Book Review: The Secrets of Paper and Ink

I thoroughly enjoyed The Heart Between Us by Lindsay Harrel. Thus, I sought another title from this author for my treadmill time. The Secrets of Paper and Ink was quite different from The Heart Between Us (although, at one point, a modern-day character in the book mentions having read that book - a clever nod to her previous work). In this second book by Harrel, the author establishes a dual-timeline tale that follows three women coming to grips with who they are and what they want from life. Set in Cornwall, England, it was delightful to roam the countryside and the literature of that locale.

As a therapist, Sophia Barrett is in the business of helping people. So why can't she help herself get over the loss of her controlling fiancé? She decides she needs to get away. What better place to go than to Cornwall, where her favorite author lived and wrote? She finds an advertisement for a room above a bookstore, available for reduced rent in exchange for bookstore help (sounds like a dream, right?). She has always loved books, but is she finally ready to write her own story?

The bookstore owner, Ginny Rose, is struggling to keep the business afloat now that her husband has gone AWOL, claiming he needs some time apart. Ginny appreciates Sophia's help. When they find an old notebook among the books, she gifts it to Sophia. But Sophia knows nothing about the author of the notebook. Is it a novel or a diary? Did Emily Fairfax exist or is she a figment of someone's imagination?

I enjoyed the setting and the characters' paths of self-discovery. They are flawed, yet they admit their weaknesses, face them, and try to make changes. They home in on their dreams and pursue them with abandon. The book explores various things that hold women down. It also leads to the discovery of grace. Spiritual insights come naturally. If you are looking for a sweet tale set in historic and modern Cornwall, this book provides a clean read full of heart, with spiritual application.