The premise and the overall plot is decent, but the writing was a little disappointing. It’s also possible I’m not the target demographic for this. I think I would’ve enjoyed this more if I were older.

We hear over and over again about how much Emma misses Olivia and how sweet she is, but I would’ve liked it to be shown rather than stated. I also disliked the romance in the book. There was no buildup, no chemistry- it’s merely stated that he’s extremely handsome, and they run into each other, and then he wants to take her out to dinner. It didn’t make much sense to me so I didn’t care to read about it.

There are lots of moments that I think I would’ve really liked - the rabbit, Mr. Sanderson, etc. There are also lots of important topics in here - how women weren’t able to work if they were married, widowed, etc, but I feel like they weren’t discussed enough? Or at least weren’t very impactful? I think adding a love interest in general was disappointing for me. I would’ve liked to see more about how Emma (and other widowed women with children at the time) overcame the obstacles to make a life for their family. Instead, she and Margaret and literally everybody ended up marrying a man to find happiness.

Thank you to Hanover Square Press and NetGalley for an advance readers copy of this book.

This novel is a well-researched depiction of women’s lives in World War II Britain. Focusing on fictitious Emma Taylor, a widow with a little girl, it brings to light the legal “marriage bars” from the 19th century that were still in effect until the 1970s. These rules made it almost impossible for married women to work, and that included widows with children.

The premise is engaging and thoughtful, also exploring the issue of separating parents and children by evacuating them from larger cities likely to be bombed as WWII progressed.

However, the melodramatic writing and too-long episodes made it difficult for me to get through it. Some of the dialog is stiff, and certain word choices, used repeatedly and inaccurately, such as “tenement” for the house with three flats in which Emma lives, were off-putting.

There definitely is drama and romance, if rather predictable. A lighter and perhaps tighter touch could have provided a better vehicle for the distressing dilemmas the characters face.

I learned so much about wartime London in this new book from Madeline Martin. I did not know how many children where sent out of cities, away from their parents, during wartime, but that's the choice facing single mother & widow Emma Taylor. I also didn't realize that married women/ widowed women couldn't work during this time. These poor women! The book never plays Emma and her daughter Olivia as victims, though. They're both wonderfully developed characters, and I found myself enjoying their story-- and that's before we went to the Booklover's Library! It was enjoyable to spend so much of the story in a place that must have brought so much joy and comfort to wartime London. I recommend!

Thoroughly enjoyed this slice of life yet somehow hard-hitting piece of historical fiction that didn't shy away from aspects of war on the home front that I hadn't thought about before, not being a mother myself. It was easy to follow and possibly to predict, but sometimes you really want that comfort from a book with interesting and sympathetic characters.

The Booklover's Library by Madeline Martin is a thrilling novel set during World War II. In England, widow Emma Taylor finds herself in dire need of a job. She and her daughter Olivia have always managed just fine on their own, but with the legal restrictions prohibiting widows with children from most employment opportunities, she’s left with only one option: persuading the manageress at Boots’ Booklover’s Library to take a chance on her with a job. With the threat of war in England, Olivia must be evacuated to the countryside. In the wake of being separated from her daughter, Emma seeks solace in the unlikely friendships she forms with her neighbors and coworkers. But the job doesn’t come without its hardships as books are mysteriously misshelved and disappearing and the work

Martin does a wonderful job creating an inspirational story of bravery and courage during World War II. The Keeper of Hidden Books had me turning the pages to the very end. This book is an easy 4 stars. I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves historical fiction.

I received a free advanced copy and all opinions are my own. I would like to offer my sincerest gratitude to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Another 5-star read by Madeline Martin! <u>The Booklover's Library</u> tells the story of Emma, whose mother died at her birth and whose father runs a bookshop. The very first chapter tells of Emma losing her beloved father in a fire that destroyed both their home and bookshop. Emma marries young and has a daughter - but unfortunately her husband is killed in a car accident. This story takes place as WWII is just beginning, and Emma is struggling to support her daughter with just a small pension. I learned something I had not known before - the UK had a law in place where married women had to give up their jobs and companies were not allowed to hire widows with children either. Luckily, Emma stumbles upon The Booklover's Library, and they are willing to bend the rules and hire her. No spoilers, but it did give me the happy, satisfying ending that I love so much in a novel. Highly recommend!

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

The Booklover's Library is a lovely addition to the genre of WWII women's fiction. What makes Martin's latest work unique is the focus on the rules regarding a woman's right to work during that time; married women weren't allowed to hold a job, nor were widows with children, leaving Emma, the book's female lead who is both a widow and a mother, in a precarious position. Luckily, her background as the daughter of a bookstore owner allows her the opportunity to work for the Boots’ Booklover’s Library. The workings of a circulating library were interesting to learn about, and it was fun to see Emma interact with the various patrons as well as her coworkers.

