An enjoyable read set in San Francisco and Sonoma county. Natalie is recovering from the sudden loss of her mother, trying to keep her mother's book shop going and taking care of her Grandfather who is in the early stages of dementia. A well developed cast of characters help Natalie through the tough times and bring a little mystery and romance to the story.

Natalie Harper inherits her mom’s floundering San Francisco bookstore and leaves her job in Sonoma to take charge of it and her ailing grandfather as well. She soon learns that she must find herself before she can help others.

A good story of love, loss, hope and dreams with a large dose of “it’s ok to be yourself.”

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3219471462

Reviewed on goodreads, link sent.

Will be recommending this for both of my book clubs. It was a delight to read, sometimes predictable but in a good way. Wiggs has become a favorite comfort in the reading part of my life.

I have reviewed this book for New York Journal of Books where it will be posted the evening before the publication date.


"The Lost and Found Bookshop" by Susan Wiggs
William Morrow
July 7, 2020
10-006291409X
Women's Contemporary Fiction

Natalie Harper hates her job at Pinnacle Fine Wines in Sonoma County, California, but the pay and benefits are worth it. Raised by her single mom, Blythe, and her grandfather, Andrew Harper, whom she lovingly calls "Grandy," Natalie is being feted at the winery with a promotion. Panicky and hating attention, she eagerly awaits Blythe's appearance, knowing Blythe will ease her nerves. Her current beau, Rick, a pilot, can't get away, which puts a bit of a damper on the day, but in retrospect, Natalie believes their relationship is about over.

After a speech and a toast, Natalie receives an email stating the mega-million deal she managed for the company has hit a snag. In a panic, she rescues the situation but drenched in nervous sweat and red wine someone had spilled on her, she goes to the ladies' room to regroup. While in a stall, her two employees enter and start criticizing her. Somewhat ill, she exits the restroom after they leave, hoping her presence was unknown. Is she as bad as they let on? How could they despise her so much?

Thoughts erupt about her failing relationship with Rick and the job she's grown to hate, making her wonder what she should do about her life. After the event, she visits her friend, Tess to take her mind off things while mentioning Rick as well as her sadness about her mom's absence.

Driving home, the radio announces a plane crash. Realizing it is one from Rick's company, she heads to the airport where she gets the news it was Rick who went down. Learning he had a woman with him she is devastated to find out both occupants perished. The unthinkable comes to light when she hears Blythe was with Rick for, they both were hoping to surprise her at her commemoration.

How can she exist without her mother? She's distraught about Rick but losing her mom is devastating. She must head to San Francisco to the Sunrose Building, their home and store, The Lost and Found Bookshop to attend to business and alert her elderly grandfather recently diagnosed with dementia.

Moving into the apartment above the shop Natalie realizes how good it feels to be back in the city and the old historical building housing the bookstore and her childhood home. Sitting on the front stoop, a workman approaches, believing she is homeless. Introducing himself as "Peach" Gallagher, he says he was hired by Blythe to do some repairs. When Natalie informs him of her identity and Blythe's death, his pity turns to the desire to help her.

Feeling Blythe's presence everywhere, Natalie’s grief turns to irritation after checking the books and seeing they are deeply in debt. Nearing foreclosure, the store may have to be sold, though this has been Grandy's home his whole life, as well as her mother's and hers. Grandy soon will need constant care, so she may have no choice.

A scene from Grandy's doctor's appointment:

"Andrew glanced over at Blythe. Her exceedingly pretty face was puckered with worry. 'I hate being a bother,' he said.

"'Grandy, you're not a bother. You're the best person I know and always have been.'

"He was not a bother, and she was not Blythe.

"He felt a sharp pang of sadness because his daughter was gone. His granddaughter had come to manage things, and she had discovered that the shop was in trouble. Crushing debt and back taxes. She believed the only way to survive was to sell the shop and move away forever. What Natalie didn't understand, what he hadn't been able to make her see, was that they couldn't sell the shop—at least, not until they found the lost treasure."

