Loveday Cardew has the perfect job for herself. She's not a big fan of people or large social settings so working at a used bookshop is just the right fit. Loveday has been on her own for a while, being in the foster system most of her life. So when books from her childhood start showing up at the bookshop, she's not sure who she can trust. Who knows about her past and who is trying to get her attention? But who could be behind this, Rob, the guy who can't take no for an answer; Nathan, the new man in her life; or Archie, the eccentric bookshop owner?

Thank you to NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this book. 

Loveday has the job, I believe most of us as book lovers would like to have. The opportunity to work surrounded by books all day, every day. Getting to discover new things and get to know old favorites all over again. 

But things start to get weird when books that used to be in her childhood home appear at the bookshop. At first, it seems like a coincidence, but when the books start to get more personal, Loveday starts to question everything in her world. On top of the books, there is also a new man in her life, Nathan. Nathan is very different from any other man that Loveday has been with, although there haven't been that many. He allows her to be herself, while at the same time, trying to gently push her out of her comfort zone. Loveday isn't sure whether or not she is able to put herself out there like that. Along her journey she will discover things about herself that will help her to grow into the strong woman her friends already know her to be.

This love song to books and bibliophiles everywhere is a charming, witty, and beautiful work of contemporary fiction. The story is set in a used bookstore in York, England where the delightfully hard-shelled-yet-endearing Loveday Cardew, with her nose ring and tattoos of first lines from favorite books is employed. She prefers books to most humans (relatable!), and the bookshop serves as her sanctuary from the world. Archie, the eccentric-but-lovable bookshop owner, has only managed to pierce her heavily fortified emotional walls with a friendship that has developed over years, and even he has no idea of the extent of her secrets. 

Loveday happens upon a book of poetry outside the shop lying on the ground. She puts up a “found” notice in the shop, which leads Nathan Avebury – poet, magician, and seer of inner beauty, at least where Loveday is concerned – to enter her life. Shortly thereafter, she begins to receive strange, wonderful packages, filled with meaning for her personally. But can she let love in, after past heartbreak and dark secrets?  This is a great, satisfying read with delightfully unusual characters, who perfectly understand how special books are. This is my first Stephanie Butland novel, and certainly won’t be my last. Many thanks to NetGally for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a joy to read. The writing is easy and comfortable. The characters are believable. There's a homey feel to the whole thing. I docked a star from the rating because there were a couple instances toward the end when the story just didn't feel right. I stopped believing and felt a bit robbed. Despite that, it was a good reading experience.  I will be reading more from this author.

I don't think that I requested this book to review, but it's no biggie. I have a weak spot for books and bookstores, or perhaps I should say a bookshop since the setting of this novel is England.  Therefore I checked a copy out  from the St. Louis Public LIbrary. But it's my love of books made me do it.  And I loved the second sentence on the dust jacket: “If you look carefully, you might glimpse the first lines of the novels [Loveday] loves most tattooed on her skin.”

“What a quirky character this Loveday must be,” I remember thinking. “I’m gonna love this book!”  Ah, but once again, I was wrong, so very wrong.  I’ve tried several times to read what others are referring to as “a gem of a novel,” but honestly, I don’t get it. 

Loveday has been working at the bookshop for ten tears, since she was fifteen and a product of the foster-care system. She loves books all as much as I do, and like me, prefers books over people. There is a childhood tragedy that she wants to remain hidden from the few people in her life. When trying to find the owner of a lost book, she meets magician/poet Nathan. He saves her from an awkward encounter with her ex-boyfriend, which, to me, seems to really go against the notion that she prefers books to people.

Unwelcome emotions begin to rear when Loveday’s mother’s old books begin mysteriously showing up in the bookshop, and she is forced to confront her past.

I found “The Lost for Words Bookshop” boring and predictable and that is why it receives 2 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

Beautiful book. I was in tears at the end, because this is so much the story of family--and family is not always the traditional one we are born into, but one that can be cultivated and created. 
I absolutely adored Archie and all he did for and meant to Loveday throughout this story. Loveday's journey is a rough one, but it is so real. What she has to work through is universal, whether we have the exact circumstances she does or not.
The words she puts on her skin are just the icing on the cake with the beautiful prose of this story. If you love words, books, and people who love both, this is definitely the book for you.

