This had feelings of the movie about public libraries called "The Public". As a public librarian, I really felt this book. I was angry along with the characters and wanted to jump in and help them. But this story goes much deeper than trying to save a small library. The changes that June goes through are great. She's having a tough time since her mother passed away and having a cause has helped her heal. I was heartbroken when something happened to the one character (not giving anything away), but felt it was handled well and added to the story well. I wanted everything happy by the end and to stay the way it was, Even though that doesn't happen, the ending was satisfying and appropriate.

the last chance library is a charming read about a community fighting to save their beloved library. when the local library is threatened with being closed down, library assistant june jones, along with dedicated library patrons, fight to persuade the council to not close the library. i thought this book was filled with passion and love, and was so wholesome to read. it reminded me how much i love my own local library and that was nice to read. the characters in this book are so sweet and i loved them all. overall, it was such a cute, wholesome, and lovely book. 4/5 🌟

This charming book is a wonderful love letter to libraries. I'm learning some of the best books feature a character that drives me a bit crazy to begin with, but then I eventually end up rooting for. That was the case with June in this book. By the end of the book I loved her and all of the characters.

LIBRARIAN LIFE!!

You are never alone when you have a good book!

Librarians aren't made my books, they're made by librarians!

Descriptions of library; I could relate to as a librarian myself.
I remember as a little girl, my dad giving me a library card,
I can take home books, ... then come back and swap them for more books! Wow!!

An endearing novel about the assistant librarian in an English village. Her life has been on hold since the loss of her mother from cancer numerous years prior. Her world consists of working as the assistant librarian (the job her mother previously held) and sitting in her mother's house and reading and rereading books. Her mother, or so it appears, was everything she is not. She is in a prolonged state of depression untill the library is under threat of closure. This fear and reality gradually begins to overcome the depression and makes her step out of her protective bubble. Will it be sufficient to change her life and save the library. This is a feel good story that was a pleasure to read.

I have rated this book 4 stars and recommend it to everyone who enjoys a feel good story without violence or sex.

I received an ARC from Netgalley for my unbiased review.

Lovely book that highlights the importance of libraries in our society and provides a positive view of a young woman while she finds her place in the world.

June’s mother passed away 8 years ago. She and her cat Alan Bennett live in her mum’s old house. June works at the library, just like her mum did. She hasn’t gone anywhere, except into the world of books. So when the council plans to close the library, the only thing she knows, she’s completely thrown. She has gone nowhere, accomplished nothing, and has been stuck in time. She has to figure out what she stands for and what is really important.

I loved this book so much. My heart went out to June, lost and lonely after her mother passed away. I can feel for her with her awkwardness and shyness. But the friendships in this book were everything. I especially loved Stanley and the friendship he and June had. It was so real and touching and special. June was surrounded by people who cared about her, even if she couldn't see it and I loved reading how she starts to come out of her shell and stand up for something she believes in. I loved that the love interest is Asian. This is something that as an Asian American, I love seeing more of. What a heartfelt read, full of interesting and eccentric characters (and they are so vividly described that I could picture them perfectly), a desperate attempt to save their beloved library and the hardships June and the library savers have to overcome. Highly recommend this book. I am still thinking about Stanley, even after finishing the book.

A great story that reminds us that we can't dwell in the past. The characters were well developed and very likable. This story also lets us know that when we see something that is not right, we have to voice our opinions. When people work together for the greater good of the community, then the whole community is rewarded.

This is a quick and delightful read. It showcases the importance of libraries and how they are used versus the difficulties towns/cities have in providing proper funding. Despite the weighty topic, this is a light book focusing on a library assistant who has lived her entire house in the same house and is terrified of everything and everybody. She suddenly finds she has to fight for what she loves, both the library and her new found friends, even a new romantic interest. This is a lovely story with quirky characters and a few surprises.
Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

THE LAST CHANCE LIBRARY is every book lover’s book.

When a small English town learns that they are going to lose their library, they realize how central it is to their lives. Quiet librarian assistant June believes that her only friends are those she visits in the well-worn pages of her favorite books, but when their library is threatened, she realizes that she is braver and more important than she ever knew.

I know what it’s like to spend days at a library – and the time spent with June and the heartwarming Chalcot library – felt like I was with familiar friends.

June Jones is the library assistant at her town's public library. She is extremely shy and introverted, yet she is very good at helping people find interesting books to read and helping others use the various services the library provides. Her world is turned upside-down when the town council votes to close the library. Anyone who has ever used his or her public library will love the characters who rally around to save the library. A truly heart warming story. I highly recommend it.

