I found this an interesting read. World War II was different for other countries versus the United States. The book has some heart breaking points in it, but it was a great read.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher and leaving a review by my own choice.

Set in Nottingham during the War, The Booklover's Library follows Emma, a young single mom who, by chance, finds herself working at the Boots Pharmacy's Booklover's Library, a lending library that offered bespoke recommendations. Through working at the library Emma finds herself rediscovering her love of reading, and so much more.
I love Madeline Martin's books because they feature strong female characters who love books. Definitely characters I could find common ground with. But I also love her stories because they're full of history. The war and especially the Battle of Britain are topics many are already familiar with, myself included, but reading about the efforts of the women during the war was newer to me. I adored Mrs. Pickering, Emma's neighbor, who takes to volunteering with the Women's Volunteer Service like a duck to water. What incredible work these women did!
But most of all, I loved this book because despite the aspects of war that made life so difficult, this book was infused with love. Emma and her friends and coworkers had a palpable love of books and reading, and books provided such solace during those difficult years. I loved imagining the Booklover's Library, with its shelves of gorgeously bound books and bespoke book recommendations. And I loved how the Library drew people together, bonded by books and a need to forge connections during a tumultuous time.
this was a charming and heartwarming book that is perfect for readers who love stories about readers and the power of books.

i don't usually read historical fiction — but guess what? i loved this! it was a quick and lovely read. emma's character is richly drawn and i found myself feeling so deeply for her and her daughter.

as the title suggests, this book is made for booklover's. i got quite a few classics added to be my TBR. it's noticeable the amount of research that went into this book. who knew there was a library behind Boots?? not me! (well, now I do.)

i imagine if you're a mother this book will hit especially hard. i immediately recommended it to my mother. it's the kind of book that swells your heart.

3.5 stars

This was FANTASTIC! This is my second book set during the Blitz in London, and Madeline Martin's version does complete justice in depicting the pathos and pain of war.


This is my second time delving into this period of history, and I was deeply moved by Martin's ability to capture the raw emotions and challenges of wartime. Her writing style and the deeply emotional depth of her characters made reading the book a profoundly moving experience. The historical accuracy was spot-on, such as Boots having a lending library and how hard it was for married and widowed women to secure jobs. Madeline Miller vividly conveyed the harrowing tales of war, loss, and pain. Along with it, a social commentary on women and society at that time.

Emma, our main character, was beautifully nuanced. Her own struggle with trauma, coupled with the gnawing guilt that comes with being a single parent, was written with such emotional depth that it made her journey inspiring. The sweet moments shared between mother and daughter in the backdrop of war made you weary each time they shared happiness, knowing that the ugliness of war is still lingering. Those moments pulled at my heartstrings, and Emma's emotional journey will stay with me.

I appreciated the focus on adult friendships forged in the eponymous Booklovers’ Library.

Oh, and the saccharine love story—it made me gush, smile, and cheer. The romance was so well written and well developed that it added a layer of hope and warmth amidst the bleakness of war. It was so well done!

The Booklover's Library played a pivotal role in Emma's personal journey, serving as a potent catalyst for healing, friendship, and positive change. Where Emma thought the world comprised of just her and her daughter, here she found friends, love and re- established a strained rel;atioship.


In conclusion, this book was a perfect read, leaving me thoroughly engrossed and satisfied. I am deeply grateful to Net Galley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the opportunity to experience such a brilliant piece of literature. Thank you for sharing this with me. I look forward to recommending this book to others.


This was a perfect read. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Thank you, Net Galley and Harlequin Trade Publishing, for giving me the wonderful opportunity to read such a brilliant book.

Who doesn’t love a book about books? This is such an engaging story about a young mother, Emma, who is searching for solace after a multitude of losses. When she finally finds a job as a librarian, she feels a sense of security and will be able to provide for her daughter but sadly, England is on the brink of war. Children have been evacuated to the English countryside, so Emma turns to a long forgotten pastime of reading while working with the patrons of the library. I loved the mystery embedded in this storyline and the power of literature!

The Booklover's Library has a little bit of everything. It's an historical fiction set in WW2 England that follows Emma, a widowed single mom who is just trying to make ends meet for daughter. Emma shared a love for books with her father, but when dies in a tragic fire at his bookshop, Emma gives up reading out of grief. That is until she finds herself taking an illegal job at a lending library (even widows with children were not allowed to work in the 1940's which is CRAZY!

Along the way, the relationships that Emma forms as a result of working at the library and needing to reach out to her neighbors for help with her daughter result in a wonderful found family story. Themes include romance, friendship, grief, motherhood and community all centering on the power of stories and the love of books that bring them together. I enjoyed it!

