𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐈𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐑𝐘 𝐎𝐅 𝐋𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐃𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐒𝐄𝐒 ~ by Elise Hopper ~ A Thank you to Netgalley, William Morrow Publishing and Harper Audio for an ARC copy of this book. This is my first book by this author who writes primarily in the Historical Fiction Genre. This has a dual timeline structure and at first it was a bit jarring to make the switch and to connect to the story or any of the characters in either because of the changing. I found myself wondering if I was enjoying this or not. Then, at about the halfway point (or a little before), I realized that I was invested and interested in the story and the things I was learning. There are plenty of plot threads running through this and because of that, I think it was trying to be a lot of things, hence there were several themes and plotlines that remained underdeveloped. I love hearing about the role that women played in WWI, but it was just a little mention of occupations here and there. There was a drop of romantic connection and of a formed relationship that we revisit at the end so while not much definition is given to why there was a connection, we get some closure on both of these. The best part was the WWI Vets, the life of the dollhouse maker and the interesting things I learned about the value of Miniatures in our lives both in the past and present. When I finished this, I can definitely say I had a good experience when all was said and done and it did teach me plenty of new information and I adore that from a book.
The aforementioned makes this tough to rate… so,... I am going with an odd score. I do think fans of a lighter, cozier type of Historical Fiction would really like this book. I am glad I read it.
⭐⭐⭐💫✨(3.75) I could go 4….
𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐥𝐥! 📚♥️

I fell in love with this book I was hoped from the very beginning the story was so interesting and really kept you engrossed wanting to know what was going to happen next Not only did you get the amazing mystery of the dollhouses but you had the beautiful love story of the two main characters that you got to see develop throughout the entire book The writing style was absolutely beautiful but also the narrator had an amazing voice

A delightful story told on two timelines. The first is present day San Francisco. Tildy is the curator at a curator at a archive library. She finds a hidden room with two hidden and magnificent doll houses and on the same day learns that the library is running short on money to survive. She decides to find out the mystery of the doll houses in an effort to save the library.

The other timeline is of the woman who made the full houses where, we learn her history and how the houses were made.

This was ac great story and I couldn't wait to see what happened!

I was excited to receive this as an ALC! After hearing good reviews from friends, I was hoping to enjoy.

The authors note at the end describing the inspiration for the book was great. It seemed like the secrets the dollhouses hid were the same type/kind of secret, until the end where super cool and amazing secrets of the dollhouses came to light. If the book would have focused more on the empowerment of historical women, the book would have appealed to me more.

The narration was absolutely top notch.

Sadly, the story had a lot of promise but fell a little flat to me.

The Library of Lost Dollhouses by Elise Hooper is a captivating historical fiction novel that intertwines the lives of two remarkable women across different time periods, united by the discovery of exquisite dollhouses hidden within a San Francisco library. This dual-timeline narrative offers readers a rich tapestry of history, art, and personal transformation.

In 2024, Tildy Barrows, the head curator of a historic library, stumbles upon two meticulously crafted dollhouses concealed in a forgotten room. As she delves into their origins, she uncovers connections to Belva Curtis LeFarge, the library's founder, and a lineage of women whose stories have been overlooked by history. Tildy's journey to preserve the library and its legacy becomes intertwined with the lives of these women, leading her to unexpected revelations about her own heritage.

The novel seamlessly transitions between Tildy's present-day endeavors and flashbacks to the lives of the women behind the dollhouses. From Belle Époque Paris to post-World War I England and 1950s California, Hooper paints vivid portraits of women who defied societal norms to pursue their passions and make significant contributions in their respective fields. The dollhouses serve as poignant symbols of their creativity, resilience, and the often-unacknowledged roles they played in shaping history.

Hooper's prose is both evocative and accessible, drawing readers into the intricate details of miniature artistry and the broader historical contexts in which these women lived. The pacing is well-balanced, allowing for deep character development while maintaining narrative momentum. The themes of female empowerment, the preservation of history, and the enduring impact of art are thoughtfully explored throughout the novel.
While the book's title may suggest a primary focus on the dollhouses themselves, it is the stories of the women and their legacies that take center stage. The dollhouses are not mere curiosities but serve as gateways to understanding the lives and contributions of these often-overlooked figures.

The Library of Lost Dollhouses is a beautifully crafted novel that will resonate with readers who appreciate historical fiction that highlights the lives of women who have shaped our world in subtle yet profound ways. Elise Hooper has created a narrative that is both enlightening and inspiring, offering a compelling exploration of history, art, and the enduring power of storytelling.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow Paperbacks for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

The author's passion shines through in this book. It's a lovely premise of healing and finding yourself. However, I didn’t connect with it or the characters like I wanted to. That's a reflection of me as a reader and not the book! It has great potential to appeal to other readers and I encourage others to try it out! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book.

