First things first, I cannot say enough good things about this book. From page one, my interest was piqued, and I simply could not put it down. We join Valentina, newly divorced, as she travels to London to her estranged, late mother’s apartment.

As Val meets people within her mother’s world, she becomes perplexed from the stories of others about how the woman who bore her life differed so much from her own experience. The book continues in 2 POVs in different time periods – both Val and her mother.

The reader is given a lens into her mother’s dating life, Val’s childhood, moving forward in time. Most unexpectedly, we find that Val is sent on a scavenger hunt upon her arrival in London, unraveling mysteries about her mother along the way.

I truly connected with the characters and recommend this if you’re in the mood for a read featuring an older, female MC, complex familial relationships, and the power of community.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and Random House in exchange for an honest review.

I didn’t know what to expect from this book because I hadn’t read the author before. So, when I read the blurb and saw bookshop, London, second chances, I thought “yes, this is for me.” But this is so much more than I expected. Valentina is dealing with a lot: a divorce, and inheriting a bookshop from her estranged mother. Valentina is a librarian whose love of books and desire to know more about her mother’s life prompts her to head to London where she meets lovely and interesting side characters. I’m a sucker for a second chance/starting fresh after a tragedy story but this is somehow even more than that. We begin to understand Eloise (Valentina’s mother) through her pov chapters and flashbacks even as Valentina tries to find out about her mother and the life she led and decisions made but also heal the trauma of her mother’s absence. It’s such a beautiful and compelling story. There’s a cozy vibe but also a deeply moving story. I feel that the cover makes it appear like a whimsical story but I found it to be complex and meaningful. It isn’t heavy though it deals with heavy topics and there are so many great London bookshop moments. I highly recommend picking this up if you’re in the mood for really rooting for a main character as she searches for answers. Though not everything is resolved and there’s some predictability in spots, I really liked this story and the world in Primrose Hill. 4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is just a very sweet little book where the people care about each other and the bookshop that the story revolves around. If you want to block out the world (and who doesn't these days!) and curl up and be warm and cozy both inside and out, then this is your book. It has romance, books, London, flowers, cafes, books, a cat, and oh, did I say books?
You can't go wrong with this book if you just want to feel good about the world again! Three cheers for Jio's world!

Thank you so much for my opportunity to read this book in advanced in exchange for my honest review! With Love From London follows two stories with two points of view leading the way. This book was so well done! It made me feel joyful but at times sad, heartbreak but also hope. There are big emotions here so buckle up and enjoy!

Recently divorced librarian/bookstagrammer Valentina receives word her estranged mother has left her a struggling bookshop in London. Wanting to know more about the mother who abandoned her as a teen Valentina travels to London finding a new home, purpose, and understanding.

With Love from London is a sweet book with a touch of mystery, heartbreak, romance, second chances, and the magic of books woven throughout.

Actual rating: 5/5
Holy hell…
This book simultaneously ripped my heart out and inspired me in ways I can’t even put into words. As another reviewer said, this book is a work of art. The characters are so full and lifelike, the way the plot weaves together is inspired, all together it’s just… chef’s kiss. The story of love throughout, and because of, heartbreak was absolutely gut wrenching but extremely well written; the reality of it all left me inspired to live and take charge of my life just as Valentina and, to an extent, Eloise did. I literally cannot think of a single flaw in this book, only beautiful writing, gorgeous world building, and characters that truly come alive. This is truly one of the best books I have read.

{I was given an eARC in return for an honest review}

With London From Love...

Librarian and Bookstagrammer Valentina is recently divorced and her estranged  mother just died, leaving her a bookstore in London she had never set eyes on. This starts the delightful story of With Love  From London. I love a bookstore setting and this story has the coziest bookstore. We are carried along in the story as Valentina finds comfort in her mother' s bookstore and the welcoming neighborhood of Primrose Hill. Told in two timelines, we also find the secrets that Valentina never knew about her mother and how love can bring about second chances. This book has everything I enjoy in a story: found family, quirky characters, and characters who love books. Excuse me now while I go read all the books Sarah Jio has written.

I absolutely adore this novel. There is so much about this book I enjoyed. The dual timelines, the main characters self journey, the love for books, the London imagery, the emotional journey, rhe scavenger hunts, and the overall focus of love, forgiveness, and self growth. Truly, beautiful. I was worried for awhile, especially with following Eloise’s journey but the way it all rounded out made my heart feel so many things. Based on the cover I was expecting a cheesy romcom but this book goes deeper and takes your emotions on a ride. I will be thinking about this one for a long time.

Valentina has grown up wondering why her mother left when she was young. Unsure of herself, she made a life for herself getting lost in books and helping others find their love for reading. Out of the blue she gets notified that she has inherited a bookstore in London left to her by her mother. The very mother who left her when she wasn’t even a teen. Why would her mother leave her anything if she chose not to be in her life all this time? Valentina’s life hasn’t gone the way she hoped and after her most recent events, she finds herself on a one way to London unsure of what lies ahead. She is hoping to find some answers and move forward in her life but what she finds, is far greater than she could have ever imagined.

