The Lost for Words Bookshop: A Novel

The Lost for Words Bookshop by Stephanie Butland is a compelling, irresistible, and heart-rending novel, perfect for all book lovers.

"In The Lost for Words Bookshop, Stephanie Butland has created a bibliophile's delight. Witty and irreverent, funny and sad, this is a charming tribute to stories on the page and in our lives--and the powers they can hold over us."--Matthew Sullivan author of Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore

"Burns fiercely with love and hurt. A rare and beautiful novel."--Linda Green, bestselling author of While My Eyes Were Closed

Loveday Cardew prefers books to people. If you look carefully, you might glimpse the first lines of the novels she loves most tattooed on her skin. But there are some things Loveday will never, ever show you.

Into her hiding place - the bookstore where she works - come a poet, a lover, and three suspicious deliveries.

Someone has found out about her mysterious past. Will Loveday survive her own heartbreaking secrets?

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Published Jun 19, 2018

337 pages

Average rating: 7.21

14 RATINGS

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Margie Pettersen

Oct 27, 2025

8/10 stars

Loveday works in a bookshop, but has a complicated life and a hidden past. She has male suitors-Robert, who she now finds annoying, and Nathan, who invites her to a poetry reading, but she remains aloof and withdrawn. I found I could not relate to her at all and found the book a bit depressing at first, but it did get better. As I learned more of her backstory, things began to slide into place.

sharon grant

Nov 12, 2024

8/10 stars

I enjoyed the descriptive writing style, I felt myself in the poetry reading scene and could easily imagine all the players. There was so much to love in just the visual writing and the interesting story of people, the local area, poetry, books, And interesting titbits like 5 million copy’s of the Da Vinci code published in 2003! The real story is of a child ripped from her life her happy personality. Her loss of her mother and father, school and friends appears to be an after thought. I loved how this tragic story was delivered.

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