Book Review: ‘The Lost For Words Bookshop: A Novel’ Shows It’s Hard To Hide Your Past

They say the past is hard to keep buried. They say secrets will always come out. And in this day and age with the internet it’s usually easy to just google someone and find out a lot about them. For Loveday Carew escaping her past has been somewhat easy up to this point. She hasn’t really allowed anyone to get to close. But that’s all about to change and her life will never be the same.

Loveday had a good childhood up until her father lost his job on the oil rig. He had trouble finding a new job and her parents would be fighting a lot. He would even get violent with her mother. When something happens and Loveday has to be taken away it has shaped her future ever since.

Today at 25 years old she is content and happy working with Archie at a second-hand bookstore. Books are her passion. After an attempt at romance with Rob a few years ago, she is single and fine with it. Rob still comes around and is a bit obsessed with her but nothing she can’t handle. Just give her the books and she is happy.

Then along comes Nathan a man who hosts a weekly poem night at a local bar and also is a magician. Loveday lets her guard down and becomes involved with him. She knows she can’t let it get to deep as she still has her past to deal with and she’s afraid to open up about it. When some mysterious books appear at the shop it brings her past back into focus. For these are books from her childhood and it’s a mystery how they have arrived. She returns to her hometown to try and put the past behind her and move on with her future.

When she gets back things happen that put her life and those of others in a deadly situation and Loveday wonders if she can really trust and move on.

Author Stephanie Butland has written a fantastic story that goes back and forth in time to show just how Loveday got to where she is today. And it’s all told from her point of view. By giving us slow clues and the backstory, if explains why she feels the way she does (and makes you want to keep reading to find out what happened to this family). The poetry nights bring a nice touch to the story as it lets the characters say what they feel in their writings. A really nice touch. It helps heal the past and bring the future into focus.

You can pick up The Lost For Words Bookshop in stores on Tuesday, June 19, from St. Martin’s Press.