I loved this book so very much-- I enjoyed the magic, the town, the townspeople, the romantic elements, the alternating in narrative perspectives among the chapters. This book was very well written and has so much to offer-- the characters were sketched with care, and it was very immersive (I really felt like I was in that town, and could envision the town and its people). I would have liked a bit more magic with the book charmer aspect, beyond just the books talking with Sarah. Overall, a very enjoyable read, and I'm looking forward to reading the sequel!!!

The Book Charmer is a sweet little book about small towns, recovering from family trauma, and a little touch of magic.

Sarah Dove isn't just your ordinary book loving child turned book loving librarian. No, where Sarah Dove is involved, books literally speak to her and they tell her how to help out the town members and the quaint little town of Dove Pond, where her family has literally lived since the town began.

But it's not just Sarah who has a touch of magic. There's also something about Grace, a woman who ends up coming to Dove Pond and, after some hesitation, agrees to help keep the town on it's feet. Thus begins a beautiful friendship.

The Book Charmer is, in a word, charming. The characters all have their flaws and quirks but they are generally enjoyable to read about. And Dove Pond just sounds lovely. I loved the little touches of magic but just how real all of the situations and characters seemed. All in all, I found this book to be fantastic and I certainly plan on reading whatever Karen Hawkins has coming next for this series.

So, what would you do if books began to talk to you when you were only 7? No - really - TALK to you. If you were Sarah May Dove, youngest of 7 sisters in a family with very deep roots in Dove Pond, you might simply say "no" to the old journal in the library's glass case. After all, you came to the library to hunt for books about dragons, and dragons you shall have.

You might relent, though, if the journal appeared, uninvited, in your backpack, and when images of your family's long and unusual history filled your mind at first touch.

This novel will introduce you to long-time residents and returnees to the town, people who have vanished, and people who are - for better or worse - changing. The losses of memory, some due to dementia and some not, seem to parallel the economic and spiritual losses the town has suffered. A town can "sundown" as well as a person, and it takes a loving caregiver to make things right.

Sarah's talent as an adult is to put the right book into the right hands, even if the recipient is bewildered or annoyed by the librarian's offering. Grace is bewildered and annoyed by Sarah's insistence on _Little Women_. She has recently, and not happily, returned to Dove Pond, hoping that her beloved foster mother's dementia will be less fearful in her home town. Mrs. G is not Grace's only challenge, though. She is also raising her dead sister's angry, sullen, unpredictable young daughter, Daisy. Homely, old _Little Women_ is not the book she need or wants. Stay in one place, raise a family, knit mittens, bake bread? No. She just wants to return to her high-powered job in finance.

The mayor, Grace's new boss, gives her an assignment that is as close to unbearable as she can imagine: join the Dove Pond Social Club, and plan the town's annual Apple Festival. She balks, she is rude, she is as imperious at the first meeting as Daisy would have been. She realizes, belatedly (but not too belatedly) that her financial, outreach, and business skills are exactly what the town needs to be energized and to thrive once again.

As the plans for the Festival come together, so does the town, and so does at least one potential romance. With the help of neighbor Travis, whose PTSD begins to ease when Mrs. G and Daisy become involved with him and his wandering cat, even Daisy begins to see some potential in her new life. The reader will meet townspeople who begin to remember, contribute, and love what is happening, and they give Grace the first real friendships she has known.

Is this a work of magical realism, akin to Alice Hoffman or Sarah Addison Allen? Yes. Sarah's gift, flowers that change their hue depending on the emotional tenor of the town, leaves that fall in patterns - these are all magical ingredients. But the characters are real, and the plot hinges on human growth and contact more than magic. As Amy March says, "I am not afraid of storms for I am learning how to sail my ship."


Highly recommended. I can hardly wait for the second installment of this lovely series.

A book about a woman who can speak to books or who has a knack for knowing the specific book that a person needs? What could be better for a book lover like myself?

Sarah Dove is literally who I want to be when I grow up. She is a librarian in a small town who just happens to be able to speak to books. I loved her character so much! So many people see librarians as quiet, shy, introverts. And while that may be true some of the time, it is definitely not true for Sarah. She is outspoken, brave, had a tremendous love for her family and her town, and sometimes even a little pushy.

This book has so many great things going for it: from a small-town vibe to being set in a library for a lot of the time, to several strong but flawed female characters.

I also loved the way that the author blended the magic into the world and made it seem like it was just a natural part of this story and not some extraordinary thing. The magic isn't the focal point of the story, the people are.

