4.5 Stars
Genre - cozy, romance, relationship fiction, historical fiction (one timeline is set in the '60s)
Tone - self-indulgent, referential, bittersweet
Tropes & devices - dual timelines, multi-POV, found family, curmudgeonly neighbor, books about books
Reps - minor characters are "Native American"; ND minor character (autism?)
CW - explicit language, brief reference to drug consumption, explicit references to sex / some sensual scenes; parental abandonment & CPS involvement, parentification, childhood poverty; military characters and settings / Pearl Harbor mention, misogyny/sexism/paternalism; brief mentions of social justice themes & censorship; bullying; surprise pregnancy.

This is the second book by Lucy Gilmore that I've devoured - The Lonely Hearts Book Club was also full of library workers and book references (and a curmudgeonly old man character, of course). This dual-timeline double romance, written from the character perspective each moment needs most, features themes of found family, familial obligation, forgiveness, and deferred dreams. These deep themes don't detract from the cozy small-town vibes and yearning gothic-tinged romance, though there are twists and emotional rollercoasters. Chloe's dedication to her family is endearing as much as it can be frustrating; and C and J's romance reminded me of the whirlwind drama of a first love in a way that both enthralled and enraged me at different times. The ending felt fitting, given the literary references throughout. I would recommend to fans of Gilmore's last book, and would suggest fans try Mrs. Quinn's Rise to Fame and How to Solve Your Own Murder.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Chloe Sampson is a librarian who’s barely making ends meet since her mother decided to leave five years ago. Chloe is the sole guardian of her three younger siblings; Trixie, Theo, and Noodle who are rowdy but lovable.

While Chloe, and her friend Pepper, clean out old outdated books from the library’s basement, Chloe stumbles upon a banned copy of Tropic of Cancer. When she flips through the pages, she sees love notes written in the margins between two people who are named C and J. Chloe was hoping to sell the book, but now she’s invested in this love story that took place sixty years ago. Her grumpy old neighbor, Jasper, may have the answers she’s looking for when he opens up about the only love of his life, Catherine.

I thought I couldn’t love a book more than The Lonely Hearts Book Club, but this is my most favorite by Lucy Gilmore. While they both had crotchety old men, I feel like Jasper’s story was heart wrenching, yet beautiful. I enjoyed the multiple POV’s, but was smitten with the love story between Jasper and Catherine.

I’ve seen other reviews complaining that the story just ended without explanation, but I feel as though the author left it up to readers to finish the story in their own minds.

3.5 ⭐️ rounded down

Any book that is about books or libraries or bookstores always draw my attention. This was a cute piece of fiction about Chloe, and her desire to learn about her grouchy neighbor's love story from the past.

Told in two different timelines and multiple POVs, I found I really enjoyed the present day timeline from Chloe's POV most. Chloe, our main character, has custody over her three younger siblings and works at the local library to support her family. It is at her job, that she runs across the books with notes in the margins. She quickly realizes that these notes are a growing love story between two people from the past, and she starts trying to find all the books they wrote in so she can see how their romance ends.

Alternatively, the 1960s timeline follows Jasper, an ex-logger and Chloe's neighbor, and his blossoming romance with Catherine, who is the daughter of a military officer.

Frankly, I didn't enjoy Jasper and Catherine's story, but I did love how Jasper's life finally became intertwined with Chloe's and her siblings. He genuinely came to care for Chloe, and helped her in her time of need with her little siblings and that was probably the most heartwarming part of this story in my personal opinion.

**Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review of this book. **

If you discovered a lost secret in a secondhand book, would you try to solve it? Chloe is a young librarian that is overwhelmed with the role of legal guardian of her three young rambunctious siblings. Tucked away in the library basement she finds a book inscribed with romantic love notes in the margins and embarks on a literary scavenger hunt. Throughout her detective work, Chloe discovers an unexpected friendship in the town curmudgeon and a love story than spans six decades. Author Lucy Gilmore crafted a storyline that explores multiple themes and POVs without becoming convoluted..

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📚: Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for sending me a copy to review.

⚠️TW: Parent abandonment

Thank you to netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for a digital arc in exchange for an honest review! My true rating of The Library of Borrowed Hearts is a 3.5, but rounded down to 3 stars.

