Adorable! I am a major bookworm (like most reviewers on this site), so the cover and title immediately grabbed my attention. And I have no regrets for the time I spent reading it. I can quite honestly say that it's a dreamy fantasy of mine right now, to live parts of the book.

This is a beautiful story with it's heartwarming, touching, and bittersweet moments. It involves moving on, acceptance, compromises, remembrance, relationships, and so much more! There isn't 'family' in this novel at all, but the friends and laughter and memories in it gave me a cozy family vibe.

I read this quite while back, but I can still remember my reading experience quite clearly. I couldn't put the book down! There's maybe too many characters in the story, but I think each of them plays a part in it. Children, teenagers, middle aged, and retired, it's got them all.

Can't put all my emotions attached to this masterpiece into words, but it's quite a journey and I think you should go on it too.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyage for providing me with this e-ARC. And a big THANK YOU to Poppy Alexander for coming up with this brilliant idea and writing it down. Because you have no idea how much joy you gave me :)

While I found the concept charming, the story never really grabbed me. Truly, I think my feelings here are a “me” problem. I know that there is an audience out there for this one! Thanks to NetGalley for my gifted ARC!

This is a heartwarming book about dealing with losing a love one and starting over.

Main character, Jess, lose her Mimi, Grandmother. She just lost her grandmother and her job at a local library. she decides to move into a quaint cottage.

In her new neighborhood she makes a lasting impression on her neighbor.
Did I mention she converted a phone booth into a little library? The library is filled with books collected throughout the years. Some of the books were her grandmother's. This is such a sweet story.

This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

This charming book not only has a delightful cover, it has a lovely story, too.

Jess Metcalf is reeling after the death of her beloved grandmother, who she has lived with since her parents died in a car accident. After getting laid off from her job as a librarian, she’s even more at a loss. While driving to clear her mind, she ends up in the village of Middlemass in the English countryside. She’s immediately enamored with an ivy-covered cottage she finds, and is even more curious about the old red abandoned phone booth that sits in front of it. Jess pushes aside her worries and anxieties and takes the plunge.

This novel is a warm cup of tea in a book! Although Jess’s story is a bit predictable, the distinct details that Alexander included made me smile, tear up, and cheer. I especially loved the phone-booth-turned-littlest-library-in-England as the focal point. There is lots of talk about the classic books you love, the relatively modern joy of Manga books, and, of course, how books can enhance and change lives, in this case Jess’s. The littlest library is the catalyst that sparks her change from grief-stricken lady to a woman with a community, confidence, and love in her life.

I’d classify this book as more women’s fiction than romance. There’s flirtation and a connection with a hunky-if-grumpy neighbor, but it’s not the driving story of the book. Instead it’s Jess’s change and progress. I do wish there had been a bit more “on-the-page” romance, but it wasn’t a deal breaker. I still loved Jess’s relationships with her neighbors, especially her love interest’s daughter, and her growth. And, of course, all the talk of gardening in the English countryside, delicious cups of tea, and the power and joy of books. Bookworms (and anglophiles!) will love this one.

Thank You NetGalley, Avon Books and the author Poppy Alexander for the opportunity to read this. All my thoughts and review are my own.

I like reading books about books and this was no different. I love small village the author created in this. The writing style I love. The only reason this is not a 5 star book for me is that at some points in the story I was annoyed with the main character she didn’t make herself happy till the end. Overall this was a nice cozy read to read in the summer.

5 star read!!!!

I adored every page of this novel and not just because she is a librarian and her name is Jess like me.
This book has so much heart, humor and emotionally moving points that I was just at home in its pages. I love that the library box is so essential to bringing the little English village together.

So well done. Loved it!!!

After starting this one, I realized it wasn’t my style. I really thought I was going to like this more because I love everything about LFL- I really wish NetGalley had some kind of preview option so I didn’t have to leave half reviews like this one…

This book is comfort. It’s watching your favorite movie over and over level of comfort. Think Gilmore Girls meets the English countryside meets a hallmark movie.

