As the air raid siren sound and bombs fall, Emma Taylor and her daughter Olivia are struggling to make ends meet. As a widow, Emma isn't allowed to work but her experience in her father's former bookshop affords checking out Boots' Booklover's Library. Accepting a position as a 'single' woman, Emma commences a new chapter.

While working, the friendships and patrons she meets mean more to her than the paycheck provides. When Emma is forced to send Olivia to the countryside to keep her safe, it breaks her heart. Olivia is devastated to leave Nottingham and begs to return. Will Emma and Olivia find the courage to carry on while separated?

Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for the early edition of #TheBookloversLibrary in exchange for an honest review. As a booklover and history buff, I have a fascination with World War II stories. While living in London, I saw some of the setting firsthand and could picture what transpired during the war era. Historical fiction fans will find themselves eagerly paging through Madeline Martin's novel until the final chapter.

Story set during WW II in Nottingham, England about a widow who finds work in a bookstore to support her daughter and must make the agonizing decision whether to send her daughter to the country for safety. I didn't find that there was much of a plot beyond this, but it did offer a nice slice-of-life story on what life must have been like in England during this time period.

What a well written story! I learned so much about lending libraries and their purpose. The impact of war on regular citizens was well researched. Emma’s story did not focus on the political aspects of war; but rather on the every day people being affected, the hard decisions that must be made for safety’s sake and the positive influence books and reading have on us all.

Set in Nottingham during WWII, the book is rich with characters, story line and hope. Emma is a widow with a daughter, Olivia, barely scraping by as the war approaches. The marriage bar prohibited widows and married women from working, but Emma was able to get a job at a lending library, part of the Boots chemist chain. Her love for books began with her father and the bookshop they owned. When Emma has to make the heartbreaking decision of whether to evacuate Olivia, the depth of emotion in the book really resonates. Secondary characters such as Mrs. Pickering, her landlord, and Margaret, her coworker, enhance the story. Highly recommended. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Madeline Martin’s The Booklover's Library is a powerful WWII historical fiction that follows Emma, a widowed mother in Nottingham, England. The story highlights the struggles mothers faced during this time, especially with archaic laws that prevented them from working. Still, Emma finds a job at the Booklover's Library, a lending library that becomes a safe haven for her and others in the community.

As the war escalates, Emma must make tough choices to keep her daughter safe. In a heartbreaking decision, she sends her daughter away, showing the deep love a mother has for her child. This act of sacrifice truly highlights the difficult choices parents must make during hard times.

Books play a vital role in the story, serving as a source of comfort and hope. Emma finds strength in literature, which reminds us how stories can provide solace when life gets tough. The friendships she builds at the library add warmth and purpose.

I also loved the connection to Martin's previous book, The Last Bookshop in London. :)

Many thanks to NetGalley and Hanover Press for the opportunity to read The Booklover's Library!

Martin is consistently very good with her historical fictional……great story and characters inspired by real events. While I was aware of children sent to rural England during World War II in England, I knew nothing about private subscription libraries. Thanks to #NetGalley and #Thebookloverslibrary for advanced digital copy.

Will be published on my Instagram and Goodreads on 9/20/24.

The Booklover’s Library by @madelinemmartin
published by @harlequinbooks

Set during WWII, it follows Emma, a single mother working at a lending library during a time when married women and widows are not allowed to work. You read about Emma’s struggles and challenges to keep her daughter safe. She’s able to find joy, love and friendships during those tough times. I wanted more moments of Emma interacting with the library subscribers. This is only because I wish I could go to Boot’s Booklovers Library and have Emma recommend a book or chat with Mrs. Chatsworth and her dog—honestly, that could easily be me! 🫣🤣

I do recommend when reading this book that you find a cozy spot and pair it with a warm cup of tea
🥰🫖📚✨

These are favorite quotes from the book:

“He told me that the world is full of readers, some just haven’t found the right book yet.”

“In her right time at the Booklovers library, she had become more than a man’s wife. More than even a mother. She was a reader, a lover of books who could procure the right story for the right person at the right time.”

This is now one of my favorite WWII books in that the focus is on what happens to the people from a widow’’s viewpoint with a young daughter in Nottingham, England. The story begins with Emma losing her father in a fire at the bookshop they owned. Emma marries soon after, though still grieving. They have a baby girl, named Olivia.
The remainder of the story is about Emma and Olivia and their lives and those they touch as WWII is just beginning. Families are faced with deciding if they should send their children away from the cities to strangers in the country where it might be safer from the bombing. Women struggle to support themselves because only single women who were never married, are allowed to work.
The story is both heart wrenching and heartwarming and I highly recommend it. The characters are wonderful and if you like historical fiction this should be on your list to read.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A widow struggles to provide for her daughter despite restrictions on her employment. Unfortunately, waiting for a war to start in England, preparations are underway to send children out of the cities to the country. Torn between working and taking care of her daughter, mishaps and mistakes are proponents for evacuation. The bond of reading between mother and daughter establishes a common thread, a thread all the people of England need to take away the rising anxiety of war. Martin writes a realistic view of living in war and coping with it's daily trials and tribulations. The value of a book is priceless.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book from NetGalley.

