The Book: The Little Library by Kim Fielding

The Particulars: Contemporary romance, 2018, self-published, in print, stand alone

Why Was It In Wendy's TBR?: I mean, c'mon.

The Review: I usually try to tackle something out of the print pile for the TBR Challenge but had decided on something LGBTQ+ for this month's Love Is Love theme, which meant taking a Kindle deep dive since, as a general rule, my digital TBR runs more diverse. This one was buried in the depths of my "Contemporary" folder and I was off to the races.

Elliott Thompson is a historian who was teaching and on the tenure track at his last university gig. He was also in a closeted affair with the department head (who was his dissertation advisor - oof!) and when that goes spectacularly sideways, Elliott is out of a job. Frankly he barely gets out of town with his good name cleared of any wrongdoing. So Elliott does what stung people have done since the dawn of time, he finds a soft place to land. He heads home to Modesto, California, is teaching online community college courses, and has basically closed himself off from relationships other than his brother and sister-in-law and seeing people on his daily runs. Besides running, his other coping mechanism is books (oh man, did I FEEL this hard!). Elliott spends an inordinate amount of time on a certain online retailer browsing books at random and dropping them into his cart. His brother is worried about him and, to a lesser extent, the book habit - which is how Elliott lands on the idea to build his own Free Little Library. He'll clean out some of his books and it's a chance to maybe meet people. There, that should get Ladd off his back!

One of the people that Elliott meets on his daily run and thanks to his library is Simon Odisho, a sexy bear of a man who walks with a cane. Simon is a cop, shot in the line of duty, now out on disability and going through the grueling process of physical therapy. He's also in the closet. Simon is Assyrian, and it's nearly impossible to not run into a member of his large, conservative family in Modesto. He also, rather conveniently, lives in Simon's neighborhood. These two spark together almost immediately but it's very complicated. Elliott's past furtive relationship with his closeted mentor, Simon not being out to his family, and Elliott routinely applying for jobs at universities trying to get back into that game. And wouldn't you know it? As soon as he and Simon start to develop real feelings for each other a university comes calling.

This is a very quiet, low-angst book and the first third of it is rather slow. It predominantly focusses on Elliott starting to dip his toe back into life, and while it's all good groundwork being laid, it's not until he and Simon start dating (yes, actual dating! In a romance novel!) that things picked up for me.

I was anxious to finally get more of Simon in the story, but early on he read a little young for me - which strained a bit, but is somewhat understandable. To some extent he is a bit in a suspended state of adolescence. Oh, he's had sex with men. Has accepted he's attracted to men. But he's not out to anyone in his life and he hasn't "dated" a man before. So it's all very new. What I liked about this aspect of the story is that Elliott tells Simon about his ex and Simon knows he cannot ask Elliott to date in the closet indefinitely. However they agree that until they know where this "thing" between them is going, they'll keep it all nice, casual and on the down-low.

Like I said, quiet and low-angst - but we also have two characters who talk to each other and when the feelings get big is when things start to cook. I also liked that into this mix the author essentially crafts a community around Elliott's Little Library and provides a small dollop of conflict with an asshole neighbor who lives across the street.

These are two characters, both at a crossroads, who fall in love and then must wrestle with the hard choice of what they truly want. Does Elliott really want to get back on that tenure-track hamster wheel? Is Simon satisfied with continuing to hide all of himself to his family? I mean, c'mon. We all know how this is going to turn out, and for the most part it goes exactly where I wanted it to. I was less enamored with the epilogue, but it's telegraphed early on so I saw it coming, and it's not like I haven't read countless variations in romance novels featuring hetero-couples over the years. But I was able to let it slide mainly because the big emotional stuff at that end is so well done.

This was a nice read that scratched a small-town romance itch for me. All around pleasant.

Final Grade = B

Since requesting this book, I have lost interest and will not be reviewing it.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this.

