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This Book Made Me Think of You
Win a free print copy of this book!
9 days and 15:23:46
12 copies available
U.S. only
An Instant USA Today Bestseller!
“A lovely, affecting paean to the power of books and enduring love.”—People
A woman receives an unexpected gift from the man she loved and lost—a year of books, one for every month—launching a reading-inspired journey to live, dream, and love again in this glimmering and heart-stopping novel.
Twelve books. Twelve months. One chance to heal her heart…
When Tilly Nightingale receives a call telling her there’s a birthday gift from her husband waiting for her at her local bookshop, it couldn’t come as more of a shock. Partly because she can’t remember the last time she read a book for pleasure. But mainly because Joe died five months ago....
When she goes to pick up the present, Alfie, the bookshop owner with kind eyes, explains the gift—twelve carefully chosen books with handwritten letters from Joe, one for each month, to help her turn the page on her first year without him.
At first Tilly can’t imagine sinking into a fictional world, but Joe’s tender words convince her to try, and something remarkable happens—Tilly becomes immersed in the pages, and a new chapter begins to unfold in her own life. Monthly trips to the bookstore—and heartfelt conversations with Alfie—give Tilly the comfort she craves and the courage to set out on a series of reading-inspired adventures that take her around the world. But as she begins to share her journey with others, her story—like a book—becomes more than her own.
“A lovely, affecting paean to the power of books and enduring love.”—People
A woman receives an unexpected gift from the man she loved and lost—a year of books, one for every month—launching a reading-inspired journey to live, dream, and love again in this glimmering and heart-stopping novel.
Twelve books. Twelve months. One chance to heal her heart…
When Tilly Nightingale receives a call telling her there’s a birthday gift from her husband waiting for her at her local bookshop, it couldn’t come as more of a shock. Partly because she can’t remember the last time she read a book for pleasure. But mainly because Joe died five months ago....
When she goes to pick up the present, Alfie, the bookshop owner with kind eyes, explains the gift—twelve carefully chosen books with handwritten letters from Joe, one for each month, to help her turn the page on her first year without him.
At first Tilly can’t imagine sinking into a fictional world, but Joe’s tender words convince her to try, and something remarkable happens—Tilly becomes immersed in the pages, and a new chapter begins to unfold in her own life. Monthly trips to the bookstore—and heartfelt conversations with Alfie—give Tilly the comfort she craves and the courage to set out on a series of reading-inspired adventures that take her around the world. But as she begins to share her journey with others, her story—like a book—becomes more than her own.
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First published February 3, 2026
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February 18, 2026
okay so not a 5 star romance, but a very strong 4! the ultimate book about books, a book lovers dream! so many bookish references, lists of books, just books all around. wanted to flag that there is a lot of grief talk in here; the FMC is grieving her husband and the MMC his father, but they work together to keep their legacies alive through their mutual love of books. very cute, a bittt repetitive for me (but you guys know me and my feelings about romance over 300 pages, just a me thing!) + fabulous on audio - loved the narrator!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This Book Made Me Think Of You written by Libby Page was beautiful, emotional, authentic pure, heart breaking, powerful, raw, inspiring and heart warming. When I first saw this beautifully detailed cover, I knew I had to get my hands on this book immediately, but little did I know that it would become my favorite book of 2026. Every book lover needs to read this beautiful book because this emotional story will speak directly to you and your precious heart of gold. I knew this book would be emotional, but I didn't expect my heart to be ripped into a million tiny pieces, my goodness, I was just a hot mess, I just know my messy bun has seen better days. The snot bubbles were bubbling and the tears were a waterfall. To whoever created waterproof mascara, thank YOU from the bottom of my heart because I couldn't hold back the tears that had a mind of their own. I loved every single minute of this book from the beginning all the way until the very last page that truly captured my tears, I just remember staring at the ceiling with tears rolling down my face when I finished this beautiful book. 🎀❣️This Book Made Me Think Of You was so poetically beautiful🎀❣️. I can't recommend this book enough, if you are a book lover looking for an emotional story, then please do yourselves a favor and have your calendars marked for February 3rd, 2026 for the publication of this lovely book, which is now available if you want your heart ripped out of your chest. I will forever be blessed and honored that I had the chance to read this book so early because it's now a favorite for me and it will forever remain close to my heart for years and years to come.
THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY AND BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP FOR AN ARC OF THIS BOOK IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW!!!!!!!
🖤🎤Hey Alexa, play The Older You Get by Daniel Seavey🖤🎤
"📖🥰Bookshops aren't just book shops. They are places for book lovers to come together, like minded souls meeting among the stacks📖🥰".
"💔🥀People can just be crap at knowing how to deal with someone who is grieving💔🥀".
"⭐💫From one lone star to another, never forget that you are a part of a constellation⭐💫".
"❤️✨I wish I could show you when you are lonely or in darkness the astonishing light of your own being❤️✨".
"♡ྀི🧸I think, maybe we don't get just one love of our lives. Maybe we all have room in our hearts for more than one story♡ྀི🧸".
"💘💤Sometimes life calls for a pillow fort. And sometimes you just have to build that fort yourself💘💤".
"ᥫ᭡♾️When you lose someone who is your entire universe, it hits you- all chances you didn't take, all the things you didn't say. Because the truth is that you think you have forever, but you don't. You never doᥫ᭡♾️".
Tilly Nightingale was married to Joe Carter, but Joe passed away six months ago, but died just nine months after their wedding- ugh I couldn't even imagine the heart break. Joe passed away months after being diagnosed with cancer, but his and Tilly's love story was oh so beautiful. Joe and Tilly met in a book shop and bonded over A Man Called Ove written by Fredrik Backman and ever since then they fell head over heels in love with each other. Even though he wasn't much of a reader himself, Joe always supported Tilly's love for books. Even though Tilly is a book lover at heart, she hasn't read a single book since Joe's diagnosis, Tilly would just sit by Joe's hospital bed for hours on end holding his hand and cherishing their last moments together. Tilly is a senior editor at Splash Books and she has a potential promotion to become the deputy publishing director. Before passing away, Joe left behind a birthday gift for his wife Tilly- this gift is so simple, but yet so beautiful and heart warming- twelve carefully chosen books from Joe, one for each month to help Tilly turn the page on her first year without her loving husband Joe. Tilly has twelve months, twelve books, and one chance to heal her heart. The first book Joe left behind is wrapped in brown paper and tied with a white ribbon- but the ribbons change color with each passing month. Joe also leaves a sweet note with every book telling Tilly why he chose that specific book. Tilly's waves of grief are so unexpected, but she just wants to let her hair down and be a big sister to her little sister Harper. At times it seemed like the books that Joe chose were a guide through life, but halfway through her year of books, Tilly's gifts on the first of the month have become like book marks keeping her place in the year. Each book that Joe picked holds a personal significance and a special meaning. I just wanted to reach into my kindle and give Tilly the biggest hug, this poor girl deserves the world. 🖤⃝🦋I love you, Tilly girl🖤⃝🦋.