Here I am again, in the outlier club. Did I read the same book as everyone else? Or is it just me? I picked this book up because I'd heard it described as a book for booklovers, and a charming book for fans of Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine.

I didn't find it charming, nor was the comparison to Eleanor Oliphant fair or accurate. What that book had was humor, warmth, a quirky, funny main character I won't soon forget, and charm. In Lost for Words, the character is snarky but in a mean-spirited, annoying way, the pace is slow, and, while there were some heartbreaking circumstances, I was left unmoved. I read 2/3 of the book and skimmed to the end. Honestly, I didn't care what happened to her by then.

Perhaps this would be a better book for fans of contemporary romance with a side of darkness. In my opinion, this plot has been done before, and done better. I recommend reading Eleanor Elephant instead. 

But there are plenty of 4 and 5 star reviews so it's probably just me. 2 stars because I did finish it.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for this free E-ARC in exchange for my honest  review. 

“A bookshop is not magic, but it can slowly heal your heart”. 

The Lost for Words Bookshop is an endearing novel about Loveday Cardew (I adore her name) & her dark past. She works in a bookshop where her love of books provides her refuge and a place of solace to escape heartache. Thankfully this bookshop has also bought her Archie, the store owner who looks after Loveday in almost a father figure way. As this story progresses she encounters a mystery and people along the way that make her face her past and embrace the good in who she was and is. 

I think story is a good palate cleanser for anyone. There are elements of romance, mystery, some abuse but it’s all done in a tasteful manner and subtle. I recommend this book to anyone looking for an easy heartfelt read.

I got the book because the story takes place in a bookshop and I’m a book worm but my goodness the main character Loveday is dreadful. She has ZERO personality and the story is so slow. Certain parts overly explained things that didn’t even pertain to the story. The main highlight of the story is the store owner, Archie. Archie has a booming personality and he gave me depth. This is my first time reading this author and I love discovering “new to me” authors but sometimes it doesn’t always work out the way I plan. I did stop reading at 23% and I know there is a will not leave feedback section but I feel I should leave feedback as to WHY I stopped reading.

I really enjoyed the story of Loveday Cardew.  The characters in this book will stay with me for a long time, particularly the patience of Nathan, th protective nature of Archie, and the transformation of Loveday.

I enjoyed this story about a quirky young lady named Loveday Cardew, with nose ring and first sentences of novels tattooed on her body, who has worked in a bookshop in York since she was fifteen years old. This book will appeal to all book lovers! From the setting in the delightful second hand book shop... to the book quotes tattooed on Loveday.I'm going to think about this story for a long time!

This book drew me in and, once I was hooked, I tried to savour it. I didn't want it to end and kept reading other books in between. I knew deep down that I would love this novel and would never be able to read it for the first time again. 

It's a novel about finding yourself, becoming comfortable in your skin, comfortable enough to open up to others. Finding your roots. 

I don't want to give anything away. Just let me say, if you like a winding story that lets you in on the protagonist's secrets one chapter at a time, then this is the perfect story for you.

Loveday, a tattooed young woman who would rather be alone with a good book than surrounded by friends works at a used bookshop, Lost for Words. She's surrounded by a cast of unusual character... Archie, the store's eccrentric owner, Rob, a treacherous bad-boy ex., and Nathan, a handsome and bookish poet.

This book's chapters that flip from past to present and are organized by genres... Poetry, Crime, Travel, History, and Memoir, each corresponding to the character that's the best fit. This is a must read for any book lover!

As a lifelong reader, a sporadic bookseller and the writer of this blog for almost ten years, I've clearly narrowed down the genres I like to read the most. And when I say narrowed down, I mean it -- I've found that I'm drawn to mysteries that take place in old Gothic mansions and novels about bookshops. I was excited to pick up Stephanie Butland's The Lost for Words Bookshop because I thought it was going to be a simple, cozy book about a bookshop. But it was my mistake -- it's about so much more than that.

