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The Booklover's Library
- Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld
- Length: 10 hrs and 1 min
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The Booklover's Library
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Summary
A heartwarming story about a mother and daughter in wartime England and the power of books that bring them together, by the bestselling author of The Last Bookshop in London.
In Nottingham, England, widow Emma Taylor finds herself in desperate need of a job. She and her beloved daughter Olivia have always managed just fine on their own, but with the legal restrictions prohibiting widows with children from most employment opportunities, she’s left with only one option: persuading the manageress at Boots’ Booklover’s Library to take a chance on her with a job.
When the threat of war in England becomes a reality, Olivia must be evacuated to the countryside. In the wake of being separated from her daughter, Emma seeks solace in the unlikely friendships she forms with her neighbors and coworkers, and a renewed sense of purpose through the recommendations she provides to the library’s quirky regulars. But the job doesn’t come without its difficulties. Books are mysteriously misshelved and disappearing and the work at the lending library forces her to confront the memories of her late father and the bookstore they once owned together before a terrible accident.
As the Blitz intensifies in Nottingham and Emma fights to reunite with her daughter, she must learn to depend on her community and the power of literature more than ever to find hope in the darkest of times.
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Critic reviews
“A must-read for booklovers.” —Chanel Cleeton, New York Times bestselling author of Next Year in Havana
What listeners say about The Booklover's Library
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Rae Radford
- 28-09-24
Like a gentle hug on a winter’s night.
The one thing guaranteed about reading a Madeline Martin book is emotion. And this book certainly didn’t let the side down. I remember listening to my mother’s recollections from WW11; this author captured the essence beautifully.
The heightened descriptions of the German planes flying above take you there instantly.
The choices that women had to make during this time were impossible. How they sent their children away to strangers beggars beliefs.
But the thought of a library where you could drop by and escape into a book, whether a mystery or a classic, would undoubtedly have brought joy amongst all the turmoil.
Emma Taylor’s dilemma is tricky: How does she keep her daughter, Olivia, safe? If she goes to work at the Booklovers Library, there will be a part of the day when her child must fend for herself. However, she is only young, and trying to find her way home after school is only one of Emma’s many worries.
I loved the camaraderie with her colleagues, and the characters that visited the library were so cleverly described.
Throw in a good-looking fireman who carefully navigates around Emma’s life was also a joy to read.
It is a heartfelt book that I will recommend to anybody who will listen.
4.5/5
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