Thank you Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Christine Nolfi delivered with The Secret Library of Hanna Reeves. When Claire is tasked with cataloging the treasures at Hanna Reeves estate, there are secrets and other fun things hidden away. I found the relationship between Hanna and Claire to be amazing and thought that the book was well written. If I could give 3.5 stars I would just didn't love it enough to reach the 4.

Really good book that i will recommend to others.

Thanks for the opportunity to read & review it.

I loved being immersed in this beautiful story of discovery. It felt like a grown up version of The Secret Garden only with a secret library hidden away in a historic mansion, instead of a garden. Add in found family, a bit of romance, and a young woman who, while digging into the secrets of other people's past -- discovers new truths about herself. A little bird tell me the author is planning a sequel - can't wait!

Characters felt very flat. There was a huge cast of secondary characters that by the end we felt expected to adore and love but their characterization hadn't been established at all. The introduction of lore and plot points felt really late at times.

This was a very well-constructed novel, with interesting characters who I rooted for from the e very beginning. The dual timeline added depth and fascinating insights into the life of Hanna Reeves, and she was by far my favorite character. The flashback to the death of her mother made me gasp!

This was a thoughtful and very humbling read. I loved the storyline and how our main characters evolved. My only complaint would be that I felt it was a little too slow before the plot started to pick up. But then again, this book is supposed to be read slowly and give you a thoughtful experience. I don’t read a lot of books like this, but this one I will absolutely recommend to my mother and a few of my friends. This book is a very good weekend read when you want to challenge your own perspective. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this arc.

This is a heartwarming story about Claire and her building friendship with Hanna. Hanna was the elderly matron of an estate filled with antiques, which Hanna wanted to be sold. Claire worked at the antique store which was selected to catalog and sell the antiques. Hanna requested Claire live at the estate to organize and cytology the antiques. This led to twists and turns and a story of a heartwarming friendship.

Interesting book, not quite what I expected but still good overall. You care about the characters by the end and want to know more. There were questions left unanswered so it almost feels like it could be a series. (Just saw the author's note about writing a sequel, which I will definitely read.) I received this as an ARC from Lake Union Publishing via Netgalley.

Christine Nolfi has a style of writing that brings you into her story and before you know it you have finished the book! This happened to me with “The Secret Library of Hanna Reeves.”

Clare Shelton, antiques dealer at a Maine antique store, is tasked with cataloging the many antique treasures of Hanna Reeves that are in her estate home, Rose Hill. Hanna’s request is that Clare live on the estate in the carriage house while she performs her job. Unfortunately, Clare is not happy about that arrangement, but she accepts it and starts organizing the antiques in the attic. She is curious however since hearing about a secret library located somewhere in the heart of the estate. Clare is an avid reader and after a great deal of twists and turns and getting entangled in situations she finds not only the secret library but also secret treasures from long ago.

It is a beautiful story and one I hope gets a chance at a second book, as there is so much more to Clare and Hanna that I for one want to learn about!

A wonderfully delightful tale of a formidable philanthropist, Hanna and Claire a young, auctioneer in training. This book is full of family history and heartbreak, each story meticulously told. As a genealogist myself, this book is a dream. The character development is amazing, but I wish we got more of Hanna and Claire’s relationship on good terms.
While it seems on the surface this book is just about antique's and an old woman wanting to sell them to fix her roof, Christine Nolfi deepens the story magnificently by revealing the secrets of Hanna Reeves and her love for orphans.
Thank you to netgalley for this wonderful ARC.

Who doesn't dream of having their own library, especially if it's a secret one. Rare, pristine first edition books aren't the only secret in this secret library, though, and some secrets have the ability to change the course of people's lives.

The story follows Claire Shelton, an antiques appraiser who is tasked with the huge job of cataloguing all of the items contained within Rose Hill, the estate of Hanna Reeves. From the start, Claire has a tumultuous relationship with Hanna and her staff due to Claire's stubborn nature, Hanna's standoffish nature, and the loyalty of the staff to Hanna. As time passes and everyone gets more used to each other, walls start to come down and friendships quickly blossom. And as it turns out, people aren't as different as they first seem.

For me, the book started off quite slow. I think I was about 35-40% of the way through before the secret library was really mentioned beyond mere whispers of a secret gift. However, I'm glad I persevered with the book because the story and character development that follow the long setup are definitely worth it.

This doesn't feel like a complete story, and from the comments the author has made on some reviews, that definitely seems to be the case. I will definitely keep an eye out for a sequel so I can find out how everything plays out for Claire, Hanna Rose Hill, and all of its staff.

Overall, I'd recommend this book if you're interested in stories that revolve around family ties and finding your place in the world.

I would like to thank NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to review this book!

