Absolutely adored this book. I really do wish villages and people were like this as I’d move there now!
Such a good easy read that kept me reading. Very sad when we got to the end

This book was for sure more than expected. It deals with some quite heavy topics, particularly towards the end. I felt it was a little slow to begin and took a long time to pick up pace.

Unfortunately I was unable to get in to this story and had to put it down, however, I'm sure it is a highly loved book and appreciated by the right readers.

I LOVE the idea of this book, of a library of shared things. The book also opens with a real air of mystery that had me gripped from the start. I was really interested in finding out the truth, and I was hooked!!
My favourite character was Isla, Jenny's sister, she was just so much fun and brought a lot of lightness into the book. I also really liked Adam and his story. I loved how they showed his life as a single father, and how he has to deal with working from home with all of his children around him.
On a side note; this book mentions Marmite Bread, which sounds DELICIOUS, I am definitely going to try and make that at some point in the future.

The first thing I want to say about this book is that it is not about a library for books! The second is it's not the cosy read that the cover maybe leads you to believe. Towards the end of the book there is a lot of descriptive domestic violence. It is dealt with sensitively and obviously it is something that happens, but I did not expect it in this book and probably wouldn't have read it had I known.

The story centres really around the characters in the village, one of whom happens to have opened a "Library of Shared Things". I would have loved to have read more about the comings and goings in the library but really it was just a mechanism for the characters to meet and be introduced.

I struggled with the book, for me it didn't flow that well and non of the characters were at all likeable. Every time I picked it up I felt I was wading through a lot of wordy descriptive writing that was unnecessary. The characters were full of woes and really I just wanted a cosy read which I didn't find.

There is intrigue around Adam who is new to the village and I only kept reading because I wanted to know his backstory and hopefully read that all the things he was being suspected of were untrue. When everything came to a head at the end of the book it was quite tense, and I feel this book should really have been marketed differently than it has been.

A really lovely read. I thoroughly enjoyed every page and getting to know all the inhabitants of the village. Lovely messages about friendship and forgiveness and a nice blend of serious issues and loveliness.

I enjoyed reading about the library of shared things.The book is set in a small community and they welcome people moving there, including Adam with his two children from Australia.
It is a well written book and was easy to read,
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for an advance copy.

This was a beautiful story set i the village of Cloverdale, that pulled together as a very strong village community. New comer Adam does his best to settle into the village with his two children Zoe and Zac. He wants a fresh start but what is is actually running away from??? Secrets unravel as he makes friendships with Jennifer, Isla and Viola, who each have their own issues to sort amongst themselves.
For me this was a very slow story and i really had to persist with it, waiting for something more exciting to happen. It did really warm up towards the end though and i am very glad i stuck with it. The characters were easy to get to know and one or two of their stories really hit home on a personal level.
Over all a good read.

Loved this book. Great characters, easy read, uplifting, funny, romantic and charming. A really nice story that is the perfect escapist read.

Its about life in a small village., Adam and his 2 children flee from Australia to start a new life. They make friends with some of the villagers but Adam is hiding a dark secret. Viola, one of the villagers finds a diary in his house and reads it and Adam is forced to confront his demons and tell the truth no matter the consequences.

Just a warning, this contains descriptions of domestic abuse.

An absolutely wonderful read.
Warm characters that you cannot help but want good things to happen to. A descriptive setting that comes alive as you read wonder.
A real page turner.

Thank you to Tracy for my invitation to the tour and for my copy of the book via NetGalley.

I am always intrigued by a book with the word library in the title and this was no exception.

Adam has a secret he has left Australia and come to Cloverdale but what did he leave behind ?

Jennifer started up The Library of Shared Things after visiting one with a friend this is a place that you can borrow anything and give it a try. From lawnmowers to bread-makers these items are available to loan for a few pounds.

The book has a lovely community feel but there is a the familiar nosiness that you can get in a village, I know I have lived in one most of my life !

