A story not to be missed... The Printed Letter Bookshop by Katherine Reay (Review & #Giveaway)


Welcome to my tour stop! This is one of my most anticipated reads
this year. Read what I thought and enter the tour giveaway below...

The Printed Letter Bookshop
By Katherine Reay
Christian Women's Fiction, Romance
Paperback, Audiobook & ebook, 336 Pages
May 14th 2019 by Thomas Nelson

Summary

Amid literature and lattes, three women come together and find that sharing one’s journey with best friends makes life richer.

When attorney Madeline Carter inherits her aunt’s bookstore in a small town north of Chicago, she plans to sell it and add the proceeds to her nonexistent “investment portfolio.” But plans change when Madeline discovers the store isn’t making money and she gets passed over for promotion at her firm. She quits in protest, takes the train north, and decides to work at the store to prep it for sale. Madeline soon finds herself at odds with employees Jessica and Courtney; when she also finds herself attracted to an affianced man, it only confuses the entire situation.

After blowing up her marriage two years earlier, Jessica has found solace working at the bookstore and a kindred spirit within its owner, Maddie Cullen. But when Maddie dies and her niece, Madeline, barges in like a bulldozer, Jessica pushes at the new owner in every way-until she trips over common ground. Soon the women are delving into online dating and fashion makeovers, and Jessica feels the pull to rediscover her art, a love she thought long behind her.

After a night of bad decisions leaves the store in peril, Courtney arrives and tries to save the day. While she, too, found sanctuary in the little bookstore, she knows it’s under-insured, in the red, and will never survive. When she discovers her teenage daughter has played a part in vandalizing the store, Courtney taps into strength she didn’t know existed-or had long forgotten. The quietest of the three, she steps up and finds a way to save her family, the store, and the precious friendships that have grown within it.

The Printed Letter Bookshop is the story of friends who find each other-and themselves-in a place none of them ever expected.

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My Review

THE PRINTED LETTER BOOKSHOP is one of those stories that easily resonates and will leave readers contemplating long after they've read the last page. Full of laughter, heartbreak, friendship, faith, and love, it's a book that is an emotional journey with a very sweet and satisfying ending. Highly recommended. 

I was a little worried at first about having three points of view in this story. I should have known better. Reay handled each switch between voices perfectly. The characters were layered and richly drawn. Not only could I relate to each of them, their stories constantly tugged on my heart. There were so many things that I personally could relate to as a wife and mother, but even more so as a woman. There were some definite tear-jerking moments and some really sad, depressing parts. However, those were countered by the wonderful lady who's legacy The Printed Letter Bookshop was, as well as the friendships formed, the laughter shared, the trust in faith, the truth sought, and the forgiveness given. And through it all, these women who have lost themselves, found their paths again. There are so many nuggets of wisdom and things I will be thinking about for some time. A story with all the feels that left me with hope and happily-ever-after content.

In the end, was it what I wished for? I loved this story, every single page! The characters were perfectly flawed and each had their own struggles and redemption. It was full of so much heart, friendship, and a bit of sweet romance. I can not recommend it enough.

Content: Clean
Source: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through Celebrate Lit, which did not require a positive review nor affect my review in any way.

About the Author

Katherine Reay is the national bestselling and award-winning author of Dear Mr. Knightley, Lizzy and Jane, The Brontë Plot, A Portrait of Emily Price, The Austen Escape, and The Printed Letter Bookshop. All Katherine’s novels are contemporary stories with a bit of classical flair. Katherine holds a BA and MS from Northwestern University, graduating Phi Beta Kappa, and is a wife, mother, former marketer, and avid chocolate consumer. After living all across the country and a few stops in Europe, Katherine now happily resides outside Chicago, IL.


More from Katherine

Don’t you love bookshops?

Every time I walk into a bookstore, it feels like a rainbow cracked open and rained a kaleidoscope of light, life and possibilities before me. I find worlds within the world and a call to adventure.

Each bookshop tells a different story. It tells of its loyal beloved customer base. It reflects the personality of its owner and staff. It carries the aura of the stories it offers to us.

And it was the perfect place to dig into lives, hearts and book loves of Janet, Claire and Madeline. These three women, at different stages in life, meet at the Printed Letter Bookshop, with all the romance and wonder it holds, and learn to work through their challenges together. They become the friends that each didn’t know she was missing.

There is also a fourth woman I loved spending time with in the Printed Letter Bookshop — its original owner, Maddie Carter. Maddie doesn’t step onto the stage even once, but her presence, her love and her guiding hand are apparent from page one as Janet, Claire, and Madeline grow in friendship and in faith.

The Printed Letter Bookshop is a love letter to books, a testament to the beauty of new beginnings and a sweet reminder of the power of friendship. I hope you savor your time with these three women — And, book lovers rejoice, there is a list of all the books they allude to in the back of the book!

Tour Schedule

Bigreadersite, May 16
By The Book, May 16
Emily Yager, May 18
Simple Harvest Reads, May 26 (Guest post from Mindy Houng)
amandainpa, May 27

Tour-Wide Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Katherine is giving away a paperback copy of The Printed Letter Bookshop to one lucky winner!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway!

ENTER HERE

Are you a fan of this author? Have or will you be reading this one? Do you have a favorite bookstore?

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