Immerse yourself in a world where dollhouses solve mysteries, where art saves the day. A world where dollhouses contain clues about their previous owners’ life. What would happen if a collection of mysterious dollhouses was found hidden inside a library? And what would happen if these dollhouses, which had been owned by notable women of the early 1900s, revealed unknown aspects of their lives and rewrote history? From those questions, populated by characters inspired by real-life women, Elise Hooper’s The Library of Lost Dollhouses takes shape.

Each dollhouse contains an extraordinary universe of tiny things. There’s actually a psychological rationale to explain our affinity for small things: dollhouses offer us a sense of control and imagination. They can provide a feeling of agency. Miniatures allow us to create the world as we’d like to see it.

Dollhouses remind us how easy it is to disappear, but this exhibit is about claiming one’s place in the world, not disappearing. They revealed stories of ordinary women who’d kept extraordinary secrets about themselves in their dollhouses. Hidden careers and relationships, family secrets—the dollhouses told many important truths. Artist Cora Hale sets about helping her clients hide important truths about themselves.

For most women, the home is their stage. What if she produced a portrait of a woman, not by creating a likeness of her, but by showing the stage that defined her role in life? Cora had always hoped to produce portraits that hinted at the interiority of my subjects—what would happen if she took a very literal approach to such a piece?

A secret room, a series of dollhouses, a mother’s past, and the questions of identity dredged up through a trail of miniatures. Elise Hooper’s The Library of Lost Dollhouses will encourage everyone to approach others with bigger hearts, more understanding and compassion. Pairs well with a Coratini!

4.25 This was a sweet book and I finished it practically in a sitting.

The central setting of the book is a historic library museum in San Francisco. The curator finds a hidden room with two incredibly detailed dollhouses…and a photo that looks like it might be of her mother.

This kicks off a research journey where she tries to understand how this all came together, along with lots of flashbacks showing the history of miniatures and the stories of some remarkable women.

Really an enjoyable story and it was set in SF in a way that didn’t distract me with incorrect info, which is rare for a native like me. I absolutely recommend it. The score isn’t higher because there wasn’t as much of a literary complexity as I would look for in a higher rated book, but it was very fun.

The audio version was very pleasant and I didn’t find the narrator to be distracting in any way.

Thanks for Harper Audio Adult for the advance reading copy.

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperAudio for this ARC audio file of, The Library of Lost Dollhouses in exchange for an honest review. Tildy is a librarian in San Francisco and definitely has a Type A personality, finding solace and comfort in order . When her beloved library is slated to close, Tildy stumbles upon a hidden area within the library that houses two beautiful, intricate dollhouses. Each dollhouse holds keys to wealthy women from the past and their hidden secrets. Tildy decides to embark on a journey to discover the history behind the miniatures in the hopes that they hold the key to the library’s survival. Along the way our lovely protagonist encounters people and situations that force her to step outside of her orderly box, opening up a new and exciting world along with some surprising family secrets.

The audio narration of this title was fabulous and really brought the characters to life. The author did a spectacular job of both character and setting description. Components of the dollhouses were described in vivid detail bringing the story to life for the reader/listener.

Hooper's new book about dollhouses and a library was tough to put down, especially for this librarian long enchanted with dollhouses. Experienced narrators Emily Rankin and Caroline Hewitt helped make the story live in telling past and present stories.

Tildy is the head curator of a beautiful old library in San Francisco, formerly also the family home of building's benefactress. Sadly, the library has been having financial difficulties that began during Covid and continued to build in the years since. The last straw was the cracking of the beautiful stained=glass skylight and Tildy was afraid the library would have to close.

Exploring the attics, Tildy discovers not only a secret room, but two marvelous and intricately detailed and furnished dollhouses inside. Full of hope and plans to increase the number of visitors to library, she promotes the finding. When found, there was no information about the dollhouses at all. Who built them? Why are they there? With the help of the media, she discovers more dollhouses by the same builder, who turns out to be, a woman! The miniature houses were built in the early to mid-20th century. She also uncovers long-buried secrets about her own family. As she learns more, more secrets are uncovered and world events are tied into the construction. The first dollhouse was begun in France as a replica of the home. Work on the second dollhouse continued during the war in England and their creator recruited recovering veterans to lend their personal talents to to the work.

This book enchants readers with descriptions of the dollhouses. Additionally, it tells the story of women's contributions to war efforts and their often disregarded abilities in other spheres of work. The Library of Lost Dollhouses also holds a romance or two, including one for Tildy.

Recommended for those who enjoy historical fiction, romance, dollhouses and libraries. I listened to this one almost nonstop until I finished it.

I should have liked this book more than I did, I love libraries and I love miniatures. But overall this novel just didn't connect with me.
One of the main reasons was for the same reason I didn't like Evelyn Hugo. The romance angle of this book was completely jarring and it detracted from the mystery and the history. If you have to hide that it is about same sex relationships then be prepared for some readers to be frustrated. I'm all for a great lesbian romance novel, but not when I'm expecting a mystery. There were too many subplots and not enough compelling reasons to keep me interested.
Not a book for me.
I listened to the audiobook of this one and the narrator did a fantastic job keeping me engaged

I found this to be a charming, lovely book. I enjoyed the historical details and unique dollhouse theme. The story was wrapped up in (perhaps too much of a) nice little bow, with mysteries being answered (again, perhaps too easily) and everyone getting their perfect ending. Overall a sweet and enjoyable story with unique elements.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC audio of this novel by Elise Hooper. As a librarian, I'm always drawn to books about librarians and this one did not disappoint. Even though it wasn't really about the library as much as it was about dollhouses, I still enjoyed this novel. Tildy the librarian stumbles upon an old dollhouse in the archival library she works and sets out to uncover who built it and the meaning behind some of the clues left inside. What follows is the story of the creator of the doll houses and what they meant to those they were built for. I didn't love it, but it was a solid story with some made up history that was intriguing enough to keep me listening.

"For the first time in her life, Tildy didn't worry about what would happen next."

Tildy lives life by the book as the head curator at a library in San Francisco. One morning, she's working in the library when she finds a hidden room. Inside are magnificent dollhouses. Tildy is instantly drawn to their history and with the library's financial crisis, this could be the exhibit to save them. Told in dual timeline, we learn the history behind the dollhouses and how they connect to the library today.

This book encompasses many things I love - historical fiction, books about books or libraries, and tiny things. Ever since I was a kid, I have loved all things little, so as an adult (who owns waaaaaaaay too many mini-brands) this was an immediate request. It was like sitting down with a cozy blanket and a warm cup of tea. We learn the history and intricate connections of the dollhouses through a dual POV and timeline and this flowed so well. I was invested in both sides of the story. It was delicate in it's approach. Not too much, where this could have been more immersive and details easily lost. I enjoyed Tildy's personal growth as she continuously found more information than she knew what to do with. It was a whimsical and enchanting way to tackle such significance. The author's note was also a must read!

I really enjoyed this book and I can't say I didn't start googling how to build dollhouses and then was like no I do not have the time. Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with an advanced listening copy!! This book is out now!

This is a two narrator POV different time POV novel about history, secrets, and character. I did not relate well to the characters.

I had an immersive reading experience with this ARC because I did digital + audio, and I have to say I much preferred the audio. There were two main perspectives - Tildy's third person POV and Cora's first person POV. I favored Tildy's POV because Cora's was very heavy on French history, and it admittedly went over my head. I loved the descriptions of the dollhouse crafting and assembly.

I’ve always been drawn to stories centered around librarians, and this one stands out with its multigenerational narrative that seamlessly intertwines past and present. It offers a unique blend of historical fiction and the curious world of dollhouses.

The concept of dollhouses concealing long-buried secrets and hidden mysteries is utterly captivating—there’s something so compelling about the idea of entire histories tucked away behind miniature walls.

I appreciated the thoughtful mix of romance and mystery, and the author’s meticulous attention to detail brought each scene vividly to life.

With a World War II backdrop, a storyline involving a woman working undercover, and touches of art history woven throughout, this novel offers both entertainment and insight—leaving plenty to think about long after the final page.

3.5 stars rounded to 4 for Goodreads

The Library of Lost Dollhouses by Elise Hooper

Often the stories of how women have impacted history get lost. Sometimes this is due to their contributions being secret or attributed to the men around them. This book is a reflection of just that and based on real women in history.

Tildy works at the Belva Curtis LeFarge Library, the Bel, as the head curator. One day after a school bus of children breaks down and their curiosity leads them to roam the library Tildy finds a hidden room is dollhouses. Both are unique and expertly crafted. One even contains a portrait of her late mother. Tildy then goes on an adventure to find out more about her mother and the meaning behind the mysterious dollhouses.

This is a dual POV as it is told from the point of view of Tildy as she discovers the secrets of the past and of Cora Hale who is interconnected to each of the dollhouses. This books is a beautiful reflection of the contributions that women have achieved throughout history and the little ways that they have made their lasting mark. This story is told from the retrospective of Cora Hale as present day Tildy dives into the history.

I would recommend this one to fans of historical fiction and those who are lightly dabbling in the genre as well. There are nods to real people and there is a sense of adventure and storytelling as everything unfolds.

I enjoyed the audio in this one. The narrator was pleasant to listen to and easy to follow along with the story. The experience was enjoyable and with dual POV it can be hard to get lost but the narrator did a great job differentiating between the two.

Told in vivid detail and with tremendous heart, The Library of Lost Dollhouses is a shape shifting story with a cast of dazzling characters.

📚𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆?

I love the idea of highly extravagant dollhouses hiding things and enjoyed the details of how the artist made all the intricate pieces of her houses. Plus, the added mystery behind the origin of the dollhouses had kept me wanting to know more.

I also appreciated how both FMCs are fully-fleshed, in so far as I was able to feel what they were feeling. There were a few poignant moments that really had me holding my breath for them.

✔️𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁:

Dual Timelines
Dual POV
Mystery
Diverse Characters
Atmosphere
Bit of romance
Multiple subplots

🎧𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸?

Emily Rankin and Caroline Hewitt brought this fascinating historical mystery to life. They gave each character their own natural inflections which brought even more flavor to the story.

📖𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲?

This is a story that just flew by. As the story alternated between past and present, everything flowed together seamlessly as each chapter meshed together and further explained the mystery behind the doll houses.

Thank you NetGalley and WilliamMorrow for this gifted copy.

The Library of Lost Dollhouses is a sweet book about strong women throughout history. I really enjoyed the multiple timelines and POVs and seeing how they tied together in the end. If you like historical and women's fiction, you'll probably enjoy this. It wasn't anything groundbreaking, but one of my favorite authors is Fiona Davis and this story was reminiscent of hers.

Overall, I enjoyed this just fine. Great narrator in the audiobook.

Absolutely loved this audiobook! The narrator makes you get lost in the story - to learn all the "secrets" that were in the doll houses and the hidden history of each woman.

As a fan of historical fiction, I'm always looking for stories that introduce me to people or events that I'm unfamiliar with. The library of Lost Dollhouses did just that. This duel timeline story connects Tildy, who serves as head curator at the Belva Curtis LeFarge library and museum in modern day San Francisco with the adventures of Cora Hale as she finds her way through Paris in the lead up to WWI and beyond.

After discovering a set of elaborate dollhouses in a hidden room at the museum, Tildy dives into the world of miniatures in an attempt to trace their origins. As she searches, long buried secrets come to the surface and Tildy finds her own family being drawn in to the mystery.

Unlike many duel timeline historical fiction novels, this doesn't focus predominately on the historical timeline; we get to spend a great deal of time with Tildy in the present and watch, in what feels like real time, as she unravels the truth of the dollhouses and their hidden depths.

The audio was well done and the narration was top notch.

I'm always looking for historical fiction that bring to life history in a unique way. This dueling timeline adventure dives into the world of miniatures fit that bill. Long buried secrets are uncovered and the weaving between the past and present timelines kept me reading. I appreciated the author decision to not focus on the wartime era- which in my opinion is over done in historical fiction. Decisions to use well known, real-life characters like Walt Disney was a better choice and enhanced the focus on the artistic endeavors, rather than situational circumstances.

I listened to the audio version of this book and found the performance to be well done and was easy to read through.

A solid historical fiction.

Tildy Barrows is the head curator of an archival library in San Francisco. When she learns that the library is on the verge of bankruptcy, she is determined to do something to save the library. And then inspiration strikes when she discovers two beautiful dollhouses. She believes if she can find out more about their history and the mystery behind them, they might become a moneymaking exhibit for the museum.

The story then flashes back to Cora Hale and her story, set on the cusp of WWI when she’s starting her journey to become a premier minaturist to the aristocrats of Europe.

The journey spans across time and the globe as Cora’s artist life flourishes and Tildy looks for answers. Belle Époque Paris, the English countryside during wartime, and Walt Disney’s studios in the 1950s are just some of the places you’ll explore while reading this story.

Why Kirsten loves it
I ADORED this unique novel and its female protagonists. I was as connected with Tildy’s search for answers as I was with Cora’s quest to follow her passion. There are love stories in both timelines that feel authentic and add layers to the novel in a natural way. I was sad to turn the last page of this book, but I know I’ll be recommending it for years to come! #Gifted by Harper Audio

Thank you NetGalley for the audio copy of this book!

This was such a fascinating tale! A twisty mystery for those who enjoy books about a library, brace and daring women, artists, hidden family secrets, and war.

I attempted to put the pieces together but I was unable to figure it out until there was only 20 or less pages left to the story. This was so well done, thoroughly thought out, and planned.

There is FF representation that was tasteful and contributed to the plot line. There is a small pinch of romance but it’s mostly closed door or insinuated. Again, tasteful and respectfully done.

The after from the author really brought the story full circle in a very heartfelt way. I think this would make a wonderful book club read! I will be thinking about this book long after finishing.

This book spanned modern history from the 1910's-2024.
Tildy finds two ornate dollhouses in a hidden room of the museum she is a curator for. As she looks into the dollhouses' history she finds that her own mother has a previously unknown personal connection to them.
Through the development of dollhouses that showcased women's homes and lives we see how women have made their accomplishments and lives smaller, mostly because of the era they lived in.
I was fascinated by the points of history this novel touched on, including women's involvement in WWI and WWII.
The audio version had a captivating narration.