The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods

As a reader, I was already hooked by the book title. This book will lead you to a magical world.

The story interwove two storylines, one in the past 1921 with Opaline and another one in the present Martha and Henry. These three characters linked together because of a lost manuscript and this lost bookshop.

In 1921, Opaline reached the marriageable age. Under her brother Lyndon's arrangement, Opaline had to marry a man that she had never met for family financial reason. Opaline refused to spend her rest of a life with the stranger. She rather followed her passion of rare books, so she decided to escape. Luckily, she ended up working in "Shakespeare & Company". However, she then was found by Lyndon again and started to run away again...

In the present timeline, Martha escaped to Dublin from her abusive husband. She ended up as a live in housekeeper for Madame Bowden at 12 Ha’penny Lane. On the other hand, Henry was preparing for his PHD thesis about the lost manuscript. He was looking for the bookshop which was located at 11 Ha’penny Lane. Creepily enough it was just an empty place. Martha spotted him at her baseman window and she thought he was a perv....even he explained he was here to look for the bookshop with the lost manuscript.

The author builds the story from the beginning till the end. The three main characters have sharp and in depth personalities. Also all the three narrators play it out really brilliantly. A romantic, heartbreaking, complicated family relationship work out very well.

Many thanks to Netgalley, HarperCollins UK Audio, One More Chapter and Evie Woods for this marvellous advanced copy.

An enchanting audio presentation of this magical tale from Evie Woods. I kept finding excuses to carry on listening for a while longer. The story is told from separate points of view and through a dual timeline. All of the narrators are engaging and believable in their roles and I felt their performances enhanced the story.
Although some difficult subjects are involved in the lost bookshop they are an integral part of the story and ultimately do not detract from the feel good ethos of the book. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review

I'll be honest and say that the title and book cover alone made me want to read The Lost Bookshop, but then I read the blurb and it sounded perfect! I love Books set over different timelines and with different pov's. The book opens with a little boy entering a bookshop and the owner starting to tell him a story and then we move into the main story which is divided into chapters alternating between the main characters of Martha, Henry and Opaline. Opaline's timeline is from around a century ago and Martha and Henry's are present day. Initially it was Martha’s story that drew me in the most but they all grew in depth and interest and become inextricably interwoven. Martha and Opaline are both incredibly strong and independent yet their narratives are heartbreaking at times and I really like them both as characters, although they can be a little too independent at times! Henry is a bumbling, friendly type and I don't always agree with his actions (or Martha’s), but he grows in strength and integrity. I love Madame Bowden as a side character and the way she fits into the story. I adore the elements of magic realism in the book, they really bring the story to life and make it so compelling. Without giving spoilers the tree, the attic and the tattoo really caught my attention. There is just so much detail in the book and the different timelines and stories are expertly woven together. There was a bit around the middle where I wasn't quite sure about the timescale of events and I got a little confused,  but that was my only niggle. I thought about the characters and the book when I wasn't listening to it, I wanted to listen all the time and I had to stay up late to finish it. There are some serious themes in the book of coercive control and domestic violence; deprivation of liberty; baby loss; mental illness; death and war. There is also friendship; love; magic; recovery; triumph over adversity and of course books! The idea of the lost bookshop was really compelling and I will most definitely buy a physical copy and read it again. The narration was fantastic,  I really enjoyed all the readers and the accents were great. The pacing, intonation and expression were fab. I loved the setting for the book and the references to other places. The Lost Bookshop ticks every box for me - great setting, fabulous characters, dual timelines, multi pov, interwoven stories, magic realism, social history and a little bit of love. And of course books!! I will definitely be looking out for more books by the author and I cannot recommend this highly enough!

I need start this review thanking NetGalley, Harper Collins UK for give me a ARC of this book in exchange of a honest review. This book got different POV, Opaline Carlisle in 1921, Martha winter and Henry field in the present. The whole story is located in Paris, London and Dublin. The whole book is such a delight the characters have a quick and very well elaborated dialogue. The romance in the boo is nice and lovely, the whole story have Two timelines and fairy obvious parallels between the two timelines. I adore the hints of literature the author gift us, like the minor mentions of Joyce or Hemingway. I got a soft spot for historic fiction so this book is like a fantastic option for me one plus note about this book is how easy to engage with this novel was. The only negative for me in the whole book is I felt the end was to quick, to abrupt, I loved the specs of magic realism in the book, it made it perfect for me. Cheer to Evie Woods for create this beautiful book

I loved this book! How could I not when it’s about a lost bookshop. The writing is so descriptive that settings felt real to me and at the same time completely magical. Plus what is not to love about a book set in magical Ireland?