As the book begins, we are introduced to Loveday Cardew. She loves working in Archie's secondhand bookshop, but she also loves nothing more than to be alone with her books. In fact, she adores books so much that she has the first line of many of them tattooed on her body. However, as the pages progress and we go back and forth through time periods, the reader comes to realize that Loveday has a past that is seriously affecting how she handles herself and her relationships. It is at this point that The Lost for Words Bookshop becomes so much more than a book about a bookshop. And all of Loveday's tattoos get a deeper meaning to them.

In Loveday, Butland has developed a character that is easy to root for. As readers, we ache for her and understand why she acts the way she does, but want to shake her when she pushes away the people who love her and want to help her. Warmth, coziness, tragedy, and humor -- The Lost for Words Bookshop has it all.

MY RATING - 4

What a surprise this book was! I expected a light, Brit humor, romancey story. But it had some of that in the sotry it was not at all defined by any of those descriptions.

Loveday is a young woman working in York in a used book store. She is quiet, keeps to herself, slightly cynical. Her boss, Archie is a character, has done everything, been everywhere & knows everyone.

The book is broken into sections- Poetry, History & Crime & within each of these sections we learn about Loveday-her childhood, her family, her relationships now & moving forward.

I am a sucker for a book that has anything to do with a book store so of course, books, verses, poetry, opening lines of books, all played a part in this story.

It is a delightful story with some deep issues, & we find out about Loveday ( love this name!!) as she finds out about herself.....

Highly recommend this!!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2365911169

We follow Loveday Cardew, a mid-20s woman with a troubled past, a bleak future and little self-worth. She is surrounded by some interesting characters like Archie, the owner of the used book store she works at and always has a story to tell; the somewhat incessant Melodie; the magician Nathan and the crazed Rob. All of these people influence Loveday's perception of her own life, what she thinks her life should be and how she thinks people perceive her. 

Loveday learns and grows a lot throughout the story but all of the characters have an important part. I really enjoyed how we learned her backstory and her history while also learning what she is currently like to get a full picture of all of her thoughts, influences and circumstances. She is a very troubled and flawed character but also incredibly relate-able. 

I cried, I laughed, I felt for her and I loved the story. It flowed so well and there were a few moments when I just got so sucked into the story that I didn't want to stop reading the book. It was a wonderful journey and we learned about love, loss, grief, forgiveness and ultimately, friendship.

An interesting book about a lost soul who works in a bookshop. As the story progresses we learn more about the demons she must battle within herself to let others into her life. There are some wonderful side characters that help her, especially with an old boyfriend and her past life.

Thank you St Martins Press and Netgalley for an ARc of this book.

I really enjoyed spending a few days in the company of Loveday and her often tortured life.  If you loved ‘Eleanor Oliphant is Completly Fine’ pick up this book, I am sure, you too will enjoy hanging out at the  Lost for Words bookshop and meeting those nearest and dearest to Loveday.

As a book lover, I am a sucker for novels that give books a staring role.  

Loveday is a troubled soul. Her job at a bookshop is perfect as it allows her to 'hide' from the world. Yet, somehow the world comes to find her.

This book blends suspense along with plenty of relationship hurdles (both romantic and familial) along with the need to release the past through forgiveness.

Wonderful read.

What a wonderful book! I fell in love with the bookshop...I would love to work in this type of book store!

The history behind the life of the main character, Loveday, is one you will unravel slowly as you find yourself turning the pages one after another. The story will smoothly move back and forth from past to present as you discover why Loveday is the way she is...how her personality has been formed, what has led her to the bookshop, how she responds to people she meets. Archie, the bookshop owner, is a hoot! He was such a larger than life individual and you find yourself wanting to know more about his past and the tales he claims are true.

This is definitely a 6-tissue read! I literally sat in a restaurant and sobbed during part of the book. I didn't even care what anyone thought, because I was drawn into Loveday's story and ached for her as she faced her fears and insecurities and learned how to trust in herself and her abilities,

What a delightful and emotional read! I am grateful to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was such a charming, heartwarming tale. I could definitely relate to the protagonist’s love for books over people. Loveday was such a relatable character. I absolutely adored the relationship between her and the owner of the bookstore especially. 

If you are a bookworm with an affinity for quirky characters and a cozy setting, then please read this. 

3.75 ⭐️

Thank you Net Galley for the e-book to review.