Grandy will not consider selling for he believes a mysterious treasure is secreted somewhere on the premises from long-lost relatives:

"It was a family joke that Grandy's father, the old Julius Harper, believed there was treasure in the Sunrose Building. According to Grandy, Julius's mother had hidden something, and then she died in the 1906 earthquake and Julius went to an orphanage, and the treasure was lost forever. Grandy had grown up hearing stories about it, but they were just that—stories."

Natalie speculates Grandy's dementia has him believing this, forcing him to hang on to his cherished abode. She learns he, not Blythe, is the deed holder, and she cannot sell without his consent, so now she must find a way to bring in revenue and keep the bank and vendors at bay in addition to making repairs.

The historic building offers the description as this:

"The upper apartment featured graceful old-world details. There is an unusual high peaked ceiling under the front gable, a sport where Natalie used to lie on the antique chaise, watching the sunrise over the part. The old arched windows, hardwood floors, Gothic flourished, and marble fireplace harkened back to the building's origins—a saloon downstairs, and a rather high-end brothel up, with a big old-fashioned bathroom at the end."

Peach tells Natalie his daughter Dorothy loves the shop, and one afternoon she pops in excited to buy some books. Natalie, taken with the precocious and lively child, knows she is what she needs to chase away her gloom.

Peach, not only handsome, but compassionate, wants to help Natalie. Enchanted by his presence and by the caring way he treats Dorothy and Grandy has Natalie caring for him even more. Peach befriends Grandy imparting his real name is "Pete," but he got the nickname in the Marines when his troop learned he grew up in Georgia, and the name has stuck. Though Natalie is attracted, being Dorothy’s dad means he's married, and she is not a homewrecker.

Anxiety and tensions mount with the strain of mounting finances until Natalie learns Dorothy has written to her favorite author pleading with him to do a book signing. Pleasantly surprised, Natalie understands this busy man is hard to pin down, but he eagerly agrees, and his appearance is a big success. In addition, he seems smitten with Natalie, and he takes her on exciting dates. Natalie concludes he is out of her league, as he is rich and famous, and though she can't help it, her heart is tied to Peach.

The many characters in this novel are well-fleshed out and lovely descriptions enhance the prose. "Peach trolled the block, looking for a place to park near the bookstore. It was raining. The wet, slick, chilly kind of rain that slapped like an insult—and the nearest spot was half a block away. The walk through the pissing weather made him wonder why he had bothered with a morning shower."

And:

"Then she stood in front of the closet and regarded the empty space. There was one long, deep shelf up high, and a closet rod that sagged in the middle like a sow's belly, hangers swinging like bird bones."

Susan Wiggs, the author of several novels, continues to enchant her readers with mystery, romance, and undeniably good writing. Experiencing emotional angst while rooting for the protagonist through her many troubles, the reader will find the much welcome conclusion is heartfelt and sincere.

This was a really good book, but make sure you pack the tissues (and you'll need them almost immediately.)

Natalie Harper inherits her late mother's failing bookshop and the care of her grandfather, suffering from dementia. With the bookshop (and her family home) falling down around them, will she be able to convince her grandfather to sell or lose everything?

Owning a bookstore, in theory, sounds wonderful -- an excuse to read all the time, hundreds of books at your fingertips -- but the author did a great job giving the balanced view to this fairy tale.

My favorite part of this story was probably Natalie's grandfather Andrew and the relationship between the two. I thought the two of them together had a very sweet and positive way of viewing the world and their experiences, even when awful things happened to them. Honestly, I thought it was the most interesting piece of this story.

And I liked most of Natalie's developing love story, although I really thought some of the conclusion to that part was a bit too convenient and easy, even for this genre. I also was hoping the Trevor Dashwood reveal would be very different from what was actually revealed, which was disappointing, but only because I had built up a whole different storyline in my mind.

I really appreciated the epilogue, as well. I was invested in Natalie and her grandfather.and the other more minor characters so it was really nice to get some closure as to what happens after the story ended.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the arc of this book. It did not influence my opinion.

This book had a little bit of everything! It was a nice enjoyable read and I loved the characters, the relationships, the storyline, and everything else about it!

