A story told through alternate timelines when a young historian discovers hidden secrets in dollhouses. An entertaining historical fiction.

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow the advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
#NetGalley #LibraryOfDollhouses

I enjoyed this for the most part. I found the idea of a dollhouse builder hiding mysteries within the walls, rooms, and tiny decor of her houses unique and fascinating. The author wove the timelines together nicely and the history was interesting. I love tiny things and enjoyed the details of how the artist made all the intricate pieces of her houses. The mystery of the storyline drew me in and I was delighted with the ending. Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book! I loved the cozy mystery vibe of this book! Unfortunately, however, I did not finish the entire book. The author has a spectacular talent for beautiful descriptions, however I found them to be a bit overused. This being said, longer descriptions are something that I particularly struggle to read, so just because it wasn't for me doesn't mean it wouldn't be great for someone else!

Thank you, #Partner @williammorrowbooks, @harpercollins, and @netgalley for my #gifted (free) copy. Pub date 4/1/25.

WOW, sometimes a book comes along and just steals your heart away! Well, this is one of those books. I love #miniatures, and the way #elisehooper describes the dollhouses down to every last detail was done with perfection. I could not wait to find out the big reveal behind the mystery throughout the book, and the wait was worth it. I fell in love with all the characters, and I truly did not want this book to end. Pre-order and add this one to your TBR. You will not be disappointed!

Current time: Tildy Barrows is the head curator of a beautiful historic library in San Francisco. She finds a hidden room, and she discovers two extraordinary dollhouses. Little does she know she is about to discover hidden secrets throughout the dollhouses and will delve into a mystery that she never could have imagined.

1910: Cora Hale arrives in France after a scandal leaves her packing her bags and leaving NYC. She needs a place to stay so she can pursue her passion for art. She meets Belva Lafarge, and the two instantly hit it off, and Belva gives her a place to stay. Cora's story spans through decades, and she makes a name for herself designing dollhouses and meeting incredible people along the way, but will her past catch up to her?

Tildy, the head curator of a house museum in San Francisco reminiscent of the Isabelle Steward Gardner Museum, discovers a secret room in the museum and inside are two exquisite doll houses. Clearly made by an artist, Tildy quickly wants to know more and then she sees her mother’s name in the dollhouse. All sorts of questions arise and careful research ensues. Parallel is the story of the doll house artist. Fascinating mystery, historical fiction, friendship, relationship, family, and so much more - story. Sure to be a good book club title!

I was immediately intrigued after reading the description of this book and couldn’t wait to get my hands on a copy. The Library of Lost Dollhouses is an enchanting tale of hidden histories and self-discovery. Elise Hooper takes readers on a journey through time as librarian Tildy Barrows unearths exquisite dollhouses that hold long-buried secrets. Spanning Belle Époque Paris, postwar England, and 1950s Hollywood, the story is rich with historical detail. I found the story to be very heartfelt and I look forward to discovering more from the author!

Historical Fiction Lovers this one is for you!

The story really starts to unfold when Tilda who works at a historical library museum in San Francisco, stumbles upon a secret room which happens to have two of the most detailed dollhouses she's ever seen.

Then enters Cora Hale- a miniaturist who designed the dollhouses. The story goes back and forth between the two in third person.
While I found the plot to be a little unbelievable, I still enjoyed the hopeful nature of the writing.

Thank you to Net Gallery and the Publisher for the copy.

Thanks to William Morrow for an advanced copy of The Library of Lost Dollhouses by Elise Hooper. I absolutely loved Fast Girls and the Angels of the Pacific so was eagerly anticipating her newest book and I loved The Library of Lost Dollhouses. 

I loved that this book was more on the fictional side. All of the characters are fictional but loosely inspired by some incredible women. The author's note was great and I loved seeing who she was inspired by. I also love that she was inspired by a dollhouse that has been in her family for 5 generations and once she started doing research on miniatures she knew her next book needed to be about dollhouses and how during 2020 she started restoring and remodeling her dollhouse. 

A librarian finds two historic dollhouses in a hidden room and she embarks to find out more about these beautifully crafted miniatures. Tilly knows that Belva Curtis LeFarge the heiress (who established the library where Tilly works) hid these dollhouses for a reason but why? As Tilly finds out who crafted these masterpieces it leads her to find more dollhouses and the hidden history in them as well as a family secret of her own. 

I was immediately drawn into this story and loved reading about Belva, Cora from the early 1900s to the 1960s and Tilly in the present. There was a little bit of a mystery and complex storytelling but it all comes together beautifully. I really loved this book. 

I love a great historical fiction that is based on history but where the characters are fictional and you can really get into the story without wondering, did this really happen to that person... 

The Library of Lost Dollhouses comes out on April 1st!

The Library of Lost Dollhouses is told in two timelines, Tildys story in 2024 and Coras, in the early 1900's. Tildy is a very organized archival librarian at the Bel in San Francisco who is devastated when she finds out her beloved library is in financial trouble. She accidently finds two incredible dollhouses in a secret room and begins to investigate their origins, hoping to put on an exhibit that will bring in the funds to save the library. The author tells us the story of the dollhouses by alternating timelines with Coras story, an artist who left San Francisco in 1910 as a 17 year old in disgrace for the Paris art community.

I found this story very interesting, although I enjoyed Coras storyline a bit more than Tildy. Learning about the world of miniatures was fascinating and the authors tale of Cora and the people she comes across held my attention throughout. This story line incorporates women's roles in world war one, and a number of brave, spirited ladies the author has based on real characters, while in the current story line Tildy was not as strong of a character, in my opinion.

It is a story of exploring your past, growth, and strong women and was well worth my time.
Thank you to net galley and William Morrow Books for the digital galley in return for an honest review.

I picked up THE LOST LIBRARY OF DOLLHOUSES because I really enjoyed Elise Hooper’s ANGELS OF THE PACIFIC. This story follows Tildy, a librarian in San Francisco, who discovers two hidden dollhouses that lead her on a journey to uncover their fascinating history. The book spans a century, weaving in stories of overlooked women, creativity, and unexpected connections.

Halfway through reading, I visited Amsterdam and was thrilled to see some of the dollhouses mentioned in the book at the Rijksmuseum. It brought the story to life in such a special way! This is a warm and engaging read, perfect for fans of history and mysteries with heart. Releases April 1.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

3.75

This is a dual timeline book about libraries AND dollhouses?!?! A young museum curator is in desperate need of a new exhibit for a much needed influx of cash. She stumbles upon a secret room that has dollhouses? Not exactly the briefcase full of cash she was hoping for.

The story unfolds into a layered tale about the mysterious creator of the dollhouses, the women who inspired them, and the toxic weight of buried secrets. It’s part historical mystery, part emotional exploration - buckle up!

I love a dual POV and timelines. This one just felt like something was missing. There were overly descriptive portions - the hoarders kitchen could have been thrown right out in the trash. Ew.

The characters were believable and likable, nothing felt overly forced. There were parts, in the beginning, that felt muddied to me. I struggled to keep track of who was who and I didn’t care for the quirky names of the characters, I’m looking at you Tildy.

The big reveal at the end felt too Hallmark-esque. In fact, that was my biggest complaint - it followed a formula that was predictable but didn’t have to be. Sigh. This was a solidly, albeit predictable read.

Final Grade: B, where’s my dollhouse?

*Thank you to NetGalley and WIlliam Morrow for an advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for my always honest reviews*

Tildy Barrow, head curator at a beautiful, private library founded by a wealthy San Francisco heiress, discovers an unknown room holding two exquisite dollhouses based on actual European homes. Soon, her research into their origin and why they were in the building at all, unfold into the stories of the library's founder (Belva Lafarge), the dollhouses' creator, (Cora) and of Tildy's own mother and how they interrelate. A bit research detective story and a bit historical fiction, it's an interesting read.

Tildy loves the exquisite library she works at and then she discovers a secret room containing two dollhouses. This book then begins to unravel Tildy's mystery of her own life and of the woman who built the dollhouses in a dual timeline. Highlighting women who are often the first erased in history and telling a complex story, this book was a very enjoyable read. Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for a chance to read an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

I couldn't resist a novel that promised two of my favorite things: libraries and dollhouses. For the most part, promises were met. Using a dual timeline, the book followed modern day curator, Tildy Barrows and turn-of-the century artist and dollhouse creator, Cora Hale. A mysterious connection was established at the outset and held the story together until all secrets were revealed in a satisfying denouement . The writing was warm and accessible, the historical detail interesting, and the cares and concerns of the characters easy to relate to. I loved all the details about dollhouses, real and imagined, and will be thinking about them for some time to come. The overarching idea of dollhouses as portraiture was compelling. Recommended reading for anyone who enjoys historical fiction, talented women forging a place for themselves, and a bit of romance.

Thank you NetGalley, the publishers and author for an opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This new novel by the author of four previous books, most recently “Angels of the Pacific,” explores the power of family secrets—and, more generally, the often hidden lives of women—through the contrasting stories of Tildy Barrows, living in San Francisco in 2024, and Cora Hale, a painter and miniaturist whose career spans the 1910s to the early 1970s.

When we meet her, Tildy is the head curator of the Belva Curtis LeFarge Library, a private institution founded by a wealthy woman with an eclectic taste in books, architecture, and art. After losing both parents within five years, Tildy—still under thirty—takes refuge in her work, especially in strict schedules and the avoidance of surprises. Although she revels in the library’s rich decorations, her own life is colorless, symbolized by an apartment decorated solely in white. One day, a chance encounter with a group of schoolchildren leads to Tildy discovering a hidden room at the library that contains two exquisite dollhouses. One she recognizes as a miniature of Belva LeFarge’s Paris house; the other she can’t place, although it looks like a British aristocratic manor. But it’s when she discovers a tiny portrait of her mother in the LeFarge house that Tildy feels compelled to find out where the dollhouses came from and how they ended up in the secret room.

Meanwhile, Cora’s narrative, which begins in 1910 with her arrival in Paris as a troubled seventeen-year-old (although we get a glimpse of her, unnamed, and her mission in the prologue), gradually reveals both the origins of the dollhouses and the link between them and Tildy’s family.

As Elise Hooper notes toward the end of the novel, “Libraries are viewed as such solemn places—but why? Reading is magic.” And indeed, nothing can sweep you into another world better than a well-written novel. This wonderful story will do just that.

I plan to interview this author on my blog (link below) in April 2025.

In The Library of Lost Dollhouses, author Elise Hooper combines the story of present-day librarian Tildy with Cora Hale, an artist in the past. Tildy works at the Bel, a library endowed by a generous Progressive Era philanthropist Belva Le Farge. But the library is old and hemorging money. Desperate to save her beloved Bel, Tildy finds two antique doll houses in a forgotten storage closet. She discovers they were built by Cora Hale, and Cora Hale is linked to her mother, who died when Tildy was a child.

Cory Hale is young and bold when she meets Belva in Paris in 1910. Cora fled the states due to a scandal and hopes to find a career as an artist. Belva champions her endeavors and Cora builds a dollhouse replica of Belva's home. When World War I erupts, Cora must return to America. Cora's scandal and her connection to Tildy are revealed. The Library of Lost Dollhouses speaks of art and work a self-image and tells the story of two strong women relating their personal stories in unique ways.

Thank you to Net Galley and William Morrow for the chance to read and review this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
This book had so many things I like to read about-libraries, mysteries, history and dollhouses. Tildy Barrows is the Head Curator at a library in San Francisco. The library is facing some financial difficulties, and she is trying to figure out a way to save it. One day she discovers a secret room that contains two old dollhouses. Who is the artist and why are they at the library? Tildy soon begins to solve this mystery and find out more about these dollhouses. What a fun adventure it is! I really enjoyed this book. It was interesting to learn about the dollhouses and how they were created. I liked the way the author connected the dollhouses to women's lives. I know you will like this book too!

This was my first book by Elise Hooper, so a big thank you to the author and publisher for providing me with an advance digital copy to review.

Tildy Barrows, the main character, is a curator of an archival library in San Francisco built by heiress Belva Curtis LeFarge. One early morning Tildy stumbles upon a hidden room and discovers two ornate dollhouses that no one at the library had ever seen. Tildy becomes fascinated with them and determined to find out why they are there and who created them.

Tildy's adventures bring us back to times of the Great War, life in Paris during the Belle Epoque (one of my favorite periods) and even an encounter with Walt Disney. The story is told over the course of a century and has many colorful and wonderful characters. I truly enjoyed the unique perspective of the miniatures and learning more about how they were created. A bonus were the hidden surprises Tildy uncovered along the way.

This is a mystery, an adventure, and a story of self-discovery. Something for everyone. I definitely would recommend this book for a wonderful immersive read.

Tildy, employee at the Belva Curtis LaFarge Library in San Francisco, worries for her future. Her workplace is financially strapped and in need of major restoration. When she accidentally comes upon a secret room housing two dollhouses, she wonders why these exquisitely detailed and expertly constructed art pieces have been squirreled away. When she finds in one of them a miniature portrait of her deceased mother, she is driven to discover answers. She reaches out and researches Cora Hale, the designer, and finds that each of the houses she built hides the secrets of the women for whom they were designed. Cora too has secrets of her own. The answers revealed in her papers could destroy more than one reputation, an institution, and a budding relationship. Elise Hooper has given her readers a gift: a world of art, dollhouses and mystery. What more could one ask?

San Francisco - Present Day

Tildy Barrows is the head curator of a library established by heiress Belva Curtis LeFarge a hundred years ago in San Francisco. Proud of the amazing books and items archived in the "Bel", Tildy has devoted her young life to preserving, and improving the library. Her quiet life is, however, turned upside down when she is informed that the building is not only in need of major repairs, but that there is little left in the budget to do the work, or keep the library open. Dismayed, but determined to find a way to work through these issues, she stumbles upon a secret door in the attic, and entering the hidden room, Tildy discovers two amazingly detailed, handcrafted doll houses.

While researching her discoveries, Tildy finds curious "messages" throughout each dollhouse. The one that is the replica of one of Belva's mansions reveals several clues as to who designed and built each masterpiece, and Tildy is determined to find out more about this obviously talented, and relatively unknown creator. She also is stunned to find a connection to her own life in one of the intricate houses. Her search will take her across the country, and she will learn a detailed history of both Belva and the woman who created the miniature houses. What did they mean to each other? And why were the houses hidden? Are there more of them?

THE LIBRARY OF LOST DOLLHOUSES story will take readers back to the beginning of their conception, and how each house hid secrets about the women who contracted the designer who built them. It's an intriguing tale of women who were otherwise invisible to history.