ever-after relationship with some buff, I-will-do-anything-to-please-you type of guy. Oh no….Instead, the characters get hurt, cheated on, suffer loss but have great friends to help get them through and once in a while…they find love in the most unexpected places…awwww!
Along with the disappointments the characters go through, there is a brilliant mixture of laughs which kept my interest piqued. Similar to Mel Sherratt’s gritty, crime books – I found myself trying to figure out what was going to happen next! As the drama unfolded, I was rooting for love to conquer all….what the hell is that about!? Sooooo not me!!! But THAT is exactly what Marcie Steele does to you….I wonder if she has some kind of magic spell….as there is no other way to explain why each and everytime she writes a book – I am drawn in~ hook, line and sinker!
And of course, the author could not write a book that did not make my eyes well up a wee bit! Oh nooooo….I thought I had escaped the mushy, blubbering moment and then BOOM…where the hell are my tissues!! Thanks Marcie…my #IceQueen image fades whenever I have one of your books in my hand!
So #bookjunkies, I cannot recommend this book enough! For a light-hearted, funny and totally emotional change to crime fiction, Marcie Steele is the author for you!
Claire’s Review:
After books, shoes are my most favourite thing to buy or window shop for…so a book by the brilliant Mel Sherratt…I mean Marcie Steele, about a shoe shop ticked two massive boxes for me.
10/15 years ago, I would devour chick lit like it was going out of fashion but now I don’t read it so much. So I’m very fussy about anything that is non-crime/thriller. It has to be well written and The Second Chance Shoe Shop is just that. It’s not your typical chick lit by far. Don’t get me wrong, it tugs at the heart strings – I felt every emotion as I read about Riley, Sadie and Dan. But Marcie Steele draws in her alter-ego to add a bit of intrigue and little twists to the story. I was addicted; if I didn’t have to run errands at lunch, I’d be reading at my desk. On the day I finished it, I would have been spotted waiting for the other half outside my office block, Kindle in hand, eyes glued to the screen.
I loved Stirred With Love but I personally think this offering from Ms Steele is even better!! I’m yet to read That’s What Friends Are For; I’m ashamed to say, I didn’t realise I had actually bought it (hangs head in shame). I will be righting that wrong before long.
Massive thanks to the lovely Marcie Steele for sending me an advanced copy of The Second Chance Shoe Shop in return for my unbiased review.
Well I think it is fair to say that both Claire and I are true #MarcieSteele fans and highly recommend you grab your virtual shoes and head over to amazon to pick yourself up this awesome book!
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