Thank you so much for an advanced copy of With Love From London in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Star Rating: 4 stars
Genre: women's fiction
Pub date: February 8, 2022

I got so much more than I expected out of this book. The character development was phenomenal! Valentina's journey through her grief and her self-discovery was so well=written and nuanced, and I was glued to the pages. I wanted to alternately blow through this book and also slow time down to savor every detail. I felt like Valentina's journey really gave me something to identify with, and the story just reached out and grabbed me. This book had several moments where I teared up just thinking about the connection daughter was forging with mother, albeit years after the fact.

A definite recommendation for anyone wanting a bittersweet book with beautiful writing!

With Love from London included many of my favorite things in a book: a librarian, a charming bookshop, the story set in London, and mother/daughter relationships. I love how the alternating chapters slowly unfold the individual stories of Eloise (the mother) and Valentina (the daughter). We gradually understand the events and rationale behind the choices that Eloise made. Even though Primrose Hill is a section of London, it has a delightful small-town, neighborhood feel to it. The book evokes a wide range of emotions, and is beautifully written. This is my first book by Sarah Jio, but you can be sure that I will be reading many more!!

I found this to be a really interesting look at point of view and how you're shaped by memor that can be slanted. I liked the growth and the discovery of the past - the two characters at first seemed disjointed, then it was a mystery to figure out how everything ended in the way it did. I did find the big mystery of the perfect book man to be predictable.

*ARC through Netgalley

With Love from London, was the love letter of story we have been patiently waiting for from Sarah Jio. Within the first chapter I was captivated into the story by the familiar writing and story telling Jio writes since her very first book. Each character gradually made me fall in love with them and their faults till the end and a few tears were definitely shed through out. The dual timeline between two different periods and characters made the story even more richer and the love triangle that came from past to present .just made this heartfelt story even more heart wrecking. I wish the story could've kept going but it had to end, and Jio ended it in a very satisfying way. There was a lot of love poured into this story and the characters and setting just made the very heart of it like a big hug.

This was the first time reading this author. The story is women's fiction, not romance.

I usually (almost always) don't like WF stories, but this was one was interesting. It's told from two POVs, Valentina and her mother Eloise.

Valentina's mother dies and leaves her bookshop in London. Valentina hasn't seen her mother since she was 12 and has a deep resentment about it. We also follow along Eloise's story from her own POV as a young woman. As Valentina discovers her mother's story through her friends and neighbors, and clues left for her, she also finds the truth of what happened.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

With Love from London

With Love from London is a new compelling interwoven dual story by Sarah Jio. Sarah Jio is a master at writing books that have multiple stories that alternate between the past and present. She deftly weaves another tale of a mother and daughter who are estranged, and the reader gets to now each lady separately.

We are introduced to Valentina Baker in 2013, a recently divorced librarian who learns that her mother is deceased and she has inherited a bookstore in London. She travels from Seattle to the Primrose Hill neighborhood and settles in her mother’s 3rd floor apartment above the bookstore, The Book Garden. She also befriends her mother’s tenant, Liza, who is a single lady on the 2nd floor.

We then meet Eloise, Valentina’s mother, in London in 1968 as she prepares for an evening out with a beau. Eloise is a salesclerk at Harrod’s and dreams of opening a bookstore someday with her best friend, a law student named Millie. Her special date goes awry and she meets a second gentleman, Edward, while she is pursued by Frank Baker, a wealthy American businessman. Eloise becomes pregnant and feels that she has no choice but to marry Frank and move to the United States. However there is no mention of any intimacy (including kissing) between Eloise and any of the men, so her pregnancy seems strange.

While Frank showered Eloise with attention in London, he ignores her in California as he returns to his workaholic ways. He has a long-time housekeeper, Bonnie, so Eloise occupies herself for over 10 years by sunbathing at her backyard pool and collecting treasures and books at estate sales. Eloise and Frank are overjoyed when she gets pregnant and they dote on their beloved daughter, Valentina. When Valentina is 12, Frank suspects that Eloise is having an extramarital affair and sends her back to London and then immediately files for divorce and sole custody of Valentina. All Valentina knows is that she comes home from school and her mom is gone, with no further contact for the rest of her life.

In London everyone is welcoming to Valentina and tells her how beloved Eloise was and how much she talked about Val. This is hard for Valentina to process since she believes that she was abandoned by her mother at age 12. Eloise has left a scavenger hunt related to books and the bookstore for Valentina. Valentina is pursued by multiple men and must choose who to have a deeper relationship with.

