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Loading... The Library of Borrowed Hearts (Lonely Hearts) (edition 2024)by Lucy Gilmore (Author)
Work InformationThe Library of Borrowed Hearts (Lonely Hearts) by Lucy Gilmore
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Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. No current Talk conversations about this book. A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book. 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 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. no reviews | add a review
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HTML: A.J. Fikry meets The Bookish Life of Nina Hill in this charming, hilarious, and moving novel about the way books bring lonely souls together. Two young lovers. Sixty long years. One bookish mystery worth solving. Librarian Chloe Sampson has been struggling: to take care of her three younger siblings, to find herself, to make ends meet. She's just about at the end of her rope when she stumbles across a rare edition of a book from the 1960s. Deciding it's a sign of her luck turning, she takes it home with her—only to be shocked when her cranky hermit of a neighbor swoops in and offers to buy it for an exorbitant price. Intrigued, Chloe takes a closer look at the book only to find notes scribbled in the margins between two young lovers back when the book was new...one of whom is almost definitely Jasper Holmes, the curmudgeon next door. When she begins following the clues left behind, she discovers this isn't the only old book in town filled with romantic marginalia. This kickstarts a literary scavenger hunt that Chloe is determined to see through to the end. What happened to the two tragic lovers who corresponded in the margins of so many different library books? And what does it have to do with the old, sad man next door—who only now has begun to open his home and heart to Chloe and her siblings? In a romantic tale that spans the decades, Chloe discovers that there's much more to her grouchy old neighbor than meets the eye. And in allowing herself to accept the unexpected friendship he offers, she learns that some love stories begin in the unlikeliest of places. .No library descriptions found. |
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)813.6Literature American literature in English American fiction in English 2000-LC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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