The Lost and Found Bookshop

A Novel

By: Susan Wiggs

Narrated by: Emily Rankin

"A wonderful exploration of the past and the future and, most importantly, of what it means to be present in the here and now. Full of the love of words, the love of family, and the love of falling in love, The Lost and Found Bookshop is a big-hearted gem of a novel that will satisfy and entertain readers from all walks of life. Lovely!" (Garth Stein, New York Times best-selling author of The Art of Racing in the Rain)

In this thought-provoking, wise, and emotionally rich novel, New York Times best-selling author Susan Wiggs explores the meaning of happiness, trust, and faith in oneself as she asks the question, "If you had to start over, what would you do and who would you be?"

There is a book for everything....

Somewhere in the vast Library of the Universe, as Natalie thought of it, there was a book that embodied exactly the things she was worrying about.

In the wake of a shocking tragedy, Natalie Harper inherits her mother’s charming but financially strapped bookshop in San Francisco. She also becomes caretaker for her ailing grandfather Andrew, her only living relative - not counting her scoundrel father.

But the gruff, deeply kind Andrew has begun displaying signs of decline. Natalie thinks it’s best to move him to an assisted living facility to ensure the care he needs. To pay for it, she plans to close the bookstore and sell the derelict but valuable building on historic Perdita Street, which is in need of constant fixing. There’s only one problem - Grandpa Andrew owns the building and refuses to sell. Natalie adores her grandfather; she’ll do whatever it takes to make his final years happy. Besides, she loves the store and its books provide welcome solace for her overwhelming grief.

After she moves into the small studio apartment above the shop, Natalie carries out her grandfather’s request and hires contractor Peach Gallagher to do the necessary and ongoing repairs. His young daughter, Dorothy, also becomes a regular at the store, and she and Natalie begin reading together while Peach works.

To Natalie’s surprise, her sorrow begins to dissipate as her life becomes an unexpected journey of new connections, discoveries and revelations, from unearthing artifacts hidden in the bookshop’s walls, to discovering the truth about her family, her future, and her own heart.

©2020 Susan Wiggs (P)2020 HarperAudio

Predictable, but Pleasant

Aside from the main crisis that sets up the rest of the novel, there's hardly a turn in this chick-lit minor-piece that doesn't flag itself well ahead. The nervous effort to illustrate literary prowess with book summaries throughout are eye-roll worthy. See! I'm a real writer who has read EVERYTHING and can quote Antoine de Saint-Exupéry! In French!

That said, as a portrait of a certain genre of San Francisco life, it's quite lovely. Moreover, Emily Rankin's deft narration gives the characters more complexity than they would likely appear on the page. The book makes for a pleasant enough listening experience that's great for a long drive when you don't want to be distracted too much by a complicated plot or 3-dimensional character development.

Simply Charming

Charming story of many kinds of love: mother and daughter, father and daughter, grandfather and granddaughter, and best of all: true friendship. Highly recommended; trigger warnings for death of a loved one and illness of a loved one.

Enjoyable!

During this time of social isolation due to Covid, I have listened to many books. This ranks in my top two, the other being The Henna Artist. The story is complex, going deep within the origins of a San Francisco bookshop, the family that owned it and the building it housed. Highly recommended.

This book is awesome!!!

I loved this story and rarely write a full review. The narrator was perfect. Lots of life lessons along the way. Don’t miss this gem!!

Heartwarming story

I am a big fan of Susan Wiggs and I am a big fan of books and book shops. This story fed my love for all of these.

Run don’t walk….

If you haven’t read this sweet and wonderful story, run and find a copy, the audio performance was terrific! Mothers, daughters, grandfathers, kids, all part of a whimsical story that will tug on your heartstrings all the way through!!

Great story

i enjoyed the humanity in this story and the history. This is an easy read that draws you right along Bravo!

Unsuspected love story

What a well written book! I loved the look into the past while Natalie made her way through the difficult decisions in her life. Great ending!

Loved this book

I really enjoyed this book. The story line was captivating. I enjoyed the narration. Great job!

great story

fanciful and wonderful. I thouroly enjoyed it. always a sucker for a good love story.