I thought the novel itself was cute—I loved the premise of the novel and the split narration between modern day and the 60's. I just felt like the execution could have been better—between the pacing, the narration, and the overall details.

Overall, I enjoyed the plot—trying to crack the code between lovers through the margins of books? Sign me up! I enjoyed all the ways the split stories connected over the course of the novel, as Chloe pieces it together. I also had such a fond spot for Jasper's character—his growth was a high point of the novel for me.

However, I feel as though The Library of Borrowed Hearts tried to do too much in too little pages. The pacing felt off at times—sometimes we were spending a lot of detail and attention on something but then rushing through the next part for what felt like no reason. It was a bit clunky and I feel like it could have used a few more chapters to just smooth everything out. I also feel like we had a few too many POVs. I personally enjoy multiple perspectives but we didn't need as many as we go.

I think this was a cute, quick read but it wasn't my favorite read of the year.

The Library of Borrowed Hearts
Lucy Gilmore

“Your blood coagulates beautifully,” he said.
“I beg your pardon?”

I deeply enjoyed this book but was left wanting more. I continually felt like it could be kicked up a notch. It was sweet and somewhat sad in certain measures, but overall hopeful. All’s well that ends well and that was it but I wanted direct proof, at least a chapter of the eluded ending. It just kind of stoped, admittedly with gained wisdom and confidence that the path was well trodden and assured. But I wanted more. For a romance book, I found the romance rather lacking. Give me more!

“You didn’t just open the gates and invite the enemy in. Shakespeare didn’t say it first, but he certainly said it best: that way madness lies.”

Life isn’t hard to manage when you’ve nothing to lose. This book is set over two timelines, the 1960s historically timeline revolves around Catherine and Jasper. And touches on issues that were relevant to that time and a forbidden romance.

The contemporary POVs were varied but mostly centred on Chloe and the struggles she encounters being the legal guardian for her 3 younger siblings and struggling to make ends meet. Jasper is the key crossover character, Chloe’s next door neighbour and famous in their town for being rather antisocial and unpleasant.

“Everyone’s heart breaks at least once in a lifetime. It’s as inevitable as falling in love. The real challenge is deciding what you plan to do about it.”

Found family fans rejoice. This is set in a small community and Chloe can’t survive without the cast of friends, coworkers and acquaintances that help steer her along.

“Be with me always - take any form - drive me mad,” he quoted, his throat raw. “Only do not leave me in this abyss where I cannot find you.”

Zach, kept me going! Zach the saviour, is rugged and has a kind of pick up artist charm about him.

I adored the literary quotes scattered throughout this novel!

“Forget the past,” she quoted. “Let the dead bury the dead. Things are working out fine, and that’s the only thing you have to remember.”

I actually added another of Lucy Gilmore’s books to my Wishlist, The Lonely Hearts Bookclub. I definitely enjoyed The Library of Borrowed Hearts and would categories it as an easy read, much like a nice palette cleanser.

The Library of Borrowed Hearts is published 30th April. Huge thanks to @sourcebooks & @sourcebookscasa & @netgalley.

🐝𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐋𝐮𝐜𝐲 𝐆𝐢𝐥𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞🐝

Chloe works as an Assistant Librarian and takes care of her three younger siblings after her mother left them years ago. One day, she finds a rare edition of a banned book from the 60s among the discarded library books and brings it home with her. Jasper, her cranky neighbor, offers to buy it for a suspiciously high price, and Chloe discovers that the book is even more special than just the rarity of the book itself. The book contains a significant and unique story handwritten on the margins of the book, and one of the protagonists is no other than her neighbor. She decides to embark on a quest to find all the books to complete the story and discover what happened between Jasper and his first love.

This book has a dual timeline, present time and past (back to the 1960s). The story was sooo beautiful! I loved the writing and the books references. I did enjoy the 1960s story more than the present story, but they complemented each other so well. If you like a scavenger-hunt-like type of story, you will like this.

I’ll give this book 4.5/5

The release is on April 30!💖

Huge thanks to both Netgalley and Lucy Gilmore for the ARC.

“She’s a beautiful, entitled, cruel whirlwind of a girl, and I love her so much that nothing she says or does would ever change that.”