WWII Nottingham, England

Charming!

The author does a spectacular job of incorporating historical details into this tale about motherhood, friendship, loving books and more.

As a widow with a child, Emma isn't allowed to have a job. At the same time, her funds are quickly dwindling. The owner of a lending library agrees to take her on if Emma will go by "Miss" and talk about her daughter Olivia as if she were her sister. With having to choose between presenting a falsehood and not having enough to eat, the decision is an easy one. Emma meets so many interesting subscribers and co-workers at the lending library. Multiple nods to classics in the pages.

Away from work, Emma fears for her daughter's safety and sends her to the country. The events and feelings Emma and Olivia go through are heart breaking.

A simply delightful novel. The author's note at the end including her personal connections to Emma's story and personal additions to the novel from her life added to the joy of reading this novel.

I enjoyed reading this historical novel by Madeline Martin. The Booklover's Library took place during WWII when the Nazi"s were taken over Europe. The setting of this book is in England. Emma , a widow, needed to find a job to support herself and her daughter. England's legislature prohibit widows or married women from being employed. Emma persuaded Boots Booklover's Library to giving her a job. When England started to be bombed, the government urged children to be sent to the countryside to be safe. Emma learns to depend on her community and books to find hope during this uncertain time. Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this novel.

Title: The Booklover’s Library
Author: Madeline Martin
Length: 432 pages
Format: ebook arc
Pub Date: September 10, 2024
Genre: General Fiction (Adult) | Historical Fiction | Women's Fiction
Rating Out of 5: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Summary:
In Nottingham, widow Emma Taylor struggles to find work due to legal restrictions and persuades the manageress of Boots’ Booklover’s Library to hire her. As war threatens England, Emma's daughter Olivia is evacuated, leaving Emma to find comfort in new friendships and her role at the library. However, mysterious issues with the books and painful memories of her late father’s bookstore add to her challenges. Amid the Blitz, Emma must rely on her community and the power of books to navigate hope and reunite with her daughter.

Thoughts:
I first read (and absolutely adored) The Last Bookshop in London when it came out in 2021, and I have read and loved every Historical Fiction of Madeline’s since then. The Booklover’s Library was no exception. Madeline manages to make a WWII historical fiction a cozy read without diminishing the horrors that many had to endure during this war. This time she places focus on the evacuation of the children in the cities of England to the safer countryside and the families that are left behind which I found very unique. Lots of WWII historical fiction books I’ve read have our main characters on the frontlines. I loved reading about those that were left behind and how they were contributing to the war efforts. I love how much research Madeline puts into her books and how accurately she retells these events while also creating a wonderful story around it. Because I’ve read her books, I’ve learned so much that I never would’ve even thought to look up. I’d recommend this book to anyone! It’s heartwarming and uplifting despite all the terrible things that happen and highlights the best of people during a time of crisis. It’s a perfect historical fiction book for any book lover!

Special thanks to the @netgalley and @hanoversquarepress for the arc in exchange for my honest review!

The Booklover's Library, where Emma worked, provided subscribers with wonderful distractions from the looming war sweeping across Europe. Set in Nottingham, England, it was inspired by an actual library. Like all of Madeline Martin's historical fiction novels, it's well-researched and informative, and filled with intriguing characters. The characters have so much to cope with, including the evacuation of children from the city to the country, and the constant threat of bombing by the Nazis. The library is one thing that helps, and banding together as a community is also a heartwarming aspect of the book. I really enjoyed both the characters, and what I learned from this book. I highly recommend it to fans of historical fiction.

My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | Hanover Square Press. I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Historical Fiction, WWII Fiction, Historical Romance
Spice Level: Nothing on the page
Language: I don't remember any profanity

THE BOOKLOVER'S LIBRARY is such a great window into a terrible time in history.

It's interesting to see how women were treated—and recognize how far things have come (in some countries) and how far we still have to go.

I found the characters sympathetic and interesting. I kept wondering about Emma's decisions with Olive. How heartbreaking to send your child to the country to protect them! But also so hard to know if that is the right thing to do when a child is miserable.

The themes of family come through in this book. Both found family and biological family.

I truly enjoyed this book and hope you do too!

Happy reading!

What's not to love about a book about books, specifically the lending libraries popular in England during WW II. This was such a unique piece of history that I've never learned before. Located above Boots' chemists (pharmacies) in London and many other towns, these libraries offered a paid subscription for readers to borrow books. And this is the world we're dropped into when widowed mother Emma realizes she needs some kind of job to keep her and her precious daughter Olivia afloat. The catch? At the time in England, married and widowed women were not allowed to work.

