The Library

Product Information

bestselling author Katie Fforde 'Such a heart-warming and thought-provoking novel! The Library is a touching tale of true friendship, overcoming adversity... and the genuine joy books can bring to our lives' -- Jill Mansell The Library by Bella Osborne is a sweet , delightful read with endearing characters and an engaging narrative shared in alternating chapters from the perspectives of Tom and Maggie. I loved the vivid descriptions of nature and Maggie’s farm and animals. The intergenerational friendship and trust between Tom and Maggie are beautifully and convincingly developed as the story progresses. In addition to themes of friendship, kindness, trust and community and highlighting the power of books and libraries in bringing people and communities together, the author also touches upon sensitive themes of aging, grief, loneliness, alcoholism, dysfunctional families and bullying among others with sensitivity, compassion and wisdom. I'm drawn to stories that revolve around bookstores and/or libraries. Unfortunately, more often than not I've been disappointed with how the stories are handled/executed. I’m happy to say that this novel does not fall into that category. This is a perfect feel-good, uplifting read for those times you need to de-stress or when you just need a lighter read in between more serious /heavy reads. 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! The Library from Bella Osbourne is the first book from the author I have read, and I adored this book about an unusual friendship between Tom who is a teenager and a 72-year-old woman called Maggie. Who met at a library that is being threatened with closure. When the library is threatened with closure, Tom and Maggie seek to help. But what can they do? And how can Tom get through to his father who is turning increasingly to alcohol? And how can he he get Farah’s attention without exposing himself to further bullying from Joshua Kemp?

This is the first book I've read by Bella Osborne and I thoroughly enjoyed it. This book kept me engaged throughout. It is about a friendship between 16 year old Tom and 72 year old Maggie who met at the village library. Tom's mother died and he's living with his Dad, who is an alcoholic. Maggie lives alone on a farm and enjoys it. Tom has a crush on Farah, who enjoys romance novels, so Tom goes to the library in hopes of either seeing Farah there or learning more about women by learning about romance novels. Maggie goes to the library once a week for book club as a way of interacting with others. When the small library is under threat of closure, Tom and Maggie help to rally the community to save the library. That's just the highlights - the really interesting part of this story is the relationships among the characters, most especially Tom and Maggie. Take a Look at Our Summary of November Highlights, Whether You're Looking for the Latest Releases or Gift InspirationThis is a very enjoyable and heartwarming story about a sixteen year old boy and a seventy two year old woman who meet at the local library and accidentally become friends.

REVIEWED BY LINDA HILL If ever there was joy in book form it’s The Library by Bella Osborne. It is utterly glorious.

Tom Harris. Sixteen. Dead mom. Drunk dad. Bullied at school. Lonely. Discovers that he enjoys reading romance novels, much to his embarrassment. They each set out to prove that the library isn't just about books – it's the heart of their community. 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 also enjoyed how Bella Osborne brought the theme of nature into the novel and how healing it can be to get outside and spend time with animals and/or working the land.