The life-affirming and unforgettable new novel from the author of Lost for Words 'I read this book in one sitting, it made me smile and made me wipe a tear from my eye too' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'This book had me sitting up into the small hours. Such a lovely read, very relatable and touching' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'I LOVED this book . . . A joy to read' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'One of the best books I've read in quite some time' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Loveday Cardew's beloved Lost for Words bookshop, along with the rest of York, has fallen quiet. At the very time when people most need books to widen their horizons, or escape from their fears, or enhance their lives, the doors are closed. Then the first letter comes. Rosemary and George have been married for fifty years. Now their time is running out. They have decided to set out on their last journey together, without ever leaving the bench at the bottom of their garden in Whitby. All they need is someone who shares their love of books. Suddenly it's clear to Loveday that she and her team can do something useful in a crisis. They can recommend books to help with the situations their customers find themselves in: fear, boredom, loneliness, the desire for laughter and escape. And so it begins. 'A delightful and original concept about how a second hand bookshop can heal a community' Katie Fforde 'The perfect book to curl up with . . . It's heartwarming, emotional and full of kindness. A lovely and life-affirming novel' Sara Nisha Adams 'What a lovely book - so assured and gentle, full of compassion and replete with astute observations of human nature and behaviour' Carys Bray 'A really moving read - with great book recommendations included, too!' My Weekly 'I truly loved this book; it made me laugh out loud and also had me choked up a few times too' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'Stephanie's stories are thoughtful and warm, written with much humour, and most importantly care. I'd recommend them to anyone, and especially those recovering from a broken heart' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'It made me laugh, it made me cry and left me with a feeling of community spirit - I will definitely be recommending this to others, it is a fantastic read' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'This book is going straight on my list of top ten books' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'Her writing is utterly engaging and this book truly moved me. Compassionate, unusual, original and full of wonderful characters' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'Beautiful, heartwarming, a true gift of a book' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Compelling, irresistible, feel-good read. Perfect for fans of The Keeper of Lost Things and Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. 'Quirky, clever and unputdownable' Katie Fforde 'An exquisite story' Liz Fenwick 'Burns fiercely with love and hurt' Linda Green 'I cried like a motherf***er' Shelley Harris 'Intriguing and touching' SUNDAY EXPRESS 'An appealing character with a fascinating hinterland' DAILY MAIL 'A beautiful book' PRIMA THIS BOOKSHOP KEEPS MANY SECRETS . . . Loveday Cardew prefers books to people. If you look carefully, you might glimpse the first lines of the novels she loves most tattooed on her skin. But there are some things Loveday will never show you. Into her refuge - the York book emporium where she works - come a poet, a lover, a friend, and three mysterious deliveries, each of which stirs unsettling memories. Everything is about to change for Loveday. Someone knows about her past and she can't hide any longer. She must decide who around her she can trust. Can she find the courage to right a heartbreaking wrong? And will she ever find the words to tell her own story? It's time to turn the pages of her past . . . Praise for Lost for Words: '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 '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 you are saying about Lost for Words: 'Best book by far I've read this year' 'Sat in tears, stunned in silence . . . by far my new favourite book' 'I loved everything about Lost for Words' 'This is a truly magical book' 'Warm, wise and funny tale . . . with a dark and shocking twist' 'Could not put it down - absolutely, utterly loved it and hung on every word' 'I loved smart, spiky, sad Loveday and cried real tears' 'Will melt your heart and make you cry' 'Everything you could want from a book' 'One of the best books I have ever read' 'Loved this book. I laughed & cried & gripped the edge of the seat at times' 'A book you keep in your bag and can't wait for another spare 15 minutes to read some more' 'I laughed, I cried and, more importantly, I couldn't put the book down' If you loved Lost for Words, don't miss Stephanie Butland's next book, where Ailsa Rae learns how to live . . . Search for The Curious Heart of Ailsa Rae (9781785764417).

