“A bookshop is not magic, but it can slowly heal your heart.”

The Lost for Words Bookshop, Stephanie Butland

Those sweet lines, the last of this charming story, actually sum it up quite well. In The Lost for Words Bookshop, the main character, Lovejoy Cardew, is not living the life her name would imply. She works in the The Lost for Words Bookshop, owned by Archie, and uses the space as her sanctuary. Archie is an affable older gentleman with a mysterious background himself. He has settled precariously into the used bookshop owner life, and has employed Lovejoy at The Lost for Words Bookshop for the past ten years. They first met when she visited his bookshop and was accused of theft. Archie is able to see past her prickly exterior and becomes a protector and employer of what he calls his “stray waif.”

Lovejoy

Lovejoy, at 25 seems so closed off and unapproachable and one can surmise she has had some bad breaks in her first quarter century. She’s deliberately off-putting, and is more than just an odd awkward bookish sort. Tattooed with the first lines of her favorite books, she is an intentional enigma. As this story unfolds, her childhood trauma is revealed through a series of reflections on life at age 10.  The reader becomes well aware of her heartache and reasons for subsequent withdrawal from mainstream life. She has in her own way, become shelved like the books she handles in her work.

Nathan

Enter Nathan Avebury, a handsome young magician in Doc Martens. Naturally, a lost book is the instigation for the meeting of Lovejoy and Nathan. Lovejoy found a book of poetry Nathan dropped, and posted an advertisement for the owner to come into the shop to claim the lost book. When Nathan arrives, he is intrigued by Lovejoy, despite her sour demeanor, and becomes a fixture in her life. He instinctively knows how to give her space while drawing her nearer in small increments. Little by little Lovejoy’s heart becomes open to the possibility of caring deeply for someone.

Archie

Everyone needs an Archie in their life. He is kind, gregarious and entertains all who strike up conversation with him. Throughout the book, we realize there are no strangers in his life, and everyone has their own story of some adventure with Archie. For being such a rakish daredevil sort, he has taken on the role of protector and father figure of Lovejoy with equal enthusiasm. Not so much regarding the role of bookshop proprietor, which provides Lovejoy with the means to support Archie as well. Lovejoy’s knowledge of books and commendable work ethic make her an invaluable employee for Archie.

Opinion

Stephanie Butland has written a sweet tale of a sad girl with a trouble past. Lovejoy is bristly, but she doesn’t want pity. The life she has carefully constructed is one in which she is fiercely content. Nathan and Archie are supporters of Lovejoy, and are determined to shine the light on a life Lovejoy can embrace.

I found myself thinking of Lovejoy as a daughter or niece who I wanted to encourage and pull out of her shell. The more I read, the more I cared about her and wanted to see her get to a happy ending. To avoid any spoilers, all I can say is that the ending is happy with a shot of sadness as well. Get the tissues out before you open this book. Read this and you’ll become a member of Team Lovejoy, right along with Archie and Nathan. And rest assured, Team Lovejoy will triumph.

Many thanks to NetGalley for the free ARC copy. In return, I supplied an unbiased review of the book.

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