Sarah Jio is an auto-buy author for me and I will follow her characters anywhere! If you like dual-timeline, character driven stories with a hint of mystery as you unravel how the characters and stories in each timeline come together, you will love all of Jio’s books.

Love From London (which comes out early next year) is fantastic! The story is set in London on the charming Primrose Hill where Valentina has come to put her mother’s affairs in order after her death and decide if she can continue to run the indie bookstore her mother started all those years ago. The characters we meet are charming and entertaining and if you are looking for a delightful, cozy book then look no further!

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing for this ARC.

Let me preface by saying I received this title as an ARC from NetGalley. I was intrigued because it had several of my book needs- set in London, librarian/bookseller, and a bit of a mystery. Although the mystery. Having spent a semester in London in college, I love stories that take me back. I could picture the neighborhood where Valentina (and her mother) retreat when life doesn't go the way they planned. I particularly liked the scavenger hunt that Eloise set for her daughter and the individuals and books it brought her into contact with; trying to solve the clues before Val was fun. It's really hard to believe a librarian didn't get "Good Night Moon" right away. Some parts were a little far-fetched, but isn't that a main tenet of reading fiction- letting go and relaxing your grip on reality.

Sarah Jio writes such heartwarming, delightful novels that I was thrilled with a chance to review “With Love, from London.” To read a novel about books and reading was a second cherry on top of an already delicious sundae.

Recently divorced Valentina (Val) Barker travels to London because she has inherited her (estranged) mother’s bookstore. While staying in her mother’s flat, she discovers a letter from her mom that leads her to a quest to discover specifically chosen books with further letters stored inside them. This journey teaches Val not only about her mother and why she left, but also more about herself in the process.

The novel shifts from the point of view to Val in the present to Eloise in the past, the latter of which allows the reader to appreciate the letters and who Elosie was. What I loved most about the novel was its simplicity—Sarah Jio allows Val and Eloise to tell their stories without overwhelming the reader with unnecessary plot devices. “With Love, from London” is the perfect book to curl up with (cat on lap, of course) on a cold, rainy day. Whether you are already a fan of Sarah Jio or looking for a new author, I highly recommend you give this book a try.

Thank you the Sarah Jio, NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this novel.

With Love from London is first and foremost a story about a mother and her daughter, but it's also a story about librarians, bookstores, and the joy of finding the right book at the right time. There is some romance included, but it's in the background to the point that I'm not sure I would categorize this as a romance. The story is told from the perspective of both Eloise (mother) and Valentina (daughter), and I'm honestly afraid I will spoil the book if I give any more details. While I would recommend this as a quick and heartwarming story, I don't think it is a book that will stick with me for long, which is what's keeping it from a full four stars.

3.5 Stars

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for sending this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review! With Love from London will be published on February 8, 2022.

With Love From London is a love letter er to the City of London, books, indie bookstores, librarians and the power of Children’s Literature. London bound Valentina Baker is fleeing her failed marriage and mourning the death of the mother who left her in childhood. Eloise, her mother has died, left Valentina her bookstore and apartment in Primrose Hill. Once arriving she meets Mille, her mother’s best friend who runs the bookstore, Liza the upstairs tenant and a host of neighbors and tradespeople. And, since this is a Rom-Com she also meets some men, including a “Fairy God Father”. The bookstore is deep in debit & Valentina, Millie and Lizzie hatch a plan to keep it open since it’s an integral part of the close-knit community. Along the way she learns her mother’s back story, comes to terms with her losses, finds a new life and of course a new romance.
And yes, the story ends with bookstore once again thriving.

This is a dual narration book – one chapter is about Eloise and takes place in the past, the next about Valentina and takes place in the present. Both women are interesting– they love books and sharing this love brings them joy. The London setting is well written – the author knows The Primrose section of London well. The book is full of mentions of book titles and quotes which I, another lover of books found delightful. I can easily see With Love From London as a Hallmark Movie – and I’ll be subscribing to Hallmark channel to watch it if this comes to pass.

This is a very entertaining “feel good” book. I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend it to anyone who loves books and bookstores. One nice extra is while there is romance there is no steamy sex. It’s quite suitable for teenagers.
Highly Recommend!

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC from Netgalley, With Love from London, by Sarah Jio. Mother and daughter relationships are not always what they seem, or easy. Eloise and Valentina are no exception.

Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for our free ARC of With Love from London by Sara Jio.

Rating 5 star
Genre Fiction

Sarah Jio does it again! I've not read a book of hers that I didn't love, but this one takes the cake. It doesn't hurt that the setting is a cozy bookstore in London. This is a beautifully written story about love and loss. A must read!

Sarah Jio did it again! I love dual timeline stories and this one was so heartbreaking and yet heartwarming I never wanted it to end. Preorder this book today, you won’t be sorry! ❤️ Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the ARC of this incredible book!

. I really enjoyed this book. It has a nice blend of heart and heartache to tug at your heart strings in all the right ways. Its always lovely when the characters are booklovers and reading and their stories inform so much of the story. I also really enjoyed all the scavenger hunts within the book! The book also has so many definitions of love within the book, and how all of them have their place in time.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Adorable storyline, impeccable writing, likable characters, just a dash of romance. This book checked all my boxes! The story centers around Valentina, a newly single woman who starts over in a new country with a new venture, but an old pain in her heart. Her mother left when Valentina was still young, never to be heard from again. Until, she passes away and leaves her daughter a legacy: her beloved library. Valentina dove in head first and boy did I love every minute of her story! This is a must read!

