The Printed Letter Bookshop by Katherine Reay – Review

With every book she releases, Katherine Reay further cements herself at the top of my favorite authors list. And in The Printed Letter Bookshop, books become part of the setting and friendship (the challenges and the triumphs) takes center stage.

About the Book

Love, friendship, and family find a home at the Printed Letter Bookshop

One of Madeline Cullen’s happiest childhood memories is of working with her Aunt Maddie in the quaint and cozy Printed Letter Bookshop. But by the time Madeline inherits the shop nearly twenty years later, family troubles and her own bitter losses have hardened Madeline’s heart toward her once-treasured aunt—and the now struggling bookshop left in her care.

While Madeline intends to sell the shop as quickly as possible, the Printed Letter’s two employees have other ideas. Reeling from a recent divorce, Janet finds sanctuary within the books and within the decadent window displays she creates. Claire, though quieter than the acerbic Janet, feels equally drawn to the daily rhythms of the shop and its loyal clientele, finding a renewed purpose within its walls. When Madeline’s professional life takes an unexpected turn, and when a handsome gardener upends all her preconceived notions, she questions her plans and her heart. She begins to envision a new path for herself and for her aunt’s beloved shop—provided the women’s best combined efforts are not too little, too late.

The Printed Letter Bookshop is a captivating story of good books, a testament to the beauty of new beginnings, and a sweet reminder of the power of friendship.

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In My Opinion

One of the magical things about books is how they speak something to us wherever we are in our lives. And in her newest release, one of Katherine Reay’s three main characters is sure to touch you in some way.

Madeline, Claire, and Janet are different in many, many ways. A thirty-something lawyer, Madeline wants only to sell her aunt’s bookshop and get back to her law firm. In her forties, Claire feels lost and unappreciated in her family. And living the consequences of a divorce that was her own fault, Janet looks at her life through a cynical lens. But when these three women are brought together, they begin to form a friendship that is both unexpected and blessed. It’s one of those friendships that despite their hiccups and cracked fault lines, is going to become stronger for the challenges.

While Reay gives each of these women their own challenges, it is refreshing that some of them are a little more run-of-the mill. Because, let’s face it, most of us are probably not set to inherit a struggling bookstore or make a huge change professional, but many of us can relate to feeling lost within relationships. Some of us can even empathize with the difficulty of forgiveness and apologizing for our wrong doings.

So, what are you waiting for? Pick up a copy of The Printed Letter Bookshop and visit Winsome and this little independent bookstore that struggles to survive along with the women who are employed there. But be warned, your reading list is most likely to grow by the end of this delightful read.

Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.