The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods offers a charming premise—a hidden bookshop in Dublin that promises to change the lives of those who find it. The story follows Opaline, Martha, and Henry, three characters who feel more like observers in their own lives until they encounter this magical bookstore.

While the novel’s concept is intriguing, and the blend of mystery and magic holds potential, the execution felt a bit predictable at times. The characters, though endearing, didn’t quite resonate deeply with me, making their transformations feel somewhat expected rather than truly surprising.

That said, Woods does create an enchanting atmosphere, and the idea of books as gateways to larger lives is a compelling theme. If you enjoy stories that celebrate the power of literature with a touch of whimsy, The Lost Bookshop may be worth a read, even if it doesn’t quite reach the heights it aspires to.

I was so excited to get approved for this arc because I have been wanting to read this one forever! Like others I did have some issues with the pacing- specifically the ending felt very rushed. I usually don't like books set in the past but I think the magical fantasy element made this part more bearable for me. Overall a very nice, easy read.

As someone who loves books (don’t we all) I knew I wanted to read Evie Woods book and I am more than thankful to be able to.

I’m not a fan of different time frames and maybe wouldn’t have picked this one up had I realized it beforehand. I did however enjoy it overall, in particular Opaline’s character.

I swept away in this story and will likely read more from the author.

Thank you to Harper 360 and NetGalley for the opportunity to read The Lost Bookshop! Evie Woods brings you on a mystical journey to find a bookshop that seems to have disappeared. I love how all of the characters are intertwined and how their stories connect at the end.

I have such mixed feelings about this one. I was really expecting to love it and it was getting such good hype. Sadly, it was just okay for me. I don't think I'm the right reader for it. I needed more from the plot and characters. It's really all for the whimsical vibes. Great potential, but execution wasn't compelling or engaging enough for me.

I recently read The Last Bookshop by Evie Woods and I have to say, I was a bit disappointed. I went into this book so excited, as I am a book lover myself and the premise sounded intriguing. However, I found myself struggling to connect with the plot and the storytelling.

The story follows a young woman who inherits a struggling bookshop and must navigate the challenges of keeping it afloat. While this premise had potential, I found the execution to be lacking. The pacing felt off, and the characters lacked depth, making it hard for me to become emotionally invested in their journeys.

I really wanted to like this book, but unfortunately, it just didn't resonate with me. The writing style felt a bit flat and the plot seemed to drag on at times. I found myself skimming through pages, hoping for something to grab my attention, but it never quite happened.

Overall, The Last Bookshop just wasn't for me. I can see how others might enjoy it, especially if they are looking for a light and easy read. But for me, it fell short of my expectations.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am sorry to say this, but this is the most disappointing book I've read this year. I don't like writing negative reviews, particularly when the publisher was kind enough to grant my request for an ARC; however, I have to be truthful in my reviews, or they don't mean anything. I do not understand all the positive reviews for this book - and there are so many! To be honest, if I hadn't committed to reading it because NetGalley gave me a free copy, I wouldn't have finished it. The character behaviors, particularly from Martha, were very inconsistent. She goes from shrinking violet one moment to sarcastic and confident the next. The plot moves from event to event without nearly enough explanation or build up. Aside from when dates were specifically mentioned, I had no sense of how time was progressing. I would frequently forget that Martha and Henry's storylines were taking place in the present because, aside from an occasional mention of cell phones, those scenes felt just as dated as the scenes set in the 1920s-1940s.

The magical realism here means that random reveals happen with little explanation. For example, on page 70 of my edition, we learn, with no context, that a main character wakes up occasionally knowing lines from a story and then gets them tattooed on her back. It's been going on a long time, but also somehow her husband has never seen it. That's it. Then the story just moves on, not mentioning it again for a very long time.

There are some cool lines in here about loving books, but it felt more cliched and manipulative than a natural part of the plot. By the end, I was largely skimming chapters because I had lost interest. I could go on, but I think you get the idea.

I gave it 2 stars because the concept was good, but to me, this felt like a first draft of something that could have become a really cool novel. I wish it had.

This is the first book I've read by Evie Woods so I'm not sure if all of her books are considered magical realism. I found this one kept my interest as it's a story about books, obviously, something that always catches my attention. The book spans a few timelines, so it was a bit all over the place in my opinion, as it took me a while to see the importance to the character named Martha.

The book starts out by meeting Martha, who is leaving the US to move to Dublin for a better life. She finds a job as a housemaid for the wealthy Opaline. There is a vanishing bookshop and the search for a lost manuscript of Bronte'. Of course there is love involved as well.

"In a place called lost, strange things are found." This quote from the book is a great indication of what the book is about. I would say if you were new to magical realism, you would probably enjoy this story as I did. Thank you to NetGalley and Harper 360 for the ARC.

