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The Printed Letter Bookshop by Katherine Reay Review

Hello Everyone :)


I hope you're doing well, and I want to thank you for joining me for another book review here on the Preppy Book Princess.


Today I'd like to share with you all another review for one of the books I featured on my 2019 most anticipated releases post.


The Printed Letter Bookshop by Katherine Reay:



Source: Publisher (Thomas Nelson) Via NetGalley

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Publication Date: May 14th, 2019

Genre: Christian Fiction/Contemporary/Women's Fiction

Synopsis:

Amid literature and lattes, three women come together and find that sharing one's journey with best friends makes life richer.

When attorney Madeline Carter inherits her aunt's bookstore in a small town north of Chicago, she plans to sell it and add the proceeds to her nonexistent "investment portfolio." But plans change when Madeline discovers the store isn't making money and she gets passed over for promotion at her firm. She quits in protest, takes the train north, and decides to work at the store to prep it for sale. Madeline soon finds herself at odds with employees Jessica and Courtney; when she also finds herself attracted to an affianced man, it only confuses the entire situation.

After blowing up her marriage two years earlier, Jessica has found solace working at the bookstore and a kindred spirit within its owner, Maddie Cullen. But when Maddie dies and her niece, Madeline, barges in like a bulldozer, Jessica pushes at the new owner in every way--until she trips over common ground. Soon the women are delving into online dating and fashion makeovers, and Jessica feels the pull to rediscover her art, a love she thought long behind her.

After a night of bad decisions leaves the store in peril, Courtney arrives and tries to save the day. While she, too, found sanctuary in the little bookstore, she knows it's under-insured, in the red, and will never survive. When she discovers her teenage daughter has played a part in vandalizing the store, Courtney taps into strength she didn't know existed--or had long forgotten. The quietest of the three, she steps up and finds a way to save her family, the store, and the precious friendships that have grown within it.

The Printed Letter Bookshop is the story of friends who find each other--and themselves--in a place none of them ever expected.


(synopsis from goodreads) 


My Review:

Katherine Reay's newest novel is a beautiful story about friendship, fresh starts, healing, and second chances, and a beloved bookshop becomes the perfect setting for three women beginning this journey.

Katherine Reay has a beautiful way with words that feels like she was able to incorporate a style reminiscent with the classics into her own unique contemporary setting. I don't think she could write a bad book if she tried, and The Printed Letter Bookshop may just be her best work yet. I tend to really enjoy books that have a bookstore setting, especially when the bookstore plays an integral role in the story. That's definitely the case here, as the bookstore becomes interwoven with each women's story, and plays a central role in the friendship that eventually forms between them.

Often when you're reading a novel with three different main characters, one or two will stand out above the rest. I'm happy to say that with this one I actually enjoyed each woman's story equally, and never found myself bored or confused with who's point of view I was currently reading. Madeline's beloved aunt Maddie owned the bookstore, but thanks to familial issues, she never had the chance to know her aunt the way she truly wanted to. When Madeline is left the bookstore, her first thought is to sell it, but when she's passed over for promotion at her big time law firm, she decides to take a step back to reevaluate her life, and decides to spend some time working at the bookstore. Janet has been working at the bookstore for quite awhile, and thanks to a huge mistake she made, the bookstore and Maddie were all she really had left in her life. She's bitter about the way her life's gone, and she can't imagine what will happen if Maddie's niece decides to sell the bookstore. Lastly, Claire has come to feel like her family no longer appreciates or needs her in their lives, and she's begun spending more and more time at the bookstore. She's determined to help Madeline make a go of The Printed Letter bookshop, but they may have bitten off more than they're able to chew.

This is the type of Christian fiction novel I really love. It's about real people facing real problems, and learning that only by turning to God, and truly letting yourself heal that you can move forward and overcome past hurts. The bookstore setting is perfect in this novel, and makes an already amazing story even more of a stand out. I especially enjoyed the way many popular book titles are featured throughout, and the way that Maddie uses many of these books to help the three main characters deal with their grief.

I couldn't have enjoyed this one more, and I gave it five out of five stars. I think it would be a perfect book club read, and it'll be one that get the highest recommendation from me. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I was not required to give a positive review. 


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