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| (Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book!) |
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 her 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 takes an unexpected turn, and a handsome gardener upends all her preconceived notions, she questions her plans and her heart. She begins to envision a new path for herself and her aunt’s beloved shop—provided the women’s best combined efforts are not too little, too late.
The Printed Letter Bookshop is a captivating story of good books, a testament to the beauty of new beginnings, and a sweet reminder of the power of friendship.
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 her 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 takes an unexpected turn, and a handsome gardener upends all her preconceived notions, she questions her plans and her heart. She begins to envision a new path for herself and her aunt’s beloved shop—provided the women’s best combined efforts are not too little, too late.
The Printed Letter Bookshop is a captivating story of good books, a testament to the beauty of new beginnings, and a sweet reminder of the power of friendship.
my thoughts:
I just love Katherine Reay's books - they are always fun, engaging, and full of bookish references. So, I was super excited when NetGalley approved me for an ARC of Reay's latest work, The Printed Letter Bookshop. Talk about the perfect book to spend the day with - I just loved it to bits!!
Madeline finds herself attending her Aunt Maddie's funeral. A woman that she liked, but never really knew. Thanks in large part to a huge family fight between her father and his sister (her Aunt Maddie - who she is named after). At the funeral, she sees all the friends that her Aunt has made over her lifetime - the church is full (there are even people standing in back) and everyone has nothing but nice things to say about Maddie. All of this is confusing for Madeline considering the way she has always viewed her aunt. She thinks about the time she spent with Aunt Maddie and remembers really enjoying it. She regrets not seeing her before she passed away. However, Madeline pushes aside her emotions and heads off to work. She is a lawyer up for partner and wants to show her bosses how dedicated she is. Madeline however doesn't consider that her bosses don't just want to see 100s of hours billed a week, they also want to see a passion/ love for the law - something that Madeline is missing. So, turns out Madeline does not get the promotion. Devastated and upset, she quits her job. Her parents think she has a squirreled away enough in savings to tide her over until she gets a new job. Truth is, Madeline loves antiques and has spent all of her money on a fancy apartment full of antiques. Uh oh. Madeline needs money - ASAP!
Before she quit her job, her Aunt Maddie's attorney contacted her. Turns out that her aunt loved her to bits and decided to leave her everything - house, bookshop, money, debts, etc. Madeline is shocked and uncomfortable with this news - how could her Aunt do this? Of course, now that Madeline has no job, she looks at this recent news as something that could potentially help her. So, she heads out to visit her new bookshop and the two employees that run it - Janet and Claire. As Madeline gets to know the women, she not only learns about the bookshop, but she learns so much about her Aunt Maddie. Seems that the family fight she thought had ruined her father's relationship with Aunt Maddie was nothing like she had imagined. And that is all I will write. Suffice it to say, this book was chock full of bookish references (which I LOVED!!) and characters I couldn't help but befriend. I just loved getting to know Madeline, Janet, Claire, and Aunt Maddie. What a fun book!!
Reay has written another top notch read that you won't want to put down. Its filled with all sorts of drama - family, friendships, romances, business, etc.. And it really pushes the idea of how important family and faith truly are. You have to have faith in yourself - that is key. I loved the friendships, the family, the romance, and the books. This has to be one of my favorite Reay novels. It was such a treat to read.
I would happily recommend The Printed Letter Bookshop to fans of Reay and anyone looking for their next great read - you will LOVE this book!!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book!
5 comments:
I've never read this author but I'm all in on any book with bookstore or bookshop in the title.
I love books centered around bookshops, too. This sounds like a very fun read. :)
Kathy, definitely read this author. Her books are always bookish and they are so much fun.
Lark, you will enjoy this one :)
Love the sound of this and your review, thanks for bringing it to my attention!
Nicola, thank you and you will enjoy this one :)
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