With Love from London is a delightful story that will be enjoyed by all book lovers. It is a character-driven romance, but it is very c lean and there are no sex scenes. The book has excellent pacing and I was engrossed in it. I highly recommend this book to Romance and Women’s Fiction readers.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Lovely story with likable characters. Intriguing, well- written, sucks you in from the beginning.

With Love from London is a satisfying and enjoyable read about an estranged mother and daughter. When Valentina's mother dies, she inherits a bookstore in Primrose Hill, London. She hasn't seen or heard from her mother in 20 years, so she heads to London, shortly after her divorce, to take care of the matter and sell the building. While she is there she meets an endearing cast of characters, and stumbles upon a scavenger hunt left by her mother. The scavenger hunt was her mother's hope that Valentina would learn about the little community and "family" that became Eloise's home, and had ultimately helped begin to heal her wounded heart.

I enjoyed the dual point-of-views in this book. We learn about Eloise's past, and why she left Valentina, We see her as more of a villain in the beginning, but as the truth is slowly revealed, we are able to understand and ultimately like and feel empathy for her. Her story is heartbreaking, but also filled with love in unexpected places. The fact that she remains positive and still has a zest for life speaks to her inner strength.

In Valentina's point of view we learn about her present, and how the bookstore and the scavenger hunt help heal her heart and help her move on as well. Her story was not as emotionally wrenching as her mother's, but I enjoyed seeing her begin to heal as she learned the truth, and to find a new place where she belonged.

And then there's Frank. I never really did like Frank. However, I wish we had more of a back story on him so we could truly understand why he made the decisions he did. I won't say more because I don't want to spoil anything, but I do think it would have made him more understandable, which would have ultimately added a lot to the emotional punch of the story.

I would definitely recommend this book if you are looking for a cozy story about London, bookstores, and/or mother/daughter stories with just a hint of both mystery and romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing/Ballantine Books for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

“Hold on, the daffodils are coming.”

In 1968, Eloise falls fast in love… but things don’t quite go her way as she moves from London to California. Presently, Valentina is in the midst of a divorce and is heading to London to deal with her late mother’s estate, wondering where her life is heading. As their stories intertwine through the book, both find solace in a small London neighborhood.

A lovely and emotional dual-timeline story of a mother and daughter, With Love from London speaks to the hope of the future even after bad things happen in our lives. While much of the plot is predictable, there are unexpected extra sweet spots written in that left me smiling. This is a great, relaxed comfort read, with a cozy bookstore setting in much of the book, lovely supporting friends, and ode to the power of books. I am left with such a pleasant feeling after reading this one. I’ve read all of Sarah Jio’s books and am once again reminded of her excellent use of words to bring happiness, comfort, and hope.

Thanks to Ballantine Books for the copy of this ARC!

Sarah Jio has long been a favorite author of mine, so I was thrilled when I was able to get a copy of this book from NetGalley. Even though I went into this with very high expectations, Sarah Jio did not disappoint. With Love from London is a charming, comforting story with realistic and likable characters. This very well be my favorite story of hers to date.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Ballentine Books and Sarah Jio for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Many thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read With Love from London. I have read a few other books by Sarah Jio, so I am already a huge fan of her writing. With Love from London is absolutely stunning from start to finish. Told in a dual timeline, she effortlessly switches back and forth between Eloise's story and her daughter Valentina's story. It is a heartbreaking mother/daughter tale, yet so achingly beautiful, inspiring, and incredibly romantic. Setting (London, California, Seattle), nature (snow, rain, sun, cold), and literature (books, bookstore, story time, reading) play large roles in the story and affect both Eloise and Valentina in different ways.
Eloise's story begins in late 1960's London, where she meets an American named Frank and a British man named Edward. Valentina's present day story begins in California when she learns of her estranged mother's passing. She goes to London to deal with her mother's estate, which includes a charming independent bookstore, where she uncovers her mother's lifelong secrets. Sarah Jio masterfully weaves the tales of these 2 women. I just adored the bookstore setting in Primrose Hill, London with all the cozy bakeries, cafes, and flower shops. The story really takes off when Valentina discovers that her mother left her a scavenger hunt as a way of explaining her estrangement and to shed some light on her life after leaving California to go back to London. These characters and the story itself will stick with me for a long time. Pub date is February 8, 2022.

Such a satisfying story!