That synopsis doesn’t even do this book justice, just go read it. It’s truly wonderful!

Thank you Ballentine, Random House, and NetGalley for early access to this book!

This was one of those books I immediately got wrapped up in. I am not always a big fan of toggling between Two different storylines in different decades, in With Love from London I found myself constantly wanting to see what was happening Eloise or Valentina. The plot is face-paced, while providing good quality characters and back ground. This book was heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. Such a lovely read. 10/10 recommend. I received an advance readers copy of this book by Net Galley.

4.5 ⭐️! Which Love from London by Sarah Jio is a wonderfully told story of Valentina and her mom Eloise. Written from each woman’s alternating perspective, this is a great story woven together through time. When Valentina was 12, her mother left unexpectedly and she never saw her again. Thinking her mom had abandoned her caused quite a bit of grief through childhood into adulthood. When Valentina learns her mom has died and she has inherited Eloise’s bookstore in London, she goes on the journey of a lifetime. Through a scavenger hunt left by her mom, Valentina meets the people in the neighborhood and learns more about her mom and what really happened. A wonderful story of grief, love, and forgiveness, and finding your way in the world, With Love from London is a must read!

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

With Love from London was an emotionally-charged novel about paths not taken, starting over, and serendipity. Author Sarah Jio infused this story with enough heartache and loss to make a reader sob, but it was also filled with all the tenderness and unending love these memorable characters deserved.

I'm still sniffling after reading the last couple of chapters (and after ugly crying), trying to wrap my head around all the threads of this story. It was a dual timeline, focusing on Valentina in 2013 and her mother Eloise, starting in 1968 then continuing forward through the decades. It honestly took me a little while to feel connected to both characters--particularly Eloise. Not because of the timeline but because I struggled with her actions and choices at first. It was once she got to America and started her life as the wife of a wealthy businessman that it all began to fall in place for me--while Eloise's life unfortunately began to unravel.

Valentina's part of the storyline found her at a crossroads as she forged a new life in London while getting divorced. She had a quiet strength, yet didn't think of herself as brave--although I did and think readers will as well. Val was understandably standoffish when it came to learning about her mother's life after she supposedly abandoned Val. The truth was heart wrenching. And I will not spoil it for you. But I loved the evolution Val went through in London. How she trusted herself more, opened up to new friendships and a completely new (SO lovely) community. And perhaps even to love...

With Love from London was quite sad in many ways--I won't lie that it was tough to read some parts. But the intricate way Jio wove this mother and daughter's stories together, sometimes mirroring each other with their losses in life, was very clever and all of which led to a touching ending that made the journey more than worth it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine Books for gifting me a digital copy of the latest novel by Sarah Jio - 4.5 stars rounded up!

When Seattle librarian Valentina learns that her estranged mother has passed away right on the heels of the breakup of her marriage, she flies to London where her mother had left Valentine her apartment and downstairs bookstore. There, she discovers that her mother left her much more - scavenger hunt type notes that might fill in some of the mystery as to why Eloise left her teenage daughter never to speak to her again. She also left her with a huge inheritance tax that threatens the bookstore itself.

In the author's letter at the beginning of the book, Sarah Jio explains that the book was written at the height of Covid and in that crazy world that we still live in, she hoped that this book would be a comfort and cozy world to occupy for a few hours. Mission accomplished. This book transported you to a cozy bookstore in London, where friends become family, where community rallies around a good cause, and where love always wins. Bravo!

Very much like my previously reviewed The Fashion Orphans, this book is the story of a daughter discovering the mother she barely knew. As with the other book. Valentina’s recently deceased mother has left her a mission of sorts, and, in the process, Valentina discovers how much her mother truly cared for her.

Told in both Valentina’s point of view and that of her mother, Eloise, the story follows both of them as they work through their troubles to find contentment in life and love. The course of love definitely does not run smooth for either of them, but Eloise’s path is particularly rocky.

There are a lot of references to books—children’s books, literature, etc. It’s a book-lover’s delight.

I have not read any other of Jio’s work, but definitely plan to. She creates characters with real struggles, who sometimes make mistakes, but work hard to be good people and make the best of things. Dialogue is natural. There’s a lot of wit and warmth here. The secondary characters are vibrant, real people, not just set dressing. The physical setting is also strong.

Possible Objectionable Material:
Unmarried sex. Drinking. Miscarriage. Divorce. Death.

Who Might Like This Book:
Those who enjoy reading about difficult family dynamics. Book lovers. Those who like books where yes, there is romance, but it’s not the focus of the story.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my opinion.