Emma finds employment at the Booklover's Library, but when the bombing threats escalate in her corner of Nottingham, Emma realizes that she must evacuate Olivia to the safety of the countryside. In her daughter’s absence, Emma forges unlikely friendships with her neighbors and coworkers.

I thoroughly enjoyed the themes of found family, books as comfort, and how reading can foster community. The way Emma converts her daughter to a reader through the likes of Anne of Green Gables just warmed my little book loving heart. As always with historical fiction, the author’s notes at the end were interesting and enlightening and added greatly to the book.

This was such an in depth book about lending libraries and saving your family during the war. I really enjoyed reading about the library and everything that goes on there.
The family has strong characters and even though they have to be apart, they are still close.

This will be a great book club book.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

I loved this book! It is an absolutely marvelous, beautifully written, well researched historical fiction! Madeline Martin has written a story that is both heartwarming and heart wrenching. It kept me turning pages late into the night, and often brought tears to my eyes. I felt completely immersed in the time and the lives of the characters. The author is a master at creating characters that are realistic, evolve with the story and make you feel as if they are friends. The book is set in Nottingham, England during World War II, centered on the young widow Emma, and her daughter Olivia. As the threat of war becomes a reality, Emma is faced with choices that are beyond difficult. She must find a way to support herself and her daughter, despite the marriage bar that prevented both married women and widows with children from working. She was fortunate to find employment at the Booklover's Library (The Boots Booklover's Library did actually exist in Nottingham England) only by not disclosing her true status. As the war and the bombing of England intensified, she had also to decide if evacuating her daughter to the countryside to live with strangers would keep her safe. What a heartbreaking decision that must have been for so many, especially in a time when letters were the only common means of communication. The author's notes at the end of the book are a must read. Thank you to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for my advance copy. The opinions of my review are my own.

What a dream of a book to read! It was perfect in every way!
It’s set during WWII and involves books galore. I loved the description of the smell and feel of a bookstore, one of the sensations ever!
I didn’t know much about lending libraries or their restrictive policies so this was a learning experience.
My heart broke every time Emma sent Olivia away and I wished she hadn’t.
My favorite characters were Mrs. Pickering and Mr. Sanderson, diamonds in the rough and each had unplumbed depths that I Adore when discovered.
Pluck this one off the shelf immediately!

Despite my limited experience with historical fiction World War II books, this particular novel immediately captivated me with its intricate storytelling and emotional depth. As I delved into the pages, I found myself enveloped in the tender yet resilient bond between a mother and daughter, feeling their unwavering love and support even in the face of unimaginable challenges. The palpable heartache of losing family members and being separated from loved ones during wartime resonated deeply within me, evoking a sense of profound empathy and sorrow.

However, amidst the backdrop of war and destruction, the author masterfully weaved a narrative of hope and love, showcasing the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring power of connection. Despite the hardships, there were moments of joy and happiness, as characters found solace in the simple pleasures of life and the enduring power of love.

The portrayal of the role of books as a source of solace and escape for those caught in the turmoil of war was especially poignant, highlighting the transformative power of literature in providing a sense of comfort and refuge in times of uncertainty.

But what truly stood out to me was the remarkable character development throughout the story, as each individual grew and evolved in the face of adversity, demonstrating the strength and courage that can be found even in the darkest of times. Overall, I was utterly captivated by this book and found myself deeply moved by its poignant portrayal of love, loss, and resilience during one of the most tumultuous periods in history.

For more reviews and bookish posts visit: https://www.ManOfLaBook.

The Book Lover’s Library by Madeline Martin takes place during World War II, in England, and tells of a single widow trying to make a living in a book-borrowing library, while protecting her daughter. Ms. Maring is a New York Times best-selling author.

Emma Taylor of Nottingham finds herself in need of a job to support her only daughter, Olivia. The problem is that it’s difficult to get a job if you’re a woman with kids, and single to boot.

Emma is forced to lie and get a job at Boots’ Booklover’s Library, where she recommends books to members. She also has to worry about Olivia, who is evacuated due to the threat of bombardments.

I really enjoy historical fiction books which teach me thing or two about history. In all my reading about World War II, I don’t remember encountering lending libraries, and I was fascinated to read about them.
And who doesn’t like books about books anyway?

As it turns out Boot’s Booklovers’ Libraries were the biggest lending libraries in England. They lent out millions of books a year. It all started with Florence Boots, who noticed the poor literacy of the working class who came into her husband’s store “Boots” (today we’d call it a department store). She installed a revolving bookcase in the store and soon followed it up with a book department.

