A mother and daughter during WWII in Nottingham, England. Emma needs a job and widows and mothers with children are not allowed to have one. She persuades the manager of the Booklovers Library to give her a chance. When the Blitz hits Nottingham does she evacuate her daughter to the country or keep her home. Wonderful story of books and family, I loved it!

Ohhh, this book is gorgeous!

I had high expectations after reading (and loving) The Last Bookshop in London many moons ago, and this read did not disappoint. Martin continues to write near-flawlessly, as well as educate me on aspects of WWII I knew little to nothing about. (It still amazes me, how much more there is to write on the topic; I've read enough of Sarah Sundin, too, to marvel at that. But it's true.)

I was reminded while reviewing this that I have a few more of Martin's WWII books on my shelf; methinks I'll have to move them up on my TBR list!

Fans of _Last Bookshop_ will certainly enjoy this read as well. It's fantastic, and I'm truly sad to see it end. When is her next book coming out? ;)

I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

A heartwarming tale of a woman navigating England as an orphan, widow, and mother during the years of WWII. I appreciate all of Madeline Martin’s research to make a work of fiction as remarkably historically accurate as possible. It was a great story from start to finish in which I fell in love with all the characters. Emma was a strong main character with many hardships. Being a widowed mother during that time period was exceedingly difficult as the widowed women with children were treated the same as married women and were expected not to work. I am glad that Emma was able to become a trailblazer by being a widow that the manageress of the Booklover’s Library took a chance on.

The fact that the story shows how community helps heal and provide support during difficult times was refreshing! Emma’s friends helped her through the tough decisions regarding her daughter filled me with appreciation. Near the end of the book, so much had happened and I was actually cheering for their happy ending even though I knew there could be a possibility of there not being one. Many families during WWII did not have a happy ending. It was good that the author also showed this possibility.

I highly recommend reading this if you enjoy historical fiction, especially stories from the WWII genre.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for allowing me to review this book. All opinions are mine alone.

I'm very saddened to say I was unable to get into this book. I loved the idea and was hoping to get sucked right into this story, but I didn't. I wish both the author and publisher much success upon it's release.

Madeline Martin has written a few book related novels set during WWII and I have enjoyed each one, but this one…this one takes the cake. I cried, I laughed, I gasped…it touched so many emotions.

Emma, a widow with a young daughter living in Nottingham, England, gets a job at Boot’s lending library. The manageress took a gamble on hiring her, as married women and widows were not allowed to hold certain jobs in this time period. When Hitler’s army begins bombing the cities, Emma sends her daughter away to the country where she hopes it will be safer, per the British government.

This story is truly wonderful and if you love books about books, or WWII historical fiction, I highly recommend it. It’s a tale of community, love and friendship, and how literature can change your life.

Thank you to @harlequinbooks and @netgalley for an advanced copy of The Booklover’s Library by Madeline Martin. It will be out on September 10, 2024.

Emma Taylor was a widow, trying to provide for her daughter during WWII England, and finds a job at The Booklover’s Library. This story is a love letter to books, and the power of reading as Emma navigates being a single mother during a war.

I enjoyed this book and the many references to different books. The characters were well developed, and I truly empathized with the struggles that Emma faced throughout the book. The historical information about the war, and that time period were interesting and the story kept me engaged throughout. Overall, it was an enjoyable read!

#booklover #historicalfiction #historicalfictionbooks #bookworm #booknerd #netgalley #thebookloverslibrary

Thanks to Netgalley & Harlequin Trade Publishing for the E-ARC! Absolutely loved!! Beautiful writing style & loved the setting. New favorite author.

Booklovers rejoice, we have received a love note to readers. So, yes this book will mention Anne of Green Gables and Jane Austin!. Set in London in WW II, the author illustrates how books can help a reader cope, grow and reach out to others. The story is heartwarming and yet manages to include a few very tense moments involving a child. Be prepared to read just one more chapter.

Thank you to Netgalley, Cindy Burnett from Thoughts from a Page and Hanover Square Press.

The Booklover's Library by Madeline Martin is a story about a young, widowed mother trying to support her daughter and stay alive during World War 2 in England. It is an interesting, easy to read story about how the war impacted everyday life in tiny communities throughout England. This is an enjoyable read, especially if you are interested in the details of small town life during this time.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book. My opinions are my own.

