"The Secrets of Paper and Ink" by Lindsay Harrel
About the book
Title: The Secrets of Paper and Ink
Author: Lindsay Harrel
Genre: Women's Fiction
Release date: February 26, 2019
Publisher: Tyndale
Lindsay Harrel presents a powerful story of healing, forgiveness, and finding the courage to write your own story.
A year after the death of her abusive fiancé, domestic violence counselor Sophia Barrett finds returning to work too painful. She escapes to Cornwall, England—a place she’s learned to love through the words of her favorite author—and finds a place to stay with the requirement that she help out in the bookstore underneath the room she’s renting. Given her love of all things literary, it seems like the perfect place to find peace.
Ginny Rose is an American living in Cornwall, sure that if she saves the bookstore she co-owns with her husband then she can save her marriage as well. Fighting to keep the first place she feels like she belongs, she brainstorms with her brother-in-law, William, and Sophia to try to keep the charming bookstore afloat.
More than 150 years before, governess Emily Fairfax knew two things for certain: she wanted to be a published author, and she was in love with her childhood best friend. But he was a wealthy heir and well out of her league. Sophia discovers Emily’s journals, and she and William embark on a mission to find out more about this mysterious and determined woman, all the while getting closer to each other as they get closer to the truth.
The lives of the three women intertwine as each learns the power she has over the story of her life.
About the Author
Lindsay Harrel is a lifelong book nerd who lives in Arizona with her young family and two golden retrievers in serious need of training. She’s held a variety of writing and editing jobs over the years and now juggles stay-at-home mommyhood with writing novels. When she’s not writing or chasing after her children, Lindsay enjoys making a fool of herself at Zumba, curling up with anything by Jane Austen, and savoring sour candy one piece at a time. Connect with her at LindsayHarrel.com.
A Word from the Author
With every book I write, it seems God has something new to teach me. That certainly was true of The Secrets of Paper and Ink.
Lately, I am learning more and more about the power of our words. I’ve become more conscious of the words I speak over myself as well as what I say to other people. It’s more than “positive thinking”—the words we say ultimately contribute to the stories we weave, and I want my story to be as positive and hope-filled as possible, regardless of my circumstances.
I’ve also become much more aware of the lies that I tell myself — “you are not worthy, you are not enough, you will never achieve what you want to achieve” — and the need to replace those lies with the truths that God says about me. I have listened to Lauren Daigle’s song "You Say" on repeat lately, and it has become a theme not just of The Secrets of Paper and Ink, but one in the story of my very life.
So while I may not have experienced everything my characters have— I’ve never suffered emotional abuse, or been ostracized by my family, or been orphaned and alone in a world that seems against me at every turn — I have learned alongside them. I set out to write a book that would draw readers closer to the true healer and hope giver, and I ended up being drawn closer myself.
And that, to me, is the true power of story.
Katie's Review
Sophia Barrett had it all: a satisfying career as a counselor, a lovely home, and a handsome fiancé. A year after her fiancé's death, however, she finds she still can't return to work. She hasn't dealt with the secrets which left her steeped in shame and unable to connect with her clients. Her best friend, who also happens to be a fellow counselor, recommends a continuation of leave from work as well as seeking healing through journaling her story. Reluctantly, Sophia agrees and seeks escape in Cornwall, England - the place which her favorite author claimed was "the most freeing, most alive."
Ginny Rose, whose marriage and business are both floundering, desperately advertises the flat over her bookstore, offering a tenant reduced rent in exchange for hours worked in her unprofitable shop. When Sophia answers Ginny's advertisement for a vacation rental, Ginny offers her both a job and a place to stay. The two American women quickly forge a friendship and begin joining efforts to revive Ginny's bookstore.
While sorting through boxes of donated books, Sophia find a collection of handwritten pages. Was Emily, whose journal entries and story capture Sophia's attention, a real person? Although Sophia is supposed to be journaling her own story as part of her therapeutic process, she finds herself obsessed with discovering the identity of the author of the mysterious notebook. With the help of Ginny's brother-in-law William, a British literature professor, Sophia begins researching whether the mysterious Emily was a real person or a fascinating figment of an author's imagination. As they search for clues, Sophia begins to wrestle with some of her own hidden secrets, as well.
The Secrets of Paper and Ink by Lindsay Harrel is a charming story, weaving together the lives of several women. While Sophia and Ginny sort through their respective challenges, Emily's journal entries are woven in among the chapters. The author distinguishes between these varying perspectives well, and each of these women have a distinct voice. Although I love historical fiction, I actually preferred the contemporary characters, who seemed more authentic. The author handled some difficult topics with grace, incorporating all three women's stories into a tale of redemption and hope. Overall, it was an enjoyable read with a satisfying ending.
I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from the author through Celebrate Lit. All opinions contained in this review are my own.
Giveaway!
To celebrate the release of her book and her "book tour" with Celebrate Lit, Lindsay is giving away a copy of her first book, The Heart Between Us. Click here to view the giveaway.
Other Reviews
Don't just take my word for it! Check out additional stops on the blog tour for more reviews. Click here to be directed to the Celebrate Lit page for The Secrets of Paper and Ink, which lists additional blogs on this book's tour.