This was such an entertaining book! Perfect for those who believe books add a little magic to their lives! The dialogue was entertaining and the characters were so likable! I initially struggled with keeping straight all the alternating POVs and timelines. But once I got it, the plot twists and cliffhangers between characters and timelines was so good! There were storylines I didn’t see coming and I found myself pleasantly surprised many times throughout the story. Charming and fun, it is a perfect fall read.

It’s rare I read magical realism. To be honest it often feels too bizarre for me to get into the story and enjoy… but this book was the exception. I loved the magical realism, the plot, the dual timeline, the historical period, the love story and the story of resilience. It made me go through all the feelings and I utterly enjoyed everything about this book and would definitely recommend.

The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods is a captivating and enchanting novel that intertwines the lives of three seemingly ordinary individuals with the magical allure of a mysterious bookshop in Dublin. As each character finds themselves drawn into the secrets of the vanishing bookshop, they begin to uncover the extraordinary potential within their own lives. The author blends together elements of mystery and magic. This book is a heartwarming and immersive read, celebrating the profound impact of stories and the connections they forge. Fans of whimsical, literary tales will find themselves enchanted by this delightful novel.

I absolutely loved this book especially because it was written so well! It will keep you reading and stay hopeful for the main character that you’re rooting for. The characters felt so real and the writing is just so magical. I know I keep referring back to how this book is written but it’s just incredible and one of the reasons why I loved the book so much!!

“If you tilt your head,’ he told me once, ‘you can hear the older books whispering their secrets."

This book follows three characters & has two timelines. We follow Martha & Henry in what is to be assumed present-day and we follow Opaline in the past. All three characters have been through a lot of trauma. I would like to warn people about abuse being a consistent theme throughout.

The bookshop itself seems to be the main magic realism element in this book & we only get to explore it a bit. I think the bit that we get was well done but I wanted a lot more.

I did enjoy the literary references throughout. I believe it had just the right amount of references.

This book covers a lot of deep important topics such as women's rights, abuse, mental health, and more. I feel like it does so in a very realistic manner.

Thank you to NetGalley & Harper 360 for the chance to read this in exchange for an honest review.

Here is the revised version of your text:

I cannot resist reading a fabulous book about books that includes heart-wrenching yet empowering women’s fiction. It blends romance with magical realism, taking us on a journey from Paris to London and Ireland with dual timelines and three perspectives—Ophelia, Martha, and Henry. These characters, who have long been supporting figures in other people's lives, finally earn the spotlight in their own stories.

The main theme of the book is: "In a place called lost, strange things are found." If you can solve the meaning of this riddle, you may truly capture the full essence of the entire manuscript.

Let me introduce you to the characters and their timelines:

In 1922: Opaline runs away from her childhood home after her older brother, nicknamed "Reaper" for making the toughest calls to take the lives of his own soldiers, returns from the war and pushes her into a marriage with a man she doesn’t know. Only her father understands her and introduces her to the magical world of books. This becomes her salvation and the beginning of a career as a book dealer after she finds herself in Paris, working at the special bookstore "Shakespeare and Company" as an apprentice. She even finds love at first sight. But when her brother tracks her down, she is forced to disappear again, this time to a mysterious building in Dublin where she establishes her own bookstore. Here, books that relate to her emotions appear just when she needs them.

In the present time: Martha, a domestic abuse victim, runs away from her old life and alcoholic husband to start anew in Dublin, hoping not to be found. She starts working at #12 Ha’Penny as a housekeeper for Madame Bowden, an eccentric ex-actress who considers herself a competitor of Grace Kelly with several marriages and deceased husbands. Martha's path crosses with Henry, a quirky British PhD student who left London after proposing to Isabel, an extrovert who enjoyed influencing Henry's peculiarities. Henry insists there's a hidden bookstore at #11 Ha’Penny, which he claims to have seen but refuses to share this information with Martha, who still has trust issues.

Three ordinary people encounter extraordinary events that change the trajectory of their lives, connected by a touch of magic. This might be the best definition of this story. The traumas faced by both Opaline and Martha are heartbreaking and hard to absorb, but their determination and inner strength are inspiring, giving readers hope that everything is possible as long as you continue to dream and do everything in your power to make them come true.

Overall: This is a well-constructed, bittersweet, magical journey that promises hope beyond the sadness and hardships of life. This is the first time I have read Evie Woods, and it certainly won’t be the last. I look forward to getting lost in the literary universe she has created in her other books.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper 360 for providing me with this remarkable book's digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this! It gave me very The Binding vibes, but with a dash of The Lost Apothecary, both of which I loved. The journey was very realistic, with just a dash of magic and wonder. I was appalled by the treatment of Opaline, but it isn’t all that different than how things actually went down, so I have to give the author credit for realness. The characters were fun and not too dim witted when it came to the obvious feelings between them (I hate the misunderstanding but really in love trope, but this one was done well), and the romance felt very sweet and sincere. I easily read this in two sittings and only because I had to work early the next morning and forced myself to put it down.

My one and only complaint is the amount of magic and surrealism at the end. I didn’t mind it, but it was very out of character for the rest of the book. Most of the book just had a dash of whimsy here and there, but there’s one large chunk near the end. I understand why it was done that way, but it made the ending chapters feel just a bit rushed for me. I still really enjoyed this though! 4.25⭐️

Books have long been a source of inspiration, wonder and solace for so many of us. This book brings that home to three strangers who find themselves in a very extraordinary bookstore. A beautiful and moving story

Women have always lacked the freedom of men, no matter what century the story takes place in. Opaline, who does not wish to marry the man her brother has arranged for her, runs off, becoming a book dealer. After further stalking, she has to flee yet again and change her name, finding refuge in her own bookshop in Dublin. Martha, escaping the abuse of her husband finds work in a mysterious house in Dublin and meets a young man looking for a bookshop that should be right there.

The unfolding of the story and the way that the stories weave together are a compelling read. The characters are flawed and well-developed.

Thank you to Harper 360 and Net Galley for the eARC!

Thanks to NetGalley, the publishing company and or the author for giving me the chance to read and review The Lost Bookshop.

Love everything from the characters to the plot.

2.5 stars.

Hear me out - absolutely LOVE the concept of this story, however the details and the storyline felt jumbled to me majority of the time. The 2 different timelines felt super confusing to keep up with, as so much was happening.

I loved the mix of historical fiction & magical realism. It’s a super special book in that way. It felt like a warm hug , but sadly I give it a 2.5 stars because I did get confused and it felt like there were a lot of plot holes (unless it just went over my head which definitely could be the case).I also was super distracted while reading this. At times I was laser focused and the other times it was not holding my attention. The last 20% of the book was my favorite part of it all!

All in all, I’m still glad I read it and I’m looking forward to reading the second book in this series!