The Book Charmer by Karen Hawkins is a sweet, Southern novel with just a hint of magical realism. The writing reminds me of Sarah Addison Allen, whom I love and of whom it has been tooooooo long since she published anything new. I was so pleasantly surprised at this optimistic novel that I am sure any Dove Pond follow-ups that Ms. Hawkins writes will immediately go into my TBR list.

Dove Pond was a sweet little town, and I am a sucker for reading about small towns with tight communities. Sarah, the eponymous Book Charmer, ends up not being the lead character in this novel and I was disappointed to not have more to her story and specifically her story's end. I think her "gift" of hearing books talk to her was such a fun idea as I think most hard core book lovers feel like books talk to them, so maybe most readers have a bit of book charming in them.

The characters of Sarah, Trav, Daisy, and Mama G were all great. I loved each of them. Mama G actually made two of the most profound statements I have read lately, very surprising coming from cozy fiction, Grace was much less likable to me, and sadly she was the real leading lady of this novel. While her introduction as a foster child in the beginning of the book made her an empathetic character, her adult self was not very relatable. I don't think most people are as standoffish as she is in real life unless they have some sort of social disorder. In the end, I think she was too one-dimentional for too long in the story. Her arc was just very imbalanced. My annoyance at her was far outweighed by my enjoyment of all the supporting characters.

While I see that the proposed series is called "Dove Pond" and there are 7 Dove sisters to write about, I really hope that Sarah gets another shot or has a big part of all the novels. If her part in this one is all she gets, I would be very disappointed, and would find the title of the book confounding.

Thanks to the author and publisher as well as NetGalley for providing an ecopy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

A whimsical, charming novel. A happy read! Loved the small town setting - loved the quirky characters - loved the drama and tiny pinch of romance. A dash of magic and a bit of books - you can't beat that! Mainly it is a story that leaves you feeling good about life and wishing the world could be a lot more like Dove Pond!

This was an excellent read. The character development was perfect and the plot was so good. I highly recommend you get a copy and read it.

The Dove sisters have always seemed magical, so it’s no real surprise when books begin conversing with Sarah Dove. As the town librarian for Dove Pond, it’s a handy skill— the books tell her exactly what every reader needs. And when the books begin rumbling about the arrival of a new resident, Grace Wheeler, Sarah knows a savior has finally come to break Dove Pond’s string of bad luck. But Grace has no intentions of becoming an active denizen— she’s just there for a year to take care of her sick mother and niece before heading back to the hustle and bustle of her life in Charlotte. However, with a few overzealous neighbors and a bit of magic, it just might be too hard to resist the charm and the challenge of saving the town.

Often books that rotate viewpoints for each chapter suffer from having one character that’s more interesting than the other. Fortunately, author Karen Hawkins has peppered The Book Charmer with such compelling, quirky characters that each unique switch is more than welcome. Dove Pond is intended as an attractive small town with a hint of magic in the air and, because of its locals, it more than succeeds.

Hawkins has carefully crafted the relationships between each of these citizens, balancing expertly between the sweet and the dramatic. They’re fully realized, complicated individuals that somehow fit together in a way that can only happen in a tight community. Somehow even simple scenes about town meetings are riveting because of an amusing, eccentric cast navigating through small town politics and development.

Through it all, Sarah struggles with her power, looking for signs in her books, and grasping to hold her crumbling town together. But though Sarah might earn a place in the title and push the action behind the scenes, Grace is the glue binding the book together. Overwhelmed after the death of her sister, she moves her adopted mother, Mama G, and niece, Daisy, to Dove Pond is order to slow things down and aid Mama G, who has Alzheimer’s. Her opening chapters are heartbreaking, but Hawkins delivers beautiful hope as Grace settles into a life she never thought she wanted.

There aren’t too many towns as charming as Dove Pond. Visit for the bewitching characters, but stay for their magical stories.