The book takes a dramatic turn when Adam’s past turn up, the book surprisingly also has a darker side and a topic that is not discussed widely and it is dealt with sensitively by the author and I liked how there was this contrast.

A enjoyable and easy read this was my first book by this author but I will looking up her other stories.

Really enjoyed this book thank you. Vibrant, believable, characters and an absorbing plot. I will ensure I look out for this author in the future!

I liked this story because it's a mix of light and darker topics and it entertains but also gives you food for thought.
The story is well written and engrossing, with a lovely setting and a great cast of characters.
The plot kept me hooked and I liked every moment.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

There is a tremendous sense of community in this novel, which does not just come from the setting in the Library. The inhabitants of the village have their own stories too, but you come to appreciate that though they may be very different people, they all have a sense of fellowship in common. Adam, Viola, Jennifer and Viola all have some deeply buried secrets which are hinted at quite strongly. There are some dark issues hidden in the past and you are left for much of the story trying to figure out exactly what has happened. Nevertheless, despite the seriousness of past events, you do not lose the warmth of the story as Adam's family begin to settle into the village.
I particularly enjoyed getting to know Isla and finding out what was at the bottom of her relationship with her sister. She is a breath of fresh air in the village. Jennifer seems to be the lynch pin between all the characters and you get a good sense of how alienated she is at the beginning and anxious to reconnect with her family and friends. The relationships between the parents and the children/ teenagers add another layer to the stories and there are some wry observations on 'life with a teen'.
Thanks to the author for a copy of the book.

A word first, I think, for the idea that gave birth to this book – the quite inspired Library of Shared Things. And in the wonderfully drawn community of Cloverdale, it becomes so much more than where they go to borrow their leaf-blowers, waffle makers and power tools. It becomes a real hub for the village’s residents, with its range of activities like the “how to” sessions and dance classes, as well as being somewhere the lonely can always find friends and conversation.

The central characters are quite beautifully drawn. Jennifer, the driving force behind the library, was quite complex and particularly relatable – and then there’s her rather exotic and unreliable sister Isla, newly returned to the village, getting a few people a little hot under the collar. Adam and his family are a bit of an enigma – a dad with two children, and an absent wife – and his story provides everyone with lots of opportunity for speculation. And then there’s Viola, bit of a perfectionist and superwoman – but why is there such tension between her and Jennifer when they were once such close friends?

What follows is a story with rather darker edges than you might be expecting, and a few quite heavy issues – but they’re all particularly sensitively handled, taking the story in directions you might not be expecting (and that’s always a good thing), and the secrets revealed all come as a bit of a surprise.

I’ll will admit that I did find this book just a little bit heavy on the dialogue – although always particularly realistic and well-done – with characters explaining things, sharing their secrets and stories, and that did start to slow the pace a little more than I’d have liked it to. But then again, there’s a scene towards the book’s end that has you reading through your fingers, heart in mouth – and the pace picks up as much as you could ever ask for.

The author’s writing is, as always, superb – she really does have a particular skill for creating a community you find yourself living in the heart of, peopled by characters who become entirely real. And this is an excellent story – a whole set of strong stories really – with a depth and unpredictability that I very much enjoyed.

The cover of The Little Village Library suggests that Helen Rolfe's new book, which is also the first book that I have read by this author, was going to be another one of those lovely relaxing reads centred around a village. I love this type of story and never get sick of reading them. The title is gorgeous and the minute I saw this, combined with the cover, I knew I had to read it. What I wasn't bargaining for was that this was a real serious read with important issues at its centre. Honestly, I was expecting, a light, frothy and easy read that would make me feel all warm and cosy inside and that the community spirit would shine through in abundance with an added dash of romance thrown in for good measure. Yes, there is the community spirit coming through as the Library of Shared Things is a new initiative to bring this about once again but to be truthful this was a much darker read than I had expected and I think others will feel the same time too.

