‘Books are the magical everyday that is all your own. ‘

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.

This book covers a time that many others have ignored - the Covid pandemic and all that was associated with it. Lovejoy and her team come up with the idea of prescribing books to help others during this time whilst helping the bookshop keep running.
To be honest I struggled with this book to start with as it flits between different characters and even times, however as I became more involved things stated to fall into place. My family and friends were relatively lucky with Covid and none of us were seriously ill, however I do remember the struggles that we had during that time. I certainly read a lot and would have loved the idea of books being recommended to match my mood at various times. I felt for the various characters and their struggles, not necessarily an easy read so this is a book to read and reflect on. In summary a deep, but not heavy, book that I ended up enjoying far more than I thought I was going to, so don't give up after the first few chapters and give it a chance to work its magic on you.
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley, however this did not influenced my review of the book.

If you need me I'll just be sobbing gently into a tissue, whilst hugging all the books I own!! That's how this book has made me feel and it was an utter delight from start to finish!!

Following on from the wonderful Lost In Words, this centres around the bookshop run by Loveday and Kelly and this time they're facing the battle of running a shop during the Pandemic. The loss of connection to their customers is a huge deal as the bookshop was such a hub for so many in the local area. This whilst they're dealing with their own personal issues and it's through the support of friends, and books, that they find ways through.

We are also introduced to a variety of other characters who are facing their own challenges during the Pandemic - an elderly couple facing an uncertain future but their love for one another shines through, a young couple apart due to the husband working as a paramedic, a woman seeking refuge after an abusive marriage, to name but a few - and their love of books and reading is at the heart of that way of fighting through. When the bookshop starts to prescribe reading material for different people facing different challenges, we are made very aware of just how powerful the written word can be and I have to say that I've scribbled down so many of the titles mentioned as many I'd not heard of or haven't got round to reading yet!

At the heart of this book is seeing little glimpses of real life carrying on through extraordinary times trying to seek connection to people, and how books can help fill that gap and rescue people and give them hope when they most need it.

A wonderful book, full of wonderful characters and a really emotional and heartwarming story. Highly recommended!!

I didn't realise this book was a sequel but that doesn't matter as it reads perfect as a stand aloone nd in fact, I now want to read the first book.
I enjoyed how we follow different characters throughout the book and how the the process of matching the perfect book for the reader brought joy to their lives.
It was a great look into real life human relationships and I did find it very emotional but overall a lovely read.
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If you love books and the power of a recommended book, this one is for you! I didn't realise this was a sequel, but it doesn't matter at all and can be read as a standalone. Loveday, Kelly and Madison are the three central characters who all bring others along with them for this journey through running a bookshop during the 2020 COVID pandemic. They create an idea of filling 'Book Prescriptions' that customers send in whilst the shop is closed.

Throughout the book we need lots of the customers who write in and call for book prescriptions and learn more about the central characters too. There is so much going on in this book, but nothing too much to handle.

I found some very sad moments, but also great insight into human relationships in general. A really lovely read.

The staff at the Lost for Words bookshop come up with the idea of a 'Book Pharmacy' when thinking of ways to generate income during the pandemic lockdown. People send the shop emails with what they would like recommendations for or help with (perhaps wanting a certain genre or escapist read) and the staff make suggestions for them.

It's actually the second book about this bookshop (the previous was called Lost for Words) though can read read and enjoyed as an independent story. I loved it

It's a fabulous warm, cosy race, like a hug in a book. I loved it.

Thanks to Headline and Netgalley for my advanced copy. This is my own honest review

How quickly we forget what it was like during lockdown, when we isolated, allowed outside for an hour, missed celebrations and missed the passing of loved ones.
We return to York and the ‘Lost for Words ’ bookshop where Loveday , like all business’ is having a hard time financially. Reaching* out into the community she manages to connect her ‘Book Prescription ‘ service with vulnerable, isolated, at risk and lonely people.
Reading about these people in the community brought back many memories about lockdown, about the many unsung heroes who quietly got on and helped in the community, about the health and care workers who went above and beyond and the times we could only wave through a window.
I think that this book captures that era perfectly, and if we ever need reminding how lucky we are now then this is the perfect read, not all doom and gloom but with rays of sunshine and hope peeping through.

Thanks so much to Headline for asking me to be on the tour, and sending me a copy of the book.

I loved this! At first I wasn’t sure what I was going to think of it, the pandemic being still so fresh, but honestly this was lovely.

