About the Book:
Title: The Little Library on Cherry Lane
Author: Katie ginger
Page Length:
Publication Date: March 11, 2022
Publisher: HQ Digital
Synopsis: Elsie Martin may lead a quiet life, but working in her beloved local library is enough to make her happy. After all, books have always been her armour against the world. So when the library is threatened with closure to make way for a new housing development, Elsie knows it has to be saved – and that, despite being painfully shy, she needs to lead the campaign to save it.
Jacob Yardley thinks he’s doing the right thing by building a new affordable housing development. Why shouldn’t local people be able to buy a house in the place they grew up? Having to leave his own small hometown broke his heart. Plus, people don’t really use libraries anymore, do they?
As Elsie and Jacob clash over the future of the library, sparks begin to fly. Jacob is falling back in love with books and libraries – could he possibly be falling for her too? And will Elsie be able to save the library that means so much to her?
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My Review:
The Little Library on Cherry Lane is a love story to libraries and speaks to my book-loving heart. Elsie is so devoted to her beloved library and fierce in her determination to save it. The story shows how important libraries are to the community, offering not just accessible reading material but also places to learn, connect with others, build a sense of community, and more. It is a gathering place for this small town and is so much more than what many see. I spent many hours in my local library as a child and have so many wonderful memories of my time there. This story captures those feelings well.
Elsie is such a richly developed protagonist, and she had such a great character arc. A quiet and shy woman, Elsie does not enjoy the spotlight. However, she proves she’ll do anything to protect the things and people she loves. She learns a lot about herself, her community, and her hopes for the future over the course of the book, and her passion for books and libraries is contagious. It inspired me to look up poets and poems mentioned in the story, and I read two poetry books after I finished this book.
Jacob is also dynamically developed, and he isn’t the terrible person Elsie originally believes him to be. Throughout the story you see his struggle to find himself, to live up to his demanding and unforgiving father’s relentless expectations, and to prove himself. I so wanted him to stand up to his dad and tell him how he really felt about the job. Jacob is a good man with a good heart, and his growing connection to Elsie is fantastic.
The slow-building enemies-to-lovers romance between Elsie and Jacob is a great part of the story. I always love and enemies-to-lovers, will they or won’t they relationship, and Jacob and Elsie have it in spades. There is also a bit of a love triangle. I think Elsie learns a lot about herself as she spends time with each of these men, and it’s interesting to see how she deals with her changing feelings. Of course, there is one romantic partner that Elsie can’t stop thinking about, and their chemistry is fantastic. I couldn’t wait to see if these enemies would work out their differences and find compromise.
The secondary characters in the book are fabulous as well, especially the people who frequent Elsie’s library. It’s like a little found family, and they have such a wonderful connection. I also loved Elsie’s best friends and next-door neighbors. They are so loyal and supportive, even when they don’t completely agree with Elsie. You can tell they all really care for each other and want the best for each other.
This is a charming, small-town contemporary romance with great messages about fighting for what you believe in, taking ownership of your life, and embracing love and community. It also sheds light on more serious issues like the loneliness of motherhood, grief, the harmful effects of governmental cuts, economic hardships, and more, which adds so much depth to an already layered and rich story. I’m so thankful to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
Rating:
Favorite Parts:
- The tribute to libraries and reading.
- The romance!
- The found family.
Recommendations:
I would recommend this to readers who enjoy heart-warming, small-town, enemies-to-lovers contemporary romance.
Ooh, this has such a vibrant and adorable cover and it’s definitely catching my eye 😍 I love books about books (especially librarians/book stores) and I find that they almost always have this great found family vibe to them. Great review, Julie!
Thanks, Dini! It was a good one – great characters and small town charm, and the love of books and libraries was fantastic!