Promotional Information

Smart, compelling and irresistible, Lost for Words combines the emotional intensity of Nathan Filer's Shock of The Fall with the charm of The Little Paris Bookshop.

About the Author

Stephanie Butland lives with her family near the sea in the North East of England. She writes in a studio at the bottom of her garden, and when she's not writing, she trains people to think more creatively. For fun, she reads, knits, sews, bakes and spins.

Reviews

Loveday is a compelling character, you love her in the way you love a cat who always scratches but you love it anyway . . . this book is quirky, clever and unputdownable. I really enjoyed it.
*Katie Fforde*

Loveday is a marvellous character and she captured my heart from the very first page . . . and her bookshop is the bookshop of readers' dreams.
*Julie Cohen, bestselling author of Dear Thing*

Loveday is so spiky and likeable. I so loved Archie, Nathan and the book shop and the unfolding mystery
*Carys Bray, author of A Song For Issy Bradley and The Museum of You*

Burns fiercely with love and hurt. A quirky, rare and beautiful novel, one you'd be delighted to unearth in any bookshop. And Loveday Cardew is a character who leaps from the pages into our hearts.
*Linda Green, bestselling author of While My Eyes Were Closed*

It is such a beautiful read and Loveday's voice is so compelling . . . an exquisite story that I couldn't put down.
*Liz Fenwick*

Beautifully written and atmospheric. Loveday is an endearing heroine, full of attitude and fragility. The haunting story of her past is brilliantly revealed.
*Tracy Rees, Sunday Times top ten bestselling author of Amy Snow*

What an absolute stunner of a book. I LOVED it and cried like a motherf***er. If you care about books (or humans) read it!
*Shelley Harris, author of Jubilee*

This book will warm and break your heart in equal measure! Loveday Cardew is funny and sassy, angry and loving, and she is running scared; she wears her scars deep within her and on the outside too. In Butland's consummate hands, the story of Loveday's past and her present is bravely told and is transformative. This is a must-read novel.
*Claire Dyer, award-winning poet and author of The Perfect Affair*

A beautiful, touching, moving, sweet treat of a book. Sad, intriguing, cleverly plotted, sometimes shocking, compelling read. I was with Loveday all the way. I absolutely loved it
*Jane Wenham-Jones, author of Prime Time*

I just finished. I can totally see why you fell in love with it. What a unique, beautiful novel that cleverly builds to a heart-stopping climax. Any book lovers out there would be mad not to adore the quirkily drawn character of Loveday who pulls you in right from the get go with her distinctive voice!
*Tracy Buchanan, number one bestselling author of My Sister' s Secret, The Atlas Of Us and No Turning Back*

Wonderful. So many beautiful one-liners too!
*Ayisha Malik, author of Sofia Khan is Not Obliged*

OH poor, brilliant Loveday. Gorgeous, gorgeous bookshop book . . . So, so lovely!
*Sarah Franklin, author and Costa Book Awards judge*

Loveday is an incredible character.
Oh, the w riting . . .
Vibrant, vivid, sometimes visceral;
Engaging, funny, searing.
Dares to mix prose and poetry seamlessly.
Archie had me head-over-heels in love.
You can't help but hurt w hen it's over
*Helena Sheffield, author of The Art of Wearing Hats*

I loved it! Spent all day today engrossed in Loveday . . . a superbly drawn character.
*Alex Gray, bestselling author of The Darkest Goodbye*

I very quickly fell in love with the protagonist, Loveday Cardew...This is a story about hurt and self-preservation but above all else love...
*Boofs Books*

I enjoyed Lost For Words; I found it readable, humane and rather perceptive...it's so well done that it felt very fresh and involving to me. Loveday's narrative voice is authentic and very engaging...it is intelligent and thoughtful and almost entirely without implausible sentimentality. There is a distinct whiff of a Richard Curtis film about the plot...I found it genuinely funny in places and very touching in others...an engaging and quite gripping read which I can recommend.
*Sid's Book Reviews*

Love at first word! Fascinating. Truly fascinating and spectacular
*Articles and More*

A wonderful read for a holiday or weekend. It's a great, immersive read with a big heart. What more could you want?
*Hannah Bullimore*

I found myself faced with the question of how much you can hold a mentally ill person accountable for their violent tendencies, and how do you measure whether its their illness or just their evil? If you're looking for a light read with a dark twist I'd recommend Lost for Words. It was a comfort read for me, especially because of the familiarity that comes from a bookish protagonist.
*Sumaiyya Reads*

This is the perfect read for any bookworm... The story is warm, effortless, and comfortable. Most of all, it was lovely to be able to connect to a character that felt exactly the same way about books as you do....Read this book. Even if you think this 'might not be your thing' like I did, give it a chance. You might just have found your new favourite book.
*A Literary Mind*

