Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to preview this ARC of The Printed Letter Bookshop by Katherine Reay.

Madeline has just lost her Aunt Maddie, who she was named after. And while her relationship with Aunt Maddie was strained toward the end of her life, people come out in droves to celebrate her life. Madeline, anxious to get back to her hopeful law career, gets the surprise of her life when she finds out that Aunt Maddie has left her everything, including her struggling bookshop. The Printed Letter Bookshop has been being run by a curmudgeonly Janet, and sweet, yet troubled Claire. The two women, desperate to keep the bookshop open, reluctantly allow Madeline to help after she receives her own bad news.

Yeah, this was fine. Super idealistic and precious. Although, I will admit that running a local bookshop with my two BFF's pretty much sounds like a dream.

I thank #netgalley & the publisher #thomasnelson for providing me with a copy of this book - 'The Printed Letter Bookshop'' by the author @katherinereay .
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📚❤ My opinions and ratings -
I was drawn to the cover design coz it's a pretty stack of books and the blurb which talks about a promising novel revolving around a bookshop, books and the lives of four women who are an integral part of it and not to forget a budding romance..

I was not at all disappointed coz the novel beautifully describes the lives of the four women Madeline, her aunt Maddie, Janet and Claire..

The personal problems which every woman encounters like -
Madeline not getting promoted inspite of being a good lawyer at a male dominated workplace and a self-absorbed boyfriend,
Janet trying to get over a divorce from her husband and separation from her children,
Claire in a midlife crisis with an absentee husband and a difficult daughter.. which are totally relatable to many of us.

I absolutely loved the description of various books mentioned and the character development of the protagonist, Madeline who leaves her high-profile job and takes up her Aunt's dream. Chris adds a nice romantic angle to the storyline.

The book has beautiful quotes scattered all- over with one of my favourite “You could lose yourself in a book and, paradoxically, find yourself as well.” Overall, a great one - time read and I give it a 4.25 ⭐/5.

An absolute heart-warming book, almost like a book-hug.
I loved the female friendship between the 3 main characters and I mean a book about a bookshop?!
I had to read this. Wholesome, light and entertaining.
Thank you Netgalley for providing me with a copy.
All opinions expressed are my own.

***Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***

An endearing story of friendship and books!

This was a really great book. I was a little hesitant to read this as I have not read any of the author's backlist. However, this book was exactly what I needed.

The female dynamics in this book was by far my favorite part. There are three main characters in my opinion, the three women whose relationship revolve around the bookshop. The story is told in a rotating point of view from each woman.

The character growth in this book was phenomenal. I did not feel like I knew each character's path by the third chapter, which is something I hate. Each woman learned and changed page by page, even teaching me some things.

I think The Printed Letter Bookshop is a refreshing book that is well written and enjoyable.

I will admit I was drawn to this book by the cover...and well, anything that has "bookshop" on it I am bound to pick up to read! The pacing on this book was a little slower than my reads lately but the characters were engaging and the storyline romantic and sweet- very Hallmark movie-ish. It was a nice book to curl up on the couch and enjoy in an afternoon of silence in my house.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Romance, clean; Christian faith elements
While I classified this as a romance, this is also a novel of family, of friendship, of hope, and the woman who brings this collection of people together after her death. Healing, hope, forgiveness along with the romance are all part of the multiple story threads in this novel. The hurts of all the characters, the 'wounds' and worries in their lives intermingle and weave together in the face of an uncertain future for all of them. The careers, the family, the friends, and the beautiful shop that is a center for so many of them.
Gorgeous, lush read. Beautifully detailed characters and emotions told from alternating points of view. This is more than just a HEA, and a love story, it is life in it's complex, messy, and best as it all happens. Highly recommend.
This is my first read of a Katherine Reay book, and it won't be my last.

The Printed Letter Bookshop by Katherine Reay

Madeline Cullen has inherited a bookshop from her estranged aunt. As an ambitious corporate lawyer, she is dismayed when she fails to make partner and she subsequently quits her job. Through running and rescuing the floundering bookshop, she discovers what she has never known about her aunt and her aunt’s life. She also discovers the life-altering power of literature, friendship and love.

This book was satisfying on a number of levels. The characters were complex and well-drawn. They experienced growth over the course of the story. The plot contained some surprises. The writing was clean and vivid. The themes of forgiveness, loyalty, and love were threaded throughout the book, demonstrating the power of literature to help change a life.

I really enjoyed this book. My only criticism was that the changing point of view was sometimes hard for me to follow. But I recommend this book, especially for lovers of literature. The book list at the end was an added bonus! I received a free copy from the publisher for this, my honest review.

