This book was so good but so heartbreaking. A wonderfully told story about loss of the future you were expecting told in two different times.

The Memory Library is an emotional journey back home—exploring themes of forgiveness, self-discovery, and the power of reconnection. An estranged Mother/Daughter is brought back together by obligation and circumstance, offering them a chance to rebuild their relationship as two adults.

Through tears and laughter, I felt a deep and personal connection to the characters and to this story. I understand firsthand the struggle of aging parents and the regret of time missed. I believe many readers will find themselves profoundly invested and connected as well, understanding the sadness and joy throughout. And BOOKS! So many books. All my fellow book lovers will be filled with joy as they read The Memory Library. The shared bond over books and reading runs deep; this story is no different.

Additionally, the narrators Jilly Bond and Imogen Wilde were fantastic! They brought the story to life even more. I found myself smiling, crying, and laughing alongside their narration. Highly recommend the book as well as the audio version!

I went into this book blind, just attracted to title and cover art, and was so surprised. What a lovely book!

This was a beautiful story about a mother and daughter, forgiveness, and found family… with the bonus of books! While the main character starts of a little unlikable, she has a great growth arc. I found the other characters exceptionally lovable. On top of all that, it has one of the most beautiful ideas about sharing books with loved ones that I have ever heard. I am telling everyone I know about it.
This book does deal with dementia, but as someone who last a parent to it, I found it was handled well.

A sweet, heartwarming story about family. Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an audio copy of this book.

I have never read anything by this author so I didn't know her writing style. Furthermore, I didn't know what the book was about but I liked the cover and the title...and I was right. It's a lovely story with a lot of sub plots. The narrators do a great job as well. I will definitely recommend it to my friends.

Thanks NetGalley, Kate Storey, and Avon for this ARC. I really enjoyed it.

Wonderfully written and crafted story, reminding us all of what's most important- time with one another. The book starts with an urgency and slows to showcase the challenges in a mother-daughter relationship, what's on the surface, what's understood and misunderstood and what we can take away from our time here. Moving and memorable! Great read!

What a wonderful book for all book lovers, although it will pull at your heart strings. I loved the beautiful legacy of choosing a book for your loved one for each birthday and writing a note inside each one. It’s something I always wanted to do, but never accomplished. My heart went out to the mother battling the beginning of dementia and I grew exasperated with the daughter at times.
Thank you, @NetGalley for granting my request for an ARC. This is definitely a book I will recommend!

The Memory Library by Kate Storey was beautifully done. From the narration to the writing, this was a wonderful book to listen to. It made me feel, think, laugh and cry. I am looking forward to more from Kate Storey. Thank you NetGalley, HarperAudio and Avon for being able to experience this ARC.

This was a beautiful, hopeful story about second chances. Sally and Ella’s mother-daughter relationship is layered and complicated and at first I was not liking Ella’s stubborn character at all, but she definitely grows as the story progresses. This is a slow but redemptive read for fans of women’s fiction. Thank you to NetGalley and HarperAudio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

The Memory Library by Kate Storey is a beautifully written, heartwarming novel about the complexities of family, the healing power of community, and the enduring magic of books. Sally and Ella’s story is one that will tug at your heartstrings and linger in your thoughts long after you’ve turned the final page.

Sally Harrison, estranged from her only daughter Ella for over two decades, has quietly dedicated herself to creating a library of love—a collection of books inscribed with messages for the daughter she hopes will one day return. When Sally suffers a fall, Ella reluctantly journeys from Australia back to England, where she’s forced to confront not only the mother she left behind but also the reasons she fled.

What makes this book shine is its realistic portrayal of strained relationships and the gradual, bittersweet process of reconciliation. Ella’s initial resentment and materialistic outlook evolve as she learns more about Sally’s quiet sacrifices and unwavering kindness to those around her. The vibrant Greenwich community becomes a warm backdrop, reminding us of the importance of connection and the “village” we all need to thrive.

The novel’s love letter to books is simply enchanting. The idea of a library as a repository of emotions, memories, and unspoken words is deeply touching. Ella’s journey of rediscovery—both of her mother and herself—is filled with creative and heart-swelling moments that made me pause and reflect on my own relationships.

The ending was as lovely as it was hopeful, a testament to second chances and new beginnings. I can’t stop thinking about this story, and I know it will stay with me for a long time. For anyone looking for a book about love, forgiveness, and the connections we forge with others—and with the written word—The Memory Library is an unforgettable choice.

Five stars from me!

The Memory Library is a beautiful novel that addresses the complex issues of parents protecting a child, loss, grief, growing up, forgiveness, and aging parents. When Ella was young her mother Sally gave her a brand book with an inscription inside with a message that pertained to what she was going through or something she would like to have her learn. Each year Ella looked forward to this until her and her mother had a falling out and she moved from England to Australia. 21 years ago by before Ella returns home. Sally has slipped and fallen breaking her wrists and needs assistance while she heals. Reluctantly Ella returns home to help and in the process of assisting her mom, she learns things about herself, heals herself and her mother's relationship and gains back her mom, her family and a new found family. This story was beautifully told and made me feel so many complex feelings about family relationships, grief, change and Alzheimer's. The narrator told the story in a sweeping way that helped add to the overall story. I am recommending to everyone. This also inspired me to reread some classics, first up Little Women. I look forward to creating a library for my daughter as well.

Thank you Harper Audio Adult for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This book had such promise for me, and I really liked the underlying story. A story about second chances and redemption of estranged mother and daughters, centered around books and community connection? Sign me up! However, the main character Ella fell a bit flat. I don't know what it was, but I just couldn't connect with her and thus couldn't enjoy the story as much. But Sally and her found family that she built in the community really saved it. I loved learning more about their stories. I listened to the audiobook, and I loved the narrators.

The blurb:

For forty-two years, Sally Harrison has been building a library.

Each year, on her daughter’s birthday, she adds a new book to her shelves – with a note in the front dedicated to her own greatest work.

But Ella – Sally’s only child – fled to Australia twenty-two years ago after a heated exchange, and never looked back. And though Sally still dutifully adds a new paperback to the shelves every time the clock strikes midnight on July 11th, her hopes of her daughter ever thumbing through the pages are starting to dwindle.

Then disaster strikes and Ella is forced to return to the home she once knew.

She is soon to discover that when one chapter ends, another will soon follow…

All you have to do is turn the page…

I adored this book! As a lifelong reader, it brought up so many pleasant memories of just what the reader gets from a good book and how that travels with the reader and grows fonder with time. This book is really a gift to anyone who loves a good book. The best part for me is that it referenced the last book I read, literally a couple of days ago "We All Want Impossible Things" by Catherine Newman, once again proving to me that we don't choose the book, the book chooses us! Great read!

This is an emotional novel with good character building and a medium-paced character-driven plot. The various traits of characters makes them feel fleshed out.

The audiobook has a narrator with a nice voice and cadence. The narrator read at a good pace.

This was such a sweet and moving story. I think hearing it through the audio book made it a little more meaningful. The mom and daughter relationship here really struggled and they each had their own stuff to work on. Loved the difference the time back home made the daughter see things so differently.

Loved the memory library

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity

This book has a slow start. I felt animosity towards the main character, so it started to feel like a slog until it hit its stride. Once the plot began to unfurl and more characters were introduced and developed, I couldn’t read fast enough! Having a strained relationship with a parent is relatable to many, and its relevance to my life caused me to become quickly invested. It is an eye-opening family drama with a beautiful tapestry of books woven throughout. For any book lover, this is a must-read. The experience will make your heart more generous . Thank you to Avon Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

A must read for booklovers wanting an uplifting book of second chances. I loved that it shows the value of books for healing, Read it and then have your book club read it so that you can read it again!

I really love this book and the idea of a memory library. This book I me in tears a couple of times. The book is well written and definitely written from the heart. The narrator did an amazing job and made you really felt like you were on this nostalgic ride home yourself. Every mother’s dream is to instill a love of reading into their children, and that is one of my hopes for my boys, and if I could afford to be able to build them in memory library, I most definitely would. I would highly recommend this book to all readers, those who both building bridges between family members, the nostalgia of coming home, & those who know that life is what you choose.

***NetGalley Review*** This book combines so many of my favorite things. To start, books and the power of literature. Friendship and found family. Mending complicated relationships with an emphasis on mother/daughter dynamics. And an ending that feels like a giant hug. Without giving away major aspects of the plot I loved how Ella was able to stop herself from becoming a version of her father she did not know existed before it did irreversible damage to her family and relationships. I also have to note what a wonderful character Sally was. I have so much empathy for her struggles with her health, which made the ending that much more satisfying. Would definitely recommend!