Martin also places a focus on the children who were evacuated to the English countryside to avoid the danger of German bombs. Emma struggles with sending her daughter Olivia away and must accept both her and Olivia's heartache in order to keep Olivia safe. Martin does a wonderful job of showing how emotionally painful the separation is for both mother and daughter and also of showing that not all children were lucky enough to be evacuated to a loving home.

Overall, The Booklover's Library is a slower-paced read with interesting historical circumstances, plucky characters, a sweet mother-daughter relationship, and a light romance that will appeal to fans of WWII fiction and women's fiction.

Do you know those books that, after savoring that last wonderful page, you sigh and smile and hug them to your heart? This is one of those books.
Utterly charming, with characters I cheered for and hoped for, laughed with and cried with . . . characters who have now become a part of my mind’s library.
If you love books—the crisp, sharp scent of new ones and the softened pages of old ones—read this book. If you love stories of life and love and all that happens in the pursuit of them both, read this book. Just read this book . . . you won’t regret it!

*Thank you to NetGalley and HTPBooks for the complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I liked this book; it was a realistic and yet lovely exploration of a mother's life and feelings in WWII. The characters felt well-rounded and likeable, and being a book lover myself, the scenes depicting the library the MFC works at were fun to read. It was a bit slow paced and I wasn't sure where the plot was going at points, but overall light and enjoyable.

I have read several books by Madeline Martin, my favorite being The Last Bookshop in London, an this will not be my last. This is a wonderful "companion" novel to that book. They are both stand alone stories (although there is a cameo appearance of the Last Bookshop, which was great fun!) that cover the same time period, but from differing perspectives. I gave this book 4.5 stars, rounded up. Our main character is Emma, who is a single, struggling mother trying to get by each day, as war begins to break out, and she has to make some very difficult decisions about her young 7-yr old daughter Olivia. Should she keep her in town, where there is a high risk of bombs dropping, or should she allow her to evacuate to the country, keeping her safe from harm but also requiring her to be away from her for a long period of time? I have read several books about this topic, primarily from the child's perspective (The War that Saved My Life, Beyond that, the Sea, and A Place to Hang the Moon) but this was the first one I read that really delved into the mother's perspective, and I enjoyed very much seeing things from her eyes. Like in Last Bookshop, there are a wonderful set of side characters and a beautiful "found family" aspect to the story, as Emma builds community around her. This was a beautiful story, and I do highly recommend.

A history lesson in the endurance of families in England during the Second World War, of the difficulties women had to bear in providing for their families—including sending them to be housed away from the cities to avoid bombs, and finding housing,
food, and support. Mixing that background with a bookshop, and a variety of people making their own way, was a good read. I expect good readership from this one.

Emma Taylor is a widow and a mother, and under Britain's legal restrictions prohibiting widows with children from most employment opportunities she ends up convincing the manager at Boots' Booklover's Library to "overlook" her situation and hire her. Emma loves her job, even though it brings back memories of the bookstore her father used to own - before it burned down, taking his life.

Once the war begins (WWII), Emma sends her daughter, Olivia, to live in the countryside for her safety. Emma continues on with her life in the library, and a cast of side characters come into her life, from her neighbors, to co-workers at the library, and more. Much of the story revolves around the challenges Emma faces having to work and take care of Olivia (while she is still at home), and then the emotional challenges she deals with once Olivia is living elsewhere.

I found the book sweet and charming, but I also felt like there was too much going on with too many characters. I would have preferred to dig in a bit more to a couple of the stories and forego some of the others.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin/Hanover Square Press for an advance copy of this book.

I liked The Booklover's Library, though it took a while for the story to really settle in. We spent a lot of time in the beginning focusing on main character Emma's concerns over her daughter Olivia's safety on the eve of WWII, and these concerns naturally persisted throughout the novel. As Nottingham and its factories are a target for German bombing raids, Emma struggles with where to send Olivia to keep her safe -- should she be evacuated to the countryside, sent to live with her late father's parents on their farm, or kept in Nottingham where at least she will be close to her mother?

There are some exceptionally moving scenes, such as the aftermath of the Coventry attack and the trains full of soldiers evacuated from Dunkirk. We get to see some of the injustice of the marriage bans, which prevented married, and often widowed, women from working. Eventually, we get to see how the world of a library and books can transform lives and create hope in an otherwise bleak environment.

This book has a romantic subplot that I found somewhat hokey, and towards the end things felt a bit like a Hallmark movie, but there were some heart-wrenching moments and fun side characters (Mrs. Pickering and Tubby are particularly delightful). Overall, the books is bit sappy but is a good perspective on a single mother's journey through the early days of WWII.

