⭐️: 4/5

Sloane, a librarian in a small town, looks forward to her verbal sparring match with one of her patrons, curmudgeonly Arthur, every day. Worried when Arthur doesn’t show up at his normal time for several days, Sloane goes to check on him finding him bedridden and sick, and pretending that he’s unhappy to see her. In efforts to cheer him up, she starts a book club with him, and as their book club finds more members, Sloane finds that she has been missing the joy of human connection as well.

I love a good book about people who love books, with the message that books do wonders to bring everyone together. It’s always so heartwarming to read about and gives me the warm fuzzies inside. When I started this book, I wasn’t sure how this review was going to go, since the setting of the stage for the plot of the book, plus most of the logic in the character’s decision making processes didn’t make much sense to me. Add in that the background development describing the interpersonal relationships between the characters as they are at the start of the book is a little shaky, in that the characters act in ways that don’t quite make sense with each other (looking at you, Octavia). However, ultimately, I think this boils down to the fact that the author had a story that she had in her mind and wanted to tell, and it was a beautiful story that was entirely worth telling, but the process of setting the stage for the story to make sense was a little clunky and clumsy, and reliant on some bad plot decisions. Once the stage was set and the characters, their personalities, and their relationships were set though, this book was a winner that made me feel a lot of feels, and I loved the unapologetically saccharine nature of it.

Thank you to @netgalley and @sourcebookscasa for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!!

I really wanted to like this book, but it was a miss for me. Written from the different perspectives of a newly formed book club, there's a cast of diverse characters. I just didn't find any to be relatable. The book references tucked in were probably my favorite part.

In The Lonely Hearts Book Club by Lucy Gilmore coming out in April, Sloane Parker is a librarian in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. She decides she will engage crotchety old Arthur McLachlan when he makes his daily visits to the library. His personality is oft putting, he scares most of the staff at the library, and he does not mind hurling unpleasant comments to Sloane or anyone else. After months of this daily taunting and teasing of Sloane, Arthur fails to visit the library.

Day after day, Arthur is a no-show, and Sloane’s anxiety increases until she decides to find Arthur at home--against the library’s rules—to learn what has happened to the old book lover. Turns out, Arthur has had some kind of health episode and is bedridden. Sloane is relieved to track him down, and in his own way, Arthur is actually pleased to see her.

Arthur is antagonized by how his body has failed him, and he shuns everybody’s help until Sloane worms her way into his life full time as she has been fired from the library for violating the rules in seeking out a patron’s home. Arthur and Sloane pretend she is just there every day to catalog his personal collection of books, which allows him to maintain his dignity while he is on the mend.

Through the guise of starting a bedside book club, Sloane brings others into lonely Arthur’s life, including his long-lost grandson Greg, his neighbor Maisey, fellow librarian Mateo, and a former colleague of Arthur’s, Nigel. This motley crew learns much about each other through the very books they study: The Remains of the Day (Kazuo Ishiguro), The Joy Luck Club (Amy Tan), and Anne of Green Gables, (L.M. Montgomery).

This author writes under three pen names: Lucy Gilmore pens uplifting comedies, Tamara Berry composes cozy mysteries, and Tamara Morgan is a romance writer. She lives in Spokane, Washington, with her family.

My review will be posted on Goodreads starting February 15, 2023.

I would like to thank Sourcebooks Casablanca NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in return for an objective review.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley.com for access to this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Sloane lives an ideal little life - she works her dream job as a librarian in her town and is getting ready to marry her chiropractor fiancé, Brett, who has the family of her dreams. She's determined to make friends with the library's surliest patron: Arthur McLachlan. When Arthur doesn't show up for his daily library visit, Sloane risks her job to find out if he is okay. As she inserts herself into Arthur's life, she makes her own new friends and learns about what kind of life she really values.

Ugh, I love a well-done bookish book. There are so many fun references in this that made me smile. This book was really a pleasure to read. I wasn't sure if I was going to like it at first - Sloane's clear lack of direction in life was frustrating and I didn't know if I could read a full book from her perspective. Luckily the perspective changes several times in the novel, and the ending was so perfect. A romance highlighting the importance of purely platonic love, friendship, and found families was so refreshing and exactly what I needed to read! Would recommend to anyone looking for a feel-good story to make them smile.

It isn't often that I'm already thinking fondly of a reread as soon as I finish the last page, but that's what happened for me at the end of The Lonely Hearts Book Club.

