Lost for Words is a bibliophile's dream book. It is set in a charming used books store, filled with quirky characters who love and live books. The book is a beautifully written, heart-warming story about Loveday, a young woman with a traumatic childhood, who finds refuge working in the bookshop, surrounded by books she loves. It's her journey of healing and making peace with her past with the help of people she meets in the bookshop.

I loved Loveday, even thought she is quite grumpy and anti-social and prefers a company of books to people. I loved watching her opening up to people who care about her. I loved the secondary characters: Nathan, Archie and even Melody. And I loved poems sprinkled throughout the book. Lost for Words is a love letter to books and literature and should be on every book lover's radar. Don't miss this gem!

Not how I expected this book to end. I was pleasantly surprised with the twists and turns in the plot. Butland really connected the reader to her characters. You could feel the pain, depression and joy of each character. When you walked in the bookstore, you could smell the dusty old covers. Great imagery without being overly descriptive. Easily makes the reader want to go work in a used bookstore!

I will forever be drawn to books about books. Add in some familial angst and you've got one amazing read. The Lost for Words Bookshop definitely did not disappoint. I felt the mystery dragged on a little long, but over all I really enjoyed this read. Thank you, NetGalley for the advance copy!

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

I was drawn to this book for its location (England, of course) and its setting of a book shop. Two great passions of mine in one tome!

The story's main character is a 25-year old woman named Loveday Cardew who has worked in a book shop in York since the age of fifteen. She has a love of reading since youth, a passion she shared with her Mom. When she was a child there were a lot of special times with her Mom. They would bake together (especially parkin, a gingerbread cake traditionally made with oatmeal and black treacle, which is often associated with Yorkshire or Leeds, England), go to the beach in Whitby (where they lived), and also visit book shops. Her dad worked on oil rigs and spent a lot of time away from home, so Loveday and her Mom were especially close.

There are alternating time periods from when Loveday was nine and the present day, when Loveday is twenty-five. Loveday is very content in the pleasant and protective bubble of the book shop. She's had a couple of romantic relationships which crossed into sexual territory, but where the body progressed the communication/emotional aspect did not. For, Loveday holds tragic secrets of her childhood and there are sensitive firewalls distancing herself from others. She has a wonderful and loyal friendship with the shop owner Archie, a decent apartment and a job that she loves. However, when she was nine something happened to shatter her normal family life. As Loveday lives her new life in a new city she's guarded when it comes to personal questions of her childhood.

Then one day Nathan comes into the shop. A somewhat elegantly dressed cravat-wearing magician, Nathan invites Loveday to a nearby club for "Poetry Night." Nathan participates each Wednesday with a new and meaningful offering. What cannot easily be said in normal conversation sometimes can less painfully be communicated through the poetic art form. Will Loveday find the emotional strength to step up to the open mike and bare her soul through poetry? Will she ever be able to really trust anybody? You'll have to read this for yourself for the mystery to unfurl. I will only share that I was moved to tears by one particularly poignant Poetry Night which prompted me to add the 4th star to my rating!

This book was a quick read and nice escape. I enjoyed the storyline but unfortunately, I suspected how the book would end from the beginning. This did take away from the story for me. I love that the story takes place in a bookstore and the characters were fun and intriguing. There was also good character development throughout the books. This is a nice and enjoyable read.

I really liked some aspects of this book, most particularly the setting. But I think my expectations may have played a part in the things I didn't care as much for. I expected a much more lighthearted story, and this had much more depth than that. Now, that of course, is not a bad thing at all. It's just not my thing. So, I think the issue for this is more that I was the wrong reader for what is actually a very good story.

