“A must-read for booklovers.”—Chanel Cleeton,New York Timesbestselling author ofNext Year in Havana

A heartwarming story about a mother and daughter in wartime England and thepower of the books that bring themtogether

In Nottingham, England,widow Emma Taylor finds herself in desperate need of a job to provide for herself and her beloved daughter, Olivia. But with the legal restrictions prohibiting widows with children from most employment opportunities, she’s left with only one option: persuading the manageress at Boots’ Booklover’s Library to take a chance on her.

When the threat of war becomes a reality, Olivia must be evacuated to the countryside. In her daughter’s absence, Emma seeks solace in the unlikely friendships she forms with her neighbors and coworkers, as well as the recommendations she provides to the library’s quirky regulars. But the job doesn’t come without its difficulties. Books are mysteriouslymisshelvedand disappearing, and her work forces her to confront the memories of her late father and the bookstore they once owned together before a terrible accident.

As the Blitz intensifies in Nottingham and Emma fights to reunite with her daughter, she must learn to depend on her community and the power of literature more than ever to find hope in the darkest of times.

“Well-researched and well-plotted.”—Kristin Harmel,New York Timesbestselling author ofThe Paris Daughter

“A love letter to literature, motherhood and community.”—BriannaLabuskes,bestselling author ofThe Librarian of Burned Books