The Memory Shop

by Ella Griffin

The most important things in life . . . are not things at all.

Nora is fleeing London for her childhood home in Dublin after her heart is suddenly torn apart. Back home, she learns she has inherited all of her grandmother's worldly belongings - a feather shrug, a Tiffany mirror, a gold locket, and many more precious things besides.

With no means of keeping them, and not able to bear auctioning everything off, Nora decides to open The Memory Shop so each object is matched to a perfect new owner.

Soon Nora begins transforming the lives of those around her through the items she pairs them with, helping them find new happiness in unexpected ways. Now if she can only let go of her own past, she might just surprise herself ...

An uplifting novel set in a charming Irish community, about love, family and finding your way.

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Chick Lit, Audiobook, Ireland, Family

384 pages, Paperback

First published October 5, 2017

About the author

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EllaGriffinA...

Twitter: @EllaGriffin1

In previous lives, Ella has been Ireland’s Clumsiest Waitress and Shyest Radio DJ, a travel writer and an award-winning advertising copywriter.

She has written 4 novels and is working on a 5th.

Reviews

[Dale Harcombe · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a betrayal Nora flees London back to her childhood home in Dublin. With her grandmother’s house needing to be sold and all her antique and treasured belongings from all over the world, Nora decided to open a shop. Using her design talents for creative window displays she soon captures lots of interest as she seeks to find the perfect owner for each of her grandmother’s precious belongings. So begins The Memory Shop. As well as Nora’s story there are explanation of how each item that Nora’s grandfather bought for her grandmother on his travels. These are interwoven with stories of who buy them, when the items are offered for sale in The Memory Shop. It makes for a touching story with characters you care about
Although each chapter is headed with the item and the character who bought it, at times though I did have a bit of trouble keeping up the array of characters and where they fitted it. That may not have been the book’s fault but just that I was very tired at the time of reading it. It could also be that I was keen on getting back to Nora’s story than hearing about other people. I really liked Nora, I liked hearing about her past and the grandparents who raised her from the time she was a child. There is a budding romance happens as well as mystery surrounding Nora’s mother.
This is an enjoyable read and I picked it up largely because I had read and loved this author’s earlier book, The Flower Arrangement, so expected I would like this one too. I was not disappointed. A charming book with likable main character, interesting secondary characters, setting and back story to Nora as well as the treasured items, it is a good escapist read and a heart warming story.

[Akcherrybomb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the plot of this book, unique and really drew me in.

We follow Nora who after a death in the family goes to oversee the sale of the house and the belongings. As issues in her personal life surface she decides to spend longer on ensuring the belongings go to new loving homes and opens up - The Memory Shop. Each item for sale has a story behind it, many trinkets and trwsufes collected over the years from previous holidays and trips.

What we then follow is a glimpse into the life of each person who buys an item. A lovely mix of stories interwoven with Nora's own.

Really warmed to Nora the description of the shop window displays were really detailed and felt I could imagine them.

[Shirley Revill · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are many different types of memories that we carry in our hearts and minds.
Some can be so bad that they affect us all our lives and the people close to us are affected too.
Other memories are happy and gladden our hearts when something or someone makes us trigger a thought that brings tears to our eyes or smiles to our faces.
Many people have keepsakes but you don't really need a trinket on a shelf because memories are kept deep within our hearts and minds whenever we need them.
The memory shop is a place where items that where memories are being sold instead of going to the auction as a house clearance.
I really enjoyed this book it made me smile and made me cry. A really heartwarming story where family is the heart of everything that really matters in life.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book definitely grew on me. During the first few chapters I was a little confused as more and more seemingly random characters were introduced but as the novel progressed everything fell into place. Nora was a very likeable main character and I loved the descriptions of the different objects, windows displays and the memories they were portraying. Nora's story, and that of her mother and grandmother, was unusual and intriguing. A very enjoyable read (although with a few editing glitches)!

[Amina Hujdur · Rating 4 out of 5]

Romantična drama o Nori koja prodajući stvari svoje bake i djeda pronalazi vlastiti životni put.
Iako je početak romana klišeiziran - bijeg od nevjernog partnera, dolazak u malo mjesto puno srdačnih ljudi koji pomažu Nori da uspije u svom poslu, način na koji je roman struktuiran vrijedan je pažnje. Svaki prodanu predmet ima duboku sentimentalnu vrijednost i osobe koje ga kupe dožive svojevestan duhovni preobražaj.
Svi likovi su zanimljivi i međusobno povezani uz psihološku karakterizaciju.
Roman je idealan za čitanje u vrijeme božičnih blagdana, ali i za opuštanje na godišnjem ili raspustu.

