Martha struggles to relate to people so makes up for it by helping them. She has a dining room full of things that she is doing for others – Nora’s washing as her machine is broken, Horatio’s goldfish and plants she is caring for, her nephew’s trousers she is hemming and even a dragon’s head for the local school. She doesn’t think she warrants friendship unless she is helping someone.One day a rather battered book comes into her possession. It is dedicated to her by her Grandmother. How wonderful – but why is the dedication dated three years after her Grandmother died?

Martha is a truly lovely person. She has been put down and used all her life. Firstly by her domineering Father who belittled and controlled Martha and her Mother. Now it is by her sister Lillian, the manager of the library where she volunteers and many of the people around her. Martha doesn’t know her own worth and is overly helpful in an attempt to be liked, wanted and needed. However we discover that there is far more to Martha as the book progresses.

The other characters in the book are very much people that we see in everyday life. Clive the library manager is a bully, as is Lillian. Everything is twisted so it seems that Martha is at fault. Suki, the library assistant is fun & a good friend to Martha though it takes her a while to realise it. There are users who treat Martha as a doormat & people who truly care.

I really enjoyed this book. Martha is discovering lots of things in her past & also about who she is. There are moments of sadness, moments I wanted to tell Martha to stand up for herself and moments of humour.

I have deliberately said little about the actual story – it is best discovered alongside Martha. However no reader will be surprised to know that there is a happy ending!

I really enjoyed this book. It flowed well and was easy to read. The characters are great & easy to relate to.

I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley.

Gorgeous book with a lovely story. The bitter sweet story of Martha and her blossoming reminded me a bit of Eleanor Oliphant. Thoroughly enjoyed, thank you.

A charming and enjoyable read with lovely characterisation.
A heartwarming tale of breaking free from your past and creating a new future.I thoroughly enjoyed this simple but engaging story and would certainly read more by the author.

Martha Storm is a Librarian at the local library in the nearby seaside town. Single and middle aged. She is a person that likes to help others before she helps herself. Her home is filled with things she means to do for other people but, hasn’t got around to finish. As a child Martha enjoyed writing fairy tales with her Grandmother Zelda. But tragedy struck when her grandmother died.
Years later, one day she happens to come across a book which, supposedly be written by her Grandmother but, the publication date 1982, which is three years after her death. So, Martha realises that she may be still alive. She goes onto a mission to find her. When she does meet her, she rekindles the bond they have between them and discovers some family secrets along the way.
This is a heart-warming story of not just loss but, rediscovering one’s self and the place they have in the world. I liked the characters in the story, each slightly wacky. I liked Martha when she found out about her family secrets and the way was she changed herself for the better. If you like feel good stories but with a twist, this is the one for you.

Have loved the curious charms of Arthur Pepper I had to pick this book up and it didn’t disappoint. A beautiful easy read. Look forward to next book

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I could not wait to start this book as I love going to the library. This was a really nice easy read and I so desparately wished happiness for Martha. A good feel good read.

This book was not at all what I expected but was still a good read. It was about complex family issues and the main character finding herself and breaking out from the shadows. I was hoping for something more magical but the story line did hold you and I needed to keep reading. It is a gripping book that lots of people will love as it is a story of our times. Thank You

This charming family drama is complete with a serendipitous mystery and a humble, considerate, super-organised librarian who has been assigned to one of the loneliest, darkest shelves in this world – the one where everyone presumes that being unmarried and childless makes Martha Storm completely lifeless by default, and therefore she should be delighted to fill her surplus, lonely hours doing thankless tasks for them.

While most people are preoccupied with being incredibly selfish, Martha obediently indulges their requests. As a result she has little time to keep on top of her own domestic issues or even take time out for herself, like following the trail of an enigmatic book of fables that will make events in her life feel more like fiction by the end of it.

Most of the characters were fleshed out, particularly nana Zelda with her love of turquoise and huge talent for being a spontaneous orator of tall tales. Above all there was a lot of book love (always a bonus!), pleasant storytelling sessions (even better!!), and many fond memories that simply must be revisited before being erased and re-written with a version that is much closer to the truth.

Although it does have many merits, its potential thought-provoking issues lacked a strong enough punch to satisfy my own personal reading tastes. Still, I enjoyed the time I spent watching Martha regain her lost confidence and discovering more about herself and the imaginative stories that occupied her as a child.

The title is very deceptive. Was expecting a story about a magical and whimsical library. It even hints at it during the first few paragraphs: If anyone asked about her job she had an explanation read. 'I'm a guardian of books,'

Alas, to my disappoint, it quickly diverged down another path and became a story of destructive family secrets and self discovery: a timid and submissive house-mouse learns to emotionally distance herself from her selfish, passive aggressive family, friends, acquaintances and colleagues and spread her wings. "Something her father used to say, when she was younger, popped into her head. "Watch your cake potions, Martha. You'll always be beautiful to me, but you're the type to put on weight easily."

[I had so much cake rage after reading that line]

Although the rest of the story was a wee bit predictable, it was a nice reminder about how life would be exceedingly dull if we didn't have free-spirits who gatecrashed into our lives and brought their own brand of sunshine and sparkle. The stories within the story were also a delight.

Recommeded for: holiday beach read.

A beautiful story. I wasn't sure what to expect from this book when I started reading it. I felt that it wasn't really my cup of tea, but as the story progressed, I couldn't put it down. It is a heart warming story of Martha, an emerging butterfly, breaking free of the past and her self-imposed duties. I loved the characters and the light, easy to read plot. There were quite a few plot twists along the way, many of them cliches, but that didn't detract from the beauty of the story. Highly recommended.