Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

June Jones has never left the sleepy English village where she grew up. Shy and reclusive, the thirty-year old librarian would rather spend time buried in books than venture out into the world. But when her library is threatened from closure, June must emerge from behind the shelves to save the heart of her community and the place that holds the dearest memories of her mother, the local library. Joining an eccentric yet dedicated band of locals in a campaign to keep the library, June discovers life-changing friendships, falls in love, and while fighting to save her cherished library, she saves herself too.

The Last Chance Library is a library reads pick for the bibliophiles and book lovers. The book showcases how important libraries are for residents, the power of friendship, and the strength of voices coming together.

I loved the premise of this novel, but unfortunately the delivery was disappointing. I felt this novel was lacking spark, banter, or meaningful connection within the romance. I couldn’t connect to the main character, and although the side characters were interesting, I didn’t find any of the featured story lines compelling to read. The plot was predictable, and my reading experience became more of a skim. I had high hopes for the premise of this one, but I ultimately left disappointed.

I highly enjoyed this novel. So much so that I put it on our purchase list right away. It took me awhile to warm up to June, she is very meek and mild in the beginning. However as her library is threatened she finds her inner strength and tries to save it.

For the love of books and small-town life, The Last Chance Library is a community story that showcases the power of libraries. June Jones has worked as a library assistant for ten years. At age 28, she's starting to realize she hasn't experienced much outside of the radius of her town. But her life is shaken when the town council decides they may close the local libraries. The community is in an uproar - and the way the patrons of the library band together is inspirational. A true protest emerges, but June discovers that no matter what they do, it seems the town council has already made up their mind - the library will close.
June learns to find her tribe, find her voice, and find her place in the world. The characters are well developed and are perfect for reflecting the diversity of library patrons. This is a tribute to community and inclusion.

This review was originally posted on <a href="https://booksofmyheart.net/2021/08/19/the-last-chance-library-by-freya-sampson/" target="_blank"> Books of My Heart</a>
&nbsp;

<i>Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i>

I read in almost one sitting.  <strong>The Last Chance Library</strong> has a combination of an upbeat feel and a hopelessness, they war throughout the story.  It's definitely a small town and perhaps a bit old-fashioned in flavor.  The quirky but lovable characters are out in force.

Our main character here is June Jones.  Her mother worked in the library until she got cancer and died about the time June would have gone to college.  June stays home and takes care of her mom. She also begins working at the library to support them.   June is not her mom.  She has different talents but has a similar love of books and compassion for people.

The case is clearly made for the library being a helpful service to a variety of people in a community.  There a young boy being home-schooled.  There's the elderly who come for books, socialization and computer access and help.  There's a recent immigrant who comes for cook books.  There's a teen who needs a place to study since her home is full of people in every room. Who helps them and encourages them? June does.

There's small parts which don't seem quite realistic but not too far off.  I wanted someone to help them more in their fight to save the library. I was frustrated with the politics stomping down the truth.  The ending is different than I hoped / expected but it is fitting.  I enjoyed the characters and how they did work together.

How could I resist a story about a library?  The takeaway is - it takes a village.  Everyone has different skills and problems.  No one knows all their personal issues, even in a small town.  So be kind.

June Jones has stagnated since the death of her mother almost ten years ago. Her house looks exactly the same as it did when her mother was alive. She doesn't have many friends, if at all, and manages to fly under the radar. She's even taken over her mother's position as librarian in the little Chalcot library. Everything is moving steadily, that is to say not at all, until their local government tries to do away with Chalcot library. June must fight against her quiet nature to stand up for what she believes in.

Pros: Homey, cozy writing style, characters I could identify with, true understanding of what your local library does for you, sweet romance. As a librarian, this hit a little too close to home for me.

Cons: I called the two plot twists (a death and the outcome) pretty square on the nose. This book didn't surprise but I didn't expect it to. The characters were likable and the plot was straightforward.

5/10 would recommend for library lovers, fans of British tales and cozy feelings, and the growth that happens when you learn to stand up for yourself.

Lonely library assistant June Jones has never left the English village where she grew up. Shy and reclusive, the thirty-year-old would rather spend her time buried in books than venture out into the world. However, when her library is threatened with closure, June is forced to emerge to save the heart of her community and the place that holds the dearest memories of her mother. Joining a band of eccentric and dedicated locals in a campaign to keep the library, June opens herself up to other people for the first time since her mother died. Also, her old school friend Alex Chen is back in town and willing to lend a helping hand. To save the place and the books that mean so much to her, June must finally make some changes to her life.

I love books about libraries, books, bookstores, etc., so this title immediately attracted my attention. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and could see much of June in myself. Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for granting my request to read this book. Thanks to NetGalley, I have been exposed to many books and new authors that I would not have ever read.

How can you save a doomed library from closure? June Jones, a reclusive and very shy young woman who works in the local library finds that her job and the place she loves is threatened by a political maneuver In the district where the library is located. She becomes determined, in spite of her fears to do everything possible to keep the library open. Along the way she becomes friends with several eccentric and needy patrons and the son of the owner of the Chinese restaurant that she goes to often. Working together, they manage to come up with a satisfying ending. This is a pleasant and easy read and will especially appeal to those who like English villages and a good clean story.

Enjoyed this novel about a small community library in England. Characters were well developed and realistic. Thanks for the advanced copy NetGalley. #NetGalley #LastChanceLibrary

I found this book to be a little slow at first. I loved the storyline, but I did not fully love the character of June. I came to understand her a bit better as I read, but despite her sweet nature I did not fully warm up to her. That said, the storyline was quaint and charming and some of the characters in June's local library were quirky and amusing.

The story did make me consider changes occurring all across the globe in libraries. They are being devalued and defunded and deemed as unimportant. Yet despite the Internet and slower physical book sales in the world, this book showcases the true value of libraries - as a community center, a place safe for young, elderly - homeless. It is a conundrum happening here and America, as well as England where the story is set. June and her friends set out to protest the closing of their local library and uncover the true reasons why the library closure is imminent - money talks and politics are often about greasing the right palms.

June Jones has worked at her local library since her mother became ill. She's never left her home village, or had another job.

And since her mother died, she's been less active and outgoing than she was before. It's been years since she did anything after work but go home, and read the books her mother, the town's head librarian until her final illness forced her out of work, left behind her. There's also a large collection of knickknacks and tchotchkes that her mother loved to collect. Nothing has changed in the house since her mother died.

At the library, as the library assistant, she's liked and valued, but having never left the village even to attend university, she's never going to be the librarian/

But, June is happy. Isn't she?

Then crisis strikes. The local council is looking at cutting costs, and all the small local libraries in the county are potentially on the chopping block. This is a major crisis for the village, and other villages, and a disaster for June, whose whole life is the library. (This is, by the way, a real piece of bureaucratic idiocy that has been going on in the UK for some years now. Many local libraries have been closed or had their services severely cut. I'm omitting my rant on the subject. You're welcome.)

Soon the library regulars are organizing themselves into a save-the-library committee (although their name for it is more colorful), and they want to recruit June as the group secretary. She wants to join--not in such a high-profile role as secretary, because June is terminally shy in ways I somewhat understand. However, the head librarian, who was her mother's assistant, and friend, tells her that the council has said that any library employees who get involved or show support for the group will be terminated immediately. This is illegal, but June is not up for that kind of a fight.

She puzzles and hurts all the library regulars whom she has served so well, and who are, after all, trying to save her job along with the library.

What follows is June learning more and more about all the library regulars, reconnecting with old school friend Alex Chen, who is now a lawyer, and back in town to help out his aging father, and an unexpected degree of corruption, treachery, and intrigue behind the council's desire to close, in particular, this library. June, being quiet and inoffensive, and regarded as harmless, overhears things she shouldn't, and starts to discover strength and personal resources she didn't know she had.

June also has to confront her grief and her refusal thus far to move on from her mother's death.

There's growth and personal development here, for June, and for many of the library regulars, and for the little community it supports. Great characters, great story, great insight in to human lives and values.

Highly recommended.

I received a free electronic galley of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.

Well, this was a sweet one.

At first I just couldn’t understand June and her habits. But as we got to know her through the patrons of the library and their fight to save it I felt more connected.

I loved seeing the town pull together to right for their community and the place they all love.

Though I don’t know if I completely buy into all of June’s progression, I did enjoy seeing her evolve and push past her comfort zone.

This one is a quick, easy read; and perfect for library lovers.