[Kate Kerrigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another beautifully written, wonderful, evocative, emotional book from Ella Griffin. If, like me, you adored The Flower Arrangement you will love, LOVE this!

[Marjolein · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay, this was a nice read but far from the best book ever. I don't know, I somehow expected more from it. I expected the story to be more about Nora and not about all these other people who came into the shop to buy something. Of course, it's lovely to read about life changing moments, but I would've liked to get to know Nora a little better. Also, there was a bit too much infidelity involved in my opinion, that kind of ruined parts of the story for me. Plus, there were lots of tiny mistakes and I don't know if I should blame the writer or the editor for that. It felt kind of lazy. If you want to have a quick read, try it out, but if you're looking for a contemporary love story with a little bit more to the story, you might as well skip it. Ella Griffin used a piece of very interesting history in this book, and she only talked about it on two pages. Felt a bit like a waste.

[Acordul Fin · Rating 2 out of 5]

'Ella Griffin can make you laugh and cry in the turn of a page'

Not exactly my idea of a good time. Neither laughing or crying happened for me. I couldn't shake the feeling that this was meant to be the star of granny book clubs. Or maybe I'm just a cynical bastard.

[Alayne Emmett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been wanting to read this book for awhile and when I saw it in the library the other day I grabbed it. Such a great story, difficult from what I’ve read before but very enjoyable. I will definitely be looking out for her other novels.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book so much. At first it was a little confusing as there’s so many different characters but they’re all linked in one way or another and once you’ve read it all, can see it’s come full circle. Loved the plot and the storyline, quite unique.

[JackieO · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m really disappointed with this book, I thought it started well but then it got complicated, too many characters and the chapters dragged on. I struggled to finish it, I got there in the end and it wasn’t worth it. Wouldn’t recommend this book.

[Lee at ReadWriteWish · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Griffin’s last book, The Flower Arrangement, so when I had the opportunity to review her new release, The Memory Shop, I jumped at it. And I’m happy to report that The Memory Shop was just as good, if not better, as that earlier novel.

There’s a lot of similarities between the two books.

In The Flower Arrangement the main setting is a romantic and charming florist. I said in my review of The Flower Arrangement that the shop gave Griffin an opportunity to gift us with the most beautiful flower porn. This time Griffin demonstrates her brilliant descriptive prose again by detailing antiques and window displays. I love that Griffin steers clear of the usual food porn and uses something unique and surprisingly satisfying. Yeah, who knew that there could ever be antique porn or shop window porn? Or that a reader could enjoy it so much.

Both books also have a chick-lit multitude of characters who cross paths in a Love Actually type way. All get their moment in the spotlight but my particular favourites were Nora, the central character and owner of the antique shop, and Fiona, who owns the cafe next door.

The individual stories are romantic, sad, and poignant, and include some topical issues such as domestic violence and alcoholism.

There are some happy endings for the characters, but not all the threads are neatly tied in the end, prompting me to hope for a sequel using some of the extra characters.

Griffin used the Irish setting a little more fully this time around, but I would argue that it again never stood out for me as particularly important. I wonder if Griffin’s descriptions of the shops are so draining that she has little left for her home country.

Another similarity between the book is their gorgeous covers. I’m sure many will want the print version on their shelf. There’s just so much pretty.

If you’re looking for a book to gift someone, The Memory Shop would be perfect.

5 out of 5

[Sara Brady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely heartwarming! If you're looking for an easy read that is also intriguing and heartfelt, you definitely should give this a book a try.

[Teryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's an easy, pleasant read. The cheating plotline is extensive and the connection of the characters to the memory shop is a little awkward at times. A rainy afternoon read.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read and enjoyed all of Ella Griffin's previous novels and was really excited when I heard about The Memory Shop. I haven't been disappointed, it's such a warm and vibrant; filled with characters to love and exploring the intricate and delicate relationships of families and communities.

Nora has returned to her childhood home in Dublin. Her beloved grandmother has died and her home has to be emptied and sold. Nora is not relishing the job, there are so many memories, and unresolved secrets within those walls. Her trip becomes something of an escape when she makes a shocking discovery on the morning of her departure. Life for Nora really is at a crossroads, with the pain of both grief and betrayal eating away at her.

