Sure to be a favourite among bibliophiles and library lovers, this charming, easy read was a pleasant escape.

June Jones was twenty-eight years old and lived a very solitary life. She works at the village library like her mother did before her. At eighteen, June had plans of going away to university, then her mother was diagnosed with cancer. June shelved her own plans to nurse her Mum. When June's Mum passed away, June carried on in her Mum's footsteps. June has few, if any friends. In the eight years since her Mother died, June has never eaten a meal that wasn't solitary, usually with a book open before her. She lives in the house she grew up in, still full of her mother's things and lots and lots of books. She shares her home with a disgruntled cat named Alan Bennett.

When the library where June works becomes under threat of closure, June draws on strengths she never knew she had to fight for the little village library. In so doing, she makes various friendships along the way. Also, she rekindles an old flame from her teenage years.

With themes of 'starting over', the love of books and reading, and most importantly, the love of public libraries, it is a bibliophiles dream book. Laced with emotion and humour, it was a very enjoyable read.

A wonderful book about a librarian, a library and books, all set in England. June Jones is the librarian in a small rural English village. The library will be closing unless the community bands together for its support. Needless to say, shy June is at the forefront of the effort. This book is for anyone and everyone who loves books, reading, and our local libraries. They need our support -- more than ever now!!

I really wanted to like this one but it fell so flat for me. The characters were boring and the story just kind of dragged on. I really got mad at how much June allowed people to walk over her, which didn't make for an enjoyable read for me.

DNF at 41%

“Libraries are like a net, there to catch those of us in danger of falling through the cracks.” ― Freya Sampson, The Last Chance Library.

The Last Chance Library by Freya Sampson casts a warm glow on the cozy little world of June Jones, a shy librarian in a quaint English village. The library is June’s safety net until it’s not. The threat of losing her beloved library to budget cuts forces June out from the stacks to stand up for her community’s beating heart. This book wraps you up in its comforting embrace like a well-worn cardigan.

With a quirky cast of oddball patrons that feel lifted from a village party, including a romantic interest who never quite steps off the well-trodden path of misfit love stories, The Last Chance Library is comfort food in literary form. But here’s the rub—I recently read a book with a similar plot, and the sense of déjà vu was tough to shake.

For readers looking for depth and complexity, June’s journey might not hit the mark. She’s a character that may strike you as overly timid, and the plot doesn’t stray far from familiar grooves. Yet, there’s a charm to its simplicity, and it’s the kind of book you can pick up on a noisy plane and still manage to fall into without missing a beat.

It’s sweet and uncomplicated, so if that’s the literary escape you’re after, you’ll find solace here. For me, it’s a gentle read that didn’t quite stir my soul. I landed on three stars for The Last Chance Library—it’s not one for the history books, but it might be just the ticket for a breezy afternoon.

Here’s the rub — it felt like déjà vu. I’d wandered down this plotline recently with another book, and let’s be honest, once you’ve seen one small-town library under siege, you’ve seen ’em all. If you’re cool with the bookish equivalent of a Sunday afternoon TV movie, then The Last Chance Library might just be your cup of tea. June didn’t do much for me, either; she’s got the depth of a paddling pool in a drought. The narrative stuck to the safety of the shallow end, too, with twists you could spot a mile off.

So, what’s the verdict? It’s got a three-star sticker from me. It’s the sort of read that’s perfect when you want to switch off and not think too hard — maybe something to keep you company on a lazy beach day. Just don’t expect to be swept off your feet. If you were hoping for a plot that’d make you sit up in your beach chair, you might want to browse a little longer on the shelves.

The Last Chance Library is a cute, lighthearted book, oozing with loveable characters, and a predictable storyline. While the protagonist, June, was too simpering for my taste, she kind of grew on me, and although the story arc is a trifle cliché, I’m giving it 3 stars for a simple, light read. (You won’t get lost in the plot even if an infant on your flight is wailing.) Overall, not to my taste, but an okay read. Three stars, because it’s nice, it’s easy, and it didn’t take forever to read.

** Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book. The opinions expressed are my own

This was a fun, chill book that I enjoyed reading! I love books about books, and this one did not disappoint.

I’m not sure how I feel about this one still. I liked it while I was reading it but I found it very forgettable. I did really like the characters and the story line.

A story line about saving a library? Of course I want to read this. June Jones lives in a quiet village and spends her days working at the library and helping patrons find the perfect books but perhaps her life has seemed to be on hold for too long because since her mom died, she hasn’t left the village and can’t seem to find her sense of purpose.

However when the town council is threatening to shut down the library in favor of a bookmobile, June panics about the patrons and what will become of them as for many of them the library is the one constant in their lives. Before too long June is caught up in activism to save the library and soon she realizes that there is a lot more to a library than shelving books but also forming a community.

Not only that but June’s childhood friend, Alex Chen, is back in town and June slowly starts to find herself relying more on his help. While this may be a bit of a predictable read, there were some very funny moments with some of the library patrons, and just the idea of a group coming together to save a library makes for a cozy read. This is my first read by this author but I look forward to reading more.