Here we go again: unpopular opinion time. Trust me, I was fully expecting to love this story, especially since I have a weak spot for books about books... But I guess it turns out it wasn't ment to be. On its own The Lost For Words Bookshop has all the right elements to turn the story into a success. And that is probably one of the reasons I've seen only glowing reviews so far. I'm asking myself now: why didn't enjoy this story better then? Well, first of all it's probably me that is part of the problem. Because let's face it, introduce a love triangle and I start sneezing. But surprisingly it wasn't exactly the romance in this story that bothered me. The main problem I had was with the main characters, who somehow I just wasn't able to get a proper feel for. Which is strange, because each of them is well developed, feels real and adds a little something to the story. But it is what it is, and I can't change my feelings. Another thing that I wasn't so sure about were the flashback chapters, going back to Loveday's childhood. Instead of adding dept and intrigue to the plot, I mostly felt it interrupted the flow of the present storyline, especially since both seemed to have a quite different writing style. The switches were actually one of the reasons it took me longer than expected to finish this read. That said, I did love the incorporation of poems, many many bookish references and of course Loveday's tattoos and their meaning. A true bliss for any booklover to find. Likewise, the descriptions of the bookstore make me wish I could visit the place myself. But somehow, The Lost For Words Bookshop just didn't hit home for me. Being able to see some of the plot twists coming from a mile away didn't help either... But like I said, I'm in the minority here and fans of contemporary romance with a darker twists will probably enjoy this one a lot better than I did. Because there is no doubt that Loveday's past is no joke.

Wow, this book got to me in ways I never expected it to. The Lost for Words Bookshop by Stephanie Butland left me with my heart hurting, tears streaming down my face, and a desire for it to go on and on and never end. We follow Loveday in present-day 2016 and learn of her, at first wonderful and later difficult, past in flashback chapters. We see her in school plays, reading with her father, baking with her mother, and hiding with her secrets in her bedroom. She's kept her past private, her family consisting of the people she chooses, specifically bookshop owner Archie. Lost for Words is her happy place, her escape with the books she connects to better than people, but the bookstore also brings to her people, like a lover, a poet, and someone with boxes that take her right back into the past.

"It's good to be reminded that the world is full of stories that are, potentially, at least as painful as yours."

Loveday is an enigma, she functions with little help from others, shares very little personal information, but allows the first lines of novels to tell her story for her as tattoos on her skin. She's hiding from a past she doesn't want to admit she has, hiding from comfort of sharing herself with another, and yet so desperate to tie the books she reads to her past in some way. She's like a child in many ways, though more caution with her feelings and matters of the heart. I ached for her, even before I knew what her past was made up of. She was meek in many ways and yet so strong and stubborn in others. Her past making up much of who she is, though unaware of how impactful those around her presently also are in making her into someone new. Loveday is a reader and The Lost for Words Bookshop is a book for book lovers.

"I suppose it's the fact that these small memories come from the kind of tiny reminders that you simply can't predict, and so can't protect yourself from, and they catch you, paper cuts across the heart."

Stephanie Butland's writing is lyrical, the story is fresh, and the poems that tie Loveday to another such a romantic way to reveal feelings. I loved every single secondary character in this novel, even those who are more foe than friend. Each sparks a match to Loveday, pushing her to reveal more of herself, to accept more of herself, and showing her to accept the open arms of others. Archie is the best man I've ever met in a book and he's not even what one would consider handsome. He's described as portly and jovial, the kind of man who tells a tale that you know must be embellished, only he's got the odd friends to show for it. His love of Loveday, his support of her, is so much like that of a father and I really ached for Loveday and how she didn't recognize him as such. He's so important in her growth in this novel and I easily could have read the story of them working together for ten years forever. They're quite the pair, I think I would've liked to know him. Of course, there's Nathan, a boy who charms her and disarms her, bringing forth a Loveday that I had come to think we would only see in her childhood flashbacks. He's the knight who helps her take down the walls she'd spent so long building and fortifying. Every character felt so real, with Stephanie Butland's descriptive storytelling bringing each to life along with the quant York setting.

"'And be brave, Loveday. Ask the questions you want to ask. Seek out the people you want in your life. It might not be as hard as you think.'"

The Lost for Words Bookshop is not what I would call chick lit, but rather Women's Literature and really a book anyone with difficult baggage can relate to. As a bibliophile I connected with this book, with Loveday and her only-in-my-dreams tattoos, and the unique take Stephanie Butland had on burying the hatchet, finding oneself, and embracing life's quirks whether joyous or difficult. I had a fantastic giggle when Loveday, as a child, pointed at that being a reader makes saying words aloud so much more difficult, as we really haven't a clue how it really should sound. So true. I know this is a book I will reread many times, in fact I can already picture the cold winter nights with cocoa in hand and Loveday to keep me company. I do suggest you prepare yourself with tissues, because for every laugh I had at the character's wittiness I also shed a tear for the heartache Loveday had come to accept.

