Christian fiction is usually the exact opposite of what I like to read, but this was truly a beautifully written story. . Told through a dual timeline, the plot keeps its secrets until the final pages. With themes about the power of language and the search for salvation (and love), this is a book to savor and share.

This coming of age novel with a split time plot was captivating as you watched both Rachel and Peter deal with the tragedies in their lives. The earlier time period covered when 14 year old Rachel moved in with her grandmother after both her parents ended up in prison under scandalous circumstances.. She meets 17 year old Peter in the graveyard where he is visiting his mother's grave They discover a love of books. Peter's mother has a huge collection of classics, and they begin exchanging books. Rachel pays for each book with a poem she has written when she returns the book.

I loved the role that the books played in Peter and Rachel's relationship as well as how it helped them look at the difficult circumstances in their lives. It was almost as though the books were characters in the story. The secondary characters were as interesting and as realistic as the main characters. I particularly enjoyed the role that Professor Parrot played throughout both the earlier time period and the present. Bartel is a new-to-me author, and she pulled me into the challenges these young people faced and how it affected their decisions and their maturing. And who couldn't love a setting in a bookstore during the present day time period. Every book addict dreams of owning their own bookstore.

This book focuses on how choices can affect lives in both the present and future. Rachel made some destructive choices especially when she could not forgive her parents, but she finally found that forgiveness resulted in peace. Definitely, a thought provoking read.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell Publishing through NetGalley. Opinions are mine alone. I was not compensated for this review.

If you love a good Hallmark movie, you will enjoy this book
Fourteen year old, Robin Windsor, finds herself living with her estranged grandmother in Sussex, Michigan, after her parents are arrested for unthinkable crimes, leaving Robin feeling lost and abandoned. She soon meets Peter Flynt, who recently lost his mother. Peter and Robin develop a unique friendship. Through a shared love of books, they bond, as he gives her his mother's books and she repays him with her poetry. After a series of unfortunate events, including her grandmother's death, Robin feels betrayed by Peter and runs away. After returning to Sussex years later, Robin opens a used bookstore and tries to recreate her life, while still hiding her true self, ashamed of her past. She reconnects with a high school friend who encourages her to stretch out of her comfort zone, and maybe even attempt to have a romance. Robin begins receiving packages in the mail containing Peter's mother's book collection, which she returned after her grandmother's death. She knows that Peter is reaching out to her. Also, Robin begins to uncover the truth about her parents' crimes, which she isn't sure what to do with. As she searches for truth, she reconciles her past with her future. In the end, Robin discovers that the truth is powerful and that there are good people in the world that she can trust.

This book switches back and forth between grown Robin and a youthful Robin, allowing the reader to see and understand her past and how it has created the person she is today.

I have mixed emotions after finishing this book. I feel like the beginning was a series of negative events, with no redemption, or bright places for Robin. She is a tragic character, like she reads about in her books. Peter tries to draw her out, but it lacks a lightness, which didn't inspire me to become enthralled in the book. She kept her guard up through much of the book. The second half was lighter and good things begin to happen to Robin, despite her efforts to hide and be invisible. Even though so many parts of Robin's life are tragic and she suffers many losses, she overcomes, and is able to reconcile many of the hurts caused by her parents. She is able to regain trust in people. I feel like this book, like Robin in her youth, lacked an emotional depth that would have made it better. I liked seeing Robin both in her youth and as an adult, striving to overcome. I like that this book ends with the idea that Robin will have her "happily ever after" allowing her to let go of the heartbreaks of her youth and start again. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves the beauty of a book or who loves a happy ending.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

My Review:

