I received an advanced copy from the author via NetGalley for an honest review of this book.
This is a melancholy and sorrowful story. It is very slow-paced, but it is building the story up, allowing you to get to know the main character who is suffering from heartbreak and is keeping a secret that has rocked her world. All of the characters are going through something in their personal lives, and you can really feel the sadness and camaraderie through the writing.
I wasn’t sure where this book was leading or what Olivia had suffered through, I had initially thought it was just problems with her husband, but the end of the book really took me by surprise. I really didn’t see it coming. The ending really shook me; it was really moving.
I loved that there was an emphasis on books, reading and writing. This made it feel quite homely.
The only reason I am giving this four stars instead of five is that I found it quite hard to get gripped by the story at the beginning as it was really slow going but once you get to know the characters this changed.