Lucy Gilmore writes in such a way that it leaves me thinking about the story for ages afterwards. It's passionate and you genuinely feel for the characters in the book.

After I finished reading, I just sat and processed for awhile - This is a really good book and the fact that it left me sitting and thinking definitely is an indication of a good read for me.

A fun and cute bookish romance/family drams rooted in a mystery. I think anyone who loves books would enjoy this title!

I enjoyed this book very much,

I am not opposed to a well written slightly dual timeline story and this book was able to carry the story through well with the dual timeline where the past POV chapters did a good job supplementing and explaining the holes in the present POV chapters as they discussed the past. This type of book always has the potential to go into the realm of soapy and predictable but it did not do so and the ending really felt believable and realistic, The struggles of the characters were relatable and universal, and he literary thread was touching :)

oh be still my heart! I really loved this one. I loved the characters but honestly the story line was perfection. there isn't one thing I would change. I can't recommend this one enough.

The Library of Borrowed Hearts by Lucy Gilmore. Pub Date: April 30, 2024. Rating: 4 stars. In this charming novel centered around an old book that has ties to the past through notes scribbled throughout it, the reader is taken on a journey of love, friendship, relationships and a love of books. Chloe is the owner of this rare older book and her cranky older neighbor wants to buy it from her. This sparks a whirlwind journey through the past in which Chloe gets to know her cranky neighbor as he was a young man romancing a young female. This was heartwarming, lovely and packed all the positive feels. Perfect book to put you in a feel good mood. I really enjoy this author's novels. Thanks to #netgalley and #sourcebookscasablanca for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

Any book that will celebrate the power of libraries and the communities they cultivate are a win for me. Thank you for this advance copy!

I really enjoyed this book. I was under the impression that it was a romance and while there was some romance, I felt that the romance was secondary to the mystery of the plot as well as family relationships and friendships. I appreciated the character development and that multiple characters experienced growth. I enjoyed the parallels between the two love stories. I was happy to see Jasper open up and form bonds with all of the children. Overall a great read.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the chance to read an ebook of "The Library of Borrowed Hearts" by Lucy Gilmore. I had a feeling deep in my heart that I would love this book, and I was absolutely right. I recommend this book for the cozy slow burn lovers, or any fan of women's fiction. This book was so cute and refreshing, and even the cover is adorable! Multiple plot lines, multiple characters, what's not to like? I am a sucker for found family tropes.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lucy Gilmore for this arc! This book was great, but not everything that I wanted it to be! It was a struggle for me to finish; I think the concept was good but I don't think it was executed well enough for me.

The writing was not bad, which is why I know it was definitely the pacing and the plot for me.

Struggling librarian, curmudgeonly next door neighbor, and a rare edition book with a secret. What more could you ask for! This was such a heartwarmingly fun read. I was afraid this book would be too similar to the author's Lonely Hearts Book Club, but was pleasantly surprised. The literary scavenger hunt gave a nice hint of mystery to keep me going (I'm not a big romance reader).

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

My first ever book by Lucy Gilmore was the lonely hearts book club nd I loved it so much that I had such high expectation for this one. It wasn't a bad book or story, nor was it not well written but it wasn't as good as her previous book.

I loved Cloe and her siblings and their next door neighbour, Jasper Holmes, an old grouchy grouch. What I c ouldn't really understand was the ending of his and Catherine's love story.

Other than that, it was a good read.

This book was adorable! I really enjoyed it! I loved the nostalgic dual timelines & multiple points of view.

I really enjoyed that this book was a literary lovers book! I love reading books that sprinkle Hemingway quotes & mentions of the classics.

I also loved the relationship that blooms with Zach. I enjoyed that they began to investigate the relationship of Jasper & Catherine together.

The only thing I could say is that the modern day timeline fell a little flat for me, the contrast if the writing in the flashback vs the flash forward felt different.

But I truly enjoyed this book & this author 💖

The Library of Borrowed Hearts is a story of books and their ability to bring people together. Heartwarming at times, and quite infuriating at other times (Ravenna and Catherine’s choices really made my blood boil), this is a story of how Chloe and Jasper come together to save each other. I found that there were so many characters and points of view that st times it was difficult to connect or feel for them in the way I wanted to.

I really love Gilmore's writing. She is hugely talented and writes novels that make you feel good. But, The Library of Borrowed Hearts was a bit slow to develop, with so many storylines that it ultimately became convoluted. It lacked a bit of the spark that her first novel had. For that reason it just won't be memorable long term for me. But she is an author that I will continue to read!

I truly enjoyed The Library of Borrowed Hearts by Lucy Gilmore for its charming blend of romance and mystery. Chloe Sampson, a librarian juggling life's struggles, finds her world turned upside down when she uncovers a rare book with romantic marginalia. This discovery sets her on a literary scavenger hunt that intertwines her life with her reclusive neighbor, Jasper Holmes.

