3.5-4 stars

This was a clever story about family secrets and letting go of the past.

Hope Sparrow is searching for a collection of lost books that once belonged to her late mother, but searching through her family’s history is risky. She is running from a traumatic past and doesn’t trust others easily, but the only way to uncover the rumored family treasure is to accept help from the townsfolk.

The bookshop in Wanishin Falls is where her search begins, but it appears to be in shambles, and the elderly owner, who is suffering from early stages of dementia, is unable to remember where the books are located. His grandson, Ronan, offers to help Hope in her quest, but she is reluctant to allow him to get too close. He too has suffered devastating tragedy, and over time she begins to open up to him and trust that he won’t hurt. But they are more closely tied than either one of them knows, and it seems like fate brought them together to peel back the layers of their past and allow them to heal.

While I enjoyed this story for the most part, I didn’t like that it had so many religious undertones. I don’t have anything against religion, but it’s not something I want to read about in a story like this. After a while, it felt a bit too preachy. When I requested this book through NetGalley, I was searching for mystery and women’s fiction, but somehow I missed that it was also categorized as Christian. The synopsis also doesn’t allude to this being a Christian story.

That being said, it’s a great story, but I would say it’s strictly for a religious crowd.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Love Inspired Trade for providing a copy of this book to review.*

I hope I can convey with words what an outstanding book this is! I was first hooked at the word "bookstore" and was doubly hooked with the next word, "secret"! Hope was a broken person, with a history of being tricked into human trafficking. She hid her history and her name. The telling of how she realized how God can give a crown of beauty instead of ashes, as well as joy instead of mourning, was profound. Hope was surrounded by loving and caring people, including one special guy. He struggled to think he was whole, in spite of having an artificial leg. The ending was magnificent and put together so well!
I greatly appreciate being able to read this, thanks to the publisher, Harlequin - Romance, and to NetGalley. My thoughts are my own. I want to thank the author, Mollie Rushmeyer, for writing such a magnificent book!

The Bookshop of Secrets by Mollie Rushmeyer is her debut story about finding lost secrets, starting over and finding restoration in the Lord. I really appreciated this story. 4 stars.

This story centers around Hope Sparrow. She has been running from her past for many years and never stays anywhere too long. She goes to Wanishin Falls searching for her family’s history. She ends up at a small-town bookshop, called Dusty Jackets, looking for books that hold Hope’s last ties to her late mother – and to a rumored family treasure.

The bookshop is old and run down, with an elderly owner in the beginning stages of dementia. The books Hope searches for are missing so she goes on the search to find them. In her search, she meets Ronan, a sweet guy who believes in the value of kindness and respecting others and together they work together to uncover where the secret books are, all while growing close in the process.

This story was very engaging and emotional! It deals with some hard topics, such as human trafficking, dementia, PTSD and panic attacks. To be clear, there are not full details described of the human trafficking but I wanted to mention those things so you would be aware.

This bookshop details and literary references in this book are great – we have a cat named “Fitzwilliam” from Pride and Prejudice and many classic books mentioned throughout the story. We had references from Tolkien, Austen, Bronte, C.S. Lewis - it was just a good time. We also had a good mystery aspect thrown in - where are the books? Will they lead to her family's history and a secret treasure? Who keeps trying to steal the books and why?

Ronan and Hope’s relationship was also so sweet. I liked how he was a true gentlemen and loved watching them grow close throughout their search together. She was truly learning how to trust the Lord and learn how to begin again.

The faith in this book was good - we have scriptures quoted and referenced, prayers and redemption.

Overall, I feel like this book was unique in its story! I really liked how layered it was, had so many literary classic references and the ending was great. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy to honestly read and review. I will also discuss this book on my YouTube channel in my end of month wrap up video.

Hope Sparrow has no idea what is in her future when she walks through the door of "Dusty Jackets". The bookstore is a treasure trove of all kinds of books. She just wants to pick up a set of books that belong to her and get on her way. The books will be the key to her future. Their value the start to her new life, they are everything.
Ronan Barrick is very suspicious of this woman who shows up at his grandparents' bookstore. He needs to keep an eye on her, especially because of his grandfathers' condition. He does feel badly for her that her valuable books are missing and that it's a good chance that his grandfather mistakenly sold them. She seems to be a target too.
This is a very intense story that is deeply touching and can be disturbing too. Both of the main characters have deep scars, physical, spiritual and mental. They are both in the need of healing. Add their past experiences and pain to the fact that there is a mystery surrounding their families and someone is presenting a danger to Hope. Books are missing, secrets are causing anxiety and under it all Hope and Ronan are drawn to one another but neither feels worthy of love.
I received an advanced readers' copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley and this is my honest unsolicited opinion. This is a very intense story that certainly reflects contemporary times. If you are disturbed by the sex trafficking or exploitation of young women, this may be hard for you to read. There is absolutely no sexual content. There are repercussions from the horrendous damage that can be caused. There is also great hope that God gives and that's the gift of this story. The very tactful way this story is handled certainly helped me to see and understand further the life of a severely abused young woman. It's an excellent story.

The Bookshop of Secrets has mystery, intrigue, suspense, wonderful characters, kindness, but most especially, love!

When Hope Sparrow walked into a bookshop called Dusty Jackets, she never thought the name would be as appropriate to fit the store, but unfortunately it did. Hope went there to find books that her late mother had left her in which held secrets to a family she never knew.

Her plan of getting in and out of the town of Wanishin Falls without anyone really noticing seems to have gone up in smoke. The elderly couple who owns the bookshop are way over their heads in being able to assist her. The husband is in the throes of dementia and although he was a friend of his mother’s has no idea where the books she left could be. In order to find them, Hope agrees to a job at the shop keeping an eye on Ulysses, the husband while trying to sort through books and giving Ulysses wife Mags a break.

Uncomfortable around people, this is Hopes worst nightmare, but finding these books and understanding her history is more important. When she meets the owner of the local diner and tells her she has always dreamed of having a traveling bookstore/cafe, Kat hires her on the spot to cook.

Soon she becomes more involved in the town and the community, but she begins to feel hopeless. Her mother died when she was very young, and Hope was raised in the foster care system. But unfortunately, she found herself in horrible trouble and spent the next ten years trying to get out and never wants anyone to know what happened to her. Those secrets are frightfully buried deep in her psyche.

But now, as she tries to find out her past and a legend of buried treasure her mother would always tell her about, as much as she finds comfort in the townspeople, especially Ulysses’ and Mags’ grandson Ronan, she won’t let herself imagine a life here, for fear of embarrassment. She truly believes no one would forgive her for what she had done.

As Hope proceeds to find the hidden books, and make sense of their meaning with the help of these wonderful people, how will she be able to give them up if the mystery is solved?

With no faith, Hope feels lost, but with renewed promise from others she is able to see the light at the end of the tunnel and hopefully release the demons she has carried for so many years.

The Bookshop of Secrets is much more than finding a mysterious treasure. It is much more than finding where you belong. It is much more than putting your past behind you. It is finding peace.

Thank you #NetGalley #LoveInspiredTrade #MollieRushmeyer #TheBookshopofSecrets for the advanced copy.

This is an interesting read. Very emotional and somewhat unrealistic in the treasure hunt vein. But it does add some mystery.
If you are dealing with past trauma and PTSD and not on your way to healing, I suggest you don’t read this book. The author does a good job of recounting how hard it is to recover and slowly heal from abuse. Victims of abuse who claw and fight their way through each day are survivors and being a survivor means you have incredible strength. Knowing the truth of who God really is, helps change your viewpoint. Life is a battle, but this world is not our final home.

The Bookshop of Secrets is a gripping story filled with painfully wounded characters. The author created a wonderful story of redemption and painted a compelling picture of the settings. Watch out for the amazing ending, you won’t be able to put it down!

This was a sweet Christian love story about a girl with a rough past who is looking for some rare books that her mother left her when she died. She ends up at this little indie bookshop, Dusty Jackets, and encounters a cast of characters who show her exactly what it means to be loved unconditionally. Will their kindness and faith in Jesus be enough to help her set down roots, or will it scare her away and send her on the run yet again?

