This treasure of a book is about love, growth, forgiveness, friendship, community and family. Maybe a tad cheesy but truly touching throughout. I cried a lot! Because it was moving, not devastating. I’d definitely recommend this feel good book on audio or in print.

Thanks to NetGalley for an opportunity to read this advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Sally has been steadily adding a book every year to her daughter’s library. She adds a book every year on her daughter, Ella’s, birthday, even though she and Ella have had a falling out. Sally has hope that Ella will see all these wonderful books and read their inscriptions and forgive her.

When Sally takes a terrible fall, Ella leaves Australia and returns to England to help. Ella slowly realizes things are not normal with her mother. Sally is having some very bad memory lapses.

Ella and Sally are at odds due to a misunderstanding and Ella holds a grudge through most of this story. But, she soon discovers that her life is not exactly what she wants it to be. And watching her change throughout this book just made the whole book for me!

This is a heartwarming story and I wish that I had thought of a library for my children like this.

Need a wonderful tale about family and second chances…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

To start off thank NetGalley, HarperAudio, and Kate Storey’s team for the audiobook version of ‘The Memory Library’.

A mother who just wants her daughter to know she is loved by dedicating a library full of memories she can only hope her daughter will come back to. After a heated exchange, Ella moves away from her mother Sally and starts her own beautiful family, but when family friend calls to let her know Sally is in need of her daughter she is persuaded to take a visit down memory lane. Come to find out Sally has added a personalized message and a book each year on Ella’s birthday, with the hopes of rekindling her and her only daughter’s relationship. What can only be described as heartfelt, sentimental, and emotional.

The novel is a coming of age, found family, and second chance narrative that will build up over time and heal the unhealed inner child of Sally’s and Ella’s relationship.

What I had issues with is that the book’s initial premise seemed very intriguing, but I just didn’t get the emotional connection to the storyline. It had a very rushed but slow start, although it finishing on a stronger note. It was unclear how much time the author would spend on adding so much details it kind of lost me. I really wanted to read about the library Sally had made for Ella. The last 10% did get really sentimental and happy but most of the book rehashed a lot of hostility towards the two while navigating with health problems that come with aging. It was starting to put me in a book slump because of how depressing the writing was.

I think if you’re into putting yourself down and throwing yourself into a rabbit hole then read this with the hope of a HEA.

It made me feel things I didn’t want to feel. It rehashed all the times of my childhood where I was quite literally a brat to my parents. And I guess the story is eye opening to the idea that you don’t truly know of you’ll ever get a second chance at something in life. But at the end of the day, the book altogether made me feel like I was sitting and having a conversation with a family member or friend and they are telling me a story that I’ve heard a million times. It wasn’t grasping my attention the way I thought it would.

I think the end goal could have been achieved as a short story. I probably would’ve loved if it was less dense and more faster paced. The last 10% is really the only thing I enjoyed about this book.

I wouldn’t recommend this because it dragged and no one likes being on the cusp of being in a book slump with no worthwhile payoff.

#NetGalley #TheMemoryLibrary

This book deeply moved me. I lost my grandparents to dementia and Alzheimer's, and now I watch my sweet mother-in-law endure the same heart-wrenching disease. The words in this story mirror the ones we've shared as we navigated the pain of memory loss. It’s a book filled with a range of emotions—both heartbreaking and beautiful. The story is raw, genuine, and utterly gut-wrenching. Be sure to have a box of tissues nearby when you read it.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kate Storey, and HarperAudio Adult for the opportunity to listen to this touching tale of love.

The Memory Library by Kate Storey is a heartfelt exploration of the unbreakable bond between a mother and daughter, beautifully capturing the highs and lows of their relationship. The story centers on Sally and her estranged daughter, Ella, who fled to Australia twenty-one years ago after a heated exchange. Despite the distance, Sally continues her quiet tradition of adding a book to her shelves every year on Ella’s birthday, each with a heartfelt note to her “greatest work.”