I have a fatal weakness for books set in bookshops and whimsical heroines for Lost For Words pushes all my bookish buttons. Loveday Cardew infinitely prefers books to people; she works in a second-hand bookshop called Lost For Words and has her favourite lines from her favourite novels tattooed on her skin. But then mysterious packages begin to arrive for Loveday, each one containing a book that stirs up unsettling memories for her, especially as someone seems to know the secret that Loveday has been hiding for so many years.
*Red Magazine*

I loved so many things about this book. It is narrated by the most appealing heroine named Loveday. Loveday is a fantastic character, defensive and spirited...a brilliant story about surviving, and full of hope. I loved this author's way with words and her astute observations. It is is surprising, affecting and beautifully finished but the main thing is that it is brilliant and I suspect my voice will be one of many shouting about how good it is.
*Kitty Loves Books*

This book is beautiful
*Prima magazine*

'A beautiful book'
*Prima magazine*

Lost for Words is a book I adored. It's full of warmth with wonderful characters and it's full of the magic and power of books. If you love books set in bookshops, you'll love it. If you love books about damaged people learning to love again, you'll love it. If you love books with quirky characters, you'll love it. In fact, if you love any beautifully written story, you'll love Lost For Words!
*Portobello Book Blog*

Fierce, tender, quirky, well-written - Lost for Words is all this and more. There's much to love in this book, but what really makes it stand out is its appeal for readers who don't just read books but adore them: the bookstagrammers, the paperback hoarders, the page sniffers.
*the Book Specialist*

The past is handled so very well, and makes the present scenes very understandable and real. As I said, by the time I got to the last few chapters I was invested enough to be teary about it all.
*Little Frog Scribbles*

I could gush for hours about Lost For Words; the setting, the characters, the quite dark and disturbing themes...I'd just like everyone to go out and buy a copy and savour it and love it as much as I did. I expect most people will shed a tear or two, and I know that there will be laughs and gasps along the way too. This really is a poignant and beautiful story, told by an author who can captivate an audience so easily. Wonderful. Highly recommended from me.
*Random Things Through My Letterbox*

Oh how I adored this book. I loved everything about it. The only thing wrong with it was that I could have read another 100 pages. This is a novel that is an ode to the written word, to the beauty of poetry and the solace that books can provide. But it is not just a celebration of books. It is a novel about how our history shapes us, but doesn't have to define us. It is a novel about love, in its many guises, of friendship and of how we can always re-write our own story. Simply beautiful.
*From First Page To Last*

I truly liked Loveday, Nathan and Archie. I wanted to unwrap Loveday's past and find out what keeps her so guarded and untrusting. A wonderful, heartfelt story that pulls on your heart strings and leaves you bereft when finishing it. I could have read on after the book finished, I'm still hungry for more.
*Lip Squid Book Blog*

LOST FOR WORDS by Stephanie Butland is such a heartbreaking story...the author perfectly portrays the significance that a book can play in someone's life - the memories they invoke, the connection they can make with the reader, the emotions, the dreams, just everything...a must read for fiction fans everywhere, but especially for those who find books their connection to the world. A beautiful, all-consuming read!
*Books of All Kinds*

And oh, how I absolutely loved it. I was completely drawn in from the beginning, loosing track of what was going on around me and completely involved in Loveday's story. Seriously, I can't remember the last time I cared for a fictional character as much as I did this one. It made me laugh and cry, it's both heartbreaking and heartwarming, and it's sad yet filled with hope. And I guarantee you will fall in love with Loveday Cardew too.
*Cosy Books*

this is a story with a mystery at its heart, that deals with some hard-hitting subjects... heartwarming and heartbreaking in equal measure with more than one heart stopping moment. I have no hesitation in recommending this book, it is quite simply brilliant.
*Jill's Book Cafe*

Lost For Words is that rare thing . . . a warm, wise and funny tale of our times with a dark and shocking twist . . . truly is a book lover's dream . . . an intriguing story set in an irresistibly charming bookshop, packed with literary references, featuring a cast of eclectic characters and with a gripping and unexpected dénouement guaranteed to keep readers on the edge of their seats.
*Lancashire Evening Post*

Intriguing and touching story
*Sunday Express, S Magazine*

an easy, breezy read... Loveday is an appealing character with a fascinating hinterland.
*Daily Mail*

I enjoyed reading this story. The premise is a good one, the ending was heartfelt and I loved the poetry included as part of what helps brings two people together in this story.
*Layered Pages*

Yes, I really loved everything about this novel and it's one of my favourite releases of 2017 so far. All in all, 'Lost for Words' is a compelling and lovely read that will warm your heart and leave you with a smile on your face. If you love books about book shops, then definitely do not miss out on this one!
*A Spoonful of Happy Endings*

