Cover Image: With Love from London

With Love from London

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Member Reviews

I love a bookstore setting! What book lover wouldn't want to inherit a bookstore!? With love from london was very heartwarming and beautiful. Some slow spots but all in all a good read! Love the alternating timelines.

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I read anything involving book shops, so I was super excited to receive an ARC of With Love from London. It was a quick read and touched my heart. Although it was a bit slow at times, I thoroughly enjoyed it and read it in only a day.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an advanced review copy for my honest opinions!

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Valentina Baker’s mother has died and she inherits her bookstore and the garden attached. Her heart is broken not only because her mother has passed but that they were estranged. All the hopes of reuniting are now lost. When she was a little girl her mother left her and her father and went to England. She was devastated when her mom left and now she has a chance to see the life her mom created for herself in Primrose. It would be difficult but she knew she had to get there. Once there she finds herself falling in love with the same place her mother did. The village, the friends, the bookshop all enchant her. Especially when she finds a series of love notes on some books and she tries to piece together the story of the two. Valentina has to decide if she will stay and keep the book store open, if she can make herself a life there and if she can make a life in Primrose.. I really enjoyed this one. I liked the characters and the story line. Baker’s ability to communicate family troubles, life struggles and love connections so well was refreshing. This was a four star read for me. I want to thank Netgalley & The author for my copy for an honest review. It was an absolute pleasure to read & review. I hope you enjoy it too!!!’

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Wow. I’ve read quite a few contemporary romance novels and so many of them follow a similar route - they become so predictable and mundane. I’m so relieved to say that With Love From London blew all of those out of the water with a fresh take on lost (and found) love.

I love the flashbacks to Valentina’s mother - in fact, her story is my favorite. All those years away from her love, and he was there for her in the end. A beautiful story.

Overall rating: 4.25. Thank you NetGalley and the author for an ARC of this read!!!

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I tried to read this book.
Then I trued switching to the audio book.
Sadly, it's just not for me.

This is a very, very, slow moving read. I'm 30% in and almost nothing has happened. And while I appreciate the quirkiness of the many side characters, it was just too many.

DNF 30%

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I LOVE Sarah Jio books and I was so excited for this one to come out! It did not disappoint. I loved the dual timelines and the setting of a bookstore in London. It felt like a heartwarming Hallmark movie and I loved it! Another 5 star book from Sarah Jio! I received a free copy of this book from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

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Publisher Synopsis:

When librarian Valentina Baker was a teenager, her mother, Eloise, unexpectedly fled to her native London, leaving Val and her father on their own. Now in her thirties and fresh out of a failed marriage, Val feels a nagging disenchantment with her life--and knows she is still heartbroken over her mother's abandonment.

In a bittersweet twist of fate, Val receives word that Eloise has passed away, leaving Val her Primrose Hill apartment and the deed to a bookshop Val never knew she'd owned. Though the news is devastating, Val finds herself more determined than ever to discover who her mother truly was. She jets across the Atlantic, departing Seattle for a new life in charming London

Review: I absolutely loved this book - it was so incredibly charming. I love Sarah Jio - I've read a few of her other books and they are absolutely light, romantic but poignant. It also made me feel like I was able to travel and it was just such a fun escape. I also love that there's a bookshop involved - that's always a bonus. Overall 5/5 stars.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for my free digital copy.

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Sarah Jio is an auto buy author for me. Her books are so cozy. I loved the setting of a bookstore and London. This book broke my heart with the loss of relationship between mother and daughter. I was so thankful that Valentina got closure at the end. All the characters were so fun. The ending made me smile so much, which was just what I needed.

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I love a book set in London and mother/daughter relationships. Throw in a bookstore and I am completely hooked. I enjoyed the two different time lines and the characters were loveable. A lovely story about second chances, a bit of mystery and love.

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Told from two timelines of a mother and her daughter - there is heartbreak, joy, some romance, friendships, and making peace with your decisions. Loved that it takes place in London, and the daughter is a librarian. A lot of classic books are mentioned and they tie nicely with this story. The scavenger hunt was a nice touch for this story. The ending was well done. 3.5 stars.

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Attention all book lovers, if you've ever dreamed about inheriting a book store, this book is for you. An absolutely delightful read. Highly recommend adding this book to your TBR.

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This is a great book about love and loss and finding yourself after loss. I really enjoyed this book and will be reading more Jio in the future.

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Have been unable to review due to illness. Review coming soon! This novel looks fantastic and I highly recommend this author to everyone! Can't wait to read this one!!!!

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I love books about book lovers and book stores. This was a great story of finding ourselves after loss and relying on the love of books to keep us going. The scenery of London made me want to travel there, to experience the city as it was described.

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

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This was such a delightful treasure!

With dual timelines this story allows us to explore the lives of Valentina- in the present day- and her mother,Eloise- in the past. Your are immediately sucked in by this heart breaking but hopeful story about finding yourself and finding family.

One of the things I loved the most was the scavenger hunt aspect- I always think it is fun to learn about the character as they decode clues. Even though the circumstances were unhappy- seeing Valentina exploring Primrose Hill and those who her mother loved was a treat.

This book was sweet and thoughtful. I really enjoyed it and I recommend for others who are looking for something that will make them think a bit.

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine for the opportunity to check this one out!

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A really sweet. bucolic novel. I loved how the author integrated the past and present, the details about the London neighborhood and the eccentric side characters.

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A librarian inheriting a bookshop? YES PLEASE! This book is not all sunshine and rainbows though, there is navigating a broken heart. Overall, 4.5 ⭐️/5

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This story is bookish and delightful. I had a great time reading it. A different kind of coming-of-age story.

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Valentina Baker receives a call from her estranged mother's lawyer during the worst days of her life. Her husband has just left her for a young paralegal and now the mother she has not seen for a quarter of a century is dead. Val has just inherited a building with a bookstore in the Primrose Hill neighborhood of London. As part of her inheritance she gains the neighbors that loved her mother, Eloise, via a treasure hunt. Eloise has left letters throughout the neighborhood for Val in order for her to meet the people important to Eloise and learn more about why they were estranged.

With Love from London is a lovely story about two women who experienced extreme heartache but through the support of a community and dear friends they have each found a path forward. This is a quick enjoyable read that any lover of women's lit would enjoy. This is one of those books that inspires you to look for the things and people in life that make it better.

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I received this as a free kindle book from the publisher. The title grabbed me right away.

Valentina Baker has learned that her mother, Eloise, who she hasn't seen since Eloise abandoned her when she was 12, has passed away and has left Valentina her bookshop and flat in London. When Valentina heads to London, she meets Millie, her mom's best friend and they strike up a friendship even though it was a bit rocky to start. Eloise planned a scavenger hunt for Valentina and as she finds the clues, she befriends the people of Primrose Hill who were important to her mom and the bookshop. The story is told in two time periods, one for Eloise and one for Valentina, and as it unfolds, so does Eloise's story. I really enjoyed the characters and the setting of the bookshop. A great read with a little romance and self-discovery as well.

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