The story is told in two timelines and I usually like one much better than the other, but not with this book. Both female characters were strong and I loved their stories of self-discovery. The elements of heartbreak, joy, romance, magic, and the bookshop itself were perfection. All of the mentions of books made this even more fun.

I loved how the story was wrapped up and how the timelines came together.

4.5/5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollin’s UK Audio for the AudioARC of this book.

I am always interested in books about books or bookshops or libraries.
This one however, could not keep my attention. I cannot exactly say what was so boring to me but I just did not care for the characters and the plot.

This is a very interesting story of a book shop that only appears for those who deserve to see it.
The story follows mainly a few different characters ranging in time periods, all connected to the shop in some way.
I listened to this book over several weeks doing small journeys and I found it very easy to jump back in to the story again, even after several days away, which is thanks to the writing and the characters and their storylines being well thought out.
A really lovely book that is at times funny, sad and atmospheric in it's descriptions.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for a chance to listen to this ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. Absolutely loved this audiobook. It was mesmerizing. The storylines and different characters were so likable and easy to follow along with. There was a slight fantasy theme to the book but also a lot of reality as well. It was the perfect blend. I loved it.
Narrator did a great job as well.

First, I want to thank Netgalley, the publisher and the author for giving me the opportunity to listen to this book before was released.

Honestly, this is one of the best books I listened to/ read this year. The author really wrote a masterpiece and when you believe that the story will get boring, that's when the author is pulling another card and just making everything more interesting.

I would totally recommend this book and I would like to read it again in a while.

The Lost Bookshop is the first novel by Irish author, Evie Woods (who also writes as Evie Gaughan). The audio version is narrated by Avena Mansergh-Wallace, Olivia Mace, and Nick Biadon. In 1921, twenty-one-year-old Opaline Carlisle runs away to Paris to avoid the financially advantageous marriage her older brother Lyndon has arranged. With a love of literature instilled in her by her late father, Alfred, and a keen eye for a literary bargain, she funds her escape with the sale of a rare book, and ends up working at Shakespeare and Company.

Sylvia Beach introduces her to literary ephemera, and sets her on the path to becoming a literary sleuth with a particular interest in a possible second novel by her favourite author, Emily Bronte. Turns out that Lyndon Carlisle is persistent, though, she has to make another quick exit, and she ends up running the late Mr Fitzpatrick’s Nostalgia Shop at 11 Ha’penny Lane, Dublin, adding her books to his eclectic mix. The shop has a curious history and, Opaline begins to realise, a mind of its own.

In the present day, Martha Winter flees to Dublin from her small hometown in Sligo to escape her abusive husband. Soon enough, she’s living in the basement flat of Madame Bowden’s home at 12 Ha’penny Lane, cooking and keeping house. She tries to stay under the radar: no one in Sligo knows where she’s gone, and she’d like to keep it that way.

Londoner Henry Field is in Dublin following up a lead: a letter from rare book collector Abe Rosenbach to Opaline Gray mentions a lost Emily Bronte manuscript, and finding that would make his name in the world of rare books. Henry took a chance when he first arrived, going to the address despite his inebriation, and into the bookshop, but was then perplexed to find himself outside in the dark.

He’s gone back to 11 Ha’penny Lane several times, but there’s just a vacant block. And that’s where Martha spots him, just outside her basement window, no doubt a perv. He says he’s looking for a bookshop, maybe he’s a weirdo too. An attractive one, but still.

Woods delivers her story through three alternating narratives in two timelines, and readers will pick up on parallels between the stories. She drops plenty of clues for the reader to discover in how many ways the stories connect: some are fairly obvious, but there are also some splendid surprises. Minor roles are played by James Joyce, Ernest Hemingway, and one or two other famous literary names, and there’s a cameo by Alice Liddell.

While there are some truly awful ones, many of her characters have depth and appeal. Their dialogue is quick and clever and entertaining, and she gives some of them wise words insightful observations. There’s sweet romance and passion and heartbreak; there are quirky, magical things like a tree that offers books, tattoos that write themselves, and a sewing box with a secret. A truly marvellous read.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Harper Collins UK/One More Chapter.

What a wonderful book! A tale with two lives in two different eras woven together, following similar paths, with a touch of mystical magic sprinkles on top. The characters are strong and the female protagonists (and a couple of the males) easy to love.
A tale of an era where, despite the fight for equality, women could be treated like possessions and the comparison with the present day where women still sometimes have to push for the freedom to exist as an individual.
I absolutely loved this book.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and One More Chapter for approving me for an ARC of this book. I buddy read this with my lovely friend Bex and thoroughly enjoyed our chat as we listened.

