Title: The Booklover’s Library
Author: Madeline Martin
Genre: Historical fiction
Rating: 5 out of 5
In Nottingham, England, widow Emma Taylor finds herself in desperate need of a job to provide for herself and her beloved daughter, Olivia. But with the legal restrictions prohibiting widows with children from most employment opportunities, she’s left with only one option: persuading the manageress at Boots’ Booklover’s Library to take a chance on her.
When the threat of war becomes a reality, Olivia must be evacuated to the countryside. In her daughter’s absence, Emma seeks solace in the unlikely friendships she forms with her neighbors and coworkers, as well as the recommendations she provides to the library’s quirky regulars. But the job doesn’t come without its difficulties. Books are mysteriously misshelved and disappearing, and her work forces her to confront the memories of her late father and the bookstore they once owned together before a terrible accident.
As the Blitz intensifies in Nottingham and Emma fights to reunite with her daughter, she must learn to depend on her community and the power of literature more than ever to find hope in the darkest of times.
This was such a lovely read! I do love World War II historical fiction, but Martin’s characters are always so well-done and vivid that I end up drawn into the story just because I’m so interested in the people. I loved the library, and I think being a book concierge would be a fun job! This is a great read, and I highly recommend it.
Madeline Martin is a bestselling author. The Booklover’s Library is her newest novel.
(Galley courtesy of Harlequin/Hanover Square Press in exchange for an honest review.)
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