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. ( )

I found this book to be quite entertaining. ( )

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. ( )

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. ( )

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. ( )