Intriguing book filled with clues from the past that create an unbelievable treasure hunt! Readers will become hooked into the mystery while following Hope's journey towards faith, healing and family. This book deals with human trafficking, Alzheimer's, at-risk teens, foster, as well as many other issues of today. Each topic is woven together to create this beautifully wriiten story. The characters are very realistic and relatable. Loved Hope and Ronan's slow growth toward a relationship. Highly recommended!

I liked the setting of this story and found it a bit heartbreaking, since the main character is dealing with some traumatic stuff from her past (trigger warning), I love the setting of the bookshop, and the small town is delightful.

The Bookshop of Secrets is an amazing debut novel by Mollie Rushmeyer. Many deep issues are addressed in this book including PTSD, Alzheimer's, and sex trade. Hope Sparrow carries much baggage when she moves to Wanishin Falls with many personal secrets in search of books left for her from her deceased mother. She meets an elderly couple who lets her live and work in their bookstore as she hunts for the missing books. Their grandson Ronan also has his own issues, but is healing and brings hope to Hope as they start on a treasure hunt of their ancestors.
I will definitely read another novel by Mollie Rushmeyer and love that she doesn't write a light hearted Christian story, but shows God's love is enough to carry all our worries and baggage.
I received a complimentary copy of The Bookshop of Secrets, but all opinions are my own.

This is a debut novel from an American author. The story has a little bit of tame romance, some mystery, and lots of good literary content for book lovers. I would also classify it as Christian fiction as there are a lot of references to prayer and God. The main character of Hope has escaped a horrific experience and is searching for the books her mother left her, with hints that they will lead to a treasure. The hunt brings her to a small town on the shores of Lake Superior and into the lives of the owners of a neglected bookstore, one of whom is suffering from dementia. This is a fun read and a good recommendation especially for anyone wanting Christian fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Genre: Christian Fiction, Sweet Romance, Cozy Mystery
Heat level: Clean (past events referred to but not graphically)

The title—The Bookshop of Secrets—instantly grabbed me! The main character, Hope, adores literature. Okay—so now I had to read it!

My heart goes out to Hope as she tries to make a new life for herself. This is Christian fiction and the author keeps it "clean" but the protagonist has really gone through rough things in her life. When the book begins, she's w trying to overcome or at least deal with her past. Ronan, the romantic male lead, is also haunted by his past. But he has had people in his life who love and support him. When these two meet, the walls go up instead of sparks flying—which I really enjoyed because it seems much more realistic when recovering from trauma. In fact, overcoming trauma is a major theme in this book. Finding God in your life is another theme. Scripture passages are quoted and there are several conversations surrounding God. In Christian fiction, you never know if it will be with characters saying they'll pray or if it includes a nice sermon—so now you know where this one sits.

I love how there is a mystery layered within the story. It could even be seen as a mystery that might help the characters reveal and overcome the mysteries within their lives.

This is an enjoyable read. I predicted the ending, but that's okay because it's more of a romance than mystery.

#BookRevew: THE BOOKSHOP OF SECRETS by Mollie Rushmeyer

Hope was a strong woman who escaped ten years of human trafficking. She felt broken. Her panic attacks from ptsd were easily triggered . Her faith was new and wavered constantly, but God kept on sending her people to guide her back to him. I was happy that the people of Wanishin Falls embraced her as their own. It was interesting to watch how Hope’s new friends worked together to sell delicious food on The Founder’s day.

This book was an unexpected favorite. Who doesn’t love bookish characters and Unsolved mystery with clues found on first edition classic books like Anne of Green Gables? I loved it more when the clues included bible verses. It was fun and intriguing as each clue was uncovered. Well, Hope and Ronan did find themselves in life threatening situations during this adventure.

Awww, that ending was really sweet and touching. Ulyssess was a favorite despite his dementia and was so full of great advice. The pacing was good and just enough suspense. I highly recommend this to those who enjoy Christian fiction, mystery, treasure hunting and small town romance. The Bookshop of Secrets was a book of healing physically and spiritually for Hope and Ronan. Their journey of fully trusting God was not easy but it was worth it. Hope needed to find her mom’s books but it led her to God, Ronan and a place she can call home.

Rating: 5 stars
Pub date: 25 Oct 2022

Thank you HARLEQUIN and #netgalley for the complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

Christian Mystery Small-Town Romance
The Book is a multi-layered story that deals with hard topics, dementia, trauma survivors, and PTSD.... in a very hopeful and grace-filled way. Clean-sweet slow romance, Faith-Filled book, an overcrowded bookstore overflowing with books and mystery, and finding a home. Redemption and Restoration are the themes of the book.

