Loved this book. It was a great story of a daughter finding peace with her mother. Lots of community, family, forgiveness, grace. I thought the story was very well written and flowed really nicely. I’m bummed the author doesn’t have anymore books for me to read now. I’ll have to be on the lookout for future books. The narrators were great and I really enjoyed the audiobook. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an Arc in exchange for my honest review.

I went into this book blind, assuming it would be about a library filled with memories of its visitors—but that wasn’t the case at all. And honestly? I’m not even mad about it. Instead, I was met with a deeply moving story about a woman who returns home to care for her estranged mother after an injury, only to find herself on an unexpected journey of healing. As she rediscovers the books her mother had given her over the years, she begins to unravel not just their complicated relationship, but also pieces of herself she had long forgotten.

At its heart, this is a story about self-discovery—about how the moments, stories, and people in our lives shape us into who we are. It beautifully captures the power of books, not just as stories but as connections to our past and the people we’ve loved, lost, or misunderstood. It’s an emotional, reflective read that reminds us how sometimes, in revisiting where we came from, we find our way back to ourselves.

The Memory Library by Kate Storey was such a sweet story. I loved the book about books aspect of the novel. But better than that was the slow unfolding of the relationship of a mother and her adult daughter. The daughter, Ella, was so hard-hearted at times that I did rate the book down a start just because she was so inflexible in how she viewed her mother, no matter the evidence in front of her. Sally should have communicated with everyone sooner and better than what she did in order to salvage what she had, but would there have been a book if better communication had actually happened? This book made me feel all the warm fuzzies of friendship and family and I REALLY enjoyed it.

I loved this book - it was a story of forgiveness and understanding, aging, and love. Great narrator! Would definitely recommend

5 stars!

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reader copy

Dear The Memory Library,
Not only are you a beautiful and heartwarming story about family and unconditional love, but you are also about the impact that books can have on people and their relationships. You pulled me into this world as Ella navigated her tense relationship with her mother and all the unsaid things that lived between them. You were heartfelt and moving.

Such a sweet book about books, relationships, and misunderstandings. I love that these characters realized their importance before it was too late.

This story about an estranged mother and daughter who come together because of the mother’s injury was pretty good. The books she chose to give her each year and write a note inside was such a sweet sentiment!!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for an advance copy of this audiobook, read by Imogen Wilde and Jilly Bond.

As the story begins, Sally is in her early 70s, living in a rundown but still beautiful Victorian home in Greenwich. Her daughter Elly lives in Sidney, Australia, with her husband, Charlie, and their young daughter Willow. Nearing 40, she is a driven businesswoman, ambitious and unceasing in her work, and the family provider while the affable Charlie is unemployed and takes care of hearth and home. She is also very angry—with Charlie, their lives, and most of all her mother, whom she hasn’t seen in more than a decade. She left home when her father, whom she adored, died suddenly. Her life is orderly and she is in control.

Then comes the early morning call that all children of elderly parents dread. Her mother has fallen and severely injured her hands. None of her English friends can provide the help she needs. Reluctantly, resentfully, she listens to her husband and assents to taking a month’s leave and flying home, burdened by the duty of the only child, and not at all happy about it.

The rest of this story of redemption and understanding unfolds slowly and compassionately. Elly is shocked at how her mother, her home and possessions, have deteriorated. She is fiercely unwilling to sympathize. She wants only to see her mother moved to a care home, so that she can return to Australia when her month is up.

Things do not go as planned. As she is drawn into her mother’s circle of friends—a disparate group of different ages, lifestyles and proclivities—she discovers truths about her mother that her focus on her father had blocked. These truths brings her self-knowledge, painful but worthwhile.

The Memory Library of the title is both the central metaphor and a very real thing. Mother and daughter are not perfect beings, just ordinary people who inadvertently allow misunderstandings to fester. The ending is a bit pat and predictable but it also satisfies. The two narrators read with warmth and compassion. In sum, I highly recommend this novel. Just the thing for a cold and isolating season.

This book tackles the complicated relationship between mother and daughter. Ella has been living in Australia and estranged from her mom, Sally, for many years. When Sally has an accident, Ella comes back to England to help her care for her mom, even though its the last place she wants to be. Upon her return, Ella and Sally must confront the challenges they have in their relationship and must learn to forgive each other.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and the emotional journey that it brought me through. While I will say that Ella was hard to connect or relate to initially, her character arc is one of redemption by the end of the book. The rest of the characters, however, really helped carry this book and helped the emotional impact in such a good way.

Overall, this book was a little out of the genres that I usually stick with, but by the end of the book I was really glad I took a break from mysteries so that I could enjoy this title.

The Memory Library by Kate Storey is a story about a complicated relationship between Sally and her daughter Ella. I had a hard time finishing this book due to just how unlikeable Ella was. While there was good character development and growth overall there was just too much teenage angst type feelings/behavior for me to love this book. That being said, in some ways this story is almost a love letter to books and what they can bring to our lives. That part I truly loved. If you enjoy books and books and complicated mother-daughter relationships, this will probably be a hit for you.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Audio Adult for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

At first I really disliked Ella and had a hard time getting into this book. But as the story went on, I came to love the characters and the memory library.

Set among a backdrop of excellent books and wonderful side characters, this centers the relationship between a mother and daughter that have had a falling out. 21 years prior, Ella stormed out of their home and hardly speaks to her mum. Now a successful lawyer in Australia, Ella is called to come care for Sally after Sally breaks her wrist and several fingers. Resentment boils and Ella discovers that her mother has written an inscription inside a carefully selected book for each of Ella's birthdays.

This was an excruciating listen because Ella is insufferable. While she displays growth as a character, it felt like she should have been 21, not 42, and had stopped maturing back when they fought when she was 21. Sally and the side characters were wonderful and made the story better but Ella was the WORST.

Thank you to Net Galley, Avon, and Harper Audio Adult for the DLC. All opinions are my own.

This audiobook was well narrated and I enjoyed listening (and I'm picky about narrators!). As a story following a mother and daughter's journey back together to uncover the truth, reconnect, and heal, I found hope in the reminders of what really matters in life.

It does have some references to drag, affairs, and curse words, which are personally not my taste and thus taking a star for that, but it wasn't overly the focus.

I really enjoyed this audiobook. Kate Storey, the author, did a great job of bringing this cast of characters to life and make them colourful with their quirks and personal life story.
The books tells the story of an aging woman who gets into an accident and cannot care for herself.A friend gets in touch with her daughter in Australia and insists that she has to come back to the UK to care for her mother.
Since they haven’t seen each other in many years, they will have to get to know one another all over again as adults.
Very touching story with interesting twists.

Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC for this audiobook.

The Memory Library by Kate Storey was a lovely Audiobook of forgiveness and reconnection.

Ella estranges herself from her mother, Sally, after a misunderstanding after Ella's father's death. Ella is deep in the rat race of life and work when she gets a call from her mother's neighbor that her mother has been seriously injured and will need help recovering. Ella reluctantly and resentfully returns to England after more than 20 years away. What follows is a beautifully described mending of the relationship between mother and daughter, helped by a rich and diverse cast of supporting characters. Ella's growth as a character was especially well written.

There were 2 narrators for this audiobook. One for Ella and one for Sally. This was mostly told from Ella's perspective, but both narrators were a pleasure to listen to, and I'll be looking for other narrations by Jilly Bond and Imogen Wilde.

Story - 4/5 stars. Recommended for anyone in need of a feel-good, uplifting and inspiring story.
Narrators - 5/5 stars.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The Memory Library (Audiobook) by Kate Storey
A mother and daughter are living on different continents because of a rift over two decades ago. Ella is called back to her childhood home to help her mother, Sally, when she falls and gets injured. Sally has been building a library complete with personal notes. She adds a book every year on her daughter's birthday.
While this seems like it will be a heartwarming journey of forgiveness and finding a new relationship, it falls flat.
Ella is a 42 year old, self centered brat, who just doesn't like her life. This is a fluently told story with complex family dynamics. It may work well for some, but I was unable to connect with the story or the unlikeable characters. Ella's distant attitude and overall anger set my mood as the reader.
I loved the concept of this story. I love books about libraries and books. However, this one fell flat for me because of the main character. Ella's attitude made the story just disconnect with me as the reader. I hope the story works for others but it wasn't for me. I want to at least like the stories I read or listen to and that usually involves a connection with the characters or plot.
The two narrators did a great job giving a voice to the characters, the audio performance was good., the characters were just not likeable.
I would like to thank NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ARC of the audiobook.
Overall, I rate this one as a 2.5/5⭐

"The Memory Library" is my new favorite book of the past year.

When the main character, Ella, learns that her mother, Sally, has injured herself, she returns home to England to take care of her for a month. For the past twenty-one years, they'd been somewhat estranged, only in sporadic and stilted contact, even though they'd both been very close when Ella was younger.

For all those years, Ella thought she knew for certain everything she needed to know when it came to her mother. Yet when she returns home, she learns that nothing was as it seemed to her. And in fact, SHE is the one who's been in the wrong all these years. While she's been convinced that her mother is self-centered and uncaring, the people in Sally's community prove otherwise, time and again.

As Ella begins to question all she thought was true, all the limitations she's placed on her own life start to fall away and make her question what she really wants out of life.

Ultimately, this story is about family and found family, forgiveness and acceptance, and the power of books to build community, compassion and connection.

A huge thank you to Kate Storey, HarperAudio, and NetGalley for an advance review copy. This book was a true pleasure to read!

The Memory Library is a beautiful emotional rollercoaster. Kate Storey did an impeccable job of creating a touching and realistic story of a mother and daughter’s journey to love and acceptance. Ella and her mother Sally have been estranged for many years due to a complete misunderstanding and a case of jumping to conclusions. Once she is able, Ella moves to Australia to get as far away from her mother as possible. For many years, Ella had not seen Sally. Sally has not even met Ella's daughter Willow. After Sally experiences a nasty fall, Ella is forced to return to England to care for her mother. It is during her trip home that she realizes that her foredrawn conclusion may not be what really happened those many years ago. I loved the raw and realistic mother-daughter relationship that Kate Storey shares. Reading how Ella and Sally overcome past accusations and mishaps was truly eye-opening to how all we sometimes need to do is to ask a simple question and how sometimes the most difficult conversations are the ones that will save us from heartache. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and encourage everyone to read it.

#TheMemoryLibrary is my last #audiobook listen of the year. Being 6:41pm here on the east coast of the U.S. it's safe to safe it may be my last read altogether for the year, unless I finish one or another of some books I still have partially read... this story was lent to me as an early read via @netgalley and thanks to @harperaudio for the approval & @avonbooks for publishing the story and to #katestorey the author. This story is about a mother and daughter estranged over a scenario involving insinuations and assumptions that caused her daughter to move halfway across the world from the UK to Australia. After barely communicating with her mother for a decade, Ella hears that her mother has fallen ill and needs her. When she returns, she finds her mother embraced in a community that loves her and she discovers so much on this trip home. The most lovely thing is about the library her mother built for her throughout the years. It's such a lovely idea.
I loved this cozy read that really brought home the concepts of family, books, and being part of one's community.

The Memory Library
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A sweet fun absolutely enjoyable book. You will fall in love with the characters. You will cheer them on. A great story to just relax & take in. You will want to keep reading & not stop. A story filled with just the right amount of magic.
Thank you NetGalley