I was so excited to see another release from Sarah Jio. I'm a fan of her work as her books tug on heart strings. WLFL was no exception.

Valentina is going through a divorce and receives word that her mother, who abandoned her when she was a child, has passed away. She left Valentina a bookstore and home in London. Valentina is soon in London trying to figure out her mother's life after she left her family, as well as rebuild her own.

This was such a beautiful story. Each page had such love. It alternates from the past from the point of view of Valentina's mom, Eloise and Valentina in the present. The secondary characters are all lovely, and I cherished every page as Valentina put together why her mom left her, as well as she rebuilds her life after a divorce.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Ballantine and NetGalley

The truth is, no review I write can do this book justice. Period. It is inherently beautiful, inspirational, heartbreaking, thought provoking and utterly charming just as I imagine the town of Primrose Hill, in which the book is set, and it’s fictitious inhabitants to be.

As our story opens, Valentina is faced with a looming divorce and an inheritance from her long lost mother, Eloise - a bookstore in a pristine and quaint London neighborhood. A librarian herself, it’s Valentina’s inherited love of books as well as her curiosity about her mother’s life that take her from her past in Seattle to a new life in London. Through the people she meets and the books she finds, she learns that life isn’t always what it seems and relationships can be healed with time.

A love story within a love story, it’s hard not to be taken with each of the supporting characters. From Eloise’s best friend Millie who remains at Eloise’s side through it all, to Liza, the extremely energetic and lovable tenant/sidekick/friend, to Eric, who shares his own deep connection to Valentina’s mother, each and every character including Percy the cat, make you feel as though you’ve met them before in another time or another life.

In a Bookstagram post (I can’t believe I had to google what this was) regarding her favorite book The Last Winter, Val writes “What makes books more special, than say, a movie, is that you can hold them. When your own world feels bleak, a book is a portal to anywhere.” As The Last Winter was for Val, so is With Love From London for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for providing me with an arc in exchange for my honest review.

I literary (pun in hand) could not put this book down. I have always been obsessed with anything London but add in an English woman that owns a book store in Primrose Hill and her American daughter that is a librarian; it was the perfect fit for this bibliophile.

Valentina has set out on a scavenger hunt both figuratively and literally to find the mother, Eloise, that left her as a child. Set in both past and present, Sarah Jio, introduces us to both women and the paths that lead them to their destiny, from wrong timing, missed breaks, deceit and finally redemption and forgiveness. It is a love story all around, between a woman and a man, her daughter, her love of community, her home, and books. It reinforced my truth that even when we make wrong turns on our path, destiny will eventually come to pass.

Sarah Jio, weaves all sort of timeless literary classics into this story, ones that most have read and ones that you will desire to now; from children’s books we all loved to love story’s that stand the test of time. I fell hard for Eloise, Valentina and the whole neighborhood of Primrose Hill and I hope you will too!
PS…been searching for The Last Winter and cannot find it….so if so please message me!!!

With Love from London
by Sarah Jio
Valentina Baker was only 12 when her mother, Eloise, left for London, leaving Val and her father on their own in the United States. Valentina is now a librarian in her thirties with a recently failed marriage when she receives word that her mother has passed away leaving the estate, including an apartment and a bookstore in London to her.
Determined to find out more about the mother she barely knew, she settles in London leaving her life in Seattle behind her. But as she grows to love the neighborhood and the people she learns that the store is in danger of going under and she must work with the staff to save it as she discovers more about her mother.
This is a heartwarming story of love of family and friends and misunderstandings. I found all the characters to be charming, each in their own way. The chapters alternate between Val in the present day and her mother in her earlier days.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for an advanced copy of this e-book for a fair and honest review. This book debuts on February 8, 2022.

Val is a librarian in Seattle who inherits a bookshop in London from her mother than she hasn't seen or heard from since she was 12 years old. Coming off a divorce, Val heads to London, to deal with heartache from both her failed marriage, but her estranged relationship with her mother. Upon arrival in London, Val discovers the building that her mother owned, understands the charm of the neighborhood her mother settled in, and meets some of her mother's friends. Her mother had left a scavenger hunt for her that helps her understand more about the life her mother led here.
I really enjoyed this book. The characters were relatable and the bookstore setting was charming.

