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The Library: the uplifting and feelgood page-turner you need to read in 2023!

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There seems to be no shortage of books lately about the threat of closure to a beloved community library - this is one of two I have right now. Unfortunately, it’s a reflection of the real-life threat to public libraries, so if I take nothing else away from this book, it’ll be a reminder of how grateful I am to have an awesome community library where I live and to continue to support it! Tom discovers the joy of reading, he gains confidence, he starts to apply himself to his studies, he wants to pass high school and go to university. When they threaten to close the library, Maggie, Tom, Farah, Christine and the members of Maggie’s book group start a petition and come up with ideas to save the library. An emotional story about an unlikely friendship, Maggie gives Tom the love and attention he desperately needs and she has a new lease on life. Tom learns valuable life skills from Maggie, and also people do make mistakes and you can’t hold their past against them. Genres: Contemporary, Family & Relationships, Fiction, Fiction / General, Fiction / Women, Great Britain, Small Town & Rural, Women

As an escape, Tom finds himself at the local library where he lies and says he is getting romance novels for his mother. Leaving the library, he helps Maggie, a book club member, when she is mugged. This develops into a wonderful relationship in which Tom discovers what life is like with someone who cares about you as Maggie slowly and gently teaches him so many important life lessons. Through Maggie, he sees what might have been instead of the life he has with his father. Then the library comes under threat of closure, and they must join forces to prove that it's not just about books – it's the heart of their community. Tom is invisible... He is 16, lives with his dad and doesn't have any real friends. No one notices him.Christine looked affronted. 'That's what it means.' She stabbed the letter with a neat fingernail. 'It came by recorded delivery. They call you to a meeting and that's when they tell you they're closing you down. . .' I always like reading books by this author and think this novel was far better than my last read… by a long way. I really enjoyed this one and thought the narrative was a perfect example of cosy escapism – what more could you want from a book?! My thanks to NetGalley and Aria Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review. It is under these circumstances that Tom and Maggie are destined to meet in an even more awkward moment in the street near the library. This encounter heralds the beginning of a unique friendship that takes the reader on a fragile journey through love and all its guises.

I loved this book! There are so many things happening , so many lessons to learn for young and old. These dear characters develop a beautiful friendship with each other courtesy their beloved local library. And when they find that the future of the library is at stake, they decide to go all out to save it.I am not going to breathe another word about the trajectory of the story, but so taken was I with The Library‘s overarching themes of friendship and land ownership that I’ve sought out a few other uplifting books with farming in the mix. A story that was deeply moving, and ultimately uplifting... Definitely recommended - it was one of my best reads this year' - Janet Gover What a wonderful cast of characters Osborne gives the reader: appealing for all their very human flaws, growing and changing with the challenges they face. And there are quite a few: alcoholism, loneliness, grief, guilt, social isolation and low self-esteem. It’s lovely to see Tom and Maggie ultimately fighting for the library that brought them together when they most needed to meet. This is a delightfully funny, heart-warming feel-good story with a satisfying happy ending.

The library seems to be an obvious choice for fulfilling the needs of the socially inept with its open doors inviting people from all walks of life to participate equally and without judgment.This is a charming story about friendship and caring for others. It is easy to become attached to the character of Maggie who is extremely feisty for her age, still staying up all night to help deliver lambs and punching people in the face when her bag is snatched in town. She has a secret though and it is a sad one. Tom is likeable too and it is hard to watch him having to deal with his father's alcoholic excesses. Fortunately there is still a happy ending. I wonder if there’s a term for comedy-dramas that are about finding friendship, rather than romantic love - chum-com? It is Tom’s life now and Maggie’s past actions that have such huge impact. They are both superbly depicted characters. The natural dialogue between the two makes them feel absolutely real, ensuring that the reader cares about them deeply. Humour and poignancy

While entirely predictable, this had just the right amount of sad bits and happy bits, endearing bonding moments and pointless fall-outs, cute animals and a challenge to meet that you know will have a happy ending. Tom’s initial oblivious self-centredness felt very realistic - he’s a nice boy and I enjoyed the coming of age aspects here as he learns that it’s not all about him. Maggie was a great character, spiky and tough, and the descriptions of her cooking had my mouth watering. 4.5 rounded up because who doesn’t love a book about bookworms! It is set in England so there are differences in the education system, the villages, the transportation, the foods, and more. For an American teen (or pre-teen), there could be lots of questions and hopefully an attempt to learn more. Maggie has been happily alone for ten years, at least this is what she tells herself. When Tom comes to her rescue after a library meeting, never did she imagine a friendship that could change her life. As Maggie helps Tom navigate the best way to ask out Farrah, Tom helps Maggie realize the mistakes of her past won't define her future.As a whole this book is brutal and raw in places, but ultimately full of love and hope, friendship and family…. A heartwarming five stars from me. After a run-in with his father, Tom escapes to the safety of the local library, where he hopes he may see the girl he fancies, but ends up finding so much more. This book was received as an ARC from Aria Books in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own. I absolutely loved this book. Heart-warming with genuine characters, the plot pulled me in and I was rooting for the library every step of the way. A great tonic for the times and highly recommended!' -- Talli Roland

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