The only reason why I gave this 4 stars instead of 5 is that I did feel like it was a little bit drawn out and there were some parts that could have been cut without really affecting the overall story.

This is meant to be a series and I cannot wait for the next book.

For fans of heartwarming books such as Louise Miller’s City Baker’s Guide to Country Living, this book is beyond perfect. I loved it in all of the ways possible, especially in meeting the community featured within this work and living in a Hallmark-reminiscent world for a few hours,

A great read. I loved the story.A great read. I loved the story.A great read. I loved the story.A great read. I loved the story.A great read. I loved the story.A great read. I loved the story.A great read. I loved the story.A great read. I loved the story.A great read. I loved the story.A great read. I loved the story.A great read. I loved the story.A great read. I loved the story.A great read. I loved the story.A great read. I loved the story.A great read. I loved the story.A great read. I loved the story.

If you are a fan of Sarah Addison Allen, you will enjoy this book thoroughly. There are fantastical elements yes, but there are also real human problems that make this book so worthwhile and raw. This book really captures and tackles what it means to be a woman, mental health issues, the complications of life, love, and friendship along the way. This book kept me engaged until the very end!

This book just did not resonate with me. I think it will appeal to other readers but I just did not find characters or a story line that was for me.

The Book Charmer is the story about Dove Pond where the librarian, Sarah Dove, seemingly talks (and listens) to books. Dove pond has a wealth of characters, including Grace, who has left a job she loves to take care of her family, Mama G, Grace’s foster mother, who is suffering from dementia, and Daisy, Grace’s rebellious niece who is dealing with the death of her mother. When they move to Dove Pond, in order to mend their broken family, Sarah realizes that Grace is the one destined to save the town from financial ruin.

What can I say? I thoroughly fell in love with The Book Charmer. It is a magical and engaging story about a small southern town and its inhabitants. But it is also so much more. It’s about strong men and women who forge ahead, even when life throws them a curve. It’s about neighbors and friends who support and care for each other. And, it’s about friendships that can develop when it’s least expected.

The Book Charmer is a fairytale-like book and it’s not the type of book that I read on a regular basis. But, every once in a while, it’s nice to step into a world where problems will be solved (eventually), things will turn out for the best, and people will be their best. When I do want to read a book like this, I want a book that is well-written with interesting characters. The Book Charmer fits like a glove. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Dove Pond and I am looking forward to a return trip in the future.

Thank you, Ms Hawkins, for writing a book that is purely delightful, magical, and entertaining.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

This is a quirky romance book that is perfect for a beach read. While books talk to me, they don’t quite do it quite in the way they do with Sarah Dove. I love stories about small towns, especially Southern towns. So this one appealed to me and the story intertwines in the characters’ lives. The characters are well developed. Though Sarah, the book charmer, plays a small role in this book, I believe the author has set things up for a series.

Mama G’s memory is declining and it made my heart ache. But the developing relationship with Trav is touching and the two of them understand what it is like to deal with parents with memory disorders. Touching read and one you will enjoy as you get to know all of the people who make up Dove Pond.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

DNF at 12%. Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for this early copy! I went into the novel excited to read it but I could not connect with it. I decided to put it down.

As far as pros go, there was good character growth for the main characters, and it was an interesting story about how a town can group together... I guess.
On the other side, there are too many characters, even listening to the book left me with difficulty distinguishing the people. It takes an idyllic look at small towns, and although it briefly touches on the problems with small towns (how quickly people can turn on you, how difficult it is to live in a tourist economy) by the end of the book, it's ignored the problems it raised. Also didn't love the epilogue.

This is book one in the Dove Pond series. IT had me tearing up within the first 5 percent of the book. Yeah, it is that kind of a book. The relationships in the book are so beautifully described and so relatable, it is difficult not to love the characters and get drawn into the story. As I started the book, there were a couple of storylines and I didn't think I would enjoy the book because of so many different stories. But don't give up on it, because they do intersect and the book is a wonderful read. There are a few things that I didn't like about the book. The first and foremost being that even though the title is about Sarah, who is the book charmer, the book is more about Grace and her life. I wish we had a chance to read more of Sarah's story and about her romance with Blake. Also, the book is more about friendships and community and less about romance so if you are looking for a romance novel, this is not it. But it is still a beautiful story about books, magic and the beautiful relationships that make life.


* I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review*

This book was truly captivating from start to finish!!! I loved getting to know the town and the unique characters. I love the idea of helping a town find its magic again and watching the characters develop into such interesting people!! Now I want to visit the town of Dove Pond and especially the library!!

