Cozy, sweet, and escapist. A recommended purchase for collections where lighter women's fic is popular.

This was a fun one for me. As someone studying library and information sciences that also happens to spend a lot of time in book stores, this book filled me up. A story about self discovery, an estranged mother, an inherited book store,  while also taking place in London? Sign me up.

Sarah Jio is one of my favorite authors and I will read every single book that comes my way...My first was about ten years ago and I have not stopped since then :) For this particular one, I have to thank Netgalley and the publisher for my digital copy in exchange for an honest review...I am always excited when I get approved to read a book and especially when I get approved to read a book by a favorite of mine...it doesn't happen very often but I walk away from every single one feeling like a winner. I absolutely loved everything about this one...I loved the story line (one of my favorite plots), I loved the characters and I loved the setting...so much I actually gave thought to going there. I 100% recommend this one to anyone that likes reading contemporary romance.

I loved the flow of this book. The back-and-forth switching between mother and daughter was done so naturally and the bittersweet romance tied into the scavenger hunt made it a subtle but emotional read.
The characters are easy to love, except for the dad. And I wished things had turned out differently for the mom, but all in all a  lovely, hopeful book to pick up and just read at the beach or just to relax.

I've never read anything by Jio, so I was intrigued to give this a shot.

Valentina inherits her estranged mother's bookshop in Primrose Hill and learns not only of her mother's love post-death, but also of her dedication to show it.

Crap, this made me cry so many times. I wasn't sure about the dual narrative in this when it first began, but as we went through the story of the two women, I realized it was vital. Without seeing things through Eloise's eyes, you would miss so much. The struggles of her walking away from London, her problems in her marriage, her devastation at losing her daughter.  There's only so much her letters would tell us. 

I think between the two women, they had a very strong voice, more so in Eloise. It really helped move the narrative along and gave credence to the plot. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this heartfelt story. Thank you for the ARC!

This was a very sweet and heartwarming story. I think book lovers will really enjoy this!

While going through a painful divorce, Valentina receives the news that her estranged mother has passed away and left everything to her. Valentina travels to London to see the bookstore her mother left her for. What she finds is — an accepting community, her mothers best friend, and a scavenger hunt her mother made before she died. 

This is definitely a story from the heart. It’s raw, and real and heartbreaking. It’s funny and sweet. I think this is a book that many people would enjoy!

With Love From London by Sarah Jio. This is a sweet novel about mothers and daughters, love and books. It sounded like it would be a super book for this book nerd who adored her mother, but it was a bit too saccharine for me. Valentina, an American librarian, inherits a bookstore in London from the mother who abandoned her when she was 12. She heads across the pond to settle her mother’s affairs and while she is there, Valentina learns more about her mother and what truly happened all those years ago. Of course, there’s some romance thrown in as well. Easy and quick read! Try All The Flowers in Paris by this author instead. That was a 5 star one.

"With Love from London" is a captivating tale that takes readers on an emotional journey filled with love, family, and forgiveness. Valentina Baker, a disillusioned librarian, inherits her estranged mother's bookstore in the charming neighborhood of Primrose Hill. This unexpected turn of events thrusts Val into a new chapter of her life, where she unravels long-held family secrets and discovers the possibility of new love.
Sarah Jio beautifully crafts a bittersweet narrative that explores the complexities of mother-daughter relationships. Val's own struggle with her mother's abandonment resonates deeply, adding depth and authenticity to her character. The story's backdrop of London's Primrose Hill, with its pastel-colored apartments and enchanting bookshop, provides a delightful setting that immerses readers into Val's world.

As Val delves into her mother's past, she uncovers intriguing notes left in an old novel, leading her on a quest to find its mysterious former owner. This journey not only sheds light on her mother's true nature but also becomes a catalyst for personal growth and understanding. The book skillfully intertwines Val's pursuit of the truth with the challenges she faces in saving the Book Garden from financial ruin, giving the story an added layer of tension and urgency.

The supporting characters, particularly the eccentric staff of the Book Garden, bring the story to life with their quirks and idiosyncrasies. Their unwavering loyalty to the bookstore and their determination to preserve Eloise's legacy create a sense of camaraderie that warms the heart. Additionally, the possibility of new love that emerges in Val's life adds a touch of romance and hope, providing a well-rounded narrative.

"With Love from London" explores themes of healing, loss, and the power of forgiveness. The author's prose is evocative and lyrical, drawing readers into Val's emotional journey and allowing them to empathize with her experiences. The book masterfully captures the essence of family dynamics, reminding us of the universal desire to understand and reconcile with our past.

Overall, "With Love from London" is a heartfelt and engaging novel that beautifully captures the complexities of relationships and the transformative power of love. Through Valentina's story, readers will be moved, inspired, and reminded of the importance of forgiveness in finding true healing.

A tender and wise tale about a woman discovering her roots. Love books set in London and this one is an excellent read!

Books centered around bookstores will always appeal to me. And then when you factor in family dynamics and putting together the pieces to figure out the truth makes it even more appealing. The characters are well developed and the scavenger hunt aspect was a bonus. You will experience a myriad of emotions ... love, grief, resentment, difficult decisions, and the opportunity for second chances. I found myself wanting to make a trip to London so I could browse the books in this delightful shop. Just a wonderful journey through the lives of amazing women.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

When Val inherits her estranged mother's book store and flat in London, the recently divorced librarian flees California for Primose Hill in a search for answers about her mother's life.