This book also reviewed at http://biblioquacious.blogspot.com/2022/02/february-8-releases.html

DNF
I was actually really excited for this book as I thought the premise was intriguing, especially as a librarian myself. I really hate that I had to tap out after only 6 chapters. I did not find the characters compelling in a way that I cared about what happened to any of them. The book goes back and forth between that past (with Eloise) and the present with (Valentina) in what I assume is meant to garner a sympathetic connection to Val's mother and why she abandoned her daughter. However, I just found her unlikeable and the lack of heartfelt apology and explanation when Val arrived in England from her mother who had plenty of time to plan a scavenger hunt just made me angry on her behalf. I could not feel connected to Val while I was constantly wonder why she was not more angry (beside a few non-polite comments). The background characters felt 1-dimensional with snappy one-liners - especially the shoe-horned dialogue about librarianship/booksellers meant to forge a connection between Val & Millie.
I don't like to leave books unfinished to leave bad reviews, but I really felt like I had to push myself to get as far as I did.

When Valentina was 11, her mom left and moved back to London and never returned. Valentina never heard from her again. Years late, Valentina is going through a divorce and is contacted by a lawyer that her mother has passed away and left Valentina everything, including a building with apartments and a bookstore in London. Valentina decides to use this as a opportunity to get out of town while she figures out what is next for her and to try to understand why her mother left her as a child.

The book jumps timelines between Valentina's present, and her mom, Eloise's, past, helping us see how things happened and why things were not always what they appeared to be.

I enjoyed this book and it really hit hard on the heart strings. We are watching Valentina struggle with coping with grief over the loss of her mother, through abandonment and death, while simultaneously trying to get back on her feet after an unexpected divorce, But we are also watching Eloise's journey, knowing that somehow it is going to go off the rails in a way that is affecting Valentina in the present.

My biggest issue with the story was why this was the first time that Valentina heard anything about her mom. I don't 100% believe they couldn't have been connected earlier, even if it was still in Valentina's adulthood. But Sarah Jio wrote a beautiful story about mothers and their unconditional love, true love never actually dying and how to move forward through difficult times.

I've been a longtime fan of Sarah Jio's books, and have yet to be disappointed. This has all the elements I love in her books- a back and forth in history- but this one is really special since the two characters featured are mother and daughter, decades apart, and it ends up being a really beautiful story of the endurance of love, both romantic and familial. With the present sections being set primarily in a bookstore, featuring librarian/bookstagrammer/and now bookstore owner Valentina, it's a great one for book lovers. The London setting and the budding romances don't hurt for making this an excellent read.

I have been a Sarah Jio fan ever since I read her debut, The Violets of March. Her writing has definitely evolved over time, leading to her latest novel, With Love from London, which is her best one yet (and that's saying a lot since I also really loved Goodnight June)!

I was recommending this novel while I was still in the middle of it. It's so perfect for anyone who loves books. It's such an incredible story about motherhood and love. There's romance, heartache, friendship, community, and an amazing bookstore in the center of it all. I loved the alternating narratives and timelines, and getting to know Eloise and finding out what really happened when she left Val behind. I can't say too much more as to not spoil anything. The characters were all great too (except for one that I won't name right now). The dialogue and narration just kept the story flowing at a nice pace throughout. It kept me turning the pages quickly, even though I didn't want it to end!

Definitely pick up a copy and get ready to be immersed!

Movie casting suggestions:
Valentina: Jessy Schram
Eloise (1965): Hannah Arterton (and they can age her This is Us style)
Frank (1965): Billy Magnussen
Edward (1965): Dan Stevens
Millie (1965): Lily James
Millie (2013): Jane Seymour
Liza: Nathalie Emmanuel
Eric: Sam Claflin
Daniel: Ben Barnes

After being dumped by her husband of twelve years, Valentina learns that her mother has passed. Valentina has not seen nor heard from her mother since she was twelve years old. Valentina is told that she has inherited a building in the Primrose Hill neighborhood of London, England that contains two apartments and a bookshop. As a librarian, Valentina finds the idea of owning a bookshop appealing. Books have always helped her through the rough moments of her life. Valentine arrives at the Book Garden and meets Millie, her mother’s best friends and Liza, a tenant. When Valentina finds her favorite book in the shop, she opens it to find an envelope with her name on it. Her mother has left her one last scavenger hunt. Valentina hopes this will allow her to learn more about her mother and why she left all those years ago without a word. Valentina receives word for the solicitors that the death taxes are higher than expected. If she wants to keep the Book Garden, Valentina along with Millie and Liza must find a way to raise the funds. Can Valentina save the bookshop, and will she learn what she needs to know about her elusive mother? With Love from London by Sarah Jio is a dual timeline novel. We get Valentina’s story which is set in 2013 and Eloise’s story that begins in 1968. I normally have a hard time with novels that have multiple timelines, but Sarah Jio made it flow beautifully. I was able to go from one section to the other without difficulty. I thought With Love from London was well-written with realistic characters. I enjoyed the vivid descriptions of London’s Primrose Hill neighborhood. I loved how Valentina and other characters just loved books. It is always wonderful when you meet a fellow reader and booklover. My favorite quote is, “There’s absolutely nothing wrong with having too many books.” Another delightful quote is “…a favorite book is like an old friend, waiting for you with open arms.” With Love from London is a poignant novel. There are a couple of scenes where you will want to ensure that you have a tissue handy. The romances were touching, and one was amusing. I enjoyed the humor sprinkled throughout the story. There was, though, some predictability to the tale. There were a couple of items that I figured out early on and then waited to see if my guesses would come to fruition. The ending left me with a smile on my face. I look forward to reading each new Sarah Jio novel and she did not disappoint with this one. If you love romance, books, and people who love books, then With Love from London is the right novel for you.

