This book blew me away! I was unable to but it down. Perfect, dazzlingly, very well written. The details the author described throughout the book was so amazing. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

This was such a lovely read. As an avid book lover myself, Dodie really resonated with me. The only part that felt a little off to me was the adoption, at times it felt white savior-like and there was little context to how to raise a child in America while keeping ties to their culture.

The Lending Library by Aliza Fogelson
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Thank you @netgalley for my digital copy to read and review.
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This was a quick and enjoyable read for me. Dodie’s character had struggles that I could sympathize with. I wasn’t very happy with some of the choices she made but in the end things worked out ok.
I think I liked the first half of the book more than the second half. I loved the idea of the lending library that Dodie made in her sunroom! And that she wanted to mentor children from her school, provide the library as a refuge for them to get away from real life when they can. But then the book sort of left the lending lobrary and focused on Dodie’s burning desire to be a mother. Which, as a mother, I can understand the desire. But it was sad that she focused on that to the exclusion of everything else that was important to her.
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I gave this book 3⭐️⭐️⭐️, I still enjoyed it despite it feeling like 2 different stories.

As the title suggests, Dodie is a book lover. As a recent transplant from Brooklyn to rural Connecticut to accept a job as a grade school art teacher, Dodie has found comfort in her local library. However when the library closes its doors indefinitely, Dodie must act quickly as she knows she is not the only member of the community who relies upon the library. Dodie decides to run her very own collection of books in her home into a small lending library. What first starts as an exciting new adventure quickly turns into something more, leading Dodie's life in strange but wonderful new directions. While there are important and conflicting life decisions in store for Dodie, she knows there are always a few good books lying in store full of good advice to steer her in the right direction.
The Lending Library is a fast paced, feel good novel with hidden depth, covering some deeper topics such as adoption as a single mom. As a book lover myself and a librarian, I found Dodie easy to relate to and enjoyed the inclusion of sections from some of my own favorite books that were tucked into the plot. The importance of reading, especially for children and the access libraries afford its citizens to books and other importance resources is central to the plot line as well. Overall I enjoyed the story and think it will appeal to library and book lovers alike.

I would love to run a library so this book really appealed to me. I liked the community of people who were involved. The only bit of the story that didn’t do it for me was the whole baby storyline.

When Dodie's small town library closes she opens a lending library in her sunroom. Totally relatable for book lovers who find solace between the pages.
This wasn't just a cute romance story there were some dark parts too.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my ARC. All opinions are my own.
#TheLendingLibrary #NetGalley

The Lending Library was definitely a feel good, light summer read. For the majority of the time it was very lighthearted and fun, but it does get a bit deeper as the story progresses. I thought the beginning felt a little unrealistic but it also had such a "feel good" vibe that I was totally okay with it. I did start feeling a little weird about the adoption overseas process, because it felt white savior like, but that's also very much a thing people do. Towards the end I felt less connected because there was such a shift in focus. Dodie's relationship with Shep towards the end also felt a little inauthentic. Overall though, the story was a solid three star book.

This book started off really well but lost itself somewhere in the middle. I think some of the plot elements such as the woman who adopted a baby from Ethiopia with no real context to how it would be to bring up a black child in America really let the novel down. It was also very clean and nicey nicey while having problematic undertones.

Dodie is a daydreamer who gets lost in the stacks on a daily basis. But soon she will lose her 2nd home, the Chatsworth library is closing. Like most readers, Myself included, we have enough books we don't need a library but we go there for the camaraderie. Missing that Dodie is presented to us as a layered character who has yet to feel fulfilled in some aspects of her life. Even her family teases her for her passion of books. To not feel alone she turns her home into a little library. We get to meet the zany neighbors that need each other more than they just need a good book. When the author adds another layer to Dodie we know what she needs before she does. Told in 1st person as Dodie we start out in 2007 and grow with every page. Could she even play match maker on herself? Could motherhood be an option in her future.
Even though Dodie is a grown up that doesn't mean she has finished evolving.

I was going into this expecting a contemporary romance and instead I got so much more from THE LENDING LIBRARY!

The premise:
Small town library closes so art teacher and bibliophile Dodie opens a lending library in her sunroom. It is a huge hit the town loves it, including a new guy. Dodie has a lot of stress and anxiety around having kids. She wants one now since her family struggles with infertility but without a guy... kinda hard. Her best friend was a great role model who adopted an adorable little one nicknamed Boo on her own. When tragedy strikes Dodie wants to help in the biggest way but needs to make some tough choices.

This book was sad y’all. It had some happier chapters but overall there is so much loss and hardship and some tough truths confronted. It was pretty good though. There was a lot going on from adoption, infertility, relationship struggles, the sunroom library, a student of hers that needs some extra love.. it’s a lot for one plot. It makes the book interesting but it also makes it hard to explain for you guys!

Go read the summary on Goodreads honestly! Then come back for my opinion which is its good, but not the best I’ve ever read. It was like a coming of age story for an adult if that makes sense?

