The Printed Letter Bookshop is presented from the viewpoints of three generations of women with one thing in common - the old fashioned book store that keeps them all sane. Even in their small town of Eagle Valley, 40 miles outside of Chicago, the pace of life is occasionally frantic. The Printed Letter Bookshop is not - Maddie and her helpers Claire and Joyce make sure of that. It is a haven of peace in the town, for all generations of readers.

The bookshop is the hard work of Madeline Cullen Carter and her husband Pete, now both lost to cancer. We open this story at the funeral for Maddie, attended by essentially the whole town, and her only family, brother and wife Charlotte from NY and niece Madeline, a lawyer in Chicago. Everything is still up in the air about the shop, Maddie's home, her car.

Claire is the mother of two teenagers, an always hungry boy, and a surly daughter. Claire is happily married to a busy busy man and loving her work at the bookstore. She handles the bills, the orders, and loves the interaction with her co-workers and customers. She is very aware of the fact that the shop has not been making enough money over the last couple of years, and fears that if Maddie's estranged brother inherits he will immediately sell the store. And she has no idea there is now a second mortgage on both the house and the shop.

Janet is a recently divorced mother of two, estranged from her grown children since the divorce before which she cheated on their father. Ex-husband Seth is often in and out of the shop, but they rarely speak. Along with the family, most of the locals also hold her responsible for the breakup of her family. As does Janet herself. The bookshop allows her a rhythm to her life, the artistic outlet she can no longer find in her world elsewhere. Her days are spent dressing beautiful window displays and selling stories. Her son has a new daughter, her first grandchild which she has not been invited to visit. Her daughter doesn't speak to Janet on the street or answer her calls. The last couple of months Janet basically lived with Maddie, coordinating her hospice care and keeping her company, cooking, and cleaning and handling visitors. She, too, will be lost without the book store. And as a single woman, she has to have an income.

Niece Madeline is 31, working for a highly respected law firm in downtown Chicago, putting in 80 hour weeks and filling her awesome apartment with exquisite antiques, her idea of saving for the future since her father's hedge fund lost everyone's savings, including most of Madeline's high school friends families and her Aunt Maddie and Uncle Pete. She had spent part of that summer of the crash of 2000 with Maddie and Pete, and loved them both, but because her Dad and Maddie had a big fight when he came to pick her up and have since not spoken, Madeline felt her loyalty to her father precluded a relationship with her aunt, and she hadn't seen her since. Only 40 miles away, she was always polite, always busy when Maddie called. And no one in the family knew she was dying. Very few people in her town of Eagle Valley knew she was dying until she was nearly gone. So Madeline, who inherits all that Maddie left, carries a lot of guilt with her as she attempts to figure out what to do with her own future. Overlooked for Partner, she isn't willing to give more 80 hour weeks to the firm, as anyone overlooked the first round has never made partner at her workplace. She quits and heads to Eagle Valley to sort out the store, get the properties on the market, send out resumes to other law firms. And finds a life.

This is a clean, compelling read, one I am happy to refer to friends and family. Katherine Reay is an author I will follow.

I received a free electronic copy of this excellent novel from Netgalley, Katherine Reay, and Thomas Nelson publisher. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read this book of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work.

Once again Katherine Reay creates real, layered, flawed, frustrating, lovable characters and relationships. Extra depth was added by the story being told from three different character's viewpoints. This book would be great for a book club discussion.

I have long been a fan of Katherine Reay's novels. They are always unique, always based around solid literature in a fun way, and always carry a message that makes me think. The Printed Letter Bookshop is no exception. Featuring the lives of 3 different women – all with different life stages and struggles, Reay presents a story filled with conflict, discovery, growth, and resolution. This is a tale of real life, a tale with tension and pain, but also a tale of hope. In this book, Reay has given me a good, solid read that I am happy to recommend.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

My Review: Of course this cover immediately drew me in immediately so I was excited to read this one. For some reason I thought it would be a light read, but it ended up being much deeper than expected. This is definitely a book that needs to be savored slowly, with a lot of pondering. It leaves me wishing I had knew Maddie to have been so insightful of the people around her. I loved watching the characters change and grow throughout this book, they each had road blocks to stumble over and hands reaching out to help them but it was up to them to take that hand, which I really appreciated. This would be a great book to read on a vacation when you can take the time for all the wisdom throughout the book and how it could apply to your own life.

My Rating: It took me quite a while to read this one, longer than I expected and at first I didn't think it was going to suit my reading mood currently but the more I got into the story the more I appreciated it. I give it a rating of Three Paws.