If you ever loved a library then this book is for you. June works at the library when they get notice that it will be shut down. Rather than accept the fate of the library June and some of the people who visit the library protest it. They stay in the library. Let people in the community know. They get people to remember why the library is needed.

This is one of those happy books that shows the power of books.

I enjoyed myself well enough while reading this but the characters quickly evaporated from my mind when I was done. Recommended as a fun, quick enough getaway.

A great story about a small town library and what it really means to the community it serves! As a former librarian I definitely felt all the feels reading this sweet story. Although there were a few parts that tugged at your heartstrings. The setting, the characters and the storyline certainly will keep your attention. Ty #NetGalley for the ARC all opinions are my own.#TheLastChanceLibrary

Charming, sweet, and a love letter to libraries. Perfectly heartwarming, lovely representation - but a little slow and sleepy.

3.5 ⭐

June Jones has given up her dream of going to college, a writing career, and life outside of her small town to take care of her mother when she was diagnosed with cancer. Now, eight years later, she is quietly navigating the grief of losing her mother...living in her childhood home, with all of her mothers books, knick-knacks, and old cat...working at the small local library that her mother worked at for decades. June deals with feeling shy, awkward, and like a failure for not having experienced life away from her small town.

When the library faces closure, June realizes that the safe, predictable life she knows is being threatened. But more than that, she realizes that the safe place for many in her community is being threatened. So, along with a small handful of the loyal patrons, June takes a stand to save it.

This was an easy, quick read. The plot was predictable, but enjoyable. I loved the characters and related to June (as I am a library worker and am dealing with grief of my own and know how paralyzing it can be). I loved the descriptions of classic books, the community coming together, the love and acceptance, and all of the characters.

I love a good book about a library. I love quirky characters. Put them together and you would think I would love this book. I'm not even writing a full review but it was just plain boring.

This is a sweet novel about finding yourself and your place in the community. June is a small town librarian who just wants to live her quiet little life. Very introverted, grieving her mother’s death and isolated from society she has no interest in mingling or making friends. She cares about books, her cat, and her library. When the library is threatened with closure, she breaks out of her comfort zone to campaign with other library lovers to save the library. She discovers new people, ideas and a way to look at her life and herself.
June is a very sweet likeable character. I enjoyed how her love of books gives her the strength to change and open up to others. The other characters range from quirky and loveable to downright awful. The writing and style is light, simple and easily understood. It feels like a soft swishy pillow of cuteness.
I received this book as an ARC, Thank you NetGalley and Berkley books. A Shy introverted book lover saving the local library? How could I resist! If you love books, libraries, and personal dynamics this book is for you.

The characters in this book were the absolute best. I love how June grows throughout the story. The romance was cute.

Content warnings: loss of a parent, cancer, loss of a friend, estranged children, bullying

June Jones' life has been on pause since her librarian mother died of cancer. She's still working at the library as an assistant and enjoys helping the locals who frequent it. When the local council announces that they plan on closing the library to save money, June is saddened for her community.

June does everything she can to help the library succeed but becomes even more worried when she uncovers a scheme to sell the library building to a major corporation. To save the library, June must uncover the plot and find hard evidence to present to the locals.

June's story takes several unexpected turns throughout, and eventually she learns that it's okay to take risks and embrace the twists and turns. June's story is an interesting one, but the novel fails to make the reader invested in her journey.

Representation: Asian side character, elderly side character, homeless side character, teenage side character, Middle Eastern side character

I sincerely enjoyed this book. At times it was a love letter to books. It was just the cozy, small-town, British, heartwarming read I needed.

I loved the charm of Chalcot as well as all the library patrons who just burst to life off the page. It was difficult at times to see how little June believed in herself, and how she struggled to see her worth as a human and all the positives she brings to the table. But I loved seeing her evolve and grow more confident throughout the battle to save the library.

There are some heavy things the characters deal with, particularly the individual grief journeys of June, Stanley, and Vera, but even through your tears (yes I cried), this little book brings comfort.

If you're a fan of Jenny Colgan, Lia Louis, cute British towns, and books about books, I'd definitely recommend picking this one up.

This was a sweet, heartwarming read! I’m a goner for libraries, patrons, and books about books, so this was right up my alley, and I’m glad I gave it a read. Though June wasn’t always my favorite, I’m glad she managed to find her voice, and my heart expanded just watching the villagers come together to keep their library from closing.

I originally started reading this book because I work in a library and, to be honest, I love anything library-related. That includes books. I have to tell you, I had a really tough time getting into this book. I felt like the plot and the dialogue dragged and the backstory was just, meh. Maybe it is me. I do not usually read this genre so this book was way out of left field for me, but I thought it sounded interesting. Too bad I was disappointed. I do think that other patrons of the library who like this genre should give it a chance. They would probably enjoy it.

A lovely gem of a novel, featuring a reclusive librarian who comes out of her shell to rally the community when the library is threatened.