I "turned' the last page of The Hopes and Dreams of Libby Quinn feeling a deep sense of satisfaction, and it made me so glad that this book was put on my radar because it's a wonderfully uplifting story about taking that leap to chase after your dreams, but also learning the importance of balancing everything in life. The story had so many elements that I usually love to read about: family, friendships, a close-knit community, and most importantly: books! There's also a little bit of romance and while Libby does think about this person quite often, her struggle with her feelings didn't take over the story, so it was a nice and slow burn romance.

The story is told through Libby's perspective as she embarks on a new adventure by finally opening up the bookshop that she and her granddad had always dreamed about. Even after two years, Libby has been struggling to cope with his loss but she has taken the leap to chase after their dream and she is 1,000% committed. Although I wasn't very sure how I'd feel about her character at the start, I ended up really liking her and found her very relatable! She's fiercely determined to make this bookshop a success and I loved her passion and drive to see it done. Her love for books was very clear and I enjoyed her flashbacks to moments of sharing in a tale with her grandfather. That said she also had some very real flaws that I think make her even more relatable. There was a bit of conflict with her BFF although in all honesty, she totally rubbed me the wrong way for a good part of the book. You'd think a BFF would be encouraging and supportive, not push out their own frustrations by putting down their friend! I thought Libby handled the situation well though--certainly better than I would've done, but I'm also glad that she had other people come into her life that were fully supportive of her. I don't know about other book lovers, but I know it would be a dream of mine to open up a library cafe or bookshop like Libby did in this book. It sounded amazing and I could clearly picture how she set everything up and it seems like it'd be an amazingly cozy and comforting place to hang out.

The other supporting characters were just that and we didn't get to learn much about them, except for of course the love interest, who had me swooning just a little bit. That said, I do wish we learned more about everyone because they were such lovely and kind-hearted characters. I also do wish that the romance was better developed as we're more told about their chemistry and feelings rather than shown it. In the end it didn't bother me too much though because this was really more about Libby pursuing her dream (while also learning that it's not mutually exclusive to falling in love)!

While this certainly wasn't the most unpredictable read and I could already see how the story would unfold after the first few chapters, it was exactly what I needed even if I didn't know it at the time. Read this if you want to be filled with warmth and hope, or if you want to just feel good! Many thanks to Rachel @ Rachel's Random Resources for organising this blog tour and thanks to Boldwood Books and the author for sharing the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Hopeful and charming! Freya Kennedy has written a sweet uplifting story about family, friendship, community, and books. Libby has lost her PR job and recognizes it is time to realize her dreams. Having recently lost her beloved grandfather she is determined to open the book shop that they always dreamed of. Libby is fortunate to find a location on a friendly street in her quaint Irish village. She throws everything she has into renovating the bookshop and this leads to some hurt feelings between her best friend and her. It also makes her question her current relationship. Lucky for Libby she has a super supportive family, not to mention tremendously helpful neighbors. We all need neighbors like these. Harry the elderly corner shop owner who is always bringing Libby treats, and Noah the handsome pub owner who is always there to lend a helping hand.

Libby was such a likable relatable character and I loved spending my afternoon with her. The bookshop sounded so charming, not only does Libby get to own this lovely shop but she also gets to live above it. I loved all the secondary characters in the story, made me want to move to this small village. The Romance was a sweet slow burn that was perfectly suited for this book. A wonderful feel-good story perfect for these crazy times.

This book in emojis 📚 🐶 🍪 ☕️ 🌡 🗝 🖌

*** Big thank you to Boldwood Books for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***

We meet Libby ten weeks from the opening date of her new bookshop. A bookshop in which she has sunk all her money, her hopes and dreams (and those of her Grandpa Ernie).

As she is welcomed into the Ivy Lane community, she makes friends that become family. Who’s help never comes with strings attached.

I love this book. Libby is living my dream life. I am looking forward to reading more by Freya Kennedy.

Thank you net galley for the advance reader copy of this novel. This was a delightful contemporary read. It was just the right balance of light and and serious.

Once upon a time, there was a girl named Libby who loved to read books with her Grandad Ernie. Their dream was to own a bookshop, but tragedy struck and her beloved Grandad Ernie died. Libby carried on and threw all of her time and energy chasing her dream and following her own happiness. Until Noah, the handsome and kind pub owner with the dodgy sense of humor offered his much-appreciated help and captured her heart.

