Absolutely loved it!!! Madeline Martin’s writing is just mesmerizing - this is the kind of book where I found myself looking for every possible minute to sneak in a few more chapters. And even reading for just a few minutes had me totally drawn into the story & Emma’s world. I laughed out loud at parts and was brought to tears at others. I feel like the characters became friends! I was totally tickled at the nod to one of MM’s previous novels. All in all, this was fab!!!

Madeleine Martin’s The Booklover’s Library hooked me on the name and the cover art. This book takes readers through the history of troubled times and situations, guiding us with a story we all need to read. I felt as if I was being transported to the underground tubes during the Blitz, as the women and children, older men and women, kept their dignity and lives together by building an underground library. Although I had to read the book in chunks because of my workload, I enjoyed the story at night as it brought me to a time and a piece in history I knew little about. I clapped with joy at the wonder of books for all ages and their ability to bring calm during times of stress and the cruelties of war. The characters were a joy to get to know, and the camaraderie of the people of England during WWII made for some wonderful late-night reading. I highly recommend it. I want to thank Net Galley, the publisher, and Madeline Martin for this free ARC. This review is voluntary and is mine alone.

I enjoyed this heartfelt and heartwarming story. It was a tribute to motherhood and to the love of books. The prologue made me immediately sympathetic toward Emma, and her kind heart and the way she looked for the best in others kept me rooting for her throughout the book. What a terrible decision to have to make! There was also a strong cast of secondary characters, and I liked getting to see the layers to some of them. I also loved all the literary references. In addition, there was a sweet romance and just a hint of mystery. I felt satisfied by the ending, and I would recommend this to anyone who loves historical fiction and/or books about books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for the early read.

Let me start off by saying that I LOVE historical fiction books, so I expected to dive into this one and love it. But I felt this one fell short, I wasn’t the biggest fan of the characters, I couldn’t connect to them and felt they were two dimensional. Unfortunately, I DNF around the 40% mark

I don't tend to read a lot of historical fiction, but as I librarian I couldn't pass this one up. This was a beautiful story of a single mother persevering through the trauma of war. The book depicts the difficult decisions our MC has to make as well as her hardship of having to navigate society as a window with a child. Emma is such a strong character, living through being orphaned, and then widowed at a young age. The author paints such a lovely portrait of someone who has lost everything but pushes on with the help of new relationships and her immense love for her daughter. This book definitely tugs at your heartstrings, but is an absolute joy to read. The author's writing style is so engaging and beautiful. The story is strong and the characters easy to root for. I would recommend this title to book lovers and fans of women's lit historical fiction.

historical fiction is not something i gravitate towards but this book was so hearfelt! i loved the mother/daughter bond! i adored emma so much, she did everything she could to keep her daughter safe. overall this book was beautifully written.

Thank you to the author Madeline Martin, NetGalley & Harlequin Trade Publishing for the arc!

While set prior during WWII and the Nazi bombing of England, it is primarily a story of hanging onto hope and the power of love while dealing with difficult circumstances . The story revolves around The Booklover’s Library – a subscription library above the Boot’s Chemist Shoppe. I had no idea these libraries existed at the time and was fascinated on their workings. All of the characters were well drawn and relatable – although Olivia, the daughter seemed a bit too mature for her age at times. This well researched and well plotted story will tug at your heartstrings. Recommended. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Booklover's Library by Madeline Martin is a WWII historical fiction novel. Based in Nottingham, England, Emma Taylor who grew up in a bookshop with her father, finds herself an orphan after a tragic accident. A few short years later, tragic strikes again and Emma becomes a young widow with her daughter, Olivia.
Struggling with financial hardship and facing societal judgement, with labor laws restricting work for widows with children, Emma has trouble finding work. Serendipitously, a job opening at the Booklover's Library gives Emma the opportunity she's been seeking. She is forced to hide the fact that she is a widow with a child.
This novel is Emma's story during WWII and also sheds light on the trials of wartime England. Having to make heartbreaking decisions about whether or not to send her child away to the countryside in the care of a stranger (or distant relative) and then having to endure that decision even after Olive begs to come home. Worrying for her child's education, safety, and wellness, Emma finds solace in the community within her building and her co-workers. Together they endure nighttime bombings, rationing, and shortages and seek to do their part in the war effort.
Bonus, since the story is about working within The Booklover's Library there are many references to all my favorite books!
I enjoyed this novel and WWII historical fiction is my favorite genre. Highly recommend!

