Goodness. This book warmed my heart and I absolutely loved it. It was a very easygoing read and it came at just the right time. It’s funny, smart, heartwarming, sad, and everything at once.

Sloane faced an unthinkable loss when her sister died (not a spoiler as readers learn this early in the story). She is engaged to a somewhat pompous fiance who has an over involved family and often make Sloane feel inferior. On top of all this, Sloane’s parents are not the easiest people.

Sloane escapes into her work as a librarian although that also has it challenges. One of these is an older gentleman who enjoys mentally fencing with Sloane. Will these two change each other? Will others also be drawn in? Readers may know the answer but will still, I think, enjoy this book. It gives voice to some of what is important in life.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for this title. All opinions are my own

Absolutely delightful! I loved the points of view of the different characters. We could all be Arthur, we could all be Sloane, and we could certainly all be searching for connections. Isn't that what life is about? This was such a wonderful read. The storyline was beautifully hopeful in spite of how life beats us all down. Family is the one you choose and, if you're lucky, it's never too late to reconnect.

I absolutely loved this book so much!! I loved everything about it! I loved the characters. I was hooked from the very first chapter. I was sad when the book ended

Sloan is a librarian who makes herself small until she finds her people that help her break out of her shall and discover her confidence and find her voice. While the premise of a group of “misfits” who come together through a book club to create a community is a nice one and held a lot of promise…the multiple POVs made it really difficult to connect with the characters and get a full feel for them. What I did get of the characters I enjoyed and felt the care they had for each other was genuine and charming, but I felt the story did not come together as well as it could have.

This book is emotional but still lighthearted and quirky at the same time. It starts with Sloane Parker, a librarian, who likes bantering with grouchy Arthur. Suddenly, Arthur does not appear the library. Sloane gets worried and decides to visit him at home. The book club started from there. Bookclub members are a mixed of different people who does not share anything in common except for their love of books. All I can say is that I love the book! I relate to all the characters in a way especially with their love for books. Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebook Casablanca for the ARC copy.

The best way that I can describe this book, is that it felt like a warm hug. It was quirky, heartwarming, emotional and beautifully written.

Thank you very much for the opportunity to read this book early! I really enjoyed it. I thought the writing was very well done, and the story kept me interested. I believe my students/patrons would also love this book and will be acquiring it for the library!

Thank You Net Galley for letting me read The Lonely Hearts Book Club. This was a fun quick read and something light. I really enjoyed all the characters in this book and felt all the emotions as I read this one. I definitely think this perfect for all book lovers out there! Def a beautiful story!

REVIEW: The Lonely Hearts Book Club ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“We could only choose which path to take to our destination. What happened along the way was entirely up to chance.” ― Lucy Gilmore

This book was our pick for my book club book. I had this book on my TBR list for a while, so I was excited to get started.

The Lonely Hearts Book Club was so heartwarming and sweet. It is a literary fiction that shows the point of view of five different individuals and how they come together. Each section in the book is from a different point of view. It is great because you get to see each character's thoughts about the events going on, their background stories, and even their thoughts about one another. I absolutely love getting the insight from each character.

I really enjoyed Gilmore’s character development throughout the book. Each character has their own distinct personalities and challenges that grow throughout. I also thought that the chemistry and relationships were done very well.

As an introvert, who loves books, who is in a book club, and who works at a library, it was like some of this book was written just for me. I appreciated the character-driven story and the different situations brought upon the characters. I enjoyed this book and cannot wait to check out more of Lucy Gilmore’s books.

Thank you to SourceBooks for the e-ARC on NetGalley!

The Lonely Hearts Book Club has an adorable premise: it follows a group of people in a small town who join together and start a book club. The book is told through multiple character perspectives, providing insight into the lifestyles of these different people, and how this book club brought them all together. From the start, I loved the premise. I found myself getting acquainted with the different members of the club and growing close to the protagonist, Sloane. Slone's character was, by far, the most interesting character of the group, and I honestly wish the entire novel was told from her perspective.

