The Lost Bookshop
Books | Fiction / Women
3.9
(76)
Evie Woods
**Evie Woods' stunning new novel The Story Collector is available now** The Echo of Old Books meets The Lost Apothecary in this evocative and charming novel full of mystery and secrets. ‘The thing about books,’ she said ‘is that they help you to imagine a life bigger and better than you could ever dream of.’ On a quiet street in Dublin, a lost bookshop is waiting to be found... For too long, Opaline, Martha and Henry have been the side characters in their own lives. But when a vanishing bookshop casts its spell, these three unsuspecting strangers will discover that their own stories are every bit as extraordinary as the ones found in the pages of their beloved books. And by unlocking the secrets of the shelves, they find themselves transported to a world of wonder... where nothing is as it seems. Readers have fallen in love with The Lost Bookshop: ‘Beautifully written and captures the wonder and awe that a story can bring to its reader...a delightful story for any book lover...an ode to storytelling and the connections that books can make!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Wowwww!! It’s been awhile since I read something so fascinating, captivating and special all in one...It takes you on a journey like most books do, but this one, I just want to inscribe on my back and hope that it becomes a part of me so that I can carry it with me always’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A must read for readers that love books’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A beautiful story that begs to be read in one sitting...a magical story filled with beautiful prose and many surprises that readers will not soon forget’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘This spellbinding book hooked me from the very beginning and I couldn't put it down til the end’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A love story, one with books and booklovers at its heart. A warm, wonderful novel that sweeps up the reader into an absorbing, magical tale’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘If you enjoy books by the Brontë sisters ... then I would fully recommend you read this book’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘This novel has it all: wit, a dash of magic, and a large heart. A fantastic read’⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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More Details:
Author
Evie Woods
Pages
448
Publisher
HarperCollins UK
Published Date
2023-06-22
ISBN
0008609209 9780008609207
Ratings
Google: 5
Community ReviewsSee all
"Brilliant Story! I couldn't put it down. Wow. The twists and the ending are chef's kiss. The historical part is sad and the magical pat is magical. The 3 storyline are brilliantly interwind and I just grew to love the bookshop. I teared up many times reading and at time my heart was just heavy with sadness or happiness. It's an excellent read! Also my first time reading this author.
I highly recommend!
Enjoy!
#magical #historical #fiction #romance #timelines "
D M
"Opaline runs away from her home to avoid an undesirable marriage. After some time in France learning about the business of dealing rare books, she finds herself the caretaker of a very unique store.
Years later, Martha escapes her abusive husband and finds herself the housekeeper living in a flat that isn't what it seems.
Henry is a scholar looking for a lost bookstore and a lost manuscript. Together, he and Martha unravel clue after clue about the bookshop's owner.
Told in parallel timelines, The Lost Bookshop is a story about the power a person holds to control their future.
It is a story of trust, love, and magic. I recommend it to anyone who likes reading about bookstores and/or magic."
Brandi Always Reading
"So very very bad. "
NyrdwithAY
"A cute story for us book lovers. It started a little slow but the ending was fantastic. "
Heidi Oneil
"Finished 3/24 - really good. Several stories from different decades wound together. The last five chapters pulled it all together."
Shannon League
"UGH I love when books make you feel things, and this book did exactly that.
The story really follows two main storylines - Opaline, a woman from the early 1900s who's brother wants her to get an arranged marriage to one of his friends. Distraught, she flees and starts a journey that leads her from book shop to book shop as one of the most prolific book traders of her time. The other storyline focuses on Henry and Martha, Henry being a PhD student in search of lost manuscripts that led him to interest in Opaline and her hidden bookshop, and Martha, who has recently left her abusive husband to work as a housekeeper for Madame Bowden, right next to where Opaline's book shop is.
I immediately was rooting for Martha, the depiction of abuse from her husband and the fear that she felt immediately felt close to home, but as the story progressed, the one I ended up feeling the most sympathy for was Opaline. I felt rage for her as she was constantly called insane for the crime of being an independent woman in the 20s-50s. Both women in this story are strongly developed, and while I could see the thread that holds them together coming from about 50% of the way through the book, it was still nice to see.
Henry really serves no purpose. Wait, I hear you say, he is the person that gives Martha motivation to go back to college! And she would have no interest in Opaline and Bronte if Henry did not bring up this idea! I disagree - Henry's main purpose is to be a dunce and to have a love interest in the book. I think the book would have been stronger without him, because then we could actually focus on who the hell Madame Bowden is, which is a far more interesting story."
C C
Charlie Coward
"Very cute. Loved seeing how the two storylines came together "
O D
Olivia Dixon
"Beautifully written piece of literature! Brings the past and the present together to show that finding one’s self is the most important aspect of life. Hardships occur in both periods and the women of the time must prevail to make themselves full before they can begin to understand their true and complete purpose. The reader also follows a man’s perspective which play a part in the present part of the story. His tale knits together this beautiful story. This all revolves around two women and a mysterious bookshop. Would recommend this book over and over!"
H G
Hailey Grillo
"Such a good book, mixing history with fiction. Could not put it down "
Kelsey Dunphy
"While reading this book. I felt like i couldn’t put it down. I wanted to read more. The character I loved the most was Opaline. Especially on Chapter 49. It was so beautiful. I wish there was a continuation of this book. But glad she had her good ending. Martha I felt we knew her destiny since the beginning. Though the chemistry between Martha and Henry. I just wanted them to just talked it out. The most shocking twist i felt was great was knowing the true identity of Madam Bowen. But i will never understand how she was able to move the husband out of the house."
Chem