This is such a heartwarming, feel good story. Valentina is recently separated from her husband and finds out she has inherited a bookshop in London. She travels to London and meets the loveliest cast of characters in Primrose Hill. The descriptions of the London neighborhood make you feel as if you are right there.
This book is told in dual timelines and perspectives. One is present day Valentina who is trying to save the Book Garden and learning all about the mother who left her when she was just a child. The other timeline is Eloise, who is Valentina's mother, and the agonizing choices she had to make.
I didn't want this book to end. I was immersed in the characters, the bookshop and this entire story. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book for review.

Librarian Valentina Baker has recently ended her marriage and is left wondering if this is all there is, is this all her life is? Then she gets word that the mother that left Valentina and her father behind when Valentina was a child, has left her daughter a book shop and an apartment in London. Saddened by the death of her estranged mother, Valentina heads to London to check out her inheritance and learn more about her estranged mother. Falling in love with her new home and the book shop, Valentina must use all her book acumen to save the Book Garden. A lovely story of the love between a mother and daughter and the power of books to united across time

With Love from London combines light post-divorce revenge lit with deeper, more meaningful messages about grief, Told in two time periods by two different narrators-- an estranged mother and daughter-- author Sarah Jio skills weaves the heartbreaking story of a mother/daughter part together with warmth and memory. A charming booshop in London provides the backdrop for this tale of lost love, unfortunate life choices and new romance. There are some plot holes & wishful thing on the part of the writer, but the winning cast of characters and snappy dialogue make up for those. A cozy winter read.

Just read this wonderful story of love that defies the ages. Love of a partner, love of a child. Loved how she incorporated the books as she told the story.

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC copy of the book in exchange for an honest review of the book. I am not sure where to begin with loving this book. Which storyline did I like better - Eloise or Valentina? I am not sure because at the conclusion of each chapter I wanted to flip the page to find out what happened next. Needless to say, I read the book in just 3 short days. One of the things I love best about books is when an author introduces me to something new and I have to run to Google to find out more. I had to Google Royal Automobile Club because I had never heard of it. It is now on my bucket list if I ever make it to London.

I still have some lingering questions - Was Frank so possessive? His sister hints at some answers but Ms. Jio leaves us wondering. How was Valentina's relationship with her father after Eloise left? Was the flower section of The Book Garden successful? Why didn't Eloise ever make friends in California? Why didn't Bonnie confess more details about Frank to Eloise after her arrival?

If you are on the fence, purchase this book. You will not regret it.

Ballantine,
Thank You for this sweet romance eARC!

With Love From London by Sarah Jio
Is my first Jio books!
And it was the greatest read.

When a librarian Valentina inherits a bookshop from her estranged mother, that takes her across the world where is she will discover herself and have a loving relationship with her family.

When Valentina was a kid her mother unexpectedly up and left to go across to the world to London.
Leaving her dad and Val on their own.
Now she is recently divorced and in her thirties she feels uneasy about her life.
The hurt from her mothers abandonment is still fresh to this day.

Val receives some upsetting news that her mother Eloise has suddenly passed away, leaving Val her Primrose Hill apartment and the deed to a bookshop Val never knew she'd owned.
Even though this news is very devastating, Val is determined to to find out who her mother really was.
She sets off a cross a world wide travel from Seattle for a new life in beautiful London.
When she settles into her new life in London, Val finally gets to see some pieces of who Eloise really was.
She finds that The Book Garden is in trouble and about to go under.
While on this quest Val will learn more about her mom but also discover some truths of her own along the way.

Mini Review:
Jio has managed, yet again, to write an another amazing novel!
With Love From London was a heartfelt and uplifting novel of discovery.
The characters are simply a joy and learning more about Val and her mom was something special.
In alternate chapters, we get a picture of Eloise through her early life as a mother and wife in Seattle and her life later in London. 
The description here is so beautifully done.
Honestly it has me wanting to jump on a plane and head for London!

Such a pleasure to have the chance to read this eARC.
Thank you again to the Publisher, NG and Author!

Not my favorite of the books I've read in the past by Sarah Jio. But With Love from London was a heart-warming story of the past and the present.

5is book was sent to me by Netgalley electronically for review…I liked this book…I enjoyed this book. I liked this book…if anyone doubts how I felt about this book…do not…it is a story of romance, divorce, children, despair…hope…love…I love the bookstore name and setting…I do not like the mother…I am sorry…I just do not…I hesitate to say that in a review…there is no way a mother stays away from her child…no way…really? Everyone brags to the protagonist about the mother who deserted s makes this a sad story…and the scavenger hunt for clues…a mourning daughter deserves more…sorry…I still liked this book…it is memorable…emotional…when the reader can truly like a character (the daughter) and dislike others, the author has succeeded…please please send me more books by this author…

This will be up on pop-culturalist.com closer to pub date. I loved this book so much!!I adored reading about Eloise and Val. The bookshop is absolutely magical and was a really well-written setting.

