When I started this book, I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy it. It started slow for me. But once it got going, I didn't want to put the book down. So don't give up on this great book.
Really enjoyed this book. And I'm glad I got to read an advance copy - thanks to #NetGalley
#TheLibraryOfLostAndFound

Plus I enjoyed that one of the characters had my name - Martha. :)

Librarian Martha Storm has a problem with saying no.  She cared for her parents for many years before they passed away and now she continues to put others before herself and receives no appreciation whatsoever for it, especially from her sister Lillian.  In fact, it seems everyone takes advantage of Martha's kindess.

Her life changes when she finds a book of fairytales addressed to her on the library doorstep.  Inside is a dedication written to her from her grandmother ...dated three years after her death.

With few clues, Martha begins a search for her grandmother who may still be alive.  She meets some kind people on her journey and unwittingly uncovers family secrets that change her perspective and ultimately her relationship with her sister.

The Library of Lost and Found is a heartwarming story about family and letting go of the past to make the most of the time we have.
If you're looking for a charming cozy read, give this book a try!

Thanks to Park Row and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.  The Library of Lost and Found is scheduled for release on March 26, 2019.

I am a sucker for any book about libraries, bookstores, or books, so reading this British title was a no-brainer for me. However, the library is not strongly featured in the story, and I found it hard to like the lead character, Martha, a woman who wants to please everyone so much that she becomes a true doormat.

Martha gave up her personal life, and a fiancé, to take care of her ailing parents, for 15 years. Now she spends her time volunteering at the local library, where the manager refuses to give her a paid position. She helps everyone in the village with all of their needs, to the point where everyone, including her married sister, takes her for granted. Martha finds a book that is filled with stories that she wrote in her childhood and is signed by her grandmother, years after her grandmother supposedly died. As Martha investigates this apparent mystery, she begins to see her life in a different light.

The book is slow-paced, and I became very impatient with the unsympathetic protagonist. Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a preprint of this book.

How can you not love a book whose cover features a stack of books with a cup of tea on top. It sets it up as very inviting for us bibliophiles. This charming story had me smiling, laughing and even tearing up once or twice. There are a few twists and turns that I never saw coming which further added to my enjoyment. The characters are three dimensional and quirky in their own way, which makes them seem very real. Patrick uses alternating timelines effectively — the short vignettes that take place in the past fills in the blanks in the present

The Library of Lost and Found is about Martha Storm, a volunteer librarian who loves books. But she is also a people-pleaser who always puts everyone else first, before herself. That is just how she rolls. The fact is that she loves to help others but goes to an extreme as all the projects she takes on for them fills up her house.

“One of the best feelings in the world came when she received a smile of appreciation, or a few grateful words. When someone said, “Great job, Martha,” and she felt like she was basking in sunshine. She’d go to most lengths to achieve that praise.”

The crux of the story is a search for self — Martha is essentially lost and ultimately finds herself. At the same time, she also comes to care about herself first and foremost. It is a story about Family — the ties that bind us as well as the ties that choke us.

“There was an unusual stirring inside her stomach, of wanting to do something for herself, for once. A touch of rebellion.”

Martha comes from a dysfunctional family in which there were secrets that are finally revealed to her. Martha used to write stories as a child and loved to share them with her grandmother Zelda. These stories are interspersed throughout the book and i found them to be an added bonus to an already entertaining read. But her grandmother passed away while Martha was still young and it’s as Zelda took Martha’s imagination with her because she has completely lost the desire to write.

“But now, as Martha stared up at the sky, the moon was just the moon. The stars were only stars. She’d lost the desire and ability to create stories, long ago, when Zelda died, taking Martha’s hopes and dreams with her.”

Just a few pages in, Martha discovers a book which features her stories as well as other family tales. The book is written by her grandmother and a note is written inside to Martha but the date is a few years after Zelda passed away. Martha sets out to solve this mystery — where did the book come from, when was it published and why is Zelda writing after her death.

It is easy to dislike Martha in the beginning because she lets others walk all over her but her transformation is fascinating to witness. You will want to root for Martha and cheer her on during her journey of self-discovery. Her transformation, albeit slow but steady, will leave you smiling and wanting more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

What a lovely, cozy book. With just the right amount of melancholy so as to not make it too saccharine sweet.

This has been compared by others to Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, and I do see the similarities. Martha and Eleanor are both stuck in routine, have complicated childhood backstories, and need to learn how to get outside their comfort zone and communicate with people again. But Martha's story is much more rooted in the family; it's the reason her life has gone so off-track AND the source of her greatest comforts. I rooted for Martha every step of the way and was deeply enthralled by her journey in figuring out the truth.

I also loved the cast of quirky characters in Martha's world - everyone was appropriately fleshed out in this picturesque English seaside town. And the constant imagery of libraries and bookshops made me salivate about going back to England someday. (Miss you forever, Mr. B's.)

