The Secrets of Paper and Ink by Lindsay Harrel

Book Synopsis

Lindsay Harrel presents a powerful story of healing, forgiveness, and finding the courage to write your own story.

A year after the death of her abusive fiancé, domestic violence counselor Sophia Barrett finds returning to work too painful. She escapes to Cornwall, England--a place she's learned to love through the words of her favorite author--and finds a place to stay with the requirement that she help out in the bookstore underneath the room she's renting. Given her love of all things literary, it seems like the perfect place to find peace.

Ginny Rose is an American living in Cornwall, sure that if she saves the bookstore she co-owns with her husband then she can save her marriage as well. Fighting to keep the first place she feels like she belongs, she brainstorms with her brother-in-law, William, and Sophia to try to keep the charming bookstore afloat.

Two hundred years before, governess Emily Fairfax knew two things for certain: she wanted to be a published author, and she was in love with her childhood best friend. But he was a wealthy heir and well out of her league. Sophia discovers Emily's journals, and she and William embark on a mission to find out more about this mysterious and determined woman, all the while getting closer to each other as they get closer to the truth.

The lives of the three women intertwine as each learns the power she has over the story of her life.

Paperback, 326 pages

Published February 26th 2019 by Thomas Nelson

My thoughts:

The Secrets of Paper and Ink is an artfully written time-slip novel with characters who have lingered in my mind long after I finished reading it.  The three female characters stories are woven together and each of their POV is told seamlessly. I usually love the past storyline more than the present but that wasn't the case in this book because I genuinely cared about Sophia, Ginny and Emily equally and wanted to know as much about them as I could. 

 This is a gripping and emotional story in which the characters suffer through abusive relationships  and rejection while learning so much about themselves along the way. I love how strong the ladies were as much as I loved the heroes who showed them what love, patience and understanding in a relationship is . I could easily imagine Sophia and Ginny in the bookstore as they worked together and became friends just as I could imagine finding a cozy spot to sit and choose which books I would purchase to enjoy during my stay in Cornwall. 

Ms. Harrell touched my heart in this captivating story and this is already one of my favorite books of 2019.  I look forward to reading more of her work but in the meantime, I will read this again at some point.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a review.  All opinions are my own.