Gilmore’s knack for weaving heartfelt narratives shines through in Chloe’s journey. The way Chloe delves into the history of the book and the notes within echoes the author's previous works, where complex characters uncover deeper truths about themselves and others. The exploration of past loves through the book’s annotations brings an added layer of depth, reminiscent of the emotional richness found in Gilmore’s earlier novels.

While the story is engaging and the mystery intriguing, the resolution feels a bit predictable. Nevertheless, The Library of Borrowed Hearts delivers a warm, touching tale that emphasizes the unexpected connections and the healing power of love and friendship, making it a satisfying read for fans of heartfelt fiction.

The Library of Borrowed Hearts by Lucy Gilmore is a sweet dual timelines novel. Overall though it both has too much going on and not enough momentum. The multitudinous subplots detract from the main stories and overall the pacing is very slow with little pay off. Chloe is an endearing protagonist that you want to root for!

The Library of Broken Hearts is one of heartbreak, found family, complex family dynamics, true love, and a pure adoration for the written word. This novel follows Chloe, a small town librarian that had to drop everything to become the guardian of her three younger siblings when their mother ran out on them. One day she finds an extremely rare book that has notes inside, depicting a conversation between lovers in secret. Chloe goes on a hunt to find out more about these lovers and strikes up an unlikely friendship with her grouchy old neighbor, Jasper.

Switching between two timelines, present day and 1969, we follow the romance as it blooms and try to piece together where it ended. This novel did a great job making me fall in love with love and each and every one of the characters. They all added to the story in some way and I couldn’t help but root for them. One downfall, however, is that there are so many points of views as this book is divided into 4 parts. While I think some of them were necessary, others felt like they dragged the story and made this book seem a lot longer than it was. I found myself wanting to just get that POV over with and move on or wondering what a different character was thinking in this situation.

I will say, the family dynamics were incredibly interesting and there was a lot explored between Chloe’s family, Jasper’s family, and Catherine’s family. It was very complex and eye opening, I just wanted to deep dive even more.

Overall, there were just a few points in this novel that didn’t make sense to me character wise and it felt a bit slow, but I still really enjoyed my time with it. I love reading about anything book related and reading about a love story unfolding between the pages of books?? Yes please!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and SourceBooks for a copy of this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

After reading The Lonely Hearts Book Club earlier this year, I knew I had to read Lucy Gilmore latest novel. And I am so glad I did! It was such an easy story to get absorbed in right away.

Chloe's situation made me think of Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead in some ways. I felt so bad for her to have to give up her dream because her mom chose to neglect her younger siblings. Having very little money to work with was also stressful. All the supporting characters were great and there were so many surprises around every corner. I especially loved Chloe's younger brothers. One reminded me of my younger son, with his interest in science and all the facts he kept sharing. I also liked how there were different perspectives in this novel, just like with Lonely Hearts and that it went back and forth between the past and the present to fill in the whole story.

There were a couple of times when the story slowed down a bit, but then it picked right back up again, leading to a satisfying and comforting ending.

This was a charming story that you will definitely devour. I want Lucy to write many more book-themed novels.

Side note: I had a mini-book club for this novel with my friend who recommended The Lonely Hearts Book Club. We had a great time discussing it!

Movie casting suggestions:
Chloe: Annalise Basso
Jasper: F. Murray Abraham
Zach: Jacob Elordi
Catherine (1960): Oona Laurence
Jasper (1960): Jamie Flatters
William (1960): Charles Vandervaart

Books about books are always my jam. Throw in cranky curmudgeon neighbors and mysterious love stories within the pages of classic books and you have a story that will grab you. There are some slow moments and plenty of drama which is par for the course when you have a story that has duel timelines and several POV'S but there are also some serious moments and twists that had me feeling all kinds of happy and thoughtful.

The Library of Borrowed Hearts was suggested to me since I had previously read and enjoyed Lucy Gilmore’s other book,The Lonely Hearts Bookclub. If I am being honest, had Netgalley not suggested it, I would have never read it. That would be an utter shame as it was a beautiful story, so much so that it is in the running for my favorite read of 2024.

Chloe Sampson isn’t your ordinary twenty something. After returning home to care for her three younger siblings, she was forced to give up her dreams of becoming a librarian. Tasked with the insurmountable job of providing a roof over the head, food to eat, and medical care, she is barely making ends meet. Until one day she discovers a banned book that might hold the key to her money woes.

I am a sucker for dual timelines and multiple points of view; both of which Gilmore effortlessly provides in her latest novel. Alternating between present day, the 1960s, and five different POVs readers are invited to witness two unique love stories that center around banned books.

Gilmore choosing to center the love stories around banned books, opened the door for an important discussion. She calls into question what criteria should be used to deem a book inappropriate, or if it is merely censorship. This is a fascinating topic that deserves to be addressed more.

Special thanks to Netgalley, Sourcebooks Casablanca, and Lucy Gilmore for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.