4.5 stars.

"...it often isn't the events that haunt us, though those hold power and can harm us, it is the choices we make within those events we carry all our days."

Madeline Cullen's aunt Maddie was the owner of the Printed Letter Bookshop in Winsome, a small town outside of Chicago. One of Madeline's fondest memories was spending a few weeks working with her aunt and uncle in the quaint, beloved store, until a family incident caused a seemingly irreversible rift.

Almost 20 years later, Madeline is shocked to learn that her aunt left her the store, her house, and all of her possessions. Even more of a surprise, however, is that the store is in serious debt—while her aunt was fantastic to her customers, she wasn't much of a businesswoman. When Madeline leaves her prestigious law firm, she makes the decision to try and get the store back on a more solid financial footing to make it more attractive for purchase.

"That's what books do, Maddie used to say; they are a conversation, and introduce us to ourselves and to others."

Madeline isn't counting on the fierce loyalty of the store's two employees, Janet and Claire. Both are dealing with issues of their own, not to mention their grief over losing their friend, and they aren't eager to see Maddie's legacy sold to the highest bidder. For her part, Madeline is surprised by how much she comes to love the store, and even as it continues to struggle financially, she starts to hope for a miracle to turn things around.

The more time Madeline spends in the bookstore, the more she realizes that her assumptions about her aunt were drastically incorrect. She's more determined than ever to try and make things work, but setback after setback make that possibility even less of a reality. But where does she belong? What path should she follow for the rest of her life? And what would the end of the bookshop mean for Janet and Claire?

I love books about bookstores almost as much as I love bookstores themselves. Katherine Reay's The Printed Letter Bookshop is a terrific new addition to that genre. But in addition to the story about the special relationship between bookseller and customer, and how bookstores often are the heart of communities, this is a book about second chances and the choices we make based on misconceptions.

Beyond that, this is a book about friendship, love, and hope. The plot is a little predictable, but I was charmed from the start, and I couldn't put this down. I really enjoyed the characters Reay created, and how she wasn't afraid to give each flaws which made them more realistic and more interesting.

Thanks (I guess) to a case of insomnia, I read this in just a few hours. I went to sleep with a smile on my face, wishing there was a place like The Printed Letter Bookshop in my town. But at least I got to read about it.

NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction provided me a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making it available!

Oh, how I have a huge Book Hangover after reading Katherine Reay's cozy 'The Printed Letter Bookshop.'

I want to spend my days as a fellow bookseller alongside Madeline, Claire, & Janet. I love when books show true, good, & kind female friendships – which doesn’t happen enough, in my opinion. We also watched them grow to understand themselves, as well as, their families and each other.

This was such an utterly heart-warming book. And, honestly, for being put out under a Christian publishing imprint, it was not pushy in any way. I am generally greatly put off by a lot of Christian novels only because I feel preached at and pushed upon. This book, however, felt...normal, is the best way to describe it. As someone who grew up in the Bible-Belt, talking God and church were just an everyday thing, a way of life. That’s how this story was – people speaking of Bible verses that were important to them. There was no preaching, there was no judgment...just talking. I appreciated that.

If you feel like hugging a book today, please go and purchase ‘The Printed Letter Bookshop.’

A Big THANK YOU to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson/HarperCollins Publishing for their digital copy to read and review.

The Printed Letter Bookshop is, I think, the fourth book I’ve read by Katherine Reay, and like her other novels, this one is a light, uplifting read, that highlights her love and passion for books. The narrative focuses on the death of the believed owner of a quaint bookstore nestled into a small town on the outskirts of Chicago. The plot delves into the lives of three women and how they are individually affected by Maddie’s passing. Reay, again, has written a book in which you can thoroughly escape, curled into a comfy chair with a mug of something warm and comforting. The narration switches between the three main characters, who are likable and different enough from one another, that you are bound to be able to relate to at least one of them on some level. My only slight complaint is that it is predictable and the ending is fairytale tidy. If you are in the mood for a Hallmark movie-ish novel (and let’s face it, who isn’t from time to time???), then I’d recommend reaching for The Printed Letter Bookshop!

I enjoyed living in this book. I’m a book lover and naturally a lover of bookstores (which sadly, seem to be slowly vanishing) and also like to read about the friendships of women, which is one of the facets of the story that made it so enjoyable. It was easy to read and kept me engaged until the end.

I received an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher via netgalley.com.

I did my best to complete this book in a short time from my usual reading pattern. This book is totally out of my usual genre that i read.