I loved this books and pre-ordered it for a birthday gift for a relative who I know will love it as much as me! Right away I was drawn into the character's story and wanted to explore the Bookshop with them. Katherine Reay does and excellent job of weaving all the character's stories into one without confusion. I loved all the other literary references and even want to read some of the books mentioned in the story. If you love books about books, friendships that run deep and little faith thrown in, you MUST read this book. I am now reading all of Katherine Reay's other books and I'm sure they will not disappoint!

What a great and enjoyable read, one that keeps you wondering to the end. A judgement as a child, and then carrying those choices into adulthood, and then affecting your relationships with family.
The death of a beloved member of this small Illinois town, and those that loved and cherished her, are the heart of this story. While the book does revolve around a book store, Maddie even though she is no longer here, is there for those she loved, and the chosen books for them to read, she is leading.
All the while I was wondering what was going to happen to these women when the store closed, amazing things go on and most you won’t see coming.
A story that will make you laugh and cry and search for answers, a book of life and love.

I received this book through Celebrate Lit, and was not required to give a positive review.

This was a very enjoyable story. I loved the way it took place in a bookstore. The characters were so real. I laughed and cried with each character. This book showed how we all need to communicate with each other better. I was glad with the way the story progressed. I received a copy of this book from Celebratelit for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

The Printed Letter Bookshop proved to be just the book for a lazy weekend. Katherine Reay took a good strong premise and kept it's promise. The story itself was strong, the characters well developed. I appreciated the beautiful detail that went into setting the scene - visualizing was easy during this read. My only struggle came with the point of view changes that happened chapter by chapter. The story is related by three character voices 2 first person and 1 third person), and I found that to be a little disconcerting. The pacing was slow and easy. I would read more from Katherine Reay.

LOVE, FRIENDSHIP & FAMILY!

Katherine Reay has provided readers another outstanding novel with THE PRINTED LETTER BOOKSHOP! It is exploding with the themes of love, friendship and family. Many people will be drawn to this novel because it’s main setting is a small, independent Bookshop. Lots of love and living went into the establishment by its original owners and continues through the ladies who subsequently joined in to help. A surprised heir is given the Bookshop and suddenly the lives of three generations of women are tested - What do they expect from each other? What do they really want out of life? And the biggest question of all - Who am I at this stage of my life? They are able to find the answers to these questions and so many more by working together and following the instructions left them in individualized letters and by following their attached Reading Lists. I was provided an ARC of this book by Thomas Nelson Publishers and NetGalley. The opinions expressed here are completely my own and without influence.

The Printed Letter Bookshop by Katherine Reay takes readers to Eagle Valley, Illinois. Madeline Cullen is a lawyer in Chicago on the track for partnership when her Aunt Maddie passes away and she inherits her home and beloved bookshop, The Printed Letter. Madeline remembers spending three wonderful weeks with her Aunt Maddie and Uncle Pete nineteen years ago when they opened the bookshop. Aunt Maddie made The Printed Letter a haven for children and adults. She had a way of picking out the right book for each person. While she was ill, the shop suffered and has been losing money for the last two years. Madeline needs to get the shop profitable and then she wants to sell it in the spring. Janet Harrison is a bitter woman who turns people away with her attitude. But she has an amazing talent at creating unique displays for the shop. Janet finds The Printed Letter to be a sanctuary where she can hide from her troubles. Claire Durand feels unneeded at home with her husband busy working and her teen children on the go. She finds her niche at The Printed Letter and a good friend in Maddie. Neither Janet nor Claire want the bookshop to be sold. When things do not work out as planned for Madeline at work, she finds her life on a new track. She begins to see what draws people to The Printed Letter. Madeline also meets Chris McCullough who is struggling with his career path as well. Madeline finds herself drawn to Eagle Valley, Claire, Janet, The Printed Letter and especially Chris. With the three women’s combined talents, The Printed Letter can be brought back to life. But are their efforts too little and too late? Join Madeline, Claire and Janet on their journey in The Printed Letter Bookshop.

The Printed Letter Bookshop is told from Claire, Janet and Madeline’s point-of-views. Each woman is struggling and a letter from Maddie along with a book list acts as a guide. As the story progresses, we find out what has happened to each woman, how Maddie entered their lives and how the bookshop made a difference. The story is nicely written with mild pacing. I was not immediately drawn into the story. It became more interesting the further I progressed into The Printed Letter Bookshop. The at first unlikeable characters began to grow on me, and I like seeming them come together. The ending is smile worthy. The descriptions of Janet’s window displays and artwork were enchanting (I wish this was my local bookstore). I enjoyed the numerous book references (bibliophiles will be thrilled) and quotes. Aunt Maddie’s description of The Secret Garden was delightful. There are two quotes I want to share with you. The first is “. . . you could lose yourself in a book and, paradoxically, find yourself as well” (very true). The second one made me laugh out loud “my hot flashes last longer than that service”. The Printed Letter Bookshop is for those readers who love all types of books, Hallmark movies and happy endings.

Bookstores always hold a special place in my heart. It solidified my love of reading. I grew up going to bookstores and walking down each aisle to find that perfect book. When I heard that this book was all about a bookstore, I was so excited!
I worked at small bookstore and so I completely relate and understand the struggles of maintaining and keeping the store from closing. I also can relate to the joy and fun of sharing books with others.

I found this book to be well written and deep. It is written in the perspective of three women who are connected to the Printed Letter Bookshop.
Claire and Janet both work there and Madeline inherited the store from her aunt. Each one has their own problems to deal with. I like how they each become better friends and learn from each other. They have to learn to trust each other and the Lord.
I thought each character was well written. It’s hard to know which one I liked best.
The only part of the book I didn’t like as well was the different perspectives of each character. It switches tenses and point of view for each character. It took me a little bit to get in the rhythm of the story but then I noticed it less because I was caught up the lives of Madeline, Claire and Janet. When you no longer think about how the book is written and you think more about the story, that is a sign of a well written book.
I think that there is a lot good truth and life lessons in this book that the reader can learn along with the characters.

I recommend this book to my family and friends.

I received this book to read and give my honest opinion. All thoughts are my own

The Printed Letter Bookshop is a touching tale of life, loss, laughter, and love. Of friendship. Of letting go and new beginnings. Of finding yourself and discovering who you are and what makes you happy. Of chasing that happiness. Of forgiveness.  Learning to forgive oneself and seeking it from others.

My heart is so full after reading this book. It was my first Katherine Reay book but it won't be my last. I laughed, I cried, and I fell in love with Madeline, Janet, and Claire as they shed society's expectations and started following their own. As they healed their broken hearts and souls. And as they learned to trust again.

Seriously. How does Katherine Reay write such perfection every time?! Once again, this particular story and these particular characters gripped my heart from page one and refused to let me have it back until I came to the final pages. Every character, every interaction, every heartache, every uncertainty, every joy, I was right there with them for everything. And my poor heart lost pieces of itself while finding pieces of itself all at the same time! Like I said, Ms. Reay just has a gift of writing characters and their respective journeys that resonate with me.

The three women at the center of this story are far from perfect. That's what makes them so unforgettable. They are real people with real heartache and pain. They are grieving, having just lost an amazing woman who was important to each of them for differing reasons. As Madeleine, Janet, and Clair slowly begin moving forward from that point of loss and grief, they stumble through figuring out how to do life on this side of things. It's hard, it's messy, and they all make a lot of mistakes. But it's not perfection I was looking for when I began this story, it was the journey they took. Watching these women, and the people in the lives, as they circle and spin in myriads of doubt and confusion, yet somehow, little by little, as they begin to see the light and the hope that's been waiting for them to discover it...it's beautiful. Yes, it is messy, but it's beautiful. And it completely connected with me!

Like I said, Ms. Reay always seems to have a knack of understanding parts of my heart and then writing characters around that, but so much of the lostness inside each of these ladies felt just like mine! For all the chaos, there is a lot of quiet and piece by piece these women begin finding parts of themselves they'd forgotten all about.

Being the lover of stories that I am (and a HUGE fan of Ms. Reay's! :), I knew I'd enjoy this story before I even began it. But I underestimated Ms. Reay's ability to speak such truths in such gentle and heart-tugging ways. From the bookshop that I wish actually existed so I could go visit and maybe stay forever, to the characters who became my friends, to the sweet bits of romance that entwines its way through the story, to the loveliness that filters through every word and sentence in every chapter, this little book is full of delight and charm. I fell in love and refuse to go back to life without this heart-satisfying story in it!

I could, doubtless, gush on for paragraphs more, but I will leave you with this. Go read it. As soon as you are able you download it or drive to a bookshop of your own and buy it and bring it home. Or go to your local library and borrow it! Because you need this story in your life, friends. Trust me. You'll thank me later. :)

**I received a copy from Netgalley and Thomas Nelson. All opinions are my own.

3.5 stars
As with all of the Reay books I've read, I love how the author gets to the heart of her characters, digging down deep to find their strengths and weaknesses and then working out the problems on the page. The fact that the book is set in a bookshop (not bookstore!) and references a good deal of books--that's just the icing on the cake. It provides a richness to the story that readers will truly love. I connected in some way with all of the characters and their struggles to figure out where they fit into their lives and what their futures held.

