Publisher Description
“Powerful, enchanting, and spirited, this novel will delight.” –Patti Callahan, bestselling author of Becoming Mrs. Lewis
“Love, friendship, and family find a home at the Printed Letter Bookshop.”
“One of Madeline Cullen’s happiest childhood memories is of working with her Aunt Maddie in the quaint and cozy Printed Letter Bookshop. But by the time Madeline inherits the shop nearly twenty years later, family troubles and her own bitter losses have hardened Madeline’s heart toward her once-treasured aunt–and the now struggling bookshop left in her care.
While Madeline intends to sell the shop as quickly as possible, the Printed Letter’s two employees have other ideas. Reeling from a recent divorce, Janet finds sanctuary within the books and within the decadent window displays she creates. Claire, though quieter than the acerbic Janet, feels equally drawn to the daily rhythms of the shop and its loyal clientele, finding a renewed purpose within its walls.
When Madeline’s professional life falls apart, and a handsome gardener upends all her preconceived notions, she questions her plans and her heart. Has she been too quick to dismiss her aunt’s beloved shop? And even if she has, the women’s best combined efforts may be too little, too late.”
My Review:
I enjoy Katherine Reay’s books and always look forward to reading her newest story. This one did not disappoint me. The setting of the bookstore is perfect—-you have to love a bookstore that’s a hub of a small town! But it’s the characters that drive this storyline and give this book its heart.
The book opens with the funeral service of Maddie, the much-cherished owner of the bookstore. Although we don’t actually meet Maddie in this book, we get to know her by the positive impact she left on the lives of those who loved her. Maddie unexpectedly leaves the bookstore to her niece, Madeline, a big-city attorney with plans for the future that do not include running a bookstore. Madeline loved her aunt, but has every intention of selling the bookstore. And that’s where this heart-touching story really begins.
We view this story through the eyes of three women: Madeline, Claire, and Janet. Each one has a struggle or problem to solve in her life. As the three work together in the bookstore, strong friendships are developed. As Maddie’s influence lives on through them, broken hearts are healed and new hope is given.
This is the type of Christian fiction I love best: An inspirational , well-written story about real-life situations combined with the themes of faith, hope, and love. Give this book a try. I think you’ll love it, too.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.