Despite the opening few pages being tense, emotional and intriguing where someone is talking about being frightened and having bottled everything up for so long and is now on the verge of spilling all, it did take me until around the half way point to really get stuck into the plot and the themes which were coming to the fore. I found in the first half that nothing much really happened and there was so much repetition. We were told endlessly that one of the main characters Adam and his young family were hiding something and in a similar way one of the main female protagonists had something which had occurred in her past and affected her relationships with several people today. I could tell from the very good writing that this was all going on and I just feel we didn't need to be endlessly reminded of it instead I wished the story would have just gotten going allowing for earlier development of the characters and perhaps actually telling us in a more definitive way what was actually wrong with people. Perhaps a little bit more editing in the beginning would have allowed for smoother development in the initial stages of the book. Pushing this issue aside, once I reached the midway point I thought things took a turn for the better and I became more interested and invested as to the eventual outcome for all involved. When little snippets started to reveal themselves and people's actions and opinions began to make more sense, I found the empathy and understanding I had for them growing.

Adam and his young family are settling into the village of Cloverdale and have bought one of the beautiful cottages that can be found dotted throughout. Previous to this they lived in London and prior to that they resided in Australia. Adam's two children Zac aged 9 and Zoe aged 14 have experienced significant changes in their already short lives and now their father hopes that things can settle down and the past can be put to bed whilst a comfortable and positive future will be built. Buying the cottage Adam believes will give the small family unit a sense of permanency. But from the outset, I could see that Adam was always on edge. On one hand he did mix well with the residents of the village and took every opportunity possible to visit the Library of Shared Things as established by Jennifer. He wanted not to remain on the outskirts hiding away as he has been doing that for too long but yet on the other hand he was wary of revealing too much too soon and even though a problem shared is a problem halved he seemed reluctant to reveal his true state of affairs.

I couldn't quite put my finger on what actually was going on with Adam and, like one other character in particular, I was jumping to all sorts of conclusions. I suppose living in a small rural village everyone wants to know everyone else’s business and they don't take the time to let the person open up of their own accord. I felt Adam needed to be more honest and let people form their own judgements on what he had to say. I think being so closed and secretive only increased speculation and really daughter Zoe was old enough to know the truth. She was a young girl going through a time when so many transitions and changes occur that she should have been given more credit for how she would handle things than she was. Adam and his family certainly provided an intriguing aspect to the overall story and like Viola who initially came across as a busybody I was desperate to know just what made Adam tick and why the need to be overly cautious about every aspect of his family's life.

The other main character is Jennifer who to me was really at a crossroads in her life. Events in the past had made her retreat into herself in terms of what she wanted to do professionally with her life. She has enjoyed rearing her family but now she feels as if her marriage to David has reached a stalemate and they do not communicate on the issues that definitely need talking about. Jennifer wasn't happy and the problems she has with herself and her relationship manifests themselves in the relationship she has with her sister Isla who has recently returned to the village after travelling for some time. Their parents are now both passed away and Isla is renovating their house. To me, it seemed like Jennifer was jealous of Isla as everything she had wished for her own life Isla seemed to have. Deep down Jennifer was hurting emotionally and mentally, the scars of events of the past still throbbed and she was fearful of taking steps forward or admitting things out in the open for fear of the reaction of others.

Jennifer had hurt those around through careless actions and even now as she feels stirrings to get out there in the world and perhaps do something for herself in terms of work there is that reluctance to venture forward. But we all learn from past hurts and devastating experiences and if we didn't we wouldn't be the people we are in the present. But I did wish she would cast aside the way she felt towards Isla because the characteristics she was displaying towards her weren't very nice. Isla herself may have put on a bright and happy front but deep down she had her own traumas to deal with. The same could be said for her relationship with ex best friend Viola.