As a widow with a child, Emma Taylor's choices for employment are quite limited. An opportunity presents itself to obtain a job at Boots' Booklover's Library, if she will hide her background and 'become an aunt' to her daughter Olivia. Growing up in her family's bookshop, Emma has a wide knowledge of books. She is able to share her love of reading, become a staple at the library - and uncover the misshelved books mystery. Her success ultimately opens the way for other widows to secure employment at Boots. Emma tries to balance the safety and happiness of Olivia with her employment and finds tremendous support from her landlady, Mrs. Pickering. With the start of World War II, Emma realizes that Nottingham isn't safe for children and allows Olivia to be evacuated to the country. In doing so, Emma not only has support from Mrs. Pickering, but also from work friends and the handsome Mr. Fisk.

An emotional look at how the love of reading provides solace during traumatic events, it also shows how British war efforts were handled by the citizens. The Booklovers' Library addresses topics such as the era's various social restrictions, the horror of the Blitz, and the involvement of the Women's Volunteer Service with mobile canteens, evacuee assistance, and other WWII programs.

I will be recommending this book.

Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing/Hanover Square Press, Madeline Martin and NetGalley for this ARC.

I loved reading the book!! It is captivating enough to make you want to keep reading but gentle enough to walk away and return perfect combination for busy mothers! I thought the middle ran a bit long but I loved exploring all the characters and feeling like I was part of the town! A great read for any book lover and historical fiction enthusiast! Will keep this on my shelf for re-reading!

This book has one of the most dramatic openings I’ve ever read, and I’ve read a lot of novels. It’s 1931 in Nottingham, England, and seventeen-year-old Emma, ensconced in her father’s bookshop, is engrossed in her favorite novel, Jane Austen’s “Emma,” when she realizes the building around her has caught fire. With her father’s help, she stumbles into the street, only to watch him collapse and die as the bookstore implodes. In just a few pages, Emma has lost her sole family member, her home, and her source of income.

By the time we meet her again, eight years later, she has married, too young and unhappily, lost her husband to a car crash, and struggles to support herself and their seven-year-old daughter, Olivia, on her widow’s pension. In 1930s Britain, companies were legally barred from hiring married women or widows with children, so although Emma has barely passed twenty-five and would gladly work, she can’t apply for a job because of the marriage ban. But nor can she pay the rent, no matter how hard she squeezes every shilling. When a chance encounter leads to an opportunity for work at a lending library, Emma takes the plunge and identifies herself as Miss Taylor. Fortunately for her, the person hiring is also a woman, so even when the truth comes out during that first interview, the manager agrees to cover for her.

End of story, one might think, but readers who’ve done the math will already have realized that Emma’s problems have just begun. Three weeks after she starts her training, Hitler invades Poland, and Britain declares war. Nottingham, although not London, has enough factories to make it a likely target, and the city puts pressure on all parents to evacuate their children to the countryside. It’s Emma’s struggles to balance her own need to earn money to support her daughter while ensuring the survival of both her child and herself that make up the bulk of the book.

So much fiction has been written about World War II that it’s hard to find a new angle on the conflict. But this heartwarming novel succeeds, not only in making readers root for Emma and Olivia and their friends but also in offering a more complex picture of the changes in women’s status during and after the war. The marriage bans, by the way, remained in place until 1975.

I plan to interview this author for the New Books Network (link below) around the time of the book’s release.

