Publisher: Harlequin Trade Publishing
Publication Date: September 10, 2024
Length: 432 pages
Emma Taylor’s life had its share of joys and sorrows. Her family’s bookstore burned down, killing her father. Alone in life, she married not for love but for protection. When she became a mother, she found the love of her life, her daughter, Olivia. On his way home from a pub, Emma’s husband was struck by a vehicle and died leaving her a widow. In 1939 England did not allow married women or widows with children to work. The government provided widow’s pensions and even combined with her daughter’s government support it wasn’t enough for them to live on. When an opportunity to work in a library arose, Emma managed to secure the job even though her boss knew she was a widow. The Book Lover’s Library was on the second floor of Boots’ chemist’s shop. Boots’ was a shop with multiple locations in all major cities in England. People paid for membership to check out books. There were two levels of membership. The first level allowed the patron to check out two books each time and to receive customized recommendations from the librarians. The regular subscription allowed a patron to check out one book each time from the shelves. The women working at this library were expected to know about the latest releases, customer preferences, and order books as requested. Emma quickly learned her job and enjoyed it. She developed friendships with her co-workers and also her landlady.
As Hitler began his assault on France, England realized that they may well be his next target. In preparation, children were sent away from cities to live in the countryside. Parents were ordered to deliver their children to the train station for their transport. Emma worried that sending her daughter away would be too difficult. How would Olivia respond? Emma was torn between keeping Olivia home and wanting her to be safe in the country. After much deliberation, Emma decided to send Olivia to the country. With no one at home, what would Emma do to keep herself busy? Emma looked for volunteer work to help keep her busy. At work, a handsome customer at the library seemed interested in seeing Emma. Was she ready to have a new relationship? What would Olivia think?
The Booklover’s Library is an endearing story about the lives of friends brought together during wartime by their love of literature. They support and protect themselves during very harsh circumstances. The war forces each of these people to overcome adversity to survive. Emma had insulated herself and her daughter in a world of just two but survival during wartime meant that they both would have to expand their lives to include others. Emma learns that while life can be difficult, the strength of friends and community is invaluable. The characters in this book are well-crafted, hard-working, and generally good-hearted. They are exactly the type of people you would like to find in everyday life. This is one of those books that leaves you wanting to follow the characters long after the last page.
Book lovers and historical fiction fans will enjoy this wonderful book.
Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing, NetGalley, and Madeline Martin for the advanced readers copy.
My Rating: 🌻🌻🌻🌻/5