I'm no stranger to Brackston's witchier novels, so when I saw this contemporary time travel adventure set around a woman with psychometry -- aka the ability to connect or feel impressions from objects -- I was intrigued. Not quite witchy but also a little bit magical.

THE LITTLE SHOP OF FOUND THINGS is a slow build of a mother and daughter starting over in a small town after both have faced hardship, both wanting to move on and begin anew. Xanthe's ability to connect with objects is given extra pull by the interference of a spirit from the 1600s who demands Xanthe's help to save her daughter. That's right. She <b>demands</b> it. She threatens harm if Xanthe doesn't do what she demands. That spirit/ghost lady was a total wench.

Honestly, the idea of the story, Xanthe traveling back and forth in time to solve a mystery, save a girl, etc, was great. But while the historical accuracy, the hardships she had to face trying to pass as a servant in order to pursue justice, and the clock-is-ticking thrilling aspect of it were interesting, the romance was rushed, the daughter whose neck was literally on the line seemed disinclined to help herself, making things unnecessarily frustrating, and yeah, as mentioned, this ghost was completely horrid. There was also a sorta-love interest for Xanthe in the present day who she.. I don't want to say took advantage of, but.. well.. she kinda did.

The slower build of the mystery, the fleshing out of this little town, as Xanthe and Flora settle in to revitalizing the little antique shop, even some of the neighbours and townsfolk, I liked all that. And even the time travel-y bits were interesting. I just think some things were too rushed and as a result I couldn't care for them. And as it seems this is a series.. why not give it a cliffhanger? Why not take the time to flesh it up and pick it up in the next installment?

Depending on the plot surrounding the next one, I may or may not read on. Again, this was interesting, but I did have to push myself to keep reading, and was definitely not sold fast-tracked romance. However, that said, the characters that seem to be an integral part of the modern day setting? They might bring me back again.

I received a copy of this book in advance from the publisher in exchange for a review.

I really enjoyed The Little Shop of Found Things by Paula Brackston. This is the first book of hers I have had the opportunity to read, and it ticked off many things on my "ideal book" list. Antiques, time-slips, ghosts, historical artifacts, artwork, a mysterious child, handsome men, and secrets. There may be spoilers ahead!

The main character, Xanthe, finds herself thrust back in time to save an Elizabethan girl's life. Alice's mother is a ghost that haunts the ancient jail that is on the property of an old antique shop Xanthe and her mother have bought. She insists Xanthe set her daughter free from a crime she did not commit, or else torment Xanthe and her ailing mother Flora. All is well, until Xanthe falls in love with a man in the past. Will she fulfill her promises in time?

It's a quick, escapist read and I would recommend it to fans of Outlander or anyone who enjoys historical mysteries with a light women's fiction flair.

I really enjoyed The Little Shop of Found Things, and I am so happy that there will be more related time travel adventures and romance since this is the first book of a new series. I don't know how I will wait for the second book.

This is a book for you if you enjoy time travel and historical fiction with romantic elements. This also has delightful bits of cozy feeling contemporary British village life, wonderful characters, and a slightly magical feeling. There were, admittedly, some sections that felt a bit slow moving to me, and I would have preferred more of the romance, but I highly anticipate it will continue in the next book. I recommend this book and I am all in for this series!

I received an ARC of this book from St. Martin's Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

I give this book 5 stars. The Little Shop of Found Things by Paula Brackston is spectacular! Paula did an outstanding job painting a vivid picture of the story and characters, it made me feel like I was in the book. The story has delicious morsels of magic, whimsy, history, time travel, and romance; I could not put it down! Can we get the next book in this series soon, please?

The Little Shop of Found Things had me hooked from the beginning. The premise of someone having a "psychic" connection to objects is one that I found irresistible. Details are slow to come, it made me wonder if there was a book prior to this that would have delved into the main characters' back stories. No matter, it's a great book and full of historical details. I enjoyed it thoroughly.

