I thoroughly enjoyed this story of two unlikely people finding a healthy friendship with one another. Tom is a teenager, struggling along with his grades, living alone with his dad after his mom's passing when he was five. Maggie is a pensioner, living on her farm and taking just a few trips for socialization primarily to the library. One day, Tom takes a trip to the local library, hoping to run into the girl he has a crush on, and winds up looking at romance books, remembering his mom used to love reading those. There he runs into Maggie, and helps her when her purse is stolen.
The plot of the book is a bit slow, and the tone of the book is not as dramatic as the scenes might be. Tom's father is an alcoholic, so one of the main conflicts comes when his father reaches a new low. The friendship that develops between Maggie and Tom is gentle and comforting, yet life altering. I love how much time Osborne spends revealing the differences between their two lives, despite them both living in the same postal code. It speaks volumes to what a small change in circumstances can do for a person.
However, if you need something with more action, stronger character development, or anything with a bit of intensity, this may not be for you. There were plenty of times where the conflict ended prematurely, muting the drama of the story as a whole.

What a delightful read, this book was consumed very quickly as the characters flowed beautifully together. Tom and Maggie's relationship genuinely morphed into a family unit and you could see the that in the future this family would grow even larger. It was a time of reflection for both Tom and Maggie to look at their own lives and make them better for each other. Each had got stuck in their own different ruts and needed each other to pull them out. It was interesting to use inter generational characters as this gave the story a different angle. I liked being told what books had been chosen for the book club and also the books that Christine had chosen for Tom.

Such a wholesome and heartwarming novel.. Great writing and character development. A beautiful story about loneliness, friendship and the power of books (the way they can influence our lives). The library also becomes a central character full of life, stories and heart. it's a way for characters to connect with each other.
It was so nice to read a book so cosy. Read this book in front of the fireplace while drinking a hot cup of tea.

This had the potential to be really cute but it just could not keep my interest. It felt way too similar to The Reading List (which I loved), but it just didn't do it for me.

2.5 stars rounded down

Thanks Netgalley for the E-ARC!

I was really pleased to be invited to join the blog tour around the paperback release of Bella Osbourne’s new book. The Library is such an interesting book in that it presents two very different central characters who are both experiencing a similar sadness and isolation in their lives.

Tom is a teenager who lives with his Dad after the death of his mother. But his Dad really isn’t coping and they live on fish fingers and beans while his father downs a bottle of scotch a night.

Maggie is a pensioner living alone on her farm just outside the village. Her only real friends are the characters in her beloved books and her only regular human interaction is at the weekly book group held in the library.

Tom has fond memories of his mum taking him to the library when he was a small child and when he finds himself without his games console he needs something to pass the time but he also needs some help. There is a girl that he really likes and he has no idea how to interact with her. Time to read a few Rom Coms.

When the library is suddenly under threat of closure it will change the lives of all of these people. They all need to pull together to try and save it for their own selfish reasons.

Bella Osborne has created a really interesting take on what is a now familiar tale of public libraries closing. The friendship that develops between Maggie and Tom is an unusual relationship and as it becomes closer issues begin to arise that threaten the happiness that they experience together. The Library would be a great Book Club choice as there are some obvious discussion points here.

This was a lovely book, warm and engaging, the characters intriguing and endearing. They way it was written let the stories slowly unfold and deepen, as the characters grew to know each other better.

There were some funny bits, some achingly fond parts, and some difficult passages. Overall I found this a very uplifting, engaging book.

I liked the main characters immensely. It was good to see Tom--a lonely young man, dealing with so many challenging issues at home--come out of his shell and grow in so many ways over the course of this book.

Maggie is a vibrant character, her voice strong and bracing. It is easy to overlook the vulnerability and pain she's hiding beneath her exterior.

The intergenerational friendship is so good in this book. It is good for the two main characters but also for those around them, whose lives they touch.

Overall a very pleasant and moving read. Highly recommended,

4. 5 stars.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in return for an honest review.

This is the perfect book for book lovers! It is all about the importance and power of the library and the connections people can make through books.

I LOVED that Tom discovers his passion for reading through romantic literature and that it is books by Jojo Moyes and Jane Austen that help him develop a friendship with Farah, a girl from his school.

Of course, the highlight of the book was the beautiful and heartwarming friendship between Tom and Maggie. It was wonderful to see Tom come out of his shell and slowly stand up for himself and watch Maggie let people get close to her again.

The book also addresses some heavier topics like alcoholism and grief, but there is a great balance between the sad and joyful moments.

Thank you to Netgalley and Aria Fiction for a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

Oh wow, this turned out to be one of those books that I really fell in love with. I was genuinely gutted when I finished it as I just didn’t want it to end! The most unlikely of friendships between characters and such a heartwarming story, it really had me hooked. I was recovering from an illness when I read this and it genuinely cheered me up so thank you. Highly recommend!

Tom has a crush on a girl and has no idea how to talk to her, so he checks out romance books at his local library. Maggie is an older lady who spends her free time at the library as a way to shed her loneliness. One evening, Maggie is robbed and Tom comes to her aid. An unexpected friendship forms between the two lonely souls as they find comfort, spending time together.

When their beloved library is threatened with closure, they band together. While trying to save the library, they just may save each other in the process.

“Friends are the ones you connect with and who last a lifetime.”

At the core, this warm and cozy novel celebrates deep and lasting friendship, transforming the characters’ lives for the better. The sweetness of this book, along with Tom and Maggie, will stick with you for a long time.

