Robin Windsor has spent most of her life under an assumed name, running from her family’s ignominious past. She thought she’d finally found sanctuary in her rather unremarkable used bookstore just up the street from the marina in River City, Michigan. But the store is struggling and the past is hot on her heels.When she receives an eerily familiar book in the mail on the morning of her father’s … father’s scheduled execution, Robin is thrown back to the long-lost summer she met Peter Flynt, the perfect boy who ruined everything. That book–a first edition Catcher in the Rye–is soon followed by the other books she shared with Peter nearly twenty years ago, with one arriving in the mail each day. But why would Peter be making contact after all these years? And why does she have a sinking feeling that she’s about to be exposed all over again?
With evocative prose that recalls the classic novels we love, Erin Bartels pens a story that shows that words–the ones we say, the ones we read, and the ones we write–have more power than we imagine.
*****
”The Words between Us is a story to savor and share: a lyrical novel about the power of language and the search for salvation. A secondhand bookstore owner hiding from a legacy of scandal, tragedy, and heartbreak must unlock the secrets of the past to claim her happiness. I loved every sentence, every word.”–Barbara Claypole White, bestselling author of The Perfect Son and The Promise between Us
“Erin Bartels has done it again. She’s created a story that has set up camp in my mind and now feels more like a memory, something I lived, than a piece of fiction. The added benefit is that it’s a story about books, some of the best ones ever written. If you are the kind of person who finds meaning and life in the written word, then you’ll find yourself hidden among these pages.”–Shawn Smucker, author of Light from Distant Stars
“Vividly drawn and told in expertly woven dual timelines, The Words between Us is a story about a woman who has spent years trying to escape her family’s scandals and the resilience she develops along the way. Erin Bartels’s characters are a treat: complex, dynamic, and so lifelike I half expected them to climb straight out of the pages.”–Kathleen Barber, author of Are You Sleeping
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Words matter. The spoken and the written. They can breathe life and cut us to our core. I loved how this story brought to life our reliance on words. I admit that I completely judged this book by its cover. How could a book so beautifully portraying a bibliophile’s shelf steer me wrong? I was not prepared for the lovely, yet haunting, way that Robin’s story unfolded. From the first line, which pulled me into the tragedy of her life to the very end where the lost is redeemed, I turned the pages as if the story would disappear if I placed my bookmark in it. Full review is at my website.
I received this book complimentary as a participant in the Revell blog tour. I was not required to give a positive review. All of the opinions I have expressed here are my own.
A book you don’t want to give up on, it just kept getting better and better, and will keep you reading to the end for answers.
This is the second book that I have read by this author, and I loved the first so much that I had to read this one, and it sure didn’t disappoint!
In the beginning the author gives a child really, she is 14, and the unthinkable has happened to her and her family, but she is a survivor, and we journey with her to Forgiveness! This is really quite a journey and we meet unforgettable people along the way.
A great read to get lost in!
I received this book through the Revell Reads Program, and was not required to give a positive review.
This novel reads more like a memoir than a novel, a book of poetry, a book that is about books. Robin has been sent to a grandmother whom she has never met once her parents are sent to prison for murder and accessory to murder. Trying to hide her identity, Robin weaves fantastic stories of who she is and where she came from. She only tells the truth to Peter, a young football player who shares her love of books and also lost a parent since his mother recently died. The setting where they meet was not at all romantic since they met at a cemetery. This book was a beautiful story of a young girl who faces her past and who finally accepts it. I really enjoyed the way the author seamlessly wrote about the past and the present, telling Robin and Peter’s stories. I really enjoyed the mention of all of Robin’s favorite books, bringing to my mind how much I liked or disliked some of them. My most enjoyable part of this book were Robin’s poems, the ones she wrote for Peter in payment for the books he gave her during their high school years of finding friendship in each other. I expected a lot from this book because I have read Erin Bartels’s previous novels, and this book did not disappoint. It was by far by very favorite, telling the story of books and the story of an unlikely heroine who has to rise above the reputations of her parents and create her own life, declaring an independence that is vulnerable and reaching out to others at the same time. I loved this book and I am confident that fans of the author and readers who just want to read an excellent story that will touch your heart will savor this book. It’s not just a book; it’s a masterpiece!
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell Books, the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
First off, this was the kind of book that drew me in right away and kept me invested in the pages. Erin Bartels is a new-to-me author, so for her to completely immerse me in her world was amazing! Being an avid reader, the idea of this taking place in a bookstore and the passion her main character Robin has for books is something I can totally relate to. They are more than words on a page to me, they have life, and meaning and breathe that little something into my very being. It’s almost as if they grab me by the hand and make me live an adventure I would have never have had if I didn’t pick them up.
Her characters felt real with the kind of problems and past baggage that we might have in our own lives. With those kind of older childhood/young adult regrets that we have to face and deal with at one point or another. Robin also faces the reality that her father is in prison for committing heinous crimes with the possibility of execution and her mother in prison for being an accessory. Sent to live with her grandma who she never knew, I can understand why she would want to run away from her problems when they threaten to overwhelm her. She finds solace and contentment in her books and running her store. The only character that I really didn’t like was Sarah, her high school classmate. It seems like she took the tragedy that happened when she was a teen and used it as an excuse to live a very destructive lifestyle.
