I was really into the concept of this book from the start. A really cosy low sake fantasy, it's perfect to read cosy under a blanket. I love a the idea of a sentient, magical library. The way the author wove well known characters into the story was really fun, I enjoyed guessing who they were!
I also really enjoyed Chloe's journey of acceptance in her current life, and all the supporting characters in the community were adorable. A really fun read!

This was a really fun read - it had loads of great elements that were well handled: second chance romance, a magical library, and likeable characters to name a few. I think my favourite element had to be how Reid wove cameos from well known real-world titles into the story without ever naming them. I loved trying to guess who everyone was!

This was incredibly cozy and really low-stakes. It gives fall vibes and is a perfect light read for the season ahead.

Thank you to Reid, Headline | Wildfire & NetGalley for the opportunity to read & honestly review The Library of Second Chances prior to its release.

A charming, curl-up-with-a-blanket kind of story, The Library of Second Chances celebrates the power of found family. Molly Reid’s small-town library setting radiates warmth, and her characters blossom in believable, sometimes surprising ways. I especially appreciated how the book weaves grief into the plot with a light, respectful touch—it never feels heavy, yet it honors the real ache of loss. That said, the pace occasionally drifts and the stakes stay comfortably low, so the tension never quite pulls taut. Still, if you’re after a cosy read with lovely character development and a gentle reminder that community can heal, this one is worth checking out

what an intriguing story and such fun!
i loved this book, it was unlike any other i have read which made me want to not put it down!
i had no idea what was going to happen next…
a great read

DNF at 25%. I simply cannot get into this - I really dislike the main character, the writing style, and the atmosphere of the story. The library details seem very inaccurate (why would a librarian to a standard lending library be stressed about a book having its spine cracked? Why would a valuable first edition even be on the lending shelves in the first place?) and the "cheeky" workaround of not naming the characters Chloe pulls out of books is really weird to read. If it's obviously Jamie Fraser, why not either do the licensing you need to do, or choose someone else in the public domain? Pages & Co is a middle grade book with the same set-up of magical books that let characters become real, and it's handled significantly better there. The narrative shifts back and forth between Chloe and the library cat with no notice (at least in the kindle version provided here) which is difficult to read and feels clumsy. The emotional elements that started to be introduced felt flat and twee to me, and Chloe's opinions of everyone around her were so judgy and unpleasant that I just didn't want to spend any more time with her.

A story full of magic alongside our favourite literary characters.

The author brings us to Wellbridge, where we meet Chloé, who has recently returned to her childhood village following the sudden death of her parents. In the meantime, she is working in the library. She soon discovers that the library is magical and has the ability to direct people to what they need.

This was my first novel by this author and what a great time I had with Chloe, Harry and Mrs Cook in Wellbridge Library. The perfect cosy fantasy for all book lovers. Who hasn't dreamed of working in a library AND meeting their favourite characters?

Despite a few minor inconsistencies and some passages resolved a little too quickly, I enjoyed reading this story. It's a very easy read, perfect for a cosy moment under a blanket with a hot drink. The book deals with important subjects such as bereavement, loneliness and separation.

I liked guessing which stories the characters belonged to, as the titles were not mentioned.

I’ve had mixed feeling about this book, so let me give the good and bad, and you can decide your thoughts on it.

Bad
The main character is quite abrasive, judgy, moaney, and overall just quite unlikeable for at least the first half of the book. She judges everyone around her, is short with them all, and views herself as the victim in all situations.
At times the story felt slow and meandering, without any real progression.

Good
The characters who appear in the library add something new and interesting
The ending is good and ties everything up nicely.
There’s an element of a puzzle with trying to work out who the library characters are from their description as no mention is made of their name or book, so you purely have to go off physical description and what they talk about

Overall I’d rate this book a 3.5. I wouldn’t say don’t read it, but for me, it would bottom of the pile if I had many options

3.5 stars - women’s fiction with a cosy fantasy element.

I loved how the fmc Chloe was older in this book than your standard late teen / early twenties. Chloe is late twenties / early thirties, I believe, and is dealing with the death of her parents, moving back to her home town and dealing with her estranged sister whilst working at a magical library and dipping her toes into the dating pool after cancelling her wedding. She is quick to relate to and made the story easy to read.

I enjoyed the magical element of the library and liked trying to guess who the character of each story was. I also loved clementine the cat even though I found it odd he was a boy cat with a girls name.

A short, light-hearted read perfect if you’re looking for something fluffy in between your standard fantasy books.

A love letter to bookworms, The Library of Second Chances is a cute light fantasy about grieving, forgiveness, and growth. Mostly lighthearted, with a dash of tragedy sprinkled through each character's background, it offers good vibes and sweet moments of friendship and romance.