I love books like this and I am so glad I read it.

The story of two very different people working together to save the library but also end up helping each other. I love the age difference and the difference in their lives.

The topics cover so many things and the problems in families and life as well is in the library. It is a story of grief, loss, relationships and more. It has the hard stuff but also some feel-good stuff as well.

This book grab my interest and kept me reading until the end and I like that in a book. It is a book for everyone and a book I could easily read again.

This was such a sweet book to read.I love the characters and was so sad when I finished. Thank you netgalley for letting me to read an advanced copy!

What a delightful book. Tom and Maggie are just wonderful, and the 'found family' trope was just perfect.

I read it in one go and couldn't put it down! It was just so amazing!

Thanks to Netgalley, Bella Osborne and the publisher for a copy of the book in return for an honest review.

A lovely contemporary read about community, friendship and what really matters.
A local library’s threatened closure is something not much of the Midlands town of Compton Mallow is bothered about, but for 70 year old Maggie her social life is set to be over. As a long standing member of book club, she looks forward to Saturday mornings for a chance to escape her solitude and discuss the latest reads.

16 year old Tom has also found solace amongst the shelves, due to not having many friends and looking to escape from spending too much time in his difficult hole life, and the unlikely pairing bond over books, animals, and lemon drizzle cake.

Expect rowdy sheep, helpful teenagers, martial arts loving grans and plenty of tea and cake!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me access an advance copy of this book in exchange for my feedback.

"This village library has always had a place in my heart. Books are such an underrated essential. Every book is a key that unlocks another world, leads us down the path of a different life and offers the chance to explore an unexpected adventure. Every one is a gift of either knowledge, entertainment, or pure escapism and goodness knows we all need that from time to time."(Osborne, 2022).

Meet Tom and Maggie. Tom is a typical teen growing up in a small British community and he is invisible. “Not actually invisible—that would make me interesting and I’m not” (Osborne, 2022). He has dreams of attending university, however, his father has dreams of Tom working with him at the dog food factory. Tom’s family life is a bit of a mess—his mother passed away when he was young and his dad is depressed and uses alcohol to numb the pain. On a whim, Tom decides to go to the library to try and meet the girl he likes and ends up leaving with a stack of romance novels. Maggie, a 72 year old farmer and former flower child, is attending book club when Tom shows up at the library. When she leaves the library, she gets mugged and Tom comes to her rescue. A tentative friendship grows and soon, Tom and Maggie are inseparable. Both Tom and Maggie find solace within the library’s walls; yet, that comfort is fleeting as the council is threatening to close the library. Maggie rallies the community together to fight for the library and Tom finds his voice.

This beautiful and heartwarming novel was perfect. It was the right balance of heart and grit. Osborne tackles issues such a death of a parent, adoption, alcoholism, and bullying (mugging and minor violence at school). She also weaves the theme of friendship and family throughout the entire novel, pointing to the conclusion that your friends and family can be of your own choosing. The novel alternates chapters from Tom and Maggie’s point of views. Each chapter is clearly labeled, and Osborne nails Tom’s teen voice—he’s emotional and overreacts as a typical teen. Maggie is simply delightful and full of surprises. Osborne describes the beautiful country setting in such a way that I felt transported to the UK. Not only do Tom and Maggie fight for their local library (and rally the town in support), but they also fight for the broken relationships in their lives and their personal goals.

Thank you to NetGalley and Aria & Aries for providing me with an ARC. I will be on the lookout for more of Osborne’s work!

To be honest, I haven't finished reading this book yet. I just wanted to add a review quickly before the due date.
I enjoyed reading this one so far. Tom, the boy in the book just reminds me of another shy boy I meet in our library nearly everyday.

This was a sweet story about a young man and an older women who grow an incredible friendship and work together to save their town library. The characters are amazing and what makes the book a fun read is their relationship.

I requested this and was promptly approved. However, at the time no archive date was set and as the book isn't published until April 2022, I thought I had time to download it when I got my new Kindle for Christmas. Unfortunately, I then found it was already archived after all. I have contacted the publisher about this - hopefully they can still send me a copy. If not, I will see how I can get a hold of the book after it releases and complete my review here - I take pride in reviewing every book I am approved for and don't want to miss with that (potential) 100% quota on here. :)

I do love the cover and the synopsis, I actually have no doubt this will be an enjoyable read.

If you love books and friendships then this is a book for you. It’s like a warm hug but in book form.

What a lovely and uplifting read! A lonely boy with an alcoholic father, and a lonely retired woman with a past of her own get together to save the local library, as well as each other. It is the perfect read to give us hope, and to believe in others, and not to be too hard on ourselves.

I liked both main characters as well as the other characters. They all have their own wisdom to give to the story and to the reader, in their own narrow-minded ways of thinking. It is hard to live up to others' expectations, not to mention one's own. I have always believed that it's important to have people of different age, race, and gender as friends, because everyone has something different to give. When an odd group of people get together for a greater good, great things can happen.

I especially enjoyed reading about the relationship, friendship, "grandmother-grandson-ship" in the book. It shows the reader that sometimes you must be willing to let another person into your life, it can save many lives. Are we willing to do it though, and what do we expect from the other person? We have to accept ourselves first and realize others make mistakes as well.

When I saw that Bella Osborne had a new book out I just new that I had to read it! I am glad I did! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and read it in one sitting. Stories that take place in libraries or bookstores just have a special place in my heart and this book was added that list. I will for sure recommend, "The Library" and any other book Bell Osborne writes as well.