The Book Charmer was my first experience reading Karen Hawkins. Honestly, I was a little nervous because all of her previous work looked like traditional Harlequin-style romances. And I’m a bit book snobbish about bodice rippers. Those nerves turned out to be unwarranted because The Book Charmer was absolutely delightful!

Straight from go, I was enchanted by Karen Hawkins’ prologue. Getting a glimpse of Sarah Dove and Grace Wheeler as children sets the stage and the tone while allowing the reader to see how each character’s past might influence her present. The present brings us to the small fictional North Carolina community of Dove Pond where Sarah has grown up and where Grace, her foster mother (Mama G), and her niece are moving in just down the street. Grace’s life has taken a sudden turn due to her sister’s death and her foster mother’s declining health, and they’ve come to Dove Pond because its memories might be helpful for Mama G.

Both the characters and the setting are written with love. You’ll enjoy getting to know these women and the small town in which they live. I would liken The Book Charmer to Jan Karon’s Mitford series with younger women and sprinkled with a touch of magical realism rather than faith. Like Mitford, the town and its quirky cast of characters is full of charm and humor. This is ultimately a novel about family, friendships, community, and love.

Karen Hawkins succeeds in giving her book heart without being sappy, and infusing her story with magic without being kooky. To make another comparison, if you’re familiar with Hallmark Channel’s original film/TV series Good Witch, you’ll find yourself as pleasantly at ease in Dove Pond as in Middleton.

The Book Charmer turned out to be the perfect summer read, comfy and cozy like your favorite old t-shirt. And getting to the end felt like having to say goodbye to new friends. Luckily, this is the first in a series so I’ll be able to visit Dove Pond and its inhabitants again!

Verdict: 4.5 of 5 Hearts: The winsome characters and small-town setting make for a magical reading experience!

Thanks to Netgalley, Galley Books and Karen Hawkins for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Oh my gosh this book is wonderful ! i love Sara the librarian and her whispering books and heroic Grace who comes to the rescue of the town of Dove Pond, North Carolina. I highly recommend this fantastic heartfelt read. . Also highly recommend this to everyone who has read the books Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman and Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen.. loved it ! 5 stars ⭐️

To be able to hear books talk would be the ultimate super power! There are so many quotable moments in the Book Charmer, I wish I would have thought to write them all down. This is the book for all book lovers. I couldn’t put this one down. A strong female lead mixed with great book chemistry made for a truly enjoyable read.

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

Dear Fellow Reader,

Have you ever read a book that you think might be mis-titled and that the description seems, well, off? That is the way I feel about the following book. I am not talking about books that claim to be like other books. By the way, I hate that. It never fails that I don’t think the books that are compared are anything like each other. I am usually disappointed in the second book that is just like (fill in the blank). Or, for fans of _________, you’ll love __________.

Anyway, The Book Charmer by Karen Hawkins is an interesting read. I would just not call it The Book Charmer. Yes, there is a character in the book that feels that books talk to her. And I have no problem with that. It is a very interesting talent for a character to have. But the book is not mostly about that person. The book is about Grace Wheeler and her life and her move with her Foster mother and niece to the small town of Dove Pond.

Grace is in a transitory place in her life and she ends up in this small southern town. Her whole intent is to leave the town in a year. She has a lot on her plate and she is making it from day to day. She doesn’t need what she considers to be a nosy neighbor telling her that she has to stay and help the town. She isn’t interested in that. She doesn’t need or want friends. She just wants to keep her head above water.

But Grace learns that help doesn’t come at a cost.

I enjoyed the story very much. As I said, I was irritated but don’t let my irritation with this influence your enjoyment of the book. I do have an affinity to books with crazy southern women. I find the characters have charm and they are so interesting. For some reason, southern women seem to have a craziness all their own.

A good summer beach read.

I was given a copy of the book in return for my review of the book.

Thanks for reading!

This is just about perfect for the kind of book it is. It was easy to sympathize with characters, even when they were difficult. I was impressed with how well Grace tried to handle things, even at their worst, and there was a bittersweet feeling to almost every scene involving Mama G. The story is sweet, but not too sweet. The magic is the fluffy, happy kind.

