4.5 stars.

With Love from London is a delightful novel. After Valentina inherits her estranged mother’s bookshop, she moves to London to see it and grieve for her mother. The journey of grief, friendship, and love was beautifully written by Sarah Jio. This book just makes you want to settle in for the coziness and warmth like a hug. I look forward to reading more from Sarah Jio.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Not really what I was expecting: the cover is really in the style of a contemporary romance, and there’s actually very little romance. I also had a really, REALLY hard time with Eloise’s actions— I know she was forced by her husband, but Val’s adult life takes place in the internet era— there was NO REASON for Eloise to not find Val. That…really bothered me. The whole reason for the plot had very little basis.

First book to read by this author but cannot wait to read more! This was such a cute story and keeps you smiling throughout. You fall in love with the characters and the story stays with you long after you finish the book. Highly recommend!

This is a wonderful book that is so well written that I am afraid my words cannot do it justice.

The development of the characters and plot was magical. I enjoyed getting to know Valentina and Eloise as their stories played out together during the years that separated them.

I was hooked after the first page and didn't put it down until I finished.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for and advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

THIS BOOK OH MY GOD, it was an absolute masterpiece. From the very beginning I was hooked on the story of Eloise and Valentina, a mother and daughter worlds apart lost over time and eventually Eloises death becoming the final push to Valentina finally finding out what happened when her mother left all those years ago.

How do I put into words how much I love this book. Valentina has just began her divorce to her soon-to-be ex-husband and has learned she is the sole inheritor of her mother properties and other positions including a lovely bookstore named the Book Garden.

As soon as she arrives her hopes of learning about her mother are crushed as she learns that the bookstore is close to being demolished and sold off to the next buyer. Millie and Liza two new additions to her life were friends of her mother’s and help Valentina to try to save the bookstore.

I absolutely adored this book and I will never stop saying so, I loved that this book discussed broken relationships, what it looks like when you have been manipulated and taken advantage of. My heart hurt for Eloise and I’m glad in the end her love who I can’t believe I haven’t mentioned yet Edward finally reunited with her. In her final moments they were able to love and spend time together finally after all the years apart.

“Nature, God, whatever you want to call it-it’s bigger than us. Bigger and more powerful than anything we can do or dream.” I nodded. “So you’re saying what will be, will be, not because we willed it, but because it was part of a plan?” “Or a really good novel”

That was my favorite quote as I felt it honored the journey that all the characters went on throughout the novel and tied together their ends and their beginnings. It was almost the moment I finally cried as I realized it’s meaning.

Thank you so so much to NetGalley and Random House publishing for giving me the opportunity to write a review and read this amazing novel. I also want to thank Sarah Jio for writing and creating this absolutely stunning piece of literature!

"With Love from London" by Sarah Jio is a very enjoyable sweet read.

When Valentina was age 12 her mother Eloise, permanently left the family. Valentina grew up in her father's care. She never understood her mothers actions, but remained hopeful Eloise would someday be apart of her life again. Sadly, it never happened. Twenty years later Valentina receives a phone call stating that her mother has passed away and left her a three story building in Primrose Hill, London. The structure has two apartments and a bookshop. Valentina is going through a tough divorce. She has no children and jumps at the opportunity to move to London for a fresh start.

This book is told in two timelines from separate POV's. It is clear, concise and easy to follow. I absolutely love the way Sarah Jio starts her writing with humor. The airplane trip is priceless! She additionally adds personal touches to the book through "A Letter From The Author" and her "Acknowledgements", both of which are delightful. It gives the book a warm cozy feeling!

"With Love from London" will be published February 8, 2022.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, for allowing me to review this heart touching e-book. I loved every minute of reading it!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️from Mindy - With Love from London by @sarahjio - Jio wrote in the intro that she intended for this to be a cozy read, and it certainly was! I could totally picture the quaint bookstore in London. Great setting, characters, and ending! Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC.

#WithLoveFromLondon
#BallantineBooks
#bookstagram
#netgalley

4.5 stars! A beautiful duel timeline tale about a librarian inheriting a bookstore in London. Need I say more?! Beautiful setting, satisfying ending with details tidied up. Super cozy vibes. I couldn’t put it down!

Thank you to Net Galley and Ballantine publishing for a complimentary review copy in exchange for my honesty opinion.

i went into this book with a vague idea of the premise but curious on how the delivery would be. i’ll tell you exactly what the delivery was like— perfect. a book that covers 2 different women (a mother and a daughter) and both of their journeys in london, this book is nothing short of beautiful. i was connected to the characters and i felt like i was a part of the story.

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review

I love Sarah Jio's books! With Love From London was not a disappointment. At first I thought it was very similar to her book Goodnight June: A Novel. It is set in a bookstore, they both settle the estate of a loved one, and they both have a scavenger hunt that reveals history. The book does bounce around from the 1960's and Eloise's young life as a person of dating/marrying age to the end of her life. The book also has chapters based on Eloise's daughter Valentina Baker. Valentina is estranged from her mother when her mother passes. The story tells about Valentina and her team working to save The Book Garden book store. Eloise leaves clues around so Val understands her story and falls in love with London, the bookstore, and the community.

This is a feel good book. It takes you to London and you feel you are visiting with Val. There are a few love stories in the book but nothing your churchy neighbor would be offended by. This book is a joy to read and it gives you hope for love and the good guys get most of the wins. A perfect book for a vacation.

