As a librarian, it is hard not to like a story about a librarian and the love of books. Chloe's story and her literary scavenger pulled me in. I definitely enjoyed this book. With loads of really likeable characters, it was a cosy read. I always enjoy stories in different timelines and this one was no different. The development of the story was a bit predictable, but all of the warm characters more than made up for that for me. I enjoyed stepping into their little world!

Thanks to the publisher for providing a free copy in exchange for this review!

Gilmore has created a solid read with "The Library of Borrowed Hearts" that includes found family, classic literature, and a little romance.

Twenty-something Chloe has a lot on her plate: she's the sole caretaker of her three younger siblings and is just getting by on a library worker's salary. Chloe finds solace in the classic literature that she finds in the basement of the library, and during a deep cleaning, finds old correspondence written in the margins of one of the books. This isn't just any correspondence, however: it's a secret romance! And when Chloe's cranky neighbor Jasper offers $5,000 for the book, it doesn't take long for Chloe to realize he has something to do with the secrets in the margins. With the help of a sweet local wilderness trainer, Zach, the duo works to unravel the decades-old mystery.

Gilmore highlights the themes of familial trauma and found family here, but leaves the reader hanging with an uncharacteristically abrupt ending. I'm not saying that every novel needs an epilogue, but it would have fit seamlessly here considering the extensive work Gilmore put into the characterization of Chloe, Jasper, and the rest of the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sometimes when I really love a book, I have a hard time writing a review! That’s the case for me with The Library of Borrowed Hearts. I just loved everything about this book: the setting, the characters, and the story.

We are in a small town in Washington State, a town that used to host an Air Force command of some sort (I recently read another book that talked about the air defense installations along our northern border, from back in the Cold War, so I guess this was one of those). Some of the chapters take place in the present day and others in 1960. Not to worry - they are clearly labeled.

In the present day, we have Chloe, who had to drop out of college, where she was pursuing a library degree, to take care of her three younger siblings after their single mother up and left. Chloe’s not really resentful, but she sure is struggling, mainly financially. Her job at the local library doesn’t pay much since she’s not a “real” librarian. One day she’s assigned to get rid of all the old books in the basement, where she comes across a copy of the spicy Tropic of Cancer, that was outright banned in the US when it came out in the 1930s. In 1960, it was still banned, and this copy was printed in Mexico a few years earlier. Chloe grabs it, thinking she could sell it for some much-needed funds, but upon further inspection, she finds writing in the margins and realizes the book won’t be worth that much. However, after looking at it some more, she realizes that the notes are a conversation between two people who were in love, and she wants to know more!

Jasper lives next door and at first you think he’s going to be the stereotypical curmudgeonly old man (“Get off my lawn!”). When he finds out about the book, he offers Chloe a lot of money for it and she realizes that he had to be one of the people whose writing is in the book. Thus starts a scavenger hunt of sorts to find the other books this young couple used for passing messages to each other.

This was so heart-warming. One of my favorite themes is found family and if that’s a favorite of yours too, pick up this book! I also loved that there weren’t any neatly tied-up happy endings, even though the ending was definitely optimistic.

None of the characters were cardboard cut-outs. Each of the younger siblings had distinct personalities, especially Theo, who liked to try science experiments that didn’t always end up well. Catherine was a complex person, and I admired her ambitions, especially given the societal pressures in 1960 to just marry and raise children. However, while meaning well, she certainly hurt others along the way.

The audiobook was terrific, with different narrators for a few of the different characters, including one for one of Chloe’s young brothers.

This was my first book by Lucy Gilmore and it will certainly not be the last one.

I bounced between the audiobook and the ebook for this title, which was very convenient, and allowed me to continue with the story even when I could not sit down and read - or when I could not listen.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book and to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

For readers who:

- like contemporary fiction
- love libraries and bookstores and books
- adore famous book quotes woven into the plot
- loved 'The Bookish Lofe of Nina Hill'
- know that not every love story is romantic

SYNOPSIS: Years ago, Chloe's mother walked out on her younger 3 children, and Chloe had to leave college to come back home and raise her siblings. Now she works as underpaid staff at the library in her tiny hometown, feeling like she'll never escape. But as she and her best friend are cleaning out the library archives, they come across love notes scribbled in the margins of some of the booksbetween two young lovers from the 1960s. Suddenly, Chloe finds that her way to escape the hardships of her life is to dive headfirst into the mystery of who these young lovers were and whether or not they stayed together in the end.

Last year, The Lonely Hearts Book Club by Lucy Gilmore was one of my favorite feel-good books of the year. This year, her new novel, The Library of Borrowed Hearts is my new favorite feel good. I loved the characters and how they interacted and how they developed and grew. I adored her appreciation for people who are different. And the story that was formed and molded around a couple's book quotes - everything from Wuthering Heights to Pyscho - made my bookworm heart so happy.

loved chloe and her siblings and that she tries to solve the mystery of who is writing in the books and take care of her siblings. she deals with an absent mom and has good friends and she even finds love but not all found love and not all had an easy life.