When I first started reading this book, I fell in love with the characters. What's not to love about Opaline, who's trying to build a life outside of the one her family enivisions for her, or Martha, who's rebuilding her life, or Henry, who seems to be trying to figure out how to live his life?

Unfortunately, I soon fell out of love with the characters, because they started to feel one-sided. The book was written in alternating view points, and at the end of each view point, there was such a predictable twist, that I audibly groaned. Because every chapter had a dramatic event, the pacing felt rushed; it felt like the plot was being rushed along at the expense of the characters - in some way, they were the side characters of this book.

An interesting premise, but unfortunately, it fell flat.

Magical realism is one of my favorite genres. This novel was a real treat – well-written with engaging characters and enough mysterious magic to keep it intriguing.

Written as a dual timeline approximately one hundred years apart, the storyline follows the lives of three main characters – Opaline in 1920s with Martha and Henry in contemporary times – and their involvement in a small, quaint bookshop with magical properties that transcends and simultaneously connects the two periods. Only one problem…in the contemporary time it seems to have disappeared despite its locale between two buildings.

There is plenty to like about this novel, as well as evoking feelings of outrage at the treatment of women in the early 20th century. Both Opaline and Martha are strong, courageous women who suffer at the hands of men who not only do not appreciate them but abuse them physically and emotionally as well. Henry, an awkward romantic, serves as both an intellectual partner and love interest for Martha, adding another dimension to the story.

There are many literary references as the characters pursue an elusive manuscript which adds color without being overwhelming for non-English majors. Overall, this was a well-crafted story that provided enjoyment as well as fantasy.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This review is being posted immediately to my GoodReads account and will be posted on Amazon upon publication.

I was really disappointed in this one. I was looking forward to magical realism, an adventure in finding what seems to be an imaginary bookshop and references to other books. But it fell short for me in terms of execution. Told from 3 POV’s I really don’t feel Henry’s was needed at all and that his POV took a lot away from the story as a whole.

Overall, I felt the writing was a bit choppy too and the overall pace was incredibly slow with some scenes not needing to be in the book as they added nothing at all. I feel like this needed to go through another round of editing. I also was disappointed with how things like domestic violence, alcoholism and grief were just brushed over and mentioned as a passing thought. I also feel the characters needed more personality and depth. They all read as if they were just passing through life with no real objective making the book a bit dry.

If this had been executed differently, I feel like this would have been an amazing read and had the premise to be something magical. Thank you to NetGalley for this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is a fascinating tale where magic can touch anyone. I enjoyed how the narrative shifts across different time periods, allowing us to see the contrasts in beliefs and lifestyles from one century to the next, as well as how the characters’ lives intertwine. It’s a truly brilliant concept!

Such a beautiful, magical read! I love anything written by Evie Woods so I knew instantly what to expect. And, of course, it was right on que! Fun, magical, love,

From the start of this story, you have to be willing to suspend your belief in black and white (if that's where you function). Because nothing in this story is black and white. I thoroughly enjoyed the 3 main characters and how they interacted and how their stories were told. The mystical happenings just added to the enjoyment.

This was a fun read. If you like the Invisible Life of Addie LaRue- this is perfect for you!

I loved how the story did the flashbacks and tied it all in the end. I did not expect that ending!

This is a really interesting story where magic can find anybody. I love how the story jumps between time and we can see the differences in beliefs and life from one century to the next and how the story's characters connect together. Very awesome concept!

Lovely book with magical realism and a nice dose of hopefulness. Who amongst us readers hasn’t envisioned living in and being part of a wonderful, magical shop? Throw in Ireland and a missing Brontë manuscript and you have a delicious summer read.

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

I loved this! Mystery, drama, setbacks, a love story—this story has it all. The characters are relatable and mostly likeable, except for the one who are deliciously unlikeable! The plot clipped along at a good pace and the ending was wholly satisfactory. I enjoyed the back and forth of the different timelines as well and feel it really helped the plot.

Thanks to #netgalley the publisher, #harpercollins and the author for this copy of #thelostbookshop to read. All opinions are my own.

This is a great book to read if you enjoy books about books, and books that pay respect to the book world. There are two timelines in this book: Opaline in the past, who does not want to marry and instead flees her brother and his plans and winds up working in a bookshop in Paris, and Martha in the present, who removes herself from an abusive relationship and goes to work as a house cleaner. There is also Henry in the present, who is an academic looking for a manuscript and ropes Martha in to help him look for this lost manuscript.

There is romance, magical realism, and sizeable character growth within these pages. The author did a great job of incorporating history with this book, and really made books themselves another character. This had all of the right balance and I enjoyed every minute of reading this. I even felt like I was within the story myself.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper360 for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.