Libby is one determined and brave woman buying a building unseen and working day and night for the grand opening of her bookshop in ten weeks. With her parents’ unwavering support along with her new and wonderful friends on Ivy Lane, Libby is finally able to finish her bookshop and make her Grandad proud. Noah’s story is tragic. He is orphaned at a young, impressionable age and placed in foster care where he meets his foster sibling Jo who is co-owner of the pub. His good nature and willingness to help people in his community are commendable and he receives my favorite character recommendation. As for Jess, Libby’s best friend, and Ant, Libby’s ex-boyfriend, I thought they were a bit shifty and selfish, especially how they treated her when not volunteering to help to get her shop ready. But to each their own.

What a lovely heartwarming read. I could relate to the love of reading books at an early age and wished I had a Grandad Ernie to show me the way. Also, using book titles as chapter names is a clever and nice touch. If you enjoy a pleasing tale with a young and undaunted heroine, a handsome hero, and a colorful collection of wonderful supporting characters, please give this book a try.

Thank you to Ms. Kennedy for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.

I instantly liked all the characters as well and wanted to become a part of the Ivy Lane community myself – I could vividly imagine the pub and the corner shop – it took some time to remind myself that it wasn’t me in the story! I loved this book, it was such a lovely summery read and had everything I like in a story – a nice plot, a bit of romance and a lovely ending. I loved the way her grandfather was threaded throughout the whole story and how her reason for opening the bookshop remained the same throughout. The other characters were all equally likeable, and Jo in particular just seems like someone everyone should have as a friend. I would highly recommend this book if you are a book lover. It was very clever that each new chapter was named after a different book, which has definitely added to my ‘to be read’ list!

You know how much you love books about books, right? Well this is another one to add to that ever growing list of titles that really GETS the way book lovers feel. The feelings, the power, the magic, the ability to transport you anywhere anytime at a moments notice to somewhere anywhere else without having even left your favorite reading nook. The connections we make not only with the stories themselves, but the people in our lives that brought us to them, or shared in the moments within the pages, or simply created a memory that can be recalled instantly the moment we lay eyes on that bound text.




Libby Quinn is us and we are she...grant it, one might hope for a little more at times, but is anyone's life perfect? No, not really...the best we can hope for the is courage, the passion, the drive, the stamina to reach for what we dream, and the friends and loved ones there by our sides to pull us up when we fall, and celebrate our highs. As soon I began the prologue, I knew this was the book for me. The tender moment shared with her grandfather warmed my heart, spoke to my bookish nature, and captured my mind. Though Libby's story continues, her grandfather is never truly gone, and their special connection helps her to build her dreams into reality. I felt like I was actually seeing the 'Once Upon A Book' shop and walking Ivy Lane...I mean, it even sounds magical describing it...and though I knew it wasn't possible to reach out and swipe a title from the shelves, it didn't mean it felt any less real.




From tragedy in more ways than one to uphill heart enriching climb, Libby makes her way to her own happy ending of which both she and we can be proud. Celebrate your love of books with a fellow dreamer, and follow your bookish heart to the perfect read for your next escape between the pages.

The Hopes and Dreams of Libby Quinn is a lovely story about family and friendships, following your dreams and building a community of like-minded people who care about each other and help when there is need.

Libby's love of everything bookish was instilled in her by her grandfather Ernie who was a wonderful storyteller and used to buy a book for Libby every month to start her own very special library. When Libby loses her dead-end job at a PR agency, she decides it's a sign to do something different with her life. At the same time an old draper's shop is put on an auction at a reasonable price and Libby knows the best tribute to her late grandfather will be using her redundancy money and her inheritance to open a bookshop. Never mind the terrible state in which she found the place which had been abandoned for ten years, Libby isn't scared of hard work as long as she can open her dream shop by Grandfather Ernie's birthday date.

Libby is so determined to realise her ambition that she neglects her best friend Jess. She also needs to think hard why spending time with her boyfriend Ant doesn't seem to make her happy and fulfiled any more. Or maybe it never did and Libby just needs to redefine what she wants from and hopes for in a romantic realtionship. It might not be the right time for it or Ant might not be the right man for her.

On the plus side, her charming neighbours from Ivy Lane Jo, Noah, Harry, Mrs Doherty, and countless other people are helping her shop turn into a cozy and creative space for book lovers and aspiring writers. Libby is working hard to build a business, but also new important relationships in life, without forgetting and ever grateful for her old support network.

There is romance in this book and it's my favourite slow-slow-burn. I liked the way you feel that it takes time to build (re-build) a shop and it takes time to get to know somebody if you want a lasting relationship and a happily ever after. Libby doesn't run away from the problems in her life, she works on them, and this takes courage and good solid character.

