Lucy GilmoreReviews

The Short of It:

Probably my favorite book of the year. Books featuring other books win me over every time.

The Rest of It:

Sloane is naturally curious by nature which makes her an excellent librarian. As excellent as she is, she likes to keep to herself. She’s engaged to a successful chiropractor and their plans for the future seem promising.

Enter Arthur McLachlan. An old, crotchety patron who finds Sloane to be terribly insipid and boring. He dismisses everyone he meets and sends all the other librarians running for cover. Sloane’s love of books and reading encourages her to spew forth with banter that is not at all welcome. Or is it?

When Arthur’s regular visits to the library stop, Sloane grows worried and seeks his whereabouts. This leads to the introduction of many, wonderful characters. I won’t name them because you must meet them yourselves. As these people gather around Arthur, they all realize that although they do okay on their own, they are really meant to do life together, in community so a book club is formed.

It’s SO MUCH MORE than a book club. These are wonderful, flawed characters, all searching for love and friendship. It’s a feel good read and we all need those these days. Highly recommend.

Do yourself a favor and read this book. Books about books get me every time. You can thank me later.

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The Library of Borrowed Hearts by Lucy Gilmour was a feel good story of loving, losing and rediscovering life. The two main characters--Jasper and Chloe--live parallel experiences despite being almost 50 years apart in age. They are neighbors: Jasper in a mean old man who keeps the toys that come over the fence and Chloe is the older sister called home from college to take care of her younger siblings when her mother abandons them. The story moves between the present day and 1960, taking place in a small logging community in northern rural Washington. There are some interesting twists and turns with at least some of the narrative unfolding as notes written in the margins of classic novels. I listened to the book and it had four narrators. They took the lead on the sections and did all the voices in that section which meant individual characters sounded a bit different. I'm not sure it worked for me.

I did love the book. I knew it would have a happy ending but would break my heart along the way.

I was enjoying this so much I went ahead and bought one of the author’s earlier books before I was even halfway through it. Then came the sappy twist and the discovery of a heartless act in the past that turned it into a chore to finish. I’ll give the new title a chance but if it starts to feel like this one I’ll be rating it dnf.

DNF - I couldn't get into this book. Tried the audio and the physical book. The characters were so unlikeable, I just didn't care to continue. They were either mean or so cringy that it brought me down.

I found this book to be quite entertaining.

A fun gathering of folks who lifted one another up. Laughter and sweetness. Very enjoyable.

Not a romance but adorable. Loved it. Great characters. Binged it on a car trip.

I received an advanced readers copy of this book from the publisher, Sourcebooks Casablanca, via Netgalley. Thank you!
Audience: Adult
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Keywords: Star-crossed lovers, found family, forgiveness, love, two time periods, librarians

This is a romance story which takes place using multiple POVs during two time periods (1960 and modern day). It focuses on the thrill of new love, the sacrifices one makes for love, and forgiveness, for oneself and others for their choices.
Throughout the novel, there are multiple references to great literary classics — from Shakespeare to Brontë to Hemingway — which have direct influence on the story and the characters. Catherine, a librarian, and Jasper write notes to each other in several of these classics, and we get to watch as their love blossoms and grows. Chloe, also a librarian, discovers the notes 60 years later, and begins on a literary scavenger hunt to find out what happened to Catherine and Jasper. The reader also watches as the characters themselves seem to mirror the heroes and heroines in the classic stories they read.
The pacing of the novel was very good — and the chapters denoted whenever there was a POV or time period change, which was very helpful for me. The overall vibe of the novel reminded me of a Hallmark movie — where the romance was sweet and clean. Overall, I would recommend this novel to anyone who might enjoy classic literature, romance, and found family.

Review The Lonely Hearts Book Club Lucy Gilmore

The The Lonely Hearts Book Club unfolds in six sections with a different point of view character in each. We begin with Sloane and her interactions with Arthur McLachlan, then move to Maisey, Mateo, Greg, Arthur, and back to Sloane. Each character is a wounded survivor of a failed relationship or loss. All have resolved themselves to a life of lonely isolation.

