⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5 Stars

Happy Publication to Lucy Gilmore and The Library of Borrowed Hearts! @tamaratamaralucy You’ve done it again! Kudos on an amazing read. Thank you to Lucy, @dreamscape and @netgalley for allowing me to listen to an ALC (Advanced Listener 🎧 Copy) in exchange for an honest review.

The narrators🎙️for this audiobook 🎧 are Leanne Woodward, Aven Shore, Joe Jameson, and Bob Ball.

Two different story lines. Two different decades. Two common denominators: 1) Love, and 2) Jasper Holmes.

Chloe Sampson, struggling librarian, has been responsible for her three younger siblings for…well, as long as she can remember. Long before her mother physically left, she mentally checked out. So, Chloe learned responsibility at an early age. She however has found a way to check out from reality and also do a little sleuthing on the side when she finds a book in the library that contains romantic marginalia. She is instantly drawn to the writing styles, the banter, and the love story. She believes the authors may still be living. She is bound and determined to discover who they are and if they had their happily ever after.

Through her sleuthing endeavors, Chloe unintentionally makes a connection with the grump next door and the stranger that saves her brother’s life. Will she be able to turn around her neighbor’s outlook on life? Will she be able thank the stranger that saved her brother without being too awkward?

If you’re like me and love a book about libraries and bookshops, this is a must read! Heartwarming and genuine with a splash of hopeless romance.

Favorite Quote:
“In many ways books were more alive than the people he knew. Living, breathing entities that changed each time you pick them up.”

The narrators were fine in this book. The story could have been so much better. First of all, I found it hard to believe that an 80+ year old woman was still working as a fierce top-of-the-field book editor in NYC. That job is rigorous and stressful. It would have made much more sense for the time span to be more like 40 years. Secondly, the way the MC's love interest ingratiated himself into the MC's life felt off-putting. And she forgave him pretty quickly. I didn't love the abandonment storyline and the way the mother just waltzed back into her children's lives with hardly a blink. And the young lover...the way she ended things with her sort of boyfriend was just shitty.

A book about books and dreamscape media, what could go wrong and so I requested this book. And to be honest I saw it on Goodreads too.

I was expecting too much from the book but it was dull, writing was mundane and there was nothing going on in the book in long long time.

Audiobook narration is flawless as usual which is mostly the case with dreamscape media but it doesn't make up for the boring content. The characters are dull , story is flat what more can I say.

Audiobook narration : 4 stars
Book rating : 2 stars

Thank you Netgalley and dreamscape media for the audiobook ARC in exchange of an honest review.

The characters are annoying. The writing is dull. I just could not bring myself to care about any of what was happening to anybody in this story. I skimmed through to the end to see what happened and was just sort of annoyed by it all. Meh.

This was a fun and touching story. I loved the reference to many classic books but didn't love the ending (or lack thereof).

Bookish books are my favourite books.

Anything set in a library, or book store?

Gimme.

Is the main character a librarian, or an author?

Add to cart.

Was a flawless work? Nope, but I’M GRADING ON A CURVE.

I loved the tiny town setting, the platonic and not-so-platonic Grumpy-Sunshine tropes, and the diverse set of characters.

I loved the multiple timelines and multiple points-of-view (‘though, I did think some were stronger than others).

I loved the marginalia plot device, and added a few books to my TBR because of it.

My main beef was the ending. If ever a book needed an epilogue, it was this one.

Looking forward to more from Lucy Gilmore.

Thanks to NetGalley, Sourcebooks, and DreamScape Media for this bookish ARC.

The Library of Borrowed Hearts
By Lucy Gilmore

I am a sucker for books about books, books about libraries, and books about storytelling. So, this book had me from the get-go.

Chloe Simpson is a librarian who has dropped out of library school to care for her three younger siblings. She struggles to make ends meet, refuses help from any corner, and things her next-door neighbor is a curmudgeonly old man with a grudge against kids. Then she comes across a rare copy of a booked banned in the mid-twentieth century. When her cranky neighbor, Jasper Holmes, offers to buy the book at a ridiculous price, she takes a closer look. In the margins are love notes, between C and J. Chloe dives into the mystery of finding out what she can about the young lovers, one of who must be her neighbor.

In fact, if you’re a book lover, you’ll get a whole new reading list as Chloe, her siblings, and her best friend Pepper follow the lover’s notes on a literary scavenger hunt, that leads to surprising (and not so surprising) places.

The Library of Borrowed Hearts started off as an easy listen on my commute – engaging characters read by a strong cast (rather than one narrator), so it sounded a bit like a radio play. It quickly became an obsession, and I was listening while I did all my household chores and taking long walks. I could feel the cool air of the Pacific northwest in the descriptions of the small former logging town. And I saw the clothing and hairstyles of the characters as the plot jumped from the 1960s to the 2000s. Ultimately, it’s a charming romp that has more depth than you’d expect a charming romp to have.