A charming novel that blends romance, mystery, and the magic of books. Initially, I found myself hesitant since I didn’t like how the book began, but as I persevered, the story unfolded into something unexpectedly heartwarming. The characters—Chloe, Jasper, and the others—come alive, their struggles and growth adding depth to the tale.

Chloe Sampson, a librarian juggling a low-paying part-time job and the guardianship of her three younger siblings, finds a rare edition of a once-banned book. But it’s not the book that captures her—it’s the marginalia. Notes from star-crossed lovers that reveal a forbidden romance.

Jasper Holmes, her grumpy neighbor. Once terrifying for Chloe and her siblings, their friendship warms as they unravel the mystery together. But this isn’t just about love in the margins; it’s about the lives behind the words.

When things slowed down, I switched between audiobook and written pages. And it was in the final third that the magic truly happened. The friendships across age groups resonated, and the coming-of-age moments felt endearing.

I guess this is another case of embracing the unexpected when you are ready to give up.

Chloe Sampson is juggling the responsibilities of caring for her siblings while working at her local library. When she discovers a rare book with romantic notes between two lovers from the 1960's which may belong to her grumpy neighbor, Jasper Holmes, she tries to unravel the secrets hidden within the pages. She ultimately forges an unexpected bond with Jasper and discovers the power of love and friendship in the most unexpected places.

So many things about this book had me truly giddy...siblings taking care of siblings, the grumpy next door neighbor, the librarian MC, a book about books, back and forth letters/star crossed lovers, dual timelines and found family!! I simply could not get enough of all of these themes.

So much self growth and emotional moments in this one. The characters were loveable and the way the side characters' stories were intertwined into the main plot was written so exceptionally well.

If you're looking for a thoughtful, layered read with cute kids, a dog, a gorgeous love interest along with harder topics of grief, hardship and toxic parenting..definitely pick this one up.

This is my first read by the author but won’t be the last since I’ve had Lonely Hearts Book Club on my shelf for too long!

In Library of Borrowed Hearts we meet Chloe who has been doing her best since she had to drop out of college to take care of her three younger siblings after their mom abandoned them. But she's struggling, barely getting by. But when she's cleaning out the basement storage at the library, she finds a hidden early bootleg edition of Tropic of Cancer. So, she decides to take it and sell it since all the books in the basement were bound for the trash. But when she investigates more, she finds that it contains a bookish conversation and some flirting from two people and she's hooked. She must find out who these people are and know their story! I liked the curmudgeonly neighbor, though other than our first intro to him, he didn't really seem all that much of a grump. I'm also a sucker for a found family story and this one fits the bill to me.

The main thing this book has reminded me of is exactly how exciting I find a dual timeline and multiple perspectives. Truly, shuttling between the 60s and the present in a book about books couldn't have been done better.

"The world takes you at your word. Mkae sure the thing you're telling them is what you want them to hear."

Peppered with unexpected wisdom nuggets, this has truly been a heartwarming read. Thank you NetGalley for my advance copy.

This was a very nice read, easy to follow and very entertaining. I loved the atmosphere and the characters, and overall I enjoyed everything a lot. But I'd have loved if we could have seen a bit more at the end, it felt a bit abrupt for my liking, but that might be a personal choice, but I do recommend reading this!

I absolutely love books about books. A librarian finds an old copy of a book with love notes in the margins. The more she reads, the more books she finds the sweet notes and the more of the story she uncovers.

While this book focuses a lot on the unfolding love story found in the pages of the books, it also is about rolling with the punches life has dealt you and making the best of your situation. The librarian who discovered the books was left to take care of her 3 younger siblings when their mom walked out. I loved reading about her sacrifices and her deep love for her siblings.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for an advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for an e-galley of The Library of Borrowed Hearts.

Lucy Gilmore does it again. Characters you immediately grow attached to, a curmudgeonly old man who surely has a soft side hidden somewhere, and a 60 year old mystery centered around writing in library books - what more do you need to kick off your summer reading?!?

Chloe (a librarian who isn't really a librarian) is doing her best to keep her head above water and raise her three siblings. But when a basement clean out project ends up with a rare copy of a book, a book that has notes written inside between two lovers, she unexpectedly finds herself talking to her cranky neighbor. As she moves forward with finding out what happened to the star crossed lovers, she discovers that not everything ends happily. Will she reunite the two, or has fate intervened before the book came across her path?

The Library of Borrowed Hearts by Lucy Gilmore may just be one of my favorite heartwarming books of the year. This dual-timeline novel is a bookish love letter to anyone who has ever found solace between the pages of a book.

If you are looking for a great happily-ever-after to take on vacation this summer, make sure to bring this one with you!

Click here to check out the book today.

Thanks to Netgallery and Source Books for the eARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

Read if you like:
- Found family
- A lot (and I mean a lot) of literary references
- Story within a story
- Multiple POV
- Starcrossed lovers

What is this book about?

