The Secrets of Paper and Ink

Lindsay Harrel writes tight knit prose with consistent plot movement and exquisitely developed characters.  They have real life problems and face real-world dilemmas. 

Her cast in The Secrets of Paper and Ink contains few players, but they are so likable they become friends (with one exception). 

Sophia Barrett is a woman's counselor who had experienced her own tragedy and cannot remain in her office--she has too much of her own healing to do.  When she finds an ad for an apartment in Cornwall that includes working at a bookstore for part of her rent, she has to at least try for the apartment.

Ginny Rose is the American owner of a bookstore in Cornwall, England. She is having difficulties making ends meet so she advertises an apartment that is upstairs from the store.  The resident will help out in the store in lieu of part of the rent. 

Emily Fairfax is the author of a journal from the 1800s that Sophia finds while cleaning out one room of the bookstore.

Garrett Rose is the estranged husband of Ginny who moved out to "go find himself" in London.

William Rose is Garrett's brother who helps Sophia track down the author of the journal and all the information about her that they can find.

Steven is a friend of Ginny's and Garrett's (although, he's not liking Garrett's actions of late) and helps Ginny to figure out ways to make the bookstore more profitable, and he helps her to update her website.

Lindsay does a wonderful job of making it easy to envision where the characters are, and to understand their motivations for all of their actions. One thing she does is to note her previous book. This is a five star book, with two thumbs up, and a journal found in a dusty bookstore.

I want to thank Thomas Nelson for allowing me to read and review this book and to NetGalley.com for providing the galley I read.