Stephanie made this book not only about the pandemic, and loneliness we all felt, but about feeling uplifted and happy, and feeling included. I love all the book recommendations, and there is a list of them all in the back of the book, I’m going to try to read some of them.

I loved the characters, Geoge and Rosemary were my favourite, I loved hearing about their lives, how they met etc, but mostly how happy they are now in their retirement. Their garden overlooking the sea, sitting enjoying a cup of tea and a book together, this is what I want when I’m older.

Thanks again to Headline and Stephanie Butland for including me in the tour and for my gifted copy of the physical book. Also to Netgalley for the e-arc.

This was an emotional read, revisiting the first Covid lockdown and being reminded of utterly terrible it was. We meet some wonderful characters, some from the previous novel and some new and we live through this traumatic time with them.
I really enjoyed this and it made me cry, especially at the end. It also made me doubly aware of how important books are, and how much of a privilege it is to be able to work with people who want to buy books. Losing yourself in a good book is the best way to escape.

This was a return to Loveday Cardew’s Lost and Found Bookshop in the beautiful city of York. and from the outset I would say this is a book you can still enjoy without reading the first, although do read it if you get chance as it’s good. This book is set within the period of the pandemic, a time when bookshops had to find new and original ways to remain in business while customers were unable to come in and browse the store. I ordered books from independent shops during the pandemic and found it a bit of a lifeline. I was shielding throughout due to my MS and these little parcels of joy, beautifully wrapped and with thoughtful notes inside really did lift my day and make me feel connected to someone. Loveday’s bookshop also provided this service and received a letter from Rosemary and George. They are elderly, married for fifty years and had downsized more recently, meaning they’d let go of a small library of their own books to create more space. Now they were missing it and sent the bookshop a cheque for £100 to provide them with a selection of books, then once finished they would write again. The couple are pragmatic about their lives, they know they don’t have very long left, but if they can while away this time on their bench at the bottom of the garden and reading good books together they’ll be happy. Now Loveday knows what they can do while their doors are closed. They can recommend books to their customers who perhaps need cheering up, or feel a need for some bloodthirsty crime novels. Either way their avid reading has come in useful because now they have a wealth of knowledge to start working as book doctors.

This was such a gentle and enjoyable book to read, despite serious themes from the letters and a story thread about domestic violence. The books are not the only purpose of the shop. Upstairs is a reader’s retreat, a space to have a tea or coffee and read, but also a space where women can ask for help if they are stuck in an abusive relationship. It’s very subtle, being aware that even seeming to look for an escape, can be deadly for the person being abused. These themes are not easy, but are introduced carefully and with awareness of their impact. Probably because I’m a therapist I loved being able to read the customer’s letters and find out what they’re like. It’s astounding how much of their inner world is given away in such a short piece of correspondence and in their requests too. I know I could look back on my Goodreads history in the years before blogging and see exactly what was going on in my life, because reading has always been my way of coping. I loved the structure of being able to read the letters, then seeing the bookshop staff’s choices for that reader. I did find many that were unread on my bookshelves and the blurbs reminded me why I wanted to read them. Others were new to me and have now further extended my gargantuan wish lists.

I really enjoyed the characters too, especially Loveday who is just my sort of quirky. Kelly and Madison were great too and it was lovely to be part of their inner world at times because it stopped the structure from being too repetitive. These separate threads - letters and different narrators - brings together a community, even if it is a remote one. The little vignettes of customer’s lives are like a collage of the pandemic and it seemed an intriguing way to give an overview, but also represent the variety within that shared experience from sorrow to joy. Of course Rosemary and George are the customers I felt most invested in, because they were adorable and I enjoyed their memories of their lives together. Within such a crisis as COVID, the knowledge that someone else was out there caring about you and having the same love of reading was incredibly powerful. The idea of books as a remedy has always been one of my strongest beliefs and I’m always suggesting books to friends and clients that might help with an issue, or simply make them feel less alone. It has inspired me to think about doing something similar in the village with the book exchange. Set within our old red telephone box are eight shelves full of books that I tidy and contribute to with copies I don’t want to keep. I’ve wondered for a while how villagers who can’t leave the house could access the bookshop. So maybe I ask them to write me a letter.

I found this book incredibly moving. Set during the pandemic, it brought back all the feelings of loneliness and despair, the constant bad news, anxiety and worry. It is also a very warm and caring book. I loved all the characters (apart from the bad ones!) and now have a desperate need to go to as many bookshops as possible in a short time! I love that there is a complete list of all the books mentioned at the end. I intend to read many of them.I can not recommend this book highly enough.