History professor Elliott Thompson is licking his wounds following the disastrous end of his most recent relationship. His ex is a criminal, and though Elliott was found innocent of conspiring with him, his university decided it would be best if they made clean break. So, he's returned to his small California hometown, teaching online courses and masking his hurt feelings with an addiction to purchasing books online--particularly paperbacks. His home, however, has only so much physical space to contain these books, so Elliott's solution to his book hoarding is to build a little library that he posts in his front yard. Elliott's home is near a popular footpath, so his neighbors are a bit thrilled with the advent of free books just for their own pleasure. Well, mostly. He does have one homophobic jerk who makes more than a stink over it. Elliott takes great pleasure curating his library selection and seeing what books get taken--and what new ones are replaced by other readers!

Simon Odisho is a first generation American, born to Assyrian immigrants. His family is boisterous and caring, but also conservative, and Simon has kept his sexuality secret from them, and the members of the police force--while he was employed there. Unfortunately, a bullet in the line of duty has ruined Simon's knee and his prospects in law enforcement. He walks the trail near Elliott's home for his physical therapy, and he admires Elliott's running on the trail and his little library.

The attraction between Elliott and Simon is mutual, despite the difficulties of their lives. Simon still wants to remain closeted, and Elliott is considering job offers that could take him away from this small town respite. In consideration of these conflicts, they decide to try something low-key and no strings, but that's a sure-fire way to find the love you'd been seeking all along. There's a little bit of steam and a little bit of humor--especially the first date scene which is laugh out loud. Through the growth of these characters we get to see how a community of supporters can change the bleakest of moments and experiences. And how books can change all our lives for the better. When I first read this one, I thought the bigoted neighbor was over-the-top and a bit of a caricature, but seeing this character in light of the way some folks are behaving in real life, regarding the pandemic, and racial injustice and being just uncivil in the highest degree, I could fully envision this character anew and recognize him for the danger he poses in our world today.

That said, it's a pretty low angst romance with a bit of steam and a believable HEA for Simon and Elliott. It was an enjoyable read back when it came out, and again when I delved back for a TBT.

I’ve had a run of some mediocre to bad books recently, enough to make me wary of new-to-me authors. Riptide Publishing has become a publisher I can always count on to deliver a solid, well-written story with memorable characters. I chose The Little Library because I love those little libraries that can be found in random spots in cities, towns, and rural communities. I had no real expectations, but I did have the hope of an entertaining story. I ended up loving The Little Library, Elliott, Simon, and the entire supporting cast. The story takes place in a most unlikely setting for a romance-Modesto, CA in the Central Valley. I considered this an unexpected bonus since I grew up in the Central Valley and am very familiar with Modesto and the places Elliott and Simon visit in the book. I even went to the same college as Elliott’s brother. Trust me, this doesn’t often, if ever, happen. Regardless, I would have loved this book anyway because both Elliott and Simon are easy men to fall in love with–both are complex characters dealing with life-changing events and trying to make the best choices they can for themselves, while being careful not to hurt those they love. Elliott has always been a loner, but a recent personal scandal causing major changes in his life has made him retreat even more. He deals with stress by buying books from Amazon.I can totally relate. Book hoarding is an issue Elliott deals with in several ways, one being the creation of a Little Library. I loved the sense of community Elliott both gave and received through his Little Library. It just re-enforced my belief that books are amazing, and the sharing and love of books can open doors, build friendships, educate, and inspire.They can be a refuge, a savior, and provide a safe space. The Little Library is how Elliott and Simon first meet, when Simon a former police officer recovering from an injury received in the line of duty borrows some of Elliott’s books. While Elliott has been out for years, Simon is still in the closet. An only child from a very tight knit traditional Assyrian family, Simon is struggling with how to tell his parents he’s gay. I loved the slow build of the relationship between these two men. It felt like a genuine relationship you might witness between two of your best friends. They went on some awesome dates (at least I thought so), and spent a lot of time getting to know each other, while we got to know them, too.Simon’s struggle felt very real, and broke my heart. He is such a great guy, and his family is very important to him. I felt for him and what he had to do. The characters are well-developed, the story flowed well, their relationship felt genuine and natural, the secondary characters added another layer to a well-written, entertaining story. I seriously struggled to put this one down, I was so wrapped up in Simon and Elliott I can’t wait to read more books from this talented author!

