The Paper House
Author: Babara Josselsohn
Publisher: Bookoture
Genre: Fiction & Literature, Woman’s Fiction, Magical Realism
Year of release: 2026
Release date: 02/09/26
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Synopsis
It was a shop full of wonder; sheets of colourful paper, pots of ink on every surface, and spools of ribbon suspended on gleaming brass hooks. But it was even more magical when it was filled with people. Rumour was that the owner, Tilly, could send letters to long-lost loved ones if you penned them on the long wooden desk…
Everyone on the island would go there, not just to buy writing supplies, but to write these letters. To the people they’d not been able to say goodbye to, to the people they wished would come home. The Paper House was a place for grieving, for remembering, for forgiving.
And now, years later, as Kayla reopens the beautiful front door, and feels the memories of her Great Aunt Tilly come flooding back, it has the chance to become a place for someone who lost everything to finally find herself again.
If only Kayla can find the courage to face the ghosts of the past…
Review
In 1944, Tilly joins the war effort as a typist, where meeting Dr Jack helps her understand the power of the written word. As she begins writing letters for soldiers and their loved ones, Tilly discovers a way to help others while beginning to heal from her own heartbreak. Years later, in 2024, Kayla returns to Celestine Island following the death of her great-aunt Tilly. Haunted by the events of her past and the reasons she stayed away for so long, Kayla finds herself drawn back to The Paper House and the letters that hold the power to grieve, remember, forgive and perhaps finally find a way forward.
Some books catch your attention with a beautiful cover; others with a premise you simply can’t resist. The Paper House had both. A mysterious little shop filled with colourful paper, ink and ribbon, where letters can be written to those who are lost, immediately sparked my curiosity. But beneath its magical premise lies a deeply emotional story of wartime grief, family secrets, forgiveness and finding the courage to choose life again. I opened these pages wondering what kind of magic The Paper House might hold and discovered a story that was far more heartfelt than I ever expected.
Tilly makes for a dynamic main character, and the author has done a brilliant job of showcasing how she changes throughout the novel. We first meet her as a young woman, ready to take on the world and leave her mark, and we watch as she grows into a woman who has experienced some of the darkest tragedies life has to offer. She returns from the war with a plan in mind and is ready to listen and, more importantly, choose life — not just a life that will suit her, but a life that will benefit those closest to her.
When reading The Paper House, I found that I wanted to spend as much time with Tilly as I possibly could. Her heart and compassion for others really shine through, particularly during her time in the shop with her grieving patrons.
Kayla was a character this reader felt she had to grow towards. That’s not to say she is an unlikeable character; it’s just that she has her walls up in the early stages. As the plot progresses, I found her attitude left me feeling as though Kayla had sharp edges when it came to people and her past. As the story progressed, those walls and sharp edges came down and dulled. Kayla’s backstory was the detail that made her particularly interesting to me.
Evan makes for a pleasant minor character. It was nice that Kayla had someone to talk to upon her return to Celestine Island, and his role in the story at times seemed to keep the plot moving rather than allowing it to feel repetitive.
Having now finished the book, I found I needed to know what the author meant when she was referring to the ‘Sound’. I have since learned that the Sound, or Long Island Sound, is a large, protected coastal bay sheltered behind Long Island. Knowing this helped me better understand the references when they appeared throughout the story.
I would have liked to spend more time with Tilly and Kayla. Their strong bond really comes across in Kayla’s chapters in the form of memories, but I felt, as a reader, that I needed to experience more of their relationship during that time period. Overall, this doesn’t take away from my enjoyment of the story, but I would have loved to see more of the relationship that clearly meant so much to both women.
The moment I started The Paper House; I found it so hard to put down. The plot is in continuous motion, and as an avid reader, I will never tire of books that keep me reading from start to finish rather than allowing me to become distracted.
The author has done well to make sure all elements of the plot remain engaging rather than slowing down simply to build curiosity. There was always something that made me want to continue reading, and I found myself easily swept along by both timelines.
As with all the books I review, I went into The Paper House blind, and I am so glad I did. I believe this book is one that works best when discovered rather than expected. It really gave off magical-realism and cosy-charm vibes — perfect for winter or autumn, depending on which side of the world you live.
This reviewer never likes to give away spoilers in her reviews, but I will say that the little hint of romance woven into this book was expected, but pleasant to watch unfold all the same.
The Paper House is the first title I have read from author Barbara Josselsohn, and it won’t be my last. Her writing is descriptive while remaining clear and to the point when needed. As a reader, I appreciated the warmth and, at times, the humour. Even the grief is written well but doesn’t overwhelm the reader.
Her skilled writing and use of the dual-timeline technique are on full display here. If you’ve read my reviews before, you’ll know I am rather drawn to dual-timeline and dual-perspective reads, and the author has maintained both techniques well throughout this novel.
I was particularly impressed by the way she offered the reader multiple chapters from one perspective before switching back to the other. I loved this approach because I really felt as if I came to know these women rather than being given only a slight glimpse of each woman in every chapter. Spending more time within each perspective allowed me to become invested in both Tilly and Kayla and made the book feel much more rounded. For me, this is one of the reasons behind my high five-star rating.
Subplots and Tropes
- Alcoholism
- Coming of age
- Coming home
- Death
- Death of a child
- Dual perspective
- Dual timeline
- Estranged family
- Ghosts
- Grief
- Lies
- Light-bulb moment
- Potential love interest
- Self-discovery
- Secrets
- Small town
- Terminal illness
- The big reveal
- Wartime
- World War II
The conclusion to The Paper House was everything a reader could ask for after spending time amongst these pages. Every question I had as a reader was answered, but what impressed me more was the fact that I felt as if I could leave Kayla and Tilly behind rather than simply feeling like the story had ended.
It’s not very often that I am truly satisfied with an ending in any genre, but this was one of those rare occasions where I closed the book feeling as though the characters’ stories had reached the conclusion they deserved.
I felt a variety of emotions when reading The Paper House:
- Determination to get answers
- Grief for those who lost their children in the war
- Happiness at being amongst this genuine community
- Hope for a brighter future for Kayla and the other residents of Celestine Island
- Loss for Kayla and the time she spent without answers
- Sadness for Tilly and Kayla
Fans of Sarah Beth Durst, Kate Morton, Sarah Penner and Natasha Lester should definitely add Barbara Josselsohn’s books to their bookshelves if they haven’t already.
I highly recommend this book to mature readers. Readers of women’s fiction and magical realism will no doubt find a story here that they can relate to and will want to recommend to other readers.
With continued thanks to Bookouture, author Barbara Josselsohn and NetGalley for sending me a gifted copy of this e-book to read and review in exchange for my honest opinion.
