I am such a fan of Madeline Martin's book and this was one of my favorites. I never knew Boots had a lending library. I felt so much when Emma had to send Olivia to the country, such a heartbreaker. I loved the support and relationship of her co-workers and neighbors. How much we can accomplish when we work together.

I love being immersed in a well researched historical fiction book. Madeline Martin has written a really interesting story that shares the cultural norms of the times regarding the marriage bar - where married women couldn't work. This book included complex and realistic characters as well as wonderful relationships. Thanks #NetGalley #HanoverSquarePress

Wonderful historical fiction set in England during WWII I’ve read many other stories about this period but this story is particularly personal and delves into the relationship of a single mother and her daughter. It’s heartbreaking and poignant. I learned a lot about lending libraries and the marriage bar that disallowed married women and widows with children from working. If you love books you will enjoy this charming story.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Another solid read from this author, who likes bookstores! This had a bit of everything in it making it much more interesting. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher!

A woman finds herself alone raising her daughter with no other family to help, in a time and place where the “Marriage Bar” prevents married/widowed women from working. She finds healing in the Booklover’s Library, an upscale prestigious lending library where she succeeds in obtaining employment (under the guise of being single with no child). Tough decisions are made, friendships are forged, war comes and changes everything. The bond of parent and child, and newfound friendships was heartwarming… at the basis of this tale is love… love of family, friends and… you guessed it…books!

The writing was smooth and pleasant, I sympathized with the MC and her hardship and admired her dedication to her daughter and, dedication to enlightening people’s lives with books, especially during difficult times. Considering this is fiction, Madeline Martin’s depiction of war times in England was on point, you can see the research that was done to make this tale as authentic as possible. I had no idea that a Marriage Bar was a thing… and author's note provides some insight into the inspiration behind this story, which was great! I love learning new bits about history through fiction!

If you love historical fiction and books about books this is a must read!

I really enjoyed this book. The story was a reminder of how important and healing books can be. I haven't read historical fiction in a long time, and this book was a good intro back into the genre.

I think maybe I have read too many books set in WWII and that is the main reason that I didn't like this one. Emma finds herself a single mother without many options, when she is offered a job in the Booklover's Library at Boot's. She has to pretend she is not a married woman with a child, even though she is widowed in order to keep her job. She loves the job and it allows her to provide for her daughter. Then war comes to England and everything changes.

I loved the concept of the Booklover's library, which was a real thing and really neat. (more information on wikipedia here). The clients that came in were well written and interesting. But once the war started and Emma had to send her daughter away, it go really tedious. I think this storyline has been overdone, it is tragic and sad and I guess I am just tired of reading about it. Emma was a little whiney for war time, given she was safe and allowed to keep her job.

This book was really well written and well researched. It just didn't work for me.

Emma Taylor is a widow and single mother to a young daughter as WWII starts in Nottingham, England. Emma must find a job to support herself and her daughter but widowed mothers are not allowed to work. She finds the manager of a lending library is willing to take a risk on hiring her even against the rules of the time. Emma is doing her best to balance everything when their world comes crashing down as the war becomes a reality.

This book hit such a tender place in my heart. This is a must read for fans of historical fiction that love libraries. As a mother I felt deeply for the choices Emma had to make to keep her daughter safe. Overall an excellent read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC of The Booklover's Library.

This was my first time reading a book by this author and it won't be the last!
I really enjoyed how Madeline Martin balanced historical, drama and romance perfectly. I never got bored by any aspects of this books, and let's be honest: this is not a short book - it could have gone dull and boring quite easily. Fortunately, for me it never did.
This is the second book (also, historical) that I read about books or libraries or librarians. I guess I have a new 'bookish fetish'. lol
Thank you, NetGalley and Hanover Square Press, for providing me with a free eARC of this novel.

Set in Nottingham England in the early 1940’s, Emma Taylor is a young widow trying to raise her daughter Olivia by herself. When she sees a position at a lending library, she knows this would be the perfect fit, as her father owned a library until it burned in a tragic fire, losing the story, their home, and his life. Disregarding the law that prohibits widows with children from working, the manageress of the lending library takes a chance on Emma. While she loves her work at the library, she hates leaving Olivia at home alone. When England enters the war, Emma must decide whether to send Olivia off to some place unknown in the country to keep her safe, or keep her with her. There’s much more to this story than this, but at its heart it’s the story of how the love of books and reading provides a much-needed escape for us all, and how neighbors and friends can become your family. Loved this book, and highly recommend! Thanks to the author for sharing with my bookclub an ARC of this one; it’s out now, so grab a copy!

If you enjoyed Martin's THE LAST BOOKSHOP IN LONDON, you'll LOVE this latest title from her. It's heartwarming and heartwrenching, full of lovely bookiness, with a fantastic mama bear heroine, a capture-your-heart daughter, and a swoonworthy hero. And yes, I used the word "heart" a lot because this story has a ton of it.

Full of courage and laughter and even a few tears, I give this 5 stars and a highly recommend.

I really enjoyed The Booklover's Library! It's a charming story set in 1930s Nottingham, following Emma Taylor, a widow who takes a job at a lending library to support herself and her daughter during wartime. Emma had to conceal the fact that she was widowed and had a child because, during that time, women in her situation were not allowed to work.

Along the way, she befriends the residents of her home, like the reserved Mr. Sanderson, who slowly opens up thanks to her kindness. Emma’s ability to bring others out of their shells adds warmth and depth to the story, as she helps create a sense of community during the uncertainty of wartime.

I had never heard of a lending library before, this is an interesting concept. I enjoyed learning about the Boots' Booklover’s Library and Emma's unique challenges as a single mom.

