The Littlest Library by Poppy Alexander Review

 

The Littlest Library

by Poppy Alexander

UK Release Date: March 18th, 2022

US Release Date: July 22nd, 2022

Orion Books / Avon Books

Source: ARC provided by the publisher

A heartwarming literary-themed novel about a woman who turns an ordinary red phone box into the littlest library in England and brings together a struggling town.

A little red telephone box full of stories, a chance to change her life...

Jess Metcalf is perfectly content with her quiet, predictable life. But when her beloved grandmother passes away and she loses her job at the local library, Jess’ life is turned upside down.

Determined to pick up the pieces, Jess decides it’s time for a new beginning. Unable to part with her grandmother’s cherished books, she packs them all up and moves to a tiny cottage in the English countryside. To her surprise, Jess discovers that she’s now the owner of an old red phone box that was left on the property. Missing her job at the local library, Jess decides to give back to her new community—using her grandmother’s collection to turn the ordinary phone box into the littlest library in England.

It’s not long before the books are borrowed and begin to work their literary magic—bringing the villagers together... and managing to draw Jess’ grumpy but handsome neighbor out of his shell.

Maybe it’s finally time for Jess to follow her heart, let go of her old life, and make the village her home? But will she be able to take the leap?

*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest and unbiased review*

Whenever I dream about moving back to England, setting up a little library is the first thing I think about doing...now in full disclaimer, I have a little free library of my own in my garden, but when I read The Littlest Library by Poppy Alexander I knew that’s what I dreamt of when I thought of England...EXCEPT FOR THE BATS! You're on your own there!  

The Littlest Library is a painfully beautiful tale of Jess Metcalf's life and serendipity! After the loss of her grandmother and her job as a librarian, Jess is at a loss of what she should do, but after running out of petrol and a chance finding of a cottage for sale that seems to fit her needs and wants perfectly, Jess decides to go for it.   

Despite the cranky neighbor and the bats in the loft, Middlemass seems to be the perfect village for her! Especially when with the help of the village council, they turn the old phone box into a Littlest Library for the village, and Jess finally finds someone who makes her heart race like in the books she reads  

But with the return of the Ex of the person she cares for, the lack of jobs, and a small but building opposition over the little library, Jess has a tough decision on if she has anything left in Middlemass to stay for.  

The Little Library is a truly beautiful book that I absolutely adore and one that I will be adding to my physical collection!  

 

I give The Littlest Library 5 stars!

 

Poppy Alexander wrote her first book when she was five. There was a long gap in her writing career while she was at school, and after studying classical music at university, she decided the world of music was better off without her and took up public relations, campaigning, political lobbying, and a bit of journalism instead. She takes an anthropological interest in family, friends, and life in her West Sussex village (think The Archers crossed with Twin Peaks), where she lives with her husband, children, and various other pets.