What a sweet & touching book! Martha is living an ordinary, uneventful life. She works in a library, but is constantly overlooked for promotions. Her "friends" take advantage of her good nature & ask favors of her. Her parents are deceased and her sister barely speaks to her. When a worn/torn book shows up bearing a dedication to Martha, signed by her beloved grandmother 3 years AFTER her death, it sends Martha on a quest to figure out how that could have happened.

Intermingling fairy tales from the signed book with flashbacks and current day stories about Martha, her friends, and family, this is a lovely tale of secrets and lies, love, and the power of story. I loved every minute! This is not an action-packed thriller, nor is it a gutwrenching story of family intrigue. Rather it's a realistic story of a family with all the love and angst that comes with the word "family". There are some surprises and some predictable moments. There are some moments that will make you smile (even laugh) and some that will tug at your heart strings and maybe even cause a tear or two. In the end, it's an uplifting story of love and the power of imagination and how stories can be at once cathartic and truthful and inspirational. Just perfect!

I instantly fell in love with this story. I have not read the author's prior novel but after finishing this book, I am going to pick up a copy to read. Ms. Patrick just infused such life into her characters and this story.

Everyone that I met, I just liked and wanted to be their friend. There is a romance that blossoms between Martha and Owen. It felt real and right. It did not distract form the overall storyline. Getting to know Martha's grandmother, Zelda was great. She was an intriguing person. It was easy to see where Martha got her love of storytelling. I mean what about the title of the mystery book, Blue Skies and Stormy Seas. A great title.

This book just tugged at every string of my heart. The Library of Lost and Found is a must read.

Having grown accustomed to being treated unfairly by most people with whom she encounters, sister, employer, even her parents who expected her to remain single and care for them in their old age, librarian Martha Storm comes across a badly damaged book that changes her life. Written by the beloved grandmother she thought to be deceased, Martha is surprised to find a mystery in the book's dedication to her, signed years after the grandmother's supposed death. Her quest to discover the truth leads her to a discovery of self. At first you can be angry with the heroine for allowing others to treat her like a doormat, but by the end you are cheering her on as she learns to rediscover her true voice. A suitably titled, touching story of loss and redemption, with a few surprises to keep you reading to the end.

Phaedra, you continue to amaze me with every book you write! I enjoyed every second curling up to this book. There were giggles and there were tears. I loved all of the characters but the one who I stuck with the most was Betty. I’ve been in a toxic all-consuming relationship where I wasn’t allowed to be myself and constantly criticized about things that were out of my control, and so the final fairytale read by Lillian totally broke me. I also loved watching Martha grow and move on, it was all so heartwarming!

Also, if you haven’t read any other authors other works... do it!

I do love books about libraries - always one of my favorite places. Martha Storm works at the library in her local seaside town. She derives a sense of purpose by doing things for other people. She keeps a list of tasks and checks them off when they are done. Martha lives alone. She took care of her ageing parents for years and now they are gone. Martha feels invisible. Then a special mysterious book turns up and things start happening that will change Martha's life. There's a mystery to solve.

This was a charming book that seemed like a middle-age coming-of-age story to me. It was an awakening and Martha has a chance to grow and become what she could be. I enjoyed the story. It's easy to see how many people become caretakers for others and lose themselves in the process. The characters are delightful - I loved Zelda's joie de vivre.

Thanks to Phaedra Patrick and HARLEQUIN through Netgalley for an advance copy.

I am a librarian. By nature books like my babies so to speak :) Naturally books make me dream, escape into unreality and teach me from time to time.
"The Library of Lost and Found" has everything that made me love this book! From a Librarian who makes you take a magical journey, a plot that makes you literally "eat" every page and almost live it to a great flawless writing that makes you feel every sentence making it almost believable!
The author is going to be "hunted" by me for a lookout on her next book.
I seriously want to experience another magical journey through her books, learn from them and relax! If you like magic, fairy tales, adventure, a little mystery, and paranormal theme, this book is for you.
This book is going to be on my favorite list for a long time, because it struck me with its magic well!

Librarian Martha Storm is a kind, super organized woman who is treated as a doormat by those around her. The hours of her days are filled with doing everything in her power to please those around her making endless to-do lists and accomplishing little. Then one night her life is changed by a book of fairy tales left for her at the doors of the library. Martha begins a quest to find out the origins of this mysterious book, stepping out of her comfort zone and ultimately discovering her true worth in life. Once again Phaedra Patrick has weaved a delightful, charming tale filled with relatable and unforgettable characters that I recognized as kindred spirits. Martha's love of books and her library and bookstores were feelings I share, as well as her feelings of being overwhelmed as she looked around her claustrophobic house full of a lifetime of possessions. "The Library of Lost and Found" has earned its place on my long list of treasured and beloved books I've read in my lifetime.

