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.

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.