The Lost and Found Bookshop is the latest by Susan Wiggs. I am grateful to have read an ARC - I absolutely loved it. The book was thoroughly engrossing and so much more than the title would lead you to believe. Natalie Harper is working in a steady but unfulfilling job in Napa Valley. When her mother and boyfriend die suddenly Natalie is forced to move back to San Francisco to the Lost and Found Bookshop where she was born and raised. Her mother ran the bookstore with her father, Natalie's grandfather, Andrew and they all lived in the apartments upstairs. Andrew's health is failing - he had dementia and it is getting progressively worse. Amidst grieving for her mother and trying to care for her father, Natalie is horrified to learn that the Bookstore is deeply in debt. Fortunately handy man Peach (Peter) Gallagher and his precocious daughter turn up to make much needed repairs in the store and in Natalie's life. As she tries to bring the bookstore out of its crippling debt, she finds out more about her mother and the fascinating history of her family and the historic building that houses the bookstore and their home.

There is so much going on in this book! Each chapter unveiled a new mystery around the store and its previous inhabitants. Natalie has to learn to handle her grief and guilt and come to terms with her life choices as well as make some new ones. The other characters are so well developed that you could easily picture their lives outside of the story. This would be an excellent book for book clubs - lots of food for discussion! I can't imagine anyone not enjoying this book. There's something for everyone and its suitable for young adults as well.

The Lost and Found Bookshop is a beautifully written story set in a bookshop. The theme, cover and setting reeled me right in plus Susan Wiggs has yet to disappoint me. This story touches on love, loss, relationships, second chances and "what ifs."
I really enjoyed how thought out each character was, each with their own story to tell. This book gave me all sorts of feels and I really enjoyed it!

I have always loved Susan Wiggs books and this one is no exception.. And a book about a bookstore, well that sealed the deal for me. A struggling bookstore, a daughter who inherits the bookstore after her mother’s death along with her Grandfather who is declining make for a very interesting story. Throw in some romance and there you have it, another winner.

This was a really great story. I loved the characters and how they evolved in the story. The stories behind the hidden and found treasures were my favorite.

When Natalie's mother dies suddenly, Natalie moves back to San Francisco to manage her mother's Lost and Found Bookshop and take care of her failing grandfather. But it appears the bookshop is failing as well, and Natalie is an emotional wreck trying to find a solution that will make building, store and grandfather all well again.
This is my first Susan Wiggs novel, so I cannot compare, but I found it absorbing and enjoyable. Characters were believable (well, Peach was a little too good to be true, but made a dandy romantic interest), and plotting was smooth. The San Francisco historical aspects gave great depth to the story, and the idiosyncrasies of the historical building were a delight. Book lovers will enjoy the

Natalies world is tragically changed in an instant. She heads home and tries to find a way to save her mother’s struggling book store and to take care of her beloved grandfather. A great story about relatable characters dealing with the ups and downs of life.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

Woman overcomes a deep tragedy to find what she’s been missing all along. You can almost smell the books!

A wonderful story that could only be better if it kept on going. Just when things started to turn around for Natalie the story ended & there were a few blurbs in the epilogue. I wanted to have more detail with Natalie’s new life. I wanted to see how excited Dorothy was to have a whole family again. But all good things have to come to an end & I loved it while I was reading. I just didn’t want it to end

Natalie Harper’s mom Blythe and her boyfriend Rick die in a plane crash. They were on their way to surprise Natalie. Blythe owned a bookstore in San Francisco with her father Andrew. Natalie has to deal with a crumbling building and massive debt. Peach Gallagher was hired by her mother before she died for him to fix the building. The story starts out slow (with Natalie in dealing with her grief) but it does get better. If you love books, wonderful independent bookstores, some history and interesting characters you will enjoy reading this book. Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins for the early ARC. This is my own opinion.

Saturday, June 6, 2020
The Lost and Found Bookshop

Natalie Harper is finally getting the promotion and corner office she's always deserved. She keeps a sharp eye on the room looking for her mother in the crowd, hoping that she'll make the effort to drive out to Sonoma from San Francisco and just this once give Natalie her hard-earned due. But mom is a flighty, bohemian book store owner, as scattered and devil-may-care as Natalie is uptight and focused. Still, Natalie's entire world is upended when she learns of her mother's sudden death.