As mentioned in The Book Lover’s Library by Madeline Martin, work in the lending library was desirable. After reading about the lending libraries, I feel that the author did justice to them. Ms. Martin describes how they work, the hierarchy, jobs done by the new employees, as well as the veterans. Eventually, the invention of affordable books was the end of the lending library, but luckily, we still have our public libraries.

The protagonist, Emma Taylor, grew up in her father’s bookstore, so she’s familiar with books and can recommend many to the library’s subscribers. I think that all of us bibliophiles know the joy of being able to recommend a beloved book or a book we’d think someone we like. Ms. Martin captured that feeling very nicely.

This was a charming, easy-to-read, lovely story. I read it quickly and enjoyed the story even though I thought most of it was quite predictable.

The Booklover's Library by @madelinemmartin is an emotional journey that catapults the reader into World War II as a single mom, showcasing a mother's love for her daughter, the things she will do in an attempt to ensure her safety, all the while she rediscovers her love for reading and features strong FMCs and their relationships with one another. It's a story about the powers of literature, of finding strength when all seems unbearably hopeless, finding friendship and trust within your community when you need it most, and the ever-enduring power of unconditional love and acceptance. It's both heartwarming and heartwrenching, in the best of ways.

📖 I thought the plot was great. I was fully engrossed, to the point the world around me ceased to exist while I was reading. The scenes that Miller sets as beautifully detailed and include all of your senses, placing you firmly into a war-torn, 1940s Nottingham England.

✍️🏼 I found the prose to be beautiful. Descriptive without going into purple,

⏳️I quite enjoyed the pacing. I couldn't put it down, I couldn't wait to find out what happened next and how it ended - but also really didn't want it to end.

👥️ The characters are well developed, full of nuance and personality. I want to know these people in real life and be their friend. Beyond the MCs, the character development continues and I really appreciate that they aren't just cardboard cutouts.

I love learning, in general, and besides learning a couple new words I learned some things about this time period.

It's clear to me that Miller does excellent research and applies it in her novels beautifully. It shows in the setting and scenes, as well as the day-to-day lives of her characters.

This is my first book by this author. I've had The Last Bookshop in London on my TBR since it was released, I've yet to get to it (but will be rectifying that asap 😄).

🪟 For transparency: Being that I'm a mom, who recently lost her mom, and had the childhood I did, I'm aware those things likely impact my rating of this book moreso than some others. Even still, I think it's a great book but may not hit others with quite the same gut punch of visceral emotions that it did me.

If you're looking for a book that will make you feel all the emotions, this is the book for you. I didn't bother counting the number of times I teared up or cried (probably a good idea to have tissues at the ready).

📚 If you enjoy historical fiction, stories with strong FMCs and their friendships, or books taking place during WWII, I think you would enjoy this. If you liked: All The Light We Cannot See, Lilac Girls: A Novel, The Keeper of Hidden Books, or The Last Bookshop in London.

If you're looking for a book that goes into detail about battles that occurred during WWII, I don't think this is the book for you.

Thank you to @madelinemmartin @htpbooks and @netgalley for the opportunity to read this eARC. All opinions I'm choosing to leave are my own.

The Booklover’s Library is a heartwarming and engaging story that pays tribute to the power of books and the communities they create. Set in Nottingham, England, widowed Emma struggles to find a job as a single mother. She manages to persuade the manageress of Boots’ Booklover’s Library to hire her under strict conditions of secrecy. As the war moves closer to them, Emma sends her daughter Olivia to the country to live with her grandparents, who may as well be strangers.

As Emma struggles with her decision and missing her daughter, she begins to make unlikely friendships with her coworkers and patrons of the library. The story focuses on the building of connections and friendships, particularly through the lens of books and libraries.

The Booklover’s Library is a touching and uplifting novel that will appeal to book lovers and fans of historical fiction. Its exploration of loss, recovery, and the redemptive power of books makes it a compelling and emotional read. The well-crafted characters and immersive setting ensure that this book will resonate with readers long after they’ve turned the last page.

This is a story that celebrates the quiet yet profound impact of libraries and literature, reminding us all of the ways in which books can transform lives and bring people together.

I loved everything about this book. I also truly love this trend where authors are writing about the everyday people during World War II and not just focusing on the soldiers but the people who lived through the war. Their stories are so valid and beautiful, and I love that they are finally being told. This book is stunning in its depiction of Emma a mother who is struggling not only emotionally but just trying to figure out what is best for her daughter. It is a timeless story that will resonate with any mother. I truly can not say enough good things about this book, but I don’t want to ruin it for any readers. I will be highly recommending this book.
Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.