Based on a real organization, the Boots Libraries in England, this work of historical fiction highlights a time that many Americans will never have read about. Boots, a large pharmacy chain akin to CVS or Rite Aid (and now part of the Wallgreens chain) started subscription libraries in England at a time when public libraries weren't as extensive. At the same time, the role of women was limited: married women and widows with children couldn't hold most jobs. Combining the two, a young widow with a child who gets a job at the Boots library, makes for a good peek at the Second World War from a perspective I suspect many haven't previously explored. Even better, this is not set in London (well, mostly not set in London), which adds to the novelty of things.

eARC provided by publisher via Netgalley.

I fell in love with the Booklover’s Library immediately! The characters were engaging and likable from the start. I did not know that, at the time, women were not allowed to work outside the home once married in England. I love that Emma was given a chance to work in Boots’ Booklover’s Library, as long as she kept her widowhood and Olivia a secret. She formed unbreakable bonds with those at the library and also her apartment building. It goes to show that it truly does take a village to raise a child.

I don’t use the term heartwarming often, but this book truly was! I look forward to reading more by the author. Thanks to NetGalley for my ARC.

Holy cow. Loved this book so much. It should be required reading for bookstagram. A story of healing from past pain and developing a community from a shared love of books.

I also loved the author’s note where she shared that she was divorced so single mother came from some of her experiences. I am divorced but I had struggled with infertility during my marriage. I love that she gave that vulnerability. I have found so much love from book club with women near me, as well as through social media.

I fully plan to share this book on my Instagram on sept 10th.

Stellar WW2 historical fiction, that is guaranteed to keep the reader hooked to the very end! This book should come with a Warning Label: “Do not begin this book if you have housework to do, or have food cooking. Your house will stay dirty and the food will burn, because it is unputdownable!”
This novel was like chocolate candy to me! I’ve been interested in the London Blitz, and the children’s evacuations, since I first saw “Journey For Margaret” on tv as a kid. I’ve read many books on the subject, wonderful ones and not so great ones. This book by Madeline Martin is one of the very best I’ve ever read! I need to raid the library to find more by her (or maybe a bookstore)!
The writing was superb; it drew me in from the first line. For historical fiction lovers who want to “experience” what they are reading about, this book is a must. The author’s notes at the end were very interesting, also, and added greatly to the book.
I usually add a “Memorable Quotes” section to my reviews, but in this case, I’m mentioning a whole section. The scene where Emma sends Olivia off on the train the first time broke my heart, it was so touchingly described. A reader would have to be made of absolute stone not to have misty eyes and a lump in the throat upon finishing those passages.
*I received a digital copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.*

Author Madeline Martin has depicted the plight of widowed women during the period leading up to and during the war against Germany, in England specifically. Emma is a young widow with a small child. Their lives are a constant struggle to manage in even the smallest way. Emma has experience selling books due to growing up in a family that owned a bookstore, but now as a widow and especially a widow with a young child, she is not allowed to work. To get a job, she must lie about being a widow and having a child, therefore denying who she is. Also explored are the difficult lives of children who were sent out into the country to live during the war. Some homes were exploitive, with the children becoming little more than farm labor while other homes treated children well. All of the characters were very believable.

The story started out slowly, but soon became attention grabbing. There were many details surrounding the war included on how the war impacted people in all sized communities, as the Blitz did not simply impact London. Many smaller towns and lives were also destroyed.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC

I have read several historical fiction novels set during the Blitz. The experiences during that time were inevitably individualistic, and thus I found The Booklover's Library to be unique in author Madeline Martin's depiction of widowed women during the period leaving up to and during the war. The preparations for war were very detailed, which in some cases was new information for me. The protagonist, Emma, is a young widow with a small child. Their lives are one of poverty, with a struggle to manage in even the smallest way. Emma has experience selling books, but as a widow and a widow with a young child, she is not allowed to work. Martin does a nice job of exploring this discrimination against women. To get a job, Emma must lie about being a widow and having a child. To earn enough money to support her child, Emma must therefore deny who she is.

This longstanding rule about married or previously married women working was one aspect of the 1930-1940s that is well depicted in The Booklover's Library. Making women unemployable means they and their children live in poverty. Martin also explores the different lives of children who were sent out into the country to live during the 6 years of the war. Some homes were exploitive, with children becoming little more than farm labor. Other homes treated children well. Like so many other aspects of The Booklover's Library , Martin does a good job of creating believable characters. Although the plot was not exactly tension grabbing, The Booklover's Library does hold the readers' attention. Additionally, most readers will appreciate how details surrounding the war impacted people in small and large communities. The Blitz did not simply impact London. Many smaller towns were also destroyed.

I very much enjoyed the author's note at the end of The Booklover's Library . I always read author's notes and they can be very rewarding. Thank you to Harlequin Trade and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC. I did enjoy this book, as I have previous books written by Martin. Loving books creates the best writers of books.

A wonderful book of historical fiction.A story of a mother and daughter &all they suffered during Ww11 .The characters really came alive and so did the era .#netgalley #harlequin.