Mmm..let me think. What is one of the biggest regrets I have for this year? NOT ACCEPTING A PAPERBACK COPY OF THIS BEAUTIFUL BOOK!!! *cries* Yes, when I read the book blurb the first time I wasn’t impressed. In my mind, this was going to be a cheesy romantic story of the nerdy girl who loves bookstores, drinks coffee, and something miraculous happens (as entering a cooking competition and winning 10,000 dollars *coughs*) saves her life and in the meantime, she finds her true love. HOW WRONG WAS I! Two companies offered me the paperback copy and I rejected them until I said, you know what? I’ll give it a try just for the sake of reading something outside my usual reads. And thus I accepted but because I was so sure I was going to hate this book I accepted the ebook copy. *cries passionately*. I beg you, please preorder your copy of this beautiful book! I understand why they had to write the book synopsis like that now because otherwise they would reveal and spoil much of the story. What I completely loved about this book is the originality and precious story! they way the story is told is so unique it intercalates with one chapter of the present and one chapter of the past! like wutttt?!? The writing style and plot was so good every single chapter left you on a cliff hanger and if you wanted to know what happened next in the past you had to read a chapter of the present, and if you wanted to know what happened in the present you had to first read a chapter of the past!. I wanted to desperately know what happened next, it thus became a vicious cycle where I’ve been in for the last three days! I LOVED THIS BOOK, have I already mentioned that? I’m not kidding when I say this is one of my fav books of the year. Forget about the cliche contep popular stories, The Words between us will surpass all of your expectations and submerge you in a story filled with mystery, weird and unusual (in a good unique way) characters, 1990’s vibes, and, even tho I’ve never watched Stranger things, I fell this book has a vibe similar to it,, and conspiracies. Think scrunchies, books, spooky weird car trailers, bikes, desolate places, and a friendless girl. OK, im done. *fangirls* readdddd itttttt!

Cleanness: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 (kisses)

Violence: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 (even though there is no graphic violence, there is mentioned some sensitive subjects like death, depression, and the harsh conditions a teenager lived… nothing graphic at all)

Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

Characters ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

Disclosures come by a slow-drip, as the story ever so gradually unfolds – as if the narrator almost begrudges sharing information, she hasn’t quite decided how much she wants us to know. I almost didn’t continue after reading the first few pages, it really didn’t seem ‘my kind of book’ & it was only that I had promised a review that I kept on. It did slowly grow on me, though, engaging my attention more & more – but she sure does keep us guessing. There is the odd memorable phrase, scattered through, but I won’t spoil things by quoting them. In fact there are a number of things I would like to say, but it would spoil it for other readers. (I did not realise until seeing the ‘teaser’ at the end, that I had actually read another of her books - & indeed was impressed by the writing. I think I will be looking for more of her work!) A book to take your time with, certainly not one to be rushed through.

First, the cover of this book is just gorgeous!

This is not a book that you will soar through it is one that you will ponder and think about so, pour yourself your favorite drink and settle in.

For this reader it was like time slip but not really. The story is told by Robin the main character in both the present and past. She's determined to separate herself from her notorious parents since their incarceration. The first sentence, "Most people only die once. But my father is not must people. He is a monster." is enough to make you want to find out what has happened in this young girl's life.

I am really glad I read this book. It is one that I will think about for quite awhile.

Honestly, this book is not the kind of story I usually read. When I first started reading it, I wondered if I’d finish the book. But as I kept reading, I was drawn more and more into this story and became completely invested in following Robin’s story. The author made me feel Robin’s confusion and pain as a teenager over her parents’ horrendous mistakes. I also wanted her as an adult to find peace, even if happiness didn’t seem to be a possibility. The ending to this story had a twist to it that I never would have seen coming, but the timing was perfect.

Even though this was not always easy to read because of Robin’s distress, it was well worth the time it took to finish the book. Even in the darkest of times and to the seemingly darkest of hearts, God still offers redemption and hope. I ended up loving this author’s writing style and I’ll be watching from more books by her.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

I normally don't like romance, but this was awesome. This book dealt with one woman's struggle with her past and family dysfunction, as she struggles to get close to people. She finds solace in her books and the characters, believing that the books and the stories will never fail her. The walls she's built to shut people out is relatable. This was told in a very lyrical fashion and was so sad when it ended.

This is the first book I have read by this author, and it certainly will not be the last. I loved the strong, female main character, Robin, who by the age of 14 has been uprooted from her lavish lifestyle with a father who is a senator and a mother who seems to adore her. When both of her parents are sent to prison, Robin ends up living with her elderly grandmother in an trailer and has to make a new life for herself with new classmates and an entirely different way of life. On the way to adulthood, Robin faces more challenges, but every time, she keeps moving forward.

While the story has many aspects that with some authors may come off as depressing, in this book they are stepping stones in life’s journey for the young female character. I thought the book was well written, and I thoroughly enjoyed the way Erin Bartels wove this story together.

The Words Between Us by Erin Bartels. I love any story set in a book shop. This story revolves around a young woman that owns a bookstore and her attempt at saving it from closing. She has loved books and poetry since she was young and books are a large theme in this book. The book is told in the past and the present about a young woman and a mystery involving her parents in the past. The ending felt unresolved to me and some details of the book seemed too unrealistic. I did enjoy the writing style of the story and all of the references to books. I chose to read this book based on the author because I really enjoyed her previous book. Thank you to Revell and Netgalley for this review copy.

