This was stealth Christian fiction - I didn’t know I was going to hit on the head with it until I was already invested in the story and the characters! 

I had a good time listening to this book, and the last 20% was rewarding, but it took so long to get to where the character development and growth actually paid off that it made me wonder if it was worth it. 

For the first 80%, I liked the characters fine, but at the same time I kind of didn’t like them at all. I didn’t have any issues with Madeline, although there wasn’t much to truly like about her either; I found it very difficult to respect Claire, and her relationship with her daughter felt more painful than compelling; Janet I kind of liked, but that might be more because she reminds me of a dear friend I have. 
I read No Angel recently by Penny Vincenzi, and the characters in that book have character flaws and make a lot of decisions I don’t approve of, but Vincenzi is able to balance it with heartwarming moments and choices I’m really proud of the characters for making. With The Printed Letter it felt like everything kinda sucked for 8 1/2 hours, and then things paid off for the last 2 1/2. I would have liked the author to give me more reasons to embrace the characters as they are, flaws and all. Show me a glimpse of the characters at their best. Idk, it was just missing something. 

That being said, it’s not that it was painful, and I did enjoy the last 20%, and the friendship between the main three girls and the bookshop vibes were nice throughout. I don’t regret reading it, it was a pleasant enough way to pass the time. 
And maybe it’s just that contemporaries aren’t for me, because my problems with this book seem to be in most contemporaries. :/

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book - it has earned a spot on my "would read again" list. I was able to get to know and like the characters, and they are the kind I would like to spend more time with. 
The chapters alternated through the perspectives of three main characters, all of whom were connected to the bookshop at the center of the story. Two of the MC's struggle with their own expectations for themselves, the expectations of others, and what they truly desire - or deserve. I liked getting to know all three MC's and watching their relationships with each other grow and change. A thread that runs through the story is a family misunderstanding and all of the ripple effects that follow,

although the reader will not know the full details of this misunderstanding, and that it's not even what one of the MC's thinks it is, until very late in the story. That, of course makes one wonder how the story would be different, yet I am sure I wouldn't want to read that version

. There was also a detailed focus on finances that I found unique, and I appreciated those realistic details. 
I didn't realize until I was well into the book that it can be considered Christian fiction. It had occasional scripture references that pleasantly surprised me, but were not an overall focus of the writing. I do think this would be enjoyable to readers who are not specifically interested in Christian fiction, and possibly even to those who are of other religions or non-religious. 
And of course there were also references to BOOKS, which I frequently found myself looking up for more info or to add to my ever-growing TBR. I am definitely looking forward to reading more from Katherine Reay.