Although the book is WAY MORE that what I am about to say, I think it would be fun to go in somewhat blind into this one. Our FMC, Chloe is a librarian that has been dealing with a lot. She is been struggling to take care of her 3 younger siblings while also finding herself and purpose. Little did she know that finding a rare edition of a banned book would lead her to solve a mystery. You see within the pages of the book, there are notes between two young lovers, back at 1960.
The book also follows Jasper Holmes, the curmudgeon next door, the subject of many nightmares and theories. This grumpy old man has been living within the confines of his regrets, but when unforeseen circumstances take him out of his comfort zone, he (and Chloe) learn that there is more to people that what you see, and that true friendship can be found in unlikeliest places.

Review:

To be honest, is hard to encapsulate what I feel about this book. The story is wonderful, and it's different from what I've read in a while (format wise with multiple POV and timelines). I cried, I laughed and while at times the story feels all over the place sometimes, it somehow made perfect sense to me. I was fully submerged in the story, and found myself picturing every scene like a movie. I could see myself in Chloe, and also in Jasper. I loved to see them grow and learn from each other, adored that despite their past (Jasper, you owe my girl a lot of frisbees) they were able to foster a beautiful friendship, fostered in respect and admiration. Theo, Trixie, Noddle, Zach, Pepper, were wonderful side characters, whose stories also were beautifully intertwined within the main plot. Which brings me to Catherine. I don't know if I should consider her as one of the main characters or side characters since we follow her POV on several occasions, but oh what a complex relationship I had with her. Strong, independent woman that made decisions that while I don't agree with, I understood. Her character, her story was one we have seen before (sheltered girl that doesn't play by the rules, falls in love with someone she shouldn't.) yet it was just so entertaining and wonderful to read. While I still wanted a little bit more toward the end, I did like the ending enough that it wouldn't change my rating.

I really enjoyed this one, and I am looking forward to more books by Lucy Gilmore. Thanks to Netgallery and Source Books for the eARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

This is so delightful, it’s multi layered, connecting the past relationship between crusty Jasper and young Catherine, who communicated through notes in books in a small town library in the 1960s, and Chloe, a young woman who is navigating life in the present as she supports her three siblings.

SPOILER QUESTION: Is it a romance - are we guaranteed a happily ever after? The answer is tricky, so this book is recommended only if you can handle a bit of nuance in what defines a romance. There’s optimism for Chloe with Zach, a trainer working at the nearby Air Force base. There’s no steam (it’s all very understated), but a lot of possibility.

The centre of this novel is Chloe and her siblings and their friendship with their neighbour, crusty Jasper. He finally opens himself to this found family who have been living next door for over twenty years. This part of the novel is so heartwarming and poignant. It’s a bit angsty, but author Lucy Gilmore has such a deft touch, we can see how poverty has affected Chloe and her little family, without us being dragged through the details.

Recommended if you want a thoughtful, layered read. It’s got everything - dual timeline, cute and engaging kids, a lazy dog, the gorgeous love interest, literary references, but also hardship and grief and the effects of toxic parenting. It reminds me of Kate Clayborn’s The Other Side of Disappearing and I so recommend it 💕

Thank you NetGalley, SOURCEBOOKS and the author for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

A feel-good, dual timeline intergenerational story about two star-crossed booklovers in the 1960s and the part-time librarian who stumbles across the book they used to exchange love notes.

When Chloe, a struggling guardian to her younger siblings, stumbles upon a book with writing in the margins she takes it upon herself to discover more about the two people responsible, finding that it leads to a collision course with her grumpy neighbor and the story of his long lost love and the other books they shared.

Moving, heartfelt and perfect for booklovers of all kinds, this story is sure to make you feel all the feels. It was also good on audio and perfect for fans of authors like Freya Sampson and Sara Nisha Adams. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio and digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

CW: parental abandonment, unwed pregnancy

This was a cute and intriguing book!

We start in the present day with a book loving protagonist, Chloe, who is truly hitting rock bottom. As the sole guardian of her younger siblings, a college drop out and local librarian, Chloe is struggling to make ends meet and ends up needing the help of her grumpy old neighbor Jasper.

When Chloe finds a banned book in the library of the basement, she hopes to make a little money in a resell, but when she finds notes hidden inside she knows she has to unravel the love story.

In a tumultuous adventure with her neighbor, a very attractive teacher at her brothers school and a penchant for investigation Chloe gets to the bottom of a love story that spans decades and might just kick start her own.

The writing was lovely and had great pace. Gilmore expertly navigates the dual timelines and slowly reveals titillating pieces of information to keep us on edge the whole time.

This is a perfect summer romance read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for an eARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Another good book from Lucy Gilmore, I definitely thinks she's in her breakout era! I loved all the characters and all the literary references. The story was creative and original, the details were on point. Her writing has layers it's not just surface level chick lit, and the twists weren't predictable. Solid book

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the arc!

This was such a cozy, romantic lead! I absolutely loved the quotes from some of the great love stories and I adored the idea of them using books to communicate their budding romance to each other. This was a pleasant read. I read The Lonely Hearts Book Club and fell in love with Lucy's style. 4 stars!

"The Library of Borrowed Hearts" by Lucy Gilmore is a heartwarming romance filled with charm, wit, and furry friends. A delightful escape into love!