The Booklover's Library
by Madeline Martin
Pub Date: Sept. 10, 2024
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
A heartwarming story about a mother and daughter in wartime England and the power of books that bring them together, by the bestselling author of The Last Bookshop in London.
I have read many of Martin's books and she is on the top of my list! 5 stars for this one!
I absolutely love this gorgeous cover for The Booklover's Library as it incorporates so many aspects of the book.
- I love how the parchment under the title is a nod to The Last Bookshop in London since this book channels those same heartwarming, Homefront vibes
- I love the mother and daughter and their obvious bond
- I love the warm, cozy colors
- And I LOVE that one of the books on the bottom shelf has an eyelet at the top of the book, just like the ones from the real Booklover's Library.
For readers of historical fiction: Brianna Labuskes, bestselling author of The Librarian of Burned Books and my favorite Kristin Harmel.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of The Booklover's Library by Madeline Martin.

A mother daughter duo doing their best to survive WWII in England, while keeping their family intact. Married women aren't permitted to work during that time, but what about widows who have no other way to support themselves? And children are being shipped off to the country side to keep safe from bombings, but what about a young girl who has already lost so much? These are some of the challenges that the two main characters face, while making friends and perhaps lovers along the way.

This was good, but it's also been done, a lot. I did enjoy the story, but it was hard for me to get past the sheer length of it. It was SO LONG, like probably twice a long as it needed to be to still tell an enriching story. I did become frustrated with that fact. However, if you enjoy WWII historical fiction, this was a worthy read.

I like stories set in bookstores and libraries, so I was eager to try Madeline Martin’s The Booklover’s Library. According to the blurb, it’s the story of a mother and daughter who are torn apart by war, but brought together by, among other things, a shared love of books. Sounded like my catnip, so I plunged right in.

Emma Taylor, a young widow with a daughter to raise, is desperate for a job. She’s pawned the last of the first editions she inherited when her father’s bookstore burned down and he died shortly afterwards. Emma is warming herself in the café next to Boots Booklovers Library when she overhears that a position among the staff has opened up, so she quickly applies for the job. She wiggles her wedding ring off as she does so, because single mothers are too much of a liability for employers, but her basic honesty makes her admit the truth. Thankfully she gets the job, on the condition that no one knows she has a daughter, and one problem seems to be solved.

Another one is just beginning, though. When, in 1940, the war in Europe comes home with the Blitz, Olivia has to be sent away to the countryside. Missing her desperately, Emma confides in her landlady, who teaches her to knit so she can make a sweater for Olivia, and Emma befriends a coworker at the library as well. She and the coworker collect scrap metal as part of the war effort, and Emma starts to discover what a support a found family can be. But Olivia’s intense homesickness makes her run away in a desperate attempt to come back home, and Emma tries to interest her in books, partly so they’ll have something in common and partly to give Olivia an escape from reality.

If this seems like a lot of different issues in the same story, that’s exactly what reading this book felt like. There’s also the coworker’s engagement to a soldier who goes MIA, someone trying to sabotage Emma’s job, her cantankerous neighbor, the handsome patron of the library who’s not in uniform, the in-laws Olivia doesn’t get along with, the boy who bullies Olivia, and probably a few I’ve forgotten. It was a lot to keep track of at the same time.

The setting of war-time Nottingham feels very realistic and the resolution of the bully plotline is heartwarming, because Olivia is a chip off the old block as far as kindness is concerned. But at the same time, the story is very episodic, and I didn’t feel there was enough focus on certain subplots - there couldn’t be, because there just isn’t enough space to develop everything. I don’t even remember anything about the handsome patron except that there’s a good reason he hasn’t enlisted, but there’s not much substance to his romance with Emma. They’re both good people who get along very well with each other, rather than people with flaws that will complicate a relationship.

That said, I did enjoy the subplot of Olivia’s transformation into a book lover. At first she has no interest in reading and would rather listen to the wireless, with her schoolwork suffering as a result. So Emma starts reading aloud to her from Anne of Green Gables, and by the fourth chapter Olivia is hooked. chapter Olivia is hooked. The world of literature opens up to her, and I loved how Olivia asks for the definitions of words while pronouncing them as they look in print, so Olivia pronounces “epoch” as “ee-potch”. More of this would have been awesome, but unfortunately the poor girl is More of this would have been awesome, but unfortunately poor Olivia is also shortchanged by the numerous events and people crowding their way into the story.