A newly divorced librarian inherits a bookshop from her estranged mother and soon finds herself not only discovering her mother’s life but discovering what the future holds for her. The story follows librarian Valentina Barker who is newly divorced and discovers that she has inherited a bookshop from her deceased mother Eloise. Val has always had a difficult relationship with her mother since her mother left her when she was 12 and hasn’t heard from her since. Upon arrival in London, Val soon discovers a whole new side to her mother’s life, including the reason why she left. Eloise gives Val a scavenger hunt to discover her secrets and soon Val is meeting all of Eloise’s old friends and discovering the beauty of Primrose Hill. The story is told from two perspectives, the current timeline with Val and the past with Eloise. We get to see both Eloise and Val fall in and out of love and how their romantic relationships impact them. Eloise is stuck between the adoring American investor Frank and the man who makes her heart beat, a rich Englishman named Edward. Val is stuck between her ex Nick who left her (literally), Daniel a man in the film industry who supposedly owns the book that Val has fallen in love with, and Eric the cute columnist who’s writing is lovely. The story definitely gives you Love, Rosie vibes, especially with Eloise, her constant missed timing and missteps in her relationships and how it all works out in the end. The story is a bit sad but overall a lovely romance read. It definitely is a great one to read with a nice hot cup of tea on a cold winter day.

*Thanks Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

This book quickly made it ti one of my favorite stories, The story was told with so much emotion…it made me laugh, it made my cry and it made my souls smile. It shows us that love will always find a way and that there are so many important types of love. Soulmates, love of your children, love for your friends and that things happen for a reason. It broke my heart the way Eloise and Valentina where separated but I loved they way they where brought back together!
What a wonderful story!

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

With Love from London by Sarah Jio is a contemporary fiction novel with a splash of romance that will appeal to lovers of bookshops everywhere. The story revolves around 35 year-old Valentina, who has recently divorced her husband and learned that her estranged mother Eloise passed away. However, she also learned that her mother left her a cozy apartment in London and a bookshop, The Book Garden, as well. Valentina leaves her life in America and travels to the UK. Along the way, we get flashbacks to Eloise's past in the 1960's. What will Valentina discover in London about her mother's life as well as her own?

Here is a humorous excerpt from Valentina arrives at the bookstore and meets Millie, her mother's best friend:

""Well then," she says, a little startled. "As the expert that you are, I expect you'll be displeased with the way I've been running this bookstore since your mother's health declined. Go ahead and tell me what you have in mind. Don't beat around the bush. What is it? A new computer system?" She pressed the back of her hand to her forehead dramatically. "Online ordering? Some social media nonsense? Bookstagramming? Lord help us all."
Clearly, she's never seen my account, @booksbyval. I grin, deciding to take the humorous approach. "Ever considered book deliveries by drone?"
...
"I'm only kidding," I say. "About the drones.""

Overall, Without Love from London is a cozy, heart-warming novel about book-lovers and perfect for fellow book-lovers. As the author wrote in the foreword to the book, this book is really a place to go when you want to disappear from the dangers and horrors of the real world. The author says that she escaped into this novel during COVID, and I felt that that was a perfect description. This book is the perfect book to sink into after a long day at work or when you're trying to relax. When I was reading this book, I felt like I was transported into a wonderful, beautiful new world, and I didn't want to leave. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a book-lover looking for an escape, I highly recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in February!

I read this book today and really enjoyed the plot lines. The characters were great and likeable. I love reading about librarians and anything that has to do with bookshops really excites me! The story made me teary eyed and I really enjoyed it!!

Sarah Jio is an automatic read for me, one of my favorite authors! I felt in some ways this was similar to her other book "Goodnight June" which is one of my favorites of her. But it was also a really different story with a different setting. I liked the interweaving of Eloise and Valentina's stories. Valentina is hurting and dealing with grief from her divorce, her mother's death and still trying to figure out why her mother left her all those years ago.
Eloise's story is ultimately heartbreaking, but does have a great amount of beautiful happy moments.
The Book Garden is a place I would want to visit! Such a lovely book about family, love, friendships, and new beginnings.

Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC!

I loved the story of Val going to England to reconnect with the memory of her mother. Eloise takes her in a scavenger hunt of her life with most of the clues being found in bookish areas. Deeply moving storyline filled with wonder and hope in London.