When disaster forces Ella to return home, the pair must confront their shared past, unravel misunderstandings, and rediscover the love that has always connected them. The book unfolds like a Hallmark movie – warm, poignant, and deeply satisfying. It’s a story about love, regret, and redemption, showing that even after long chapters of silence, new beginnings are possible.

As a mother of daughters, I was deeply moved by Sally’s perspective – her love, her hope, and the pain of her choices being misunderstood. At the same time, I could relate to Ella’s journey of independence and frustration as a daughter. The story resonated with me on a deeply personal level, reminding me of the ebbs and flows of mother-daughter relationships.

The narrators, Jilly Bond and Imogene Wilde, brought the characters to life with incredible depth and emotion. Their performances added nuance to every moment, drawing me into the story and making it even more compelling. Their voices brought Sally’s love and Ella’s struggles vividly to life, enhancing the story’s emotional impact.

I’ve already recommended this beautiful tale to my own daughters, as it captures both the challenges and beauty of these enduring bonds. The Memory Library is a touching reminder that it’s never too late to rewrite the chapters of our lives with the people we love most.

This beautiful tribute to family, the connections we make that become family, forgiveness and the power of books is one of the most heartwarming books I have read in some time. Sally, the main character, has lovingly created a library for her daughter, Ella, by specially curating a new book on her birthday each year with a message for her. Due to circumstances, they become estranged for many years until Sally has an accident at home resulting in Ella, who is now a high-powered attorney, needing to come assist her both physically and with extensive repairs to the home.

During the time Ella is with Sally, she learns about her impact on those around her and that she may have been rash in her previous judgement and reasons to leave. The audiobook narration by Jilly Bond and Imogene Wilde provides an immersive experience and adds a great deal to making this audiobook truly one to not miss.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Adult Audio for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.

This is an absolutely beautiful book about the relationship between a mother and a daughter, the hurt and distance that tore them apart, and the library that offers a chance to bring them back together. It gave me all the warm fuzzy feelings that I need from this kind of a story. I cried; I laughed out loud: I wanted to hug my own daughter, and I marveled at the incredible power of love within these pages. If you are a fan of women's fiction with themes of mother/daughter relationships, community, friendship, and love; don't let this one pass by without a read.

I lost my father a year and a half ago and my older brother a few months ago, and I needed to DNF this book. It was a good story, but it triggered some anxiety and sadness that I wasn't prepared to feel, so I had to put it aside for now.

The Memory Library was a heartwarming story of redemption and family. I was able to connect with the characters Ella and Sally for different reasons. The secondary characters were also very vivid to me. I was very touched by the Memory Library and plan to create my own as I think it was such a deeply thoughtful and touching tribute to Ella. The narrators fit with the story well and added to my enjoyment. I will seek out future books by Kate Storey.

Thank you Net Galley, Kate Storey and Harper Audio for the opportunity to preview this audiobook. The opinions shared are my own.
The Memory Library is expected to be released Feb. 1, 2025.

What a heartwarming read.

Jilly Bond and Imogen Wilde narrate this story beautifully.

The Memory Library by Kate Storey is a tale of grief, family strife, the web of complex mother/daughter relationships, and community. While heartbreaking at times and heartwarming at others, The Memory Library is a must-read for book lovers.

The Memory Library

Wow, I did not expect this to be as moving and thoughtful as it was. With a focus on a mother daughter relationship and how powerful bonds are formed through the love of books, this was a truly lovely read.

At its core is the idea of a gifted book each year that includes an inscription of significance and chosen specifically for that time in life. It seriously makes me want to start a library for my daughter and also, at one particularly meaningful moment I paused listening to call my mom and check in. It’s a book that made me reflect on my life, my relationship with my mother and had me feeling more grateful and introspective at every turn. I loved it!

Thank you HarperAudio Adult for the audio copy via Netgalley!

Rating: 4.5/5⭐️

This was a very sweet story about a mother and daughter who have become distant reconnecting. I enjoyed watching their relationship grow closer over a few weeks in the story.

There isn't much that happens in the story that you won't see coming. Certain parts are repetitive as characters figure things out. In fairness, they need to be repetitive or the actions would be dismissed. That may sound a little vague, but I don't want to give away any plot points unintentionally.

The story is mostly set in the current day, with just a few flashbacks chapters included. I enjoyed the cast of characters.

I listened to the audio narrated by Jilly Bond and Imogen Wilde. It was very well done and enjoyable.

This book had me so in my feelings. I’ve watched from an outsider perspective as mother daughter relationships have crumbled over miscommunication so this book hit close to home. Every time I thought our main character was coming around and growing, she would let me down again. That is not at all a complaint as that is accurate of real life. Despite many opportunities to truly listen to her mom and mend things, she kept back tracking because as an adult, it’s sometimes hard to put aside your own ego and throw everything you have told yourself out the window to see a situation from a different perspective. This story was beautiful and painful and cut deep with the raw emotion.

What an amazing story. It’s not a Christmas story but should be. The story is of forgiveness, redemption, enlightenment, and overall love. Wonderful emotions go through your senses as one read or listens to the story.

This is just the perfect book – talking about the relationship between mother and daughter through their love of reading. My daughter has recently become an avid reader, so this one just touched my heart.

Ella and her mom, Sally, have been estranged for many years. But, Sally keeps up the tradition of adding a book to the shelves with a note dedicated to her daughter on her birthday. But, now Ella is back home and starts looking (and reading) the books that her mom has added each year.

I loved this. Heart felt and touching- and you’ll need a box of tissues!

RECOMMEND

Thank you #NetGalley for the complimentary copy of #TheMemoryLibrary in exchange for an honest review.

The Memory Library was such a breath of fresh air! It’s a feel-good book with dual timelines, mostly set in the present day. Ella leaves Australia to care for her estranged mother, Sally, in London, and as we learn about their complicated relationship, we see how different their perspectives are. Ella starts to question everything she thought she knew about her mother, and we learn the truth along with Ella about what actually happened 21 years ago. The secondary characters add sweetness, depth, and context.

This heartwarming story about friends and family, forgiveness, and finding understanding is most definitely worth a read or listen.

Both Jilly Bond and Imogen Wilde were fantastic narrators.

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperAudio, and Kate Storey for an audio ARC.

This was such a good heartwarming story about a mother and daughter reconnecting! The audio was done so well! A must to listen to!

This is story about mother/daughter relationships and how they change over the course of a life, as well as friendships and all types of relationships. Great story and well-written. Especially enjoyable for those of us who LOVE books and how their contents relate to different situations in life.

Well, this book has all the feels! Be warned about reading this in public because it is full of so many emotions! Not surprising since it is all about Ella returning to England to take care of her estranged mother who had fallen and injured herself. It is a story of learning about each other, changing from the static image Ella had had of her mother when she left 20 years before and figuring out that parents are real people, complete with faults and many sides that you don't know about when you are a child.

I love the idea of the memory library, with books that are super special and have messages from loved ones in them. I love books in general but this is a wonderful idea. Besides books, you have the love and strength of community and friends coming together to help each other out without asking for anything in return. And the ending is so wonderful! Families made whole again, love found and rekindled and friends that stick with you no matter what!

This was a wonderful story and the audiobook was super excellent too! The narrator did a grand job in playing all the characters and that also really helped with feeling all the emotions! I highly recommend this! Even if it made me cry. :)

I had the privilege of reading the ARC earlier this year and loved everything about this story. The audiobook did an excellent job of bringing the story to life. Jilly Bond and Imogen Wilde did an outstanding job bringing emotion and personality to this story. Though I was familiar with the story, going back into the atmosphere of the ruined library, and the conflict between the main character and her mother was palpable thanks to the voice actors.

Thank you so much Netgalley, HarperAudio Adult | Harper360, and Kate Storey for the ALC of this phenomenal work.
I am leaving this honest review voluntarily without coercion.