This is the part of my review I don’t like to write because I found some flaws that bothered me. Being published by Revell, I’ve never had to question what kind of book I’m reading. I know they will always be Christian fiction books containing a faith thread, which is a vital element to me as a Christian reader. I did not find it in here! That is a huge turn-off to me, especially when I am purposely looking for it. The only redeeming character in here was Dawt Pi, Robin’s employee & friend. There were a few things that pointed to the fact that she was a Christian, especially where she told Robin that she was praying for her & emphasized God loves her. But I feel like her influence on Robin was so insignificant and played such a minor role. The writer had a wonderful opportunity to develop Dawt Pi to be that Christian to shine the light of Christ in Robin’s life. So I was left feeling very let down & very disappointed in the lack of faith. Also, I felt Robin never really did deal with her past in a satisfactory manner. She ran & hid rather than face things head on. A person can’t realistically move on in life without dealing with the hard stuff of the past. Lastly, there was no real feeling of redemption, resolution, or forgiveness for me in this book. It left me with too many questions and not enough answers and I really hated the ending. I was left hanging and asking myself what I just read.
So while the writing was fantastic and I can agree with other reviews on this and other points, I have to take away a higher rating due to the lack of faith and no real resolution at the end of the book. I like to have hope, and when it didn’t come about, I was left disappointed. This is my personal taste and I won’t apologize for feeling that way. In conclusion, if you are looking for a book to completely immerse you with evocative prose; this is one that will do it! Just don’t expect faith to play a major role in it.
* This book was provided by Baker Publishing Group through Interviews & Reviews for my honest opinion. I was not obligated to leave a favorable review. *
Books, books, books, and one bookworm. Well, quite a few bookworms and one from Robin’s past.
Hiding since she was fourteen from a scandal that her jailed parents were involved in caused Robin to have no confidence and become a recluse.
We get a glimpse into Robin‘s life as a child before the scandal as well as present day. Because of this scandal Robin had to live with her grandmother in another state where she met Peter who loved books too and shared books with her. They became good friends until an incident that caused them to never see each again.
Peter had been out of touch for years, but all of a sudden the books they shared as children started showing up in her mailbox at her book store from different states.
Meanwhile Robin’s book store was in jeopardy because she didn’t have any customers.
Robin was sweet and will pull you into her life, her situation, and her love of books.
If you also enjoy mysteries, THE WORDS BETWEEN US will appeal to you because added to Robin’s dilemmas in her life was a secret her grandmother supposedly had and that Robin never knew about.
THE WORDS BETWEEN US will resound with book lovers simply because of that gorgeous cover, the title, and of course the story line.
The reader will again be treated to Ms. Bartel’s wonderful storytelling skills. 4/5
This book was given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
4.5 stars
“Who died?”
Who would believe that it could have begun with such a simple exchange of words; words that would flow between them as poetic payments for stories that lived and breathed, in contrast to those that “struggled for breath, forgotten on shelves and in basements”. Robin Windsor’s words; written by a soul hiding behind a world of hurt and misunderstanding, after her parents became infamous for doing the wrong thing, without leaving behind anything that was right.
After living under an assumed name, with a grandmother she had never met, Robin’s freshman friendship with a senior named Peter cracks open a door of opportunity; first for trust and then for love. That all changes, and years later Robin’s adult self still begs for the truth. Maybe there is hope after all, when the poems she wrote at fifteen begin showing up in her bookstore; book by book, as her past creeps comfortably close to her future.
“There is a day, that call us into life, . . . . . and brings us gasping to the light, bids us live again . . .”
In spite of its weighty, melancholy tenor through-out much of the “then” and “now”, this author has written a beautiful expose on “calling out” when the waves roll and our feet begin to sink; “you of little faith”.
I received a copy of this book from Baker Publishing through Interviews and Reviews. The opinions stated are entirely my own.
The Words Between Us is a powerful story that tells the story of Robin Windsor. This dual timeline novel flips back and forth from the past to present to weave a tale that paints the whole picture. Robin is just trying to survive through life. She is alive, but not really living. The Words Between Us tells a powerful story between past and present of an exchange of words and how powerful those words can be even when we don’t realize it. Not only must we forgive others, but ourselves as we go through life. We shouldn’t let our past define us especially when we have no control over the events that occurred. This is the second book by Ms. Bartels that I have read. Her first debut novel was a page turner as well. She has a way with words that will have you wanting to read more. I highly recommend this book! It is a novel that makes you feel as if you have learned something important when you finish that you should apply to your own life. I cannot say enough about this book! Plan to sit for a while once you begin this journey.
***I was given a free electronic copy of this book from the publisher. This is my honest opinion. Even though I received this copy free, this is my own opinion.
Wow. What a poignant story to demonstrate the power of the written word and people’s life stories. Erin Bartels beautifully weaves together a present day story with flashbacks from the past. The genuine characters face struggles, make mistakes but learn valuable lessons through the years. The majority of the book is set in an interesting community in Michigan. I enjoyed the details given regarding the setting including the placement of the used bookstore. My absolute favorite part of this book was the references to classic literature and the impact that reading those books had on the characters and their relationship. Bartels skillfully adds the book references to perfectly compliment the storyline. Truly, this engrossing story will leave an impact. I only hope that there will someday be a sequel. I was given a copy of this book by the publisher. All opinions are my own.
THE WORDS BETWEEN US is one of the most beautiful novels I’ve read, one in which every sentence carries power. Robin is a feisty young teen, a reader and a poet, who grows into a woman determined to defy a legacy of scandal and tragedy as she attempts to forge her own path in life and love. Told through a dual timeline, the plot keeps its secrets until the final pages. With sweeping themes about the power of language and the search for salvation, this is a book to savor and share.