Martha Storm has spent her lifetime caring for other people, putting their needs and wants before her own. Then one day it all becomes too much and she snaps. The inscription in a book that had shown up on the doorstep for her set her on a path to solve a mystery; why was it addressed to her and signed by her Nana.... 3 years after she had died? What she discovers is life-changing.
I loved this book. It started out a little sad, when it described her home life as a child. I wanted to root for her when she finally stood up for herself and quit being everyone's pushover. Then the mystery appeared and the book took off. If you love books about books, or libraries, or bookshops, or just a good fiction story, then this is the book for you.

A story about finding yourself and acceptance. There is mystery and family secrets and a sense of nostalgia. Martha is a wonderful character that is so easy to relate too. This book brought back memories of childhood trips to the library.

An inscription on the inside of a book, written in 1985 - To Martha, but wait - she's Martha, and these stories, the stories in this book, why, they were stories that she told to her Nana, and stories her mother told her, and stories her Nana told her. How did they end up in this book? The biggest mystery of all, how did an inscription get written to her, from her Nana, 3 years after her Nana supposedly died? That question sends Martha, a woman who has devoted her entire adult life to the care of other people, on a search that upends her entire world. She ends up finding out answers to questions she didn't even know she needed to ask, and finding out that maybe she was a little bit stronger than even she knew.

This book is just entirely lovely. It's a cozy cup of tea by a fire on a dreary, rainy day when you don't have to go anywhere. It's wrapping up in a heated blanket after eating half a pint of ice cream and you're cold from the inside out. It's finding that one perfect book when you've been searching in the library for 20 minutes and you're just about to give up but .... aha... there it is! It's absolutely wonderful. What a great read.

There have been so many books out lately that revolve around things that are lost and found and I didn’t expect a much different story here. Silly me. Phaedra Patrick has given us a story about a middle-aged woman who never says no...until she does. What happens next is one of the most poignant stories I’ve read in a long time.

Martha’s whole life has been shaped by a single incident from her childhood which she knew nothing about, until a mysterious book full of her own childhood stories, with a dedication written by her grandmother, shows up out of the blue at her library. That the stories are her own, written as a child, is one thing, but the dedication is dated three years *after* her grandmother supposedly died. This mystery sets off a string of explosions in Martha’s life, leading her on an unforgettable and sometimes painful journey.

Somewhat reminiscent of a favorite from last year (Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine) this one will leave you with a bunch of crumpled tissues and stuffy nose, but also a soaring spirit. Book clubs, take note. This is a sure hit for your monthly meetings.

The library was/is always a magical place for me. I remember my Mom taking my sister and I during the summer and we could pick out as many books as we could carry. Martha has always loved the library. She has been volunteering there for years hoping for a paid position. She always puts everyone else above her own needs. A mysterious package shows up at the library for Martha. As she is searching for answers, she finds strength. I loved Martha and I could see her being my very best friend. It was quite an enjoyable. I received an advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Harlequin Park Row. All opinions are my own.

As a book lover I am drawn to stories set in bookstores or libraries. I enjoy any character who understands my obsession with books. This is why I was thrilled that I received an ARC of The Library of Lost and Found from Netgalley and Park Row in exchange for my honest review.

The Library of Lost and Found is a realistic fiction novel, but the quality of the story made it feel magical to me. The main character Martha is a quiet character who dedicates most of her time to the local library. Martha receives a published book filled with her own previously private stories. She is shocked by the book’s existence and even more so by her grandmothers note scrawled in the book. The note (dated after what Martha knows to be the year of her grandmother’s death) leaves her with so many questions and a burning desire to find the answers. Martha, a woman with few friends, must foster friendships and family relationships in order to uncover the mystery of the book and ultimately figure out her own identity. I rooted for Martha throughout the entire story, and I loved following her journey. I recommend this one to anyone looking for a cozy read.

Martha Storm lives a quiet, quaint life as a librarian in a small seaside village. She constantly puts others in front of herself, and never says no to someone in need. Her whole world turns upside down though once a mysterious book of fairy tales is left on the library's doorstep. Soon Martha finds this isn't just a regular book, it's full of stories she wrote growing up, and it has a dedication from her grandmother dated three years after she supposedly died. This book takes Martha on an emotional journey through her family's past where she uncovers harsh truths that were hidden from her, and the depth of her own strength. I found this whole story very charming. Watching Martha go on this journey of self discovery and truly coming into her own was so heartwarming and satisfying, and at times even frustrating. It was a nice mix of quirky, funny and moving, and perfect if you're looking for something a little more emotional but still cozy.

Thank you for the early copy!

I picked out this ARC mainly because of the cute cover, tea and books, the perfect combo. It was well-crafted read. I recommend this to those who enjoy contemporary fiction focused on women and relationships.