Sloane Parker believes she is happy with the quiet little life she has built for herself - successful and kind fiance, the librarian job she loves. She is perfectly content until she meets grumpy and often insulting Arthur. A friendship, of sorts, begins to blossom between the librarian and the elderly patron. When he doesn't show up for several days, Sloane is concerned and tracks him down at his house where it is obvious he is in need of care. From there, a book club is born for the motley crew of lonely hearts that pull together for Arthur - Sloane, Arthur, Maisey, Mateo, Greg, and Nigel - and for each other.

This story is told in six sections, from five different perspectives. We get to know each of our book club members along the way. The characters grapple with love, family, the past, friendship, grief/loss, healing, and acceptance. I liked the way each character kind of grew to accept their weaknesses and to recognize their strengths through each other. I appreciated the way loneliness and how it can hide in even the seemingly normal and content lives was explored through each character, too.

And, of course, there's a lot of great banter and book discussion to love throughout! Definitely recommended to book lovers and to those who love a good heartwarming story of friendship.

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the chance to read this for review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy. Sloan Parker is a reserved librarian in a small town, she has experienced lost but doesn’t think of herself as lonely. She is content with her life and her engagement to Brett, a Doctor, well a chiropractor. Her life changes on the day she talks to Arthur an old grumpy library patron. She loses her job over her concern for his health. She forms a book club with Arthur and others and forms friendships that teach her so much. This was a heartwarming book and friendship and finding yourself.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Instantly I was drawn to this book after reading the synopsis. It gives me major a man called ove vibes with the curmudgeonly old man, life lessons, and pulls on the heart strings.

Docked one star because I’m a nurse and some of the medical or nurse things in this book I couldn’t relate to or disagreed with the advice or language choice.

Overall I think MANY will enjoy this book and I highly recommend to fans of multiple POV, a man called ove, books about books, and found family.

Will share some mini review thoughts on bookstagram @murphy_overbooked

The Lonely Hearts Book Club is a touching, sometimes humorous, story of love, loss, and friendship. I enjoyed this book. Thanks to the author Lucy Gilmore, Sourcebooks Casablanca, and NetGalley. I received a complimentary copy of this ebook. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

A young librarian weirdly takes an interest in an elderly curmudgeon who frequents her library. Backstory was given as an attempt to explain this one sided fascination, but I still didn’t really get it. Whatever I didn’t really need it. Said curmudgeon stops visiting said library and the librarian unethically stalks him to his home. Again, I guess it’s fine. An unlikely friendship ensues and add in a bunch of randos to create a motley crew of a book club.

Sweet story and reminded me a bit of A Man Called Ove meets The Authenticity Project. Each character was well developed and I just adored Maisey.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It took some time for me to get interested in this book, but once I did, it was hard to put it down. I was unfamiliar with the author but had decided to read new to me authors and I am so glad I did,, the characters are memorable, the storyline was refreshing and I will look for more of her writing.

Sloane and Arthur are delightful characters, admittedly it does take some time before you see just how delightful Arthur can be. This is a wonderfully written novel with a whole host of quirky, sweet characters.
I received a copy from the publisher through Netgalley. Opinions are my own

A young librarian and an old curmudgeon forge the unlikeliest of friendships in this charming uplit novel about one misfit book club and the lives it changed along the way.

Sloane Parker lives a small, contained life as a librarian in her small, contained town. She never thinks of herself as lonely…but still she looks forward to that time every day when old curmudgeon Arthur McLachlan comes to browse the shelves and cheerfully insult her. Their sparring is such a highlight of Sloane's day that when Arthur doesn't show up one morning, she's instantly concerned. And then another day passes, and another.

Anxious, Sloane tracks the old man down only to discover him all but bedridden...and desperately struggling to hide how happy he is to see her. Wanting to bring more cheer into Arthur's gloomy life, Sloane creates an impromptu book club. Slowly, the lonely misfits of their sleepy town begin to find each other, and in their book club, find the joy of unlikely friendship. Because as it turns out, everyone has a special book in their heart—and a reason to get lost (and eventually found) within the pages.

Books have a way of bringing even the loneliest of souls together...


It was a very sweet story, about a very unlikely group that found each other when they all seemed to need friendship. Arthur, the curmudgeon, was a surprisingly likable character. I really enjoyed the story line, the secrets that slowly came out. There were some laughable moments and some more somber ones. All in all enjoyable.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy.

I think it started off kinda cute but quickly went down hill. Around 1/4 of the way in I was just kinda bored. I don’t think the writing or the story was the right fit for me. If this hadn’t been an ARC i dont think I would’ve finished it.

The characters never came off as more than stereotypical. None of them grabbed my heart in any way and they all just seemed pretty… blah? I never grew to care about their stories. The writing never grabbed me.

