Name: The Lamplighter's Bookshop
Rating: 4.0 (5 reviews)
Author: Sophie Austin

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Book Summary

The Lost Bookshop meets The Lost Apothecary in a beguiling novel full of secrets…

When Evelyn Seaton answers an advertisement for an assistant at a forgotten bookshop in York, she is not the only one with something to hide.

There she meets the enigmatic and prickly William Morton, an aspiring writer keeping secrets of his own. But when the walls that Evelyn has built around herself start to crumble, there is only one person she can turn to.

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To what audience would you recommend The Lamplighter’s Bookshop? Is there another book or author you feel has a similar theme or style?
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical romance.
-Maureen_Connolly

Did you find Evelyn's mother, Cecelia, a frustrating character, or were her actions in keeping with the period and her situation?
I agree…. She is frustrating but also a product of the time period.
-Lynne_G

What do you think about Evelyn's relationship with her father? Do you think she will see him again in the future? Do you think she should?
Agree that the father was a cad. He was only concerned about himself and money. I agree and doubt there is any chance of a further relationship between Evelyn and her father.
-Janet_S

Do you think that Evelyn could have handled Lady Violet differently?
I was glad Evelyn was not intimidated by her. Lady Violet was somewhat of a bully and was not use to people standing up to her. I also think that she was able to learn from Evelyn that you don't have to be mean spirited to get what you want.
-Kate_Schaefer

William tells Evelyn, “The longer you go without seeing someone, the harder it is to remember why you were so angry with them…” (p. 185). Do you agree with him? Why or why not?
Not always. If what makes you angry with the person never changes, it's pretty easy to stay angry for a long long time.
-Susan_Roberts

What did you enjoy most about the romance between Evelyn and William? How does it compare to other star-crossed lovers in literature?
The romance was very slow moving with lots of doubts on both sides.
-Susan_Roberts

Evelyn recalls her father reading to her when she was a child. While she preferred Black Beauty, he enjoyed adventure novels. What does this say about each of their personalities, in your opinion? Do you have a book memory that involves a parent?
It is apparent right from the beginning that Evelyn and her father have totally different outlooks on life. My mom had a book of poetry that we used to read. When she died, that book was placed in a very prominent place on my bookshelves. It brings back a lot of good memories.
-Susan_Roberts

William asks his uncle if Jack’s right when he says that “If you care for someone…then you should let them see all of who you are. He says that’s what love is” (p. 253). What’s your opinion on the subject?
Honesty is ALWAYS important in good relationships - whether friends or lovers. A lie can ruin even the best relationship when it comes to light – and it seems like they always do.
-Susan_Roberts

Overall, what did you think of The Lamplighter’s Bookshop? (no spoilers, please!)
It was just ok for me. I don't really enjoy reading hist fic from this time period so that was a personal negative. However, I thought that the book was way too slow and the romance was a pretty minor part of the plot.
-Susan_Roberts

Evelyn and William are both dishonest about important aspects of their lives. Did either do the right thing by concealing the truth? How might their situations have been better or worse had they been honest with each other and with their friends?
I don't think that it's every right to lie but both of them felt like they needed to keep parts of their lives hidden from each other to become friends. I agree with other comments that the secrets were needed to make the book more interesting!
-Susan_Roberts

In an exchange with her mother, Evelyn expresses an unwillingness to trust others (“I do not want to place my belief in someone and then be forced to watch as they lead me over a cliff edge,” p. 14). How does this lack of trust impact her life?
Her reaction is pretty understandable considering she was so blindsided by her father's downfall and her mother's failure to give her any warning. She is limited by the gender restrictions of her time, but she summons her considerable resilience to try to find some financial independence. Her exp...
-Rosemary_Coffman

Evelyn tells Bessie she thinks life would be simpler if people said what they thought more often, although Bessie disagrees (p. 4). What do you feel about this statement? Which woman do you agree with?
Evelyn tells Bessie, "I rather believe life would be simpler if people said what they thought more often," although Bessie disagrees (p. 4). What do you feel about this statement? Which woman do you agree with? How does Evelyn demonstrate this opinion throughout the book, and do you think it does...
-kim.kovacs

Is Nathaniel truly drawn to Evelyn, or do you think he is just trying to get Lady Violet's attention and playing her at her own game?
Is Nathaniel truly drawn to Evelyn, or do you think he is just trying to get Lady Violet's attention and playing her at her own game?
-kim.kovacs

What influence does Mr. Morton have on the couple's situation? Do you think his actions are designed to bring them together, or is he acting completely without motive?
What influence does Mr. Morton have on the couple's situation? Do you think his actions are designed to bring them together, or is he acting completely without motive?
-kim.kovacs

What did you think about William's personality and the way he interacts with Evelyn in the first part of the book? Are his actions and manner justified by his circumstances?
What did you think about William's personality and the way he interacts with Evelyn in the first part of the book? Are his actions and manner justified by his circumstances?
-kim.kovacs

What did you think about Evelyn's and William's first meeting? Did you sense an attraction between them?
What did you think about Evelyn's and William's first meeting? Did you sense an attraction between them?
-kim.kovacs

What dynamic does Aunt Clara add to the story?
What dynamic does Aunt Clara add to the story?
-kim.kovacs

How does Evelyn's' relationship with her mother develop over the book, and what are the strongest factors that influence it?
How does Evelyn's' relationship with her mother develop over the book, and what are the strongest factors that influence it?
-kim.kovacs

What are your first impressions of Evelyn? Does she feel relatable to a modern reader?
What are your first impressions of Evelyn? Does she feel relatable to a modern reader?
-kim.kovacs

Does the location have a strong sense of atmosphere? Do you think it feels like Victorian England?
Does the location have a strong sense of atmosphere? Do you think it feels like Victorian England?
-kim.kovacs

The Lamplighter's Bookshop by Sophie Austin
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Media Reviews

"With many side characters and subplots, debut author Austin keeps the pacing lively and crafts a vivid York, but the romance gets a little lost among too many plotlines. Still, this Victorian-era story is a promising and engaging start for a new author." —Library Journal

"An impressive debut, full of intrigue and heart. Historical fiction and romance readers will love Eleanor and William's story of fate and fiction, all wrapped around the nooks and crannies of a mysterious old bookshop in late nineteenth-century York. Delightful!" —Hazel Gaynor, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Lifeboat

This information about The Lamplighter's Bookshop was first featured in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.

Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.

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Reviews
"Beyond the Book" articles
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Find books by time period, setting & theme
Read-alike suggestions by book and author
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and much more!
Just $60 for 12 months or $20 for 3 months.
More about membership!

Author Information

Biography

Sophie Austin

Sophie Austin was born in Kent and she earned her Bachelor's degree in Philosophy from King's College London in 2013. After spending five years working in marketing, Sophie moved to Sweden in 2017 to focus on her novel writing and gain her Master's in Transnational Creative Writing at Stockholm University. Now, Sophie works as a Creative Writer for Minecraft, the bestselling video game of all time. When she's not writing YouTube scripts for millions of viewers, she retreats to the turn of the century to write historical novels about a time where old Victorian values and turn-of-the-century inventions collide – a perfect, conflict-rich backdrop for her debut romance novel, The Lamplighter's Bookshop. Sophie is hard at work on her next historical romance. Find her on X @saustinauthor.

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