It was deeper than I thought it would be, but I really enjoyed this!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for honest feedback. Even though I'm not really into this genre, I wanted to read this book because I love books set in London. Add in bookish elements and it gets even better. This story was absolutely heartwarming. I loved the changing of settings and the "coming of age" in a way. The journey the MC takes is interesting, entertaining, and relatable. I almost wrote this story off as cheesy, but it definitely was not. I also loved the cover! It's a great book.

This was cute, but not one of my fav romances. I liked the MC enough but the romance fell a little flat for me. Enjoyable, but ultimately not super memorable.

This is such a great book, that before I start to d my review I want to say that if you can pick it up then you definitely should.

As an avid reader I've always had a fantasy of being able to own my own bookstore, of being able to introduce people to my favorite books and to have someone that I can discuss books with. For now I take comfort in having social media as my way of putting out my thoughts for others to see even if its not in person. Valentina, one of the protagonist, was able to do both of those dreams. Not only is she a popular bookstagrammer but she is also a librarian turned book store owner because of some unfortunate events. The second protagonist is Eloise, Valentina's mom. She's witty and smart, with a dream of owning a book store with her best friend. We get to see both pov's , the past and the present. The present we get the pain of loosing a parents, not once but twice. In the past we get to see the unfortunate events that lead up to the circumstances in the future. Something that I've always found interesting is that when in books, there is usually one character that we like more than others. There's usually one character that is more developed than others. In this book I think that its hard not to like both Valentina and Eloise.

Valentina grows on you as the story progresses, you cant help but feel for her and understand her pain for not only loosing her marriage but also for loosing a mother that she never really got to know. We see her struggle with her anger towards her mom who abandoned her specially when she needed her the most but also feeling grief for not being able to get the ending that she wanted... reconciliation. I liked the process of her rediscovering herself but also realizing that her mother loved her and thought of her all those years.

Eloise portion of the story was... heartbreaking. I would be lying if I said that it didn't make me cry when I realized that she gave up so much all through out her life, yet she was still remembered as someone valuable to her community, and Valentine unfortunately didn't get to have that in her life. Knowing that she had to give up on love but that years later towards the end she was able to finally get part of what she wanted made me so heartbroken for her, from sadness and happiness. She realized that she could live her life with the pain but not let it be everything. I think it was so realistic for her to not completely blame Valentina's father for the separation, she does hint to it, but she still focuses on the positive. That was a perfect way to end her letters.

“The fact of the matter is bad things happen to good people. They do. All the time. But it’s our choice whether we wallow in them for the rest of our lives, or whether we accept the invitation.

I furrow my brow, confused. “The invitation?”

“Yes, to begin life’s grand second act. You see, that’s what your mother learned. Once she stopped looking back, she could finally move forward.”

The side characters are also well done, they are realistic and fit into the story line in a way that they add to the story. Although this is mostly focused on the mother/daughter relationship there is a love story being told at the same time. The scavenger hunt that Eloise created for Valentina was so much fun, but also knowing where that came from was just ... i dont even know how to describe it. This was such a beautiful, heartfelt, heartbreaking, and endearing book about love, secrets, grief, decisions, missed opportunities and second chances.

I said it once and i will say it again.. read this book ! and make sure you have tissues next to you.

A lovely story from start to finish about a woman navigating divorce, grief and finding her place again in this world in the last place she expected.

Right off the bat, this book was cute and catered towards readers. And that’s just about all you need to know. Oh, and it has escapism galore. Honestly, this book was cuteness and escapism galore. I read it a while ago, so I don’t remember every single detail of it but I do remember that it was cute. The main character is a bookstagrammer, which made for some definite recognitions, but she is a bit too judgemental towards non-readers for my taste. There’s a rundown bookstore, a quaint part of London with flowers on the windowsill… And the description of these places was so vivid I can still picture them. I also think the settings and the escapism that comes with it is its greatest selling point. Of course, there’s the mystery of what happened with the mom (not in a suspense-kind of way, just a simple romance plot kind of way). And though the book has some darker themes, I didn’t feel these darken the entire book. It was a kind of cliché in its ending, but I didn’t mind that. The love plots were cute as well, nothing special but enjoyable to read about. And I really enjoyed the scavenger aspect of it. I think that’s what made me kept reading most of all, because I do enjoy a good scavenger hunt book. Even though these clues were personal, I couldn’t help but try and guess along with them. 
The story is set across a dual timeline, and the story of the mother progresses at the same time as that the daughter finds out about the truth about her mother’s disappearance and leaving her. Although I have to admit that I was slightly more invested in the mother’s story than in the daughter’s story, I did enjoy the dual timeline aspect (possibly because of the scavenger hunt).
Overall, if you want a cute, quick read and escape to London and California for a bit, and (like me) like stories about a community coming together, definitely give this a go! 

Link to Instagram post: https://www.instagram.com/p/Ciah22-LMYV/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

a cute story of love and travel. this was simply a feel good romance that left a warm fuzzy feeling but is forgettable at the end of the day.

bitter sweet with an even sweeter ending. I really didn't know what to expect going into this one but I ended up really enjoying it about halfway through. I loved val and how headstrong she was throughout the book.

With Love from London
by Sarah Jio 
5 stars 
I absolutely loved the different timelines and how it all went about. You understood her mom and what she struggled with the whole time. What the daughter went threw and how everything affected them differently. Also the mom's scavenger hunt made me want to go out and start putting one together. It was so moving and I cried a lot during this read.

I would give this one 3.5 stars. It was an enjoyable read, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to patrons looking for a gentle, romantic read.