It was inevitable that I'd read this book. A book seemingly about books, a pretty cover, and a woman moving to a small town after experiencing hardship? That ticks all my boxes. Overall I really enjoyed this book. I feel like the title was a bit misleading, as the story wasn't so much about "the book charmer" as it was about Grace, the woman who moves to Dove Pond. I feel like this would be a really nice palette cleanser after reading the mysteries and thrillers that seem to top all of our TBRs during October and fall in general.⁣

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this review copy of The Book Charmer. 
This is a sweet little slice of life small town story that includes the long time residents of Dove Pond and a new family that joins them. 
Grace is trying to keep her family together after her sister dies and leaves her to care for her ailing adoptive mother her niece Daisy. As they navigate their new lives in Dove Pond they have to learn to trust the new people they meet and help rejuvenate the town after it suffers from a shrinking tax base and an indifferent Mayor. 
This was a light story that makes a nice break in between other books. I found I was more interested in some of the other characters than Grace. I found her needlessly chilly and off-putting for most of the book. 
I look forward to reading more Dove Pond stories.

Charming, cozy, and light-hearted read. The book charmer is a perfect beach read for those who don't want anything too serious and want to be left with a warm hearted feeling.

I wanted a light, happy book to cleanse my palate and that's exactly what I got! If you're looking for a book about books like I was expecting (and like the title suggests), this probably isn't what you're looking for, but I urge you to try it anyway. This book has characters I could root for set in a sweet town that I wanted to visit. It would be a perfect Hallmark movie.

Thank you to NetGalley for my e-copy of The Book Charmer by Karen Hawkins. 

I highly recommend this book! It was honestly one of those books that felt like a warm hug! The story is set in the small southern town of Dove Pond. In Dove Pond, Sarah Dove is the town's librarian who possesses a magical gift for pairing the perfect book with a reader who will love it. The books also talk to Sarah and her promise her that a new disgruntled arrival to town, Grace, could be just what the community needs. 

This book showcases the power of books, the strength of community, and the beauty of unlikely friendships.

The Book Charmer makes me want to find a real life Dove Pond! The descriptions of the town and people are picture perfect! I fell in love. The characters are broken/flawed, but together they help each other heal. What an absolutely charming story. This is my first Karen Hawkins story and I cannot wait to read more!

I received an Advanced Reader Copy from NetGalley and Gallery Books for my unbiased opinion of the book. This book is about Grace who moves into town with her tail between her legs hoping to start a new life with niece and foster mother.  She has an uphill climb trying to move on with her life and go forward.  When she meets the quirky and loveable Sarah as well as Travis who reluctantly try to force her out of her shell and make a difference in the community, she is now living in.    I loved this book I couldn't put it down it grabbed me from the first page and held tight until the last.  I can’t wait to see what the rest of the series has in store.  What a great story Karen keep up the great writing!!!

The story was great but I questioned one thing after reading this book : the charm. I loved the fact that there was a librarian. I loved a little mystery in it. I just did not like a fact that some plots were left unanswered. I wish the author developed the plot a little more in detail. Otherway, it was a very good experience reading this book.

This book was charming! The beginning was a little slow for me, but by chapter 10 I was hooked. Chapter 10 in fact was hilarious! What a meeting was had in that chapter. The story was choc full of fantastic characters, so much so I would have trouble picking a favorite. I really enjoyed this read and look forward to more stories about the town and the quest to save it. Recommended.

I received this book from NetGalley and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts were my own.

I loved this book so much. I loved the warm and caring people of Dove Pond and the way the community came together to support each other. And I loved the magic of the books.

Grace, Mama G, and Daisy are a family, a family that has had their share of troubles and drama. The move to Dove Pond is only temporary, just until Grace can save enough money to move them all back to the city. But... the town and people of Dove Pond have a different plan for this little family.

Grace meets Sarah, the town librarian, and they don’t hit it off... at all. There’s definitely trouble there. But Sarah has the power and wisdom of the books to help her break through Grace’s hard exterior. I’ve always felt that books are special, so to read about the connections the books have with Sarah and how they seem to know what everyone needs made The Book Charmer such an entertaining book to read.

And I love how the ending left the future wide open for more book magic. I can’t wait to go back to Dove Pond and find out what the books have in store for everyone. The author has more stories in her head about this wonderful community, book #2, A Cup of Silver Linings will be out July 7, 2020.

Grace Wheeler returns to the smalltown of Dove Pond, North Carolina after her sister’s death and her foster mother received the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s. With a hurting niece and increasingly confused Mama G in tow, Grace isn’t sure what she’s expecting when she accepts the town clerk position, but it certainly isn’t the perky librarian. Sara. Dove who’s family carries magic in their blood is certain that Grace Wheeler is what the town needs to save it. The books told her that Grace is the one. And all signs confirm it. Even if Grace is adamant about not staying longer than a year.
This was an incredibly sweet story, even though Grace and family are healing from the loss of a daughter/sister/mother and they are trying to deal with the anger the unnecessary death has brought about.  But the Dove Pond is also struggling- more than its citizens know. It’s going to take more than the beloved Apple Festival to save and Grace has just the plan for it. There’s found family. The beginnings of new love and new beginnings. With just the right touch of magic in the form of books that talk and tea that does exactly what you need it to. The story isn’t over, and I definitely can’t wait for the next book. I’m really curious about the book Sarah gave her sister Ava and what the story is with that one. Will Sarah ever be able to talk to Blake. I need to know these things. I really enjoyed this and will definitely check out Hawkins’ other books ASAP!