I am sure people will enjoy this pleasant novel about a campaign to save a local library. I could definitely relate to the problem of inadequate budgets and greedy land developers.

What a delight! I just loved "The Last Chance Library"!! It got to me on a very deep level, as a former long-serving "Friends of a Library" volunteer & Board Member. This cute novel of the social-inept Jone Jones (and her cat!) and the patrons of the Chalcot library who band together to save it is just so charming and one every library lover should read! Quirky, charming, humorous and heart-warming! SO highly recommend!! My sincere thanks to the publisher, author and Net Galley for the ARC.

Interesting read about a young woman who comes to realize that her job at the local small library is about so much more than helping people find and check out books.

I was so excited to receive the arc of this book. As a book lover myself, I was over the moon to read a book about fellow book lovers and bibliophiles. This book is so charming. I loved the characters, the storyline, and the way the author brought the characters together. Really, the cast of characters felt more like a family than just characters in a story. I really liked that the story had every element I look for in a book: engaging characters, a fun storyline, and a little romance to boot. This book brought out all the emotions, and I highly encourage you to pre-order this book (August release). It was so good I couldn’t put it down.

Cute story about finding yourself and deciding who you want to be regardless of others. Wasn't expecting the ending in a good way. No romance and there's lots of friendships and community.

June Jones is a lonely 30-year-old library assistant who has lived her entire life in the English hamlet of Chalcot. Her love of books makes her a natural for the job, and she has the ability to sense a patron’s reading preferences—and recommend titles he or she is certain to enjoy (a skill many librarians would love to have!).. June is a recluse, living alone (except for her cat, Alan Bennet) in the house she shared with her mother before the latter’s passing. Shy and unsure of herself, the young woman does not believe any man could ever love her.

June’s life changes when she receives disturbing news: the county is considering closing six libraries, selling the buildings, and replacing them with bookmobiles. As Chalcot Library’s patrons get wind of the proposal, a number of them form a group to protest the possible closure. The coalition consists of individuals with nothing in common except for their dedication to the library: elderly Stanley Phelps, who spends his days there, reading newspapers and often requesting June’s assistance in figuring out crossword clues and using the computers; Mrs. Bransworth, an outspoken lady with strong opinions about books she borrows and a penchant for equally strong language; and Chantal, a high school student benefitting from June’s assistance in studying for exams and applying to university. The library assistant resists their requests that she join them. She cannot speak in public and, on top of that, the council threatens any employee who takes a stand with termination of their contract (which may be illegal). Yet, as developments point to a negative outcome, June discovers a way to join the protesters without needing to speak or anyone knowing of her participation.

Freya Sampson has written a winner. The reader immediately feels a connection to the book-loving, smart, dedicated, shy, reclusive heroine. As we join all the people whose lives June touches in recognizing her strengths even though she is unaware of them, her story becomes one that is difficult to put down. All the characters in June’s world, from the heroes to the villains, are realistically drawn and true to life. This novel will make you smile, cheer, shed a tear, and feel the despair and hope of those working feverishly to save Chalcot Library.. Subplots give insights into the lives of the people in June’s world and play an important role in the story’s outcome. You may want to clear your calendar and plan on staying up late before picking up this novel. There is only one drawback: Mrs. Bransworth has a penchant for strong language, which may be off-putting to some readers. All in all, this is an unforgettable story with a satisfying, feel-good conclusion. You do not have to be a book-lover or library aficionado to enjoy this tale, but it helps—and you might be one long before you turn the last page.

A love letter about libraries and why they hold special places in our hearts. The Last Chance Library, set in a small town in England, is run by a woman nearing retirement and a library aide who never left her hometown. When the library's existence is threatened, due to budget cutting, June forgets how shy and timid she is, and decides it's time to speak out, about all the people who use the library as a lifeline. A chain coffee house has decided this old library would make a lovely addition to their chain of shops, and they set about, by whatever means necessary, to have this old building. There are a number of characters, avid library users, who come to do battle with corporate greed.

A very light hearted and sweet book for the book lovers out there. It’s an easy read, I just wanted more from it.

This one was cute, I really liked the characters and how they fought so hard for the library. I liked that June really found herself through the act of fighting for the library. She found a new place to belong. I really adored Stanley and his role in the story. He reminded me in some ways of my grandfather. As a librarian, I adored this story and I hope that people continue to stand up for the libraries in the future.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!