Guest Review: Lost For Words by Stephanie Butland

You can trust a book to keep your secret . . .

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

Fifteen years ago Loveday lost all she knew and loved in one unspeakable night. Now, she finds refuge in the unique little York bookshop where she works.

Everything is about to change for Loveday. Someone knows about her past. Someone is trying to send her a message. And she can't hide any longer.

I have to start out by admitting that I had never encountered Stephanie Butland's books before I heard about this one. It has a most inviting cover, drawing the reader into the unusual bookshop which is central to the story. Although I was not instantly hooked by the story, and even found it a bit confusing to start with, I was soon spellbound by the unfolding, and at times shocking, tale. 

The principal character in the story is Loveday Cardew, who, we learn, works in a second hand bookshop (Lost For Words) in York. The owner of the shop is the rather eccentric and lovable Archie, who would be fairly well lost himself without her. Add into the mix a former lover, a somewhat strange poet cum magician, a slightly peculiar co-worker and a secret from the past, and we have a really interesting storyline. 

I did find the unusual layout of the book confusing to begin with, but it began to make sense to me as the story progressed. There are separate sections dealing with past and present events; together they explain what has made Loveday into the fiercely independent character she is when we first meet her. Loveday is a character who grew on me, especially as the story of her past unfolded. However, I think that my favourite person was Archie, who was always looking out for Loveday without her even realising.  I absolutely disliked Loveday's one time lover, scary Rob, but then I'm sure that nobody could really claim to like him. On the other hand, I really took to the other man in her life, Nathan, who was charmingly patient and understanding 

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