Wow! What a love letter to reading! This book wasn’t at all what I expected and I loved every minute reading it. It was a wonderful story of family and love in its many forms. If you love books, you need to read this. Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca | for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Absolutely loved this different story line and all of the interweaving pieces. A very fun read that is quite different than anything else I have read lately.

This was a cute one. I don't want to give spoilers away but I think some of the actions of the main characters were quite frustrating and a little unbelievable that people would have felt the way they did about said actions at the end of the book. Overall a good read though.

This story takes us between the present day, primarily focused on Chloe, who is caring for her three siblings after their mom abandoned them, and their next door grump of a neighbor, Jasper, and the past where a love story unfolds between J and C with notes written in the margins of library books. Chloe is struggling, but loves her job at the local library, which is where she finds a book that contains the love notes. She is entranced by the romance between these two unknown individuals, and is determine to uncover all of the details of their love story. The reader gets the full benefit of seeing both of the timelines and having an understanding of how they connect while Chloe, and those helping her unravel this mystery, do not.

Chloe and her siblings have endured a lot of hardship, and the book is heartwarming in that an unexpected and surprising relationship developed between her family and their neighbor, who has always been just an annoying curmudgeon living next door.

The book allows us to understand why Jasper is so guarded, but the family next door with all four of the quirky kids, worms their way into his heart. Hooray for found family!

While there are romance elements to this book, I definitely wouldn't call it a romance. I found it to be more of a general fiction book and I appreciated the depth and more serious subjects it tackled.

Overall I quite enjoyed the story and the characters.

I love books about books. This was such a cute and fun read, and I really loved the audiobook for it, with a whole cast it made the experience such a good one. I alternated between the digital copy and the audio but I really recommend the audio!

I loved seeing Jaspers and Catherine's perspective from the past and I think it was my favorite part. Seeing how Jasper opened up to Chloe's family was so wholesome, I absolutely loved their relationship and how it grew throughout the book, I recommend this book for people who love a good comfort read, with an amazing found family.

Biggest thank to netgalley and the publisher for sending this my way.

Chloe Sampson works in a library and is slowly drowning in life. She takes care of three siblings since her mother just left one day. She didn't finish her degree so she's barely making enough to support them all. As she's cleaning out the basement full of old books. She finds a rare copy that she thinks she may be able to sell it for some money to fix the roof. When she finds writing in the margins that alludes to a love story from the 1960's.

This book was so wonderful and so full of heart. I loved all the characters especially her grumpy old neighbor and her trouble making siblings. I loved it so much that once I started I could not put it down and finished it in one day.

After reading the synopsis, I knew it would be a good story but I had no idea how much I would fall in love with these characters. It was such a fun storyline but filled with incredible emotional depth that had me tearing up at the end. Highly recommend this book especially for anyone who uses books to immerse themselves in others lives.

If you love, books about books with classic references, then this is for you! A modern story for the classic lover.

When Chloe discovers an old book has words in the margins between two lovers, therein begins a literary scavenger hunt that will bring the unlikeliest of characters together.

Although, there are two love stories within these pages, one old and tragic and one new and fresh, there is so much more. Mystery, loss, and found family are just to name a few.

I enjoyed this book from the start with the dual timelines and multiple POVs. I will admit there were times when I vehemently disagreed with choices that were made (Catherine, I’m talking to you) but overall it added to the tragic feeling old classics sometimes depict.

I would definitely pick this book up again and would like to thank @netgalley for the ARC. I will also be purchasing this book to put on my shelf because how cute is the cover?!

On another note, If you are unfamiliar Tropic of Cancer and it’s origins I would recommend doing a little research about it before reading this book.

The library of borrowed hearts is a funny, emotional and sometimes quirky story that shows the power of books to unite lonely souls.
Librarian Chloe is struggling to provide & care for her three siblings when she discovers a decades old book with romantic notes between two people in the margins. Jasper, Chloe’s grumpy neighbour, offers to buy the book from her (for a ridiculous amount) leading to the discovery that he is one of the two note writers, and so begins a literary hunt to find more novels with notes inside to unlock the tragedy of the young lovers.