The Little Library is a slow burn romance charms me every time I read it. Simon and Elliott are interesting, refreshingly imperfect characters and I loved watching them go from strangers to friends to lovers to something much more.

Elliott is a college professor whose fast track to tenure was derailed when he was embroiled in his boyfriend’s scandal. Wounded professionally and personally, he has moved back to his California hometown where he teaches online classes and is mostly a hermit. When his brother points out that his love of books has turned into a borderline hoarding problem, Elliott builds a small neighborhood library in his front yard. I absolutely loved watching Elliott come out of his shell and start to interact with people again. The library is a wonderful way to do it and I adored seeing how it brought people together. It’s the kind of thing that would make any bibliophile’s heart happy (although Elliott’s book buying addiction was totally relatable).

The most important person Elliott meets in his neighborhood is Simon Odisho. The former cop is recovering from a shattered knee and is in the process of reevaluating what he wants to do with his life. Both men are at a crossroads when they meet and they start to come out of their shells together. Attraction simmers between them, but Simon is in the closet and Elliott has no desire to be anyone’s secret ever again. Still, there’s no denying how perfectly they fit and I absolutely loved watching their relationship develop. Simon has hidden vulnerabilities and Elliott has been hurt badly, so it’s not easy for them to take the risk of opening their hearts. Their story isn’t perfect, but flaws and all I was rooting for the two men every step of the way.

The Little Library moves at a somewhat leisurely pace but it never feels slow. I live in California and I’m familiar with a lot of the places Simon and Elliott go in this book, so it was an extra bit of fun for me to see where they went as they slowly fell in love. Author Kim Fielding balances romance, personal growth, and community perfectly in this story and it couldn’t have made me happier. I’ve read this book twice and I honestly can’t wait to re-read it again.

Elliot is a man looking for a new job after a scandal cost him his old one. simon is a former cop who was injured on the job and is rethinking his career choice. Through a little library project in elliots yard the two find each other and start falling in love. One is open about his sexuality while ther other is still in the closet. this is only one of many issues they must deal with in this interesting little love story. I believe this is a good book for anyone dealing with simmular situations in their lives.

I couldn't have been more charmed by a story's premise than I was by Kim Fielding's A Little Library. What's not to love about a man who has such a prolific book addiction that he decides to build a little library for his front yard, to share his love of reading and, hopefully, for his neighbors to not only embrace but to contribute their own books in exchange? I was immediately taken by the concept of neighbors bonding over a shared love of the written word, and by the idea of expanding boundaries and broadening horizons with books that might not capture that person’s attention, otherwise.

Elliott Thompson's past plays a significant role in the story, more specifically, a relationship that went so horribly wrong it cost Elliott his job and tarnished his reputation in the academic community. Moving back to his hometown and now relegated to teaching an online course in California history, a very different trajectory from the path he was on before everything went sideways with his boyfriend and his career, he’s begun to put out tentative feelers to any university that might be in need of his skills, with an eye toward a full professorship and the regaining of his academic standing. Kim Fielding writing a character who is a college professor is both meta and a full-on example of ‘write what you know,’ and it works to make Elliott an authentic character. The discomfort he feels as I witnessed his first interview gave me reason to empathize with him as well, and, of course, his Buy Now with 1-click addiction hit a bit too close to home.

What would a cozy romance such as this be without a meet-cute? Enter Simon Odisho, a burly and beautiful bear of a man Elliott meets one morning while he’s out for a run, ‘meets’ being used in the loose sense that Elliott gets a bit flustered and doesn’t learn Simon’s name before they go their separate ways. As fate and romance would have it, however, they continue to see each other as Simon is convalescing after a potential career-ending injury, so his life as a cop is, at the very minimum, on hold while he rehabilitates. His daily walks not only put him in Elliott’s path on the regular, but the little library in Elliott’s front yard eventually catches Simon’s attention too, and Simon’s reading choices capture Elliott’s. I adored Simon, pretty plainly. I love a gentle giant of a man, and Simon is that in every way. He’s also in the closet and fearful of what will happen if he can work up the courage to come out to his loving but traditional Assyrian family, which works into Elliott’s past relationship dynamics and causes conflict further down the line.

The question of balance, or rather imbalance, plays an integral part of Elliott and Simon’s budding relationship—one man could give up so much while the other is unsure how much he’s willing to commit to. While this is a looming potential deal-breaker, it also isn’t dragged out for the sake of upping the angst quotient. Each moment, in and of itself, is sweet and touching while the undercurrent of unresolved issues is there, which is one reason I called this a ‘cozy romance’. There are complications without it being cumbersome or burdensome to the reader’s emotions, and while there is an instance of homophobia, it is dealt with quickly and the perpetrator is put in his place.

In short, this is a quiet story full of common issues and elements readers of romance are familiar with. It is a story of community and family and tender moments, and while I can’t say it’s my favorite of this author’s works, The Little Library is one of those books to turn to when looking for something that isn’t anxiety inducing and offers up a lovely and heartwarming HEA.

Why I read it: I received a review copy via NetGalley.

What it’s about: (from Goodreads) Elliott Thompson was once a historian with a promising academic future, but his involvement in a scandal meant a lost job, public shame, and a ruined love life. He took shelter in his rural California hometown, where he teaches online classes, hoards books, and despairs of his future.

Simon Odisho has lost a job as well—to a bullet that sidelined his career in law enforcement. While his shattered knee recovers, he rethinks his job prospects and searches for the courage to come out to his close-knit but conservative extended family.

In an attempt to manage his overflowing book collection, Elliott builds a miniature neighborhood library in his front yard. The project puts him in touch with his neighbors—for better and worse—and introduces him to handsome, charming Simon. While romance blooms quickly between them, Elliott’s not willing to live in the closet, and his best career prospects might take him far away. His books have plenty to tell him about history, but they give him no clues about a future with Simon.

What worked for me (and what didn’t): The Little Library is a fairly quiet book, gentle rather than action-packed and told from the perspective of Elliott Thompson. Elliott has a habit of buying books on Amazon when stressed and given his recent history he’s stressed a lot. He was in a closeted relationship with a professor at his previous university and that guy, it turned out, was embezzling funds. Elliott was accused by association but eventually exonerated – he really didn’t know anything about it. He exited the university and moved back to his home town of Modesto in California, where he teaches online community college courses as an adjunct. His ex is in prison. He is looking for a tenure-track position at a research university but the field is a tough one and his reason for leaving his last job works against him.

Because books are taking over his house, he decides to build a little library out the front of his house. Over time, this brings members of the community to his yard and he begins to build friendly relationships. Some of the books he puts in his library are gay history books and he’s noticing that they’re going fast. He decides to do a bit of minor detective work to identify who is borrowing them and is delighted to find out it’s the hot guy he’s seen in the green belt when he’s been out running.

Read the rest: https://www.kaetrinsmusings.com/2018/12/review-the-little-library-by-kim-fielding.html

I didn't connect with the principal characters in this story or the plot itself. I wanted to try Kim Fielding; she's not for me.

3.5. Cute little book! Even though he's dealing with rebuilding his life and career, I loved the way Elliott reached out to people through his yard, even against opposition! It was terrible that his neighbor was so awful about it, but there should be no question that self-expression and that kind of community spirit is everyone's right. I liked the gradual growth of his relationship with Simon. Naturally, Simon has his own issues. Even so, Kim Fielding always makes my days better.

I liked the smalltown homey feel to this book. Two men meeting near the little library, what librarian wouldn't just love to see this. There was a nice slow burn of chemistry between the two men, but the frustration for Simon and his fear of his conservative family took away from the overall story.

This is a lovely story about two men man who overcome personal hurdles in order to be together. Simon is an ex cop. He was injured on the job and is now recovering from a knee injury. Being shot in the knee was no joke and he has to think about his future. Simon is in the closet. He hasn't come out to his conservative parents because of their culture. Same sex relationships are not accepted within the Assyrian speaking community. He has a very close relationship with his parents who love him, but they don't know the truth.