I love a good time traveler story and The Little Shop of Found Things hit the spot! I want more and I need more information! I know it’s #1, so that tells me my prayers will be answered. I love the character of Samuel and am hoping Liam might be a descendant!
My favorite line in this book..”Unknowable. And yet I would know you. Unclaimable, and yet I would with all my heart claim you”
Thank you NetGalley.com and Thomas Dunne Books for this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved all of Brackston' witch books. Im not usually a fan of time travel but, frankly, the cover of this one spoje to me.
After some personal difficulties, Xanthe and her mother, Flora, open an antiques shop in a small town. Xanthe has the ability to "read " antiques and a Victorian chatelaine leads her down an adventurous path.
Xanthe is a well-drawn and likable character. However, the time-travel elements were weakly handled and stretched the bounds of reality just a little too far for me.
Fans of Susanna Kearsley and Diana Gabaldon may appreciate this a bit more than I did, but i found it fell a bit short of Alice Hoffman and Sarah Addison Allen.
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book.
This wash’s sweet little book that would appeal to fans of Outlander and Sara Addison Allen just not my cup of tee

I love the cover of this book. I was excited to read this book. I liked tbe aspect of time travel and how one character travelled time to save another in the 1600's. It was an interesting plot line, but was hard to follow in tbe beginning.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion of it.

What I liked:
The writing style
The characters
Standalone
HEA
Epilogue

I look forward to reading more from this author.

The Little Shop of Found Things ~ Paula Brackston


History has a special place in my life. So it when I come across historical fiction with a supernatural twist, I am hooked. This book kept me hanging one each and ever word. Paula has managed to cast a spell over the reader, thrusting them backwards in time. I was so enthralled with the characters and the story that I finished reading this book within hours of picking it up. I am already waiting with heavy anticipation, for the next installment in this new series.

Xanthe Westlake is a very well written character. She was dealt a bad hand by her ex and took the punishment meant for him. She and her mother have moved to a rural town in England from London. Where they have purchased an old antiques shop, filled with old china, mirrors books, and one Spector that is bent on getting Xanthes help no matter the cost. They meet neighbors and work on getting the flat and store in order in their new home town.

When Xanthe gets sent to the past to right a wrong done, she makes a few friends who help along the way. She also learns a thing or two about life in the 1700’s. Becoming a kitchen maid just to be where she needs to be. It is while in her new employers house that she meets an architect of the times. They bond over old (new) architecture and eventually form a romance, unfortunately she isn’t to remain in that time period.

I urge everyone to give this new series a read. It is captivating and completely charming.

I loved this book and the characters in it. I'm sincerely hoping that there is a sequel to it. If you like time slip novels, a bit of romance and a good story then this book is for you.

This was a terrific story with characters full of depth and a nice cozy atmosphere. I love books that involve aspects of time travel, so this one sounded right up my alley, and it didn't disappoint. I'd definitely recommend it, and I'll be on the lookout for more from Paula Brackston.

If you are a fan of Diana Gabaldon or Susanna Kearsley, you will like this book. Time travel, history, a bit of romance, its all in this book. Xanthe is an excellent character and I look forward to the series continuing. The book seems to be a bit slow in spots but once it got rolling it was hard to put down. I recommend this book.

I will recommend this to readers who enjoyed the Outlander series and Rise and Fall of The D.O.D.O..

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
“The Little Shop of Found Things” by Paula Brackston falls into the genre, which I am now identifying as, ‘time travel fiction’.
Xanthe and her mother, Flora, are keen to start a new life after acquiring a small, antiques shop in an equally small U.K town. Xanthe has always felt an attachment to antiques, sometimes feeling so strong a physical attachment that she is able to identify the object’s previous owners and their journey. When she comes across a similar object in the pile of leftovers from the shop’s previous owner, Xanthe is soon pulled on a mission across time to help solve the mystery attached to the object. The pressure is on Xanthe to stop the murder of young Alice, as Alice’s mother is now a lost ghost, stuck in limbo and threatening to harm Flora unless Xanthe can release her daughter from harm’s way.
A young woman, with the help of an object, travels through centuries and is soon embroiled in the challenges of a life before electricity and the other modern pleasures of our time where, of course, she meets a man from that time and forms a relationship with him. An abundance of similarities to Diana Gabaldon’s “Outlander” can be drawn, and in fact as an avid fan of those novels, I had a hard time separating Xanthe from Claire, and Samuel from Jamie in a lot of spots.
However, that being said, the novel is magical and charming. Told from the perspective of Xanthe, the eclectic young woman with a special talent, the story is well-developed and the setting of the novel is quaint and comforting.
There are few characters in this novel, which makes the plot easy to follow, and they are all likable (with one exception being Mrs. Lovewell perhaps). I was a little confused by the ghost character of Margaret Merton. I understand her role in the story (she is necessary to give Xanthe the motivation to continue her time traveling quest) but for her to be so brash and abrasive was unnecessary. As Xanthe, I would’ve simply told her where to go and that would be that- ghost or no.
No one ever questions Xanthe when she shows up at random times of the day, in various stages of dress, and demands odd things. Perhaps I am more cynical and skeptical, but I would not be so willing to comply with the bizarre requests from a woman whom I had just met. I guess that’s the joy of small towns and budding romances.
Overall, this novel was an endearing read, with a time travel element that allows it to be both women’s fiction, and historical fiction. It was well written and easy to follow. Fans of Outlander will definitely enjoy “Little Shop”, as will anyone looking for a quaint, easy read.
Previously unfamiliar with Brackston’s work, I may check out her other novels to see what they have to offer.