I need more umph in my books. That’s a good way to put it. This book lacked umph for me.

Thank you Sourcebooks and BetGalley for this eARC.

Lovely story. Got wrapped up in the feels. I couldn’t help thinking about “Waitress” the movie and play at times.

The Lonely Hearts Book Club by Lucy Gilmore

A young librarian and an old curmudgeon forge the unlikeliest of friendships in this charming uplit novel about one misfit book club and the lives it changed along the way.

Sloane Parker lives a small, contained life as a librarian in her small, contained town. She never thinks of herself as lonely…but still she looks forward to that time every day when old curmudgeon Arthur McLachlan comes to browse the shelves and cheerfully insult her. Their sparring is such a highlight of Sloane's day that when Arthur doesn't show up one morning, she's instantly concerned. And then another day passes, and another.

Anxious, Sloane tracks the old man down only to discover him all but bedridden...and desperately struggling to hide how happy he is to see her. Wanting to bring more cheer into Arthur's gloomy life, Sloane creates an impromptu book club. Slowly, the lonely misfits of their sleepy town begin to find each other, and in their book club, find the joy of unlikely friendship. Because as it turns out, everyone has a special book in their heart―and a reason to get lost (and eventually found) within the pages.

Books have a way of bringing even the loneliest of souls together...

————————————————
Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of TLHBC! This book was so beautiful. Who doesn’t love an old grump and a group of rag tags forming a powerful and transformative friendship? Absolutely sobbed.

5⭐️

I adored this book so much! It sent me through so many different emotions--happiness, heartbreak, laughter. A curmudgeonly old man faces off with a young librarian, but does he really hate her? And is she really happy with her own life? When he doesn't show up one day, Sloane starts to worry because he comes in every day. So she goes to his house, despite knowing it can get her fired from her job, and finds that he is having serious health issues and makes it her goal to help him. But in the process, helps herself, his neighbor, and his grandson. This book was hilarious and emotional. It made me laugh out loud and left me crying at the end. I absolutely loved it!

This book was a complete delight. I loved the attention to detail that each of the characters received from the author. I assumed this would be a single point-of-view story, but was delighted that each of the characters has their own section. Special thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions.

A heartwarming tale of friendship for all ages, The Lonely Hearts Book Club combines unexpected personalities and leaves you smiling!

Lucy Gilmore intertwines the most unlikely, lonely characters, each with their own story and past, and merges them into a – well, unlikely Book Club. Sloane is engaged to a “doctor” and works at the public library. One day, an older grouchy man, Arthur, turns his feuding attention to her with quick jabs and mean punches. But when Arthur doesn’t come into the library for a couple of days, Sloane knows something is wrong and goes to stakeout Arthur’s home! This costs her her job – but she gains a whole lot in return!

I absolutely loved the characters – how different everyone was, but how honest and true, and how perfectly this improbable bunch all molded together effortlessly. There was wit and humor layered under some things that needed to be said (maybe in a nicer manner) and life lessons along the way. Sloane and Arthur’s relationship is so touching – it made me wish that my grandfather was still alive.

This is a relatable story with realistic issues. Growth and Friendship are definitely the focal point – which is nice to read about instead of a heavy mystery at times. While I’m not screaming in the streets to make sure my friends read this novel right away, I don’t think they would be disappointed if they did. Overall, this was a touching, charming novel that will work it’s way into your heart and make you appreciative for your (true) friends. I give this 3.7 stars rounded up.

Thank you to NetGalley for this sweet book! All opinions are my own.

The way I have absolutely fallen in love with this book. I'll be needing to get a physical copy when it publishes so it can be a comfort read. I cried. I CRIED. Me, with the black heart.

So precious and I adored every character. I want more of this group. A whole giant 1,000 page book of them.

This was a very heartfelt and one cozy read. It was fun and engaging. The characters were undoubtedly so adorable that I couldn’t help but cheer for them since the very beginning. Along with that I really love the arc and growth of the Mc!!

Thank you to Net Galley and Sourcebook Casablanca for the chance to read and review this book. The opininions expressed are my own.
This is a beautiful story about friendship that centers around books and a book club for misfits. Sloane Parker, who is a librarian, looks forward to the daily visits of Arthur McLachlan. Even though Arthur is a grouchy old man who insults everyone, Sloane likes him. When he misses several visits, Sloane starts to worry about him. She visits him and finds out he is sick, so she starts to take care of him. So begins the Lonely Hearts Book Club and the friendship of several neighborhood misfits. At first, I wasn't sure where this story was going, but as I read more the story became more interesting. I like how the characters gradually begin to let their guard and open up to each other.