Can one unlikely bookshop heal two broken souls?
"Beautifully written . . . Full of insight into the nature of tragedy, love, and redemption."--Garth Stein
"A poignant journey of unthinkable loss, love, and the healing capacity of the written word."--Ellen KeithIt is 1968 in rural Australia and lonely Tom Hope can't make heads or tails of Hannah Babel. Newly arrived from Hungary, Hannah is unlike anyone he's ever met--she's passionate, artistic, and fiercely determined to open sleepy Hometown's first bookshop. Despite the fact that Tom has read only one book in his life, the two soon discover an astonishing spark. Recently abandoned by an unfaithful wife, Tom dares to believe that he might make Hannah happy. But Hannah is a haunted woman. Twenty-four years earlier, she had been marched to the gates of Auschwitz.
Perfect for fans of
The Little Paris Bookshop and
We Were the Lucky Ones,
The Bookshop of the Broken Hearted cherishes the power of love, literature, and forgiveness to transform our lives, and--if we dare allow them--to mend our broken hearts.
“A triumphant examination of history, politics, literature, and the pall and sorrow of grief…Hillman’s vivid observations of regional details, keen perceptions of local customs, absorbing storyline, and sympathetic characters make the novel impossible to put down.”
—
Washington Independent Review of Books“Gentle, emotive, and written with great affection for its beautifully-rendered characters,
The Bookshop of the Broken Hearted reminds us of the redemptive power of sharing our stories. I will remember this novel for a long time to come.”—
Steven Rowley,
author
of Lily and the Octopus and
The Editor
“Reminds us how the reverberations of war can reach people in the unlikeliest of places....A poignant journey of unthinkable loss, love, and the healing capacity of the written word.”—
Ellen Keith, author of
The Dutch Wife
“Every character in this story stole my heart, even the minor ones, including the sheep! There is wonderful, laugh-out-loud humor in these pages, there is anguish, there is frustration. But most of all there is hope and humanity. When I finished reading the book, I wept, not because I was sad, but because the story was so uplifting and so true, in the deepest sense of that word.”—
Elizabeth Berg, author of
The Story of Arthur Truluv
“A complex exploration of grief, faith, and restoration...in poignant, meditative, and stirring prose Hillman tells a heartrending and heartwarming tale of love and sacrifice.”—
Booklist (starred review)“The compassion and grace that suffuse this novel are rarely captured in such beautiful language...I was enthralled.”—
Patti Callahan Henry, author of
The Bookshop at Water's End
“What a brave and beautiful book this is, about all the human ways to heal a broken heart through unexpected love, resilient family, and, of course, timeless books.”—
Liam Callanan, author of
Paris By the Book“Hillman crafts a compelling tale, toggling among Tom's, Hannah's, and Peter's perspectives, as he delineates the stripping of each heart and draws together the ties that bind them together again. A heart-wrenching tale of love enduring all things in the face of evil.”—
Kirkus Reviews
“A beautifully written, nuanced tale of three lost souls who find in one another the comfort and solace they each need. I loved this disarmingly affecting novel. Read it and let it touch your soul as it has touched mine.”—
Garth Stein, author of
The Art of Racing in the Rain and
A Sudden Light
“Hillman is a storyteller of such spell-binding skill that readers will desire nothing more than to curl up in a quiet corner and devour this wise, warm, and transporting novel in one sitting.”—
Meg Donohue, author of
Dog Crazy and
Every Wild Heart
“Beautifully rendered, captivating and tender. I want to visit this bookshop.”—
Jean E. Pendziwol, author of
The Lightkeeper’s Daughters
“A gorgeous, heartfelt gem of a novel.”—
Jillian Cantor, author of
In Another Time
“An uplifting exploration of how people rise above tragedy to find joy...An impressive, riveting tale of how two disparate and well-drawn people recover from soul-wrenching grief and allow themselves to truly love again.”—
Publishers Weekly
“I couldn't put this book down.”—
Wendy Welch, author
The Little Bookstore of Big Stone Gap
