We return to ‘Lost for Words’ bookshop in York now owned by Loveday Carew. Kelly is her manager with Madison later joining the team as a Saturday girl. Currently the shop is closed because it’s the Covid pandemic and Loveday most other traders is very concerned about the impact on her business. One day, Kelly opens a letter from Rosemary Athey, a retired headteacher from Whitby. She encloses a cheque for £100 and asks that the shop find her and husband George some wonderful books to help them get through the next few months. This sparks an idea in Loveday and it makes her realise that there is something positive they can do to help people through the crisis and help the business into the bargain. They will offer to match books to customers needs and requirements and this could be anything from loneliness to escapism or transporting them to another part of the world.

Yet again Stephanie Butland has hit upon a wonderful idea and has created some lovely characters in these vignettes, all of whom have a different issue. George and Rosemary are a delightful couple and their lifelong love warms your heart Loveday is a fabulous quirky character and I enjoy the introduction of Kelly and Madison who are very able too.

At times there is humour although not as much as in the last book which is understandable given the serious nature of the times. It’s very moving and poignant with some heartbreak and it’s thought provoking too. Along the journey there is kindness and thoughtfulness, there are situations that arise that overcome preconceptions and finding commonality along with plenty of honesty.

I the concept of the book, as book lovers we already know the joy of reading and the idea of prescribing books as a form of medicine or a remedy is a good one. To lose yourself in a book is a marvellous thing especially at a time such as Covid. My only negative is that it is perhaps a bit repetitive with the letters and the book lists as my enjoyment lies in the characters that you follow through.

Finally, you do not have to have read book one in order to enjoy this although it is a very good novel.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Headline for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.61 s Antoinette869 108

I met Loveday in the previous book “ Lost For Words” and was captivated by her. I love stories about overcoming adversity and that was Loveday in the previous book.
In this sequel, we find ourselves in the heart of the COVID pandemic. Yes, it brings back all those memories. The focus of this book is helping people through books. Loveday and her staff initiate a book pharmacy. People are encouraged to write in and explain their needs, what they are hoping to find in a book, and they will recommend books to meet their needs. As a book lover, nothing makes me happier than reading about people discovering books and finding joy and solace within the pages of books. Of course, this is the pandemic- we meet people who are struggling with COVID, with isolation, with abuse. But we meet people Loveday and Kelly and Nathan, who want to build a sense of community. Out of the bad, there is good!

“Books are the magical everyday that is all your own.”

A lovely reminder about the power of books!

Published: 202333 s22 comments Diane Barnes1,402 449

3.5 rounded up

This was a perfect book for my bedtime reading. The plot was simple, the writing engaging, and of course, the books mentioned, all kept me going.
York, England, Covid shutdown, bad news for a bookstore that depends on customers browsing. The owner gets the idea of starting a book pharmacy, responding to people who email her with their problems and feelings, her staff recommends books for mailing or curbside pickup. They get personally involved with a few of them, and of course we get the backstory of the small staff as well.
This was a sequel to Lost for Words Bookshop, which I did not read, but I didn't feel I needed to in order to enjoy this one.

Not great literature, but an enjoyable read.bedtime-books books-about-books32 s2 comments Wendy(Wendyreadsbooks) Robey1,166 65

Get the tissues ready for when you read this beautiful book. I’ve fallen totally in love with this story and all things within. I loved the quotes and the chapters where it feels that Stephanie Butland is talking to me personally about the power of books and reading. The idea about the book pharmacy and using books to fill the void whether we’re in a pandemic or just feeling a little lost in the world.
Such wonderful characters and I’ve loved having the little insights in to their worlds and lives. My favourites were George and Rosemary although the three wonderful women in the bookshop were a close second.
This book is everything and more about the beauty of reading the power of books. 16 s2 comments Natalie187 4

I started writing a very long review of this but accidentally lost it which is probably for the best as I sort of feel that if you can’t say anything nice you shouldn’t say anything at all. However, so that I can remember it myself I will say a few words.

I loved Lost For Words so I was looking forward to this but I’m afraid I found it very disappointing.

There were two main problems for me that wouldn’t bother other readers:

1) I come from Whitby and know York very well and there were countless mistakes regarding both places which really annoyed me and prevented me believing that’s where they were supposed to be.

2) I work in the library and read over 100 books a year in various genres but still would not be so presumptuous as to think I could recommend books to people I don’t know. I found the recommendations clichéd and awful.

Far too many irrelevant characters. Cringe making crow barring in of black and gay characters. Nearly gave up at that point. Depressing depiction of Covid and it felt outdated now that the world has moved on. Who wants to reminisce about the negatives of that time?

I read it all cover to cover but I couldn’t gel with it at all.

So much for not saying anything negative but this is how much it annoyed and disappointed me.14 s2 comments Kelly 263 51

There is something extra special to spend time with a character that you really loved. Loveday is one of my heart stay characters and she definitely doesn’t disappoint in Found in a Bookshop. 

I will always be honest in my and as much as I enjoyed the book, it was a difficult read. It is not one I could recommend to everyone without explaining the triggers of which there are a lot. Overall the feeling of being back in lockdown and if you suffered from separation from your family or a devastating loss then really this isn’t the book for you. There is a great deal of talking about, loss in all its forms and I was very upset at times during the book. I love the premise of the book but I feel the timing of it is just not the best.

I am a person who chooses each day to be happy and positive. It annoys people, it really does. But I made that choice to live and see the beauty and the love in the everyday little things. Because the alternative as maudlin as it sounds is that I just wouldn't be here. When your whole heart shatters it is put back together in a different way. You are not the same and you have a choice. I choose to take time to find new happiness. Found In A Bookshop took me to a deep dark sad place and I just didn't being there. It is a very personal experience and I usually adore Stephanie's books.

There was some uplifting takeaway from the book and I did enjoy all the prescriptions of books for each character I even wrote some down that I would to try. I loved spending time with Rosemary and George, they really felt similar to my parents.

The book will surely touch your heart, as the relationships between Loveday and her customers, Rosemary and George, and the customers' reactions to their unique situation, evoke the very best in us. While the world around us changes rapidly, the emotions remain the same: fear, loneliness, and a longing for connection. Stephanie Butland shows us the healing power of literature in the darkest of times.8 s Rayna84 2

I absolutely adored this book. The writing style was a tiny bit different than I am used to, but I really enjoyed the characters and the individual interwoven storylines… I previously compared it to Love Actually and that’s not quite accurate but I really did love all of the individual back stories and how they connected to the main characters… and the very concept of a book prescription. Just found out it was part two of another book and may now have to go read that one, out of order or not.8 s5 comments Marcie Carleton4

Eh…..

Boring. Too many characters. Hate Covid books. Could do without the authors opinions. Glad I only spent 99 cents. Pass8 s2 comments Annie1,481 34

Beautiful but heartbreaking. Depending on your COVID experiences you may not be ready to read this just yet. It's setting is UK during Lockdown. People dealing with life in the Pandemic. And there are deaths.

But then there is Loveday from The Lost For Words Book Shop trying to figure out how to keep her store afloat. She comes up with Book Prescriptions. Do you need books to help you escape, or sleep, or heal a broken heart? Loveday and her team will find you just the right book. It definitely a book for book lovers.


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