I wanted to love this one more than I did. A book about books and a blook club is right up my alley. Unfortunately, a lot of the dialogue left the realm of good-natured bantering and entered into mean territory. I didn’t enjoy that so much.

I listened to the audio, and some of the characters’ voices were grating and sometimes even annoying. I think I would have probably enjoyed this one much better in print.

I wish I could be more positive.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook.

This book definitely starts out a little slow, but keep going. It was a nice listen with a great message. I think the audio could benefit from a full cast, but otherwise I was pleased with it. It was maybe a little predictable, but sometimes that is okay! Good book to listen to on a nice spring day.

I was lucky enough to get a copy of this audiobook from NetGalley and Dreamscape Media.

It was my first book by Lucy Gilmore and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Amy Kane’s narration was good covering both male and female characters.

This was a heartwarming story. I enjoyed getting to hear a little from each character, Sloane, Mazie, Matteo, Greg and Arthur. I think I would have enjoyed it more if we had gotten more from each of their perspectives instead of just chunks of the story. I would have loved just getting the story from Arthur’s perspective. Sloane’s big heart and determination to care for Arthur surpasses what most people would ever do for someone else. She brings a bunch of lonely people together through books.

I definitely want to pick up more books by Lucy.

Thanks NetGalley for the early listen for my honest review.
I have to say this book was very slow with an important message. If you can power through some of the slow parts and overly dramatic main character it has a good story. For me listening it on audio it was really hard to navigate who was speaking. Maybe a full cast could have helped make it better.

Sloane lives in Coeur d’Alene a small, lakeside town in Idaho. (I’ve actually been there and it’s stunning.) Sloane is a librarian. It’s not just a job for her it’s a calling. One of the elderly patrons has a reputation for being cranky. While Mr. McLachlan is rude, Sloane takes pleasure in the banter and looks forward to his visits. One day Mr. McLachlan takes it too far and says some harsh things to Sloane. Then he stops coming in. Against library policy, risking her beloved job, Sloane tracks him down at home and discovers what has been keeping Mr. McLachlan from the library. In the process of helping him through a difficult time Sloane builds a small community of support that benefits not just Mr. McLachlan but everyone in the group.

This is a very predictable but entertaining book. Predictable isn’t always bad. A book like this that is soft and sweet is like comfort food. My only quibble is that while taking the time to look past a rough exterior is noble in this case I think Mr. McLachlan’s behavior was abusive and that’s not noble to subject yourself to being abused.

I have mixed feelings on this one. The writing is decent and there are occasional laugh out loud moments. The reader does a great job with most of the voices (I did not like her portrayal of Mateo' boyfriend but the others were good). I very much enjoyed the literary parts of the titular book club. However, despite the booky context of the story, it was more of an emotionally laden drama than I had bargained for, and I actually developed a pretty strong dislike of the two main female characters. While they do come into their own -- eventually -- it was pretty slow paced. I love a slow pace if the book is filled with people I'd like to spend time with, but I found myself irritated with, rather than empathizing with, their problems. This book will be good for people who enjoy self-help sty;e emotional women's fiction.

When Arthur stops coming to the library every day, Sloane takes it upon herself to check in on him. They end up finding a common thread through books and find a couple new members along the way. The Lonely Hearts Book Club is a touching story of what it feels to be lonely, and finding friends you consider family.

The story is told through multiple POVs, but not at the same time. Each character has their own section of the book which lends itself well to character development. I felt like I knew each of them, and why they would make certain decisions. Everything made sense. I think ending with Arthur's POV was perfect.

I loved the highlights in Arthur's books and what they meant. It's something I believe a true book lover would do.
The final meeting was particularly touching and will remain with me for a long time.

I enjoyed this book so much! It was like a warm hug! The multiple POVs were a great way to get to understand the different characters and their motivations. The friendships that formed between all the book club members were so sweet, especially Arthur and Sloan! I also loved that there were no forced romances which helped all the relationships feel very pure and genuine. I can definitely see this being one of my favorite reads of the year!

When Arthur comes into the library everyone cowers in fear. This curmudgeonly old man makes even compliments sound terrifying. But librarian Sloane sees something in Arthur that few can see. When Arthur doesn't show up for his normal library visit, Sloane cares enough to figure out what is going on with him. Her discovery will alter her life and lead her to become a part of The Lonely Hearts Book Club. This book has an eclectic group of characters and many odes to the wonderful world of literature that kept this book loving librarian reading. Hitting on the importance of friendship and community in the quality of one's life, this book is good for all who want a book that will leave you finding deeper meaning in life. The audiobook narrator does a wonderful job at making Arthur come to life and the cast of characters decipherable from each other. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the audiobook.

Thank you to Netgalley for granting me access to the audiobook version of this heartwarming story of friendship and found family which was wonderfully narrated by Angie Kane.

What struck me most in this book was how splendidly the author evoked the emotions and thoughts of Sloane, the 27-year-old librarian who is at the heart of this novel.

Sloane has her share of challenges, including difficult parents, the early death of her sister, Emily, who she misses, and feeling stalled in her career. Sloane is a kind soul, and it is easy to empathize with her. I found myself admiring her ability to look past the deficits in others and be compassionate to them.

