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Madeline Martin’s The Booklover’s Library drops us into Nottingham during WWII, where widow Emma Taylor faces an impossible choice: risk keeping her daughter Olivia in a bombing zone or send her off to live with strangers in the countryside.
With little hope and even fewer job options—married and widowed women were barred from most work—Emma persuades Boots’ lending library to hire her. There she finds unlikely friendships, quirky patrons, and a reminder that books can keep people afloat when the world is sinking.
What caught me most wasn’t the “library angle” (frankly, I’m getting a little worn out on book-about-books stories), but the history tucked inside. I had never heard of the SS City of Benares, a British ship carrying ninety evacuee children bound for Canada. In September 1940, it was torpedoed by a German submarine—over 250 people died, including seventy-seven children. The tragedy ended the overseas evacuation program and hangs heavy over Emma’s own fears for Olivia.
The novel lingers a bit too long on daily routines, and I found myself wishing for more action as the Blitz pressed in. Still, the emotional core—community, courage, and a mother’s love—makes this a rewarding wartime read.
** Thanks to NetGalley and Hanover Square Press for a comp. Opinions are my own.