⭐⭐⭐ -- Love the cover on this one!

I wanted to enjoy this one more than I did. I mean, a book about being trapped in a library during a snow store. Seemed right up this bibliophiles alley. Alas, I just never connected fully with the story or the characters. There are a lot of heavy topics (addiction, sickness, death, loss of parents, homelessness), but they are never given the weight such topics deserve. The same with the characters. They are all just kind of one dimensional. In fact, I think "one dimensional" sums up my overall feelings for this book. It had tons of potential, but just skated along the top and never delved deeper to flesh out the story or the characters. 🤷🏻‍♀️

**ARC Via NetGalley**

I enjoyed this novel and watching how very different people, each with their own challenges and perceptions, spent a forced night together, fighting to survive. It was interesting to watch how each grew to understand not only each other, but themselves and see how they had let their perceptions color their futures.
Sometimes you meet the right people just when you need them and they help you get out of your rut that you don’t realize you are in and embrace what their future can be.
Thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of the book. All opinions are my own and freely given.
#thenightofmanyendings #melissapayne #lakeunionpublishing

This was just a sweet story with likable characters. The pacing and writing were both very good. I enjoyed it!

A snowstorm hits a town and a group of friends are left to make it through in the refuge of a library. This story is told through multiple characters perspectives. The book covers some heavy topic such as addiction.

I enjoyed this cozy book. It doesn't go too deep into some of the tough issues is discusses so I wasn't pulled in as much as I hoped but it was a good read overall.

Trapped in a library during one of the seasons biggest snow storms, a group of people must learn to work together and trust each other to make it. During this time, people find out who they really are and save each other and themselves. It is a group of very different people, such a heartwarming story of growth and acceptance! Definitely recommend!

Not what I expected!!! but better. A different concept and an interesting story. A real page-turner.
4 Strangers, very different from each other, find themselves together in a library to seek refuge from the snowstorm. Dealing with issues like power cut, food shortages, cold weather, health issues, etc. An emotional rollercoaster, a pinch of romance and thrill. Was hard to connect to characters though.

This is book 23 in the Tea Shop mystery series by Laura Childs. It can be read as a stand alone and will whet your appetite for some of the previous books. Tea shop owner, Theodosia Browning and her tea sommelier, Drayton Conneley, are catering a Victorian Christmas party in a very fancy New Orleans mansion. Attended by the rich and famous and hosted by dear friend, Drucilla Heyward the murder of the host leaves everyone stunned. The Grande Dame has brought the cream of Charleston society together to reveal that she is planning to give her wealth away to various charitable organizations. However, before she can make the announcement, Theodosia finds her crumpled unconscious in the hallway. It looks like the excitement has gotten to the elderly woman--except that there is a syringe sticking out of her neck. Someone wants her fortune for themself and thinks murder is the answer. As always, Ms. Childs includes interesting tea recipes and tips on how to host a tea. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

4 stars
Nora is the town librarian in a small town in Colorado not far from Denver. Nora and her brother, Mario, lose their parents in a tragic accident and it stunts both of them. Mario develops a drug addiction, and Nora, believing she can save Mario, lives in the same area, and shuns relationships because she doesn’t really want to hear what everyone is telling her.
On the “night of many endings”, Nora is trapped in her library with Marlene, the old lady who suddenly lost her husband recently, Lewis a drifter who also struggles with a drug addiction, Jasmine a young girl who just moved in with her grandmother after losing her parents, and Vlado the security guard who does more reading than guarding.
Over the course of the night, as the storm gets worse, these people begin to see each other not as stereotypes, but as people with stories of their own. This is a book about community; all these people represent the best and worst of community. They confront their own biases. They start to heal. And Nora discovers a devastating fact about her brother.
I really enjoyed The Night of Many Endings. Thank you to @netgalley and @lakeunionpublishing for the advanced e-copy of #thenightofmanyendings.
Trigger warnings: suicide, addiction. If you have anyone that you love struggling with addiction issues, this book may be difficult to read.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I more had issues with the formatting of the book. The author’s style of writing made it hard to put the book down. However, I found myself so invested with Nora and Mario’s story that I didn’t connect with the other character’s the same way. So the constantly changing POV was a bit frustrating. But I loved the setting of a library during the snow storm and I would recommend this book just on Nora’s story alone!