Nora's grandparents owned a house full of beautiful things. Antiques and treasures discovered whilst travelling. All of these items were used and loved, not kept 'for best' or display only. Each one has its own story, and each one sparks a memory for Nora.
Nora discovers notes, written by her Grandmother; notes that detail where the items came from. Her Grandmother had been something of an enigma when she was alive, and she and her daughter; Norah's mother, did not speak for many years.

Whilst Nora would love to keep everything, she can't. She's unsure of where she will be living, or working in the future. She doesn't have the room to store everything. The idea for 'The Memory Shop' comes to her and before long, she's spruced up the empty shop nearby and set up a beautiful pop-up shop, hoping to sell her inherited treasures.

Each chapter of The Memory Shop details one item, and one person; there's Alanna and the nine-carat yellow gold locket; Lia and the freshwater pearl earrings, and others, as well as some of Nora's own personal stories. Each story is interwoven, with characters appearing throughout the novel.

Ella Griffin has put this story together so beautifully well. Her characters are captivating and the individual story chapters are fascinating; exploring the most intimate of relationships with a warmth and feeling that really draws in the reader. The author's insight into her human characters is wonderful and she does not shy away from the more serious issues that can affect anyone, which only adds to the depth of this story.

Highly recommended from me.

[Virginie Roy · Rating 4 out of 5]

La boutique des petits trésors étant un récit choral, le point de vue change fréquemment. L'auteure réussit à ce que nous nous attachions à tous les personnages, même à ceux que l'on suit pour un seul chapitre, ce qui est un exploit selon moi! Malgré cela, j'aurais pris davantage de parties avec Nora, l'héroïne principale.

J'ai adoré les descriptions de la boutique et des trésors appartenant à la grand-mère de Nora. Chaque objet a une histoire unique et trouvera un nouveau propriétaire au fil des pages.

Un feel-good tout en douceur, même si on y aborde aussi des sujets profonds et parfois difficiles. Bonne lecture!

[Lydia Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a lovely read. Ella Griffin manages to create characters you really care about & I absolutely loved the concept of this book. At times I felt very frustrated with it though as there are so many new characters introduced it becomes pretty confusing. The themes of the Memory Shop & the main character’s (Nora) Grandparent’s history is so very touching though I got more and more drawn in. It is not until you reach the end of the book that it completes the circle & you realise just how lovely it all is!

[Carmen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nora had been good at styling and set design but this was what she loved, her Memory Shop. Finding a way to shine a light on each of Lainey’s lovely things. Losing herself in making a window. Doing something that might make a difference for her mother. She was going to miss it, she realised, all the customers and all the people who had been part of it.

[ElodieWho · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ce fut une lecture un peu longue je dois l’avouer, mais c’est juste parce que je n’étais pas dans le mood pour ce roman. Car objectivement il est plein de qualité : feel good, émotions, personnages intéressants et attachants, une trame de fond intriguante. Sincèrement je le recommande si vous avez besoin d’évasion, et de positif 🤍

[Fairouz Muallem · Rating 3 out of 5]

although it's not my favorite genre I liked it

[Helen - Great Reads & Tea Leaves · Rating 4 out of 5]

4*

https://greatreadsandtealeaves.blogsp...

‘It doesn’t feel like work, when you’re doing something you’re passionate about, does it?’

This is such a well thought out tale that grew on me as it progressed. I found Griffin’s writing to be rich in both descriptions of place, objects and sentiment. I particularly enjoyed the main character, Nora, setting up the shop and her display windows, with people entering and the stories that flowed from there. The background provided about the various items of her grandparents was done with care through tantalising glimpses from handwritten notes.

At times I got a little confused as I mixed up some of the numerous storylines. So whilst I thoroughly enjoyed the main character’s journey’s (and those closely associated with her) I found some of the other stories, related to those that purchased various items, a bit superfluous at times. It got a bit too entangled for me. However, do not let this detract from the main and engaging story - one of new beginnings for family, friends and neighbours as they learn to let go of the past.

Overall this is a charming book with a variety of poignant messages from all the customers purchases, some are very topical such as domestic violence, whilst others are just romantic. Not all stories are conclusively regaled and this is interesting in itself. I think I would have prefered to just focus on the main story as there was more than enough there to engage with the two main leads and their close relations.

Overall, this is a well written book that contains much more than I first envisaged - sort of a litany of tales from a wide spectrum of society - some heart warming, others heart wrenching.