🎧 If you are a fan of audiobooks then I strongly suggest you give this one a go. The narration is perfection! Our three main characters are three different narrators, all of which give a fantastic performance and really bring the story to life.

🧔🏻‍♂️Of our three characters I loved Henry the most. His gentle nature and sense of humour often had me giggling away. He was an old soul in a young body, complete with all the gentleman mannerisms. Martha and Opaline were fantastic too but I had a sweet spot for Henry.

📚A book about books will always be a winner for me but the added magical element was refreshing. When you team that with a search for a lost bookshop, you know you are in for a real treat. Fans of the Bronte family history will love this one.

⌛The dual timeline helps keep the pace going throughout. The constant flipping back and forth gave the book more tension and certainly allowed my mind to create many different theories along the way.

This isn’t my normal pick of story but I have to say I really enjoyed the lost bookshop by Evie Woods, the title caught my attention and I wasn’t disappointed, this book has a little of everything, mystery, romance and the supernatural all entwining together to tell the story of Opaline, a independent young lady from the 1920s who when she finds out her brother intends to marry her off to a stranger runs away to make her life of her own. Then there is Martha, she’s also runaway from her home & abusive husband & Henry who is hunting for a lost manuscript for his thesis all these threads are superbly brought together by the excellent narration by Avena Mansergh-Wallace; Olivia Mace; Nick Biadon who really helped bring the story to life. This is the first novel from this author but I will definitely look out for more.

A magical bookshop in the heart of Dublin which only appears when someone is truly worthy of running it.

This book was beautifully written. Told from three perspectives, Opaline, Molly and Henry. Their stories intertwine throughout the book even though Opaline loved nearly 100 years before Molly and Henry.

I would have given this book more stars except for one thing. I absolutely Hated the character of Henry. I tried to keep an open mind each time I came to one of his chapters but I just couldn't enjoy them and that's a big thing considering he narrates a third of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Publishers for this audio of The Lost Bookshop.

The narrators on this audio did an excellent job of bringing this book to life. Their voices each complimented the story and they performed each character so well. The lost Bookshop was perfect! I loved it so much.

Evie Woods is a fantastic writer and she manages to capture your attention from the beginning of the novel with the mystery. I really liked our characters they were created with a realistic dimension to them. This novel was written really well, It not only told the story, but it also pulled you in bringing the story to life. I loved the twists and turns throughout and was pleasantly surprised by some revelations.
The different point a views were an excellent way to dive deeper into the story and I loved Opaline, Martha and Henry.
Madame Bowden was so intriguing, I just loved her character.

I really enjoyed this audio and recommend it to everyone.

A magical book that swept me away with its mysterious allure. I couldn't stop listening to it. The narrator was outstanding and a perfect match for this creative gem. I can't wait to read more from this author!;

I was intrigued by the title and knew little else about the book, I'd recommend not reading any spoilers before diving in! The book is split between two main characters, Opaline in the 1920s who leaves England for Paris to flee from an arranged marriage, and Martha, in present-day Dublin who leaves her abusive husband. As you get further in the book, their stories intersect and I really enjoyed the mystery aspect about the lost manuscript and bookshop. I also loved that Opaline ends up at Shakespeare and Company bookshop in Paris, and Martha at Trinity University in Dublin, I love reading about places that I've been able to visit in real life. I definitely enjoyed the second half a bit more but overall I really enjoyed this book!

A book set around a bookshop? Count me in!

The first thing I have to say about this was that the audiobook narration was brilliantly done. The story is told from 3 perspectives, Martha & Henry heading the  modern story & Opaline, the historical sections, each was voiced by a different narrator & really captured the tone & the characters.

The way the story was revealed through the different views & made for a brilliant reading experience. You felt for each of the characters in turn & as I left each story, I found myself wanting more, but also happy to hear from the next person, so I'd say that was a win.

This is a charming story, magical in its own way, with lots of heart & one that will make you smile.

Wow! Only once before has a new read by a new author shot up into my top 10 all time favourite books... this book makes the second. I loved it! It has everything you could need out of a book.
It had me crying and laughing and outrageously angry and wondering and definitely wanting more. This is just the type of multi genre book that leaves you believing in magic.
My greatest thanks go to the author, publisher and Netgalley, for a temporary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Lovely story with intertwining stories told from different perspectives that connect more and more as the story moves on.