I would just like to say a big thank you to Headline Publishing who very kindly forwarded me a paperback copy of this book in return for my honest review.

This book is the sequel to Lost For Words but can vey easily be read as a stand alone without any problems at all.

Just from the title alone i knew i had to read this book but then i read the blurb and knew i definitely had to read it and i wasn’t disappointed - i loved it!!

Set amid the Covid lockdown we get a glimpse of what life is like during this time.

We meet lots of wonderful characters who are very real and down-to-earth and i really enjoyed getting involved in their lives,

Found In A Bookshop was a wonderful, emotional and heartwarming story and a pure escapist read - beautiful…….

This was a thought provoking book and hit on the mental health issue, I didn't really want to live through "covid" again but it was emotional and moving, read it when you are in the correct frame of mind,

A novel for book lovers everywhere. Set during the pandemic in York and Whitby, it explores the wonder of books and reading and it's power to connect and transform. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc

Is there a more perfect sounding book than this one? I'll answer that. No! It was a winner for me before I'd even opened the cover. Do I now have a list of Stephanie's other books to buy and work my way through? Why yes, I do.

I said to my mum (who isn't a particularly keen reader) that I wanted to exist in the world of this book. I know it's very much a normal world, full of pandemics and whatnot (and you're probably screaming that we did live in a world full of pandemics why would you want to again?), but this world and community she has created within the bookshop is perfect.

The idea of a book pharmacy is fantastic and I wish I'd created it. I love nothing better than suggesting books to people, but not many of my nearest and dearest really do reading, so I'm living vicariously through the people in this book. I actually signed up to an online course in Bibliotherapy many moons ago to learn about 'prescribing' books for people's ills. But I never completed it. I really should get back to that.

This book perfectly depicts what is so special about books and bookshops and booksellers, and makes us bookworms sound more like the normal ones round here.

I've said in previous reviews that I generally dislike books that use COVID as a plot device. I lived it, I don't want to read it. I want to escape from reality for a bit. But it didn't really seem like an issue with this book. And I think it's because it's like about COVID itself, but more about life around it; the negatives and positives, the people, the businesses, the emotions - and that I really liked. Because the pandemic made us feel very isolated, and so to read about others, it gives you that freedom we were so missing at the time.

Obviously this book had to come out when it does, because it's telling us about the pandemic after the event, she couldn't exactly have written it before the event. But I feel it would have been a really good book to have out during the pandemic, so that everyone would feel a little less lonely.

I found it emotional right from the off. And that's not necessarily in a sad way - although there is that too (you'll get no spoilers from me!), but it's just very moving and I suppose I wasn't expecting that. There is sadness, yes, collective and individual sadness, but there's also happiness and joy and friendship and family and love and, above all, hope, even when all seems lost. And that is all very moving.

The curse of a good book: wanting to whizz through it fast so you can find out what happens, but wanting it to last forever because you never want to leave its world.

The problem with this book is that it mentions lots of other books (unsurprisingly), which means I've now got a list of 23 new books I want to read, so I'll be sending my bill to Stephanie. 😊 The amount of research she must have had to do for this book, just in terms of thinking of what books to suggest to her characters is amazing and it makes me want to view her own home library, see what goodies she has.

I actually sent a Twitter message to Stephanie when I was about 100 pages into it because I wanted to thank her. The way she writes about how important books are is just beautiful. My mental health hasn't been good recently, combined with chronic pain and whatnot, and I have a tendency to fall into a depression, and the only thing that has really kept me going is reading. And she's written the words I didn't know I needed, about books being medicine to help combat sadness or loneliness. It was like she found the words that my heart wanted to say, which may sound corny, but I truly agree that books and reading can be our salvation.

Now, I don't know Stephanie, and I have only spoken to her once in the aforementioned Twitter message, but my gut instinct is this is the book she needed once upon a time, and wished she had, and so now she's giving it to all of us to treasure.

There are difficult topics in this book though, I will point out, including, obviously, COVID, illness and grief, but also miscarriage, domestic violence, loneliness, deceit, vandalism. That may seem like a lot to throw at a 400+ page book, but it's not. It's all written with such sensitivity and heart that it fits with these characters and their situations and it makes it feel more like reality, because sadly we all go through these things, or know someone that has.