The main story is concluded here, but there is obviously room for more books. I'm wondering if next books will all have Sarah Dove as a main character. I kinda hope they do.

First off, I want to live in Dove Pond. Secondly, I want to be best buds with Sarah Dove! Does this give you any inkling on how much I loved this book? When you want to dive inside and become one with the story, the characters and the geo-location, that there is one good book!

Books.....they are my everything and while reading this advanced copy, this is exactly how it made me feel not only Sarah lived but also the author. Nobody could have nailed a book as well as this if she did not LOVE all things books such as me.

It had a cozy, kind and Hallmark kind of feel and as I am a total “visual” reader I had the movie playing in my head the entire time with this one. LOVED IT from start to finish and was sad when it ended......sigh....

I think you will enjoy this one....

Different but intriguing book. Karen did a wonderful job of getting her readers to delve into this story. Thank you.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Sarah Dove is a book whisperer. As the small town librarian, she finds that books speak to her and tell her who needs to read them. Her town is in need of revival and new town member, Grace Wheeler, may be the one to do it. Together the two woman learn to work together to do what they need to do to save the town.

Cute story, just dragged a bit for me so I couldn't justify more than 3 stars.

This is a sweet yet satisfying book for everyone that loves a happy ending for lost but good-hearted souls. In this instance we have a set-up for a series, with a small North Carolina town that needs rescuing along with a few of its citizens who have come upon hard times. As expected from this type of cozy tale, a pinch of magic, help from unexpected places and the assistance of their fellow citizens will all come into play before the story ends. For the reader, a few tears will be shed and a few pearls of wisdom read; the author Karen Hawkins provides well on all levels. I received my copy from the publisher on NetGalley.

The Book Charmer is an adorable tale of friendship. Grace must learn to trust again in order to build relationships after a daunting and challenging childhood in foster care and the loss of her beloved sister Hannah. Sarah is a lover of books and all things magic. She knows Grace can save Dove Pond, but how can she convince her to try? I loved the town of Dove Pond. I can only hope for more stories about some of my new favorite characters.

An interesting twist with books talking to people. I haven't read that before so it was fun and unique.

I loved this book. I discuss it on Instagram via the comments section in more of an interactive review/promo. I also posted a stories feed with links for more exposure.

I absolutely and completely love this book. I couldn't put it down at all and ended up reading it in one day. I loved the characters and and the story. The book was extremely feel, although it had it's sad points too, along with a conclusion. I'd love to read more about the characters and hope there are more in the future. So glad I came across this book.

oh how i loved this book!

not to be cheesy but it really was utterly charming, and romantic and touching and... (i could go on but the book is worth your time to see what i mean)

i really enjoyed Sarah...Grace sadly not that much. a shame because this was Grace's book more than Sarah's (despite the title and touch of whimsy/paranormal)

no matter how much I tried to like Grace, I never quite warmed up to her but maybe it was because of how she acted at the start of the novel. but that doesn't mean i didn't like the book.

some very serious issues are at play here PTSD,grief, and Alzheimer's disease,are handled smartly and with a realistic touch.

the setting is also charming and i'm glad that will not be the only book in the series.

Grace Wheeler storms into town from the big city in an effort to ease the frustrations and progress of Mama G's alzheimers. She is still reeling from the recent death of her only sister and transforming from favorite aunt to struggling "mother" to her niece. She doesn't expect much from this town, but they are going to expect a lot from her. It seems she is the one person who can save this town. Now they just have to convince her. With a gentle touch of magic and strong characters, this book was a delight.

The Book Charmer is magicail realism meets southern lit at its finest; not to mention all the bookish love! Sarah is the town librarian and the books have spoken to her her whole life. She knows just what book to give to a reader and when. The books also have helped her discover how the small southern town of Dove Pond will be saved. Fun and fluffy summer read! Perfect for fans of Sarah Addison Allen.