Not only has Natalie inherited responsibility for The Lost and Found Bookshop and the debt her mother has blithely accrued but she's now the sole caretaker of her beloved grandfather Andrew, whose health has been inexplicably

deteriorating for quite some time. Walking away from the security of her high-powered job, Natalie moves into her mother's upstairs apartment, pouring over the ledgers, looking for a miracle that might help her save the business which she begins to realize she's always secretly loved.

Enter general contractor Peach Gallagher whose precocious daughter Dorothy is a fixture in the children's section of the store. Natalie reluctantly hires him, the budget being non-existent, to repair the most glaring problems and no one, except Nat herself, has any trouble figuring out why he seems to be dragging the work out indefinitely. Well-read and personable, Peach is a much more complicated man than might appear on the surface, and his genuine affection for Andrew and burgeoning friendship with Natalie do not go unnoticed.

This is a full-up romance novel, not my usual forte, but this is Susan Wiggs after all, so the dialog is snappy, the pace is quick, and if it's a tad predictable isn't that okay in these terribly unpredictable times? The book is about discovery, discovery of oneself, one's prejudices, and what truly brings us happiness. It's about a mother-daughter relationship reclaimed and there's a nifty secondary plot that examines the joy of doing the right thing even if it's at one's own expense.

"The Lost and Found Bookshop" is a simply delightful story that came along at just the right time for me. I loved it. I wanted to be the woman who came downstairs to the book displays each morning, flipping the switch on the coffee maker, checking on grandad in his little ground floor apartment, unlocking the door to the two devoted staff members and the easy-going Gallagher, primed to spend another day talking books and life with like-minded customers. For a couple of days I was totally immersed in another world and that made all the difference. Don't you just love authors who can do that for you?

I received an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second Susan Wiggs book I've read, and it was exactly the book I needed to read this week. Natalie Harper is dissatisfied with her life. She has a successful career that she secretly hates, a boyfriend that she's not sure about, and she's generally not very happy. When her mother dies, Natalie moves back to San Francisco to decide what to do with her mother's bookstore and tries to help her ailing grandfather, Grandy. The bookstore is falling apart, both literally and financially. Natalie hires Peach, a divorced handyman and father, to help make some repairs at the shop and tries to figure out how to save her remaining family and discover her passions.

This book was so heartwarming and emotional. The characters were eclectic and likeable. I loved Natalie and Peach, but especially loved the chapters that focused on Grandy, who knows that he's struggling with his memory but still cares deeply about his granddaughter. The plot was a little predictable, but this was still a fabulous, mostly light summer story.

I would highly recommend.

As someone at a crossroad, Natalie was very relatable and at times reminded me of decisions I was going to have to make. Life isn’t always easy, but you can have fun along the way—— just like Grandy says. Read the book and you will be captivated.

A nice easy read with a little mystery added in. Natalie has chosen the safe path for her life and now is given a chance to find out who she really is and how she wants to live her life. After a life changing event Natalie moves back home to care for her grandfather and run The Lost and Found Bookshop. I was immediately drawn into the story and hoping Natalie would find her happy ever after.

The Lost and Found Bookshop by Susan Wiggs was a fun and wholesome novel that began quite tragically. Due to a plane crash a daughter’s life is forever changed. Her mom and boyfriend have died and she is now responsible for her grandfather, who is starting to suffer from dementia, and a bookshop that is not doing well financially and is housed in an antique building that needs expensive repairs. The story that unfolds will touch near to your heart. How do you rebuild your life ? Is it better to have a guaranteed income at a job you do not like or no guarantees as a bookshop owner ? Love, loss, family, divorce, commitment, and romance are all themes in this novel. I enjoyed reading it and I think that you will as well. Grab a cup of tea and begin imagining that you are at this enchanting bookshop interacting with these interesting characters. I received this book from HarperCollins Publisher and netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.