Madeline Martin has written a very compelling story! I like how she incorporated some true historical events and happenings throughout the novel. Bravo to the great research!

The story literally begins with a bang! A young Emma is caught in a bookstore fire that ends in tragedy for her family. Some years later she is living in Nottingham and is now a widow with a 7 year old daughter and Britain is on the brink of war. This essentially is a story about a single mother trying to keep her child safe during WW II.

I enjoyed reading about the Boots Chemist Lending Library that Emma begins to work at. I did not know anything about this Lending Library that was a sort of up-scale place usually on the top floor of a Boots Chemist/Pharmacy. It differed from a normal library as it was a paid subscription service for more up-to-date books. Britain had what was called a, "Marriage Bar" that barred married or widowed women to work in most places. So, Emma had to say she was single to get the job (although her supervisor knew the truth.)

The story touches on many events during this era. Dunkirk, children's evacuation to the countryside to keep them safe, the Mass Observation by the public of recording their thoughts and actions down, and the SS Benares ship carrying children to safety in Canada being struck by a German u-boat and killing almost all of them.

I like how this book promoted the love of reading especially with Emma and her daughter Olivia. Books brought them closer together. It's always wonderful to read about how comforting books were to people during wartime. This one was a bit predictable but very enjoyable. Don't miss the author's note at the end of the book.

Get an inside look at life as a widow in WW II Nottingham in this latest release from Madeline Martin. This was a buddy read with the Terrific Tina. Be sure to check out her review.

Emma Taylor is a widow and a mother. Her ability to generate income is restricted by the Marriage Bar. Fortunately, the manageress at Boots Booklover's Library decides to give her a chance. It is a dream job for Emma, but she still struggles with child care decisions and then whether or not to have her daughter Olivia evacuate. The accounts Emma's struggles as a mother include historical facts and emotions Madeline has also experienced firsthand.

Along with the slice-of-life feel to the narrative, many historical events like Dunkirk and the children's ship tragedy are woven in. There is even a brief cameo appearance from the folks at Primrose Hill Books from The Last Bookshop in London. Emma's neighbors and coworkers are well developed and remind us of the need for empathy. There is even a bit of a mystery at the lending library as titles keep coming up misshelved (a huge "no no"). I simply must mention Tubby, Emma's neighbor's dog, and Pip, the little dog who comes into the library in a basked carried by his owner Mrs. Chatsworth. And there is a rabbit called Nameless who is originally purchased for Christmas dinner. Charming additions like these are so engaging and relatable. This is the way I like my historical fiction and why I keep reading Madeline Martin's books.

Many noteworthy books are featured in this story including Little Women, Anne of Green Gables, Little House in the Big Woods, Caddie Woodlawn, Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, The Count of Monte Cristo, Gone With the Wind, Murder On the Orient Express, Jewel of the Nile, The Nine Tailors, and more. . . This is really a bookish book!

A big thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a good book! I liked everything about it. The characters, the story, the setting, the writing. This was a quick read for me because once I started reading I couldn't stop. I was quickly invested in the lives of the characters and wanted to know what happened to them.

An added bonus was all the books mentioned in the story. Some I had heard of and some I hadn't. Of course one of my all-time favorite books was mentioned several times and I just loved it.

Fans of historical fiction, WWII fiction, and libraries are sure to love this well written story!!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion which I have given.

I loved this book. The story takes us to Nottingham, England in 1931 through the end of WWII. It follows Emma, a widowed mother, who finds a job in the Booklover's Lending Library. We are introduced to her friends and daughter and the challenges she faces as a single mother. Emma makes the impossible decision to send her daughter to the country to avoid the bombings from war. She volunteers to help with the women's group. She surrounds herself with books and uses her knowledge to help everyone escape during the war. I found this book to be heartbreaking, but also heartwarming. The eclectic group of characters are incredible. Supportive, real and wonderful. The research and time put into the historical aspect of this book was apparent from page 1. Just a book that sucks you in and keeps you turning the pages until the very end.

Thank you netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

I've loved Madeline Martin's novel ever since reading the Last Bookshop in London. The Booklover's Library is a another fantastic read. The characters are well developed and the reader can do nothing but be engrossed in the story and follow along every twist and turn. As a mom now I sympathize with Emma and the limited choices she had during the blitz and wartime. It is a beautifully written novel and I look forward to reading it again. I also adore how Martin uses books in all her novels. It truly shows how novels and books play a vital role in life!

