The Book Charmer is a lovely story and an excellent new entry into the magical realism genre. An excellent choice for fans of Sarah Addison Allen. Can't wait to read more in the series!

I received an advanced digital copy of this book from the author, Gallery, Pocket Books and Netgalley.com. Thanks to all for the opportunity to read and review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The Book Charmer is, in a word, charming. The perfect mix of magical realism, drama and love that is a pleasure to read. Fans of Alice Hoffman, books and libraries will enjoy.

5 out of 5 stars. Highly recommended.

I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review.

I haven’t read anything by this author before, I was intrigued enough by the description and the cover to give this a read! I love books with magical realism and this one was really just such a magical read. I loved the story building and how the author wove different pieces of magic into the story. The thing I found kind of frustrating was how unresolved the ending was. We spent so much time delving into Sarah's character, which I understand was necessary to understand the whole book talking and saving the town thing, but I was super bummed that we didn't get resolved on Sarah's story at the end of this book. I usually prefer to read series consisting of stand alone novels for that reason, I like the connection but I like for things to be resolved at the end. I'm excited to read Sarah's story though, whenever it may come! Also I thought there was a lot of build up to the Apple Festival and then the actual event only ended up taking up like a page, which left the event feeling a little anti-climactic to me. I loved all the tension and plot building, then when it was wrapped up so quickly it felt a little rushed. There were so many emotions in this book though, I loved it. I laughed, and I cried a bunch. There were so many touching scenes in the book. All of the characters were charming and I loved how much of a family was formed by the various town members. I'd definitely recommend this book.

The Book Charmer by Karen Hawkins will be the perfect Hallmark Movie. I do not mean that in a derogatory way! This book is a quick read with romance, the search for a home, and friends becoming family. Hawkins includes touches of magical realism that are written seamlessly into the story and do not detract from the main storylines. The novel follows the life of Grace who, along with her sister Hannah, moved through the foster system before finding a home with Mama G. We also meet Sarah, who is the 7th Dove daughter of her generation, meaning she will be the miracle her small-town needs. When these two come together years later, neither has lived the life they imagined. They will have to learn to rely on each other to overcome the obstacles, in love, work, and with families, that have been laid in their way. This book is above average for this genre and will have you cheering for all of the characters. So if any of you work at the Hallmark Channel, you’re welcome (and I will wait on my finder’s fee in the mail).

The Book Charmer is a quaint, magical story set in a small, southern town, and will appeal to many booklovers..
It features Sarah Dove, the town librarian who was born with the special ability to hear the whispers of books and know which books are perfectly suited for a particular reader at just the right time.
At present, the whispers lead Sarah to newcomer, Grace Wheeler, with the high hopes that she will be the one to save her beloved town, Dove Pond, from financial ruin and decline. But Grace needs saving herself as she carries the burden of recently losing her sister, gaining the responsibility of her eight year old niece, and caring for her beloved Mama G who raised her and is now suffering from Alzheimer’s.

This novel held great potential and started off as such a charming story, I thought it would be a new favorite, but it never seemed to find its momentum. I kept waiting for something to happen to give the plot some substance, and sadly, it never occurred. I’m fine with quiet stories, but those, while character studies, also explore certain topics with some depth. This story did raise some serious issues, but lacked that quality that made them thought-provoking and moving.

I’m sure this story will be delightful for some readers because it truly has many quirky and cozy, bookish elements, but for me it fell flat.

If you're looking for a quick, cute bookish read, look no further than The Book Charmer. I enjoyed all of the characters of Dove Pond and I'll be anxiously awaiting the second book in the series.

What I loved about this book:

~ The characters of this book were likeable and I really found myself invested in all of their stories. Sarah is such a friendly, bright character and she had a unique talent that every bibliophile would love to have. Mama G's story was especially heartbreaking, she had such a big heart and was kind to everyone. I also loved Grace's journey through the book. She had a rough start at life and had experienced some difficult losses, but the way she handles it all is part of her character's appeal. Her story is delightfully concluded at the end of this book leaving many other wonderful characters for future books in the series. Pretty please let Sarah be the focus of book two 🤞.

~ The small town vibe of this book is wonderful. The community of Dove Pond isn't without its problems, but I loved how they could come together in a crisis. They were always quick to help out fellow neighbors and pitch in to save their beloved town. The hints at magical realism throughout made Dove Pond even more enjoyable.