This is my first Katherine Reay book and it turns out pretty good. I was attracted to the book title and cover because as a book lover when it comes to book related stuff we will not miss it. The Printed Letter Bookshop is a slow pace read with POV from 3 main characters. This story is about relationship with family and friends and also a walk of life from each character.

Three women: Madeline (young lawyer), Claire (mom and wife) and Janet (divorced, middle-aged woman) try to find their life along the way as change happen after Madeline's aunt (who have the same name with Madeline but know as Maddie) passed away and leaving the bookshop under the care of her 2 employees (Claire & Janet) before Madeline take over. The struggle in each character life is relatable and i enjoyed the relationship between them develop. The change of POV may be confusing at some point but i manage to get it as each characters have the uniqueness and separate the storyline perfectly.

Overall i enjoy reading it.

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Printed Letter Bookshop is a story of friendship and family. I enjoyed seeing the friendship between the main characters grow throughout the story. I loved how the book wasn't just a light, easy read -- it had some difficult moments.



The romance was interesting. I can't say that I was 100% a fan of it in the beginning, but as the story progressed I grew to like it and the ending was good...It was sweet, in fact. ;)



All in all, The Printed Letter Bookshop was a great read. It was written very well and held my interest throughout. I found myself wanting to pick it back up whenever I had to stop reading. I recommend it to fans of contemporary reads.



*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

Those of us with a love for stories and the smell of a charming bookshop will find it hard to turn away from this novel by Katherine Reay. This is a story that blends several storylines together as three ladies are bonding over one storefront.Their stories are told in shifting point of views as they slowly become friends while working together at the bookshop. Madeline, Janet and Claire each begrudgingly share their hurts and disappointments while Aunt Maddie helps them discover grace and redemption from the grave.

With each narration shift I struggled to get in tune with who was 'talking' even though there was a small difference in the age range of the three women. Madeline is a young early thirties successful lawyer who suddenly finds herself the owner of the quaint bookshop; Janet is the mid-fifties divorced mom of adult children who want nothing to do with her cheating self; Claire is the sophisticated mom who doesn't really need to work but her kids are busy in high school and can fend for themselves so Claire finds new purpose managing the store.


They are each struggling with life's disappoints and working at the bookshop brings them together as friends along with their love for the recently deceased Aunt Maddie. Aunt Maddie has left them each a list of books to read and which order to read them in as she knew the messages in each book would help them discover what has been holding them back from enjoying life. She has left the entire community a legacy that promotes kindness, loyalty and everlasting love. Katherine Reay brings us a novel full of hope and promise that becoming that girl in Proverbs 31 is not as hard as you make it to be.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Great summer read. Told in three perspectives. I thoroughly enjoyed the book

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved how we got to know each character and to see how life has gotten a little out of control for each. Madeline a lawyer, Claire a mother who has moved to the area a year before with her family and Janet a divorced woman trying to get over the heart break. This is not your likely threesome but they pull together and you love them for it. I also enjoyed the bookshop! I loved hearing about the window set ups and the people coming in. I loved how Katherine described the town in such a way that you felt you were part of it. Walking around, getting coffee and a great book recommendation.

Katherine Reay has written a heartwarming family story in the Printed Letter Bookshop. Read for the warm fuzzies and the difficult family relationships.

Do you enjoy reading books about books? I recently finished The Printed Letter Bookshop by @katherinereay and was so completely jealous that I didn’t live in the town of Eagle Valley, so that I could work at the bookshop with main characters Madeline, Janet, and Claire. I loved how this book was about each of these individual women’s lives while at the same time was about the importance of community and being there for one another. Of course the book is also about books. Each of the main characters is working their way through their own reading list that was left to them by the former owner of the bookshop as the story progresses. Each book on the list is a life lesson, and a reminder and how much more that just paper and words books really are.

The book is about three women who are struggling to keep the small community bookshop, The Printed Letter open after the former owner passes away. Madeline never expected to be owner of her aunt bookshop and not practicing law out of Chicago but now that she has become part of the community family, the characters of the town come together to try everything they can to see if they can save what her aunt started.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to @netgalley and @thomasnelsonpublishers-blog son for the ebook copy in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book and would highly recommend it to other people who love to read. When the owner of The Printed Letter Bookshop, Maddie, passes away, it's survival is questionable. Told from the perspective of 3 women- Claire and Janet, who were friends of Maddie's as well as employers and Madeline, who has inherited the shop. This story reminds us of the power of a good book, friendship and the legacy a person can leave.