I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was an intriguing book. I really enjoyed it and felt invested from the first page!

This was my first experience of a book written by Christine Nolfi. I wasn't sure at first if this was going to be a book I liked, but it had the words 'secret' and 'library' in the title, so I gave it ago!

This book is full of suspense, mystery, hope, love, friendship, and much more. I even cried at one point! I raced through the last half of the book as it definitely had me hooked!

My favourite quote was:

"The purpose in life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honourable, to be compassionate, and have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well."

For me, it was a slow burner but definitely worth persevering. It is a lovely story of how a friendship blooms between antiques dealer, Clare, and a reclusive heiress Hanna Reeves when Clare comes to stay and catalogue all the treasures within Hanna's home. Little did Clare know, what else she would be unearthing!

I feel there is more to come from these characters, which I will be looking out for! Thank you, @NetGalley_UK and Lake Union, Publishing for this advanced copy!
#TheSecretLibraryofHannaReeves

A wonderful tale about connecting and discovery. Clare Shelton is hired to help Hannah Reeves catalog her possessions. However, this simple task becomes complicated as Clare discovers there is much more to the Reeves' lives and history.

I love books about books and libraries! The story is told in multiple timelines, allowing readers to feel fully immersed in Hannah's life and journey. This is part historical fiction and part cozy mystery!

Advanced reader copy provided by Lake Union Publishing. All opinions are my own.

The Secret Library of Hanna Reeves is a coming-of-age story in the late 20th century before the personal Internet explosion. Claire is a young, very unsophisticated employee to a high-end antique store in Maine. The owners are entrusted to catalog and sell the contents of the mansion belonging to the titular Hanna Reeves, one of Maine's most infamous, and reclusive, heiresses. The antique dealers are summoned to Hanna's mansion to agree to her terms for the sale, and Claire almost sabotages the deal with her gauche behavior and remarks. Nevertheless, Hanna hires the firm with the caveat that Claire move into an attached guest house and start work immediately on cataloging the estate. Phew! This is all introduced in the first few chapters and the tension ratchets up to a satisfying conclusion.
As Claire catalogs the treasures she finds the legendary secret library of Hanna's that was built for her by her father. Claire is astonished that every book in the library is a carefully curated first edition, books being the currency of Claire's impoverished childhood. Hanna's discovery of Claire in he library sets off a prickly relationship between the two women, and when Claire further discovers the carefully annotated journals that have been kept of all the employees and townspeople, she learns the difference of the family you make and keep, and the family you have by blood.
This is a very smart book with a compelling storyline, and even more compelling characters. The setting is the 1980's which plays well into Claire's lack of education and sophistication, and Hanna's ability to control her narrative and afford her lifestyle. Honestly, I enjoyed The Secret Library and read it twice.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. This is a wholly independent review.

*~ Hanna Reeves: The Original Ancestry Service ~*

This book is a cozy historical fiction that has a little mystery without making me crazy or creeped. It just had a lot of great qualities. When it started jumping back to Hanna's life, I think I actually squealed. I would have loved even more of that so we could know both Hanna and Claire more deeply, but it was still a really wonderful story

Thank you to Net Galley, Lake Union Publishing, and Christine Nolfi for an eARC of this story.

The Secret Library of Hanna Reeves
Author Christine Nolfi
Available now!

Thank you, @suzyapprovedbooktours @christinenolfi and #lakeunionpublishing, for my #giftedearc of Christine's latest novel. This is my fourth read by Christine, and I was thrilled to have the opportunity to read another!

I love stories with unlikely friendships and books and books- and this story has both! Clare is young and independent and works at an antique shop in Maine when she is told by Hanna Reeves, the mysterious heiress, that she will be cataloging her estate while living in her guest cottage on her property. What follows is Christine's hopeful signature story of family and belonging. Immersive and well- paced, The Secret Library of Hanna Reeves is a layered and emotional story of connections that weave together the past with the present.

As secretary in an antique shop, Claire goes with the owners for tea with the reclusive Hanna Reeves. She hires Claire to catalog her library getting it ready for selling. 80 year old Hanna is very protective of her privacy, her home and most of all her books. She and Claire form a friendship with possible family connections. When news gets out about the family journals the tiny Maine village wants to know what secrets they contain. Good Story of friends of different generations.

This was a nicely written tale of a generational friendship developed between Claire and Hanna, history and secrets uncovered. The tale is captivating as you slowly peel away that layers of the journals discovered by Claire at Rose Hill.

It looks like there is a sequel to this book, and I am looking forward to it.

#netgalley #TheSecretLibraryofHannahReeves

This book kept me reading over a long period of time. I was conflicted about the past and present aspect of it - I enjoyed the chapters set in the past more than those in the future. I secret library is discovered early on in the book and kept revealing secrets. Hanna became a more interesting charater as the book progressed - like layers being peeled from an onion. The scenes of her mother giving birth really struck me as the framework for how she later lived her life for herself and not a man. Well worth the read.

The Secret Library of Hanna Reeves is a well written late historical novel told in dual timeline format by Christine Nolfi. Released 24th June 2025 by Amazon on their LakeUnion imprint, it's 287 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free.

The author writes engagingly and the characters are well rendered and (mostly) believable. MC Claire, who has a complex traumatic back story, comes across as less mature (and whiny) than appealing/plucky. The broader story arc is interesting and slowly developed. Although set in the 1970s, it reads much more modern, except for small cultural references to bell bottomed jeans, hippies, and Elton John.

Three and a half stars. It's a low stress/low risk plotline and a moderately enjoyable and relaxing read.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

James
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June 17, 2025
Christine Nolfi is a new author to me, and when I saw the title on NetGalley, I had to check out the description. I adore books where someone in the present discovers a secret and through alternating chapters readers also learn what happened decades ago. This book is no exception, especially since it took place in Maine, a place I want to settle in years from now. Good character development, well-structured plot, and solid writing. I found myself eager to get to the truth, and even though the secrets weren't extraordinary, I felt a connection to the book. Will read more from the author.

This is such a lovely heartfelt story I read it cover to cover. Thank you for the ARC to the publishers, Net Galley and the author. My review is based on my own opinion. This author is a favorite of mine I found on Net Galley.
This is a beautifully told story set in Maine in the 1970s. A young woman with secrets goes to work for a local village antique store. As she becomes closer to those who own the store she is asked to inventory the contents of the store. She finds secrets to the past of friendship, devotion and mysterious clues that lead her to sleuthing the truth. Her own truths begin to surface leading her to heal and trust again.
Wonderful characters, a rich atmospheric coastal setting lead this happy reader to read through from one sitting. I loved this book and highly recommend it.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. What a book! I couldn't put it down. It's a historical mystery but the best characters.

Clare works at an antique store for Louis and Daniel. She loves her work. When she is hired to catalog all of the items in Rose Hill, she becomes part of a much bigger story than she could have ever imagined.

This story is about a lot of different things. Clare is young and realizing she will have to move on when her bosses retire. The opportunity to catalog all of Hanna’s antiques is interesting to her but quickly changes into a search for the mysterious library. I like the mysteries surrounding the library. The author does a good job showing how the household at Rose Hill functions and how protective the entire staff are about Hanna. Clare has to work to slowly win over everyone’s trust and so when she finally gains Hanna’s trust it feels like a win. When Hanna finally reveals her secrets to Clare, I was surprised by them. There is a large cast of characters with each one helping the story to move forward. It felt very complete and well rounded without feeling forced.

This story was tagged as a romance but I think I would call it women’s fiction and literature. It is a quiet story about a chosen family, loyalty, and kindness. I really enjoyed it and I would recommend people give it a try. I will read more from this author in the future.

It is easy to see why Christine Nolfi is one of my favourite authors. Her gift of storytelling makes it a delight to pick up one of her books and become totally captivated for hours on end.
The Secret Library of Hanna Reeves is the compelling story of mysterious and reclusive heiress Hanna Reeves and the fiercely independent 26 year old antiques dealer Claire Shelton.
Hanna hires Claire to catalogue the possessions of her prestigious home when Claire discovers a hidden library of books, journals and long buried secrets.
A haunting and captivating story of family ties, secrets and the power of love.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

“The Secret Library Of Hanna Reeves”
by Christine Nolfi

Such a heartfelt story! I was fully invested beginning to end! Beautifully written!

Cautious Claire Shelton, employee at a Maine antique shop, is surprised when she’s recruited to catalog the treasures of reclusive Hanna Reeves, sole descendant of the state’s most colorful shipbuilders and industrialists. Hanna’s retreat from society years ago is just one of many mysteries behind the walls of Rose Hill, her fabled estate.
Settling into Rose Hill’s carriage house, Claire finds Hanna, nearing eighty, to be a still-formidable woman. She’s demanding, judgmental, and protective of a mansion that is a veritable shrine to her ancestors. Then, diving into her work, Claire discovers a hidden library that is the stuff of legend among locals. An avid booklover, Claire is in heaven. More enthralling are Hanna’s leather-bound family journals that open Claire up to the past—and soon forge a rich and unexpected bond between two very different women.
A legacy is coming to light. All of Maine is talking. Because the revelations in the journals are enlightening enough to unite old friends, lovers, and families. And shocking enough to tear them apart forever.

This is my first Christine Nolfi novel and oh how I loved her prose! It felt so smooth and full of texture at the same time.

Both characters are extremely well crafted and beautifully portrayed in all their stages. It has been an exquisite experience to get to know Hanna throughout the novel.

This is one of those novels that I will hold dearly to my heart! I highly recommend it, go and get yours!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

3.5 stars

There's something enticing about stories set in old houses full of forgotten books and family mysteries, The Secret Library of Hanna Reeves delivers that charm with a few fresh twists.

Set in the 1970s on the coast of Maine, which was easy to visualize, follows Claire Shelton. An antiques dealer who is hired to catalog the dusty belongings of the reclusive Hanna Reeves. What starts as a job turns into something more layered, especially as Claire uncovers a series of hidden journals and searches for a secret library tucked away within the estate.

There is a connection that slowly forms between Claire and Hanna, though each are guarded in different ways as they carrying weight from the past. Some pacing issues and a few underdeveloped side characters kept me from fully sinking in at times. But even with a few slow spots, there was something warm and quietly compelling about this story.

If you're in the mood for a gentle mystery wrapped in vintage charm and bookish nostalgia, this is worth picking up. The cover in gorgeous and I will be looking into the authors backlist.

My thanks to Lake Union Publishing for a digital arc in exchange for a honest review.

Christine Nolfi is a must-read author, and this book proves it. From the moment Claire Shelton had to work with Hanna Reeves, I knew it would be an engrossing tale full of secrets, history, and drama. I was so captivated that I didn't want to stop reading or for the story to end.

I love Hanna Reeves' character. Her life began enchantingly but lost its charm after some bumps. She's my favorite in the book, and I rooted for her to escape her self-imposed cage and find happiness again. I hoped Claire would help her achieve that.

I highly recommend this book , just look at the title The Secret Library, it pulls at any historical fiction reader.

Thank you to the author for a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I adored this story! When Claire is given an unusual assignment through work, she moves into Hanna Reeves’ estate. There she will uncover secret upon secret! I loved Claire’s journey, and really hope for her story to be continued in a sequel!

The Secret Library of Hanna Reeves is the latest work by author Christine Nolfi. Having read it in about a day and a half is a record for me and is a testament to how wonderful a story it is. It’s a historical novel that centers around the 2 main characters of Claire and Hanna. Claire is a young woman in her early 20’s who has had a somewhat difficult life. She was raised by her grandfather, never having had the chance to know her parents and they lived a rather poor life, always struggling to get by. As an adult she works as an antique appraiser at a local shop under the supervision of 2 older men who have become friends but feel more like family. Hanna is a woman nearing her 80’s who has lived a rather solemn life as the heiress at Rose Hill. The 2 women meet when Hanna hires Holbrook & Kinney’s to appraise and auction off her treasured family heirlooms under the guise of a supposed leaky roof. The 2 women seem to be polar opposites in the beginning but as the story plays out I found them to be rather similar in personalities. The chapters take you to different timelines which helped me understand what life was like for Hanna throughout her days. Having the story center around a hidden library was a huge attraction for me as I’m an avid reader and absolutely love everything books! But it’s Hanna’s hidden journals that Claire stumbles upon while snooping that is the real basis of the story. This is a really wonderful book, I enjoyed reading it so much and I’ll be telling all of my friends about it. I highly recommend it. It was so good I plan on adding a copy to my own home library of favorites so I can reread it again at a later date. I’d like to thank Christine Nolfi for continually giving me great stories to read and enjoy. I’m giving this book a well deserved 5 star rating and look forward to reading more by this author in the near future.