I had some reservations about WITH LOVE FROM LONDON before I started it. First, rightly or wrongly, I tend to steer clear of books with cartoon-y covers, because to me, they convey a message that says “lightweight”, which is not necessarily bad, but not normally my taste. Second, I hesitated, because it was about a bookstore, and sometimes books about books can hit you over the head with the transformative power of reading.. But, it seems as though the cartoon covers are here to stay, so, being an Anglophile, WITH LOVE FROM LONDON .seemed like a good place to begin.
For the most part, this story of a woman who inherits a bookstore from the mother who mysteriously abandoned her when she was twelve, kept my interest. In yet another dual timeline novel, we learn how the mother, Eloise, ended up in London without her daughter Valentina. In the present, we follow Valentina as she embarks on the mysterious scavenger hunt her mother meticulously planned before she died. There are, of course, love stories for both mother and daughter that mirror each other, as mother and daughter both visit the same London locales.
In all, this was a satisfying read, and not TOO preachy about books. It’s well written, but not a book that will necessarily lodge itself in anyone’s heart forever.

I found this to be an enjoyable read, keeping me on my toes throughout. The storyline was written well and flowed seamlessly. I look forward to reading more by this author!

I loved London themed books and this was a beautiful book abt a young women’s journey to find herself and her to find out abt her mother. This would make a perfect book club selection and delighted to add this to our women’s fiction dept as well. The cover is also eye catchinginfly beautiful and will be a huge hit!

Thanks Netgalley for a arc copy of this book for a honest review..

With Love From London was a enjoyable read once I started reading I couldn't put down I read it in on setting. I don't read many contemporary fiction books I'm giving it 4 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Happy Reading 📚
Lisa

With Love From London by Sarah Jio is a cozy, delight of a read that will pull at any book lovers heart strings.

Valentina is a librarian going through a divorce when she finds herself in London looking after the bookstore she’s just inherited after her estranged mother’s passing. But, it doesn’t come without its surprises. The story that unfolds is filled with both love and heart ache, bad timing and new beginnings. But most importantly, I enjoyed the focus on finding positivity despite living with difficult decisions and relationships - that’s something almost anyone can relate to.

This one’s for you if you like:
* Charming characters
* Something light
* All things London and books (🙋🏻‍♀️)
* Full circles

Get ready to fly through this one when it hits shelves on February 8, 2022! Big thanks to @netgalley and @randomhouse for an advanced copy of this ebook for my honest review. Oh how it put me in the holiday spirit!

Wow! What a beautiful story. This book alternates between the mother's point of view in the past, and the daughters life currently. We get to experience both of their love stories and the love they have for each other. It's happy and sad and heartwarming. I loved every second of it. The story also centers itself around a love of books and a bookstore. If you like books about books check it out!
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read a digital arc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I just adore Sarah Jio and all of her novels. This book did not disappoint, when Valentina was only 11 years ago, her mother fled to London- never to be heard from again. Over 20 years later, when Valentina finds out her mother dies and was left her bookstore in London, everything will change. This book brought tears to my eyes and I loved every minute of it.

I have found my new comfort novel.

Valentina spent the latter half of her child and all of her adult life without knowing her mother, who unexpectedly disappeared when she was 11. Upon being notified of her mother's death, she travels to London and is willed her mother's bookshop and loving community as well. The narrative also alternates between Valentina's narrative and that of of her mother, Eloise. Little by little, details are revealed as Valentina learns more about her mother's life.

I cannot adequately express how much I adored this book and I would give anything to read it again for the first time. It captured and enraptured me, and it both tore my heart to shreds and put it back together in the most tenderhearted way possible. I can't stop thinking about it and direly hope to purchase a hard copy once it is out. This is the first work I've read by Sarah Jio, but I will be avidly searching for more asap! This book touched my heart and made me reflect on my own relationships. It's not just a quick and easy romantic comedy -- there is much, much more depth here. But of course, a little bit of romance is always fun (: Sarah, you've now got me gnawing at the bit to move to London and open a bookshop of my own.

Many, many, many thanks to Sarah Jio, Random House Publishing Group -- Ballantine, and NetGalley for this ARC!

I adored this book!! I was honestly hooked from the start. It is told from dual point of views and past/present. Valentina is going through a divorce and her mother (that she hasn’t talked to since she was 12) passed away leaving her estate to Valentina. Her life feels completely upside down and so she travels to London to manage her mother’s affairs. She thought she would be in and out after settling the estate affairs but while she is there she starts to learn this about her mother and start to see her side of the story. Meanwhile we are also reading Eloise’s (Val’s mother) past in chapters. We see her struggles that led to her leaving her daughter and as a reader my heart just broke but also cheered for Eloise in some ways. I felt so deeply connected to both characters and saw the similarities between mother and daughter. Very happy book to read!

this book was superb. I love anything that Sarah Jio writes and this book did not disappoint. I loved the characters and they way they were described. You really felt for Eloise when she wasn't happy in the United States. The characters were all very well developed and kept you reading for more information. I really loved the scavengar hunt. It made me think of Goodnight June (which I loved). Thank you for the opportunity to read this book I really enjoyed it and will recommend to my friends.