The book is very easy to read and leaves you with a warm feeling of having met somebody who is an optimist by choice. I really liked this one and can't wait to see what Freya Kennedy is going to write about next time.

This was a light enjoyable read. I really like Libby and was engaged with her story and journey throughout. There were some lovely supporting characters as well who made the whole reading experience all the more enjoyable. Well worth a read.

Libby Quinn has made the most significant investment in her life. She realises her life long dream. One that she shared with her grandfather (One of mine wrote books post-retirement, so I know the enthusiasm that such an association might bring. It brought back very vivid memories for me). This was to run a bookshop. Although Libby mentions her grandfather one too many times during the course of the book, he is still a driving force that you cannot ignore when it comes to the sentiments they arouse.

Libby has made a purchase without investigating what she has gotten herself into, what follows is a long, arduous journey (of ten weeks or so) where we see the sweat and toil that comes with starting something from scratch. It has a lovable community involved to spice up the story. Each person introduced brings up a new splash of colour into the narrative. We also have the older support system of parents, a high flying boyfriend and a childhood bestie. With new relationships forming, the older ones are getting shaky, and although it was all dealt with a very realistic fashion, I still wish I could be sure about how much to root for with regards to the boyfriend angle.

It is a unique book in some ways because I could actually feel the time and energy that went into getting the building repairs done, plans made and even shopping for the premises! This last bit was surprising because I usually do not have the patience to shop appropriately, or even watch someone else do it! There is a low-key romance running a thread through the entire book, and it was overall a happy, entertaining read that I would highly recommend to anyone on the lookout for books with the main protagonist being a book lover.

I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience and my love for books in general.

I always dreamed of having my own bookshop, so reading this story felt like a little part of my dream was fulfilled thanks to Libby! Because who doesn’t love books and romance in their life?
This is a sweet story, how the main character, Libby Quinn, is ready to follow her and her beloved grandfather’s dream, opening a bookshop. The story is centered in a small town in Ireland, where everyone knows everything and there are no secrets between them, but at the same time is like all are part of the same family, helping always!
The story is so easy to read and engage, Libby is a very easy character to like and understand; she has always loved books and after being redundant at her work decides to try to make her dream come true, having her own bookshop. Let’s say that even if it isveasy to say, not everyone has the courage to follow their dreams, so with just this big step Libby gained me at the first page. Between all the repairs and changes in the bookshop we will read Libby’s relation with her parents, her grandpa and her boyfriend, making the story really easy to follow and to be captivated.
If you are looking for a book of hope and dreams, this is perfect, because it will give you the energy you need to make the changes you always wanted to do but always being afraid of!
Ready to enter The Hopes and Dreams of Libby Quinn?

This is such a charming book!

Libby is a bookworm whose love of reading was instilled her by her grandfather, Ernie. All of her best memories of him are of the stories they read together and a shared dream of turning a shop on Ivy Lane into a bookstore.

I love Libby’s dream – her shop sound perfect. Books, coffee, writing ,quirky and friendly. This is the local independent book shop every reader would love.

Along the way Libby encounters damp, decay, rats and a nasty bout of tonsillitis.

She also has to find the people that are going to support her and those who aren’t.

Everything about this book is just uplifting and fun. Libby’s family, friends and neighbours (no spoilers from me but there is one particularly gorgeous, helpful one!) are exactly the kind of people you need in your life.

If you are looking for a book that is going to give you the warm fuzzies this is definitely it.

The time you spend reading my review should really be spent reading this book. It's pure escapism at its finest and couldn't have come at a more perfect time.

I've read nine books in the last week, many of them were romance. Not one of those books compares to this one. It was so easy to read and had a really calming effect on me. I can't remember the last time a book made me feel that way!

Libby's recently lost her grandfather who instilled a love of reading to her from a young age. One of her most treasured photographs is of them both sharing a story when she was young. Together they dreamed of opening a book shop on Ivy Lane. When her grandfather passes, Libby is determined to make their dream a reality and to have it completed for its grand opening on her grandfather's birthday.

Libby makes a fantastic protagonist who is on a mission. Despite having friends and a partner who don't understand her passion project, she is relentless in making sure it succeeds on time. Along the way the relationships she has with her partner, the community around her and her friends develop. It proves that the ones who are meant to be in your life will always be there and we always get to see each other's true colours eventually!