I thought Viola must have done something truly awful for the pair to barely even speak to each other anymore. Yes, when that aspect of revelation came I thought OK Jennifer I am with you on this one, your stance is entirely justified. Through Jennifer's establishment of the Library of Shared Things, a place where people can come and rent out things that may be only needed once or twice, a community spirit and a sense of unity slowly returns to the village. Jennifer's idea becomes the catalyst for change in many peoples lives and it spurs them on to stop hiding and to be who they want to be with no secrets or lies. But will everyone be happy with what information emerges and can they cope with the fallout?

Helen Rolfe writes contemporary women's fiction and I can say having finished The Little Village Library that she has certainly brought a more modern slant to this genre. The fact that she wasn't afraid to present an issue that always gets shoved under the carpet and not talked about as if it doesn't happen because it certainly does. This book will make you more aware and sensitive to something which is going on all around the world and people will sit up and take notice. The author has woven a good story about friendships, secrets and community. All three elements are here and each have a significant role to play in the overall plot of this book.

The majority of the characters have to face up to the realities of what they have been hiding. They need to push their fears away and confront what has been eating away at them or else emotions and mysteries will fester away and perhaps lead to devastating consequences for their emotional well-being. Overall, this was a good read once I felt I finally got really into it. I would be interested to see how Helen's other books compare to this one in terms of the themes and issues raised and I wonder will she continue to venture in this direction with her future books. A collection of novellas is to be published as a full length book later in the summer and again the cover of The Little Cottage in Lantern Square appeals to me so I will give it a go when it is published.

loverdale is a cute little village, full of friendly neighbours and friends. When Adam and his two children arrive in the town they settle in nicely, make friends and feel at home… BUT… There’s a secret Adam brings with him that could change everything and where is the childrens mother? Hmmmm.

I enjoyed reading this one. The way it is written and told so you’re assuming the worse when actually towards the end it makes you feel bad. Ooops. Well it did for me. I got it totally wrong. Poor Adam. What a lovely man. Seems to perfect bless him. The end gets a bit emotional and teary but a brilliant, uplifting and inspiring story after all.

A well deserved four stars from me. Loved the town and characters. Highly recommend. When you live in a small town nothing stays secret for long. I’d love to live in Cloverdale and loved the idea of the shared library. Brilliant.

The idea of a little village library is ingenious! I want to move to Cloverdale. Helen Rolfe paints a picture of somewhere not without it's faults, but where newcomers are welcomed into the community. She cleverly dripfeeds little pieces of information about Adam and his past to keep us guessing. A real page turner!

I have to confess this book was not what I was expecting. I admit I was swayed by the cover, it looked like it was going to be a sweet village romance set in a library, the usual boy meets girl, one of them has a past or a secret that will separate them, but then they will live happily ever after. In some parts, this was there. Adam is a newcomer to the village, Isla is returning to the village after being away a long time. They both have secrets in their past and there is a little romance starting to kindle between them.

However, the main themes behind the romance are what drives the story and are far deeper than just a sweet romance. There are pretty dark undertones and mature, sensitive themes.

You get a real sense of community spirit, which is down to the setting. The titular library which isn’t your regular library but the Library of Shared Things. Instead of borrowing books, you can borrow household objects, such as wall strippers, bread makers, cake tins, ladders, even a jukebox. Everything is donated by other villagers or generous local businesses and it also runs community events such as dance classes and DIY classes. it was a really novel idea and I loved how it brought everyone together.

If you are looking for a fluffy romance, this isn’t the right book for you but if you like a bit of romance and a bit more thought-provoking storyline without it being too gritty or disheartening then I recommend this book heartily.

Never judge a book by its cover.

An enjoyable read with serious issues, emotional reading, not so light and fluffy. Again it is an emotional read, but also uplifting I loved the idea it focused around the village library and community. A great book with strong characters, good storyline and important messages. Great to see the author can deal with sensitive issues as well as the lighter stories she usually writes, well written and a highly recommend this book, thought provoking entertaining

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion