Comparison is the thief of joy. This book was compared to A Man Called Ove so I have high hopes.............. only to be fairly disappointed. The characters lacked depth. Arthur was actually mean. The story was boring. Had a lot of potential here.

The Lonely Hearts Book Club by Lucy Gilmore. Pub Date: March 28, 2023. Rating: 4 stars. What a breath of fresh air this book turned out to be. Set in a small town with one of the main characters a small town librarian, this book centers around small town vibes, found family, friendships and books. A crotchety older man is a patron of the library, but when he does not show up one day Sloan, the librarian, goes to investigate. What she finds is an older man struggling with multiple aspects of his life, not only physically but emotionally and mentally as well. From this discovery, a book club is formed and lasting companionship sprouts. If you're looking for a feel good story, pick this one up. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this one. Thanks to #netgalley and #sourcebookscasablanca for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review. #thelonelyheartsbookclub

This was a really great book and a quick read. I really loved the librarian and curmudgeon and I was definitely hooked throughout the entire book. I'll definitely be reading everything Lucy Gilmore writes.

The Lonely Hearts Book Club by Lucy Gilmore is a heartwarming story about people coming together through a book club. Sloane, a young librarian, befriends a grumpy old man named Arthur. When Arthur gets sick, Sloane finds ways to keep their friendship alive. They connect with neighbors and relatives over books, forming unlikely friendships and healing lonely hearts. It's a touching and uplifting book that I really enjoyed reading!

This got a bit slow for me at times. I did like the changing viewpoints as some of the characters were more interesting than others to me. I also loved the highlighting of the books. That really gave it meaning to me. I loved how this was more of a book about platonic love than romantic love. And sometimes friendship is what gets you through life, which is what happened in this story. They became everything to each other.

Thank you to netgalley for providing an e-galley for review. The Lonely Hearts Book Club by Lucy Gilmore is about a group of people who come together through outside forces and start a book club. Sloane is a young librarian who befriends a grumpy old man. When Arthur gets sick, Sloane finds a way to continue her friendship with him. She befriends neighbors and relatives and they connect over books. One special books unites them and unlikely friendships and relationships are made while lonely hearts are healed.

This reminded me a little of a Man Called Ove with a stodgy old man that still wins the hearts of those around him. While this one is focused on the librarian and his neighbor, the message is clear that it isn't age but interests that binds people together. A little of a feel good story that these people are connected by books and loneliness and find a family in each other.

They each had their past and their secrets, but in the end they overcame that past to become family for their new found friends.

I thought this was an enjoyable book, and a great option if you're unsure what to read next. However, there were parts that felt a bit long and not needed to move the story forward. This is one of the most pure examples of found family, as the entire plot, as you spend time meeting and liking this motley crew of characters.

Thanks to NetGalley for the free ARC. I was delayed on reading but just in time for the author’s new book coming out in ‘24. A coworker read and then submitted a recommendation at our library for this book which pushed me to pick it up. It is set in Idaho and a library which made me enjoy it even more. The only negative is when I listened to the audio they missed a chance to have a full cast and help the listener be in the minds of the characters. Enjoyable band of people who seemingly don’t go together but grow through out the novel. Pair this one with The Reading List.

I loved it! I was obsessed with the book since the very beginning which I loved! Since it has now been published I have suggested it for my bookclub and everyone had the same reaction which was brilliant. The book is phenomenal and I cannot recommend it enough honestly!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book, as this book has already been published, I will not share my review on Netgalley at this time.

I have recommended this book to anyone whether they ask for a book recommendation or not! An absolutely lovely book of found family! I love how all the chapters builds on the story while also telling part of an individual story! So clever and really well done. The last chapter left me in tears.

The Lonely Hearts Book Club was a slow paced book.. It wasn't for me and I really wanted to love this. It might be for others who enjoy slower paced books.

This book hit the spot! 4.5 stars, rounded up.

Sloane Parker is working as a librarian and is quite content in her job. She loves books of all genres and loves talking about books and sharing recommendations with any patrons she meets at the library. She has heard about cantankerous Arthur McLachlan from the other library workers, but hasn't had the pleasure of interacting with him until one morning when she is putting away books left out by some kids doing the Tiktok trend of book spine poetry. When she does meet him, he truly lives up to the rumors! He completely insults her, as he does everyone else. Suddenly Sloane notices that Arthur hasn't been to the library for some time and she risks her job to look up his address in the library system and drive to his house to check on him. While there she meets a rag-tag group of people that are in Arthurs life and they start a book club at his home. This leads to a lot of changes in Sloane's life - job, relationship status, future plans, and friends.

This book is told in alternating points of view while still in a sequential timeline. I really enjoyed hearing from all of the main characters, but I loved Maisey's and Arthur's storylines the best.

This book is both heartwarming and heartbreaking, but I loved it! It made me laugh throughout and I did tear up a little bit in the last few chapters. I enjoyed the book discussions and quotes from classic titles such as The Joy Luck Club and Anne of Green Gables.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of The Lonely Hearts Book Club by Lucy Gilmore.

The Lonely Hearts Club by Lucy Gilmore is a charming and heartwarming uplit novel that tells the story of a young librarian and an old curmudgeon who form an unlikely friendship. Sloane Parker lives a small, contained life as a librarian in her small, contained town. She never thinks of herself as lonely, but still, she looks forward to that time every day when old curmudgeon Arthur McLachlan comes to browse the shelves and cheerfully insult her.

Their sparring is such a highlight of Sloane's day that when Arthur doesn't show up one morning, she's instantly concerned. Anxious, Sloane tracks the old man down only to discover him all but bedridden. She decides to bring more cheer into Arthur's gloomy life by creating an impromptu book club. Slowly, the lonely misfits of their sleepy town begin to find each other and in their book club, find the joy of unlikely friendship. Because as it turns out, everyone has a special book in their heart - and a reason to get lost (and eventually found) within the pages.

This novel is a perfect read for those who love heartwarming stories that celebrate the power of books to bring people together. Gilmore's writing is engaging, and the characters are so well-drawn that you can't help but fall in love with them. The book is a perfect blend of humor, heart, and hope. It's a story about finding yourself, finding your people, and finding your place in the world. The Lonely Hearts Club is a book that will make you laugh, make you cry, and leave you feeling warm and fuzzy inside.

Goodness. This book warmed my heart and I absolutely loved it. It was a very easygoing read and it came at just the right time. It’s funny, smart, heartwarming, sad, and everything at once.

Sloane faced an unthinkable loss when her sister died (not a spoiler as readers learn this early in the story). She is engaged to a somewhat pompous fiance who has an over involved family and often make Sloane feel inferior. On top of all this, Sloane’s parents are not the easiest people.

Sloane escapes into her work as a librarian although that also has it challenges. One of these is an older gentleman who enjoys mentally fencing with Sloane. Will these two change each other? Will others also be drawn in? Readers may know the answer but will still, I think, enjoy this book. It gives voice to some of what is important in life.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for this title. All opinions are my own

Absolutely delightful! I loved the points of view of the different characters. We could all be Arthur, we could all be Sloane, and we could certainly all be searching for connections. Isn't that what life is about? This was such a wonderful read. The storyline was beautifully hopeful in spite of how life beats us all down. Family is the one you choose and, if you're lucky, it's never too late to reconnect.

I absolutely loved this book so much!! I loved everything about it! I loved the characters. I was hooked from the very first chapter. I was sad when the book ended