Emily’s tender heart leads her to check on an absent library patron— the elderly and grumpy Arthur, when he fails to show up at the library. Arthur has been sick, and along with Arthur’s neighbor Maisie, a psychic. She begins to care for him. Together they create a book club and listeners will enjoy their camaraderie.

Narrator Angie Kane was new to me. She did a fine job creating both male abs female voices, and especially did well creating the spirit of Sloane. At one point the story switches point of review from Sloane to Maisy, and although no fault if that narrator, it took me a moment to orient myself as to who was speaking.

If you enjoy warm-hearted stories If friendship and found family, this listen is for you.

The Lonely Hearts Book Club
By: Lucy Gilmore
Narrated by: Angie Kane
Dreamscape Media

Listening to the audiobook version of The Lonely Hearts Book Club brought me so much love, warmth, and literary connections. Author Lucy Gilmore has formed an eclectic cast of five main well developed characters, who all have loneliness in their lives. She gives each of them the opportunity to provide their insightful points of view in sections of the book. These five come together in unlikely circumstances related to the care of the elderly curmudgeon Arthur. Sloane, a quiet-natured librarian, forms a book club, which adds even more bookish depth and fun to the group while drawing them closer also in serious ways.

Narrator Angie Kane showed her versatility with her skillful audio portrayals of these interesting characters. Her voice kept the story flowing so smoothly from start to finish, fully revealing the emotional depth of the book.

We know that reading and book clubs can help us form connections with people as we learn more about ourselves. I love books that include bookish themes within the story, and this book fulfilled that along with a strong, original plot focusing on relationships. Gilmore's writing is insightful and deep, as well as entertaining. She smartly used the books read in the book club to bring out emotion and strengthen the ties of the characters as they read and discussed the books. I won't reveal the names of the books this club read, but if you are like me, you will find yourself wanting to read or re-read them!

Thank you to Net Galley and Dreamscape Media for an advance copy of the audiobook. My review is my own.

A special thanks to NetGalley for an early copy of this audiobook.
When I first started the book, I wasn't sure that I particularly cared for it. It was a little slow and the main character, Sloan, was a little overly dramatic about her boring life. Sometimes it is best to just push through and finish and this was a great example of that concept. As the book went on I became used to the narration (although it would have been vastly improved with a multi-cast narration) and then, of course, Arthur. Such a grouchy, lovable old man and you understand why this whole community of "outsiders" become a family because of him. The story was very endearing, heartbreaking, and quite often hilarious with one-line quips mostly from Arthur. The book might have been a touch long but then again, I still wanted more Maisy, Mateo, and Lincoln. The author did a good job of building all the characters into people you really wished could be a part of your own life. Thanks again to Netgalley and the publishers for making my treadmill walks more interesting.

I dearly loved this story. A curmudgeon in need of help and the people he doesn’t “need” descend upon him. They make their own community and it truly is the most beautiful story. I loved it!

Thank you to #NetGalley and and #DreamscapeMedia for the opportunity to read this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Great character building. There is real emotion behind these wordS. The narrator did an amazing job bringing this story to life.
This book explains how books can bring people together. Books can heal wounds, and bring a smile to someone’s face.
I am impressed with this story. It unlike anything I’ve read before

This was such an endearing book!

You meet a cast of characters as a community comes together to care for Arthur, the grouchy elderly neighbor. A read filled with humor, grief, familial conflict, and found family.

This read had elements of the book A Man Named Ove, which I loved! This read is more on the cozier end.

Thank you to Netgalley for the eARC.

This was a great grumpy-sunshine, found-family read. I enjoyed The Lonely Hearts Book Club and have already recommended it to friends, especially fans of A. J. Fikry.

Started strong, but became a bit more simplistic with every new character. Far too syrupy by the end.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the audiobook ARK! Sloane is living a very contented life working at the library and engaged to a respectable man, but then Arthur enter her life. Arthur is an old crumudgeon who loves to spare with Sloane. It becomes there thing, until the day Arthur doesn't show up to the library. As more time passes, Sloane worries and eventually goes to check on him. This goes against library policy and Sloane soon finds herself unemployed, but this extra time could be beneficial to Arthur who just so happens to need a caretaker. Though the story of Arthur and Sloane is central to the whole of the story, the narration is divided between Sloane, Maisey, Arthur's neighbor, professional psychic and struggling mom, Greg, Arthur's estranged grandson, and Matteo, Sloane's former co-worker. The group end up forming a book club and each story impacts the characters and their relationships in different ways. Lucy Gilmore has crafted a great cast of characters that you really care for and feel as though you might know and the audiobook is wonderfully narrated by Angie Kane.

Calling all bookish friends - this is a must read! A group of characters that have no business coming together, find commonalities and turn into a book club. It is a heartwarming book that you will fall in love with, especially as you are introduced to each character.

A wonderful, heartbreaking, emotional life story. Sloan, a quiet librarian, loses her job after trying to find a difficult patron missing for a few days in the library. It ends with a misfit book club where everybody has issues but all will pitch together to help each other. Full of literarios quotes and narrated from five different point of view, the audiobook, with Andie Kane, is awesome.