ARC Review: The Booklover's Library by Madeline Martin

"I do enjoy reading it myself," Olivia said. "It's like my brain drinking something good, like warm chocolate milk." (pg. 262)

Publication date: September 10, 2024

Format: e-book (arc)

Pages: 424

Rating: 5/5 stars

Genre: historical fiction

Tropes/Themes: World War II, motherhood, single mother, mother/daughter relationship, book about books, found family

Warnings: parental death, PTSD, vivid descriptions of bombings and damage from war

---

Author Description:

A heartwarming story about a mother and daughter in wartime England and the power of the books that bring them together.

In Nottingham, England, widow Emma Taylor finds herself in desperate need of a job to provide for herself and her beloved daughter, Olivia. But with the legal restrictions prohibiting widows with children from most employment opportunities, she’s left with only one option: persuading the manageress at Boots’ Booklover’s Library to take a chance on her.

When the threat of war becomes a reality, Olivia must be evacuated to the countryside. In her daughter’s absence, Emma seeks solace in the unlikely friendships she forms with her neighbors and coworkers, as well as the recommendations she provides to the library’s quirky regulars. But the job doesn’t come without its difficulties. Books are mysteriously misshelved and disappearing, and her work forces her to confront the memories of her late father and the bookstore they once owned together before a terrible accident.

As the Blitz intensifies in Nottingham and Emma fights to reunite with her daughter, she must learn to depend on her community and the power of literature more than ever to find hope in the darkest of times.

---

My thoughts…

I want to say straight from the beginning that if you have PTSD from serving in the armed forces, this book is NOT for you. The cover and description are very deceptive in making this book seem like it’s a regular historical fiction. There are descriptions of wartime during World War II such as bombings, family separation and death, demolished cities, etc. I was honestly surprised that images like that in this book.

However, I did find it an incredibly enjoyable read and I cried a lot. There were joyous moments, heartbreaking moments, and just about everything in between. While it took me a while to finish reading it because of life, I never wanted to put this book down. I mean, who doesn’t love a book about books?

I think that there are plenty of people who would benefit from reading this book, especially single mothers. Emma, the main character, desperately needs job so that she can continue to provide for her nine-year-old daughter, Olivia. Emma has no living biological family that she can ask for help from. The only family she does have are her in-laws from her late husband who don’t exactly like her. In a string of fate, a position at the Booklover’s Library opens up and she jumps at the opportunity. However, there are laws that make it illegal for widowed mothers to work. Also, with the war coming, the government begins issuing recommendations that parents evacuate their children to boarding houses that are in remote areas. Emma battles with herself constantly because she doesn’t want to send Olivia away and be without her, but she also wants her to be safe.

Emma is testament to all mothers out there who do will whatever it takes to take care of their children, which in her case is breaking the law and breaking both her and Olivia’s hearts.

That would be how they would get through this was. That, and, of course, the occasional distraction of a good book. (pg. 405)

I enjoyed the parts where Emma was working or interacting with people from the Booklover’s Library the most. I think the biggest message of this book is that reading can be incredibly healing. Books can provide an outlet to get your mind off things for a little while and let you escape to another world. You can find yourself in the characters and go on a self-discovery journey with them. Books also provide a community for you to interact with, much like the one at The Booklover’s Library. There are so many relationships formed between the librarians and the subscribers, all of which are so unique. I found it really special that the librarians could recommend books that were perfect for each subscriber just because of how well they knew each other.

My favorite character is actually one of the subscribers, Mrs. Chatsworth. Her name is so fitting that her scenes make me crack up. I’d compare her to those memes about people telling their partners about the book they just finished and it somehow becomes 2:30am and they’re still talking about it. (I’m like that… sorry, Brandon.) Mrs. Chatsworth is relatable in so many other ways, but I won’t share why.

In her time at the Booklover’s Library, she had become more than a man’s wife. More than even a mother. She was a reader, a lover of books who could procure the right story for the right person at the right time. In doing so, she had begun to reclaim who she had once been, and there was a part of her that felt freed by the absence of her ring and married title. (pg. 260)

Do I recommend The Booklover’s Library?

I do, but like I mentioned above, I would approach this book with caution if you have wartime PTSD or are sensitive to descriptions of war. Other than that, I found this book healing. It was a reminder of why books are so important to me and to others. When I don’t have the time to read because life gets in the way, I usually end up feeling less like myself. The deep connection between reader and book is so extraordinary in the story and I think this book would be great for anyone who needs a reminder of why we need books in our lives.

---

Reading Stats

• Dates read: September 6 - September 21, 2024

• Total reading time: 4 hours 51 minutes

• Reading speed: 87.4 pages per hour

• Most pages read in a day: 106

• Most minutes read in a day: 59

  ---

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this arc in exchange for an honest review.