What can I say? I am a sucker for a bookstore book. But I have to say this one stands apart from the pack. It's a bit quirky with well-developed and complex characters and lovely pockets of poetry throughout. Though we find the requisite love story and complications, they don't feel forced or like predictable tropes. They flow naturally, albeit painfully in few spots. It's easy to love Loveday whose prickly exterior hides a world of grief, loss and pain and all the complicated emotional baggage we inherit from trauma.
The Lost for Words Bookshop is a delightful story of the ways the pain we carry flows out into the world around us, and the ways we can choose to rewrite all the parts of our story.

Loveday Cardew is not a people person, she is book person. She works in a bookstore. A job perfect for her! Permanently etching her favorite quotes on her body, she feels every emotion and power behind books and their words. Yet, people she avoids if at all possible.

Only Loveday knows what made her this way. Her self-discovery and desire for self-affirmation drive this story. She and the people in her life are quirky, unconventional, endearing.

Very well written, and full of personality. Complex characters that made me smile, some who genuinely made me perplexed. It is satisfying to watch someone like Loveday fall in love to watch others love her quirks just as much as I did.

Not being British, I had to look up a lot of words and phrases in this book but I loved them all and feel that the words and how they were said, is part of why I liked Loveday so much. Loveday had a life and parents that she loved and that she misses, after she loses both parents when she is ten years old. She then spends time in foster care and finally with a permanent foster mom. She is traumatized by what has happened to her life and won't accept help from others, especially because she doesn't even realize anyone is trying to help. She feels damaged and unworthy of anything and is determined to live life alone and with as little human interaction as possible.

This is a funny, sad, book but in the end it reminds of a fairy tale. At one point Loveday compares herself to Cinderella, when things are going bad but she doesn't see a happy ending. For her the best ending she will get is to be left alone, left alone with her books and her little apartment and her memories. She's written her "story" and nothing is going to change that, in her mind.

Eventually she will realize that the story she has written isn't correct. Are secrets really secrets if everybody knows them? The story is told in the present with chapters that tell the past. Usually I don't like mixed timelines much but this method worked well in this book. I enjoyed the entire time reading about Loveday and would love spending more time with her.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC.

"A bookshop is not magic, but it can slowly heal your heart."

The Lost for Words Bookshop, Stephanie Butland


Those sweet lines, the last of this charming story, actually sum it up quite well. In The Lost for Words Bookshop, the main character, Lovejoy Cardew, is not living the life her name would imply. She works in the The Lost for Words Bookshop, owned by Archie, and uses the space as her sanctuary. Archie is an affable older gentleman with a mysterious background himself. He has settled precariously into the used bookshop owner life, and has employed Lovejoy at The Lost for Words Bookshop for the past ten years. They first met when she visited his bookshop and was accused of theft. Archie is able to see past her prickly exterior and becomes a protector and employer of what he calls his "stray waif."


Lovejoy

Lovejoy, at 25 seems so closed off and unapproachable and one can surmise she has had some bad breaks in her first quarter century. She's deliberately off-putting, and is more than just an odd awkward bookish sort. Tattooed with the first lines of her favorite books, she is an intentional enigma. As this story unfolds, her childhood trauma is revealed through a series of reflections on life at age 10. The reader becomes well aware of her heartache and reasons for subsequent withdrawal from mainstream life. She has in her own way, become shelved like the books she handles in her work.
Nathan

Enter Nathan Avebury, a handsome young magician in Doc Martens. Naturally, a lost book is the instigation for the meeting of Lovejoy and Nathan. Lovejoy found a book of poetry Nathan dropped, and posted an advertisement for the owner to come into the shop to claim the lost book. When Nathan arrives, he is intrigued by Lovejoy, despite her sour demeanor, and becomes a fixture in her life. He instinctively knows how to give her space while drawing her nearer in small increments. Little by little Lovejoy's heart becomes open to the possibility of caring deeply for someone.
Archie

Everyone needs an Archie in their life. He is kind, gregarious and entertains all who strike up conversation with him. Throughout the book, we realize there are no strangers in his life, and everyone has their own story of some adventure with Archie. For being such a rakish daredevil sort, he has taken on the role of protector and father figure of Lovejoy with equal enthusiasm. Not so much regarding the role of bookshop proprietor, which provides Lovejoy with the means to support Archie as well. Lovejoy's knowledge of books and commendable work ethic make her an invaluable employee for Archie.
Opinion

Stephanie Butland has written a sweet tale of a sad girl with a trouble past. Lovejoy is bristly, but she doesn't want pity. The life she has carefully constructed is one in which she is fiercely content. Nathan and Archie are supporters of Lovejoy, and are determined to shine the light on a life Lovejoy can embrace.