What begins as a high school friendship involving a quarterback and a bookworm, soon becomes so much more. I adored this story and all of its mentions of classic works. It's a slow burn that really makes you dig deep. With emotional scenes and troubled characters, it weaves a beautiful story of friendship, love, forgiveness and family. The split timeline going back and forth between "then" and "now" was easy to follow and really played into the depth of the plot. I simply had to keep reading and couldn't put it down. The Professor, the main characters inherited parrot, was the perfect addition for a bit of humor all the while keeping it realistic.

While the book is labeled as Christian fiction and faith is mentioned, it is only sprinkled in. It leaves you thinking more than anything. The author touches on some very tough situations and I think her approach to faith is very realistic rather than fairytale. I appreciated that in this specific story, as it made it more believable as to how a young girl being alone would find her way.

All in all, The Words Between Us, is a new favorite. I look forward to more works from Erin Bartels.

DISCLOSURE:
I received a copy of this book for review via Revell Company. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Robin Windsor had her youth upended when her father and mother got caught up in political espionage, and she had to go and live with her grandmother, whom she had never met before. She found a refuge in literature, that helped her make it through, inspiring poetry and fueling her friendship with jock Peter Flint.



18 years later her father is scheduled for execution and she has mysteriously begun receiving books from her old high school friend, with no explanation. She's spent her whole life running from her past, is it about to be exposed?



Robin has spent her life, trying to distance herself from her notorious father. She's seen a lot of things in life, but has never been able to to escape the shame of her past. She works in a struggling bookstore, and is beginning to lose hope. Her friend Dawt is a bright spot of encouragement, and well of faith and humor. Robin has a passion for books and words. Her story is told in first person, present-tense, with dual timelines jumping between her childhood and the present day.



This is a meandering book, jumping in and out of the past as pieces from the past and the present day weave themselves together as Robin fights to find hope and forgiveness after long years of being alone with no one to turn to. I loved her parrot, who injects a healthy dose of humor to the read. It was hard to see a clear direction in this book, which added in many ways to the mystery and secrets of the story. A complex family drama, full of secrets. I wish there had been a little more emphasis on the faith aspects of this book. I had a hard time compiling my thoughts on this book, the ending felt like it came too soon. In the end I had very mixed feelings about this book, there were things that it did very well, yet there were other things that I felt could have been more fleshed out.



I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Really enjoyed this book.
Robin runs a book shop in the town she spent some of her childhood. She receives a book through the post that takes her back to the summer she spent with Peter Flynt and now she has to decide if she is going to face her past or run away again.
This is such a beautifully written book about books and the power of words, love and forgiveness, how your past makes you who you are and the beauty of nature.
The cast of quirky characters blend together to support Robin at different times in her life and I was fully invested in her emotional journey.
Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy in return for an honest review

Wow. This book is so well-written. I was captivated from the beginning and didn't put it down until I finished it- the blessing of having half a Saturday free! It was fascinating to see Robin's point of view as a 14 year old and present day adult, her misguided perceptions and the fallout over years from the traumatic events that changed and shaped her life. I appreciated that the alternating then and now format didn't feel like flashbacks, but rather two very connected stories told simultaneously. The details unfold and are revealed throughout the story and feel natural rather than strategic. The relationships in Robin's life are few, but each are valuable and significant. I loved discovering what came next for Robin, her indomitable spirit in the midst of her well-founded fears, and the way she comes to recognize her own growth and experience the sweetness of forgiveness. Highly recommend!!!

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

I was pleasantly surprised how much I got into this book. I have been sorely disappointed in a few recent bookshop setting books, but I really enjoyed The Words Between Us. The characters were diverse and interesting. The books and poems were so much fun! This was much more of a story of Robin’s life, told in a split-time format that was really interesting, rather than a romance. The book was going strong for a 5 star review from me until the ending. I felt it was aburpt, forced and not really in alignment with the rest of the book. The book is still worth reading for the book itself, but the ending really left me feeling lost and disappointed. Those are just my feelings. I don’t want to share spoilers, so I will leave it at that.

The Words Between Us is a story of loss and discovery. Loss of friends, loss of love, loss of family and what happens when we discover it was only ever lost because we were the ones that misplaced it.