I'm just going to go ahead and say, if you love books, read this one. Seriously it's beautiful and sweet and comforting and heartbreaking.
*Is this Real Life*

BOOK OF THE MONTH: Loveday Cardew is a quirky, fiery, likeable character who works at the Lost for Words Bookshop in York. Preferring books to people, she keeps the memories of her painful childhood to herself, hiding her scars deep within her. Warm and spiky, beautifully written and plotted, you'll be swept along by the bitter-sweet storyline to the very end.
*Candis Magazine*

Oh, wow. Just...wow... Butland has created such an unforgettable character...To create ONE storyline full of endless emotions, good memories and bad memories, multiple layered characters, AND an exceptional plot and setting, is just...mind-blowing. Stephanie Butland's outstanding writing style is what makes this storyline stand out from the rest, alongside her beautiful creation that is; Loveday. Poignant, heart warming, and totally unforgettable; 'Lost for Words' is the soul-searching, exceptional novel that I have been waiting for.
*The Writing Garnet*

If you like something more than just romance in your chick-lit then maybe Loveday's story is one for you.
*Shhh we're reading*

There was so much more to this story than I was expecting and I loved how it took me as a reader on a roller-coaster of emotions - I may have shed a few tears! The supporting cast of characters are also beautifully created and add so much to the story of Loveday and it captured my heart as I followed her story.
*Books and Me*

'As soon as I read the first few pages though I realized that this book was something special. In fact, I would say it is a book lover's dream, with endless references to all our favorite books, charming and really interesting characters and the perfect setting, a bookshop full of rarities, surprises and secrets... All in all, I cannot recommend this story enough. It had been a while since I had felt so involved in a story like this one. It is inspiring but heat-breaking, a real gem of a book that I have no doubt will be on my top ten books of the year.'
*Alba In Bookland*

My favorite thing about Lost for Words was how powerful some scenes were... This book is not a fast read, but then again neither is one of my favorite books of all time...Not all books have to be, when the author can find the right pace and divulge the inner workings of their characters in the proper moment.
*The Hermit Librarian*

'This is a lovely book with an endearing main character who we care for as she slowly takes us through her history. The book is beautifully written with its theme of how the past can affect the present if we let it. It deserves to be a best seller.'
*The Yorkshire Gazette and Herald*

If you are looking for a book set in a bookshop with a mix of romance, drama and action then I'd definitely encourage you to pick up this book ASAP!
*A Cup of Wonderland*

if you're looking for something that you can get lost in Lost for Words is for you, definitely recommend it! I'm looking forward to reading more books by Stephanie Butland.
*Always on the Road*

Stephanie Butland has a stunning writing style and I enjoyed every single sentence of Lost for Words. The book is a true treasure, it's fabulously written, delightfully interesting and absolutely spellbinding. I loved the story from beginning to end, every chapter is exactly as it should be. The story has plenty of emotional layers, the main characters are easy to love or hate, depending on their role, and I effortlessly got lost in Loveday's world and never wanted to put the novel down again. I highly recommend this brilliant book
*With Love For Books*

contained within the cover is a very addictive story. So addictive that I almost burnt the evening meal and drank several forgotten about cold cups of coffee, this was my commitment to reading this book. I would highly recommend this book to people who like a heartbreaking and heartwarming contemporary fiction read
*VonnieBee*

This book is sure to make you laugh and cry in equal measure (although maybe cry just a little bit more)
*Buzzfeed*

What's not to love about a story set in a bookstore in York with a heroine named Loveday Cardew? It's charming and sweet but also very intense with some deeper and darker themes than you'd first expect.
*1 girl 2 many books, top books of 2017*

A first class book
*Mike Finn's Fiction*

I was delighted to read about a care experienced character who was intelligent, articulate, a lover of words and books and of course feisty, vulnerable and not a stereotype.
*Care Leavers in Fiction*

You know that rare feeling when you slip into a character's skin and become them, feel their feelings and see the story through their eyes? That's how Loveday felt for me. It's always so amazing when you stumble across a book which is not only a great story which holds your attention but makes you feel all the feels too.
*Life Has a Funny Way*

In one way, Lost for Words is a book about books and the power and influence they have in many people's lives but it is also a book about love and hope. Stephanie Butland has written a beautiful book that I urge you to read.
*Dot Scribbles*

A joy
*Sainsbury's Magazine*

Darker than expected novel about domestic violence, with a surprisingly different and complex protagonist, a realistic romance, a bit of a mystery, and a bookshop!
*Your Heroine Reads*

lots to love... this book is a delight
*Book Myopia*

the further I read, the more Loveday allowed me in to her life, thoughts and memories, and the more enchanted I became with her individuality
*Bookshine and Readbows*