The Lamplighter's Bookshop - Sophie Austin due for publication 1 March 2025

The 19th Century and the story of a ruined family rejected by their aristocratic peers and the measures a mother and daughter have to go to to survive. Throw in an aspiring writer a slightly mysterious bookshop and a romantic storyline and you have the makings of a good read.

Evelyn and Aunt Clara were determined and outspoken characters with Aunt Clara giving some humour to the tale. The romance was a slow burn but love triumphed in the end.

I felt the language was quite modern for Victorian times and the title and synopsis of the book had me expecting something more fantastical and mysterious in relation to the bookshop itself. But other than that I liked the storyline, the setting and the romance.

Thanks to Netgalley for a pre publication copy.

The cover of this book and the synopsis is very enticing, I loved the thought of a bookshop with secrets. The writing style was lovely, I felt the author correctly wrote about the constraints on young women at the time. I felt Evelyn's frustration in how society and her mother expected her to behave.
Despite the title I felt the novel was more a love story than a book about a bookshop, I wanted to be more enchanted by the shop. That said, I did enjoy the book and certainly wouldn't have thought it was a debut novel.
I will leave my review now on Goodreads, Bookmory, Storygraph and Fable now and on Amazon on publication day

I loved the author's writing which was super readable and easy to relate to. For some reason, I expected a slightly more magical read. What I got instead was a love story about a young woman, Evelyn, at the turn of the century, who is navigating the restraints of society based on her social status.

I enjoyed the exploration of money and power throughout.

Unfortunately, this book needed a lot better edit. It felt as though there was some sort of storyline about the bookshop that was cut, but there were still little hints to it in various chapters. The chapters sometimes lacked pace and purpose and the central love story didn't really give me that excited flutter I usually want from this kind of book.

Still, I enjoyed the premise and writing and hope this author gets another stab at a story, with perhaps a bit more of an edit.

Reviews on GoodReads. Unable to review on Amazon
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A note to publisher, the cover and bio on Amazon suggest there is something magical in this book which there isn't.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/216922102-the-lamplighter-s-bookshop

In 1899 Evelyn and her mother have to move out of their home because her father is in debt and their house and possessions have to be sold.
They move in with her Aunt Clara and Evelyn finds work at Morton’s Emporium, a run down book store.
A slow moving story about society and social classes.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

Oh I loved this....the style, the tone, the flow and pace, the complex characters, the interweaving of deceit and downfall as well as the building of real friendship and slow burn romance of enemies to lovers. Immersive and beautifully written...I couldn't put it down.

A five star read that transported me perfectly into the life of Evelyn as she manoeuvred her way through secrets and destruction.

I loved this book, especially as it was set in one of my favourite places - York.
Although this is a story of romance, it is so much more, with friendships & rivalries added to the mix.
It was really well written, and the characters were likable and believable.
A great read! A1

I really enjoyed this novel. It had great characters, some with secrets. It isca story of betrayal, love and friendship.

I didn't finish this novel. I hadn't realised it was a romance- sorry not my thing.
But the plot sounds appealing and loved the cover. I'm sure romance readers will love it.

A fascinating book, dealing with Victorian social mores. We see a girl, from a titled family falling in love with a boy who is definitely not 'suitable' We see her mother, desperate to be accepted in polite society but failing. The Bookshop itself was delightfully portrayed.
Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read and review this book, which I enjoyed.

I found this book totally immersive. The characters, setting and descriptions provide a wonderful escape to days gone by with excellent writing. I enjoyed this book enormously and looked for any opportunity during the day to get back into their world! The central theme of the bookshop is wonderfully evocative of different times making this a relaxing but entertaining read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a DRC.

Evelyn Seaton is the daughter of John, a baron and Cecilia, who married far above her station. They live in Riccall Hall in a small village in Yorkshire. But Baron Seaton abandoned his family for a life in London and his wife and daughter have had to cope with a minimum of servants and little money.
When carriages arrive at the hall Evelyn is distraught to find that they contain London policemen come to seize all of their belongings to pay off her father's debts. She and her mother must leave their home with only some clothes.
They go to their only relative, her mother's Aunt Clara, in York. Evelyn soon realised that the society ladies her mother thinks are friends are gossiping and laughing at them behind their backs. But she must hide the shame from her mother who worked so hard to be accepted as a lady.
This is a love story in many forms but is also about the need for truth and trust in any relationship.
I'm looking forward to the next story from Sophie Austin.

