The Lonely Hearts Book Club
By Lucy Gilmore
Pub Date: Mar 28
Sourcebooks Casablanca
* books about books
I really loved this book and I believe it will be in my top ten for 2023!
I fell in love with the characters and the storyline.
I recommend this book if you enjoy books about libraries. This book is everything I wanted and deserves my 5 stars.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

The Lonely Hearts Book Club gave me Man Called Ove vibes and I was here for it. The book follows a librarian and the old man that she befriends. Sloane the librarian loves her life though she is a little lonely but all that she changes when she meets Arthur . Their first encounter results in her being insulted by Arthur and books bringing them together. They then make a book club to bring together lonely humans together. I love how the author brought out the idea that we need each other and the power of written words.

The Lonely Hearts Book Club by Lucy Gilmore feels like a giant hug in book form. Six people find their lives intersecting and realize how much they’ve been missing, whether they’ve been willing to admit it to themselves or not. Each character has been shaped in some way by books, and I loved the references to literary classics like Anne of Green Gables. I love how Lucy Gilmore intricately designed each character and their quirky and very different personalities. They truly grow to understand and love not only each other but themselves through their impromptu book club. Arthur and Sloane have a special intergenerational friendship full of genuine banter and loving concern for one another. Reading this will surely make you want to be part of your own book club of unconventional comrades.

Side note: I love this cover! All the vibrant spring colors make me so happy. I know we can’t always judge a book by its cover, but this one certainly fits the book.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC.

When Arthur comes into the library everyone cowers in fear. This curmudgeonly old man makes even compliments sound terrifying. But librarian Sloane sees something in Arthur that few can see. When Arthur doesn't show up for his normal library visit, Sloane cares enough to figure out what is going on with him. Her discovery will alter her life and lead her to become a part of The Lonely Hearts Book Club. This book has an eclectic group of characters and many odes to the wonderful world of literature that kept this book loving librarian reading. Hitting on the importance of friendship and community in the quality of one's life, this book is good for all who want a book that will leave you finding deeper meaning in life. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the ebook.

Told in alternating points of view, this is a great story where you really get to know the characters I love the progression of the story between Sloane and Arthur and the rest of the book club gang. Lucy Gilmore introduces us to a charming group of characters that you can't help but want to hug as you get to know them better. This book was charming and and left me with a heartwarming feeling.

The Lonely Hearts Book Club
by: Lucy Gilmore

Review
So much love, warmth, and literary connections are found within the pages of The Lonely Hearts Book Club.
Author Lucy Gilmore has formed an eclectic cast of five main well developed characters, who all have loneliness in their lives. She gives each of them the opportunity to provide their insightful points of view in sections of the book. These five come together in unlikely circumstances related to the care of the elderly curmudgeon Arthur. Sloane, a quiet-natured librarian, forms a book club, which adds even more bookish depth and fun to the group while drawing them closer also in serious ways.

We know that reading and book clubs can help us form connections with people as we learn more about ourselves. I love books that include bookish themes within the story, and this book fulfilled that along with a strong, original plot focusing on relationships. Gilmore's writing is insightful and deep, as well as entertaining. She smartly used the books read in the book club to bring out emotion and strengthen the ties of the characters as they read and discussed the books. I won't reveal the names of the books this club read, but if you are like me, you will find yourself wanting to read or re-read them!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of The Lonely Hearts Book Club by Lucy Gilmore. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for this ARC.

I am very picky when it comes to books with multiple POVs. I find that I often lose focus if I have to switch between characters. That did not happen in this book. With every new POV, I felt I was discovering a whole new beloved character with every new POV. Every aspect of this book was a delight, and I give it 5/5 stars. I highly recommend it.

Sloane,Arthur, Maisey, Mateo, Greg, and Nigel. Make up the cast of characters in this brilliant story. Each person is searching for fulfillment from their loneliness. I was most impressed with how the changing POV only strengthened the story more.

I highly recommend this endearing story.