As Simon walks around the neighbourhood exercising his leg, he bumps into Elliot. Elliot has had a rough time. His former boyfriend kept him in the closet during their time together but that wasn't the worst thing. Elliott's boyfriend had been embezzling money from the University where they both worked and when it was discovered the scandal affected both of them. Elliot's boyfriend ended up in jail but Elliot's career tanked. Now instead of lecturing at an illustrious university he is teaching junior college students online.

Elliott feels as though his life and opportunities have been swept away but he finds some comfort in his books and his Amazon habit, and his running. As Elliot exercises and runs through the neighbourhood, he notices the good looking man walking with a cane.

Eventually Elliott and Simon get to meet but they really begin to talk when Elliot decides to set up a little library in his front yard. Elliot decides to share his love of books with his neighbours. As the two men get to know each other they get to understand each other's difficulties. Simon recognises the challenges that Elliot faces and Elliot recognises the huge challenge of coming out to your family. As their friendship develops so does their attraction for each other. But the two men will have to work together to overcome the difficulties facing them.

This is a lovely story and I enjoyed reading it. It is quite a simple and gentle story. The two men are middle aged and mid career. They know they need to address the challenges that face them and they also know that they really like each other. At the same time it will take real courage and commitment to work through some of their issues and do they feel strong enough about each other in order to make the necessary sacrifices?

It makes a change to be reading a book with characters who are mature. Both Elliot and Simon are very honest and open with each other. This doesn't prevent them from having difficulties, but at least they each know what they want. There isn't any contrived drama or angst and it felt very real.
Simon and Elliott have the kind of problems that are easy to relate to - employment, career, family, neighbours. I really enjoyed the book/library angle as well because I am something of an Amazon addict myself. I could relate to Simon and I could relate to Elliott. I also loved the depiction of a minority ethnic family and although we don't know which country Simon's family originally came from, the author captured the importance of his culture and portrayed it very well.

All in all this was an enjoyable, simple romance with no high drama but very lovely characters.

Copy provided by Riptide Publishing via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

There is something lovely about this novel. The characters are likable and, though they face their share of conflict, at the end of the book you are smiling. We need more books like this one which not only helps us escape from our reality, but bring genuine joy into our hearts and result in smiles on our faces.

The Little Library had a cute premise of neighbourhood library, book hoarding, historian, and romance. I also saw a lot of positive, five and four star reviews, and I thought this would be captivating and cute story, and I was excited to dive in.

I liked how Elliott and Simon were flawed and how neither was physically perfectly fit. There's also awkward first dates and other awkward mishap that often doesn't happen in contemporary romance books. It was a fresh take on the M/M romance genre, and I really liked the body acceptance theme.

However. The pace of the story was slow, almost excruciatingly so at times, and it was a bit predictable. Honestly? I got bored. It was all nice and good structurally, but nothing really got my heart racing or captivated me beyond anything else. There are plenty of obstacles between Elliott and Simon, and the story is about balance and acceptance. It was sweet and gentle romance, but I guess I expected more and was disappointed (and a bit bored) because there wasn't much else. The obstacles were nothing new or something that made me doubt the outcome. Even the secondary characters were just kind of there but not really involved. I liked Ladd and Anna (Elliott's brother and sister-in-law) but they were barely there most of the time. I also have to say, without any spoilers, that one thing at the end of the story seemed rushed and very unrealistic, and completely something that could have made the ending better if left out.

If you like sweet and gentle romance with flawed characters and realistic situations, then I'd recommend The Little Library for you. There's a lot of books involved, which is always a bonus and the idea of neighbourhood library was great. This just wasn't something that blew my mind away and excited me, but it's still a good story, and this is more a case of 'it's not the book, it's me.'