✨ Librarian romance
✨ Star-crossed lovers
✨ Dual story/timeline
✨ Bookish scavenger hunt
✨ Found family
✨ Love story recovery
✨ Current-day MMC gives golden retriever vibes and 1960s MMC is the epitome of grumpy
✨ Neurodivergent coding

Chloe’s adult life has been spent caring for her three siblings and struggling to make ends meet with her job as a librarian. One day she finds an old book in the library basement with conversations written in the margins. As she seeks to recover the a lost story of lovers, she uncovers more of herself and forms an unexpected friendship with her grumpy-old-man neighbor.

What a fun premise! I really loved the overall plot and enjoyed getting to know Chloe and Jasper. I also appreciated the neurodivergent coding of multiple characters and felt it was done well.

There were a few things I struggled with while reading that caused me to deduct stars. The narration was not consistent between first and third person and the number of POVs was unnecessarily large. Neither a huge deal, but did pull me out of the story on a few occasions. My other issue was the book attempting to tell two stories in a single, short novel. I had the same problem with The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros, and I feel like both ended with two incomplete stories. There were a few plot points in this book that would have been more believable and less jarring if there had been page space to develop them at a slower pace.

Overall a fun read and a must for those who love library-based stories!

Have you ever seen a written note on a page in a secondhand book or a library book? Ever wondered who the person was that wrote such a note? The Library of Borrowed Hearts is a book that delves into the lives of two couples in Colville, WA, and the little notes that people leave, inside both books and our hearts.

Chloe Sampson is struggling to survive. After her mother ran off, leaving three children to fend for themselves, Chloe does what any big sister would do. She drops out of college and returns home to raise them. Every week is a struggle to put food on the table, especially with her low-paying job at the Colville Public Library. One day she gets a glimmer of hope when discovers a rare book that is about to be thrown out. Suddenly Chloe sees herself being able to sell the book and earn a little extra money for her family. However, this isn't any ordinary book. Inside the book are messages back and forth between two people, written decades ago. Chloe, along with her friend and librarian Pepper, start a literary scavenger hunt to find other books and clues to the identity of the two star-crossed lovers that wrote to each other. One who turns out to be her curmudgeonly neighbour, Jasper Holmes.

Before I start let me tell you something.... I judged this book by its cover. I thought it would be another cute romcom. I love romcoms, especially the cute light-hearted variety, set in a bookstore or library. While The Library of Borrowed Hearts has romantic elements, it is so much more! Within the pages it tore my heart apart, put it back together and left me emotionally raw. All in a good way!

The story splits between current day and 1960. The two stories quickly reached out to me and grabbed hold and wouldn't let go. Over the course of a couple of days I kept sneaking more time with this book, unable to put it down. Lucy Gilmore has definitely written a book that is very more-ish! I just couldn't get enough of Chloe Sampson and her quest to find out more about Jasper and Catherine.

"Like opening the cover of a book for the first time, it was the sensation of the world opening up before me."

The Library of Borrowed Hearts is such a beautiful story of lives lived, with all their complications and drama that come with that. It took me on a rollercoaster of emotions that made me examine my own life, and for that I will always and forever remember this book! If you are looking for a summer read that is more than it appears to be, I highly recommend this one. It is not a book you will forget in a hurry!

I listened to this one on audio, and the narration was absolutely perfect. I liked that they have used a cast of voices, as the story flips back and forth between different perspectives. The narrator choices were so spot on, that when I switched over to the e-book I kept hearing their voices in my head. If audiobooks are your thing, I highly recommend listening to this on audio.

Chloe Sampson is barely keeping it together. Being in charge of three quirky siblings is not where she expected to be but what else could she do when their mother decided to leave? Trading college for a job at the library to make ends meet, it leads her to an unexpected discovery and sends her on a search for answers. Who were the people writing love notes to each other in books? What happened to them and where are they now? What does it have to do with her grumpy old neighbor? Chloe sets out to solve the mystery and meets some real characters along the way. She discovers she had more than she realized all along and it truly does take a village. This story was touching, surprising and real. And as someone who tends to forget to listen to their audiobook while it's still going, I enjoyed this one very much. The voices were pleasant and did a great job with different voices for each of the characters.