It took me a while to get into this, as the pacing at the start is pretty slow and I wasn't sure where the story was heading - the switching POVs between Chloe and Clementine was unusual as there didn't seem to be a purpose to it, and it definitely threw me off initially. I was also unreasonably annoyed that the day to day of working in a library was so wrong (putting donations directly on shelves without first cataloging them??!).

Once the magic of the library begins to come to light though, I was much more engaged. The concept of characters leaving their books to give insight and advice was interesting, and while it was odd that the books and characters are never named, it was fun puzzling out the descriptions. From Pride and Prejudice to The Chronicles of Narnia, there is a little something for everyone to enjoy. Plus, the sentient building is mysterious and I liked its mischievous personality - it made for some amusing situations when it decided to pull pranks or 'help' the employees.

It did feel like some of the problems introduced were resolved too quickly or simply, and sometimes it never was addressed fully at all (like Jason!). The plotting overall was a bit weak, but the emotional journey was rewarding overall and I really liked the cast of characters.

This is a pretty cozy book, and if you like books about reading and libraries or want a story about reconnecting with hometowns, it's worth picking up.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book. A gorgeous 4 star read book from me. What an exciting plot, vivid storytelling and relatable, rich characters. I couldn't put this book down – absolutely loved it

"How does a girl with her head permanently stuck in a book look beyond stories and start over? If only it were that simple . . ." Chloe loves books but feels like her life is missing something and has left city life for her hometown of Wellbridge. But she is in a rut and stuck in a whirlwind of reading books. But her life is about to change after a disastrous date she heads to the library. And this library is magical.

What a charming and magical read but one that really does tell a story, it draws you in and keeps you reading. The library cat, Clementine. even has a say in this story which is so easy and fun to read, is well written and the author writes in a way that really does capture attention and brings that magical feeling to you and the book itself. Great read and fun, enjoyable and entertaining too.



Thank you NetGalley and Headline for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

This was one of those books where I was completely drawn in by the cover.

It is magical and fantastical and loving, and it's about books and a library. I mean, what more do you want?

I love that it's mostly from the point-of-view of our protagonist Chloe, but then we regularly get it from the point-of-view of the library cat, Clementine.

Libraries are magical places, all book lovers know that, and this presents that belief in a more literal way.

On the surface this sounds like a frivolous, trivial happily-ever-after type book, and I'm not saying it isn't that, but it touches on more complicated topics like death, estrangement, anger, and loneiness.

It is such a quick book to read. You're fully absorbed in the story and with the characters, and it flows so well that it flies by.

This is character heavy and plot light, which is generally how I liked my books. What plot is there is fabulous and interesting and entertaining, but this is a character-led story and they're all so brilliantly developed.

I've read a few books over the years where fictional characters come to life and I quite like the idea until I realise that I mainly read thrillers involving serial killers so maybe not.

There's magic obviously, and it's full of friendship and family, love and second chances, hope, joy, and purpose.

My one negative is that the ending seemed a bit rushed, everything was overcome in just a ew pages and it was done, so I'd have liked that explored a bit more.

A fantasy novel set in a Library.

Characters from books come to live... and it is fun....

Chloe returns home after her parents are killed in a car crash, to sort out the family home, while sorting out the home, she takes a job in the local library. Her sister who she has only seen a handful of times in the last few years suddenly appears home.

Chloe is trying to sort out her private life, when she finds a book glowing in the library, when she opens it the main character appears. The character gives her advice.... but then one day, lots of characters appear and it's bedlam!

I loved the concept of a magic library, and Clementine the cat, but I felt like both the plot and the characters just didn’t do the premise justice. I found Chloe overly dramatic at times, the romance felt stilted and generally there were far too many points of conflict which never really amounted to anything or were resolved too quickly.
This book had so much potential but for me it ultimately fell short, I’m sure others will enjoy it more!

Thanks to Netgalley and Headline for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a beautiful book! I could relate so much to the main character and I so love the magical mystical elements of the magic library as well it made the novel so much more elevated and exciting. I didn’t know where the story was going to go and I was so curious to go along with the adventure of it all!

In this story we follow Chloe as she moved back home after the passing of her parents and is currently working at a library. Through a new relationship and her strained one with her sister, Chloe stars noticing that the library might be magical.
I thought this story was cute, but my main problem was the pacing, all the drama was solved super easily, which in some cases worked in others not really…like the whole Jason episode? Unnecessary in my opinion. Personally I wasn’t convinced by this story, but I still think you should five it a go if you like cozy fantasy.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc copy in exchange for an honest review.