A couple of things that were a bit clunky for me--this tale is told from the points of view of the three main characters in alternating sections. Two of their POVs are in first person and one is in third. This was strange and kept confusing me to the point where I'd have to turn back to see who the focus was and whose POV I was reading. Second, I never like waiting for a "big reveal" of something that really doesn't make sense to hide. Meaning that everyone in the story knew what happened in Janet's life, but the readers aren't made privy to that information until 60% into the story, and by that point I (and probably most) readers will have already figured out what it was.

Despite these issues, The Printed Letter Bookshop is a delightful, introspective read with a few eye-opening moments that make the tale more interesting and fascinating to read.

This was such an endearing book. I loved all three of the main characters and could relate to the problems that each of them faced. I also adored the bookshop setting and found myself wishing that it was a real place I could visit. The story itself might be a touch predictable but it was a bit like watching a hallmark movie. You know where its going but you still get all warm and fuzzy. This was my first book by Reay but it certainly won’t be my last!

The Printed Letter Bookshop is a small, neighbourhood, independent bookshop I wish was in my town. It is in a suburb of Chicago, and it is the place the residents often go to meet up. it’s full of wonderful books based on the patrons interests as well as best sellers. The best thing, of course, is the employees. They can pick the perfect book based on your responses to their questions or on the familiarity of their customers. This is a place you go to find a book and sometimes to find yourself.This is the story of three woman, with their own flaws, torments and hopes. Janet was prickly, angry and hard, but underneath she was sad and hurt. Claire's story is a familiar one, that many women will recognize and Madeline was lost, and not sure where she fit in or belonged. There was a fourth woman, Maddie, but it was her spirit, her love and her legacy that tie these three together. I loved the setting of the Bookshop, not Bookstore, that allowed not only the reader to relate to these wonderful characters, but the characters themselves grew and learned about each other.The Printed Letter Bookshop is a charming, enjoyable story. The characters are complex, yet realistic. This is a story about second chances and starting over. It is about building relationships and finding out what is really important to you. The author penned a wonderful story that I really enjoyed and I will be looking for more books by Katherine Reay.

Madeline is shocked to find out that her Aunt Maddie has left her the bookshop she cherished after she passed. Madeline doesn’t know anything about running a book shop and decides to sell it, that is until she visits the shop and meets the two women who work there. Janet, who is recently divorced and is finding her way loves working at the book shop. Claire who is a mother and wife and is looking for her purpose in life is the other employee. Soon together, these three women work together to find a way to keep the shop open.

What I loved about this book is how the author Katherine Reay tells the story from the perspective of all three women throughout the book. We gain insight into their personal lives which brings us so much closer to the characters. I love how Madeline, Janet and Claire grow closer in friendship during the book. It was a fabulous read and I look forward to reading another book by this author. Thank you to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley and for an advanced copy of the book to review.

This was my first book read by this author. While it was enjoyable, I felt that a lot of it dragged, so that I spent a large chunk of time skimming through the pages.

Reay has major skills as a writer: the words flowed, the descriptions were precise, and the characters were distinct and I related to each one of them. The way the women came together, to learn and grow individually and as a group. It just ... took a much longer time than I was expecting.

One thing I'll say regarding Janet's situation is that it was handled much more satisfactorily than another recent read. The apology was the key. Knowing that Janet was truly sorry, and the way she showed the other person was quite moving.

I read a lot of contemporary romance and the pace is normally much faster than here. That's not to say that it would drag for others, especially fans of authors like Debbie Macomber. Sometimes you want something that reads like an Austen, but in a modern setting. If so, then this is the author for you.

I would happily read more of this author's work, as long as I ensure I'm in the right frame of mind to begin.

This book started out as a slow burn but turned out beautifully. I almost gave up in the first 100 pages or so, but then things started to pick up and I couldn't put down. This story has a bit of everything: ambition, forgiveness, death, love, new beginnings, mistakes, and most of all books. I love how books and a small-town bookstore bring these three women together. They are each broken in their own lives in some way and the undertones of Christianity help each of them heal. Overall, a beautiful story.

Thank you Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for the eARC!

What a lovely book! I liked that each of the three main characters told their own story, so that their three different points of view were represented. There was some well done romance in the novel, but I liked that the friendships were emphasized. And the little bookshop was almost like another character in the story. Very enjoyable read!