When I was approved for this ARC, I Tweeted the author and thanked her. She warned me that The Library is different to her usual stories and hoped that I enjoyed it. She needn’t have worried because I absolutely loved it.
Bella was right in saying that the style is quite different, but it’s certainly a fabulous form of different!
The story is told in the first-person as each chapter switches between Tom and Maggie. I’m not usually overly enamoured with the first-person style, but this proves that one cannot judge a format so easily.
On the surface, this is a book about saving a library from closure. Scratch a little deeper and it is so much more. Bella Osborne tackles several sensitive subjects including bullying, addiction and bereavement. Each of these elements are handled gently, respectfully and with complete empathy for the reader’s emotions. The Library gets right into the impact of topics that truly test mental health, taking time to explore their longer term effects.
I thoroughly enjoy stories which see older characters as strong individuals and Maggie is a perfect example. She has had her fair share of heartache, but her priorities focus on helping her friends rather that feeling sorry for herself.
I hope that you will give this beautiful story a chance, it is a fulfilling read and left me feeling thoroughly contented.

Rarely does a book hit so unexpectedly.....

Tom is an awkward UK teenager who is at a major crossroads in his life. He needs to start thinking about his future which is difficult with no guidance. His mother died when he was eight, and his father is an alcoholic. Maggie is a seventy-two year old woman who is struggling with living alone on her farm. These two bump into each other at the local library which is slated to be closed. Can the library be saved? How will things turn out for these two?

This book was like Harold and Maude plus a library. It was truly endearing, and the author did a perfect job of depicting what it feels like to live with a drunk parent: never knowing what you are coming home to, how long you will be able to live in the same spot, struggling to make ends meet. There are parents who are not top 10% parents; there are parents who are bottom 10%, and this book was one of them. It also reminded me a bit of The Glass Castle. The Library stirred the emotions in the best possible way, and I loved the UK atmosphere and tone. Flying off the handle would not have worked as well in this book, and the scenes came across even stronger. It also felt very realistic, especially when fighting for the library, acknowledging that perhaps they were not going to be able to save it.

One thing that The Library did was inspire me to help out my local library and fired off a note asking if they wanted my assistance in punching up their social media presence, if they want me to give a presentation about books (how to get free books, book recommendations, how to get started in the book community), and book donations. Excellent reminder to give back to the book community before it is too late!

Overall, a really excellent book, and I am already looking forward to reading it again.

'The Library' was an overall heartwarming story of an unlikely friendship between Maggie and Tom. The synopsis was a little misleading as the actual saving the library storyline was secondary to Tom's alcoholic father and their relationship.
I did enjoy the overall story and writing. It was a quick read but some scenes between Tom and his father were hard to read.
Trigger warning for alcoholism and adoption.

The Library is a story about a teenager who teams up with an older gal to help save the local library. It is also so much more. Tom, the teen, ends up moving in with the older gal after a fight with his dad. From there the story goes into relationships and growth. I found the characters likable and the story was fairly solid.

After recently finishing “The Reading List” I wasn’t sure if I was going to love this as much. And I am happy to admit I was completely wrong. I absolutely adored this book, and it is definitely going to be one I reread many times in the future.

Maggie is a lonely seventy-two-year-old woman living on a farm, isolated from everyone. Her weekly trip to her book club in the library is one of her only interactions with other people in her life. There she meets Tom, a teenager, and another lonely soul. He is escaping from his home and his alcoholic father. In a bid to escape boredom he starts to read, and discovers a love of books. The two characters meet and a lovely bond of friendship starts to form.

The characters in this book are wonderful. Maggie is a badass! My aim in life is now to grow up and be just like her. From her daily yoga ritual to teaching Tom martial arts, she is a character that will have you laughing and rooting for her along the way. Her friendship with Tom is heart-warming and is sorely needed by both characters. Tom is equally as wonderful. When we first meet him, he is scared and trapped in a life he doesn’t enjoy. As the book continues we watch as he comes out of his shell and becomes more confident.

While being a hugely uplifting and warm book, at the centre it deals with some very serious themes. As well as loneliness, it deals with alcoholism. It discusses the effect that it can have on family members as well as those suffering from it. To see Tom’s worry and anxiety over his dad is heartbreaking, but worse still is his dad’s denial of his problem. I thought that it was written with care, but towards the end felt that this arc ended quite abruptly.

Thank you to Netgalley, Aria, and Bella Osborne for a gifted copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have been sitting on my thoughts with this book for so long before writing this because I genuinely don’t know how to put how I feel about it into words. I loved this story SO MUCH and it is hands down one of my favourites for the year. It has been on my mind so many times since I finished, and if I didn’t have so many other books to read at the moment I would read it again (that will happen multiple times in my future, that much I know.)

The relationship between Maggie and Tom is so wonderful. I love seeing friendships form between people of different generations; there is just something so special about it and these two are not an exception. The heart, the love, the need in both and what they found in their friendship is just so heartwarming to witness.

I also love that there are crazy animals. I mean, any story with animals is automatically a winner in my books, but crazy animals? That’s my jam! Lol it certainly bring another element to the story that is fun and funny.

I highly recommend you read this story and watch the healing of two souls as they form a sweet and loving friendship and join forces to make a difference.

This was such a lovely book about two unlikely people forming a bond thanks to their local library.

Tom is a sixteen-year-old boy who keeps to himself and is being raised by his alcoholic father. Maggie is a seventy-two-year-old energetic woman who lives alone on a farm. Tom goes to the library in an effort to learn about girls by reading romance novels. Maggie, eager to socialize and fill up her time, goes to meet with her book club every Saturday. The two become close friends after someone tries to rob Maggie.

This story is less about the library and more about Tom and Maggie’s friendship and their individual struggles. Tom feels anxiety whenever he is at home and tries to avoid his alcoholic father whose addiction is worsening everyday. Since losing her family, Maggie has built a fortress of walls around her and hardly allows anyone to get close to her.

This was such a heartwarming novel. It effortlessly balances heavy topics with moments of hilarity. Initially, I wasn’t invested in this story, but when the pair’s storyline intersected I couldn’t get enough of these two.

Maggie and Tom will likely be a duo that I’ll think of for some time to come.

Thank you to Aria for providing me with an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I couldn’t put this book down. Maggie and Tom captured my heart and I loved being in their world. Maggie is 72, a bit lonely and bored, and very well developed character. She has a whole past. Tom is 17 and struggling with a single father who drinks too much, and Tom feels alone, awkward and unsure of his future after high school. The two meet in a hilarious interaction involving the community library and become friends through their time there.
The ending is tied up in a very neat bow, but it’s satisfying for a book like this, which almost feels like a classic romance in structure, but about friendship instead. I definitely recommend spending an afternoon or evening with this lovely story!

<i>Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy<i>

Amazing. I loved this so much. It was so moving at times and so poignant and real. I loved the friendship between Tom and Maggie, they were each so brave to take that step needed and reach out and be friends, it’s so easy to stay stuck in the cycle of despondency no matter how much you recognise you wish you could change something. That one positive connect changed their whole out look and allowed them both to flourish and fully engage with life.
Seeing Tom navigate all the issues in his life, mainly stemming from his dad and home life was quite moving, having a teenage boy as a main character is unusual but I really enjoyed watching him overcome his issues and working through his feelings. Paired with Maggie, who may be lonely in old age, clearly had a very full and unique life before hand and it’s thanks to that she is able to be calm and reassuring to Tom and allow him the space to discover and explore his feelings on things.

This was an amazing read from start to finish.

A book about a multigenerational friendship, set in a library. Thoroughly enchanting and engaging! The friendship that Tom and Maggie had was adorable. I really loved their dynamics. This was so relatable and a fun summer read if you love reading about books!

Many thanks to the publisher and netgalley! What could be better for a book lover than reading about two characters coming together to save their library? NOTHING. This book was delightful, a true gem. Two characters seemly with nothing on common on paper manage to link up and save something dear to them. The backstory of Tom broke my heart but is important as his relationship with Maggie comes to fruition. I think it highlights the importance of age is just a number and books have the power to connect people regardless of age, etc. I can't wait to read more from Bella Osborne. 4.25*

The Library is a heartwarming, adorable and fun read. Maggie is in her 70s and lives alone on her small farm. Tom, a desperately lonely sixteen-year old, who’s father works nights and has retreated into an alcoholic haze. One day, the two meet and an unlikely friendship forms as they rally the community to save their local library.

At times, The Library reminded me of A Man Called Ove and The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett- both books I adored. I loved Tom and Maggie’s relationship and the way they both seemed to grow from knowing each other. It covered several heavy topics, but still felt like a light and breeze read.

Overall, I highly recommend this one when you’re looking for a sweet book! Four stars!

Thank you Aria & Aries and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! This one publishes September 2, 2021.

Loved, loved, loved this book! Sixteen-year-old Tom is struggling at home and at school when he wanders into the local library one day. Seventy-two year old Maggie is living a solitary if somewhat lonely life. Her weekly book club at the public library makes up one of her few interactions with others in an average week. When these two team up to try to save their local libary from closure, they form an unlikely but lasting friendship. Their struggles were raw and real to me, and I loved the bond that the two formed. Highly recommend! Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

We all judge a book by its cover. (Don’t deny it!) We also judge books by their titles at times. So if you see this book, you will certainly go for it because it is about the magical place we all love: the library. But does the content do justice to this title and cover? Not exactly.

Story:
Tom Harris. Sixteen. Dead mom. Drunk dad. Bullied at school. Lonely. Discovers that he enjoys reading romance novels, much to his embarrassment.
Maggie Mann. Seventy-two. Widowed. Lives on a farm with her animals and her garden. Lonely. Discovers that her weekly book club at the library is a wonderful opportunity to find interaction with other bookworms.
The common factor? Loneliness.
These dear characters develop a beautiful friendship with each other courtesy their beloved local library. And when they find that the future of the library is at stake, they decide to go all out to save it.

There are many things I loved about the book, and many that I wish were different.

Characters: No complaints here. I loved the bond between Tom and Maggie, so unconditional, so unexpected, so adorable! Maggie especially is unlike any other geriatric character I have seen in novels. I’d love to meet someone like her in real life. She steals the show in this story.

Writing style: The story is told to us in alternating perspectives of Tom and Maggie. This gives an equal focus to both these lovely characters who are sure to make their mark on your heart. My old regret is that the author chose to write Tom in first person and Maggie in third person. Alternating between the voices again and again is tedious and too abrupt at times. The book would have flowed much better for me had both the characters been voiced the same way, whether first or third.

Pace: The pace of the story is slow at the start but it soon starts picking up, building to a lovely finale with all ends neatly tied together. If you want a book that is quick and smooth right from the word ‘go’, this won’t work for you. I was ok with the leisurely unfolding of the plot because having a senior character in the main role automatically makes my mind expect an unhurried story. :D

Title: The titular library does have an important role to play in the book but it is not the central focus point of the book. Instead, the story focusses more on the personal lives of Tom and Maggie, and even the people in the village where they all reside. I think the title creates different sort of expectations in your head, and when the book doesn’t match up to them, you feel let down, even though the book does its job pretty well. I must say, I loved all the book references scattered throughout the story. (Thankfully, I’ve read most of them and have the rest in my TBR. Else, this book would have made a big dent in my reading plans!)

Theme: This is where the book goes overboard in its sincerity. Senior citizen problems, loneliness, alcoholism, environmental awareness, bullying, school crushes, exam pressures, parental pressures, parental abuse, healthy eating, yoga for fitness, importance of reading and libraries, … There are so many topics the book tries to raise awareness on that the final product dilutes the importance of most of these except for alcoholism and libraries.

