The Booklover’s Library

 Have you ever read a book that had you in tears by the end of the first chapter? I knew I'd happened upon a good one at that point. 

I'm still in my all-about-books phase, and I came across this book at my now-favorite bookstore, Venture No. 19 in Stephenville. I was immediately captivated by the title, The Booklover’s Library, by Madeline Martin.

The story takes place in 1939 England in the city of Nottingham (as in the sheriff of Nottingham). The Germans had already marched into Poland, and England had just entered the war. 

The protagonist, Emma, is a widow with a young daughter, struggling to make ends meet. Although this is against protocol because she is a widow with a child, she is hired to work at The Booklover’s Lending Library. 

Unlike the public libraries we are all familiar with, this was a subscription library with a concierge service for two customer levels. 

The novel tells the story of Emma having to make the heart-wrenching decision to send her eight-year-old daughter to the country away from the bombing in their town. 

The novel includes love, friendship, tragedy, and the rights of women during this time in history. 

Martin writes a beautiful story and is definitely a wordsmith. I enjoyed her writing so much that I've asked for another one of her books for Mother’s Day. 

If you are looking for an enjoyable read, I highly recommend this one!