Based on the number of tears I cried by the time I got to the end of Sarah Jio’s new novel, With Love from London, I think it’s safe to say this book is going to end up on my Best of 2022 list. Happy tears, sad tears, angry tears – I cried them all.

The story follows Valentina Baker, a librarian who is at a crossroads in her life. She is recently divorced and has inherited a bookshop in London from her estranged mother, Eloise. Valentina hasn’t seen her mother since she was 12 and her mother abandoned her to move to London, so it’s bittersweet news to hear that her mother is gone and there’s no chance for a reconciliation or even an explanation as to why she left her child and never tried to contact her again. As Valentina heads to London to settle her mother’s affairs and decide what to do about the bookshop, she also decides it’s time to learn more about who her mother was and why she left. Unbeknownst to Valentina, Eloise has put together a special scavenger hunt for her that will allow her to learn everything she wants to know.

What I especially adored about this book is that we are given both Valentina’s and Eloise’s perspective. Even though I started out thinking what an awful, coldhearted woman Eloise must have been, as soon as I started learning her story and why she did what she did, my heart just broke for her and I just felt so angry on her behalf. We learn the truth about why Eloise left before Valentina does and that lends a sense of urgency. I desperately wanted Valentina to hurry up and solve all the clues so that she knew the truth about her mother and how much she truly did love her. In that sense, both Eloise’s and Valentina’s stories were equally compelling and engaging.

It was a given that I would love the quaint London bookshop setting and I just knew that Valentina would have second thoughts about selling the building as soon as she laid eyes on what her mother had created. The bookshop is also where the scavenger hunt begins and what a special hunt it is. It takes Valentina all around the local community so that she meets and befriends so many wonderful people who knew and loved her mother. I’m a sucker for books that feature found families and that’s exactly what Valentina finds in London. All of the characters she meets are great too – from her mom’s stern but loveable best friend Millie, to the fun and quirky tenant who lives above the bookshop, and so many more. They all immediately treat her like the family she never really had, which really makes her question whether or not she really even wants to return to her old life, where she was just lonely and unhappy.

There is a bit of romance in the book, but for me, With Love from London is more about Valentina’s journey to know her mother than anything else. It’s a beautifully written story about the unbreakable bond that is mother-daughter love.

With Love From London is a women's fiction with dual timeline and I loved it so much! It was a beautiful, inspirational, emotional, heartwarming story of a woman and her mom and about following your heart. Filled with charm, cozy feels, a ton of love of books, and a little bit of mystery, this is a book I won't soon forget.

This was ultimately a story of family, loss, love and change. I found it inspirational, especially how it focused on second chances in life, that it's not always too late to go after what you want, but to also listen to your heart when you find someone or something meaningful.

Be aware that the story is not all happy. There's actually some pretty heartbreaking things that happen to the characters, some missed opportunities, unfortunate decisions, bad timings. But the overall note is still hopeful, I didn't come out of the book with a broken heart, if anything by the end, I felt my heart was mended, and I was filled with warm feelings.

There was so much book love in this book, it was impossible not to appreciate it as a book lover. Such great messages about how books can be healing and how they can bring people together. And the MC is a bookstagrammer! I especially loved that the main character and her mom use books to find their way to one another. And almost every relationship in the book has some literary tie.

I liked so many of the characters in this book. The two main characters are great, flawed and three dimensional, but so are all the side characters in Primrose Hill. Their best friends, their love interests, all a little quirky, but all unique and people I'd love to be friends with!

My only nitpick of this book was the tiny plotline towards to beginning of the book, where a woman sells her husband's rare books, behind his back! The fact that we don't see her get her comeuppance is truly a travesty! I really hope he divorced her. 😆

Overall this book felt like an embrace. And I would recommend it to any women's fiction readers especially ones who believe in the power of books, who want some reflection and some healing.

Thank you to Ballantine Books and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.