Bella Osborne is known for her chick-lit novels. So this is a slightly different reading experience for her fans. But the characters she creates are as good-natured and heart-warming as in her usual genre. If only she had reduced the number of issues she tries to cover within this single book, it would have worked even better.

Overall, this was a good reading experience, though it could have worked even better had I not gone in expecting something else. The story is sweet and the main characters are loveable. And that makes up for the other shortcomings to a great extent.

A 3.75 from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Aria & Aries for the ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Delightful! I feared a corny, hallmark-esque type of story when I started this; that is not my usual cup of tea, but still wanted to give it a try as a librarian. Very pleasantly surprised!

Thank you to the author, publisher and Net Galley for providing a free ebook copy of this book in exchange for my review.

This was a cute story about a library that brought people together. The friendship between Tom and Maggie was sweet, showing how friendship doesn't have an age range. The author seemed to go a bit light on the rea life Tom was experiencing, but it was a light read.

This author was new to me, and I'll be on the look out for other books by her when I'm looking for a fun, sweet read.

This book left me with tears— happy tears. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Absolutely loved this book. Tom is a 16 year old with a hard upbringing which has left him emotionally awkward, shy and without friends. He is being raised by an alcoholic father, often has no food in the house and subsists on fishfingers. He doesn’t think about a future and doesn’t much care for school. Maggie, an independent elderly woman farmer takes care of her sheep. Living alone, without friends or family, she can’t wait for Saturday’s when she goes to a book club through the local library. When Maggie and Tom meet their worlds change as they fight to save the local library. You will cry and laugh as Maggie and Tom make friends, become family and Tom learns to fight for what he wants. An absolutely wonderful book.

Every so often, you come across a book that you know you'll never forget, a story lives with you forever. This is one of those books. Maggie, I can only describe as being the Miss Honey of this generation.
Teenager Tom, comes to her aid after a mugging and the two build a strong friendship aided by the local library and the sharing of home troubles.
Maggie takes Tom under her wing and allows him to feel part of a family again, and in exchange, Tom helps with Maggie's feelings of loneliness.
A wonderful and beautiful, yet realistic, heartwarming story.
- please be aware this book will make you both laugh and cry.

A totally charming novel that feels like a cozy hug. I would recommend this to fans of Erica Bauermeister's books.

This felt like a beautifully awkward and vulnerable peek into a life and was peppered with quiet but beautiful epiphanies.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love reading books, I love reading everything about books and I love libraries! Everyone needs to be an active member of a library if they can, to support their library, their community and the authors. Libraries are pivotal to many people and it is essential that they are kept open.

The Library by Bella Osborne centres on two main characters, Tom and Maggie and the relationship between the two is just absolute wonderful. The link between them which bonds them even further does not come out until later in the book and I had no idea up until then that this was going to happen.

Bringing these two characters together, who on paper are completely opposites - Maggie is 70, Tom is 16 - was just brilliant. Maggie lives alone on her farm, with her animals as her family and her books as her life. Tom lives with his alcoholic father and spends his time on his Xbox. But everything changes when Tom and Maggie meet and their lives become totally transformed and so much better for them both. The help that they gave each other and the difference they made to each other’s lives was just so wonderful and heartwarming. Fantastic character connection.

Maggie and Tom both worked together to save their local library. They dug deep and did everything they possible could, getting everyone involved, to save the library. I read this during Lockdown where libraries everywhere were closed - the impact this had on so many people’s lives was incredible. People rely on their library for books, for using a computer but also for human contact. Sometimes the librarian may be on the only person someone may chat to during their week. The impact that a library can have on a person’s life cannot be under estimated and it is so essential that we support libraries always.

Such a wonderful book, I loved the storyline and the characters. Please go and borrow a book and support your local library! If you are not a member, you will be astounded of the amount that happens in a library and the people you meet. It is not just about going in, picking up a book, and coming out again. It is about community, support and helping yourself and those around you.

Thank you very much for my advanced copy. This review is based on a NetGalley ARC provided in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion.