The Booklover's Library

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The Booklover's Library book cover

by Madeline Martin

Publication date: September 10, 2024
Publisher: Hanover Square Press
Hardcover: 416 Pages

Publisher Description

A heartwarming story about a mother and daughter in wartime England and the power of books that bring them together, by the bestselling author of The Last Bookshop in London.

In Nottingham, England, widow Emma Taylor finds herself in desperate need of a job. She and her beloved daughter Olivia have always managed just fine on their own, 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 with a job.

When the threat of war in England becomes a reality, Olivia must be evacuated to the countryside. In the wake of being separated from her daughter, Emma seeks solace in the unlikely friendships she forms with her neighbors and coworkers, and a renewed sense of purpose through 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 the work at the lending library 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.

About the author

Madeline Martin is a New York TimesUSA TODAY, and international bestselling author of historical fiction and historical romance with books that have been translated into over twenty different languages.

Read more about Madeline ON HER WEBSITE

Praise

The Booklover’s Library is a quiet little jewel of a war-time novel, focusing not on the vast strokes of politics or battle, but on the struggles of the home-front and the heart. Widowed Emma Taylor grapples with a host of problems during the London Blitz—​the agonizing choice of whether to evacuate her beloved daughter, the difficulties of getting hired as a single woman, the agonizing memories of the bookshop fire that claimed her father’s life—but a job at the Boots Booklover’s Library offers new hope, new friends, and a chance to heal in the middle of war. ​​Madeline Martin always delivers!” –Kate Quinn, bestselling author of The Phoenix Crown

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“A hopeful, compelling and well-written read about the redemptive power of books, libraries, friendship, and love.”Library Journal

“A spectacularly well-researched and well-plotted tale of World War II, motherhood, and the solace we find in books, The Booklover’s Library is filled with characters you’ll root for, drama that will bring you to tears, and the kind of emotional journey that will earn this novel a permanent place in your own booklover’s library. I loved every page.” –Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Daughter

The Booklover’s Library is an all-encompassing love story. Madeline Martin writes of mothers and daughters, men and women, young and old, and book lovers with enormous heart and empathy. Touching and uplifting.” —Erika Robuck, national bestselling author of The Last Twelve Miles

“Madeline Martin takes us to the WWII Homefront in Nottingham, England, for this compelling and immersive love story. Rich with historical detail and packed with allusions to beloved literature, The Booklover’s Library touches upon the hope and life books bring us in dire times. It’s a coming-of-age story, a finding-and-creating family story, a mother-daughter story, as well as a tale filled with growing friendships and new love. The Booklover’s Library an absolute must read — and will soon become an enduring favorite. It lingered within me long after I turned the last page.” —Katherine Reay, national bestselling author of The Berlin Letters

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