Charming, hopeful book. Underlying message of the importance of community and less obvious books. Very enjoyable for difficult times.

I tend to read a lot of heavy books, so when I knew I needed a break from those, The Book Charmer turned out to be exactly what I needed. It was cute, funny, had a little bit of magic, and reminded me that you're never too old to change. I cannot wait to revisit the town in the sequel coming out soon!!

Reading about the idyllic small town of Dove was as comforting as watching a Hallmark movie. This was a predictable yet joyful read with a touch of book magic. Fans of Gilmore Girls will love Dove and the quirky characters.

The Doves have seven daughters. Sarah loves to go to the library and learned to read when she was three years old. Books are her life. A book calls to her that there is more to the story. Ava,Sarah's sister,loves to garden. Grace's mother left her and Hannah at a church and ran off with a dirty man. Grace is headed to foster care with Hannah. Hannah grows up to have a eight year old daughter Daisy.everyone loved Hannah but her I liked the characters and dialogue.with sickness and difficulties Grace and family are in Dove pond. Inna is slipping in health. I was a little iffy about Sarah talking to books

" ... just do yourself a favor; if Sarah Dove offers you a book, take it. You'll regret it if you don't."

Dove Pond, N.C., is no ordinary small Southern town. Among other miracles, it's home to Sarah Dove, a librarian who can communicate with the books she guards. The books tell her when specific residents need to read them. And lately they've been whispering that someone very special is moving to town. Enter Grace Wheeler. This city girl is coming to Dove Pond in hopes that the familiar surroundings will comfort her foster mother, who's just been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Also in tow is Grace's niece Daisy, whose errant mother Hannah just passed away. Grace gets a job as city clerk, but doesn't plan on staying in Dove Pond for more than a year. However, Sarah's books have other ideas...

I really enjoyed this heartwarming story of how three generations of strong women shake up a struggling small town. There's an appealingly sweet element of romance as Grace gets to know her neighbor, an emotionally and physically battered Iraq War veteran named Trav. There's humor, as Grace butts heads with residents who are too set in their ways to embrace any necessary changes to how their beloved Apple Festival is run. And of course, there's magic in the way that books find themselves in the hands of the right people at the right times.

I could really relate to Grace as she struggled to care for her foster mom, who's a native of Dove Pond. My grandma had vascular dementia, so I know how hard it is to watch as someone you love slips away little by little. The author mentions in her acknowledgments that she talked to caregivers, which made that aspect of the book more realistic.

At times the pace of the story was a bit slow, but otherwise I really enjoyed "The Book Charmer." It's a great read for anyone who believes in the transformative powers of love and literature.

Favorite quotes:

"That porch has been crooked as long as I've been breathing, and it hasn't fallen off the house yet. So long as you don't load it up with a hundred or more fat people, it should stand for another hundred and fifty years."

"Change never hurt nobody, child. You know that. It's those who can't or won't change who lose."

Sometimes the only way to begin a journey to the future was with a gentle shove from the past.

"... It hurts like the deepest cut to watch your parents fade away. One of my clients said it was like trying to hold sand in her fingers; no matter how tightly she gripped, she couldn't hold it in place."

Sarah's sisters were all still alive and well, so she couldn't understand how grief could sneak up on you, or what it felt like to go from being the oldest sister to not even being a sister at all. It was if a hole had been cut into every childhood memory Grace possessed.

"I just ordered takeout for dinner. That's one of my biggest skills as a homemaker, ordering out. I'm damn good at it."

"You don't need scores of friends. You need only one ... the right one."

Love can't cure a broken heart, but it can hold the two sides together while they heal.

When i read this book description a couple of years ago i had to jump on requesting it. I know bad book reviewer this book came out in 2019. I am a firm believer that a book has a story that is meant for the right time, the right person and for that person to be ready for that story. This moment in 2020 when everything is crazy and we all feel so trapped was the moment for the book charmer to come to life.

I can see myself being Sarah Dove and arguing with the books, i can see myself as Grace trying to find roots in the life she been handed, i can see myself in Dove Pond with all it quaint shops. This book was like the Good Witch show on Hallmark channel just the right amount of magic, sweetness and good old fashion tears at some points. The author drops the perfect book references such as labeling the neighbor Khal Drogo (Game of Thrones).

I also decided this was perfect book for summer reading as i finished it just as it started to get melting hot here in my little town. If your a book lover, a lover of just a hint of magic in what could be a sweet romance or a family story then the Book Charmer is the book you need in your life. Sit it on your shelf and just wait for it to speak to you.