Oh how I loved this book. I have only recently begun to branch out from my usual historical fiction genre to explore other genres, and so couldn't wait to dig into this book, as it's out of my norm. How happy I am that I took a chance on something new! What a brilliant novel. The author created a beautiful setting for the book, that I was easily able to escape into. Her characters are unique in their own personalities and "humanness," complex and well developed. And the storyline itself was amazing! A little cozy thrown in with paranormal wrapped around mystery...I was HOOKED.

Couldn't put this book down and I definitely didn't want it to end. I'm curious to see if there will be another book because I can see these characters coming back on the page for at least another story. It was beautifully written, captured me from the very get-go and had me wanting more by the last word.

The gist of the story was ok but the execution leaves much to be desired here.

Xanthe travels back in time to the 1600s while wearing her beloved Doc Martens boots and... no one really notices.

I just felt like everything was out of place in this story. Xanthe was imprisoned (wrongly) for being the person on her flat lease when her boyfriend gets raided for drugs. The police find drugs in the flat and Xanthe is charged. After being released from prison she moves to another town with her mother Flora who has just been jilted by Xanthe's father. No real mention is made of this except that Flora is sometimes sad. Xanthe and Flora open an antiques shop after the previous owner dies. Xanthe sometimes gets vibes or "readings" off of antique items and is stirred up when she and her mother find an old chatelaine at an auction. Turns out a ghost has been looking for someone since the 1600s to find this chatelaine and then "help" her daughter who was wrongly accused of theft in... the 1600s.

After having found the chatelaine and then miraculously finding a blind house in her garden, buried in shrubbery, Xanthe is transported back in time to the 1600s. When she returns the mean ghost tells her basically "if you don't go back there and help my daughter I will hurt your mother here in 2018" and then proceeds to break things in the house out of anger, as ghosts are want to do I guess.

So of course Xanthe goes back and of course she falls in love while there and of course she tries to clear the thief daughters name etc etc. and then when all is said and done she returns to the present time and merrily parties with her mother at the opening of their shop. Oh there is also a cute neighbor that is a mechanic who seems to be interested in Xanthe but the author never really gives him any storyline except to drive Xanthe around or help her out when she needs it. Basically a friend butler.

I just felt this story really needed some serious direction and editing. It felt like a chore to read.

Xanthe and her mother Flora purchase an antique shop. Xanthe has a unique ability, sometimes when she touches an antique she feels a type of connection to it. She is able to tell a bit about its past.

When she goes to an antique auction with her mom, she feels an incredible connection to a chatelaine. This an accessory women used to wear that also served a functional purpose. A chatelaine might hold a pair of scissors, a thimble, tiny items you might like to have on hand.

This particular chatelaine is missing a few items and it links back to a sad story that Xanthe soon learns.

When she gets home with the chatelaine she soon meets a spirit. The spirit is the mother of a young woman who died because of the chatelaine. Her daughter was convicted of stealing it from her wealthy employers and threatened to death.
Xanthe has only just recently realized that she can travel back in time with the chatelaine and now she is being told that she must go back and save the young woman. If she can’t save her, the spirit has threatened Xanthe’s mother Flora.

When Xanthe travels back in time, she meets Samuel and covertly enlists his help in proving the girl’s innocence.

Here’s what I liked:
-The idea of Xanthe connection to these items in such a way was so unique and cool
-Samuel was a great character
-the antique shop and the cute little bakery next door
- the cute little bar where Xanthe sang

Here’s what didn’t work as well for me:
-The girl Xanthe was trying to save was so incredibly frustrating, wow, seriously. Seriously frustrating. The spirit, the mother, kept harassing Xanthe for not getting the job done yet. But the daughter in prison was doing absolutely nothing to help. Not only did she decline offers of help but she kept making it worse! I wanted to yell at her for not making any attempt to proclaim her innocence. Even if she thought she couldn’t prove it why wouldn’t she at least say she was innocent?
- Is it just me or did they never mention Xanthe’s age?
-I wasn’t a huge fan of the end of the book...I realize now that it’s a series though so it makes more sense

I got to read an early e book edition from NetGalley.