The Secrets of Paper and Ink - Lindsay Harrel

Three women's struggles are woven together in this time hop novel. Sophia and Ginny are contemporary American women who meet and bond when Sophia escapes to England to heal and recover from the death of her abusive fiance. Sophia rents the apartment above the bookstore Ginny is valiantly trying to save after her husband ran away to London 6 months ago to “find himself.” Emily's story, from the mid 1800s, is woven within the modern women's journeys as Sophia attempts to discover if the story of Emily she has found in the bookstore is about a real person, or merely a fictional account by an unknown author.

Each of these three women's stories is compelling, and the weaving of the contemporary friendship as they bond and create a healing relationship helps tie the book and its characters together into a story of relationships and the need for both God and people to help you through the hard times. Both Sophia and Ginny learn that they don't have to do it on their own, and maybe the dream they thought they were following isn't the plan God has in mind for them. They also discover that if they can see the need for grace and forgiveness of one's self in their new friend's life, maybe they deserve the same.

I really enjoyed watching the friendship between Sophia and Ginny grow, as they gave each other the freedom to be vulnerable and honest. The supporting characters helped to enrich the story, and while I maybe wished for a little more interaction with the townspeople as Ginny realized they weren't against her, and as Sophia tried to settle in, there was enough to get the feeling of a community.

I give this book 4 stars; it grabbed my attention and kept me turning pages to find out the resolution of each woman's story. I think I'll find myself wondering how these characters are doing in the days ahead, only to have to remind myself they aren't real. You can find The Secrets of Paper and Ink HERE. You can find the author HERE.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.