Ratings15
Average rating4
"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 bestselling author of The Art of Racing In The Rain In this thought-provoking, wise and emotionally rich novel, New York Times bestselling 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.
Featured Series
3 primary booksBella Vista Chronicles is a 3-book series with 3 released primary works first released in 2012 with contributions by Susan Wiggs.
Reviews with the most likes.
Read in one afternoon/evening, could not put down. Appealing characters. Would have been a 5 star but fell flat last 20 pages. It ended too happily ever after. The end (last 20 or so pages) fell flat and diminished my pleasure.
I guess every women's fiction author has set at least one of their books in a bookstore - it's catnip for so many readers. This one is distinguished slightly by the fact that our heroine Natalie doesn't really want to be there (unlike so many of the other stories that portray owning a bookstore as the heroine's dream job), but after her mother's tragic death she has no choice but to come back to San Francisco, take care of her ailing grandfather and try to make the bookshop a success. Some interesting artifacts hidden in the store provide a glimpse of the city's history, including the 1906 earthquake/fire, and the prejudice faced by the Asian immigrants who were such an integral part of the city's culture. While they may not be the key to saving the bookshop, they help Natalie and her grandfather better understand the family's past, including the reason why so many of her ancestors were unlucky in love. Natalie, who believes she is incapable of truly loving someone, ends up with more than one suitor, and although it's obvious which one will provide her HEA (handsome, successful, rich author who may be good to be true, or ruggedly-good looking handyman with an encyclopedic knowledge of literature and history who comes equipped with adorable daughter? No contest!).The plot isn't as overly stuffed as Wiggs' 2019 release, [b:The Oysterville Sewing Circle 40535953 The Oysterville Sewing Circle Susan Wiggs https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1551313435l/40535953.SY75.jpg 62933434], and it's never a hardship to read about characters who love books. Nothing extraordinary, just a good solid summer women's fiction read.
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