My biggest issue with this novel is the alternate perspectives. It was a little confusing to spend the first 12, or so, chapters with Sloane, and then jump to a different character's perspective entirely. I think the alternate perspectives made reading this book a little clunky because the perspectives are divided up into parts, instead of alternating chapters. I found the other characters to be significantly less interesting than Sloane, and it made it difficult to continue to finish the novel at some points because I did not care for the others.

This novel is very character-driven, and while I do appreciate that, I also wish it had a little more action. The differing POVs should've connected together to a bigger plot that added an extra layer to the story. I understand why Gilmore chose not to do that because this is really a character study, but I would have liked a little something more there. Overall, this was a very cute story, but I think the potential it had was greater than the actual execution.

This is a funny and touching book that I really came to enjoy after reading about all of the interesting characters. Some POVs were more interesting than others, but the overall execution was delightful. I didn't want this one to end, and would definitely recommend.

Thank you to Sourcebooks for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Now available.

I love a book about a group of misfits who find their place in life and new friends that feel like family. It’s always fun to read about book clubs and libraries. It was a feel good cute story. Recommend!

There is something about a group of misfits who find their places in life and come out happier at the end of a story (at least better than when we met them the first time around) that makes me happy.
This story was slower and less frilly than some others I have read in the genre. It is also not gritty and overly sombre, so I cannot place it in an exact box.
Sloane is in a committed relationship. She is not as fond of her to-be inlaws as she wants to be. Especially since they are not technically bad, but she cannot put her finger on the issue (but the reader probably can). As a librarian, she meets an older member of the community who begins her day by being rude to her. She breaks out of her usual style to end up giving almost as good as she gets. Arthur appreciates the exchange in his own way and makes it a sort of tradition. One day, he does not turn up at his regular time, and Sloane goes out to find out what happened. In the process, she gets herself into trouble and into a new role.
The book takes its time to provide us with the viewpoints of all the people who make up the Lonely Hearts Book Club. It begins with three members and grows to include a couple of more people. We get to see what bothers them and how just being around different people in different situations helps them break out of their rut and feel better about life in general.
Multicast stories should provide such a range of voices, especially since each has a distinct voice and issue. I was never confused, nor was I waiting for the story to switch back to someone else.
I read this book quite quickly, in its entirety, because I wanted all their happily-ever-afters.
I would highly recommend this to readers who like the ups and downs of a book in this genre. I would definitely try out another of the author's works.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

3.5 stars. I’m a sucker for a curmudgeon story and this was no exception. I really enjoyed the concept of this book and it’s always fun to read about book clubs and libraries. I really liked the characters but I do wish that their backstories were a little more developed. I think the issue was that there were so many characters that there wasn’t a lot of space to go over their histories, but I was left with questions. I found both Sloane and Arthur to be very relatable and I think loneliness and fear of who will be there for you at the end were also very relatable themes.

I wanted to love this book but I couldn’t. Not a bad book just wasn’t a storyline I really cared for. I just couldn’t get into it.

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read and review.

This is a sweet story that shows just how much libraries and librarians can impact lives other than books and services.

A feel-good, cute book. Loved the perspective from different characters, and the theme of found family. It wasn't groundbreaking, just a cute story to enjoy.

Lucy Gilmore's The Lonely Hearts Book Club is an emotional novel with a lovely idea. The story is told from several points of view and focuses on topics such as grief, loss, ageing, loneliness, companionship, and kindness. I liked how the author incorporates just enough humour and pleasant moments throughout the narrative to keep the novel from being too overpowering or gloomy for the reader.

The Lonely Hearts Book Club is exactly my kind of book. <3 I love any book that is about a cast of quirky characters and a storyline that shows we are better together.

I was not familiar with Gilmore's previous works but the summary of The Lonely Hearts Book Club intrigued me. I am so pleased that I took a risk and tried a new-to-me author.

Lucy Gilmore has a quick whit about her writing. I loved the banter between the characters. This story is a good reminder that we are better together than alone.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.