Claire is a young 26 year old in the antique business, the owners of a bookstore is hired to praise all of Hanna reeves valuable items in her home. Claire finds out that Hannah Reeves, has a secret library that her dad built for her in their family home. The story goes on to travel back to Hannah’s childhood talking about her mother. and adult hood telling of her first love and how and why Hannah never married. Claire learns so much about herself through the journey of discovering the hidden library. This story was vrery heart felt and one that I believe will stick with me for a long time. I would suggest this book to avid book

A wonderful historical mystery, mainly set in the 70’s with flashbacks to earlier times in the lives of the characters. There’s the mystery surrounding the library, deep friendships between both Claire the main character and those she loves, as well as the close relationships Hanna Reeves herself nurtures throughout the years. The heart of this book are those relationships, it’s filed with love and compassion. Highly recommend.

What a beautiful book! I loved this from the first page. Spanning many decades, with vibrant characters and an intriguing plotline, this novel was enthralling. I highly recommend this for fans of historical fiction and family sagas.

I'll be honest - I don't read a lot of historical fiction. I tend not to care for it as much as I do contemporary fiction, but I've enjoyed every single book Christine Nolfi has ever written and so I took the plunge with The Secret Library of Hanna Reeves. I'm really glad I did!

There were very many themes explored in this book and I enjoyed them all. I loved how Claire made friends and was eventually accepted even when she made some rather impulsive moves. The slow unfolding of the relationships between Claire, Hanna, Faye, and Tamron were what kept me turning pages and wanting to know more.

It was obvious that the author did a lot of research into the various different time in history that were part of this book and I really appreciated that very much.

This review sounds a little all over the place, but that's because I really enjoyed this book so much, but it's one of those that I can't spell out as to what pulled me in and kept me turning pages faster and faster even as it got later and later past my bedtime. Trust me, you'll enjoy this. Ignore this oddly written review and taken my word for it. Pick up The Secret Library of Hanna Reeves - you'll be so happy you did.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for an ARC at my request. My thoughts, as always, are my own and happily shared because I loved this book and wish I could read it all over again for the first time.

This is a tale of historical fiction and the rest a mysterious hunt
along side the journey to find answers from different generations.
I enjoyed the slow and interesting journey in. developing the
relationship of Clare and Hanna. This is a book you just almost
become a part of from the beginning through to the last
chapter. I look forward, and really hope for, another adventure
with these characters.
My thanks to Lake Union Publishing via NetGalley for
the download copy of this book for review purposes.

I enjoyed this story of an antiques dealer and an enigmatic heiress who embark on a revelatory friendship. It is a well written story about family ties, secrets, and belonging.

Set in the early 19070s, the story follows independent 26 year old Claire Shelton, an employee antiques dealer in the town of Maine. Claire is requested to catalogue a number antiques held in the attic of elderly and reclusive heiress, Hanna Reeves, a job that requires her to temporarily live on Hanna’s estate, Rose Hill. As Claire commences the task, she learns from a local town gossip of a rumoured Secret Library on Hanna’s estate, filled full of valuable first edition books. A great lover of books herself, Claire’s natural curiosity leads her to search out this library, when she is not cataloguing in the attic.

The book is written from different POVs and spans generational time periods, cleverly woven together to ultimately tell a story of discovery (incl. self), history, family / community, and lost love. The overall sentiment of the book is well balanced, with a number of humorous exchanges between Claire and Rose Hill’s maids, keeping the read relatively light-hearted, despite some of the more serious themes running throughout. The character development of Hanna was excellent, although Claire is written with less depth, lessening the reader connection. It was interesting however to see the friendship between the pair develop as the story unfolds.

My biggest disappointment was the ending, which was overly abrupt, and left elements of the story unfinished e.g. the antiques sale / outlook for Rose Hill and Claire and Nate’s romance. An Epilogue would have been an ideal.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing / NetGalley for the ARC.

#TheSecretLibraryofHannaReeves #NetGalley

This was a really interesting read. We learn more about these characters as the book goes on. I liked the stories we get throughout and we learn more about the library and Hanna and her collection.
I felt felt Claire really developed as a character as she hears more from Hanna and the history of everything in her estate.
A really interesting read that book clubs will enjoy as there is much to discuss.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.

*The Secret Library of Hanna Reeves* by Christine Nolfi is a novel about family secrets, personal discovery, and unexpected friendships. The story follows Claire Shelton, an antiques dealer in Maine, who is invited to catalog the collection of the reclusive Hanna Reeves. Hanna, the last descendant of a family of shipbuilders and industrialists, has been living in isolation for years at her grand estate, Rose Hill.

As Claire begins her work, she stumbles upon a hidden library that is legendary among locals. Within it, she finds old leather-bound journals filled with family secrets that have the power to mend relationships or break them apart forever. The revelations inside the journals spark conversations across the community, leading to deep connections and surprising truths.

The novel explores themes of legacy, belonging, and how the past can shape the present. It’s described as both haunting and hopeful, with an emphasis on the bond that forms between Claire and Hanna despite their differences.