This was quite an enjoyable audiobook. I loved the dual POV and dual timeline, seeing how the past connects to the present is such a fun concept. I really enjoyed seeing the parts about different moments in woman's history and how they were involved in the war. I did feel the last third felt it was trying to tie a lot of loose threads that had come about throughout the first two thirds and it seemed a bit much but still enjoyable. The idea of the dollhouses and how they were able to hide secrets was really fun and descriptive enough I was able to picture them while listening. I also enjoyed the author's note at the end and how she explained who the characters were based off of in real history.

The Library of Lost Dollhouses was an excellent read. I loved the character development and the writing was propulsive. Great narration!

I really enjoyed the pacing of this novel aided in part by a great narrator of the audiobook. This book explores women's sometimes overlooked contributions to history through the lens of uncovered dollhouses. I thought this perspective was very unique, and the book was such a page turner. Thank you to NetGalley and HarperAudio Adult | HarperAudio for a copy of this book for an honest review.

Immerse yourself in a world where dollhouses solve mysteries, where art saves the day. A world where dollhouses contain clues about their previous owners’ life. What would happen if a collection of mysterious dollhouses was found hidden inside a library? And what would happen if these dollhouses, which had been owned by notable women of the early 1900s, revealed unknown aspects of their lives and rewrote history? From those questions, populated by characters inspired by real-life women, Elise Hooper’s The Library of Lost Dollhouses takes shape.

Each dollhouse contains an extraordinary universe of tiny things. There’s actually a psychological rationale to explain our affinity for small things: dollhouses offer us a sense of control and imagination. They can provide a feeling of agency. Miniatures allow us to create the world as we’d like to see it.

Dollhouses remind us how easy it is to disappear, but this exhibit is about claiming one’s place in the world, not disappearing. They revealed stories of ordinary women who’d kept extraordinary secrets about themselves in their dollhouses. Hidden careers and relationships, family secrets—the dollhouses told many important truths. Artist Cora Hale sets about helping her clients hide important truths about themselves.

For most women, the home is their stage. What if she produced a portrait of a woman, not by creating a likeness of her, but by showing the stage that defined her role in life? Cora had always hoped to produce portraits that hinted at the interiority of my subjects—what would happen if she took a very literal approach to such a piece?

A secret room, a series of dollhouses, a mother’s past, and the questions of identity dredged up through a trail of miniatures. Elise Hooper’s The Library of Lost Dollhouses will encourage everyone to approach others with bigger hearts, more understanding and compassion. Pairs well with a Coratini!

4.25 This was a sweet book and I finished it practically in a sitting.

The central setting of the book is a historic library museum in San Francisco. The curator finds a hidden room with two incredibly detailed dollhouses…and a photo that looks like it might be of her mother.

This kicks off a research journey where she tries to understand how this all came together, along with lots of flashbacks showing the history of miniatures and the stories of some remarkable women.

Really an enjoyable story and it was set in SF in a way that didn’t distract me with incorrect info, which is rare for a native like me. I absolutely recommend it. The score isn’t higher because there wasn’t as much of a literary complexity as I would look for in a higher rated book, but it was very fun.

The audio version was very pleasant and I didn’t find the narrator to be distracting in any way.

Thanks for Harper Audio Adult for the advance reading copy.

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperAudio for this ARC audio file of, The Library of Lost Dollhouses in exchange for an honest review. Tildy is a librarian in San Francisco and definitely has a Type A personality, finding solace and comfort in order . When her beloved library is slated to close, Tildy stumbles upon a hidden area within the library that houses two beautiful, intricate dollhouses. Each dollhouse holds keys to wealthy women from the past and their hidden secrets. Tildy decides to embark on a journey to discover the history behind the miniatures in the hopes that they hold the key to the library’s survival. Along the way our lovely protagonist encounters people and situations that force her to step outside of her orderly box, opening up a new and exciting world along with some surprising family secrets.

The audio narration of this title was fabulous and really brought the characters to life. The author did a spectacular job of both character and setting description. Components of the dollhouses were described in vivid detail bringing the story to life for the reader/listener.

Hooper's new book about dollhouses and a library was tough to put down, especially for this librarian long enchanted with dollhouses. Experienced narrators Emily Rankin and Caroline Hewitt helped make the story live in telling past and present stories.

Tildy is the head curator of a beautiful old library in San Francisco, formerly also the family home of building's benefactress. Sadly, the library has been having financial difficulties that began during Covid and continued to build in the years since. The last straw was the cracking of the beautiful stained=glass skylight and Tildy was afraid the library would have to close.

