Lost Coast Literary

Take a scenic trip to the coast of Northern California in this beautiful story about a twenty-nine-year-old woman named Emily who finds out that maybe plans are meant to be changed. After growing up in the Silicon Valley in the city of Santa Clara and being raised by a single dad, Emily Bryant decides to follow her dreams and enroll in the Columbia Publishing Program in New York. Emily lands her dream job of being an assistant editor and couldn’t be happier. This is a huge step for her. But then, she starts receiving frantic text messages from her Uncle Danny, her dad’s brother. Emily and her dad have been estranged from that side of the family for most of her life so she is surprised to find out that her grandmother, Gertrude, has passed away and left her mansion in Cascata, named “The Ballad” all to her. Emily makes the decision to fly out and what she finds ends up changing her life. Emily never knew why her dad kept her away from his family, but as she spends time in Cascata, she realizes how special this small town is and what a big role her grandmother played in the town.

I absolutely could not put this book down. The descriptions of everything from the bookish decor of “The Ballad” to the wonderful people of the town and their many activities had my nose stuck in this book from cover to cover. I felt as if I was transported into each place Emily visited. As Emily enters the town, “The breezy plaza was enveloped by historic buildings restored to their original glory in varying shades of lapis, eggplant, pistachio, hickory, and graphite. Timeworn bricks carved a pathway…dotted with eucalyptus trees and fragrant bunches of lavender.” This detailed imagery can be found throughout the book and really creates a homey feel. As we enter “The Ballad” with its wall-to-wall books, it feels like the most magical place in the world. With its nooks and crannies that Emily finds with the help of her cousin, Shay, “The Ballad” starts to feel more and more like home. It is not until Emily finds the forsaken manuscripts though, that she realizes her skills as an editor may be greatly needed in this town and that this is why her grandmother had sent for her. As memories start to unfold, Emily realizes that things are not as she had previously remembered. Lost Coast Literary is the perfect book for any bibliophile who is ready to get lost in their next favorite read.