This narrative is told in a first person, dual timeline format, beginning in the present. The day her father is to be executed, Robin Windsor carefully avoids the news. She’s never been much of a watcher or listener to the media anyway and today especially the reports can do nothing but stir painful memories for her. Besides, she is determined to finally set the past behind her and forge towards a brighter and better future, and she begins by holding a sale in her beloved (failing) used bookstore. Hopefully, bargains will draw customers in and the charm of her quirky little shop will turn them into regulars who will help her stave off the soon-to-be-inevitable closure.

But while Robin is more than happy to ignore the journalists, they are all too eager to seek her out. Instead of buyers for her books, she finds her little emporium surrounded by news vans and eager correspondents anxious to hear how the daughter of a man held responsible for the deaths of many, many people feels about his impending demise.

She is able to lock the reporters out of the store but unable to do the same with the past. Amongst the bills and advertisements in her mail is a package with a first printing, first edition copy of Catcher in the Rye, a novel which harkens back to the last time she had felt utterly vulnerable. The year her parents were arrested for unspeakable crimes and when her fourteen year old self was sent to live with a grandmother she’d never known in a town she’d never visited. It was there, in a lonely cemetery adjacent to her grandmother’s trailer, that she’d met Peter Flynt, a boy who was mourning the loss of his mother. The books that he used to place on her grave he soon began to share with Robin instead and the two bereft kids found themselves bonding over classic literature.

As the days go by, the newscasters lose interest in her, but the volumes Robin shared with Peter appear with increasing frequency. She can’t help but wonder why he is making contact with her now – and if anything good can ever come from revisiting a past as troubled as hers.

From almost the very start of the story, we know Robin feels Peter betrayed her, but the author is coy with her information. We don’t know why Robin is convinced of this treachery nor exactly what terrible, awful things her parents did that has her labeling them monsters. This information is parcelled out in pieces as we move back and forth in time through the story, watching the burgeoning romance between Robin and Peter in the past and contrasting that with Robin’s modern day fight to save her business, Brick and Mortar Books, from imminent closure.

The novel hinges on Robin’s ability to totally shut people out. While many would question the guilt of beloved parents, Robin accepts completely and almost immediately that the evidence against them is credible and that they deserve never to see or hear from her again. She rejects the loving overtures of her grandmother and any attempts at friendship from the girls in her school. When she believes Peter has been disloyal, she doesn’t give him the opportunity to defend himself, and in spite of his many, many acts of kindness towards her, is able to cut him thoroughly out of her life. It is only slowly, as the story progresses, that we see Robin change with the help of her best (and only) friend Sarah and her employee Dawt Pi Both ladies have to work extra hard to breach the emotional and relational defenses Robin has erected over the years.

Typically, I would find a character as isolated and unforgiving as Robin unlikable, but the author does an excellent job of making her heroine vulnerable and engaging. It was easy to see that young Robin was in shock, likely suffering from PTSD or an attachment disorder as a result of the complete upheaval of her life. She wasn’t so much trying to be detached, judgmental and aloof as she was being careful, making sure to limit how susceptible she would be to further disappointment. It was understandable that she believed Peter had hurt her because her parents had done such a thorough job of it. She bumps along through most of adulthood as a cold and distant person until Sarah and Dawt Pi breach the barriers she has placed around herself. Once she lets them in, she begins to see the past through different eyes.

Which is deeply important to the tale because Robin’s past and present are tangled together like a ball of yarn after a cat’s done playing with it. She longs for family but can’t build a new one until she resolves the issue with the old one. She longs to create a better future for herself but can’t until she can come to terms with all the pieces of her past. She longs for a new love but will never have one till she makes peace with her old love. A lot happens in this book, but all of it is emotionally driven and revolves around Robin and her ability to deal with her storied history. I can’t emphasize enough what a great job Ms. Bartel does of connecting the plot points – the fight to save the bookstore, the truth about what happened with Robin’s parents and the link between Robin and Peter – with the emotional arc of her heroine.

Most books have faults and while this novel’s are minor, they are still worth mentioning. One, which isn’t so much a defect as a point of interest, is that while listed as Christian/Inspirational, this tale does not meet the typical evangelical slant of that definition. God is mentioned, Robin crashes a church service when looking for Dawt Pi and prays to “Dawt Pi’s God” at another and she gives some thought to metaphysical issues, but the predominant tone is of someone seeking spiritual answers, not of a certain belief in salvation through Jesus. Certainly in terms of morality, this tale most likely won’t suit conservative believers. The second issue is that the story has more than a few implausibilities/improbabilities. They are woven into the narrative well enough that I was able to hold on to my suspension of disbelief and just accept things as they came.

