I would have liked to be a patron (but without the war): The Book Lover’s Library by Madeline Martin

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Madeline Martin is a talented author of historical fiction as she ably demonstrates in this title. She evokes the time period when WW2 was beginning with characters and settings that come to life.

Emma is the protagonist. She lost her mother too soon and faced further loss with the death of her father. The war also threatens loss as Emma has to make decisions about whether to keep her daughter Olivia home or send her to the country for safety.

Emma is in financial straits. She manages to get a job at the Boot’s subscriber’s library. This makes sense as, in the past, Emma and her father ran a bookshop. I very much enjoyed all of the scenes that took place in the library as well as the many mentions of books by title. Readers will learn about how the library was run, the categories of patrons and more. They will also wonder, along with Emma, why someone is shelving books in the wrong places.

There are many characters alongside Emma in these pages whom readers will get to know. They will root for those for whom Emma cares. They will also experience a vivid evocation of British life in the time period.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 10 September 2024

From the publisher:

From the Publisher

A heartwarming story about a mother and daughter separated in wartime England.

To reunite with her daughter, Emma must lean on the power of books to find hope in darkest of times.

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Last Bookshop in London.

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Author: joycesmysteryandfictionbookreviews

I love to read, recommend books and open the world of reading to others. I tutor to ensure that the next generation of readers will know the joys of a good book because their reading skills have improved. I am an avid reader, especially of mysteries and fiction. I believe that two of the world's greatest inventions were the public library and eyeglasses! View all posts by joycesmysteryandfictionbookreviews

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