This book is delightful. I wasn't sure what to expect besides books as the title and cover conveys but it was really cute. Elliot is introverted and after a scandal does not really leave his house much and creates this little library in his front yard. And I promptly fell in love with him. He really was endearing and his interactions with the other main character, Simon, are delightful. Their first date had me cracking up. There is some conflict - enough to make a good book, but not too much to be called angst, so I would say just the right amount. I've really enjoyed this author's other books and this was a nice addition.

Sometimes you finish a book and walk away from it just feeling good. The Little Library was that kind of book for me. There wasn’t a lot of angst, the characters had their own rough back stories, but they were honestly really good guys who were trying their best to work their way back to normal – whatever that was…

It was a cute story, but not over the top cute. There was an obnoxious neighbor along with some really great ones. One really supportive family as well as one who almost blew it. There were also some really sweet moments between Elliott and Simon paired with some well thought out and creative dates that almost made me jealous. There were some awkward moments and some silly moments. Basically all this came together to make The Little Library just a really sweet read.

On a side note, I learned a couple of things while reading The Little Library. First, I could relate to Elliott in a really big way and more than once I thought about how I could start a “Little Library” of my own. Second, this was my first Kim Fielding read and I need to make sure it’s not my last. 😉

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Angie – ☆☆☆
This book was a difficult one for me to get into. It went super slow, there was no angst or drama, and I couldn't connect with Elliott or Simon. The blurb was what got my attention, but the story couldn't hold it. I loved the little library Elliott built in his front year; we actually have something similar here but with winter coats, people drop off used coats and then if someone needs one they come and get it. I found myself skimming and just wishing for the book to end. I am sure others will love this slow, sweet story, it just wasn't for me.


Angela – ☆☆☆☆
I recently discovered Kim Fielding’s writing thanks to Audible’s Romance Package, which then caused me to buy and devour several of her titles during one of their recent sales. As such, I decided to give The Little Library a read. Not only do I adore the idea of little libraries, but the blurb turned me into a nosy Nelly – I just had to know what the scandal was that had ruined Elliott Thompson’s life. Regarding the scandal, I found the Skype interview to be unnecessarily cruel because at least one of the interviewers knew Elliott would never be hired because of the info they had gleaned about the scandal, yet they seemed to have seized upon the opportunity to dangle the teaching position just so they could obtain more gossip. Disgusting.

As for the rest of the book, The Little Library is rather slow to start. I believe I was about 20% in before anything really seemed to happen. This is largely due to the fact that Elliott is an introvert who works from home, so his interactions with others are very limited until Simon trudges his way into Elliott’s life, thanks to the little library. The combination of Elliott’s ex being an opportunistic parasite and Simon’s self-consciousness over his injury and still being in the closet means that their relationship develops very slowly. For me, this wasn’t an issue because I felt like I got to know both men better as they spent time together and learned about each other and themselves. I liked how his relationship with Simon and how his interactions with some of the little library’s patrons brought Elliott out of his shell, giving him the chance to become more involved with his community and to see that the scandal that sent him running to California didn’t have to ruin his life. In the same vein, I liked how spending time with Elliott and learning more about himself gave Simon the courage to come out to his parents – even if it did go badly. But the major drama in the story was a perfect storm of events that led to Elliott’s meltdown. I cannot even imagine how I would have responded had I been in Elliott’s shoes, which is why I was so grateful that Simon was there to have his back. While I did feel like the end may have wrapped up a little too neatly, I think that’s because the passage of two months was easy to miss if you weren’t paying attention (translation: I had to go back and reread the epilogue to catch it). Neat or not, I loved the ending and think it was perfect for Elliott and Simon, and I would happily read a sequel.