There is a love story here, which follows an unusual format. While the book ends with a happy for now, I think there are strong signs that it will be a happily ever after.

The Words Between Us is a women’s fiction/mystery mix which I think will be pleasing to the fans of either genre. It’s a unique, beautifully written tale that packs a nice emotional punch and has just enough of a puzzle to leave you guessing through the very end

I received a copy of this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. (Thanks!) Alternating between "now" and "then," this book follows Robin Windsor (who is using the alias Robin Dickinson), the owner of a struggling bookstore, who is attempting to deal with some issues from her past- mainly her long lost love, Peter, and the criminal history of her parents. As her father's execution date approaches she begins receiving packages of books from Peter and we start to learn about all of their stories.
I liked the writing in this book. There are poems written by Robin for Peter and lots of references to literature. It was a very quick, enjoyable read.

Clean read, while romantic elements, more of a mystery
This one sticks with you. I am still rolling around the words, the situations, the novels, the back and forth between past and present, and the people.
Robin's story, mixed between her past and present, the many elements that made her who she is, and have held her 'captive' in her present, her struggles, her hopes, her heart, this all was so aptly portrayed and her present became something where she could work through her past, and have hope for her future.
She gave so much of herself, all the while struggling to come to terms with her past. Her written words, describing her pain and her heart, her trust and hope and love of Peter, her kindnesses in the future, her wonder her joy, just so gorgeous. So many myriad elements coming together to heal her heart and help her build her heart home with Peter. I loved the book mailings, and her wonder at trying to figure it all out, and wonder what he was hoping for them. I love finding a new author that will make my head work around the words and stories they tell. I can tell this will be a favorite read of mine and will be re-read. My only criticism, is just wanted to see more of Peter in the last little bit of the story. He was so present in her past, and would have wanted just a little more in the present to paint her heart in after the myriad threads pulled together. I loved all the side characters and the settings.

Wow! This is the best book I've read lately. The writing is really good, the characters are believable. Nothing predictable about this story for me. I am quite surprised there wasn't a much higher percentage of five star reviews.
Robin grew up with wealth and the daughter of a senator. Everything came crashing down when her father was arrested and in prison, as well as possibly facing execution. Robin's mother was eventually arrested, also and serving a twenty-four year sentence. Robin is fourteen years old and sent away to live with a grandmother in a ran down trailer house. She invents stories about herself and even changed her last name so no one could connect her to her father and his crimes. Also, living with her grandmother is her talking bird, The Professor, whom I loved!
The first person she met there was a high school boy named Peter. Robin and Peter became good friends, which led to a fun game of him leaving a book in her locker in exchange for a poem in his locker. Robin dearly loves books.
The story goes back and forth to when Robin was younger, to current day. While sometimes this can be a little confusing for the reader, this one was not for me. Very well written.
Current day has Robin owning a book store, and still hiding from who her parents are to everyone. Her mother is soon to be released. Her father has gotten a stay of execution.
The only negatives I would say is there is really no faith in the story, with the exception of Robin going to church one time, and that was only to talk to her employee/friend. Also, the ending wasn't what I'd hoped for, but still a great story.
I was given a free ecopy by the publisher, Revell and Netgalley. I was under no obligation to give a positive review.

"The Words between Us" is general fiction about a hurting girl who hurts other hurting people. Part of the story occurred when she was 14 years old. The "now" part of the story happened when she's 32 years old. It's a depressing story because Robin was depressed and hopeless for 80% of the book. I didn't even find the ending very satisfying, partly because it wrapped up so fast that there were loose ends.

Robin blamed everyone else for messing up her life, but she made a lot of bad choices of her own. Anyway, when 14 years old, Robin began loving an older boy named Peter because he shared his mother's books with her, allowing her to escape her own life for a while. Even though she only knew Peter for 6 months and believes he betrayed her trust, 18 years later she still "loves" him because she shared more of her inner thoughts and feelings with him (in poems) than with anyone else. She doesn't even know the guy anymore, but that doesn't matter. I suppose the ending is supposed to be impulsively romantic and touching, but I thought it was rather foolish.

Throughout the story, Robin uncovered the truth about some things in the past that prompted her to look at her life, forgive some people, and take responsibility for her own actions. A few characters (not Robin or Peter) were Christians who went to church. There was no sex. There were two uses of cr*p but no other bad language.