“A wonderful exploration of the past and the future and, most importantly, of what it means to be present in the here and now. Full of the love of words, the love of family, and the love of falling in love, The Lost and Found Bookshop is a big-hearted gem of a novel that will satisfy and entertain readers from all walks of life. Lovely!”—Garth Stein, New York Times bestselling author of The Art … Times bestselling author of The Art of Racing In The Rain
In this thought-provoking, wise and emotionally rich novel, New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs explores the meaning of happiness, trust, and faith in oneself as she asks the question, “If you had to start over, what would you do and who would you be?”
There is a book for everything . . .
Somewhere in the vast Library of the Universe, as Natalie thought of it, there was a book that embodied exactly the things she was worrying about.
In the wake of a shocking tragedy, Natalie Harper inherits her mother’s charming but financially strapped bookshop in San Francisco. She also becomes caretaker for her ailing grandfather Andrew, her only living relative—not counting her scoundrel father.
But the gruff, deeply kind Andrew has begun displaying signs of decline. Natalie thinks it’s best to move him to an assisted living facility to ensure the care he needs. To pay for it, she plans to close the bookstore and sell the derelict but valuable building on historic Perdita Street, which is in need of constant fixing. There’s only one problem–Grandpa Andrew owns the building and refuses to sell. Natalie adores her grandfather; she’ll do whatever it takes to make his final years happy. Besides, she loves the store and its books provide welcome solace for her overwhelming grief.
After she moves into the small studio apartment above the shop, Natalie carries out her grandfather’s request and hires contractor Peach Gallagher to do the necessary and ongoing repairs. His young daughter, Dorothy, also becomes a regular at the store, and she and Natalie begin reading together while Peach works.
To Natalie’s surprise, her sorrow begins to dissipate as her life becomes an unexpected journey of new connections, discoveries and revelations, from unearthing artifacts hidden in the bookshop’s walls, to discovering the truth about her family, her future, and her own heart.
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Great book
I really enjoyed this story. Can’t go wrong with a quaint bookshop as the core. I have a soft spot for seniors so really loved Grandy’s character who is in early stages of dementia. Just an overall feel good story with a perfect ending. I’ve enjoyed this authors other books in Bella Vista and was glad to see Tess from an earlier book play a part. The narrator did an excellent job with all the different characters.
I thought I had read Susan Wiggs before but evidently, I have not. After reading The Lost and Found Bookshop you can be sure I will be rectifying that mistake. This is the story of a tightly wrapped, career driven woman who inherits her mother’s small, but charming bookshop in San Francisco after a devastating accident.
Natalie Harper takes a leap of faith and leaves a job she despises to run the failing bookshop and care for her elderly grandfather. The bookshop and family apartment are housed in an historical building in San Francisco that has been owned by the family for many years and possesses much history. Natalie must either sell the financially strapped bookshop and building or figure out a way to make it viable. She hires a contractor, Peach Gallagher, to make necessary repairs. While Peach works and unearths items hidden in the building, Natalie becomes attached to him and his young daughter Dorothy. Along the way she begins to learn (or remember) what is important in life and what she really needs to make her happy.
Even with the sad elements of this story, it was such an enjoyable read. I loved the characters and their interactions; Natalie, her grandfather Andrew (Grandy), Peach, Dorothy, and the bookstore employees I gave it four stars.
What a warm and deeply satisfying story! Reading it is like feeling the summer sun after a long winter.
Natalie has just been promoted and is having a party in her honor. Her mother is supposed to be there. Come to find out, there has been a tragic plane crash and Natalie’s mother and boyfriend have been killed. Natalie moves back home to help take care of her grandfather and to sort out her mothers book shop.
Natalie discovers the book shop is in horrible financial woes. The historical building is in terrible shape and the book store is in debt. Plus, her grandfather has the beginnings of dementia. He refuses to sell the historical building because there is a hidden treasure lost in it somewhere (and yes there is…you MUST read this to find out what!)
I adore this book. I love everything about it. I love the quirkiness of the characters. The setting of the California Bay Area had me researching. I actually sent a text to a friend of mine who lives there and told him he had to go the the Tower Library Bar and take pictures. Oh…and the mystery of the hidden treasure and the book references. This is the perfect read for a bibliophile!
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
The Lost and Found Bookshop is not my first book by Susan Wiggs and I had high expectations, They were certainly met. She’s a master at creating characters that are easy to root for, developing intricate and nuanced situations, and her dialogue writing is simply stellar. This is truly a deeply heartfelt and endearing read, one I’d highly recommend.