~ I adored the fact that the women of Dove Pond were strong, independent characters that were tasked with saving their town. So often it's a male character that saves the day and it was a nice change of pace for women to be the ones to come up with a plan to try to save Dove Pond.

What kept me from giving this book 5⭐?

~ Although I enjoyed most aspects of a small community, some were a bit frustrating. I also would have liked to have a bit more of Grace's backstory. It would have been nice to have more of the time spent with her sister and how it was growning up with Mama G.

Overall I found this to be a wonderful heartfelt pick me up story and can't wait for the rest of the books in the series.

I thought this was a unique idea for a book. Of course as a librarian, I loved it. Will be recommending it to my patrons.

3.5 stars

This is a sweet, heartwarming novel that is the first installment in a series about Dove Pond, NC and its townspeople. The book introduces, Sarah Dove, a descendant of the original founders of Dove Pond. Enter the magical realism of this story. Sarah grows up to become the town librarian which is magical enough on its own. On top of that, the books speak to Sarah. Literally. They talk to her.

Sarah is not the main character of this story. The main character is a woman named Grace. Grace and her sister, Hannah, grew up with one foster home after another until a woman named Mama G took them both into her home. With the love and guidance of Mama G, Grace bloomed from a troubled adolescence into a fiercely independent, financially successful woman. When we meet Grace, she is moving from Charlotte to Dove Pond with Mama G and Grace's niece, Daisy. Mama G is in the beginning stages of Alzheimer's disease and Grace is leaving behind her life in Charlotte to care for Mama G in the small town.

This is a lovely story filled with Grace's journey to Dove Pond and the reason she has unwillingly come to live in this small town. I could relate to Grace a bit because of her love and care for Mama G. However, I found this to be a bit slow for me as a reader and the story itself wasn't quite as engaging for me as I had hoped. I was drawn to this book because the cover is so beautiful and the story sounded like something I might enjoy. I did enjoy it and it is certainly well-written. I am curious to find out more about Sarah, who plays only a minor role in this installment.

I received a complimentary copy via NetGalley and Gallery Books. All opinions are my own.

I requested this book from NetGalley based on the cover which I thought was pretty and the fact it had something to do about books. I didn't read the description so I went into reading this book a bit blindly. This book was nothing like I thought it might be.

The author starts out with Sarah and Grace as young girls and we get to know a bit about who they are. Then fast-forward to present day and we see Grace and Sarah meet for the first time when Grace moves her family to Dove Pond. Grace's family consists of her mom and her niece. They have moved back to Dove Pond because Mama G has dementia and a move back to her childhood home might make things easier on everyone. I thought the author did a fantastic job of portraying what it was like for Grace and Mama G as her dementia progressed and things became more difficult for each of them. Next door neighbor Travis Parker was a nice addition to the story and the fact that he had just gone through the same thing with his father made him a very believable character and support for Grace. I liked Sarah more though and I think that's because she came across as more dimensional than Grace. Sarah was a softer character and one that I just thought I would have more in common with.

While I enjoyed the story I thought the pace was a bit slow at times and it seemed like the story was stuck. Things were repeated over and over and hopefully were edited out before the story was published. The book is 368 pages and could probably be trimmed down to 300 and not lose any of the story's substance. At times I had a difficult time staying interested in the story and I think with some editing this wouldn't have been an issue. One other thing was the rushed ending that wasn't really an ending at all. I know there are more books to come in the series but it would be nice to have had some closure on the main part of the story (which isn't about Sarah, by the way).

All in all, this isn't a bad read and I was interested enough in the story and the characters that I would strongly consider reading the next book in the series. I don't like unfinished endings and would like to know what happens next.

I received a complimentary copy of this book and wasn't required to write a review. All opinions are mine.

Sarah Dove has aways been enamored with books. To her they live, breathe, and sometimes even speak to her. Sarah's gift helps place the perfect booking each persons hand when they need it the most. It's a gift, but recently the books have been whispering about something else. Everything is about to change.
Grace Wheeler, recently dealing with the death of her sister, is now left with her niece and Mama G who is starting to lose her memory. Grace moves her family to Dove Pond, in hopes of saving up enough to move back to Charlotte in a year. But what she finds in Dove Pond is a community with strong values, friendship, the possibility of new love, and the power of finding the right book.

