The Lost for Words Bookshop by Stephanie Butland is a compelling, irresistible, and heart-rending novel, perfect for all book lovers. “In The Lost for Words Bookshop, Stephanie Butland has created a bibliophile’s delight. Witty and irreverent, funny and sad, this is a charming tribute to stories on the page and in our lives–and the powers they can hold over us.”–Matthew Sullivan author of … us.”–Matthew Sullivan author of Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore
“Burns fiercely with love and hurt. A rare and beautiful novel.”–Linda Green, bestselling author of While My Eyes Were Closed
Loveday Cardew prefers books to people. If you look carefully, you might glimpse the first lines of the novels she loves most tattooed on her skin. But there are some things Loveday will never, ever show you.
Into her hiding place – the bookstore where she works – come a poet, a lover, and three suspicious deliveries.
Someone has found out about her mysterious past. Will Loveday survive her own heartbreaking secrets?
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Quirky, clever, and unputdownable.
A book store setting. A protagonist with a secret past and tattoos of the first sentence of her favorite books. This novel should have been right up my alley. But I struggled to get into it, almost abandoned it, but ultimately was very glad I didn’t — as I cried through the ending. With an endearing protagonist, wonderful supporting characters, and good emotional tension, this was a fun, heartwarming, enjoyable read.
A quaint little read and I was able to get lost in this book for a few hours. Very charming little story and I can’t wait to read more from this author.
Loveday Cardew works in a bookshop owned by Archie.
Working in a bookshop is perfect for Loveday because she is a shy almost introverted person through no fault of her own.
THE LOST FOR WORDS BOOKSHOP is a lovely read and will make you jealous of Loveday’s job, but not of the heartaches she keeps hidden.
Besides the books and the bookshop, the characters in THE LOST FOR WORDS BOOKSHOP are the best, especially Archie….loved him. He is a bit on the unorganized and fly-by-night type of person, but he loves his job, loves Loveday, and loves how Loveday helps him keep the shop going.
Loveday is lovable, sweet, and a bit on the odd side.
Nathan is someone I would like to know and someone very sweet to Loveday.
Rob was annoying and unlikeable.
The secondary characters worked well with the main characters and added mystery and tension.
As THE LOST FOR WORDS BOOKSHOP goes back and forth in time, a few mysteries and secrets about Loveday’s childhood are revealed.
Her family history definitely explained her closed-mouthed-about-her-feelings, lost-for-words personality.
If you like books, bookshops, wonderful characters, a bit of mystery, and secrets kept, THE LOST FOR WORDS BOOKSHOP is for you.
I’m sure most readers fall into most of those categories, so you won’t want to miss reading this charming, alluring read.
The cover itself draws you in.
There are some heartaches in it, but for the most part it is a lovely, bookish read.
ENJOY when you read this book. 5/5
This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.
This book captivated me and will stay with me for years to come. I adored it.
Beautifully written and the writer manages to sketch characters in just a few words, or lines. Loveday is complex, charming, vulnerable and very readable. A great cast of supporting characters, too.
This is a book to curl up with, forget the world, a book about books. I’m all there for it, cover to cover, thankyouverymuch! the Lost for Words Bookshop by Stephanie Butland is a love letter to books and readers, with surprising depth without becoming too heavy. For this reader it’s a Goldilocks find, just right. Our protagonist, Loveday, is quick, witty, and rarely trusts anyone. Working at a bookshop since she was a troubled teen, full of quirky characters, she finds herself presented with her past in the form of a mysterious delivery. How, why, and who? She’s incredibly private. This is where our mystery unfolds, as does Loveday’s past…and future. I highly recommend to readers who enjoyed The Storied Life of AJ Fikry.
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press who provided an advanced reader copy. This review reflects my honest and unbiased opinions.
A great read
Interesting characters that you can grow attached to.
Interesting characters
Didn’t think I would be able to get into this one. It starts off trying a bit too hard to be witty and the usage of current argot could easily date this book in just a few years. But the characters and plot line did flesh out, the argot tamed a bit but still managed to be witty. A third of the way in, I was hooked and found it to be an enjoyable read. Nice, tie-up-all-the-loose-ends ending.
Quirky.
I had some trouble getting into this book. At first I couldn’t tell if it was being told from present day with flashbacks or what. It ended up being okay, but just okay for me.
A well written book about the trauma of domestic abuse and the effects on children. Although a heavy topic it is written with wit and charm. The ending is satisfying. A different perspective than what media tells us.
This was a wonderful book. I enjoyed every sentence. After so many novels full of ‘gloom and doom’ it was a delight to have an upbeat story.
This was a so-so read. Not exactly gripping but good in a few places.
Very engaging characters. One of my favorite reads!
Engaging and nicely written
Believeable. Charming story with interesting characters and story line.
I really enjoyed the story. The telling was compelling and moved along but not too quickly. There was a small twist in the last portion but it was the story of the characters lives that kept me reading.