I found myself thinking of Lovejoy as a daughter or niece who I wanted to encourage and pull out of her shell. The more I read, the more I cared about her and wanted to see her get to a happy ending. To avoid any spoilers, all I can say is that the ending is happy with a shot of sadness as well. Get the tissues out before you open this book. Read this and you'll become a member of Team Lovejoy, right along with Archie and Nathan. And rest assured, Team Lovejoy will triumph.

Many thanks to NetGalley for the free ARC copy. In return, I supplied an unbiased review of the book.

Very good book. Never would have guessed the ending and was really kind of surprising by how the story evolved. Enjoyed it a lot!

On the surface, Loveday seems to just be your typical girl who works at a bookstore. But, there's so much more than just that! It was so refreshing to read something and connect with the main character on a mutual love for books. She has a couple of her favorite book quotes tattooed on her body. But, the story goes deep into her past both familial and personal ... and I felt such a close connection with her. And honestly, how cool of a name is Loveday?! It was definitely hard to put this book down, a highly recommended read!

*Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC, in exchange for an honest review.*

I received an electronic copy of this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I will start by saying that I have read all of Stephanie's previous books and loved them all so I was very excited to start reading this one. Also, I'm a book lover (duh!) so any book that has 'bookshop' in the title will usually be a winner for me. Plus, that gorgeous cover! I am a complete sucker for a pretty cover. Luckily, the contents of the book definitely lived up to the cute cover. This book made me smile and also made me cry in some parts (no spoilers though!). It definitely makes you feel! Loveday is a great character. I really enjoyed reading her story!

This story about quirky Loveday grew on me. She works in a bookshop as she hides from her traumatic past. It's lovely to see her evolution. I also love her tattoos; I wish I could think of a line I found meaningful enough to do the same.

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas Dunne Books for the ARC.

3.5 stars.

A quick and pleasant read about a used bookstore, a woman with a secret past, and the men who love her. I had a little trouble relating to the main character, Loveday, as she seemed just as closed off to me, the reader, as she did to the other characters in the book.I rather liked the cover, which initially attracted my attention. Plus the story has a bookshop! I am always up for trying something different from my usual and this was such a book. I'm glad i did, as i enjoyed more than i thought i would., but i think this book is worth a read.

Of course I had to read this book because: 1) it's set in a bookshop; 2) the description ensures a quirky character (which I always love); and 3) it has a cute cover. How could I possibly pass it up? I loved the main character, and get this name - Loveday Cardew. Even her name was interesting. Loveday's father is dead and we don't know where her mother is - at least for a good portion of the book. She works in The Lost for Words Bookshop for another interesting character, Archie. Loveday likes books more than people and she has the first lines of her favorite novels tatooed on her body. Loveday has been working at the bookstore for ten years and all this time has been keeping her past a secret. But someone has discovered her secret and is sending her a message.

I truly enjoyed the book and loved the author's lyrical writing style. The characters were quirky and interesting. I didn't realize until after I finished the book that Stephanie Butland is also the author of The Little Paris Paris Bookshop and 84 Charing Cross Road - both of which are on my 'be read' list and were highly recommended to me by friends. I can't wait to read more by this author.

Thanks to Stephanie Butland and St. Martin's Press through Netgalley for the opportunity to read this advance copy!

3.5 but rounded up because of all the book references that made me smile.

I had a hard time connecting to Loveday as an adult. She was pretty closed off and often rude to the people that cared the most about her. I get that she had a hard time dealing with a tragedy, but at some point you would think she would have some appreciation for what she has. For Loveday, that recognition was a little later than most people. What was weird is that I loved Loveday as a child. She was so carefree and innocent. My favorite character was definitely Archie, the pseudo-father/friend/bookstore owner. I want an Archie in my life!

<i>*ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.</i>

I ended up loving The Lost for Words Bookshop! Lots of literary references, and made me want to work in a used bookshop too.