‘She had thought that her heart would break when she closed the door for the last time, when the house had been cleared of all the things she had loved as a child. But she felt a surge of happiness as she turned to look back at it.’

[Doro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice, but not what I expected it to be. I was looking for something similar to 'The Keeper of Lost Things' by Ruth Hogan, but The Memory Shop is more like a collection of short stories about love, couples, separation and finding new love. Including the classic 'overhearing a half-sentence in a conversation, interpreting it wrong, and thinking the relationship is over when it was meant completely different and then it needs another 20 pages for them to become a couple for good'. The idea of the memory shop, the letters and the window decorations are great parts of the book, but the love stories not so much.

[Teena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet book, set in Ireland and reminiscent of Maeve Binchy. Sometimes a book just hits the spot perfectly and this did for me, after reading so many thrillers and mysteries.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book with interwoven stories. A clever idea and I really enjoyed this one; glad I’ve found a new author to read

[Aphelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recommended for fans of Sarah Addison Allen and gentle magical realism

I rarely read contemporary stories but the idea of this book intrigued me and I'm glad I picked it up!

Nora leaves her busy life in London, broken-hearted after a romantic betrayal, to close up her grandparents' flat in Dublin. Close to her charismatic grandfather (Hugh), Nora was bewildered by her remote and aloof grandmother (Lainey), who rarely left the house and spent her days cleaning the countless treasures her husband brought her back from business trips around the world.

Nora is overwhelmed by Lainey's collection but when she discovers notes about some items on the flyleaves of Lainey's favourite romance novels, it sparks an idea. Conveniently, her grandparents' house sits above an empty shop they used to let and the big bay window inspires Nora to create new tableaux every week based around a specific item. Thus, The Memory Shop is born!

The story follows several characters whose lives are changed by an item they buy. As Nora makes friends despite herself and learns to live life on her own terms, her six-month stay turns into something more. Nora gradually uncovers the hidden tragedy of her grandmother's life (a little too easily, but there is the sense of her grandmother's spirit trying to facilitate unfinished business), she realizes what is truly important.

I loved how smoothly the stories interconnected and the slow but steady romance between Nora and Will. Most of all, I adored how Lainey's mementos transformed the lives of strangers. It's one of the reasons I love thrift-shopping: imagining the histories things might have had and getting the chance to help them "come alive" in my home 😊

This charming read was sadly marred by poor editing throughout: missing punctuation, split sentences, the same sentences repeated in slightly different ways, so many typos - it's a shame because it happened so often that it jarred me out of the story in places.

Overall, a lovely read with a slightly whimsical magical realism feel. I will definitely be looking for more of this author's work!

[Armalite · Rating 5 out of 5]

A la mort de ses grands-parents bien-aimés, Nora Malone rentre à Dublin pour vendre leur maison et tous les trésors qu'elle contient. Elle ne compte rester que quelques jours avant de regagner Londres où l'attendent son fiancé Adam et son boulot de décoratrice. Puis, se retrouvant subitement célibataire et sans emploi, elle a l'idée d'ouvrir une boutique afin de chercher le propriétaire idéal pour chacun des objets auxquels sont rattachés tant de souvenirs...

Comme on parle de comfort food, on devrait utiliser l'étiquette de comfort books pour ces livres un tout petit peu trop graves pour être qualifiés de feel good. C'est le cas de "The memory shop", dont les personnages présentent à peu près toute la gamme des drames intimes: veuvage prématuré, kleptomanie, violences domestiques, conjoint infidèle, passé d'alcoolique ou de droguée... Mais grâce à la boutique tenue par Nora, tous vont apprendre à chérir leurs souvenirs sans laisser ceux-ci les empêcher d'avancer.

J'ai aimé me représenter les merveilles de Lainey, la grand-mère de Nora, et découvrir petit à petit son histoire tragique à travers elles. J'ai aimé la description des vitrines magiques que Nora crée afin de les mettre en valeur. J'ai aimé que l'auteure utilise une des citations les plus célèbres de Leonard Cohen et l'art japonais du kintsukuroi pour illustrer une certaine philosophie de vie. J'ai aimé l'aspect choral de ce roman, où des individus malmenés par la vie comme nous le sommes tous passé un certain âge tissent des liens forts qui finissent par les guérir. J'ai aimé la chaleur sincère qui se dégage de ces pages, la sérénité qu'on éprouve en voyant les protagonistes se réconcilier avec leur passé et en faire le socle d'un avenir plein de promesses. J'ai aimé tout court.