Chloe’s siblings Theo, Trixie, and Noodle are each memorable in their own way. But I was struck by the tender, sensitive portrayal of Noodle, who may simply be much shyer than his bolder family members, or who may have more going on. In the end, it doesn’t matter. Noodle’s idiosyncratic relationship with the world sets in motion a romance, and a softening of neighborly relations that is a joy to listen to.

Gilmore’s portrayal of grief – whether it’s the grief of being abandoned by a parent or of losing a lover – captivates with its nuance and charm. Like nesting dolls, the story within the story offers depth to the plot. But it does so much more – I was ruminating on how social mores have changed, how strong Chloe is to raise her siblings, and how she doesn’t have time to see the love that surrounds her. Gilmore doesn’t give you a neat ending –other reviewers have complained about that. I see it as Gilmore inviting us to write the story, participate, and know that things change, all the time. In fact, as one of her characters says, “Things in this world rarely go according to plan, and we often find ourselves on roads and in cities we never planned to visit, let alone stay in forever.”


Dreamscape Media for the ALC via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I really wanted to love this book. The premise was so promising. I listened to the audiobook. As someone who works in a library (and is working towards my library degree), many of the references to librarians missed the mark. There were so many references to old books that I haven't read so I feel like I missed a lot of the intent behind the messages. It was told in dual timeline and I felt like they spent so much time in each timeline that I forgot who was who in the other timeline when they finally switched. I decided to take a break from it to see if I could get back into it later. Then I saw this book on my shelf and even after reading the description I didn't even remember that I had started it. I just didn't care enough about any of the characters to try again.

I received a digital audiobook ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publisher.

The Library of Borrowed Hearts is a very touching book about family, both blood and found. It follows the story of Chloe, a library employee who finds a book in the basement of the library annotated by two people falling in love. She begins her quest to find all of the books they've annotated and discover the identities of the two, believing one to be her grumpy next door neighbor. Along the way we learn more about Chloe's three siblings, who she is tasked with taking care of since their mother left without a word, and the residents of the small town of Colville, Washington. I really enjoyed this audiobook. The narrators all did an excellent job with their characters and it was very well produced. The cast of characters were all well developed, unique, and touching in their own way. The story is told both in the present as Chloe is trying to unravel the mystery of the love story and in the 1960s when the romance was actually happening, which added more depth to the characters in the book annotations as well. This book is perfect for anyone looking for a heartwarming story set in a small town.

really enjoyed this story as you can tell and would recommend if you like women’s fiction. the found family was so great and I enjoyed this so much

A grump turned soft? I'm in! Jasper Holmes is the neightbor from the Sandlot. The one where if your ball goes over its lost forever. Jasper is a pain in Chloe Sampson's side. Chloe was left to raiser her younger siblings when her mother deserted them and Chloe had to give up on her future dreams. Jasper refuses to give back frisbees, he's an all around grump and Chloe just knows he's the one who called child protective services on them back in the day.
But is Jasper all that evil of a man? Jasper himself has a past that he has struggled to come to terms with, and yes, he may have called CPS but only for the best or reasons and he tried to provide those kids that sneaky kind of support (bc he has to remain gruff and mysterious of course).
In this dual-timeline story bound by a series of books we learn why Jasper is the way he is. Chloe finds the trail of books Jasper and his secret lover exchange and while she's finally connecting with the old neighbor in the present she's unraveling his past.

I have seen many mixed reviews on this book, but for me it worked.

Chloe has a lot on her hands at the moment. She's raising her three younger siblings (whom her mom just left one day) and although she loves working as a librarian, the job barely covers the bills. One day during a library clearout, she finds a mysterious old copy of a book that SHE KNOWS is worth hundreds if not thousands of dollars. So...she decides to take it since they would've thrown it away anyway. And that's just the start of Chloe's adventure. She starts reading the book and in it unfolds a mystery of two lovers who were leaving each other notes in the book during the 1960s...and one of the mysterious lovers might be her hermit of a neighbour - Jasper - who has suddenly become interested in the book and offers her 5000 dollars to buy it from her. Chloe soon discovers this isn't the only book where the two lovers exchanged notes in and so starts a literary scavenger hunt.

Ah, I just loved this book! A book about books? SIGN ME UP! It gave me all the cosy vibes that I need from a book. The story itself has multiple POVs (which I've not come across that much) and has dual timelines, going back and forth between nowadays and the 1960s when the two mysterious lovers' love story takes place. There are lots of classical book references in the book, so if you're a lover of the good old classics, you'll be in for a ride. There's a lot going on in the book, but that's what I loved about it. You were never bored and I loved the characters and how they developed throughout the story. My overall rating would be 4.5/5 stars, but I'll round it up to 5 stars.