At the center of the story is Natalie Harper, as she learns about the death of her mother and is forced to recon with the sad state of affairs of the family bookshop. Set in northern California, the bookshop has a long history in San Francisco ( always a fun place to visit either in person or virtually). Natalie is working on a high profile deal, when her world falls apart. She grapples with loss and grief, about finding forgiveness and happening upon a lifelong love. Her life now focused on her grandfather, the book shop and about the new community she surrounded by.
The story moves along as the hired handyman, Peach Gallagher, finds hidden treasures in the walls of the bookshop. She’s romanced by a famous author, one who could very well help to boost the brick and mortar business, but not all is as it seems. When it seems to perfect, it probably isn’t and there is someone else on her mind. While Natalie’s love life is a big part of the story, this is so much more than that. She has hard choices to make, and needs time to heal. The myriad of characters boost the storyline and made for an equally profound and fun read.
The Lost and Found Bookshop is a fine mix of romance and women’s fiction with a hint of family saga and a pinch of mystery. One minute Natalie Harper has a successful career she hates and a boyfriend she cannot seem to get serious about. In the blink of an eye, her mother and her boyfriend are both killed in an airplane crash. Natalie returns home to the Lost and Found Bookshop to care for her elderly grandfather who is suffering from dementia. The bookshop is like an ancestral home, full of her family’s rich history and her grandfather is always looking for a hidden family treasure. In due time, the bookshop gives Natalie purpose, renewed hope, and two new chances to find true love. The story carries you from grief to despair then on to hope and happily ever after for an emotional ride that leaves an imprint on the soul. My voluntary, unbiased review is based upon a review copy from Netgalley.
I loved this book! It is a great story about a woman, Natalie, who overcomes tragedy to find her true self. The bookshop setting gives insight into what owning an independent bookstore involves. Great read. I received an ARC from NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishing for my honest review.
What could be better than a well-written book about a bookshop?
I loved this story – everything about it. The characters, the locale (San Francisco), the storyline – everything resonated with me.
As a lifelong avid reader (you might even say obsessive) I have loved books of all kinds, libraries, used bookstores and new bookstores. I have frequented them since I was a very young child and have never lost my sense of wonder in discovering new books, genres, or authors. So THE LOST AND FOUND BOOKSHOP called me from the moment I read the title.
Natalie Harper grew up in an unconventional family that lacked security and stability. So when she graduated from college, she looked for a career those things. On the day she gets a big promotion at work, she hears devastating news that changes all her plans for the future.
She ends up at The Lost and Found Bookshop in San Francisco that she grew up in and her mother ran.
She has to make monumental decisions about her and her grandfather’s lives and try to figure out what her future holds.
Author Susan Wiggs did such a good job with this story. I identified closely with Natalie, loved her grandfather Grandy, and fell strongly for the love interest.
I highly recommend this story to all readers who love books, love romances, and complex characters.
I received this book from William Morrow Books through Edelweiss and Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.
I loved everything about this book! All I really needed to know that I would love it was that it’s a book about books. A book set in a book shop. That’s all I needed but, there was so much more! A story about finding oneself. Healing. A story of family. A mystery, some history and a love story.
Loved the story with twists and turns that end with a great love for Natalie! Loved the hidden treasures!!!! Must read.
Stayed up because I HAD to finish this ! Low key didn’t really want it to end because I adore the characters and loved this book / story so much I wish I could have moved in ! I honestly couldn’t even pick a favorite character because there are a million reasons to love each one and Susan Wiggs does such a great job of making them real, relatable, love able and impossible to not be invested in!!! This was a story about life and love and living for what matters (again making me question my work and what I am really doing but that is something for another time) it is a sorry about loss and understanding , a story of finding yourself and making a life … so much packed into this gem but what I loved the most was how it brought to life the million reasons I love books !!!! It speaks to the value of stories and the importance of books – honestly it was so real to me because my grandma gave me the gift of loving books and reading and honestly books were my escape !!! I think my love of reading and love for books may be one of the reasons I did well in school idk but I do know I lived at out local library the Musser Public library I was in the reading clubs and always checking books out and just finding comfort being surrounded by books- I was even a library aid in middle school and Highschool which I hadn’t thought of till I read this…it also reminded me of taking my uncle Tim’s books (and cds lol) which is how I found James Patterson and also scared myself half to death reading it while camping with my Grandma lol…. To this day I love books and I love book stores they are just magical! If you love books , if you love the smell of books or book stores , if you are a hopeless romantic , If you are looking for an escape then this book is for you!!! If you have someone in your life who loves books but you can’t seem to understand the appeal maybe reading this will make it clearer …. for all the #storytellers and #booklovers and #readers sending love and appreciation especially in today’s world and our current situation I couldn’t imagine life without books Susan Wiggs thank you for this gem and thank you for reminding me of why I fell in love with books and why they are so important to me … thanks for the reflection and joy…. this book is a keeper and one I can’t wait to share with others
Great read!
