This book was so informative and lovely

Emma is a single mother in 1931 she was raised by a single father till the day there bookshop went up in flames. At that time it is not proper and wrong to have married women and widows working. However Emma is raising a daughter Olivia and is in need for a job. When Emma comes across the book lovers library she lies that she is a not married or a mother and gets the job. With the help of her neighbors and the people of the library she realizes she doesn’t need to be alone. When war breaks out and Emma gets a letter to send her daughter away she is struck with the hard choice of keeping her or sending her away.

I didn’t know a lot of things what were written in this book I recommend this.

Life has never been easy for single mothers and their children, but late summer of 1939 was especially hard for young widow Emma Taylor and her daughter Olivia. With England on the brink of joining WWII, Emma is doing her best to provide for her child, but with her meager savings running low and prices rising, she is beginning to feel desperate. She would willingly work, but with a marriage bar prohibiting married women and widows with children from working most jobs, she is having a hard time finding a job that will enable her to earn a living, but still care for her daughter. Her luck seems to take a turn for the better when she happens to be in the right place at the right time – in this case, the café in Boot’s the Chemist store. She overhears a librarian resigning her position as she is to be married, and she takes the opportunity to ask about a position and is hired to work in the Boot’s Booklover’s Library – a Lending Library. But with war looming, even having a job, might not be enough to keep her daughter safe, decisions will have to be made about Olivia’s future, decisions that no parent wants to make. Keep your child close and potentially in harm’s way or send them away to live with strangers and hopefully away from air raids?

This story is a heartwarming and at times heartbreaking story of not only a woman struggling to keep her tiny family together during the war but rediscovering her own love of books and sharing that love with her daughter and the patrons of the lending library and maybe even finding a happy ending for herself. The story takes place at the start of England’s involvement in the war and gives the reader a glimpse of life in Nottingham during the terror of the blitz, as well as Emma’s volunteer efforts and her relationship with her young daughter, her friends, coworkers and library patrons. In addition to a fantastic story, fans of Ms. Martin’s novel, The Last Bookshop in London, will be delighted when Emma is sent to London and happens upon Primrose Hill Books and meets Grace and Mr. Evans. If you enjoy well-researched, emotional Homefront WWII fiction with relatable characters and literary references, then look no further, you have found your next read!

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *

The Booklover's Library was a solid four star book for me. Coming off a historical fiction that I literally could not force myself to finish, I was relieved to be drawn in to Emma's story from the start. I think probably the most interesting part of the story for me, was the conflict that Emma experienced with sending her daughter Olivia away and then bringing her back home (several times) to keep her safe from the bombing. Having read so many World War II novels, I've often read stories of families sending their children away to the countryside (both from the perspective of the child and the parent). I believe this is the first, however, where I read of a mother keeping her child with her for various stretches of time. Emma's turmoil over her decision(s) and her ensuing actions were incredibly relatable. I also loved the full cast of characters in The Booklover's Library. There were many minor characters (patrons of the library, etc.) that were still very well developed and Martin brought everyone to life.

The wonderful message of this book is community. Emma is a widow with a young daughter. She grew up with just her dad since her mother dies shortly after her birth. It was always Emma and her dad, and now Emma and her daughter, Olivia. Finding the Jo bay the Booklovers Library opened a door to a different world for Emma. She found friends, love, and community. Set during England in WW2, there are other factors that play into the story as well. An enjoyable read.

Thank you NetGalley, Hanover Square Press and Madeline Martin for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of The Booklover’s Library.
I was thoroughly immersed in this historical fiction story set in Nottingham, England during WWIi with Emma and her family. It is filled with emotion and beautiful writing about the difficulties of war and I felt I was right there with them. The Booklover’s Library was quite fascinating with how books were checked out by purchasing tiered subscriptions. Books were a rare treat and demanded respect which makes my heart happy.
This story did not center on the battles of WWIi but how people, especially women were treated, children were sent to the country for safety and how everyone worked together to survive. There were many twists and turns and I couldn’’t wait to see what happened next. There is tragedy, worry, optimism and healing and I enjoyed every minute of it.

Set in Nottingham, England with the backdrop of WwIi, this story follows Emma, a mother trying to make ends meet and keep her child safe. The characters that come alongside her only enhance her love and devotion and their support for Emma. Her love of literature and the setting of a library drew me in further to the story. The historical aspects woven into it brought the reality of the struggle of war to life. This is a beautiful story of friendship, determination, and love (yes there’s even a budding romance in it). Definitely worth another read!

The book follows the story of single mother, Emma, and her daughter, Olivia, in Nottingham, UK during World War II. Emma struggles with deciding whether to keep Olivia home or to send her away at a safer place in the countryside. She also faces all the difficulties of war while working at a bookshop. With several storylines, including a budding romance and the mystery of mis-shelved books, the book highlights the fact that reading is good for the soul.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The Booklover's Library combines well-known backdrop of World War Two with a character-drive story following a widowed mother. The story is often sad, as the era was full of tragedy, and Emma is not exempt from the goings-on of the world around her. What I loved most was the honest look at her internal monologue, trying to do the best by her daughter at all times.

I love stories about quaint old bookshops with endearing characters. I would say I prefer these type of stories for Fall Winter, but really it would be a great read any time of year!

I am a sucker for books about books, and libraries, and bookstores so this one seemed like something I would enjoy. And I did, but will say this was not a very memorable reading experience.

Don’t get me wrong. It’s a perfectly lovely book about mothers & daughters, unlikely friendships, and the power of literature to help you through horrific times. However I think I’m over the current trend of books about books, libraries, bookstores, and spunky heroines making it through WWII.

If you’re looking for a heartwarming reading experience, this is your book.

It's Emma Taylor and her daughter, Olivia, against the world. As a single parent raising a young girl, Emma takes a position at a lending library. It's something she's ideally suited for, having been raised by her widowed father who ran a bookstore until it burned down and he died. But when war threatens, she's forced to send her daughter the the countryside in case of German bombers targeting the cities. But Emma manages to find friendships - with her landlady and through the library - and together they help one another through the difficult times.

In spite of a rather slow start, I eventually found a warm and heartfelt story of friendship as well as the love of books. Emma is a very sympathetic character, having to raise her daughter alone after her husband died and on a meager pension. But the challenges she faces, along with the judgement of those around her, often make them even harder. It's an interesting look into look into life during wartime England and how ordinary people coped with the air raids and having to make hard decisions about their children. (I rec'd an advance electronic copy from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

Thank you NetGalley for this pre-release file of the Booklovers Library. All opinions are my own!
Well I am going to say this, what an enjoyable WWII book. Had a little bit of everything. Mystery, romance, horror (WWII!) …. Very enjoyable read and I highly recommend.

3.75 stars

A very readable addition to the WWII women's fiction shelf, featuring widow Emma Taylor and her daughter Olivia. Married women including widows were evidently largely prohibited from employment in Britain. Emma, who grew up in her father's bookstore before it was destroyed in a fire, gets hired at the Booklover's Library above the local drugstore. Her boss finds out her marital status but is willing to keep her secret.

We follow Emma as she navigates wartime life, wrestles with the decision of whether to send her daughter away to a safer location, deals with neighbors and co-workers and gradually heals from all the loss she has experienced. The background, around the time of Dunkirk and the Battle of Britain and the Blitz, is fascinating and wrenching.

A well-told story with characters you come to care about. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The Booklover's Library takes place in WWII England. Emma lives in Nottingham with her daughter Olivia and, despite a marriage bar that prohibits married women and widows with children from working, she gets a job at Boots pharmacy's lending library. But when air raids start to ring and the war heads their way, Emma must decide whether to send her daughter away to the country while she stays behind and works.

Throughout the book, Emma grapples with her decision, bringing Olivia back home and sending her back again. There were some scenes that I thought didn't evoke as much emotion as intended; instances that could have been stronger with a little more showing than telling.

However, there were parts that really resonated with me, especially the moments in which Emma received judgment from others around her - some judging her for sending her daughter away and others judging her for keeping her daughter home. In all of these instances, and in others where judgment was doled, Martin did a great job of showing us a character who was willing to see the bigger picture, explore the reasons these people treated her this way.

I learned a lot while reading this book -- about lending libraries, the marriage bar, the caves of Nottingham, and so much more. It is obvious from the writing that Martin is very passionate about history and I plan to check out more of Marin's work, which are all historical fiction stories with a connection to the book world.

Thank you to Thoughts From a Page podcast and to Hanover Square Books for this ARC!

Historical fiction novel that takes place in England during WWII. Emma has to make the difficult decision to evacuate her daughter during the bombing. The story focuses on friendships, support of a community helping each other and books.

I truly enjoy books that take place in a bookstore or library. This story set during the war reminds us how books get us through difficult times. This book was full of great characters, all helping each other.
It’s another good historical fiction book. Definitely recommend

Readers who enjoy historical fiction will love this book. Set in Nottingham during WWII, this well researched book follows a widowed mother forced to make hard decisions in order to care for her daughter. The rules enforced on widows were heartbreaking and cruel. The British people forged together and supported their troops in every way possible. Loved the unique characters that visited the lending library. The author’s note is very informative and not to be missed. Highly recommended!

I always look forward to the next Madeline Martin historical fiction book and have yet to be disappointed. The novel's main character is Emma, a mother who must face the hard decision of whether to evacuate her daughter, Olivia, as the Blitz is about to start. Additionally, as a widow, she’s faced with the challenge of providing for herself and Olivia and ends up working at the Boot’s Booklover’s Library. I loved the relationship the two had. I also found the history of lending libraries at the time fascinating!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Booklover’s Library. If you enjoy World War 2 fiction and books about books, pick this book up!

Thanks to Hanover Square Books and Cindy Burnett's Thoughts From a Page Early Reads Program for the advanced copy of this book!

This book should be required reading for anyone who loves books, libraries, and historical fiction. Set in WW2 England in the real-life Booklover's Library (located in Boots Chemist), this tale weaves family, loss, and a shared love of stories artfully. At a time when the world was full of danger and the horrors of war, books served as a portal to other lands and times, drawing people together. This is a beautiful tale of found family, hope, and perseverance.

Perfect for book lovers and fans of historical fiction.
The mother-daughter bond and storyline is heart-felt and you go through the pain of what families managed during wartime.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for access to this eARC.