This literary themed book clearly hit me in all the feels. Jess is a librarian who has recently moved to a small town in the English countryside. With the purchase of her cottage comes an old red phone box that has been left on the property. Jess is able to harness her grief and transform her Mimi’s book collection into the littlest library in England. In the process, the town pulls together in ways it hasn’t in a long time. She watches the books work their magic on the people of the town. Even her grumpy, but ever so handsome, neighbor Aiden seems to come out of his shell.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Avon for this gifted copy.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to love this one, but I am learning that British literature is not my cup of tea. No pun intended. I decided to DNF this at 30%. Unfortunately, I am not captivated by the characters, and the storyline feels very slow. This has Last Chance Library vibes, but I don’t prefer the way this one is executed. I think this book is going to be best for an audience who doesn’t mind a slower pace.

Thanks so much to the publisher and the author for my copy of The Littlest Library. I read this with a friend and I just didn't love it as much as I was hoping.

The plot felt like it dragged in several places and while I normally love a quaint small English village story (with books!!) this one just felt like it could have been condensed. The minor characters were fine but not memorable and I was hoping that the main character would come to her personal realizations a little sooner in the book.

I loved the cover and the setting for the story but it didn't grab me and I wasn't overly excited to pick it back up, like I normally am in a book I love.

This book is a little different than what I usually read. I was sucked in by the cute cover and the fact that it’s about a librarian. This book is a slow burn romance between a divorced man, Aidan, and Jess, a librarian, going through some grief with a loss of a job and the death of her grandmother. Jess needs some time to find herself, take some chances and adjust to changes in her life. I love that books were the unifying theme in this book. It’s a perfect read if you are in the mood for a sweet book with a slow burn romance.

Oozes charm! I loved reading this heartwarming tale set in a picturesque English village and featuring a new chapter for a woman who has lost nearly everything she held dear. As the title and cover suggest, the story also centers ‘round a library in a disused English phone booth and is something of a love letter to country living and community. Most of the male characters could have been a bit better developed. That aside, Poppy Alexander beautifully depicts the English countryside in all seasons, lovely Ivy Cottage in which the main character resides, and quirky but imminently lovable and strong women and girl residents of the fictional village, Middlemass. Sure to be enjoyed by fans of Jenny Colgan, Tracy Rees’ contemporaries, Trisha Ashley and Susan Branch. Poppy Alexander’s 25 Days ‘Til Christmas was one of my favorite reads over the 2019 holiday season too. Three and one-half stars, rounded up because this book was an absolute joy to read. Many thanks to HarperCollins and NetGalley for providing me a digital ARC of The Littlest Library. Opinions are my own.

This was such a great book! I really liked it, and would definitely recommend to anyone who thinks it sounds interesting. (And isn't this cover adorable?!)

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

From reading the book summary of this book, I became very intrigued with the main character. I always find women's fiction reads more intriguing when the main character is trying to process something major in their life. And Jess will find out more about herself as she processes through her grief.

Losing a family member will always be hard. There is no way to deal with grief. It’s going to be different for everyone. And it’s something Jess will struggle through as she tries to move forward. But she has a huge project that may help her. She wants to host a shared little library around the neighborhood with her grandmother's books. It seems like a great idea.

I love Poppy Alexander's books! This one and her Christmas novel easily became favorites of mine and I'm excited to see what she writes next!

When I look at books to read, there are several topics that automatically catch my attention. Anything book themed, set in a small town, or has a lot of food content, and I am immediately interested. The Littlest Library, by Poppy Alexander, is a sweet book that has all three (bonus points for it being set in England!). I liked the concept of a library created out of an old telephone booth, found the small village to be charming and filled with fun secondary characters, and there were many dinner parties with descriptions of fabulous food. There was also a lovely romance between the main character, Jess, and a divorced next-door neighbor.

