Book Review: Elodie's Library of Second Chances

On a rainy day, I was looking around newly upcoming titles. The cover of ‘Elodie’s Library of Second Chances’ grabbed my attention. I’m always a sucker for Irish-style cottages. Then I was intrigued by the title, which had a favorite vocabulary term - library! The cute bike with the book stack also tugged at me. I wasn’t familiar with Rebecca Raisin, but the cover and synopsis sure pulled me in.

Synopsis:

An uplifting story about fresh starts, new beginnings and the power of stories, from the bestselling author of Rosie’s Travelling Tea Shop!
When Elodie applies for the job of librarian in peaceful Willow Grove, she’s looking forward to a new start. As the daughter of a media empire, her every move has been watched for years, and she longs to work with the thing she loves most: books.

It’s a chance to make a real difference too, because she soon realises that there are other people in Willow Grove who might need a fresh start – like the homeless man everyone walks past without seeing, or the divorcée who can’t seem to escape her former husband’s misdeeds.

Together with local journalist Finn, Elodie decides these people have stories that need sharing. What if instead of borrowing books readers could ‘borrow’ a person, and hear the life stories of those they’ve overlooked?

But Elodie isn’t quite sharing her whole story either. As the story of the library’s new success grows, will her own secret be revealed?

Review:

This book was inspiring, heartwarming and adorable! I loved the ambiance of the small town library. While I was reading it, I kept wishing that the library was a real place. I would join Willow Grove Library in a heartbeat! The whole idea of ‘People Library’ was adorable but also conveyed an important message… never judge by the cover. How many people do you see on a daily basis that you feel like you know? When in fact, you might not because you never had a deep conversation with them about their experiences/stories? I truly enjoyed the characters too, especially Alfie. I was very sad when this book ended because I wanted to know more about this community and the people. Wonderful read about second chances and friendships!

Elodie’s Library of Second Chances will be released on August 4th.

Thank you to HQ (HarperCollins UK) and Net Galley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.