'Beautifully written . . . this illustrates that you don't need to be perfect to be good enough' Katie Fforde, author of A Wedding in the Country 'A pleasure to read' Shelley Harris, author of Jubilee 'A story of inner strength, fierce love and knowing your worth. Lovely' Jessica Ryn, author of The Extraordinary Hope of Dawn Brightside A story of a mother's love and overcoming the past, perfect for fans of Jojo Moyes and Jodi Picoult. Asking, does your past really define your future? When her daughter was born with cystic fibrosis, Kate Micklethwaite vowed that Daisy would never be defined by her health issues. Kate is determined that her perfect little girl will be known for her love of butterflies, croissants and bouncing on trampolines, not for her condition. Kate does all she can to be the perfect mother - whatever that means - and yet, somehow, has started seeing herself the way others see her: single parent, source of small-town scandal, drop-out, former mistress. Half a family. When Daisy starts school, Kate meets her new teacher, the kind and charming Mr Spencer Swanson. Now, with more time on her hands Kate can finally start thinking about her own future. With her Open University dissertation deadline looming, Kate needs to decide what she wants next. But as she and Spencer get to know each other, Kate notices that people are whispering behind her back once more . . .

An empowering, thought-provoking feminist novel that will change the way you see the world. Perfect for fans of Elizabeth Day, Claire Fuller and Joanna Cannon. 1968. Veronica Moon, a junior photographer for a local newspaper, is frustrated by her (male) colleagues' failure to take her seriously. And then she meets Leonie on the picket line of the Ford factory at Dagenham. So begins a tumultuous, passionate and intoxicating friendship. Leonie is ahead of her time and fighting for women's equality with everything she has. She offers Veronica an exciting, free life at the dawn of a great change. Fifty years later, Leonie is gone, and Veronica leads a reclusive life. Her groundbreaking career was cut short by one of the most famous photographs of the twentieth century. Now, that controversial picture hangs as the centrepiece of a new feminist exhibition curated by Leonie's niece. Long-repressed memories of Veronica's extraordinary life begin to stir. It's time to break her silence, and step back into the light. Praise for The Woman in the Photograph: 'Imaginative and moving novel - a must-read for any feminist' Katie Fforde 'I absolutely loved The Woman in the Photograph, a compelling,original and thought-provoking look at feminism and the power of female friendships' Sarah Franklin 'What a glorious combination: Stephanie's warm intelligence brought to bear on the complexities of second-wave feminism. I ate the book up' Shelley Harris 'Refreshing and thought-provoking . . . a stirring exploration of female friendship and the fight for equality' Carys Bray 'Brilliantly researched, thought-provoking, and written straight from the heart, this is undoubtedly Butland's best book yet' Lancashire Evening Post

There's still a part of us that thinks surviving cancer is a bit of freakish good fortune - the medical equivalent of having a cannonball go right through your middle and living to tell the tale - and so often it's hard to know how to 'do' life after cancer. Thrive: The Bah! Guide to Wellness after cancer focuses on moving on from a major physical, social and psychological trauma. Like Stephanie's first book, How I Said Bah! to cancer: A Guide to Thinking, Laughing, Living, and Dancing Your Way Through, Thrive uses a blend of storytelling, practical advice, humour, thinking techniques and strategies, visualisations, meditations, questions, candour and common sense designed to help those who have had a cancer to get from survival to a place where they are truly thriving.

This book tells how one woman said 'Bah!' to cancer through thinking strategies, a proactive approach to treatment, and a determination to keep the rest of her life going and retain a sense of humour (most of the time!). It shares everything she learnt along the way, from the nature of cancer cells and chemotherapy drugs, to how she was able to help her friends and family to help her. 'I was never going to die from cancer. That hard lump peeping out of the top of my bra was aggressive but it was small enough to be contained, and I was young and strong and otherwise well. All the signs were good. Words like "lucky" and "caught in time" were thrown around like rice at a wedding. No, I was never going to die from cancer. But from the beginning, I never planned simply to survive it. Oh no. I was going to say a great big Bah! to it. Please, join in. Cancer? Bah!'