What I Liked:

Setting:

I love books set in small towns. And this quaint English village seemed just lovely, even if it had seen better days. When Jess buys a small cottage seemingly on a whim, she has no idea what she's getting herself into. There are, of course, unexpected repairs (and bats) to contend with, town feuds that she must navigate, and village etiquette to learn.

But there are also lovely discoveries. Jess learns to appreciate the beauty of the pretty garden and pond behind her home. Neighbors stop by, which at first is not welcome. But she finds generosity in her neighbors bringing food to share, along with new friendships, and opportunities for her to become involved in the community.

Books:

Jess is a librarian who's previous library has closed. When she moves to her new home, she leaps at an opportunity to create a little library in front of her home. Her collection of beloved books stocks the shelves. It's a treat to see what books the village's residents choose. Some pick out classic books for their kids, while others check out cook books. But the most popular type of books are the romances! As with any good library, the telephone booth becomes a gathering place for the community. I loved this!

Food:

I love books where the author describes delicious food at dinner parties. In Jess's case, there are several Sunday luncheons with descriptions of roasted lamb, fresh garden vegetables, and light summer desserts. The way these dishes are lovingly described makes me think the author must love to cook and entertain.

Characters:

I like the main character, Jess. Although she has daydreams about seamlessly gliding into the village social scene, she is actually quite awkward and makes many mistakes. I can relate! But, when she does something rude, she apologizes, and tries to make amends. She also is still mourning the loss of her grandmother who raised her. There are many moments where she fights tears and would rather be alone. But when this happens, she remembers that her grandmother wanted her to be a part of the present, not wallow in self-pity.

Very sweet story set in a small village. It was nice to see Jess find her place within the community.

I really wanted to love this, but the writing style just wasn't for me. It was a bit slower and steadier paced than I like, but I would still recommend this because I know lots of people love that style.

Librarian, Jess, has been raised by her beloved grandmother since she was a toddler. When she dies, Jess sets out to find a new life where the memories won’t always overwhelm her, but brings along her grandmother’s beloved book collection. Jess moves to a small town into a cottage that needs a lot of work, and that also comes with a defunct phone box that can’t be removed, and that must be approved for a use by the town. When the suggestion is made to create a tiny library in it, Jess knows that her grandmother’s book collection will serve the town in the perfect way.

This book was just a breath of fresh air! Jess and her grief are so palpable, and I really enjoyed watching her come out of her shell and becoming a part of a community. She consistently encounters challenges, and handles them with optimism and a good attitude. The cast of characters in the town are so much fun and have the kind of wonderful eccentricities that you’d expect from a small and tight knit community.

I was rooting for Jess, and for her to find the perfect place where she truly belonged. It’s a sweet story, with a hint of romance that will be perfect for fans of Jenny Colgan.

Thank you to Avon Publishing for providing me a gifted copy of this book.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harpercollins for the book in exchange for my review

While this book was adorably sweet and cute and the most perfect concept(little English village, a library in a phone booth, discovery of self etc) it fell a little flat for me and felt a little abrupt. In the end, it just wasn’t for me but is definitely for someone!

A classic red telephone box, an English village, and a sweet story of books and libraries pretty much had me at the premise of this story! 32 year old Jess Metcalfe, who lost her parents at a very young age, was raised by her grandmother who poured herself into raising Jess. She read many, many books to her over her lifetime of living in the same house her whole life until her grandmother died. Mimi left enough of a nest egg for Jess to start over and spread her wings to fly and explore after she lost her job at the library. On a random car trip she "lands" in the charming village of Middlemass where there happens to be a cottage for sale. She buys the cottage which comes with a red telephone box that she has no idea what to do with. After a village meeting, she is asked what she will do with the smelly box. And after a suggestion of a little free library, she realizes all the books MImi left her would be a great basis for this little library. With a cast of quirky and interesting characters, Jess finds herself feeling at home with friends for the first time in years. But can she stay there without a job? Does she even want to stay? Her characters bring out the best, but believable, side of human nature. It is also a clean book which seems to be harder and harder to find these days. My thanks to NetGalley and Harpers Collins Publishers for this delightful e-book.