I would like to thank Netgalley, the publisher and the author for giving me a chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed The Library of Borrowed Hearts by Tamara Berry writing as Lucy Gilmore. Readers who love bookish love stories need this in their lives. This book is full of the library love evident in The Lonely Hearts Book Club, the author’s first women’s fiction novel. This plot centers around correspondence written years ago in the margins of classic books shelved in a public library. There’s also a deeper story involving a family of siblings.

At times Chloe’s relentless prying into the correspondence between two young lovers seemed like a big invasion of privacy, but since the notes were written in public library books, the couple shouldn’t expect secrecy. I enjoyed this cast of characters, and really appreciated the ending. And the beautiful bookish cover would be a lovely addition to any bookshelf.

The audiobook is narrated by four individuals: Leanne Woodward, Aven Shore, Joe Jameson, and Bob Ball, which was surprising since the first half was voiced by a single person.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for access to the audiobook.

Chloe Sampson doesn't seem to control anything in her life. She's the guardian of her three younger siblings, she had to leave school, and she can't always make ends meet. Oh, and her neighbor is a total grumpy old man, Jasper Holmes. But when Chloe finds an old book with writing in the margins that she thinks might make her a little bit of money, Jasper shows a lot of interest in it. What she unravels with her friend and possible flame, oh and Jasper himself, is a long-ago unlikely love story. When unwelcome family finds itself back into their lives, their found family steps up and shows that love comes in all different ways.

This was my second Lucy Gilmore book, and it was just as charming as the first. As a librarian myself, I can't help but read books about books and books about librarians. Throw in some romance, a grumpy man that would give Ove a run for his money (iykyk), and a stressed sister, and you've got a book made in heaven just for me! Gilmore's writing style is relaxed, yet emotional, and the pacing of the book is great. If Gilmore keeps writing books like these, I will be a devoted reader!

As a librarian, I love novels about librarians and books.

Chloe Sampson has given up her education to return home and care for her three younger siblings. It is a difficult job that she barely manages with her library job and the careful rotation of credit card balances. Just when things become particularly trying, she finds a rare copy of a once banned book with notes in the margins that appear to be a conversation between two people.

Chloe goes on a search to unearth additional books and uncover the mysterious story. She is helped along the way by a curmudgeonly neighbor, a loyal friend, and a handsome survivalist.

This dual timeline story is sometimes a little predictable but also thought provoking and heartwarming. There are many great quotes for booklovers and some tender moments. In the end, this was a very enjoyable read.

The audiobook was expertly narrated by four actors and their characterizations helped the novel to come alive. Highly recommend. 4 stars.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for an advance copy of the audiobook version of this novel.

What a wonderful story! I absolutely fell in love with all of the characters and their interwoven lives. I loved the different viewpoints we got to dive into.

Books about books will always be an immediate buy. Add in a dual timeline that features a whirlwind romance with swoony note exchanges you have created the perfect book. Reading this felt like a like a hug for my soul. My mind enjoyed all the book references and there was so much to highlight/annotate it’s impossible to include all in this review.

However, there is no wrapup at the ending of the book - it just ends. It felt incomplete.

This one was just okay for me. I really struggled to get through this book. I really loved her other book but this dragged.

SUCH a heartwarming story that will give you all of the feels! I love grouchy older neighbors that deep down have a heart of gold. It was so fun getting the pov from the past to gain insight on who Jasper is in the present. I personally melt easily over stories that involve a librarian and this was no exception!! & This librarian has a mystery to solve that involves one epic love story.... *swoon*

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ALC of The Library of Borrowed Hearts!

This was my favorite read of April! I definitely have a soft spot for grouchy old neighbors with a heart of gold and Jasper is certainly one of those! I also have a soft spot for books about books so this one was really checking all my boxes. I enjoyed all of the characters. Usually in a multi POV book I feel disappointed when the character narrating switches but with this one I was perfectly happy to get back into that other timeline or viewpoint. Chloe is an exceptionally well developed character with her squashed dreams and forced responsibility balanced perfectly with the love she bears for her siblings and happiness she finds in the life she didn't plan but is making the most of. Zach is such a great balance for her.

Jasper and Catherine's timeline was also excellent with a different kind of focus on family expectations and how everyone embraces those differently. Catherine's mom was such an unexpected character. I loved her despite some of her actions. I don't necessarily agree with Catherine's actions but we wouldn't have this wonderful story without them so I suppose we will have to accept them.

When the story started to lag, new plot twists were introduced at the right time to bring the book back. The ending wasn't what I expected but I loved it.

The multi-narrator audio was excellent! I LOVE when that happens!