The Lost for Words Bookshop

"A book about love, and the heartaches and joys it can bring. A book about denial, about fear, about regret, and the choices we wish we could make again. A book about bravery, about healing, about forgiveness, and the wonder of connection. A book about the magic that exists in the smallest of things, be it a good friend, a kind gesture, or a favourite book. A book about making peace with your past, and rushing towards an unknowable future. "

"At first, I really enjoyed the narrator for this audiobook and the banter. Based on the synopsis, I thought I was going to get a book about a relatable book lover who has a secret past (like a mysterious and adventurous secret life) that would slowly uncover throughout the book. That’s not what I got. Instead, the main character is judgey and stereotypical. She’s introverted, anti-social, kind of mean, loves classics, and looks down on certain genres and people who come into the bookstore (even though she says she doesn’t). I really don’t know that many book lovers who are that anti-social, and I don’t know very many who actually like mainly reading classics. The romance was dull and felt like there was no chemistry. The way she talked about virginity was kind of gross too. I decided I didn’t want to spend my time listening to this anymore and moved on about 50% through."

"3\5 ⭐ I found the main character kind of annoying, almost like she was trying to hard to fit a cliché"

"The way the story slowly revealed pieces of the main character's past was clever and kept me turning the page. Every character in the story was interesting and added richness to the plot. The overall theme was also super touching. Would recommend to anyone that needs a cozy rainy afternoon read! "

"This was such a bittersweet read. It made me feel so many emotions that I couldn’t stop reading. Favorite book I’ve read this year! "

"Compelling!"

"I wont lie. I went into this book kind of blind and except that the main character's name was Loveday and that she works at a bookshop and some kind of secret gets out. I picked it up hoping for a cute and fun contemporary to read after my last book which was long, dense, and so freaking sad.<br/><br/>What I got was not exactly what I was looking for, but so much more worth it. This book was chocked full of humor and love, as well as true familial drama and emotion. This book covers very serious topics like: abuse, foster care system, and mental health. <br/><br/>The band of characters all stand out so lovely on their own and weave this very eclectic family that seems so heart warming and full of love even if Loveday seems to not fully understand what her tribe is. The story flips between three different points in Loveday's life. The different time lines are labeled brilliantly as Poetry, Crime, and History and they are all are so poignantly defined by a certain moment that has affected her life significantly.<br/><br/>This book hit home in such a way that I can not really explain and I think that they stance that Stephanie Butland took on a child witnessing an abusive relationship, but loving both parents so desperately is NOT a stance that most books show. I was blown away with the tact the author takes at showing two flawed people who love each other so much, but put them under stress and pressure, and that relationship can morph and change regardless of love.<br/><br/>This will be book I return to over and over again and hope to share with the people I love. I truly think it was a beautiful piece of writing."