I was gripped from the very first page. Sarah's gift of being able to hear books was not overdone, but carefully and artistically painted a magical picture. I fell in love with all of the characters and they beauty of Dove Pond. I am a huge Gilmore Girls fan and the small town setting was so similar! The community built in this book was like one big giant family, coming together to help Grace and her family when they were in need. `I also was a fan that Grace and Sarah are in their twenties, which was a lot more relatable for someone also in that age bracket! Karen weaved in some important issues about Dementia, drug abuse, ptsd and poor leadership and the results of that. Even touching on these heavier topics, the novel still managed to fill you up with a magical feeling and keep it light hearted! This is a book I will be purchasing for myself and friends! I can't wait to see what else Karen Hawkins will have released in the future!

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the amazing opportunity to read and provide an honest review!

Title: The Book Charmer
Author: Karen Hawkins
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 5 out of 5

Legend has it that when the Dove family has seven daughters, something special happens. Sarah Dove is that seventh daughter, and since she was seven years old, books have whispered to her. They tell her which person in town needs them—and the books are always right. So when a cranky old book tells Sarah who is going to save Dove Pond, she listens.

Grace Wheeler moved to Dove Pond because dementia is encroaching on her beloved mother, and she hopes that returning to her mother’s hometown might slow its progress. She also has her niece to care for and giving up her high-powered financial job to move to a small town and take care of family wasn’t in Grace’s plans.

The town of Dove Pond is in trouble, and Grace may be the only one who can save it. But she’ll need the help of Sarah, Travis—her gruff neighbor—and everyone else in Dove Pond if she’s to pull it off.

I loved this book! I grew up in a small town (much smaller than Dove Pond) and have always been grateful that I no longer live there, but I’d move to Dove Pond. The town is such a character in this story. Its people are vibrant and quirky, and I wanted to hang out with all of them. Especially Sarah. As much as I love books and reading, she’s someone I could absolutely be friends with. And Grace is so strong. She’s like a force of nature. I cannot wait to read more of this series! This is labeled as romance, but that’s a secondary plot here, as the book is much more about friendship, family, and saving Dove Pond.

Karen Hawkins is a bestselling author. The Book Charmer, the first book in the Dove Pond series, is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Gallery Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)

I love books that little touch on the magical and unexplained. This book does just that and makes you a believer.

Sarah Dove is the 7th daughter, and when a 7th daughter is born to the Dove family they say good things will happen. All the Dove's are special in their own way and Sarah's specialty is books.

Grace Wheeler is at a loss and doesn't know how to ask for help, Grace is left to take care of her ailing foster mom (who has Alzheimer's) and her niece, Daisy, after Grace's sisters death. She moves all three of them to Dove Pond.

Grace crosses Trav, her equal in surliness neighbor, and Sarah, the over eagerly neighbor on the other side of Trav. Grace is determined to keep to herself and that she will be out within a year. What she doesn't realize is that the people of Dove Pond need Grace as much as she needs them.

this story spans the gamut of anger, hurt, rejection, friendship, love and even a little bit of magic.

Definitely pick this book up, you won't be able to put it down. I wasn't.

Grace has moved her family to Dove Pond to heal. Grace’s sister has passed away and Grace is now a mother of her sister’s little girl. Plus, she is trying hard to take care of her foster mother, Mama G. Mama G’s memory is failing and Grace hopes the move to Mama G’s hometown will help her recover.

Sarah, the librarian of Dove Pond, is determined that Grace is going to be the savior of their small town The books have told her so! Yes! Books speak to her. They tell her exactly who needs them most. But, Grace is overwhelmed. She is just about at the end of her rope. Between Mama G, her sassy niece, Daisy, and her new job, the savior of Dove Pond is not on her list.

I needed a good, sweet read and this one hit the spot. I loved every character in this book! This is a story about love, healing, friendship, and most of all, about books that hit you at the right time in your life. As readers we all have that one book (or two, or three!) that meant more than all the others. The Book Charmer is all about that and more!

I received this novel from Gallery Books for a honest review.

The Book Charmer is Dove Pond NC Series, Book I, by author Karen Hawkins. In the prologue, the reader learns about the two main characters, Sarah Dove and Grace Wheeler, as little girls. This sets up their story for the future while introducing some of the other characters.

Sarah Dove is a seventh daughter, which legend has carries special powers and a destiny to save the small town. One of her special powers is hearing books talk to her. She always seems to know just which book a person needs and delivers it to the person in most unusual ways. Luckily, Sarah is the town librarian.