Sloane, a librarian in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, forms an unlikely, combative relationship with Arthur McLachlin. When Arthur fails to show up daily, Sloane investigates, is fired from her job, and takes on the job of cataloging Arthur’s personal library. I was disappointed at the shift of point of view from Sloane to Maisey, but I soon found myself interested in Maisey’s situation. Sloane and Arthur’s continued inclusion provided continuity, which became the pattern as the story progressed through the other sections.

I found the book a quick read as the story interested me. Each character brings an added dimension, yet loneliness and an inability to move beyond past disappointments provide continuity. The Lonely Hearts Book Club is much more than a typical romance novel.

3.3 stars

The Library of Borrowed Hearts by Lucy Gilmore
Fiction, women’s fiction. Chick lit. Dual time line.
Librarian Chloe Sampson has been struggling to take care of her three young siblings and to make ends meet. Chloe is cleaning out the basement of the library when she finds a rare book from the 1960’s. It’s filled with handwritten messages in the margins between two people, one of whom seems to be her cranky neighbor, Jasper Holmes. When Jasper gets involved with her siblings, caretaking and supervising,, it’s a surprise to all of them, but they seems to fit. They’ve made a new family. Then their mother returns and the whole family is turned again on its axis.
A love story from the 60’s, a potential love in the current day, family unbuilt and built again. It’s an emotional journey with sprinkles and quotes from classic and infamous books made to apply to life then and now.

You can be unique but also find similarities in the pages of the thousands and thousand of available stories.
This book includes a number of different growing relationships both past and present. I sympathized with Chloe struggling to raise her family when she’s young herself. She is determined and strong. Her empathy had me crying. And Jasper. So cranky with marshmallow insides. And Zack, such a charmer.
It may be a bit slow and underwhelming in the first half, but there are rich and heartwarming family ties in the end. But also know that not everyone fits and that’s okay too.

Excerpts I loved:
“You know, the thing I’ve always loved most about books is how they make it possible to live a thousand different lives.”

“If you don’t like where you are, you don’t have to pack up your whole family and abandon everything you know and love. All you have to do is grab a different story from the shelf.”

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. Includes Reading Group Guide and list of the books referenced. This will be recommended to a couple of my reading groups.½

Audio Narration : 4⭐
Plot: 2.5⭐

Librarian Chloe Sampson has a lot on her plate. Legal guardian to her three younger siblings ever since their mother abandoned them, she juggles her job at the local library and her responsibilities at home. When she discovers a rare edition of an old book while clearing out the library basement, she decides to sell it for a decent price, hoping that the sale will temporarily ease her financial woes. The book in question has handwritten notes written in the margin – notes indicating a romantic relationship between two book-loving people ( “J” an “C”). When her grumpy elderly neighbor Jasper Holmes offers to buy the book for a handsome price Chloe begins to put two and two together and begins to search for more books in the library with similar messages on the pages. As the narrative progresses, Chloe’s quest marks the beginning of an unlikely friendship with Jasper, who helps her when she is at her wit’s end. We follow Chloe as her deep dive into the events from sixty years ago gives her a deeper look into Jasper’s past and a love story that isn’t quite over.

I love stories that revolve around books/ bookstores/libraries. It's always a joy to find stories that emphasize how books can be a reader’s best companion and how the love for reading can bring people together. I was drawn to the premise The Library of Borrowed Hearts by Lucy Gilmore for the same reasons. Told through multiple perspectives in dual timelines with a plot that includes a wonderful selection of literary references with scribbled messages in the margins of old books, a struggling librarian who is intent on solving the mystery behind the identity of the two lovers who used books as a way to communicate in the 1960s, a likable protagonist and a curmudgeonly neighbor who isn’t as gruff as he makes out be, this novel had a lot to offer.

Initially, I was enjoying the story and found both present and past storylines interesting, but as the narrative progressed, I found myself struggling to maintain my enthusiasm. Chloe is an endearing protagonist ( though as the story progressed, I did question some of her choices) and I liked her dynamic with her friends and siblings (Noodle was one of my favorite characters). But the story moved too slowly for my liking and I thought that the 1960s storyline left a lot to be desired. There were several subplots and characters woven into the narrative, and there was too much going on, much of which was eventually of no consequence. The predictable, weak and unconvincing plot points (a few of which left me with unanswered questions) made it difficult to stay engaged. I was particularly disappointed in how the subplot revolving around Chloe’s dynamic with her mother was depicted. In the end, I wasn't quite sold on how the author chose to end the story.

I listened to the audiobook, brilliantly narrated by Leanne Woodward, Aven Shore, Joe Jameson and Bob Ball. I am glad that I opted for the audiobook, as I am sure that this would have been a tedious read.

This was my second Lucy Gilmore novel. The Lonely Hearts Book Club wasn’t an entirely satisfying read for me and unfortunately, this time was no different. However, many have enjoyed this book more and I would request you peruse other reviews before you decide on reading this novel.

Many thanks to Dreamscape Media for the ALC via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Okay, I would have rather said 4 and a half stars, because it takes an awful lot to rate 5 in my view.

To me, five stars implies some kind of perfection, and this book was not perfect. But it really was loads better than many of my 4-stars. So.

The only real flaw was that it took a little too long for me to warm up to and believe the characters. I wondered if I might just give up and move on.

Plus I am a little spoiled by writers who have a more finely tuned ability to animate the reader's sense of place and setting.

But I am VERY glad I did not give up. It was like a love letter to those of us who really, really love books.

And it got better and better (yes, as my friend Diane said it would), until the end was a rich, beautiful completion that brilliantly sidestepped the maudlin and the overly predictable.

Highly recommended: a solid 4 and a half stars!

It is very rare that I include a book in my collection that I don't own. That means it is special and this book is. By and large the book club members were strangers to each other and the coming together makes the novel. They need each other even if they don't know it. I found the character development the entire premise of the book and that made it endearing. It is really irrelevant what books they read; the main point is that they come together and lift each other up. I highly recommend this book even if you don't belong to a book club yourself. I may even buy it.

The Lonely Hearts Book Club by Lucy Gilmore came by way of Hoopla and was probably recommended because I listened to The Last List of Mabel Beaumont. Both books share an elderly main character who is befriended by younger people and they find that they can all help each other to face their lives. In this book, the character is Arthur, a truly mean old man who despite his best efforts cannot seem to keep the quirky young people out of his life and his house. He meets some of them at the local library and the group eventually finds themselves forming a book group. The book is told from multiple perspectives so we are able to experience the richness of all the characters' lives. I loved the focus on books with Anne of Green Gables, a favorite of mine, playing a central role.

A former beauty queen and a grumpy vet/dog show judge collide in this fun enemies-to-lovers rom-com. The banter between the MC's was fun and flirty and the book had me smiling and laughing periodically. I like that both MC's had insecurities about themselves that they needed to workout in order to make their relationship work.

The MC's did shift from hate to lust pretty early in the book, but the steamy scenes were well executed. Pepper scale rating

This book is emotional but still lighthearted and quirky at the same time. It starts with Sloane Parker, a librarian, who likes bantering with grouchy Arthur. Suddenly, Arthur does not appear the library. Sloane gets worried and decides to visit him at home. The book club started from there. Bookclub members are a mixed of different people who does not share anything in common except for their love of books. All I can say is that I love the book! I relate to all the characters in a way especially with their love for books. Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebook Casablanca for the ARC copy.

3.5⭐️

Twenty-seven-year-old Sloane Parker is a librarian at the Coeur d'Alene Public Library, a place she considers a haven and where she feels most at home. She is engaged to be married to a chiropractor and is more or less content with the way her life is going, unwilling to rock the boat though she does carry much sorrow in her heart over the loss of a loved one from her childhood. In the course of her work, she meets the curmudgeonly Arthur McLachlan, a regular patron at the library whose cantankerous demeanor has most of the staff running for cover when he makes his entrance. Sloane and Arthur engage in heated exchanges and trade insults regularly – a kind of ritual for them Sloane gets used to and enjoys. When Arthur suddenly stops showing up at the library, Sloane decides to go check on him and discovers him recuperating at home after a medical emergency. Her unauthorized home visit with Arthur earns her a reprimand at work, but Sloane does not stop going out of her way to check on Arthur. She meets Arthur’s neighbor, Maisey, and with Arthur, they eventually form a book club with a few more members slowly joining in. The book club is a safe space for these lonely strangers to be themselves, and share their stories and, in doing so, become friends who enable one another to reevaluate their lives and exact positive change.

“This world was a terrible place. It gave you people to love and then took them away before you stopped loving them. It made you mean and angry and cruel to those who needed you most. It ground you down until it was all you could do to get through the day. But most of all, it tried to convince you that you were alone in your suffering.”

The Lonely Hearts Book Club by Lucy Gilmore is an emotional story that is built around a beautiful premise. The narrative is shared from multiple perspectives and touches upon themes like grief, loss, aging, loneliness, friendship and kindness. I appreciated that the author injects just enough humor and lighthearted moments into the narrative so as not to make the story too overwhelming/depressing for the reader. A running theme in this novel is the power of books and reading in bringing people close together. I love stories that revolve around books and people who love books and I have always believed in how books and love for reading can bring people together, as it does for these characters. I did enjoy the literary references and the discussions on Remains of the Day, The Joy Luck Club and Anne of Green Gables. Having said that, I expected to like this book more than I actually did. Stories like these are almost always predictable, but what makes them special is the journey to the end. While I liked the characters, especially Maisey, and I did feel for Sloane, I wasn’t quite invested in any of the other character’s stories, a few of which I felt were a tad contrived. Greg and his connection to Arthur was a nice touch to the story, but with so many characters and backstories, there was a lot of drama to unpack, the pace did drag in parts and I found it difficult to stay engaged in the narrative.

This was another immersion reading experience for me. I'm sorry to say that I didn't really enjoy the audio narration. There were quite a few characters, and the narrator, Angie Kane, voiced two of them well, the others not so much. A full-cast narration would have been better suited for this story. Even a flat narration would have been okay.

Overall, while I did like this story, I wasn’t quite taken with it as much as other readers.

“Life stories were written in ink, not pencil. Once they were down, the only thing you could do was turn the page.”


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I don't often laugh out loud when reading (or listening) to a book, but Ms Gilmore made me laugh and made me cry. Sloan is living a colorless life, weighed down by grief over her sister's death and parents who are too involved in themselves to be there for her. But she is weirdly drawn to curmudgeon Arthur and jumps in to care for him when he becomes ill. I loved how Sloan and Arthur draw a group of people together, each lonely in some way or other. A lovely book of friendship.½

I borrowed this book from the library. I first saw this book at the bookstore and fell in love with the cover. I thought the cover was pretty. That’s right I love books with pretty covers. Anyway I enjoyed reading this book. I loved the characters. I found this book to be very interesting. I would recommend it.

Happy Reading Everyone!

In The Lonely Hearts Book Club, author Lucy Gilmore transports the reader to the lakeside town of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, to follow a group of misfits who unexpectedly come together and start a book club that ultimately helps them form a bond of friendship.

Librarian Sloane Parker looks forward to her daily banter with crotchety Arthur McLachlan. But after several days of noticing that Arthur hasn't been to the library, Sloane goes against library policy and goes to Arthur's house and finds him in poor health. Sloane's thoughtfulness gets her fired from the library, but what she finds is a group of people who come together to assist Arthur while forming a book club. As they learn that each is dealing with their own individual personal issues, a bond of friendship and support grows among them, and they rediscover themselves, and learn the true meaning of love, friendship, family and moving forward with their lives.

In The Lonely Hearts Book Club, author Lucy Gilmore easily captivates her readers' attention with this beautifully written tale through a seamless and flowing storyline told in the alternating first person narrative from a cast of quirky characters who draw you into their lives with a strong emotional pull, along with their complexities, flaws, fears, heartaches, heartbreaks, longheld secrets, and the love of books. The story has a great mixture of humor and compassion that will engage the reader to follow along as the friends' story unfolds.

The Lonely Hearts Book Club is a heartwarming story that engages the reader to follow along as an unlikely group of misfits form a bond of friendship as they discover that life is full of humor, heartache, family, friendship, books, and second chances.

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Enjoyable book told from separate points of view. Love the old people. A good read. Epilogue would be nice

I listened to this book on audio and just loved it! What's not to like about a librarian, Sloane, who loves books and her library patrons! We have Arthur, the curmudgeon who she talks into starting a book club of two. Then, as the other characters join the club, you start getting attached to each of them. A moving, joyous book, I absolutely loved it!