My first book by Sarah Jio turned out to be a real winner. In With Love from London, she tells the story of Valentina, a heartbroken divorcee, abandoned by her mother searching for new life and purpose. Her mother Eloise, now departed, made to be the bad guy, until her story reveals itself as well. Jio tells both women's stories at the same time. This is a feature I usually detest, but I found myself eager to jump back and forth and see how it all worked out. The fact that the entire tale is woven with threads from books and authors and a love of reading brings every book lover joy.

Highly recommend this story, it's not what you think from the beginning, but the payoff at the end will leave you satisfied. Beautiful story.

Such a satisfying story!

My first book by Sarah Jio turned out to be a real winner. In With Love from London, she tells the story of Valentina, a heartbroken divorcee, abandoned by her mother searching for new life and purpose. Her mother Eloise, now departed, made to be the bad guy, until her story reveals itself as well. Jio tells both women's stories at the same time. This is a feature I usually detest, but I found myself eager to jump back and forth and see how it all worked out. The fact that the entire tale is woven with threads from books and authors and a love of reading brings every book lover joy.

Highly recommend this story, it's not what you think from the beginning, but the payoff at the end will leave you satisfied. Beautiful story.

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed this book. I liked the characters and the multiple points of view. Being a mother, I still can't see how the mother left the daughter, although it was explained. However, I liked the way the story played out and the friendships Val found. Who doesn't love a story with a bookstore?

(4.5 stars)

I absolutely adored this book! I swear, the author sprinkled magic onto every page. The writing style is so alluring. If there is one word I would use to describe this book, it would be this: cozy. Like sipping coffee in a corner cafe while watching snow fall through the windows, or snuggling up in a comfy chair with your favorite book at the end of a long day. AND this novel is about a bookstore owner. Does it get any better than that?!

The story follows two perspectives— the first being modern day Valentina, a librarian and recent divorcee who travels to London to salvage her late mother’s bookstore, and the second being Eloise, the mother who disappeared from Valentina’s life when she was only twelve years old. As we are learning about Valentina’s attempts to uncover the truth behind her mother’s disappearance, we also see flashbacks of Eloise’s story, from the time she met her soulmate, then Eloise’s father (yes, two different men), and the decisions that led her to leaving Valentina all of those years ago.

This is truly a beautiful, captivating, and meaningful story. I would absolutely recommend this to anyone I know.

4.5 stars because I found the ending to be a bit predictable— but still amazing nonetheless.

I appreciate #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review With Love from London by Sarah Jio. This librarian couldn't love this book more! Valentina Baker inherits a building with two flats and a bookstore from the mother she hadn't seen or heard from in years. She flees a bad break-up and heads to London to see about her inheritance. While there she learns more about her mother and that things weren't what she thought when her mother left during her childhood. She learns more about herself and her strength along the way. I love how Jio weaves some of my favorite children's books into the story. (The Little House)

Perfection, 5 stars!
With Love from London was an absolute pleasure to read. We have always wondered what our parents were like before kids and how we came to be. The Mother and Daughter narrative explored this and so much more! I became so deeply connected to these characters and their story. It is amazing how some things are the same and some are so vastly different from the 1960s. London was a fantastic backdrop to this beautiful story. I can't wait to buy and read again! Thank you!

This was easily 4+ stars…so I’ll just go ahead and round up. I thought this was going to be a light, fluffy romance read based on the synopsis, but I was totally wrong! It was so much more. It was truly more of a love story between a mother and daughter who find themselves separated for over 20 years. You get to see their lives past and present, then how they come together, overlap, and diverge. It was both heartbreaking and wonderful. Plus, an added bonus for the book lovers out there, because a good portion of the story centers around these characters love of books, which in turns lead them to owning and running a bookstore. Loved this one!

4.5 stars. This is a wonderfully written, two generation mother/daughter story. Told from both different times and POVs, this story is masterfully put together and all of the pieces come together seamlessly in the end. There is one aspect of Eloise’s story that really bothered me in the beginning (hence the 1/2 star deduction), but otherwise this is a fabulous read, especially for fans of books about books! This book will leave you smiling and fulfilled.

This novel offers a poignant tale of a woman who learns that her mother, who had abandoned her family, has died and left to her a property in London, but why did she leave? So many questions, and a scavenger hunt for the answers awaits.

The premise of this book was interesting, and the story was engrossing. The dialogue seemed American, not English, which was disappointing.

I would like to thank NetGally for an ARC of With Love From London by Sarah Jio.

I was very intrigued from the start when I read what this book would consist of. I loved that it would flip back to her mothers story. I really enjoyed reading about Val! It was a good book I would recommend it will have you in a emotional whirl wind in a good way! This was also my first book I’ve read by Sarah Jio!