This book was quaint and lovable! I enjoyed the town that was described with the book tie in! If you’re on the hunt for a heartwarming read that is set in a small town with, lovable characters, and a strong focus on family and friendships, I highly recommend adding Karen Hawkins’ The Book Charmer to your reading list.

NetGalley recommended the ARC of Karen Hawkins’ new book, The Book Charmer, the second in the Dove Pond series. Now I am recommending it to you. In this enchanting tale, main character, Sarah Dove, has always loved books. So it was a no brainer that she would become the town librarian in the small, picturesque town of Dove Pond, NC, the town founded by and named after her ancestors. Sarah doesn’t just love books, she talks to them – and they talk to her!

After being sent from one foster home to another, Grace Wheeler and her sister, Hannah, were taken in by Ms. Giano, (Mama G to most folks). Now Grace is grown and is raising her deceased sister’s child, Daisy, and is caregiver to Mama G., who has Alzheimer’s Disease. In an effort to provide a more familiar setting for Mama G., Grace quit her lucrative job in Charlotte, and moved to Mama G.’s hometown of Dove Pond to be the town clerk.

The books are telling Sarah that Grace is just what the doctor ordered for the failing town of Dove Pond. Grace plans to stay only one year, then return to her high-powered job in the big city. After a rocky start, the entire town comes to love Grace, and she loves them.

Then there is Travis Parker, who was severely burned in Afghanistan. Travis came home to heal, and ended up being a caregiver for his aging widowed father. Travis keeps to himself most of the time, but couldn’t help noticing the standoffish but gorgeous Grace Wheeler.

The Book Charmer is not just a sweet, heartwarming book, it deals with many issues that affect most or many people:

the difficulty of raising a child;
the fear and exhaustion of caring for an aging parent with dementia;
the struggles of our wounded warriors;
the physical pain those warriors suffer even after wounds appear to be healed;
the overworked foster care program;
the assumptions we make about men with tattoos and long hair;
the regrets we all have after losing a parent;
the assumptions often made about people living in small towns.
Ms. Hawkins has created a very special book. It’s a quick, easy read that I thoroughly enjoyed. The Book Charmer should be made into a Hallmark movie.

What makes The Grumpy Book Reviewer grumpy?

Well, because this was an advanced reader’s copy that had not yet had its final editing when I read it, I will let the verb tense disagreement and numerous typos slide. Still, it did have its share of split infinitives, and the use of “bringing” in place of “taking” – both of which most editors these days seem to ignore. They shouldn’t.

This was a great, feel good read. I felt like the characters were developed well and there were some tough issues that they had to deal with. The small town and the people in it grew on me for sure as the story progressed. Even though there were magical books, which I thought would take away from the story, it didn't bother me. The Book Charmer was well written and I'm looking forward to the next in the series now.

This was definitely a charmer of a book! I don't read much fantasy or magic, but this was just the perfect amount and focused on some good plot lines and of course - the beauty of books. Thanks NetGalley for my review copy.

Although I received this book in exchange for my opinion from the publisher (via netgalley) all opinions are my own and in no way are influenced by the publisher or netgalley.

I loved this book. It is the perfect balance of magic and realism. It does follow some of the classic story lines, big city girl is thrown into small town life, not by choice but by necessity. This time because she is caring for her aging mother and her sister's orphaned daughter. I love the magic of the book charmer, the small city trying to survive as a bedroom community, the small businesses trying to survive the big box stores in surrounding cities. The small town people trying not to be swallowed by the big surrounding cities. (I know, I've said cities a lot, but it is a big thing in this town.) The planters are changing and there is a cat with two homes. You have to read it to find out more. It's seriously a charming book. Can not wait to read more from Karen Hawkins and learn more about the Dove family.

This was an amazing story of a small town, the wonderful people who live there and believe in it and their hope for the future.  It is also a story about family and friendships and hardships and the challenges that must be overcome.  Grace is new to the town of Dove Pond but has relocated there to help Mama G and her niece Daisy.  Sarah Dove, the town librarian, has a special gift with the books and she and the other long-time residents believe that the town will once again be the wonderful place that it was when they were growing up.  This story touched my heart from the beginning of it and I hated to see it end.  I was so glad to find out that there will be another book in this series because there are so many more stories that can be told about this town and its residents.

I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from Gallery Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Pure magic. A book about how wonderful books are. Love the cover and all the insides! Wonderful. Great plot, charming characters.

This book is amazing.  If you like Practical Magic, this book is a must read for you.  I couldn't put it down and found it engaging and fun!

The Book Charmer was a book full of sweetness and magic. I knew the book was about books, but I loved it much more than I thought because of it. I loved the quotes about books and about everything. If you know me, you know I love quotes and when I find a lot of them, it is normally a sign that I really liked the book.
The story is simple, but as I said, it has a touch of magic. I thought that was interesting, but I would have loved to know more about that (I understand there will be more books, so hopefully we will get to know the Dove magic more deeply). I loved the characters, they were all nice and sweet and they all added to the story. I did not like Grace at the beginning, though, but then I started to understand her and then I liked her more with each chapter. I loved Sarah and Trav and I would like to know more about the whole Blake thing. 
That is actually one of the only things I did not like about the book. I felt the ending was a bit rushed. It was as if all the story had developed slowly and then everything ended. I was not a bad ending, but I needed more (like about the Major thing and Blake’s story).
However, I deeply enjoyed the book. It was the perfect lovely story to read. The plot is perfect for book lovers; the pace is just the right one for a weekend read, and the whole setting for more Dove Pond stories is great.
Highly recommended, I cannot wait to read more of the author’s books.