June Jones is a shy, kind woman who works in the library. She has never left the small English village where she lives and works. In fact she almost never comes out from behind the circulation desk. June's soft voice and gentle manner make her a favorite among the people who visit the library regularly, looking for a kind word as well as excellent book recommendations. When they discover that the government intends to close the library, June and the regulars must work together to save their precious sanctuary. June finds reserves of strength and bravery she never dreamed she had. An old school friend, Alex Chen, recently returned to town and uses his lawyerly skills to help June. As she battles to save the building and books that are her last connection to her late mother, June may just find a way to save herself. This was a fun, inspiring, cozy read. Readers who enjoyed the Bookstore of Second Chances and the Jenny Colgan Bookshop stories will love this book. Many thanks to Net Galley for the chance to read an ARC.

Very sweet novel about a woman trying to save her local library and the quirky community that bands together. Heart warming and attractive to all of us bibliophiles.

I loved this book and I can't wait to share it with my patrons! I work at a small town library and I could totally relate to this book. I loved the characters and the love that the town felt for the library. This is a book that book lovers will enjoy.

📕: The Last Chance Library
✍️: Freya Sampson
🌟: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

📝Synopsis:
What do books mean to you? Do books hold a special place in your heart? What about a place like the library that really sparked your love for reading?

✅📚Check Out This Book if you like:
•Clean, very slow burn, almost non-existent romance
•If you like books about books
•Standing up for things that are important to you
•Learning it’s never too late to start your great adventure

💁🏻‍♀️💬 My Thoughts:
I love a good book about people who love books. The subtle book references, the fun libraries. This book had all that plus a cast of misfits that sort of find their own connection via the library. Because the library is a place that doesn’t discriminate. June has grown up in this libabry and it may potentially be shut down and we get to see the journey she goes on as she comes out of her reclusive shell. My only issues were it was slated as a contemporary romance and the romance is so minimal I don’t know how it got put in that category unless it meant a romance about a love for books ha. The ending was a little predictable, but overall the characters made for a very interesting story and I enjoyed seeing June grow as a person.

I loved libraries. I love books. I love books about libraries. I love quirky characters and sweater wearing women that are coming into their own. I love it all. This book gave me that and more. I even shed a tear and I haven’t done that in a long time over a story. This book is about finding your friends and family in people you never expected and not being afraid of living. Highly recommend!

June Jones, who lacks confidence, is a library assistant who fears speaking, singing in front of groups which is really not a good condition for a librarian. The council is considering closing six libraries as they cost too much and selling the building to a developer. Now Stanley, Mrs. B., Vera [library patrons] all turn to protesting. They even occupy the library building along with introverted June. Stanley is even arrested as he refused to leave the building.
A well written story with unexpected twists and truns with a very satisfying ending.

I'm not a cozy reader nor a romance reader, but as a librarian I felt somewhat obligated to read this. Enjoyable but not my favorite.

Sometimes you need a book that fills you with hope, nostalgia, and happiness -- this is this book. The Last Chance Library is a novel made for bookworms to remember why they love books. This novel took me on memory lane, it brought me back to when I first walked into a library. I was the little kid from an immigrant family, and being in a new country was terrifying. Finding a library was what made my childhood bearable. I think that is why this book meant so much to me. The beauty of a library is at the heart of this book, and the author made sure we knew that. The main character, June, is someone I grew to love and root for. At times, I would get frustrated with her because she fit the perfect cliché of "bookworm" found in other novels, but this author made sure that her heroine was well rounded and loveable. There is some romance, but the main focus is the fight June and her community go through to save their beloved library. There is potential closure of the library and we see this community come together to fight for their safe haven. I enjoyed reading that so much,
There were a few times where I felt the story was rushed and June would change her mind a bit too quickly, but I do think that overall this is a solid feel good read for any and all booklovers. Those book references had me chuckling and I felt I was part of the group.
This was was personal read for me, and I will be purchasing the hard copy once it comes out! I look forward to more of this author's work.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you love libraries, reading, and fun, quirky characters, The Last Chance Library needs to be on the top of your TBR list! June lives in the small town of Chalcot and has been the library assistant for years. June is painfully shy and hasn’t done much except work since her mom died 8 years ago. When the council comes to town and threatens to close the library, an eclectic cast of characters joins the fight against it. June is faced with the hard decision to sit back and see what happens., or to step out of her comfort zone and help fight - even if it means possibly losing her job. When people come forward to protest, sit in and fight the closure, they help June realize what a difference she has made in the community. She realizes that these people are like her family and the closing of the library would be detrimental to the community. Funny and heartfelt, The Last Chance Library is a must read!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.