Our hero is pretty wonderful….. What I really liked about Ronan is how he treated Hope from the beginning. I truly liked how true he is to Hope and never loses faith in her. It is easy to relate to Hope and her need for independence, her need to deal with her traumatic past, and her need to hide from the world. Both characters had suffered devastating tragedies in their lives, but as they start working together to uncover the town and family history, they draw closer and as their friendship grows hearts begins to heal.... There were also some fabulous secondary characters that helped shape the story. The characterizations are spot-on and the author touches upon themes of loss, elder care, family, faith, and community with wisdom and grace.

It IS heartbreaking and tragic in so many ways but still uplifting and satisfying to read, and I am glad to have read it.

CW: Hope is a survivor of human trafficking, all abuse is told in the past tense, and is not graphic.

Thank you, NetGalley and Harlequin Romance, for this eARC. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

Hope enters a bookstore called Dusty Jackets searching for special first edition books that were supposed to be left there by her friend Aggie. She tries to describe the books to the owners, Ulysses and Mags, but they do not know if the bookshop has them.
Ulysses has dementia and needs someone to watch him as he may get confused or lost, so Mags asks Hope if she would like to stay with them and watch Ulysses.
Hope agrees, and she looks for her books and watches Ulysses, who almost burns the kitchen down!
Hope has secrets from her past which give her panic attacks and flashbacks, she was trafficked at 15 and it lasted 10 years, so she is uncomfortable around men.
She is not prepared to meet Ulysses and Mags grandson, Ronan, who is thoughtful, a book lover like herself and whose family is shunned by some of the town for his past ancestor's failures.
Ulysses is lucid at times, talking about past wives and events, which make Hope wonder what he is talking about and how it relates to her own search.
You will have to read this suspenseful story for yourself, I thoroughly enjoyed it!

“Trust.Faith. It’s a difficult thing when we have our eyes on the waves instead of on the One who commands them. We can get so lost in the depths of our circumstances, we forget to look up.”

When Hope arrives in Wanishin Falls in search of her mother’s books, she is in for many surprises and secret unveilings from the past. This story was one of friendship, faith, love, and restoration. I loved this book so much ! Each layer was filled with wonder and familiarity that as a reader you knew these characters. So happy to have received an advanced copy of this gem.
#thebookshopofsecrets #NetGalley

I’m torn over this book. There were parts I really like- the bookstore and references to classic books, as well as the deep faith aspect.

A lot of the secrets and past were a bit haunting and traumatic. I really felt for Hope.

At first, I thought, “Oh this will be a sweet story about a bookshop” and then I was blown away by the suspense and drama that this book held. I truly was taken on an adventure from the first page to the last!
I loved going on the “treasure” hunt with the characters in this book. All the fun facts and places they had to explore.
I also loved the drama and tension between Hope and Ronan. Both were struggling to find their place in life and to recover from their brokenness. Their story was so sweet and yet there were a couple of times I wanted to knock some sense into their heads or yell at them to STOP and just communicate with each other!!
Mollie Rushmeyer is a “new-to-me” author and I really enjoyed the way she developed this story. The dialogue and scene settings really helped to move the story along. She did a sweet job of bringing all the emotions of the characters to life.
I truly believe I’ll read more of her books in the future.
I was given this book by the publisher which did not influence my review in any way, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

This story is gripping and I enjoyed discovering the story.

"Hope" (Emily) comes to a small Minnesota town looking for some books that belonged to her mother. The elderly owners of the bookstore invite her to stay and work in the bookstore while she searches for the books, which the older man cannot recall receiving. Unfortunately, he has dementia and has difficulty recalling details.

Ronan is the grandson of the bookstore owners and is working toward his dream of opening a youth centerr in town. Hope reluctantly accepts assistance retrieving the books and deciphering the clues they hold. Duet to past experiences, Hope doesn't want to become close to anyone. Ronan tries to show Hope that she is worthy of love.

Without spoiling the book, this is a story of layers, each one peeling back slowly to uncover more details.