I really struggled to read this book. Although it is apparently set in the Victorian era, most of the characters are straight from the 21st century, so the whole book seems totally unbelievable. I didn't warm to the main characters at all. Not my type of book, sadly.

I loved reading this lovely story that made a very welcome change from my usual reading matter of murder mysteries.
Set in the beautiful city of York where Evelyn Seaton and her mother end up staying after her fathers gambling debts lead to their eviction from their manor house.
Evelyn's mother still wants to continue as before but a lack of money leads Evelyn unknown to her mother to seek work at the Lamplighters bookshop where she meets William Morton a relative of the bookshop's owner. Many twists in the story line before we reach a happy ending.
An excellent well written story with great characterisations that I can certainly recommend.

I would like to say thank you to Sophie Austin, Harper Collins UK, Harper Collins Fiction, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book ahead of the official release. What follows are my own personal views on the book.

The Lamplighter’s Bookshop takes us back in time to 1899. It’s not long into the story when we meet the confident, bold Evelyn Seaton who in the physical absence of her father, and the mental absence of her mother, asserts herself as ‘man of the house’. Unfortunately, this self-appointed position is short-lived when the family realizes that the family assets are required to pay off gambling debts. Forced to move in with Aunt Clara, Evelyn takes a job at a local bookstore to assert some independence.

From the blurb and the previous reviews I had read, I was looking forward to a bit of a romantasy novel, set in historical times. However, I note that the book is marketed as a historical romance. Despite this, I was still on the lookout for magic and mystery and was subsequently disappointed when the book fell far short of this. I cannot blame the author entirely for my setting unrealistic expectations.

I enjoyed the characters, the setting, and the way all the elements in the story appeared to interact, however, the story went over my head and reminded me of my experience of reading A Portrait of a Lady. Whilst the writing was good, the plot was not captivating, and I reached the end of the novel only to realize that I had failed to really engage with the book.

If I was to sum this book up from my limited knowledge due to my continued disengagement, it would be Dickens meets Bridgerton meets Sense and Sensibility. There is something about snaring a husband coupled with the impoverished state of affairs despite being a fairly well regarded family that has fallen on hard times.

This book is suited to lovers of a historical setting and a love of the classics. Readers will be an audience that likes to invest in characters and their relationships and are less phased by the plot (or lack of). Personally, I prefer more of a balance. Consequently, this book only receives a 3 out of 5 stars from me as it is slow, takes too long to find its stride, and is fairly unmemorable. On the plus side, it has well developed characters, fabulous descriptions of the environment, and an easy-to-read writing style. Plus, it’s about life within a bookshop and has parallels to some classic texts.

I was drawn in by the compassion to the lost bookshop, if I’m being honest I had to forget that as they are very different however taking the book on its own merit I enjoyed it, It’s not my usual type of book but it held my attention without being to taxing

Set in 1899, Evelyn Seaton and her mother are evicted from their family home after her father has gambled away their home and fortune.
With nowhere else to go, they find themselves in York on the doorstep of Aunt Clara, hoping she’ll take them in.
At the same time, William Morton is returning to York after successfully finding a publisher for his book.
When Evelyn and William both try and hail the same carriage one evening, they meet for the first time.
They then find themselves working in the same book shop and their love hate relationship begins!
With some loveable characters and a few rogues too, the storyline was familiar and the ending predictable. However, I still thoroughly enjoyed this book and would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I was asked to review by NetGalley - I loved this well researched and well written story.

Evelyn is from a well to do background but needs to find herself and her Aunt takes her in as she takes a positon in York at the Lamplighters bookshop. She takes up an assistant post there. She meets the writer William Morton whom they both have secrets. Evelyn has to turn to him, when her secrets come to the surface.

A powerful story of love in unexpected places, society and complex characters.

Set at the end of 1800s and into a new century of Victorian England.

Due for publication 1st March 2025.

An authentic and compelling story of lies and deceit, intermingled with optimism and romance. This book is an emotional rollercoaster, vividly written, and hard to put down.

Historical fiction isn’t usually a first choice for me but I really did enjoy this read, it was a perfect mix of historical fiction and romance, with a bit of humour thrown in. The story was interesting, and I really liked most of the characters. The bookshop setting was also a plus!

The Lamplighter's Bookshop is a quick and pleasant read, but not what I was expecting. The story is well written, the main characters are well developed, if not particularly likeable and the scene setting is well done. I was a bit disappointed that not more was made of the "magical" qualities of the bookshop which was so well described, I could picture myself there.
I received a copy of the novel from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review..