I need to read more books by this author! When I finished this I was left desperately hoping this was part of a series, there were so many parts I loved about the Ivy Lane community that I wasn't ready for it to end.

This is definitely a recommended read! You need to get yourself a copy.

This book was an absolute dream, and by the end of this Libby was literally living my own dream. Needless to say I loved this book from the very first page.

Libby fell in love with books as a small child, a love shared with her beloved grandfather. Her dream has been to open her very own bookshop, a dream she shared with her grandfather. Now is the time for her to be able to make their dream a reality after being made redundant from her job and the ideal location coming up for sale.

I found Libby a very relatable character and was hooked into her story from the beginning. The support characters were also great, especially Harry who runs the corner shop and Noah from the pub across the road.

Libby is faced with a gigantic task of refurbishing the shop she has bought on Ivy Lane, but you feel the comradery of the characters that own businesses along the street, as well as her family and friends. As well as the story of Libby opening her bookshop there are many other underlining plots which make this book a fantastic but easy read.

Another factor of this book that I loved is that it is set in Ireland, I am a sucker for books with an Irish backdrop.

There’s plenty of love, laughter, and friendship along the way. Another great escape from our current circumstances, and one that hopefully will provide you with some hope, like it did for me.

This was really enjoyable. Light yet heartfelt – just what I needed. Can easily be read over the course of a relaxing day.

A warm and wonderful story about family, friendship, and the magic that books can hold for us, THE HOPES AND DREAMS OF LIBBY QUINN by Freya Kennedy is the perfect balm for the soul.

When Libby finds herself in the financial position to buy a beautiful, and run-down, old shop she jumps at the opportunity. Finally, she can make her and her grandfather's dream of opening their own bookstore come true. If only he were still alive to celebrate it all with her. But with the help of her parents, her best friend, and her boyfriend, Libby is determined to make this business a success. Except her boyfriend doesn't seem that eager to get his hands dirty and her best friend feels neglected, and as the work begins, Libby starts to doubt whether she will run out of money and hope before it is even possible to open the doors. But with the help of some fellow business owners in the street, Libby soon realises that there is something even more special about this place as it comes with a kind-hearted community that long to see her succeed. And when she begins to have feelings for a particular pub owner, life may just get more complicated before it gets easier ...

I lost myself among the pages of THE HOPES AND DREAMS OF LIBBY QUINN and I didn't come back to reality until I finished the very last word. The characters are witty, relatable, kind, and creative, and I loved the setting where community spirit and friendship is shown to be the most important thing. Libby is a likeable main character and there were plenty of ups and downs to keep me interested throughout.
​What book lover hasn't dreamt of opening up a book shop of their own? I know I have. So it was such a joy to see the love and thought going into the space at every turn, and this was made all the more powerful because of Libby's pure and devoted relationship that she had with her grandfather. He was the man who opened up her heart to books and my heart broke for her loss.

THE HOPES AND DREAMS OF LIBBY QUINN by Freya Kennedy is a fantastic book about new chapters in life and I cannot wait for more from this author.

Everything you want between the covers of a novel. The epitome of a feel-good story, I couldn't put it down.
The story follows Libby and the ups and downs of buying a shop, her relationships and grief. The characters are divine and you feel like you are part of the Ivy Lane community. If I could give it more than 5 stars I would.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Libby is such a fun and relatable character with true determination and grit.
I have wanted, for a long time, to open up a bookshop as well. So, it was very easy for me to fall in love with not only Libby, but the store as a whole as well.
The author did a wonderful job at portraying Libby’s relationship with her grandfather and showing the amount of love and care that it held.
If you’re looking for a sweet, feel good read look no further.

This was a lovely read, especially for the stress we are going through at the moment, this book actually calmed me and was such a chilled read. Sweet, lighthearted, uplifting and I just adored Libby, the supporting characters were also great but I just loved Libby’s maturity, lack of ego/being self centred and she wants to open a book shop so she is the perfect character to me. A cute slow burn romance, not too much drama or stress. Perfect lockdown read to male you forget your current worries.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

Libby and her grandad had always dreamed that one day they open a bookstore. He was always buying Books to read to her when she was a little girl. Now, Libby is about to start living the dream.

Set in a quaint Irish town, the other neighbouring business owners are friendly and welcoming. We follow Libby's high and low points as she works towards the day she finally opens the doors to the public. I loved the title for her bookshop. It was a bit predictable in places but that did not bother me. A story of love hopes and dreams.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Boldworld Books and the author Freya Kennedy for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.