A captivating historical novel about a mother regaining her independence though books and friends as WWII ravages England, threatening the ones she loves most.

I adored Emma and her quest to find joy again through books which had been her whole world until tragedy struck her as a young woman. I love the way Martin explores what it means to be a devoted mother, especially during a war where the wrong choice meant death. I can’t imagine being in Emma’s shoes as she made a decision on where her daughter would be safest during the war. Plus the worry over having to live with the judgment of others was another added stress.

I loved learning more about life in an English town outside of London during the Blitz. Martin does a fantastic job at making the reader feel the rumble of the bombs and the smell of the smoke as the Battle of Britain comes to Nottingham. My heart was racing several times as Emma and the other characters ran for their lives. I also loved all of the historical details about the lending libraries and now want to visit one myself on my next trip! Plus the romance in the story was pitch-perfect and refreshing.

Exploring motherhood during wartime is one of my favorite subjects in historical fiction, and this book will be added to my list of top reads! I thoroughly enjoyed it and couldn’t put it down! Thanks to Cindy at Thoughts from a Page for the opportunity to meet with the author and to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC.

Thank you to Net Galley and Harlequin Publishing for an early copy of The Booklover's Library by Madeline Martin

Author Madeline Martin has once again placed readers in the terrifying theater of World War II England as everyday people struggle with food shortages, bombings by Nazi aircraft and the agonizing dilemma of whether to send one's children away from London and to strangers in the countryside.

One such parent is widow Emma Taylor. Raised by her father who perishes in their bookshop fire, Emma must hide the fact that she has been married and has a child as the attitudes in England of the time demand that married women and mothers do not work. She gains employment at the Booklover's Library, a private lending library in London as she struggles with how to keep her young daughter Olivia safe.

The novel digs deep into the heartbreak of separated families who worry constantly about their children's welfare and the effect that the war has on the young. While Emma has moments of joy among newfound friends and members of the lending library, Olivia is never far from her thoughts.

Strong character development, the importance of relationships in trying times and newfound love will keep readers engaged in author Martin's latest writing and at the conclusion will be looking forward to more.

This book was gripping and hard to put down. It didn't feel like everything else you see out there, it felt very fresh. I really enjoyed this book!

Emma is a widowed mother living in Nottingham, England when war begins. She is struggling to support her daughter since it is illegal for her to work due to the Marriage Ban. When an opportunity arises at Boots’ Lending Library, she introduces herself as “Miss” Taylor and lands a job. When the government decides that the children should be evacuated from the large cities for their safety, Emma has to decide whether she can let her daughter go. She is the only family she has left. What follows is a testament to a mother’s love and the impossible choices one makes to keep a child safe.

This is purely a Homefront novel. It will appeal to readers who prefer their WWII fiction on the lighter side, including a bit of romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

A pull-at-your-heartstrings story of a widow balancing motherhood, both a need and a desire for employment, and the consequences of a country at war.

Emma, a bibliophile with a gift for reader’s advisory, both desperately needs employment to support herself and her daughter, but also desires to carve something out for herself in an era that often doesn’t allow widows and married women to work. Emma must hide her identity to secure a position at an esteemed lending library, and meets other women like herself struggling with policies of the marriage bar. I especially sympathized with Emma’s coworker and friend, struggling with the decision to marry her fiancé before he left for war, but prolonging their engagement meant that she would remain employed- a necessity should her fiancé not return. The story sets itself apart from other WW2-era fiction by focusing on the impact of the marriage bar during wartime, and I consider any historical fiction that prompts me to do my own research and learn something new, a big win.

The book also centers around the gut-wrenching choice that parents had to make regarding the evacuation of their children during wartime. It depicts the complexity of this decision well, because it wasn’t always as black-and-white as history can make it out to be. Sending your children out of a major city could protect them from air raids, but it could also put them at risk for abuse or mistreatment, as you had limited to no control of their placement. As a mother myself, the passages of Emma grappling with this impossible choice were heartbreaking.

