Book Review: The Secrets of Paper and Ink

The Secrets of Paper and Ink by Lindsay Harrel

Recently, I read the novel The Secrets of Paper and Ink by Lindsay Harrel. While it is not a book I would recommend to everyone, it is a book that stands well on its own.

This novel follows a woman named Sophia dealing with the feelings of relief and guilt she has after her fiance passes away. As a counselor herself, she beats herself up for falling for a man who manipulated her and abused her. Then, she struggles with all the feelings that are brought to the surface upon his death. So many feelings that she has to put her counseling career on pause. During her required vacation, she heads to England where she lives above a bookshop and works there in exchange for rent.

While there, she befriends the owner, a woman named Ginny who has also been hurt by the man she loves. The two women bond over their different, yet similar heartbreaks. Additionally, Sophia becomes enthralled with an old journal she finds.

The journal is what really makes this novel stand out. You get a story within a story - and you get to move across vastly different time periods. This is the kind of stuff I love. While the twist involving the journal was obvious from the very beginning, it was still a nice way to weave the stories together.

Here's my only negative. This is a work of Christian fiction. As a Christian, I grow tired of reading fiction that has to so explicitly spell out a salvation (finding Jesus) message. While I understand the point is to try to share this message with others who may not be Christians, I don't think that is the book's audience. So, it seems overdone to me.

Overall, it was a pleasant read. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy to read and review! This book is currently on sale.