A heartbreaking read, but full of so much hope. The title is perfect in so many ways. One night, one blizzard, one special library, and 5 very different people. Their circumstances bring them together, their judgments may keep them all at a distance. Pain, addiction, shame, depression…by the end of the night they may realize they aren’t so different after all.

Thank you for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

THE NIGHT OF MANY ENDINGS wasn’t quite what I was expecting, which isn’t a bad thing! I really enjoyed the progression of the book despite the beginning feeling a little like an information dump on the characters rather than giving them what would feel like a more natural growth. Don’t get me wrong, I do love a closed room story and having the reason be a snowstorm feels very plausible to me being in Minnesota. I enjoyed the rest of the book once the pacing evened out and it’s incredible how one night can change the things for so many people. It’s not quite women’s fiction but it’s definitely an easy read. I do recommend this and I’ve nothing but glowing reviews for it.

If you asked Nora Martinez, she would probably agree too. Nora is a librarian in her small town of Silver Ridge who had to see her brother, now missing, battle addiction all her life. The library is Nora’s safe space, as it becomes for the others who end up stranded there with her—Marlene (the glass half empty elderly woman who’s full of sass), Lewis (homeless & hopeless), Vlado (library security guard), & Jasmine (a struggling teen). Stuck together, this unlikely group rediscovers hope, finds a new outlook, & puts faith in second chances

The Night of Many Endings is a very uplifting book without being cheesy or corny. Even Nora, who comes off as very hopeful & as a do-gooder in the beginning, eventually shows that everyone has a harsher side or story to them

The characters each have their own voice & it’s truly entertaining to hear them interact, especially Marlene, who has snark & sarcasm for days

I would definitely recommend this one for anyone who wants a quick read to tug on your emotions in the best way

Thanks to Netgalley for the early copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

This sounded like a good premise to me- 4 strangers thrown together at a library during a snowstorm in Colorado where they get stuck. Unfortunately this story didn’t do it for me and I quit about 30% in. The characters were flat and I didn’t care about them after a bit. Then I realized I didn’t care about any of the book. Just not for me.

I really enjoyed this book. The ending was fairly predictable; however, there were a few surprises along the way that kept things interesting. The characters were well fleshed out and likable, including grumpy Marlene. Most of the story takes place in the town library during a really bad snowstorm. Four very different people become trapped when they get snowed in. They deal with a number of issues, including losing power, a tree falling on the roof, no heat, failing cell phones, and health issues. There is a little bit of romance going on as well!
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in return for my honest review.

Ugh-this book GUTTED ME! Like over and over. Such a powerful story! And it takes place in a library, so that’s just perfect.

We meet five very different people, some with wounds and scars we can see, but most without outward signs of their loneliness and brokenness. They start out as strangers that are thrust together during a terrible storm and forced to spend a cold and miserable night in the stacks. When the sun comes out, they have all grown and learned. But there’s no guarantee that those lessons will be heeded.

It took until about a third of the way through the book before I was able to relax into the story. The multiple POV at first felt stifling. I also didn’t want to be given so many foreshadowing clues to major revelations. I picked up on almost everything before it happened. In general, the writing was a star below the story.

But it didn’t keep me from falling in love with all the people and crying several times. As the POV shifted, I really got a taste for each person’s voice. I could see each person, hear them and even watch the way they moved. The plot had a natural flow that lent to the air of self discovery. Really well drawn.

Thank you to Get Red PR and the publisher for my free copy. These opinions are my own.

This book is bittersweet, but hopeful. It shows that we all have to take responsibility for what our life is and/what we are doing with it. Whether it's addiction, grief, isolation, or just feeling alone in this world, our own choices and actions are ours alone, but we can be so wrapped up in our issues/problems that we don’t see that they can also affect those around us.

Payne gives the reader a beautiful and heartbreaking look at life and the struggles we all go through & how opening up ourselves to others can make us less alone. I smiled, cried, and then smiled again while reading this book. I definitely recommend it and recommend that we try to be more open with others around, to see life through their eyes, and just be more present.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story and appreciate the way it left me thinking about those struggling with drug addiction as well as the stereotypes that we often place on complete strangers.

Brief description: A powerful winter storm passes through Silver Ridge, Colorado leaving five individuals stranded in the town library overnight. There's Nora, the librarian who has devoted her entire life to trying to find and help her brother recover from his drug addiction. There's Marlene, the woman who sees the negative in all people and situations. Vlado is the security guard who seems more interested in reading his books and admiring Nora from afar. Jasmine is seemingly the typical teenager who is up to no good and hiding something from the others. And then there's Lewis, the homeless man who battling his own demons. As the cold night unfolds, those stereotypes they've all assumed are broken down and their stories are shared.

What I liked about this book: I appreciated the character and relationship developments in this story. Their struggles and secrets felt so real and relatable. This book left me thinking about how we never know someone's full story or background and how easily we often place a stereotype on strangers. It was a heartwarming story and I really enjoyed it.

What didn't work for me: At times it felt very repetitive, particularly with Nora and her relationship with her brother.

Overall, I liked this one and would recommend it.

Thanks to the publisher and GetRedPR for the gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.

The Night of Many Endings
Author, Melissa Payne
Pub date: 10.19.21

Thank you @letstalkbookpromo @getredpr #lakeunionpublishing and @netgalley for my #gifted e-arc!

~ From Melissa Payne, bestselling author of Memories in the Drift, comes an emotionally rich, feel-good novel about hope, second chances, and seeing the world through someone else’s eyes. ~

The Night of Many Endings is a unique and emotional novel written with compassionate layers about friendship, addiction, loss, hope, and about learning to let go. Written with insight and wisdom, Payne's characters were relatable and I loved how their relationships and connections evolved throughout her novel.

Nora is a kind and generous young woman, who opened up library in the small town of Silver Ridge, Colorado. A place where she seeks solace, hopes that others will also enjoy the sanctuary where she fosters second chances, and hopes that her brother, Mario, may find her here someday. Nora and Mario experienced a traumatic event as children that resulted in the devastating loss of their parents. Mario coped with their loss in unhealthy ways that consequently now has him missing and Nora on a constant and emotional search to find him. In the meantime, Nora does everything she can to help others hoping that her efforts will bring her one step closer to being reunited with her brother.

As a winter storm is brewing, Nora is in the library with the security guard, Vlado, who is genuine and more intelligent than others give him credit for; Marlene, an elderly loner who was recently widowed and now quite unhappy; Jasmine, a sweet teenager who has her own struggles; and Lewis, a homeless man who suffers from addiction and regret. As the storm worsens, it becomes obvious that it's no longer safe to leave and these unlikely strangers must stay safe together in the shelter of the library.

This "collection of lonely hearts" soon learn that in the process of learning more about each other, each of them will learn much more about themselves. They will be forced to look into their own darkness and face this night of many endings together, which will bring them each light and some new beginnings. A touching and heartwarming story about connection and hope.

The Night of Many Endings by Melissa Payne

During a snowstorm, five people are trapped overnight in the library of Silver Ridge, a small town in Colorado. Nora the librarian is concerned about her brother Mario who is a drug addict and homeless, often not contracting her for months on end. Marlene is recently widowed and misses Charlie so much she no longer wants to live herself. Vlado is the library security guard and secretly in love with Nora. Jasmine is a teenager with a secret that puts her at risk. And Lewis, a homeless drug addict who overdoses outside the library is saved just as the snowstorm starts.

What a fantastic story! The backgrounds of the characters and how their lives change as a result of meeting each other and being trapped in the library overnight is brilliant. I absolutely loved it! On a personal note, I have fibromyalgia and I think it's the first time I've come across a character in a book with the condition. Very highly recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.