I enjoyed Emma’s strength and determination to take care of her daughter and herself. There are some well-developed friendships that added to the depth of Emma’s character, but I did not think that the romantic subplot was needed. It felt forced, and in a way, it detracted from the women’s battles against the marriage bar that solely identified them by their marital status. This would have a been a stronger story for me if it had fully leaned into Emma making her own way for herself and her daughter, but it was still an impactful read that book lovers, historical fiction fans, and women’s fiction readers will enjoy.

The Booklover’s Library by Madeline Martin is not your average WWII novel. She brings in new pieces of history. Without any spoilers, there are so many nuggets and nuances of history that many WWII novels miss.

Books save and heal; any book lover needs to read this novel. Strong communities were also portrayed. Emma, the main character, ended up surrounding herself around other fellow book lovers and it got her through the war.

Emma had so much grief to endure, and had life altering decisions no woman or mother wants to face.

The author highlighted the marriage bar which was a new historical detail I was not familiar with. No matter where Emma was at in her life, she and other women were at a disadvantage to obtain employment or maintain their employment.

The characters and the novel have so much depth; you felt you really knew the characters and the setting. (Be sure to read the author’s note as the author adds her own personal touches which made the novel so immersive).

This novel teaches us that books are everything. It’s a way to learn, laugh, cry, heal, conversate, and escape amidst the difficulties of the world, which still rings true to present day.

Read this if you love:
-all things books/libraries/bookstores
-want to read about loving characters who feel like friends
-loved the Underground Library by Jennifer Ryan

4.5 stars rounded up.

Thank you to Cindy Burnett with the Thoughts From a Page podcast / Page Turners Patreon group for arranging ARC copies. Thank you to the publisher Hanover Square Press; the author; and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for a review.

The main characters, Emma Taylor and her daughter Olivia, immediately pulled me in. The events tug at your heartstrings as the author portrays the hardship of having to choose between endangering her daughter and sending her away to live with strangers.

I like the author's insights into this historical period, especially since it was based on genuine incidents from when children were evacuated in WWII. This account is unlike anything I've ever read on the subject. This is a must-read for those who appreciate WWII stories and love books. It was exciting to learn that the Book Lover's Library was real! This is a fascinating and heartbreaking read that would be ideal for your next book club pick. This is the first book I’ve read by Madeline Martin; it won’t be the last.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I requested and received a copy of this book by the publisher and NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Nora St Laurent
TBCN: Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog: https://psalm516.blogspot.com/

This book has me torn. I did like and appreciate the story line. It centered around what books can do for a person during times of extreme emotion. Notably during Hitler’s reign in World War II and the turmoil that followed. In those times, married women and widowed women were not allowed to work. As the war waged on, this would change. The parts of this book that were written around the lending library and picking out books for certain people based on their tastes were what saved this book.

I had trouble with the back and forth of sending the main characters daughter away. She’d be gone and then she’d be back. I found this back and forth unnecessary. Plus, without spoilers, there was a little something added into the end that maybe could have been useful earlier in the book, but I feel like it added nothing at the end.

Overall, a pretty solid read.

Thank you to Netgalley and publishers for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I grew up reading because of my parents, but the books I love to read are because of my mother. So reading about a mother daughter duo who love books and it brings them together warms my heart.

This is a cozy feel good novel, perfect if you are in a reading slump or if you want to cry about your relationship with your mother.

I absolutely loved this book. I'm not huge on historical fiction but this book grabbed me and pulled me in for days. It's longer than most books I read so it took me a bit longer to finish but that doesn't mean I enjoyed it any less.

Emma and Olivia (Emma's daughter) is one of the most adorable and amazing relationships between mother and daughter. I just absolutely loved their connection and how Emma had to make so many difficult decisions.

The house they lived in had a bunch of fun characters and they all become very important in Emma and Olivia's lives.

Beautifully written and feel good novel set in the midst of WWII

The Booklover's Library, by Madeline Martin, is an intimate look at one woman's life in England during World War II. I've read a bunch of WWII fiction and non-fiction and sometimes get bored of the topic, but this book stands on its own. More than being about WWII, it is about the love of a mother for her daughter and the lengths she will go to protect her. It is also about the community that can be built around a love of books. The author's note at the end reminded me that these are universal experiences, which is why I believe the book touched me so deeply.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC; all opinions are my own.