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 at the local flea market. 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. ~goodreads
Review: I've been a huge fan of this author for a long time (going back to her small pub/Tamara Morgan years) but this series has really struck a chord with me. Pure comfort reading! I'm so sad when I get to the end.
Although not officially a named series, they (2 books so far, another on the way in 26') are loosely called the "book club books" and center on a grumpy old man, a young girl at a crossroads, found family and a touch of romance, all connected through literature in some way.
I adored The Lonely Hearts Book Club and looked forward to the this one but was a little apprehensive because it sounded so similar to Lonely Hearts. While the bones of the story are similar (there's even a literary shoutout to Lonely Hearts curmudgeonly hero Arthur McLachlan) The Library of Borrowed Hearts stands entirely on it's own.
Librarian Chloe Sampson is barely holding things down after abandoning her own dreams to raise her 3 siblings after their mother left them. Her sister is angry, one brother likes to blow things up with his science experiments, and the youngest, Noodle, worries her with his sweet but unique personality that keeps him a target of bullies. Then there's her crotchety old neighbor, Jasper, who yells at the kids and keeps any toys that may land in his yard. Which happens often with Noodle when he plays outside with the dog.
At work, Chloe is charged with clearing out the old books at her job which leads her to find a rare edition of Tropic of Cancer. Finding the book is an unexpected potential windfall if she can sell it at a good price.
Chloe finds writing in the margins of the book. The notes, from the 60's, are between two star-crossed lovers. She's so intrigued by the back and forth between the pair and invested in their ending that she follows the clues to the next books in something of a book-ish scavenger hunt to solve the mystery of who the couple was and how it all ended.
Then Jasper shows a surprising interest in the book - even offering her a blank check in exchange for it, setting in motion a possible (grudging) friendship, new love and the healing of old wounds.
The story follows dual timelines and POV's - the couple from the 60's throughout their tumultuous affair and the present day where Chloe's struggle to let people into her life and see a future of new possibilities and happiness.
As always Gilmore weaves together an eclectic cast of characters. I felt this book was a bit darker than The Lonely Hearts Book Club, in some ways. With Chloe's mothers abandonment - how it hurt each of the kids in different ways and how they reached closure with that. The 60's timeline romance where certain things just weren't accepted - choices were made - resulting in painful consequences that reverberated for decades.
Ultimately though, the found family, connections, forgiveness and healing through books makes this one another heartwarming, must read by Gilmore. I highly recommend the audiobook Leanne Woodward, Aven Shore, Joe Jameson, Bob Ball.
These books get the rare 5 star rating. It's not that they are perfect but that they leave me with such happy feelings and I could stay in that world, with these people long after the story ends.