Sloane Parker is a quiet librarian who lives a small life in a small town. The best part of her day is when grumpy old Arthur comes in to choose a book, and they can verbally spar. He’s insulting, she’s quick with a comeback. But when he doesn’t show up one day, Sloane risks her job to check on him…

This book is absolutely delightful. A full cast of characters that settle into your heart, and into Sloane’s book club. Their stories will captivate you.

This book took me a while to get into but once it grabbed me, I didn't want it to end!

Sloane is a librarian who becomes enamored with grumpy Arthur who visits the library regularly. When he suddenly stops popping in, Sloane becomes worried and seeks him out. it costs her her job but she gains so much more in the relationship she builds with Arthur and Maisey, Arthurt's nosey and lonely neighbor.

Love the multiple point of view story telling. Add it to your to-be-read list!

Four and a Half Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭒
The Lonely Hearts Book Club by Lucy Gilmore is a sweet, heartwarming story of a small-town librarian and her small circle of friends.

Story Recap:
Sloane Parker is a librarian who lives a sheltered life in a small town. Her one brief window of joy comes when library patron and curmudgeon, Arthur McLachlan, come into the library and they trade insults and barbs with each other.

When Arthur doesn’t show up for a few days, Sloane risks her job and looks up his address so she can check up on him. She finds him bedridden and decides to form an impromptu book club with him and other misfits around town. Together they help each other out and form a bond over books.

My Thoughts:
Sometimes I just need an uplifting book and The Lonely Hearts Book Club is the perfect book for when I’m feeling a bit down. I love a good bookish book and this one exceeded my expectations. It’s sweet, heartwarming, charming and emotional, and these are all the things I love in a good book.

These characters were so real. I can imagine, shy and reserved, Sloane, the librarian, and just picture her lonely days in the library. And Arthur is such an amazing character as well. The typical curmudgeon, with a heart that is all covered up in past experiences that only needs someone, or a few someones to help him discover he has a large heart after all.

I love a book about misfits and underdogs, and The Lonely Hearts Book Club has plenty of these characters. And we get to see them grow and learn to trust each other and themselves.

Recommendation:
I highly recommend The Lonely Hearts Book Club to anyone who enjoys fiction. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book wrapped itself around me like a warm blanket. The story was charming, heartwarming and touching. I loved the story of these unlikely people forming such close bonds through a book club. Highly recommended!

A heartwarming story about finding your place in the world, making friends and realising your own dreams.
The characters are all living different lives and wouldn’t normally have met, but when they do, their eyes are opened!
The main characters are Sloane, a librarian who isn’t appreciated and Arthur, a grumpy older man who thinks he doesn’t need anyone’s help!
Sloane moves in to help housebound Arthur, family and friends join together to form a book club, changing all their lives for the better!
This gem is a great reminder that books bring people together, creating conversation and true friendships along the way!

Thanks to the publisher, NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I’ve only read twenty five books this year but this one just climbed the ladder to become my most favorite! 👏🏻

Arthur is a frequent customer of the library where Sloan works. He’s not happy or chipper when it comes to requesting books from librarians, he’s awful and judges everyone around him. Some librarians run and hide when they sense his presence but Arthur doesn’t care, he’ll scout out someone else to pester.

When he walks into the library and spots Sloan, she has no idea what kind of person he is but she takes his insults and gives it right back to him. He’s astonished but also finds it challenging to keep communicating with her and Sloane forms a bond with this crazy old man.

When Sloane realizes she hasn’t seen Arthur in a few weeks, she becomes worried. It’s against her work policy to look up his address on their computers but she decides to do it anyway. What she finds is a lonely man that’s in desperate need of a friend even though he won’t admit it.

This was such a beautiful, emotional, and heartwarming story of a love between a lonely old man and a quiet librarian. Even though Sloane is years younger than him, he sees his late wife in her eyes.

He not only finds friendship with Sloane but eventually accepts help from people he’s scared away in the past. Everyone needs friendships like Arthur, Sloane, Maisey, Mateo, and Greg.

Make sure you have a few tissues near the end of this book, it’s powerful and makes you want to cry your heart out. ♥️

Sloane Parker lives a small, contained life as a librarian in her small, contained town. She never thinks of herself as lonely...but still she looks forward to that time every day when old curmudgeon Arthur McLachlan comes to browse the shelves and cheerfully insult her. Their sparring is such a highlight of Sloane's day that when Arthur doesn't show up one morning, she's instantly concerned. And then another day passes, and another.


This book was definitely a slow burner, it wasn't too telling of the direction it was going to take sometimes but I still enjoyed it nevertheless.

I love books about books and book lovers!

This is a sweet story about found family and the healing power of books. I enjoyed all the characters and their quirks, especially Sloane, Mateo, and Maisey. At times it felt like because there were so many characters and perspectives, there was not enough time or space to fully close out each individual story. However, the cast of characters was great, the story was uplifting and warm, and the ending was sweet. I would definitely recommend this one to any fellow books-about-books-lovers!

I cried so much while reading this book.
I find it so touching because in the last years it really feels like we lost touch with our human part and rarely care for our elderly ones.
I loved that he was grumpy and how sweet was she to still see behind that grumpiness and still coming back and caring for him.
It’s an emotional story that left me with a smile on my face in the end


Very grateful to the publisher for my review copy

A story of friendship, found family, and a book club of misfits.

Sloane is a librarian, who begins a match of wits with a grumpy patron, and when he stops coming in for his regular visits she begins to worry. She goes against the rules and uses the system at work to get his address and check in on him, against the instructions of her boss. It turns out the old man has had a health scare and is all alone after scaring away multiple in home nurses. Sloane feels it is the right thing to do and keep an eye on him even at the expense of her job. Throw in a nosy neighbour, a sworn enemy, and long lost grandchild, a nurse/librarian/performer and you've got yourself a book club of lonely hearts.

This novel was truly a delight to read, every character was so complex and brought so much richness to the story. The aspect of found family was so wonderfully executed. Each character's journey to having a more full and loving life was a joy to see. The emotions were so present and I felt it all along with the characters. I loved everything about this portrayal of the depth on grief, finding yourself, and love.

For fans of A Man Called Ove and Up, this story of lonely hearts finding solace in a book club was full of just that: heart.

Loneliness can invade thoughts and create true despair in one's psyche. The Lonely Hearts Book Club focuses on a core group of characters who have loneliness due to grief, family strife, or simply being misunderstood by most people around them. I related to each of the characters for different reasons.

The story is broken up into 6 parts with each of the main characters having their own section where we see the storyline progress through their POV. I thought this was an engaging way to tell the story and it truly helped me know each character's hopes and motivations. (1 of the characters' POV is repeated, so we only follow 5 mcs)

I truly think this was a special novel, but I did have two aspects I wish were more flushed out:
1) Sloane and Arthur's friendship. We see a few interactions between them but then, once their dynamic is established, we see fewer interactions. I wish the interactions had been consistent throughout so I could've seen the growth in their relationship instead of just being told about it.

2) The reader also experiences little of the actual book club. At the end of the book, Sloane mentions all of the things she loves about their book club meetings and it made me realize that I, as the reader, wasn't invited to witness all of these lovely moments.

Reading this was a lovely respite from more complicated novels. The emotions were deep, but the plot was not, and I appreciated that.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

• This book came at such a good time for me. Alright, maybe it's always a good time for a book about the healing power relationships, connection and unlikely friendships...and that's exactly what this book is.

While this can be categorized as a book that leaves you with the warm fuzzies at the end, it's also a book with some depth in a way that doesn't feel daunting. I absolutely adored our curmudgeonly MMC, Arthur, and loved each person in this cast of characters just as much.
This is a book that really speaks to the idea that when we are afraid of being left behind, we can often close our hearts being let in as well. Each of these characters were dealing with their own narratives of feeling not good enough and their own dears of abandonment and it was the power of connection (and books! The power of books!) that ultimately begins to heal their lonely hearts.

Read it! It's adorable and full of banter. It's for anvone who loves books about