A heart-warming tale and a wartime novel do not seem to go together, but in ‘The Booklover’s Library’ by Madeline Martin, they blend perfectly.
This novel is the story of Emma, a widow and single mother, as she struggles to survive with her 10-year-old daughter, Olivia, in the lead-up to World War II in England. The social ‘rules’ of the time dictate that as a single mother, Emma will struggle to find any job, let alone a good job, to support both her and her daughter.
In the right place at the right time, Emma is given an opportunity to work in a lending library called the Booklover’s Library, with her single mother status hidden.
In England, the early days of WWII were dubbed ‘the phoney war,’ but as the threat of German bombing on English shores becomes a reality, the Government organises for children to be evacuated to the country, including Olivia.
The power of books to distract, comfort and heal is part of the day-to-day life during the continued bombing of London and seeking shelter as another air raid siren rings out.
While there is loss and heartbreak, children are reunited with their families, and there is hope for the future.
This book was very much a ‘heart-warming wartime tale.’
Find The Booklover’s Library by Madeline Martin
Lauren B
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