Mon blog lecture: https://l4nn3x3.blogspot.com/

[Jayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a strong 4.5 read for me. I don't read a lot of contemporary books but this really stood out to me.

Its focused around a young woman called Nora who has lost both grandparents within 12 months, her mother travels the world and is rarely around and her relationship and job have fallen apart over night! She is made responsible for dealing with her grandparents legal affairs in Dublin and see's this time away from her life in London as a way to recharge. Her grandparents home is full of memories for Nora and each personal item of her grandparents means something to her. So, instead of selling everything off in one fell swoop, she open a memory shop in the hopes of pairing each object and its story with the right person. Along the way, other characters stories are interwoven with Nora's, they over lap and cross paths just like Love actually in my opinion. There is also a mystery interlaced through the pages which adds and extra element to the story.

This was a very emotive read for me, full of sadness and happiness and I did catch my self shedding a tear here and there as well as smiling to myself. It is very well written with a great plot and expertly interwoven to form a great tale about heartbreak, sadness, joy and happiness.
The characters were real and very relatable and really made this book one of my favourites so far this year! I would definitely recommend this one!!

[Dina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nora’s grandmother passes away and she is set to inherit her belongings. She lives in London with a fashionable home, career and boyfriend. As she gets ready to head to Dublin, Ireland to deal with her grandmother‘a estate, she discovers her boyfriend, Adam is cheating on her and when in Dublin she learns that her business partner/friend Liv is the other woman. Nora’s mother, Alanna is abroad and set to inherit her grandparent’s home, but then it’s discovered that the house was remortgaged and must be sold to pay off debt. Alanna doesn’t see it worthwhile to return to settle in Ireland with only a €40k inheritance leftover after the sale of the home. Nora decides to use the attached shop to her grandparent’s home to sell their worldly possessions and uses her artistic talents to transform the shop window to draw in customers. The window displays snippets of her grandparent’s story, their memories using her grandmother’s notes that are left behind tucked in books and corners/hidden in the trinkets and treasures Nora’s grandfather, Hugh purchased during his travels for Lainey, Nora’s grandmother. Nora hopes to earn enough from the sales to fund a home for her mother. She names her pop-up store, “The Memory Shop”. Treasures are matched with the people who come in inspired to share their own stories. Loss and love are interwoven and Nora finds renewed purpose, meaning & true love.

[Sanhita · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice soothing story of women finding their inner strengths.
Nora has just had a heartbreak and she is in Dublin, going through the estate of her recently dead grandparents. She sets up a shop to dispose off the large collection of beautiful and expensive objects that his grandfather gifted her grandmother and raise money to settle her bohemian mother. While doing that she makes new friends, learns more about her grandmother through her handwritten notes found tucked in various places and sees her with a new eyes. While selling the things she finds her footing, her talent and strength and strangely the objects picked up by people helps them to find their inner strength to fight the adversities.

[Nia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the reading experience, the story is engaging and flows nicely.

*Spoilers ahead! *

Initially I wanted to give it 4* but once I reached the end I had several objections:
The main plot revial didn’t make much sense for me - why was Laney so haunted by what happened when she was a little girl in Crete that she sacrificed relationship with her daughter? Why didn’t she go to a therapist?!?
Why was Hugh buying all those stuff? OK, because he loved her, but was there anything deeper? The items sold in shop were in a way transformative for their new owners but for Hugh and Laney were they purely stuff she could busy herselves cleaning them?
Again, a therapist would be a better investment.
The romantic cliches in the end - as one reviewer (Doro) nicely put together before - 'overhearing a half-sentence in a conversation, interpreting it wrong, and thinking the relationship is over when it was meant completely different and then it needs another 20 pages for them to become a couple for good' - totally uncalled for.
I found the romantic solutions a bit too shallow for my liking and it got especially bad towards the end. As one other reviewer pointed out, majority of stories are women leaving their useless partners behind and it gets predictable after time. Men in this book are either good or bad, nothing in between.
Who’s Caroline? I couldn’t distinguish this plot from the others, once her story came to a close and anytine was mentioned afterwards I had to think who she is and what’s her story.

I did appreaciate the focus given to window design and it’s role in the story - gives it a touch of mystery.
I liked majority of the characters and learned about piece of history, too.

All in all, it’s a charming, heartwarming beach/holiday read which flows easily and can keep you entertained while reading.