Reviews

Die Buchhandlung in der Baker Street by Sarah Jio

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minahilg's review against another edition

5.0

How do I even begin explaining this book? It was so bittersweet and I loved everything about it. I loved reading both Valentina’s and Eloise’s (Valentina’s mom) POVs. I never expected to shed tears while reading this book but maybe I am sentimental and I did. Not just once, but twice. I did not see this book go in the direction it went but damn, that was heartbreaking to read. Bittersweet to the end.

moco71's review against another edition

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3.0

Sad but sweet story about a mother and daughter, their individual journeys, and how they connect.

kdrhoton's review against another edition

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4.0

With Love from London was a way more enjoyable read than I was expecting. My relationship with contemporary romances tends to be way more misses than hits, but this thankfully fell in the hit column. The first thing that drew me to this book was the setting: a small bookshop in a quaint London town. The author didn't disappoint in bringing this setting to life. A lot of love and detail was put into creating a comforting setting and I think the author succeeded.

The characters were also really loveable. There were a few side characters that fell into cliche tropes, but the main characters were interesting and loveable and you couldn't help but hope for the best for them. The heartbreak they endured also felt really authentic so even when their actions were frustrating, you at least understood where they were coming from.

My biggest complaints about this book are that the ending was a bit to "wrapped in a bow" perfect (but that wasn't surprising giving the genre) and the fact that there were a number of moments where continuity got wonky. Like on one page it was nighttime but on the next page it was daytime despite the fact that no time had passed? I think these are just editing errors that may be ironed out before publication.

Even if you're not a contemporary/romance fan (like me), I would still recommend this book if you're looking for an engaging, entertaining story that will transport you to a lovely setting and hit you in the gut a little more than you may be expecting.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC.

vlreid's review against another edition

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5.0

With Love from London included many of my favorite things in a book: a librarian, a charming bookshop, the story set in London, and mother/daughter relationships. I love how the alternating chapters slowly unfold the individual stories of Eloise (the mother) and Valentina (the daughter). We gradually understand the events and rationale behind the choices that Eloise made. Even though Primrose Hill is a section of London, it has a delightful small-town, neighborhood feel to it. The book evokes a wide range of emotions, and is beautifully written. This is my first book by Sarah Jio, but you can be sure that I will be reading many more!!

I received an ARC from NetGalley -- thank you so much!!

Read more of my reviews at https://thegoodreader13.blogspot.com/.

bookwormmelissa's review against another edition

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4.0

Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for the opportunity to read and review this book prior to publication.

I picked this up as a bit of an escape from the heavier books I am reading at the moment, and I was immediately sucked in. Valentina is a librarian in the US and she inherits her estranged mother's bookshop (and the two flats above it) in London upon her mother's passing. Recovering from her own failed marriage, she sees it as an opportunity to escape and to try to understand why her mother left so long ago. This is a dual timeline story with alternating chapters from her mother's POV. Valentina follows the scavenger hunt her mother prepared, which takes her to meet many in the neighborhood and get to know important people in her mother's life. This book is a book-lover's dream, with so many references to the power of books, favorite books, the importance of a bookstore in a community, etc. But it is also heartbreaking as Jio explores Eloise's and Valentina's grief. I had a couple little issues with things in the text, but overall this was a huggable book! 4.5 stars.