Full of references to, and quotes from classic literature that tie into the plot, this book is enjoyable and filled with loveable quirky characters. The mystery surrounding jasper and Catherine’s love story kept me engaged in the story but the ending felt rushed and incomplete, which let the book down as a whole.

This story will leave you wondering what exactly defines a happily ever after.

This story was very enjoyable! The characters and story were fun to follow along. The story kept my attention throughout and I was looking forward to see how it would end.

This beautifully woven story follows modern day Chloe Sampson and her siblings while she unravels secrets from a 1960’s love story. Chloe finds out about more than just a quick fling but a life long devotion between margin writers C and J. The Library of Borrowed Hearts Is a beautiful example of how a multiple point-of-view story should work.

I adored this book. The banter between characters, strong feminist women, aching heart break, and family ties - both biological and found, gave me a reason to turn page after page. It was thrilling. The twist shocked and delighted me. It is one of the sort of books that I wish I could read for the first time all over again.

Truly, my only complaint is the way the margin notes between C and J are organized in the text. It made it difficult to follow along. I’m not sure how to fix the format issue, I just know it annoyed me.

I look forward to reading everything Lucy Gilmore writes.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

After her mother abandoned her three younger siblings, Chloe left college behind and moved back home to take care of them. Now, she’s working at a library trying to make ends meet, dealing with the chaos of raising three kids, and dreading the occasional interaction with her curmudgeonly old neighbor, Jasper. When she comes across a book the library is throwing away that might be worth some money, she squirrels it away to sell. But she discovers that the book has a surprising connection to her neighbor, one that paints him in an entirely new light.

This book tells two narratives in two timelines told by different narrators in each part, coming together to create a story that is beautiful and funny and heartbreaking and heartwarming. I loved that the characters were so vividly drawn and three-dimensional, and I loved that it didn’t end with the perfect fairy tale ending. That kind of ending would have been too neat and saccharine for this book. The ending we did get was perfect for these characters and the story they inhabit.

Representation: Native American characters

CW: Child neglect and abandonment

From the author The Lonely Hearts Book Club, which I completely adored, comes another sweet and bookish read. Chloe has enough on her plate. She's a local librarian who is struggling to support and raise her three younger siblings after their mother abandoned them. She comes across an unusual find while cleaning out the library's basement, a first edition of an unusual book. Unfortunately, her plans to sell it are dashes as she finds notes in the margins from two young lovers. But, in a surprise twist, her cranky neighbor, Jasper, spots the book during an argument and offers to buy it for a hefty sum. Chloe realizes that Jasper must have been one of the lovers, and decides to go on a literary scavenger hunt to find any other books with more notes to learn the end of his love story.

Filled with literary references and moments, this book is any readers dream, plus it's filled with lots of heart. It's hard not to love Chloe and her tight-knit family, including all three of her siblings, and everyone in their lives. A delightful bookish read!

Gilmore writes another story about misfits finding each other and forming their own families, united once again by a love of public libraries. The story recounts a past romance in 1960 and the repercussions of that young love that echoes in the present day. Gilmore excels at character development, and this light-hearted read with emotional depth is well-worth your time.

This story used the library and books as a backdrop for a multigenerational, multi-perspective story that unfolds as a love story of books, of family, of found family, of privacy and strength but also knowing how to accept help. This story came together like a puzzle -- seeing all the story lines and where they ended up but getting all the pieces to put together to fill out the story. It was intriguing and sweet, but just a great read all around.

#netgalley
#thelibraryofborrowedhearts

I stumbled upon this lovely book and was immediately drawn in by the cover and blurb. Many thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for providing the copy. Chloe is a librarian who barely makes ends meet because she also has to take care of her younger brothers and sister. One day she comes across a very old copy of a book in which two people had left messages for each other. She takes on the difficult task of unraveling the lovers' story, while her relationship with her angry neighbor undergoes a change. Will Chloe uncover the whole story and what will she learn about herself along the way?

I really liked the story. We read about Chloe and her loved ones in the present tense, with the point of view sometimes changing and getting to know more of the characters. Ah, the narrative also jumps back in time, where we manage to follow in real time the two lovers and their exchange of words between the pages of books. Iliked the love story itself, but I didn't like how it ended. To me, Catherine's decision was not a good one and Jasper did not deserve such a thing. However, I understand the author's motivation for such a development in the plot.

I liked Chloe and felt sorry for having to deal with absolutely everything by herself. She definitely has a problem with accepting help, but we get to see a wonderful gradation of her character. I liked Jasper and Zach the most though. I liked the contrast between the two, and the grumpy old man whose heart isn't actually made of stone really amused me at times. Chloe's siblings were also a great addition to the story. The book is interesting and definitely managed to make me smile.

My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca. I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: General Fiction, Women's Fiction
Spice Level: Med (sex on page but not detailed)
Language: A few f-bombs

I wasn't sure going into THE LIBRARY OF BORROWED HEARTS if this was actually a romance. There is a strong romantic theme, but I'm going to call it as being on the wide of women's fiction.

There was so much I enjoyed about this book:

- Literary references
- The unfolding of the past
- The characters

There was one thing I didn't enjoy:

The reference to The Tropic of Capricorn along with the quote threw me off because it was graphic. To me, this set up the book to be very salacious (and it's not). I was on edge wondering if this book was going to turn pornographic. This shows how important it is to think through the applications of adding something in the beginning. Without it, this would have been a five star read.

Happy reading!

What a lovely yet bittersweet book this was.

Going into it, I didn’t know this was going to be both multi-POV and dual timeline, but I LOVED that it took this route. This was such a rich and interesting story, and being able to get the background from the earlier timeline and all the smaller details that’d be missed in the present day sections made such a huge difference. I felt so invested in these characters, and even though we already *kind of* know what happens, the journey to get there was still full of surprises and twists. A star-crossed love story, found family, and a fun cast of characters - what more could you ask for?

The Library of Borrowed Hearts is a book that, at time of writing, has a 4.2 average rating on Storygraph and a 4.1 on Goodreads. I always like to stress that my reviews are subjective reflections of my own opinions, quirks, and preferences, but I feel that is especially the case here, as I am, apparently, in the minority on this one.
You guys. I was just so, so bored.
It took me nearly three weeks to slog through the chapters, and, considering this is a lightly-plotted contemporary romance (with dashes of magic and whimsy sprinkled throughout), that’s surprising. Hell, I finished Kushiel’s Dart in a little over two weeks, and that’s a thousand-page behemoth. No, something about The Library of Borrowed Hearts was just not quite doing it for me.
Honestly, I just think this is a case where I’m the wrong audience. I’m a lover of classic literature, but the abundance of references to other books and authors (Hemingway, Bronte, etc.) felt less like an interesting interrogation of books and literature than an introductory English lecture during syllabus week. As for the characters - while I love a good curmudgeon with a heart of gold, neither of our female main characters did anything for me. I felt absolutely no connection to either Chloe or Catherine, and the fact that their names were so similar didn’t help things. (Again, I’ll totally cop to this being a me problem. If I was more invested in the plot or the characters, I doubt this would’ve been an issue.)
Whenever you, as an author, choose to write a book in which other books feature prominently, you always have to be a little careful. Sometimes, I’m reminded of just why these other books appealed to me so much in the first place, and instead of feeling drawn into the world of the story I’m currently reading, I can’t help but wish I was reading Wuthering Heights instead.
In the end, I think I wanted something different from this book than what I got. I wanted more depth and mystery, and while those did come, there was too little, too late, at least for my tastes. I’d still recommend checking it out if you’re a fan of the author’s previous work, or if something in the blurb appeals to you. This just wasn’t my particular cup of tea.


(Review will be published 04/22)

This book was a lot of fun to read. Although the characters face a lot of different hardships and obstacles, this story still felt so wholesome. It reminded me a bit of Fredrik Backman's writing in the sense that you get to see through the eyes of different characters' points of view (and there's a curmudgeon of an old man!). Definitely worth picking up. Thank you Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.