One of the themes that I think Fielding addresses so well in The Little Library is that of irrationally directed anger – and no, I’m not referring to Elliott’s blow-up at his neighbor because that incident would have tested the patience of a saint. Elliott and Simon each encounter something within the bounds of their fledgling relationship that hurts or frustrates them and then makes them angry at the other, even though that person is not at fault. I think most people have encountered a similar situation in which something happens, and they direct their anger at a target who is not actually responsible for the situation, which then makes them angrier because they know they shouldn’t be angry at that person. What makes the anger irrational is that it’s directed at someone who we know isn’t responsible, yet we cannot seem to not lash out at the person. Fortunately for them, Elliott and Simon managed to reign their anger in before they said anything that couldn’t be taken back and then took a mature route of stepping back to cool down and get their head on straight before addressing the issue. Were feelings hurt? Yes, but not in a way that couldn’t be fixed. Their knee jerk reaction may have been human nature, but they both managed to respond in a mature fashion before they burned bridges or broke hearts. Here’s hoping that I can remember Elliott and Simon’s course of action the next time I get angry and try to take it out on the wrong person. I must say that as much as I came to love Elliott and Simon, Ishtar was my favorite part of the book. You’re gonna love Ishtar.

A little library brought them together: college history professor Elliot who is a bit of a hermit, teaching online classes, ordering way too many books online, and very rarely venturing out - and former cop Simon recovering from a gunshot and re-evaluating his career.

Simon also struggles with coming out to his close-knit Assyrian family. As for Elliott, there's a reason he teaches online only involving a disastrous relationship with a manipulative ex-boyfriend. The two men begin a relationship (after a cringeworthy / hysterically funny first date) that is free of expectations - Simon is still in the closet and Elliot may be moving to another state to teach - but also very sweet and low-angst.

The story is told in Elliot's POV and I would have liked to gotten Simon's as well, and the subplot with the crazy neighbor is a bit of a caricature, but all in all, this is a sweet story about two men who deserve happiness together. 3.5 stars.

3.5 Stars. This book gotta an extra half star just from the first date scene which I found absolutely hysterical. I found Elliott a bit immature and had to constantly remind myself of his age. I never really felt like we got to know Elliott as well as I wanted especially given that the story his told in his POV. There was a lot of potential with Elliott but I felt like it stayed at a surface level. I really liked Simon and I even understood where he was coming from to a point but again it seemed these characters were younger than they were in the story. I think the biggest thing for me was that this book was very slow. There are a couple of points of conflict but the two characters for the most part just choose to not deal with the conflict and let things ride. I think it was all building to the conflict at the end but it just fell a bit flat for me.

Overall, this is a sweet love story without much angst and two men who are struggling to find a direction in their lives. Worth reading just for the first date scene!

The main reason I wanted to read this book was because, as a librarian, I love the idea of little libraries. That turned out to be a good choice, because I enjoyed this rather sweet romance.

The little library of the title belongs to Elliot, a disgraced history professor who has retreated from the world after being burned by his narcissistic boyfriend. He self-medicates by buying books, and after filling his house, he decides to build a little library to get rid of some of his hoard. One of the people who borrows his books is Simon, a former cop recovering from a career-ending injury who is also wrestling with coming out. When the two meet, they decide to explore their mutual attraction. However, Simon is hesitant to tell his conservative Assyrian family that he is gay, and Elliot doesn’t want a hidden relationship after being kept a secret by his ex. They need to navigate that issue as well as job-related complications, as Simon tries to find a new career while Elliot’s desire to be hired for a tenure-track position may take him out of the area entirely.

The best term for this romance really is “sweet.” Elliot and Simon are both at crossroads in their professional and personal lives. They are both a little lost, and when they find each other, each of them is able to provide the support the other needs. That’s kind of the definition of the perfect relationship in my book.

I have to admit, part of the reason I enjoyed this romance may be because I can identify with Elliot. His life in academia, his love of history, his book habit, his tendency to retreat from the world, even the fact that he adopts a pet in the course of the story—these are all things that resonate with me. I think that helped draw me even deeper into the story.

(On a side note—Elliot really needs to start buying ebooks. One-Click is a difficult temptation to resist when you need a little lift, but it’s a whole lot easier to hide the evidence. I speak from experience.)

A few minor things about the book didn’t quite work for me. For one, the main part of the story seemed to end on a rather abrupt note. I also saw the epilogue coming so far ahead of time that it was really anticlimactic.

Even with those quibbles, this is still a very good book. I’d recommend it to readers looking for a romance full of tenderness and mutual support.

A copy of this book was provided through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.