I so much enjoyed The Library of Borrowed Hearts. I love stories centered around books, reading, libraries, etc.; throw in some romance and family bonds and I am sold. I loved the quotes and references to classic novels and the multiple POV in this book. I was never bored and was always eager to pick it up. The Library of Borrowed Hearts is a contender for my top 10 books of 2024.

Thank you to NetGalley, SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca, and Lucy Gilmore for this advanced reader copy. The Library of Borrowed Hearts publishes on April 30, 2024. I strongly encourage you to pick it up!

As a librarian, it is hard not to like a story about a librarian and the love of books. Chloe's story and her literary scavenger pulled me in. I definitely enjoyed this book. With loads of really likeable characters, it was a cosy read. I always enjoy stories in different timelines and this one was no different. The development of the story was a bit predictable, but all of the warm characters more than made up for that for me. I enjoyed stepping into their little world!

Thanks to the publisher for providing a free copy in exchange for this review!

Gilmore has created a solid read with "The Library of Borrowed Hearts" that includes found family, classic literature, and a little romance.

Twenty-something Chloe has a lot on her plate: she's the sole caretaker of her three younger siblings and is just getting by on a library worker's salary. Chloe finds solace in the classic literature that she finds in the basement of the library, and during a deep cleaning, finds old correspondence written in the margins of one of the books. This isn't just any correspondence, however: it's a secret romance! And when Chloe's cranky neighbor Jasper offers $5,000 for the book, it doesn't take long for Chloe to realize he has something to do with the secrets in the margins. With the help of a sweet local wilderness trainer, Zach, the duo works to unravel the decades-old mystery.

Gilmore highlights the themes of familial trauma and found family here, but leaves the reader hanging with an uncharacteristically abrupt ending. I'm not saying that every novel needs an epilogue, but it would have fit seamlessly here considering the extensive work Gilmore put into the characterization of Chloe, Jasper, and the rest of the characters.

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

Sometimes when I really love a book, I have a hard time writing a review! That’s the case for me with The Library of Borrowed Hearts. I just loved everything about this book: the setting, the characters, and the story.

We are in a small town in Washington State, a town that used to host an Air Force command of some sort (I recently read another book that talked about the air defense installations along our northern border, from back in the Cold War, so I guess this was one of those). Some of the chapters take place in the present day and others in 1960. Not to worry - they are clearly labeled.

In the present day, we have Chloe, who had to drop out of college, where she was pursuing a library degree, to take care of her three younger siblings after their single mother up and left. Chloe’s not really resentful, but she sure is struggling, mainly financially. Her job at the local library doesn’t pay much since she’s not a “real” librarian. One day she’s assigned to get rid of all the old books in the basement, where she comes across a copy of the spicy Tropic of Cancer, that was outright banned in the US when it came out in the 1930s. In 1960, it was still banned, and this copy was printed in Mexico a few years earlier. Chloe grabs it, thinking she could sell it for some much-needed funds, but upon further inspection, she finds writing in the margins and realizes the book won’t be worth that much. However, after looking at it some more, she realizes that the notes are a conversation between two people who were in love, and she wants to know more!

Jasper lives next door and at first you think he’s going to be the stereotypical curmudgeonly old man (“Get off my lawn!”). When he finds out about the book, he offers Chloe a lot of money for it and she realizes that he had to be one of the people whose writing is in the book. Thus starts a scavenger hunt of sorts to find the other books this young couple used for passing messages to each other.

This was so heart-warming. One of my favorite themes is found family and if that’s a favorite of yours too, pick up this book! I also loved that there weren’t any neatly tied-up happy endings, even though the ending was definitely optimistic.

None of the characters were cardboard cut-outs. Each of the younger siblings had distinct personalities, especially Theo, who liked to try science experiments that didn’t always end up well. Catherine was a complex person, and I admired her ambitions, especially given the societal pressures in 1960 to just marry and raise children. However, while meaning well, she certainly hurt others along the way.

The audiobook was terrific, with different narrators for a few of the different characters, including one for one of Chloe’s young brothers.

This was my first book by Lucy Gilmore and it will certainly not be the last one.