My six word review:
Jam packed plot of growing up

When the Chatsworth library closes indefinitely, Dodie Fairisle, being as resourceful and generous as she is, turns her sunroom into a lending library. The hobby quickly opens up her world, as she begins to forge friendships between her neighbours and attract a new romance. When the chance to adopt an orphaned child brings Dodie’s secret dream of being a mother within reach, everything else seems less important. Finding herself at a crossroad, Dodie must figure out what it means to live a full, happy life.
This book gave me so many “The Bookish Life of Nina Hill” vibes which I loved. I love being able to relate to a character who loves books!
I also loved the bond between Dodie and her sisters and how they were always there for each other.
The only issue I had with this book was the pacing. At times the story felt rushed and at other points it felt a little slow.
If you love books about books, this is one you should definitely pick up! It was a very strong 4 star read!!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC, which I received in exchange for an honest review.

This book was just "meh" for me, unfortunately. It might be a case of "it's not you, it's me," though!

While this is admittedly not my genre, I like to give stories about libraries and book lovers a chance. However, The Lending Library did not capture my imagination, and I didn't feel a connection to the characters. Now, I don't have to love or identify with a character to enjoy a book, but this story of a woman who makes a statement in opening her own library when the local one closes sort of devolves into woman who is starved for a child. It simply seemed as though the story was trying to be too many things and not fully embracing any of them.

I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it. Dodie just wasn't a character that I could relate to, nor did I find that I was necessarily engaged in what she did next. I think perhaps the book tried to do a little too much, but in doing so didn't do it that well.

The Lending Library by Alisa Fogelson
3/5

This story follows the closing of the local library for indefinite renovations. Dodie Fairisle decides to create a lending library in her home, which becomes much more popular than anticipated. She builds relationships with those who come in, as well as going through some personal struggles in her life. There is a lot of talk about adoption, children, finding her place in the world.

Overall, this was an entertaining read. However, there were times that seemed that there was a lot going on and happened quite quickly. I would recommend this book to someone who is interested in reading a book about a library, but with additional aspects to it, such as the balancing of relationships, jobs, and one’s own happiness.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the e-book.

I'm sorry but I really couldn't get into this book. I ended up speed reading the last 150 pages just to get it done. I couldn't warm to the characters. I just didn't find the whole set up believable. I really wanted to love this book because as a child i used to live in our local library and I get how it would be devastating if it closed..

This book was surprisingly sad in my opinion.
Do decides to open a bit of a makeshift library in her sunroom when her town’s library closes unexpectedly.
It’s her top priority at first.
But then she has dinner with her sister who has just turned 35. Her sister mentioned that all the women in their family struggle to get pregnant after 35.
Do panics. She’s only got a few years. She isn’t even dating anyone.
Then she meets a handsome man at her lending library and it’s practically love at first sight.
Her relationship with her boyfriend and everyone else is complicated when Do meets a newly orphaned child. I don’t want to spoil the child’s origin story. But Do is instantly in love with him and does everything in her power to adopt the baby.

It’s sad. Because she wants that kid so badly she is jeopardizing everything else in her life and it’s still an absolute long shot that she’d get the baby.

I didn’t love her relationship with her boyfriend either. They aren’t honest with each other and don’t really depend on each other when times get bad.

I loved the library, Do’s sister Coco and her friends.

I got to read an early ebook edition from NetGalley, thanks!

Great concept but poorly executed. The cover hooked me and the concept hooked me but I was very let down. It didn’t take too far into the book to realize that the monotonous dialogue wasn’t going to hold me.

The cover of The Lending Library attracted my wanting to read this book, and Netgalley giving me the opportunity to do so.
The author ,Aliza Folgeson shows her passion for books as a young child, and her story here revolves around a little library being run from her sunroom in her new home.
Dodie Fairisle , a young art teacher in the local school and  a single woman is crushed when the local Chatsworth library is closing indefinately.
Her love for books as well as the townspeople depend on the library. Especially one of her fourth grader student,Elmira.
This young girl's mother doesnt realize the importance of reading and so, the Lending Library that Dodie offers is a big deal to Elmira too. She can walk there without her mother needing to drive her to the bigger library.
I thought ELmira would be the main plot of why the little library exists...instead, other characters,like a need to become pregnant before Dodie's clock expires,and a deadbeat dad who walks out of her and her two sisters lives at a young age stays hanging over her head, and adoptions occurring within her sisters livers too .
There is also the boyfreind Shep, seemed alittle selfish to me and then desperate to win her love back.

Terebithia,the adopted 2 yr old boy to her single mom freind Sullivan.... who becomes the main plot halfways.
I started predicting something else and disappointed in the outcome.
She was very determined in her wish and suddenly,the attitude changes differently . This is what held me on reading but needed to finish the book,wanting something different  to happen.I cant decide if it did or not.
Still, it was a good read and appreciation for love of reading and a library because I too love my books and always willing to give most stories a chance. Thank you Netgalley for giving em the chance to read this one. This is Aliza Folgeson's first novel and I do expect to be seeing more library type stories from her and will give those books a chance too.

The content was good. However it doesn’t translate well to audio. My daughter’s attention isn’t held either by the story unfortunately or the monotonous readers.