I also like that it's full of short chapters, some only 1 or 2 pages long. I have said before, I much prefer short chapters. They make the book feel faster and more exciting, and it means you can read to the end of a chapter before you go to sleep. I also love that the chapters are from different characters' points of view. We have Kelly and Loveday who work in the shop, the other members of the bookshop family Sarah-Jane and Madison, the love interests Nathan and Craig, and then you have the wider community: Zoe, Jennifer, Trixie, Rosemary and George, Adjoa, Bella, Casey, Hozan and Zhilwan, Lorraine - it's a real cross-section of real people and they're all fabulous. Some you only hear from once or twice, and others take up several chapters with their story. It's a nice balance. At first, it may seem like too many characters to keep in your head, but it's not. They all feel instantly familiar like you're reading about your own neighbours.

It's the perfect book for any time. For a grey winter's evening curled up in front of the fire, for a hot day lying on a foreign beach, for when you're sad or lonely or grieving, for when you're happy or excited or in love, and for when you just want someone to say, "it's ok".

This book was such a beautiful read. I try to avoid books set in the pandemic so did initially groan when I saw that this one was, but it was so thoughtfully written and the characters experiences were truly believable. I'm not going to lie I did shed a few tears. The characters were very real and mostly likeable. I didn't realise that there was a previous book until I finished this one but it worked as a stand alone so don't feel I missed out. I loved the observations on the meaning of reading and books and my TBR list has definitely grown after reading this!

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

This is a very sensitive, thought- provoking, beautifully written book. The author returns us to the dark days of the Covid pandemic, which I was unsure about, to begin with. However, the individual and very varied stories are so skilfully narrated, that it gives the reader a rare insight into how these people were affected by this terrible pandemic. It made me stop to consider in more depth, my own feelings about what I had lost as a result. It also brought alive the people we possibly only thought about in the abstract, like the paramedic, the doctors and nurses working relentlessly with little thought for themselves; the older people, cut off from family and friends and life in general; young families, struggling to cope; couples separated and unable to meet; and communication and education by the dreaded Zoom.
Through it all, there is a very genuine romantic dilemma, and the bookshop owner, questioning her own ability. The characterisation is first class, the main protagonists are all brought alive on the pages. Loveday the owner, Kelly her manager, Madison her young teenage Saturday girl, and Rosemary and George, the elderly couple, who just broke my heart.
Through it all are the books suggested for the different people, who ask for a book ‘ prescription’. To my great pleasure, the author helpfully listed every book title, with author, at the end of her book.
I have noted them all, and will explore the list in more depth for my own reading pleasure.
This is a book which will remain with me for a long time, it made me smile and it made me cry. I will find the prequel to this book to read also.
My thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy of this book. I highly recommend it.

This book touches on so many aspects of life. In all of its happy, sad, messy and meaningful ways.
I absolutely adored reading it.

Loveday is the owner of a bookshop in York, which she runs with help from her manager Kelly, and with support of her boyfriend and mum.
The bookshop is being run through early Covid times.

I really liked the style of the storyline, other people’s stories, told within a story.
Set during the timescale of early Covid, it helped remind me of things I mustn’t forget.
There are a lot of very interesting lines, full of depth, meaning and emotion. Descriptive and heartfelt words.
I found it to be a book of hope, love, empathy, kindness, compassion, and a passion for books, which I understand well.
The book made me smile, laugh, it made me cry, it made me feel.
The characters share a lovely friendship, and I found the book such a wonderful read. There is a lot of meaning behind the words, rather than just words. Beautifully written. A book I will always remember, for all the right reasons.
Screwballs from the Ice Cream Van - Now that is a blast from the past, and brings back memories.
This is the first book I have read by the author, and it certainly won’t be my last. I understand that some of the characters in this book have been mentioned in a previous book, which I now want to read. I read this book as a stand-alone, and feel it worked well for me as a stand-alone.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Publisher for an advanced e-book copy. Opinions about the book are entirely my own.

We meet Loveday Cardew again in her bookshop but this time during Covid where with her employee Kelly they try to rescue the business during difficult times. An interesting array of well depicted characters are meet in the course of this story. A depiction of how reading can help people through difficult times

If books could give you a hug, Found in a Bookshop is a good indication of how it would feel. Quickly enveloping you into the lives of Loveday and Kelly and the Lost for Words bookshop, we are also introduced to the continually growing cast of customers, both old and new, who are each battling their own demons during the Covid-19 lockdowns.

Touching on domestic abuse, racism and infertility admist the confusion and uncertainty of the pandemic, I loved the book pharmacy idea and also shared the laughter and sorrow of many of the characters...As with all great books, I feel I've made a host of new friends and will be desperately trying to find the bookshop in real life.