I bounced between the audiobook and the ebook for this title, which was very convenient, and allowed me to continue with the story even when I could not sit down and read - or when I could not listen.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book and to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

For readers who:

- like contemporary fiction
- love libraries and bookstores and books
- adore famous book quotes woven into the plot
- loved 'The Bookish Lofe of Nina Hill'
- know that not every love story is romantic

SYNOPSIS: Years ago, Chloe's mother walked out on her younger 3 children, and Chloe had to leave college to come back home and raise her siblings. Now she works as underpaid staff at the library in her tiny hometown, feeling like she'll never escape. But as she and her best friend are cleaning out the library archives, they come across love notes scribbled in the margins of some of the booksbetween two young lovers from the 1960s. Suddenly, Chloe finds that her way to escape the hardships of her life is to dive headfirst into the mystery of who these young lovers were and whether or not they stayed together in the end.

Last year, The Lonely Hearts Book Club by Lucy Gilmore was one of my favorite feel-good books of the year. This year, her new novel, The Library of Borrowed Hearts is my new favorite feel good. I loved the characters and how they interacted and how they developed and grew. I adored her appreciation for people who are different. And the story that was formed and molded around a couple's book quotes - everything from Wuthering Heights to Pyscho - made my bookworm heart so happy.

loved chloe and her siblings and that she tries to solve the mystery of who is writing in the books and take care of her siblings. she deals with an absent mom and has good friends and she even finds love but not all found love and not all had an easy life.

A charming novel that blends romance, mystery, and the magic of books. Initially, I found myself hesitant since I didn’t like how the book began, but as I persevered, the story unfolded into something unexpectedly heartwarming. The characters—Chloe, Jasper, and the others—come alive, their struggles and growth adding depth to the tale.

Chloe Sampson, a librarian juggling a low-paying part-time job and the guardianship of her three younger siblings, finds a rare edition of a once-banned book. But it’s not the book that captures her—it’s the marginalia. Notes from star-crossed lovers that reveal a forbidden romance.

Jasper Holmes, her grumpy neighbor. Once terrifying for Chloe and her siblings, their friendship warms as they unravel the mystery together. But this isn’t just about love in the margins; it’s about the lives behind the words.

When things slowed down, I switched between audiobook and written pages. And it was in the final third that the magic truly happened. The friendships across age groups resonated, and the coming-of-age moments felt endearing.

I guess this is another case of embracing the unexpected when you are ready to give up.

Chloe Sampson is juggling the responsibilities of caring for her siblings while working at her local library. When she discovers a rare book with romantic notes between two lovers from the 1960's which may belong to her grumpy neighbor, Jasper Holmes, she tries to unravel the secrets hidden within the pages. She ultimately forges an unexpected bond with Jasper and discovers the power of love and friendship in the most unexpected places.

So many things about this book had me truly giddy...siblings taking care of siblings, the grumpy next door neighbor, the librarian MC, a book about books, back and forth letters/star crossed lovers, dual timelines and found family!! I simply could not get enough of all of these themes.

So much self growth and emotional moments in this one. The characters were loveable and the way the side characters' stories were intertwined into the main plot was written so exceptionally well.

If you're looking for a thoughtful, layered read with cute kids, a dog, a gorgeous love interest along with harder topics of grief, hardship and toxic parenting..definitely pick this one up.

This is my first read by the author but won’t be the last since I’ve had Lonely Hearts Book Club on my shelf for too long!

In Library of Borrowed Hearts we meet Chloe who has been doing her best since she had to drop out of college to take care of her three younger siblings after their mom abandoned them. But she's struggling, barely getting by. But when she's cleaning out the basement storage at the library, she finds a hidden early bootleg edition of Tropic of Cancer. So, she decides to take it and sell it since all the books in the basement were bound for the trash. But when she investigates more, she finds that it contains a bookish conversation and some flirting from two people and she's hooked. She must find out who these people are and know their story! I liked the curmudgeonly neighbor, though other than our first intro to him, he didn't really seem all that much of a grump. I'm also a sucker for a found family story and this one fits the bill to me.

The main thing this book has reminded me of is exactly how exciting I find a dual timeline and multiple perspectives. Truly, shuttling between the 60s and the present in a book about books couldn't have been done better.

"The world takes you at your word. Mkae sure the thing you're telling them is what you want them to hear."

Peppered with unexpected wisdom nuggets, this has truly been a heartwarming read. Thank you NetGalley for my advance copy.