The Printed Letter Bookshop

By: Katherine Reay

Narrated by: Hillary Huber

Books. Love. Friendship. Second chances. All can be found at the Printed Letter Bookshop in the small, charming town of Winsome.

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 20 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 falls apart, and a handsome gardener upends all her preconceived notions, she questions her plans and her heart. Has she been too quick to dismiss her aunt’s beloved shop? And even if she has, the women’s best combined efforts may be too little, too late.

This sweet, contemporary listen is a stand-alone novel, though characters in this story will appear in Katherine Reay’s forthcoming book, Of Literature and Lattes. Book length: approximately 95,000 words. Includes discussion questions and a list of books from the author.

Praise for The Printed Letter Bookshop:

"Powerful, enchanting, and spirited, this novel will delight." (Patti Callahan, best-selling author of Becoming Mrs. Lewis)

"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." (Rachel McMillan, author of Murder in the City of Liberty)

"Gifted narrator Hillary Huber introduces listeners to three women whose lives collide after the passing of a bookstore owner named Maddie. Madeline Cullen, Maddie's niece, is voiced in tones of regret and sadness, her fond memories of her aunt having been replaced by the bitterness of a family disagreement never settled. When Madeline inherits her aunt's bookstore, she meets sullen, quick-tempered Claire and sweet Janet. Notes of emotional pain can be heard in all three women's voices as their paths intertwine after Maddie's death. Each chapter is narrated by one of the three grieving women, and Huber seamlessly differentiates them with specific tones, tempos, and rhythms. With its expertly narrated story of healing, this audiobook is sure to warm hearts." (AudioFile)

• Sweet and thoughtful contemporary listen
• Stand-alone novel
• Book length: 96,000 words
• Includes discussion questions and a recommended reading list from the author

©2019 Katherine Reay (P)2019 Thomas Nelson

Forgiveness is a Blessing for Everyone

Nice story that kept your attention while getting you to think. It was a good ole’ tale that focused on the importance of family and friends.

Fantastic story

Wonderful story to fall into and get lost. Captivating! Excellent narration which made it fun to listen to. Will listen to this again when I need something easy and light and remember that when life twists, it can still turn out ok.

Great Book

The only thing that would make this book better would be having the narrator give a little longer pause between the changes in characters. Otherwise, this is a really enjoyable book.

Another good book from this author!

I really like this author and the presentation by the reader. I will look up more from the presenter.

An Enjoyable Story

This is an enjoyable story as it is rich in characters, but not too heavy of a plot. The narration is only a bit disappointing in that there is not too much voice distinction between the characters, especially the female characters ( all the nasal tone voices are somewhat of annoying). This would make a good audio book for a road trip.

Good story…but melancholy

For the most part, I liked this story. However, I feel potential readers need to know two things: 1) About 80% of this book seems to trend down. It just feels so melancholy. I have this habit of absorbing the mood of books I’m reading. During this read, I just felt very sad and kinda hopeless. It evens out, but before then, it gets tough to slog through. And 2) around about Chapter 16, the religion and preachiness gets laid on thick. That said, the story is well-told and keeps you engaged - if only to see if some hope emerges for the central women in the story.

Thought provoking story

Wonderful example of various perspectives, and beautiful redemption. Such an opportunity to learn from these women.

Highly recommend this book, but....

The story is wonderful. I highly recommend that people read this book. While I like Hillary Huber as a narrator there are to many characters for one narrator to do it justice. I found myself have to backtrack quit a bit to follow who was speaking. I am definitely going to enjoy this book again, but I am not sure if I will get a printed copy and read it or listen to it again. For me the story was very compelling. It contains important life lessons that bridge a generational gap. I also found all of the references from other literature very appealing. If you are looking for good read and can appreciate the homage paid to other great authors this is the book for you.

If you’re not a lawyer you might like this…

This book would have been good if it wasn’t for the painfully pedantic and incorrect description of “big law” and what lawyers do. It was like the author heard a cliche about lawyers and just went with it. A “big law” firm that does divorce law? The main character is a star attorney yet represents the person who breaks into her store? Can anyone say ethical violation? Unfortunately it was a major storyline throughout the book and utterly ruined it for me. Perhaps if you are not a lawyer in “big law” it won’t be so grating.

A Book Lovers Book!

This Is a gentle story that leaves you feeling uplifted. It is easy to understand how books become part of us and have the power to change us forever.

The narrators voice grated on me. It's amazing how she makes a women in her 50s, a woman in her 40s, and a woman in her 30s all sound like angry winey teenagers bordering on valley girls. Educated people just don't talk like that. The inflections are all wrong. I love how clean and uplifting Katherine Reay's books are, but I can't listen to the nasally voice of Hillary Huber again.