Exploring the attics, Tildy discovers not only a secret room, but two marvelous and intricately detailed and furnished dollhouses inside. Full of hope and plans to increase the number of visitors to library, she promotes the finding. When found, there was no information about the dollhouses at all. Who built them? Why are they there? With the help of the media, she discovers more dollhouses by the same builder, who turns out to be, a woman! The miniature houses were built in the early to mid-20th century. She also uncovers long-buried secrets about her own family. As she learns more, more secrets are uncovered and world events are tied into the construction. The first dollhouse was begun in France as a replica of the home. Work on the second dollhouse continued during the war in England and their creator recruited recovering veterans to lend their personal talents to to the work.

This book enchants readers with descriptions of the dollhouses. Additionally, it tells the story of women's contributions to war efforts and their often disregarded abilities in other spheres of work. The Library of Lost Dollhouses also holds a romance or two, including one for Tildy.

Recommended for those who enjoy historical fiction, romance, dollhouses and libraries. I listened to this one almost nonstop until I finished it.

I should have liked this book more than I did, I love libraries and I love miniatures. But overall this novel just didn't connect with me.
One of the main reasons was for the same reason I didn't like Evelyn Hugo. The romance angle of this book was completely jarring and it detracted from the mystery and the history. If you have to hide that it is about same sex relationships then be prepared for some readers to be frustrated. I'm all for a great lesbian romance novel, but not when I'm expecting a mystery. There were too many subplots and not enough compelling reasons to keep me interested.
Not a book for me.
I listened to the audiobook of this one and the narrator did a fantastic job keeping me engaged

I found this to be a charming, lovely book. I enjoyed the historical details and unique dollhouse theme. The story was wrapped up in (perhaps too much of a) nice little bow, with mysteries being answered (again, perhaps too easily) and everyone getting their perfect ending. Overall a sweet and enjoyable story with unique elements.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC audio of this novel by Elise Hooper. As a librarian, I'm always drawn to books about librarians and this one did not disappoint. Even though it wasn't really about the library as much as it was about dollhouses, I still enjoyed this novel. Tildy the librarian stumbles upon an old dollhouse in the archival library she works and sets out to uncover who built it and the meaning behind some of the clues left inside. What follows is the story of the creator of the doll houses and what they meant to those they were built for. I didn't love it, but it was a solid story with some made up history that was intriguing enough to keep me listening.

"For the first time in her life, Tildy didn't worry about what would happen next."

Tildy lives life by the book as the head curator at a library in San Francisco. One morning, she's working in the library when she finds a hidden room. Inside are magnificent dollhouses. Tildy is instantly drawn to their history and with the library's financial crisis, this could be the exhibit to save them. Told in dual timeline, we learn the history behind the dollhouses and how they connect to the library today.

This book encompasses many things I love - historical fiction, books about books or libraries, and tiny things. Ever since I was a kid, I have loved all things little, so as an adult (who owns waaaaaaaay too many mini-brands) this was an immediate request. It was like sitting down with a cozy blanket and a warm cup of tea. We learn the history and intricate connections of the dollhouses through a dual POV and timeline and this flowed so well. I was invested in both sides of the story. It was delicate in it's approach. Not too much, where this could have been more immersive and details easily lost. I enjoyed Tildy's personal growth as she continuously found more information than she knew what to do with. It was a whimsical and enchanting way to tackle such significance. The author's note was also a must read!

I really enjoyed this book and I can't say I didn't start googling how to build dollhouses and then was like no I do not have the time. Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with an advanced listening copy!! This book is out now!

This is a two narrator POV different time POV novel about history, secrets, and character. I did not relate well to the characters.

I had an immersive reading experience with this ARC because I did digital + audio, and I have to say I much preferred the audio. There were two main perspectives - Tildy's third person POV and Cora's first person POV. I favored Tildy's POV because Cora's was very heavy on French history, and it admittedly went over my head. I loved the descriptions of the dollhouse crafting and assembly.

I’ve always been drawn to stories centered around librarians, and this one stands out with its multigenerational narrative that seamlessly intertwines past and present. It offers a unique blend of historical fiction and the curious world of dollhouses.

The concept of dollhouses concealing long-buried secrets and hidden mysteries is utterly captivating—there’s something so compelling about the idea of entire histories tucked away behind miniature walls.

I appreciated the thoughtful mix of romance and mystery, and the author’s meticulous attention to detail brought each scene vividly to life.

With a World War II backdrop, a storyline involving a woman working undercover, and touches of art history woven throughout, this novel offers both entertainment and insight—leaving plenty to think about long after the final page.

3.5 stars rounded to 4 for Goodreads