Kim Ho-yeon
Pan Macmillan
1 July 2025
200
Paperback
Contemporary Fiction
ARC from Publisher
Seoul Station is home to Dokgo, a man shrouded in mystery with no memories of his past. Until one day his subdued existence is disrupted when he stumbles upon a lost wallet, triggering a chain of events that will change the course of his life.
Enter Mrs. Yeom, a retired history teacher turned convenience store owner, who, upon discovering Dokgo's act of kindness in returning her purse, offers him a meal as a token of her gratitude. Their chance encounter blossoms into an unexpected alliance when the man’s bravery saves the store from ruin, earning him not just a job but a place in the heart of the neighbourhood.
But just when things are looking up for Dokgo, Mrs. Yeom's troubled son, eager to sell the store, hires a detective to dig into the mysterious man's past and unearth what he seems to be trying so hard to forget...
The Second Chance Convenience Store was a sweet and heartwarming contemporary tale in which a group of people centred around the titular store positively impacted one another's lives. It was a quick, light read but still covered some important themes and packed some emotional punch. I don't want to give too much away, but I can say the story will appeal to fans of this cosy style of contemporary literature coming out of Japan and Korea in recent years. As an interesting aside, the direct translation of the Korean title of this book would be 'The Inconvenient Convenience Store', but I find the English title they've chosen to use for the translated version a little more inviting and positive sounding. I am giving this book 4.5 stars.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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