This was a really lovely story with such wonderful characters - and messaging. I loved the blending of past and present, and all the descriptions of the Belle, which reminded me of the feel of Fiona Davis's novels about historic NYC buildings. The history was fascinating, as was the peek behind the curtain of running a historic home-turned museum. The narration was perfectly suited to the paired storylines. I will definitely keep me eye out for more Elise Hooper!

I loved every second of this book. I love a dual story line and a mystery that keeps you constantly guessing. I’ve always loved miniatures. I loved the miniature dollhouse at the Smithsonian‘s ever since I was a little girl and I’ve also loved looking at the miniatures in Walt Disney World and Disneyland. As an adult, I learned about the nutshell houses and have been fascinated by them as well and one day hope to see them in person. Reading the author’s notes, I felt a very large connection and I’m so glad I read this book.

Tildy, who likes keep to her regularly scheduled routine as a head curator at a library in San Francisco, one day finds a mysteriously hidden door where she uncovers very detailed dollhouses. Each dollhouse holds their own secrets and open the door to not only her family's history but the hidden secrets of others as well. 

Their stories span over a century, including parts of World War 1. It covers a young women forced to deal with repercussions of her sexuality in a time where this is uncommon, trauma, loss and healing, lots of secrets and the burden they carry. 

I enjoyed the mystery and finding out how both the dollhouses and the people were interconnected. This book is not based on truth, but the author takes inspiration from real people, which was kind of interesting! I liked seeing how these dollhouses brought a community people together both in the past and the present.

I adored this book! I always wanted a dollhouse when I was a kid so there was some definite nostalgia with all of the miniature talk. I loved the 2 different time periods that the book jumped back and forth to. I listened to this mostly in one sitting because I was so enthralled - great narrator!

4.5 stars rounded up to 5!

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reader copy!

I was given this ARC by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I loved the idea of and the setup of this story, but unfortunately, it was almost a bit of a chore to keep listening to it. I liked the premise, the homage to the wonderfulness of libraries, librarians, and all things archival and traditional, especially in a time when public services like libraries and making knowledge accessible are under constant fire, but I didn’t have any characters to root for or really discover in depth and the mystery fell a bit short. I was enticed by these dollhouses and the stories behind them, but the pace didn’t have me chomping at the bit to see what happened next or how things tied together so it fell a bit flat for me and likely would have been a DNF for me had I not been reading and reviewing an ARC.

Title: The Library of Lost Dollhouses
Author(s): Elise Hooper
Genre: Fiction, Historical
Date Published: April 1, 2025
Date Read: March 28, 2025
Format: Audiobook
Free?: This book was received as a an eARC audiobook courtesy of NetGalley.
Overall Rating: ★★★★.5/5

Setting Rating: 📍📍📍📍📍/5
Conflict Rating: 💣💣💣/5
Tear Rating: 💧💧💧/5
Humor Rating: 😆😆/5

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🔍 TL;DR
⤷ When librarian Tildy Barrows discovers two hidden dollhouses in her beloved archival library, she uncovers clues that suggest a mysterious message from the library’s long-deceased founder. As she investigates their origins—spanning Belle Époque Paris, post-WWI England, and 1950s Hollywood—Tildy unearths forgotten histories, unexpected connections, and a chance to rewrite her own future.

📣 Favorite quote
⤷ Miniatures allow us to create the world as we would like to see it.

🎥 Synopsis
⤷ Tildy Barrows, the meticulous Head Curator of a historic San Francisco library, is stunned to discover two intricate, long-lost dollhouses hidden within its walls just as the institution faces financial ruin. Clues tucked inside the miniatures hint at a final message from the library’s enigmatic founder, Belva Curtis LeFarge. Determined to save the library and unravel the mystery, Tildy embarks on a journey through hidden histories—from Belle Époque Paris to postwar England to 1950s Hollywood. Along the way, she uncovers forgotten stories of remarkable women, unexpected personal revelations, and a new sense of purpose in her own life.

📋 Review
⤷ I was immediatelly obsessed with this book the moment I started listening to it. I build miniatures as one of my many hobbies, though I’m sure my crafstwomanship is nowhere near the intricacy and detail of Cora Hale’s. The idea of finding a hidden room in a library with dollhouses hooked me instantly, and I couldn’t wait to find out the stories behind them.

⤷ Cora’s story is at times sad and absolutely heart-wrenchingly beautiful, and I enjoyed the time-skipping between timelines of Tildy and Cora. Tildy’s journey to find answers from the past was such a beautiful contrast to Cora’s hiding the truth in plain sight, and Elise Hooper did a magnificent job of interweaving real events of the past (WWI & WWII, the sinking of the Titanic, Disneylandia) and creating a believable and intriguing alternate history.

Before I listened to the author’s note at the end, I was already getting Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum vibes from the Belva Curtis LaFarge Library (aka "The Bel"), and was very pleased to learn it was a major inspiration for the setting.

🌟 I wish…
⤷ I wish the story never ended! I wish I could visit The Bel, and I wish I could see Cora Hale’s dollhouses. The description of the beautiful stained glass ceiling and the details of the miniatures made me long for these to be real.

👍🏻 Recommend?
⤷ A million times yes. If you enjoy stories about libraries, miniatures, historical fiction, secrets, and found families, this is for you!

This book was a fun surprise for me. I enjoyed the back and forth story from the artist in the first half of the 1900's and the historian/archivist of 2024. They were both (Cora and Tildy) likable characters and the way the story unfolds one layer at a time is interesting. The chapters always ended when you wanted to hear more, but since the last chapter about the other character did the same it was always satisfying since I wanted to know what was going on with them too. The only problem is I WANT TO SEE THE DOLLHOUSES!! I want to play with the dollhouses!
Some of the history was a bit rushed through--especially the parts that connected Cora to Tildy,

I really enjoyed the storytelling of the author. Once I got sucked into the story, particular the pieces from the past and the development of the art and dollhouses. The narrator did a great job with the book and it was easy to get sucked into the storyline, even with different POVs/time jumps.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advance audiobook of this story. All opinions are my own.

This was a FASCINATING, layered dual timeline historical fiction story about a librarian in the present who discovers a room of incredible forgotten dollhouses - each one a masterpiece in craftsmanship and skill. As she tracks down the dollhouses history she learns more about the woman who made them and her very interesting life. Full of rich historic detail, a passionate librarian and a moving Sapphic romance. I really enjoyed this especially on audio and it just may be a new favorite by this beloved author! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

Tildy Barrows is the Head Curator at an archival library in San Francisco. Unfortunately, she finds out the library is on the verge of bankruptcy. Can the hidden room she found with two dollhouses help save the library? Tildy finds something that may be a link to her past. The story is told in two timelines so we learn who made the dollhouses and her story. Tildy is determined to research the history to help both the library and get her own questions answered.

I enjoyed listening to narration of Emily Rankin and Caroline Hewitt.

Thank you Harper Audio for providing me with an ALC for review consideration.

It was a nice story, rich in history, but I just don’t think it’s my kind of book. Those who enjoy historical fiction and literary fiction would likely love it more than I did. I did like the narration though, found the book very enjoyable to listen to. The story itself was fascinating but I feel like it could have been more detail-rich, specifically with the dollhouses and miniature items. I’ve always found dollhouses to have a haunting beauty to them and wish we could’ve delved deeper into that.

"Nonsense! Libraries are the perfect place to grow up."

Set in alternating time periods, Tildy uncovers a mysterious room of dollhouses. She sets on a quest to uncover the creator, the history, and a solution to save the Belle.

This book was quick moving and pulled me out of a reading slump. It is a beautiful tribute to art, friendships, relationships, and literature. Some of my favorite things were included: my favorite children's novel, Disney, research and libraries. It was beautiful to watch the characters develop and learn so much about themselves through this. Readers will be inspired to reflect on their own growth, as well as ways to leave a legacy for the future.

Thanks to @williammorrowbooks, @harpercollins, and @netgalley for this advance listening copy in exchange for a fair review.
For those interested in historical fiction, dual timeline stories, architecture, and books that slowly unfurl their secrets, this one is for you.
It was a slow simmering sweet book as a young librarian slowly unravels what's behind a hidden room, and the connection between a dollhouse and her mother. It has all of the elements to capture your imagination and even enough history to google while you're reading - I especially enjoyed learning about Queen Mary's Dollhouse!
The narrator on the audiobook did a fine job capturing the characters and pacing. Of course I never listen to anything on 1.0 speed but certainly the accents and style enhanced the quality of the book. I would recommend it to patrons who enjoy a clean book with a slow to medium pace.
3*

The Library of Lost Dollhouses is a dual POV historical fiction following two women, one in present time and one in the 1910s. I loved learning about the history of dollhouses and picturing the ones Cora made. However, I struggled to connect with the characters for some reason and hoped for more depth in either the plot or the characters. This was a fast and easy read, so I would still recommend the Library of Lost Dollhouses to people that enjoy historical fiction.

I enjoyed the narration by Emily Rankin and Caroline Hewitt.

i received an ARC and ALC from William Morrow | William Morrow Paperbacks and HarperAudio Adult | HarperAudio via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars.*

So much about this book appealed to me.

A multi-generational story of women who keep secrets, create history and protect one another, The Library of Lost Dollhouses tells the story of a young librarian who discovers a hidden room in the historical library where she works that houses two spectacular, detailed dollhouses. Her journey to find the provenance of the houses leads her to discover her own history and the story of the woman who built the houses and kept the secrets while preserving the stories of the women she met along the way.

My daughter has been making tiny doll things and fairy houses for as long as I can remember and I couldn't help but think that she would have made a perfect apprentice to Cora Hale.

I liked this one a lot.

*with thanks to NetGalley for the audio ARC in exchange for this honest review.

Told in dual POV, as well as various time periods, The Library of Lost Dollhouses follows Tildy, a librarian at a beautiful and renowned library, and Cora, an artist with a mysterious past. When Tildy discovers a hidden room in her beloved library containing intricate and pristine dollhouses, her curiosity and excitement are ignited. The library is facing a financial crisis and desperately needs something to draw interest and funding. Convinced the dollhouses are the key to the library’s survival, Tildy goes on a quest to discover anything she can about the artist, Cora Hale. Cora’s story is one of adversity, determination, talent, love, and loss. We follow her life spanning decades and see how her art and her courage left a legacy that deserves to be shared.

The Library of Lost Dollhouses is a love letter to art and to gifted women whose stories are not always shared and celebrated. The writing is beautiful, the characters are enchanting, and the audio was fantastic. I can’t recommend this enough.

The Library of Lost Dollhouses by Elise Hooper is a historical fiction about a young librarian, Tilly, who discovers historic dollhouses in a hidden room, leading to questions about the library, maker of the dollhouses, and her own family. She embarks on an unexpected journey that reveals surprising secrets about the lost miniatures and leading to her own personal growth.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. The dual-timeline story was interesting, learning both about Tilly in present day and Cora Hale during the WWI and WWII timeframes. Sometimes historical fiction novels are very emotional but I found this one to a fast-paced heartwarming story that didn't cause me to "boohoo" cry (some early reviews are critiquing this saying it lacked depth because of it's pacing but I appreciated it because sometimes I want to read something historical but not be emotionally broken because of it). There were both elements of mystery and love, however nothing graphic. This would be a good option for readers who enjoy historical fiction but don't necessarily want to feel heartbroken.

<i>Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.</i>

2.5 stars rounded up

I’m having a hard time explaining why this didn’t really hit for me - but I think it came down to not really getting the level of detail or investment in the characters. I was interested in the all the little details of the dollhouses but didn’t get that sort of development when it came to the actual story.

This book had an intriguing premise, but it struggled to find its identity. It shifted between romance, mystery, and historical fiction without fully developing any of them. The story introduced multiple mysteries but lacked a central focus, making it difficult to stay engaged. Some plot points were exaggerated, while others were brushed aside, and one character seemed to defy time itself. If the novel had centered on the mysteries within the dollhouses, it could have been a compelling read. Unfortunately, the lack of focus and emotional connection left me feeling detached, and by the end, I just wanted to finish it.

The narrator of the audiobook made it difficult to listen too. I had to speed it up to 2x because I felt like she read too slowly. Also, many times I was lost on who was talking because so many characters sounded the same.

I loved the story line. The connection to secrets hidden in dollhouses, the history and research put into the story, the time and patience that goes into building. I truly thought it was incredibly well done. It switched between different POV and timelines, yet I was never confused and I found that the book moved seamlessly and perfectly. It was easy to differentiate the characters and timelines. It was a quick read - I switched between audio and ebook and both were enjoyable. My only complaint is that the story was so focused on the dollhouses, both past and present, that I felt like I did not get enough from the characters' stories. It felt very flat and surface level... and I wish there was a better balance of the two. Overall, a quick and enjoyable read! 
Thank you Netgalley for my advanced reader copy.