Reviews

With Love from London by Sarah Jio

erins11's review

emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

aziazebryna's review

3.0

The book was just okay! It was definitely a cute, and heart warming story but nothing to write home about.

coveredbychristine's review

3.0

Definitely a 3.5 ⭐️ The story was sweet with all the ingredients of a tragic romance.

juliamikhno's review

5.0

5

erinbrook's review against another edition

4.0

I'm soooo glad I picked this up. There was so much about it that angered me (I can't discuss without spoiling) but when I immersed myself in the book and read it for what it is--a story--I absolutely fell in love. Now please give me a sequel because I LOVE these people!

theavidreaderandbibliophile's review

4.0

After being dumped by her husband of twelve years, Valentina learns that her mother has passed. Valentina has not seen nor heard from her mother since she was twelve years old. Valentina is told that she has inherited a building in the Primrose Hill neighborhood of London, England that contains two apartments and a bookshop. As a librarian, Valentina finds the idea of owning a bookshop appealing. Books have always helped her through the rough moments of her life. Valentine arrives at the Book Garden and meets Millie, her mother’s best friends and Liza, a tenant. When Valentina finds her favorite book in the shop, she opens it to find an envelope with her name on it. Her mother has left her one last scavenger hunt. Valentina hopes this will allow her to learn more about her mother and why she left all those years ago without a word. Valentina receives word for the solicitors that the death taxes are higher than expected. If she wants to keep the Book Garden, Valentina along with Millie and Liza must find a way to raise the funds. Can Valentina save the bookshop, and will she learn what she needs to know about her elusive mother? With Love from London by Sarah Jio is a dual timeline novel. We get Valentina’s story which is set in 2013 and Eloise’s story that begins in 1968. I normally have a hard time with novels that have multiple timelines, but Sarah Jio made it flow beautifully. I was able to go from one section to the other without difficulty. I thought With Love from London was well-written with realistic characters. I enjoyed the vivid descriptions of London’s Primrose Hill neighborhood. I loved how Valentina and other characters just loved books. It is always wonderful when you meet a fellow reader and booklover. My favorite quote is, “There’s absolutely nothing wrong with having too many books.” Another delightful quote is “…a favorite book is like an old friend, waiting for you with open arms.” With Love from London is a poignant novel. There are a couple of scenes where you will want to ensure that you have a tissue handy. The romances were touching, and one was amusing. I enjoyed the humor sprinkled throughout the story. There was, though, some predictability to the tale. There were a couple of items that I figured out early on and then waited to see if my guesses would come to fruition. The ending left me with a smile on my face. I look forward to reading each new Sarah Jio novel and she did not disappoint with this one. If you love romance, books, and people who love books, then With Love from London is the right novel for you.

snbarnett's review against another edition

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

tony21's review

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

pam2375's review

5.0

WOW, what can I say about this wonderful book? Let me start by saying that I love Sarah Jio books and it has been a while since I've read one by her. When I sat down with this one, it simply felt like I was sitting down with an old friend. So if you have a few hours to spend with an old friend, preorder this one today.

This is a story of love, friendship, books, heart break, books, mystery, lost love, books, and everything in between. I whole heartedly recommend this to just about anyone.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books for this advanced readers copy. This book is scheduled for release February 8, 2022.

booksadoodle's review

4.0

This was an adorable read. A bit of a slow build for me, but once going, I quickly became engrossed with the characters and story, and found myself trying to guess the ending until a phrase in the book literally said that there was no point in guessing at the ending, and to turn each page and let the story unfold! Fabulous advice!