I was given a complimentary copy by the author and publisher. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this amazing ARC.
Beautiful story about a widow, single mom during WWII. This book stole my heart, as a mother and reading the struggles that mothers went through during this time was heartbreaking. As well I really enjoyed the booklover’s library interaction with the readers and the mention of so many amazing classic books. It really transported my imagination to understand how a lending library work and how much people enjoyed them during those hard times. The beautiful friendships and community in this book was the cherry on top.

Emma, the heroine of The Booklover's Library was left alone after her father's bookstore burned down. She quickly married and had a child, only to be widowed shortly thereafter. A single mother, Emma needs a job to take care of herself and her daughter Olivia. She gets a job at Boots in their book department. She describes what most readers would deem as Book Lovers heaven : "the library transported its subscribers to a place of cozy comfort with large stained glass windows that overlooked the street below, plush rugs underfoot, and the lingering perfume of freshly cut flowers from the small bouquets in elegant glass vases through the open space. Then of course there were the books meet shelves perfectly arranged pristine from Emma's vantage point..."

But as much as the novel is about the love of books, it is more about the love of a mother and a daughter. Emma's daughter Olivia has been billeted to the English countryside twice. First the woman who took her in became unable to care for her, and then she stayed with an unkind couple. Emma faces the loss of her daughter bravely, while knowing that the brunt of the war can hit them any second. The Booklover's Library tells the story of what it was like for women to lose their children due to billiting, and for children to be away from their homes, which is not often discussed in World War II novels. Emma's bravery and love of her child is a story that resonates even today.

Title: The Booklover’s Library
By: Madeline Martin
Pub. Date: September 10, 2024
Genre: Fiction, Historical, WWII, Books about Books

Trigger Warnings: World War II, Death, Dying, Child running away, Trauma, Loss of parents

Favorite Quote: “Everyone has their reasons for what they do.”

Summary:
Emma and her father love working together in their bookshop, until a tragic accident happens leaving Emma traumatized and alone. Fast forward and nine years later, Emma finds herself alone once again, only this time she’s a widow with a child on the brink of wartime. With her funds dwindling, Emma needs a job, however, widows aren’t allowed to work. By happenstance, Emma hears about a job available at ‘The Booklover’s Library” where she soon becomes employed all while keeping a deep secret from her boss and colleagues. A secret that will jeopardize her employment, and everyone she loves, including her daughter.
Review:
Madeline Martin has a way to share pieces of obscure parts of history. Everytime I read one of her books, I become more knowledgeable! The Booklover’s library book is not different.I love reading World War II fiction and this book is very different. The plotline isn’t really about the war, but rather the effects the war had on women, specifically regarding employment and marriage status. The story is based on true places and events that have been well researched. I loved learning about the lending library during this part of history. I highly recommend reading the author notes on this book specifically. Martin added personal touches of her own life in this novel, which is felt by the reader through the emotional connection of love, loss, and sacrifice between Emma and her daughter Olivia. I highly recommend this read! You will come away with a greater wealth of knowledge and empathy for women's roles during WWII.

Thank you Madeline Martin, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

#TheBookloversLibrary
#MadelineMartin
#HarlequinTradePublishing
#reluctantreaderreads
#advancedreadercopies
#NetGalley

A wonderful story about how books and reading helped people through the dark days of WWII. I enjoyed Emma's story, I can't imagine how hard it would be to send your child to "safety" in the country! It's always a good sign when a book leads me to do my own research and I enjoyed learning more about the Boot's Booklover's Library.

I had a hard time rating this book as I just didn’t connect to it incredibly well. I realize I ended up with too many WWII books all at once, and this one seemed to fall short of others I have read. I always hate to read about the children that were separated from their parents during the war, as they were sent to the country for their safety, as it makes me think about what an impossible decision this was for them and how I would have handled it in the same situation. This was the meat of the book - Olivia’s separation from Emma. I felt that the library portions were just sprinkled in. I wanted more of this story - more of the characters who came in and how they were handling the war.

This book was so darling! It had such a cozy and warm vibe and I wanted to be transported right into the story!

Martin is so talented when it comes to creating beautiful imagery through her writing. The whole times I really felt like I was in the book and who doesn't adore that feeling? The characters were so fun, I just wish we had gotten to know them a little bit more. Their relationship was really fleshed out from the beginning, but I just wish we had gotten to know more about each one on their own.

I loved the magical element that this book brought and how seamlessly it fit into the story.

This felt like the perfect cross between Gilmore Girls and The Nightingale!