Grace Wheeler is a very disciplined person as well as a financial whiz. After the tragedy that has befallen her family with her younger sister’s overdose death, becoming an instant mom to an 8 year old girl, and taking on the caregiver role for her failing foster mother, Grace has resigned from her high power, long hour job and has taken on the job of City clerk in Mama G’s hometown of Dove Pond.

Grace has told herself, and others, that she and her unorthodox family will only be inhabiting the ramshackle rental for a year, just long enough to get her finances back in order and be able to move her family back to Charlotte. Sarah is determined to win Grace’s love for Dove Pond, so that together they might save the town from financial ruin.

Although from the early descriptions you might think Sarah and Grace were at least middle age, in fact, they are both in their twenties. And, although, they are not immediate friends, they do evolve to wanting the same things and form a deep friendship over family, friends, and fall festivals.

This is a very good story written with humor and charm, mystery and heart. It addresses so many social issues including ptsd, dementia, drug abuse, poor politicians. But always done with love and in a manner that leaves the reader light hearted. I did enjoy this book and I do recommend it!

*4.5 stars rounded up! A lovely story about the residents of a small NC town named Dove Pond, which is struggling to survive in these modern times. Among the townspeople is Sarah Dove, who is the last of seven sisters which is considered to be a lucky sign. Can she save the town? She is the librarian but everyone knows she is also a book charmer. What is that, you ask? Books speak to her so she knows which book a person needs, although maybe not just WHY they need it!

To this town comes Grace Wheeler with her elderly foster mother, Mama G, and her orphaned niece, Daisy. Mama G is suffering from Alzheimers and Grace hopes that returning to Dove Pond where she once lived will help the woman retain her memories.

Grace takes a job as town clerk but is determined to move back to Charlotte in a year and resume her professional life. The books are telling Sarah that Grace can save their town but she must somehow be talked into staying there...forever!

The characters of this town are charming and delightful! I only wish that people everywhere were this helpful and welcoming. I am reminded a bit of Jan Karon's Mitford series with a little magical realism thrown in!

I admit to being attracted to almost any novel with the word 'book' in the title. This month alone I've read two other such books: The Bookish Life of Nina Hill and The Last Book Party. I've enjoyed them all!

I received an arc of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks for the opportunity to meet the people of Dove Pond!

Sarah Dove has more than just an average love of books. Books speak to her...literally. She first noticed her special ability when she was a young girl and a journal written by her ancestor told Sarah that she would one day save Dove Pond - their quaint and sleepy little town in North Carolina, yes named after the Dove family.

After the death of her sister, Grace Wheeler moves back to Dove Pond with her niece and foster mother - who has Alzheimer's - to give them a familiar setting as they get back on their feet after the tragedy.

As soon as Sarah sees Grace she knows Grace will play a pivotal role in revitalizing the near-to-failing Dove Pond she just doesn't know how, and the books aren't helping her out any either.

Grace doesn't want to set down roots in Dove Pond she only plans to be there for a year, but her new job as the city clerk pulls her deeper and deeper into town business and, with it, into more interactions with the colorful group of people that live in Dove Pond, but they just might get past her carefully built walls and make her see that there's enough room in her heart.

The Book Charmer had this wonderful ability to pull me into the story, fully engrossing me within its pages with the characters and the setting. I liked the feint in that you believe, going into the story, that it will be about the titular Book Charmer - Sarah - but once you are fully settled in, you realized that it revolves mostly around Grace's journey. From life as a foster child bouncing around from home to home with her sister, to being an adult now taking up the motherly role for her niece you see the challenges that are upon Grace and that her hesitations about getting attached to the town and the people are well-founded. She comes off a bit prickly for much of the book, but I really enjoyed the fact that no one in Dove Pond really let this stand as an excuse.

Almost complimentary to Grace's reticence is her neighbor Trav Parker. Trav and Grace are like mirror images of one another. Both have parental figures who suffer (or suffered) with Alzheimer's and both are closed off from letting people in. While Grace's reasoning is due to her childhood spent in foster homes, Trav is the PTSD he's still suffering from after returning from Afghanistan. I wanted a little more focus placed on Trav's journey because I think it's just as important as Grace's. I almost felt like it was too quick a turn from him just wanting to be left alone to forming an interest in Grace. I really enjoy the interactions between Trav and Sarah. I really liked seeing a male/female relationship that wasn't romantic and where the pair weren't related - even though their feelings for one another ran more toward the familial than romance.