The only reason I couldn’t rate this book five stars was because there was just too much homosexuality in it for my liking and some of the men cussed and it kind of dumbed them down or took the romance.appeal out for me. But overall I really did almost completely enjoy this book! I was so excited and blessed to win it in a Goodreads giveaway and have it arrive in the mail at our house during the coronavirus scare when libraries are closed. I hope to donate this book to our public library, which doesn’t have a lot of books. This book was spectacular because it had so many (like a dozen) quotable that I marked as I read and then promptly wrote down in my Keepers book after I finished the book. I was able to get right into the story, only wavered a bit on those things aforementioned, and i was in it strong as the mysteries were revealed and the romance pieces itself together. I liked that this was a grownup book that still included a grand adventure and even some hidden treasure. I like the title, the cover and the Parts it contains. I also liked the references to other books and quotes and authors. This was my first book by this author but I hope to read more. I really liked all of the main characters. All likeable.
Having lost her her mother and boyfriend, MC Natalie re-evaluates her current life situation. She decides to renovate her mother’s bookshop instead of selling it. This ends up being a blessing in disguise! Peach is a delight, she brings her youthfulness and opens Natalie’s eyes and heart. This was a joy to read! Thanks to William Morrow, Harper Collins, Book Club Girl, and NetGalley for an ebook ARC. This is my honest review.
Thanks so much to the publisher for an ARC to read and give my honest opinion. Stunning read by this author, I absolutely loved it. This book was rich in world building and history with a cataclysmic HEA. Aptly named book since this bookstore is full of lost treasure and featured in the heart of San Francisco.
What did I like? The characters were amazing and the story itself detailed over several generations and historical events. The book also scans a ton of different ethnic marriages that are mixed with a flush of genealogy. The story itself was highly engaging, from the loss of Natalie’s lover and mother, to the conclusion of finding a real love for herself. It just sucked me in until the last page.
Would I recommend or buy? Yes, this author is worth her weight in gold and always readily available with an engaging tale. This story was just amazingly detailed and full of treasure. Loved it.
Thoughts for the author? Congratulations on your new release! There is still a little bit of time before this book releases but it brought me to such lovely tears. Loved it! Five stars.
4.5 stars
The beginning started off slow, but once Natalie returned to the Lost and Found Bookshop of her youth, the pace felt more comfortable. I enjoyed this story of memories and love that has been lost…and found. I listened on audio and the narrator did a delightful job with this well-rounded cast of Natalie, Peach, Grandy, and Trevor, each with their own backstories and the POV mostly in Natalie’s, but dropping into Peach and Grandy’s, too. I enjoyed all the secondary characters, too. The flashbacks were well-woven into the story. I loved the mystery of lost treasures in the old building and the references to Natalie’s ancestors. I expected the story to be a bit more of a downer, but it really wasn’t. It had grief but was also uplifting and a joy to listen to. I highly recommend this story and look forward to more books by Susan Wiggs.
It took me a few chapters to get into the book and to warm up to Natalie. Once it got going, I didn’t want to stop. I was excited to see what treasures would be unearthed in the store, what would become of all the characters. I had a few tears in my eyes at one point, along with the laughter that is mixed in between the pages. Over all good read.
Such a charming book about Natalie who after losing her mother, inherits her Bookshop. She decides to quit her job and work at the bookshop and to take care of her ailing grandfather. The bookshop is strapped for cash, and needs many repairs. She thinks of selling the historic building, but her grandfather loves it so much and refuses to let her do that. She then hires Peach to make the repairs it needs. She ends up finding a connection to Peach and his daughter who she is spending time reading with, while her father is working. Natalie now notices how much happier she feels with her developing relationships, and the Bookshop itself. I loved this story,band the characters were lovely. I loved the descriptions of the bookshop too. A wonderful story about love, loss, and life choices. Very enjoyable!
This book really blew me away. I now have a new favorite writer. I loved it.