Enjoy With Love from London over Valentines Day. The book is set to release on February 8, 2022. Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of With Love From London in return for an honest review. #NetGalley #SarahJio #WithLoveFromLondon

Soft focus tale of daughter inheriting a bookstore in London from the mother who abandoned her a decade earlier in Los Angeles. WITH LOVE FROM LONDON is a dual timeline story of mother and daughter, each experiencing the major losses of their lives and finding new meaning through books. There aren’t any huge surprises in this book by author Sarah Jio paints lovely pictures of her settings that are just wonderful to read. The homes and apartments are incredibly charming; the characters are always perfect for their roles and the food seems so delicious. It’s a book that beckons on every page and that’s before the love paeans for specific books even begin. This one is a charmer. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

A new author for me, but #SarahJio really got my attention. Initially I saw this novel as the typical family secrets, rocky marriage , heartbreak, starting over, run of the mill story. But it was so much more.
It is set in two time frames, with two narrators, a mother and daughter, years later telling their stories. Eloise leaves Seattle to return to her native London, leaving her husband Frank and 12 year daughter Valentina behind, intending to return. But that doesn’t happen, and she remakes her life in London, fulling her desire to own a bookstore.
Her daughter Valentina’s story begins years later, when she divorces her husband and goes to London to meet with her mother’s attorney’s, regarding the inheritance from her mother, and the story of their separation comes to light, as the reasons for Eloise’s leaving slowly emerges.
Sarah Jio’s characters are wonderful, likable, interesting and people you would want to know. She is a talented storyteller, and the ease with which she tells Eloise and Valentina’s stories, merging them into a well woven tale, is indicative of her talent, as often such a journey is lost in confusion.
I loved everything about this book, the descriptions of the neighborhood, the characters that define her story, and the well constructed ending, to just literally wrap it in a bow for the reader.
My thanks to the author, Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own. I loved this story and give it five⭐️!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the opportunity to read this book and provide a review. This book was beautifully written. I was absolutely hooked from the first chapter. The dual timelines were written in such a way that they coincided perfectly. The hidden letters that Valentina's mother left her take you on a journey that is unforgettable. This book made me smile, laugh and cry. I couldn't put it down! All of the supporting characters were wonderfully charming and engaging. This was my first book from Sarah Jio, but it will definitely not be my last. This was my first read of 2022 and I gave it a HUGE 5 stars!!!

Ok, I absolutely adore this book and pretty much anything Sarah Jio writes! This book did not disappoint and I will say I wasn't going to give it 5 stars until literally I had 5 minutes left in the book. I was at 4.75 because I loved it and it fit all the love story boxes, but nothing stood out or caught me by surprise...until the VERY END!!! This is about a woman, Valentina, whose mother abandoned her when she was around 13 years old. Fast forward a few decades and her mother had passed and left her a bookstore and two apartments above in Primrose Hill, London. Her mother also left her a scavenger hunt to unfold the mystery of why she left and never contacted her again. It is told in alternating timelines between mother and daughter and it is definitely a love story you will fall in love with. Highly, highly recommend!

4.5 Stars - I loved this book so much - so much!

This book follows Valentina as she struggles with the loss of her mother, a mother she had a difficult relationship with. As far as Valentina knows her mother, Eloise, up and left California + her one day to return to her life in London. When Eloise passes, she leaves her beloved bookstore to her daughter. This books goes back and forth between present day Valentina, as she moves to London and learns more about her mother through the wonderful community she has created and Eloise and the life she lived before her daughter was born/too young to understand what was going on.

If you are looking for a fiction book that will draw you in with characters that are charming and heartwarming and focuses on way more than a love interest - this book is for you!

Thanks, Netgalley for the ARC of this book!

A fun, calming novel. I thought the parallel stories worked well, giving insight into Eloise's decision, but I don't buy her decision to not contact her daughter once she was an adult. It did set up the rest of the story, but...meh. I wasn't particularly drawn in, but it was fine.

I really enjoyed this book both parts with Eloise in the past and present day with Valentina. I admit some parts with Eloise and her husband made me angry with how women were treated in the 1960’s. I don’t want to spoil but I enjoyed the letters that Eloise left behind for Valentina and how they shared a love of books. Pick up this book for a heartwarming read!

This was a lovely book to sink into. I was drawn to the premise of a young American woman inheriting a bookstore in London. The plot point that I found unique is that she inherits it from her British mother, who left her when she was about 12 years old without any further contact. I was intrigued, and also happy to report that within this story that sad situation was addressed satisfactorily.

This had dual storylines, both Valentina’s and her mother’s. Both were enjoyable. This had strong romantic elements that I loved. It also had great friendships. This was a read that brought out the full spectrum of emotions.

This book was so good! I did not anticipate the twists and turns. It really explores the dynamic of who holds the power in a relationship and how on person’s selfish choices can impact the whole family. So many themes run through this book! I loved the setting in the London bookshop. Take me there!

What a magical read! I had reservations about Eloise, but then kicked myself for doubting her character. Jio skillfully unfurls many strands of the story, and then adroitly makes bond together, looping back around. I kept saying nicely done when the ends met up. One scene is so poignant and tender I grew misty eyed. It is torture to not be with the one you love and there is much of that in this book.. I loved all the book talk, the bookstore setting, and the librarian, bookseller, bookstagrammer character of Valentina. Beautiful writing.