The story has a cozy, nostalgic feel with well-developed characters and plenty of heart. Emma not only finds solace in books but also forms close bonds with her co-workers and housemates.

My thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this eARC.

LOVE LOVE LOVED this book. The found family, the found romance and love that persisted through everything between mother and child. This book gave me all the feels and I truly found myself crying in the end of this novel! I thoroughly enjoyed the historical fiction of this book and through the POV of WWII through a mother was unique and something I’ve not read before.
Highly recommend

Thanks to Hanover Square Press and NetGalley for this free ARC in return for my honest review.

Another outstanding historical fiction book by Madeline Martin. When you read one of Madeline's books you see the history unfold before you're very eyes. Yes there is fiction, but it's almost plays second fiddle to the actual historical events that take place in Nottingham England during the beginning of World War II. You see when you look at the title, you think this may very well be a romantic fiction novel, but that is not the case. Martin uses fictional characters to bring actual historical events to life, and it captures the readers from page one and continues through to the very end. It's the story of Emma Taylor, a widow, and how she is able to cope with all that is thrown at her during this time. During this time, most all businesses don't hire widows, especially widows with a child which is a problem since Emma is the mother of an eight-year-old daughter, Olivia. Having grown up a round books. Emma jumped at the chance to potentially work at the Booklover's Library and here is where history takes over. I was unaware that there were such establishments in England, but Booklover's was a lending library where people bought subscriptions and were able to come and borrow books. It began in 1898 and continued until 1964, during which time it was a staple in Boots Chemists (a pharmacy), and became part of the very fabric of England. This is a story of how a group of women banned together to overcome adversities, including not being able to get married or engaged, what to do when you have an eight year-old child and the government wants you to move them to the country for their safety, the nightly air raids that are prevalent in Nottingham, England, the WVS a volunteer women's aid society that help those returning from the front lines of the way and for those unfortunate people who were bombed out of their homes. The book touches upon all of these issues in such a way that you are drawn into the story yourself, and it is a story that men and women can both understand and empathize with. Martin has a way of incorporating richn historical details into her characters, including the character, Margaret, a beautiful blonde who helps keep her weight down by taking "bile beans" something I never heard of until this book. And it goes on and on, in the hands of a lesser author it would turn out to be more of a romantic historical novel, but not with Martin who infuses her characters with real life emotions and passions, and while love may eventually be a part of this book it's not the major emphasis. Instead she writes as how women survived the beginnings of World War II. What to do with Olivia, who has been separated from her mother and who longs to come back home to her. It is also another winning effort by Madeline Martin. Just filled with believable characters, a wonderful plot and one that gives you a good bit of the historical perspective on how life was on the "home front" at the beginning of World War II in England.

Heartwarming indeed!! Oh my goodness, such a good WWII historical fiction book. The amount of hardship that Emma was put through and tried to shield her daughter, Olivia, from was insane.
I do tend to go into books a little blind so to read about the legal restrictions that prohibited widows with children to seek employment made my blood boil.

It did remind me of when I was in grad school how I worked in the library on campus to help catalog magazines, I loved the job so much. Kind of wish I could still do something like that every couple of days a month.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the eARC

I love a good WWII book with books helping people come together. Sounds wrong to have "good" and "war" in the same sentence but as we are. Ms. Taylor is told that she is not allowed to have a job because she's married and has a child, despite the fact her husband died years before and she's keeping herself and their daughter in a safe house, fed and clothed on the help of those around her. When a lending bookstore needs help and she happens to hear their need, the hiring manager allows her the job so long as she doesn't go by Mrs. and her daughter becomes her sister, if anyone asks. While her financial life seems to come together, the backdrop of the coming war shrinks in, and the horrific choices that need to be made -- preparations for their home, sending her daughter away, caring for others, rations, and sending away people who mean so much -- all take to the forefront as she rebalances life and finds her way after being held by the identities of orphan and widowed mother for so long. It's a feel-good story that takes place during the war, the resilience of community, the way hardship brings people together.
As a book loving person, to have the book revolving around other readers, with little mysteries and a little romance sprinkled in, always makes for a good read.

#arc
#netgalley
#thebookloverslibrary

The Booklover's Library, by Madeline Martin is an immersive story of perseverance, war, and the love of family. I found myself so invested in this book I read it in one sitting.

Emma and her father live above the bookstore they own. So much of Emma’s life revolves around the store until flames destroy their livelihood and way of life. Years later, Emma finds herself as a single mother of a daughter, in England right before WW2.
Because society’s views of women are thought as being confined to their homes and husbands, it is difficult for her to find work. This story is about how a woman is able to strive beyond the confines of societal pressures/rules and find her way in a world that she must make sure her daughter is not only provided for, but protected from the bombs that will soon invade their country . It is about survival, friendships and the challenges of a nation faced with war and the German invasion in London. The author’s depiction of France and England during that time gave me a feeling like I was living during that era. Thank you to the publisher, NetGalley and Cindy Burnett for making sure I had a copy of this ebook.

This historical fiction novel has it all, vivid descriptions of air raids by the Germans, a dash of mystery, a dollop of romance and highlights how optimism, love and hope can endure during a war. This is an emotional and gripping story about the bond between a mother and daughter and the very real struggles of being a young widow during this time. The perseverance and resilience of ordinary people during the war shines through. The cast of characters are well done from quirky patrons of the library, Emma’s co-workers and her two older neighbors. It is a diverse group of people all banding together and all relying on books for comfort during stressful times. The author’s note is a must read as well.

The Booklover's Library by Madeline Martin is a wonderful book about the love of a widowed mother and her daughter during WWII in England. It centers around a subscription library, found family, and the power of books to make hard times more manageable. Highly recommend!

Thanks to NetGalley and Hanover Square Press for the advanced digital copy of the book.