Sarah Dove was a wonderful character. Her brightness and caring really shown through the story and jumped off the page. I loved the introduction of her ability and the idea that all her siblings - of which there are seven - seemingly have their own special talents. Her sister Ava - the only other Dove that we meet - seems to have an affinity with planting and growing and brewing teas. Just the idea that the Dove's talents are all open secrets within the town and people either believe or don't, but never really question it was endearing. But as I said above, Sarah was not the focus of this book. In that way I felt like there's still so much left to her story, added to that is an apparently complicated former relationship that is teased but never settled one way or another. As this is apparently the first book in a series, I'm hoping Sarah's character continues to grow around the other characters introduced here. I'd be happy if Sarah was the fixture around which the series is based and kind of ends up getting her story secondarily. Also, I really wish for more Dove sister appearances. I'd love to see all their special abilities front and center.

Overall, The Book Charmer really turned out to be a feel-good magical story. By the end, I really didn't want to leave Dove Pond and it's various citizens, but I look forward to the fact that there will be more stories in the series.

I fell in love with the book cover for The Book Charmer by Karen Hawkins the minute I saw it and I’m so pleased to be able to share that this book far surpassed it’s cover!

The story is charming, emotionally engaging and a delightful read. It has a wonderful blend of family, friendships, books, romance, challenges and of course, a bit of magic. I was captivated and immediately fell in love with this well written story, it’s characters and delightfully charming town.

I am not sure if there will be sequels but I sincerely hope so as I would love to re-visit this charming place and people again and again!

I received this book for free. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are my own. Thank you to Ms. Hawkins, Gallery Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to and review this book.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Gallery Books, and Karen Hawkins for the opportunity to read this wonderful book! 5 glowing stars for a book that had everything - and it's the first in a series so there's even more to look forward to!

The Dove family is special in small town Dove Pond - they have special abilities. Like with Sarah, the librarian - the books speak to her and tell her what person needs a particular book. Or her sister Ava who can make a tea to help just the person who needs it. But Dove Pond as a town is in financial trouble. When a new town clerk Grace, comes to Dove Pond, Sarah's book tells her that she may be the one to save the town. But that's going to be a job because Grace has her own troubles. She is caring for her foster mom, Mama G, who is slipping away with Alzheimer's, and has care of her sister's daughter, Daisy.

There is a wonderful touch of magic in this book but it also touches on serious subjects such as trauma, Alzheimer's, family, community. I love books about books plus I loved each of these characters. I found myself laughing, tearing up, and rooting for all of them. Please hurry with book #2 - a highly recommended charming read! And the cover is beautiful as well!

Can the Librarian Save a Troubled Small Town?

Dove Pond, a small Southern town, is dying. The inhabitants want to save it, but no one knows what to do. Sara Dove, the librarian has always believed she’ll save the town. Her books told. Sara has a unique gift. Books talk to her. They’re her special companions and help her get the right books to each library patron.

When Grace Wheeler and her small family come to town, Sara thinks she may have found someone who can make the town come alive. Grace, however, is not at all interested in saving the town. She’s there for a short time before she goes back to the high pressure job in the city. She’s there to mourn the death of her sister, give her sister’s child some stability, and take care of Mama G, the foster mother who helper her gain self-confidence and is slipping into dementia.

This is a charming book focusing on family, friendship and small town values. The main character, Grace, is will drawn and Sara is an excellent foil for her. The plot is engrossing. I particularly liked the focus on books. It was a deft touch to bring the town and characters to life.

I highly recommend this book if you enjoy small town stories and likable characters.

I received this book from Net Galley for this review.

The Dove women are magical. When there are seven Dove daughters, things change for the better in the small town of Dove Pond. Sarah is that seventh daughter and her special ability is matching books to the humans who need to read them. When powerful, angry, and accomplished Grace moves her aging foster mother and newly orphaned niece to a ramshackle house in Dove Pond, there are inevitable clashes and misunderstandings complicated by dementia, grief, and history. That summary works for about the first half of the story. The rest is not that, is quick-drawn, hastily sketched bits of story with huge presumptions and loose ends.. By the end, I longed for a real magical intervention--for me, for the story, for this talented writer. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a review copy in exchange for my honest review.