In summary, if you’d like a slice-of-life book set in Nottingham during the Blitz, The Booklover’s Library is a fine way to pass some time. Despite its flaws, it’s a quick, easy and at times heartwarming read, so it gets a recommendation.

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. An emotional read about what a mother had to go through to keep her daughter safe during World War II in England. This book starts when the main character Emma is just a teenager and follows her life from before, during, and after. This period of World War II was not familiar to me before reading this book. I enjoyed it. I went out and bought her book, The Last Bookshop in London.

WOW!!!! Martin never disappoints. An emotional, heartwarming and gripping story of a mother and her daughter and what she has to do to keep her safe.

Madeline Martin uses bookshops and libraries as beautiful vehicles to write about everyday people coping with personal trauma and the horror of war. Such a formula may lead you to think these stories are repetitive, but her work has taken readers from Washington, DC, London, Warsaw, Lisbon, and Paris. Each story is unique and each character an individual you can root for.

In this story, we follow Emma from her late teens, when she watched her father die as their home and bookshop burned down, to her late-twenties, when she gets a job at the bookstore inside Boots Chemist (yes, that Boots) and grapples with sending her daughter to the country at the start of the Blitz.

I knew about Operation Pied Piper, but following a mother as she dealt with the heartache and guilt of sending her daughter away multiple times made the difficulties of single parents during that time hit home.

Have a few hankies ready for this one!

A heartwarming piece of historical fiction taking place during WWII in Nottingham (I’ve read tons of books about the home front in London so this is new for me!). It is 1939 and 25-year old Emma is a single mother whose husband died five years before in a car accident. She manages to get a much needed job at the subscription library in the back of Boot’s (UK pharmacy), which was difficult and UK law at the time made it illegal to hire married women or widows with children. The story is of Emma’s war — working, volunteering with the WVA, but mostly dealing with the trauma of having to send her 7-year old daughter away to the country for her own safety.

My favorite thing about historical fiction such as this is the way we get the full and individual experience of living through times that are too easily summed up in history books in terms of events and casualty numbers, and not on the experience of individuals. I particularly liked the way Martin added all sorts of details of which I was unaware. I loved the way the subscription library worked and the explanation of why public libraries didn’t meet the needs of all subscribers. Librarians at the subscription libraries were responsible for curating loans for each individual patron. I would have been very happy to have that job! Special “red label” books such as Lady Chatterly’s Lover had to be specifically requested and were not allowed on the floor. There was plenty of story about the patrons of the library, their reading habits, and the librarians who helped them. Plenty of other new details (for me) as well. One character turns out to be part of the “Mass Observation.” This is a program started in 1937 that continued for 30 years. The “observers” carefully noted down what people talked about and did. Apparently it was originally started to capture the feelings of people about King Edward’s abdication, but of course continued to be valuable once the war started. And did you know that pet owners were “ordered” to put their pets down at the start of the war to save food for people?

Some romance, plenty of hardships, and always enough community pulling together when necessary. I liked the characters — books like this focus on the best in people which (fortunately) does come out in times of trouble. Of course I also loved the story of how books and reading help us when we need them. It’s a good pairing with one of her other books — The Last Bookshop in London — and there is a cameo appearance of that very bookshop and its booksellers in this volume.

A story of a mother's love and the heartbreaking choices she must make to keep her daughter safe during WWII. I learned a lot about the membership-based lending libraries in England prior to and during the war.

Historical fiction is not my usual genre but when you add books and librarians I had to try it and was not disappointed. I have read all the books she has written on WWII, which have become a must-read. This book is also set during WWII and is not about the war but about the people back home supporting their soldiers and families. My favorite line in the book is "He told me that the world is full of readers, some just haven't found the right book yet." This book is a gem and is not what it first seems to be. Thank you, NetGalley, the publisher, and Madeline Martin for the opportunity to read this book in advance!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6533546928