Alfie Lane is a book seller and owner at Book Lane which is a book store that his dad built from scratch. Alfie believes the right book in the hands of the right person at exactly the right moment can change their life forever. Alfie also has a cat named Georgette, but she's a neighborhood stray cat that just loves spending time at Book Lane, oh Georgette was just the sweetest fur baby. Alfie knows all about grief because his dad died from a heart attack right after Alfie finished college. Alfie wants his book store to feel like a safe place for people to just decompress while they navigate life dealing with grief. Alfie made a promise to Joe that he will call Tilly on January fifth which is also Tilly's birthday to let her know about her year of books that Joe left behind- all of these hand picked books from Joe are books that made him think of Tilly. That one unexpected call from Alfie on January fifth changed everything for Tilly. Alfie is actually the one that carefully wraps every book for Tilly with a cutesy colored ribbon for each month. Alfie's vulnerability was so beautiful, his story was so heart breaking, but I just wanted to reach into my kindle and give him the biggest hug as he navigated grief over the death of his dad. Alfie was so supportive, gentle, and patient with Tilly as she navigates this new life without her husband. I absolutely love that Tilly and Alfie had each other to lean on through this new life without their loved ones. After reading this beautiful book, I now want to go to London and visit this book shop and meet my new friends Rachel, Prudence, and Blue who also work at Book Lane And of course, I loved my favorite people, Alfie Lane and Tilly Nightingale. I absolutely adore Alfie for keeping his promise to Joe and gifting these books to Tilly. Ugh, I'm going to miss all of you, but don't worry, y'all will live rent free in my heart because how could I forget you? I can never imagine the pain you two beautiful souls have gone through. 🖤⃝🦋Alfie, you precious beautiful soul, I love you🖤⃝🦋.
THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY AND BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP FOR AN ARC OF THIS BOOK IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW!!!!!!!
🖤🎤Hey Alexa, play The Older You Get by Daniel Seavey🖤🎤
"📖🥰Bookshops aren't just book shops. They are places for book lovers to come together, like minded souls meeting among the stacks📖🥰".
"💔🥀People can just be crap at knowing how to deal with someone who is grieving💔🥀".
"⭐💫From one lone star to another, never forget that you are a part of a constellation⭐💫".
"❤️✨I wish I could show you when you are lonely or in darkness the astonishing light of your own being❤️✨".
"♡ྀི🧸I think, maybe we don't get just one love of our lives. Maybe we all have room in our hearts for more than one story♡ྀི🧸".
"💘💤Sometimes life calls for a pillow fort. And sometimes you just have to build that fort yourself💘💤".
"ᥫ᭡♾️When you lose someone who is your entire universe, it hits you- all chances you didn't take, all the things you didn't say. Because the truth is that you think you have forever, but you don't. You never doᥫ᭡♾️".
Tilly Nightingale was married to Joe Carter, but Joe passed away six months ago, but died just nine months after their wedding- ugh I couldn't even imagine the heart break. Joe passed away months after being diagnosed with cancer, but his and Tilly's love story was oh so beautiful. Joe and Tilly met in a book shop and bonded over A Man Called Ove written by Fredrik Backman and ever since then they fell head over heels in love with each other. Even though he wasn't much of a reader himself, Joe always supported Tilly's love for books. Even though Tilly is a book lover at heart, she hasn't read a single book since Joe's diagnosis, Tilly would just sit by Joe's hospital bed for hours on end holding his hand and cherishing their last moments together. Tilly is a senior editor at Splash Books and she has a potential promotion to become the deputy publishing director. Before passing away, Joe left behind a birthday gift for his wife Tilly- this gift is so simple, but yet so beautiful and heart warming- twelve carefully chosen books from Joe, one for each month to help Tilly turn the page on her first year without her loving husband Joe. Tilly has twelve months, twelve books, and one chance to heal her heart. The first book Joe left behind is wrapped in brown paper and tied with a white ribbon- but the ribbons change color with each passing month. Joe also leaves a sweet note with every book telling Tilly why he chose that specific book. Tilly's waves of grief are so unexpected, but she just wants to let her hair down and be a big sister to her little sister Harper. At times it seemed like the books that Joe chose were a guide through life, but halfway through her year of books, Tilly's gifts on the first of the month have become like book marks keeping her place in the year. Each book that Joe picked holds a personal significance and a special meaning. I just wanted to reach into my kindle and give Tilly the biggest hug, this poor girl deserves the world. 🖤⃝🦋I love you, Tilly girl🖤⃝🦋.
Alfie Lane is a book seller and owner at Book Lane which is a book store that his dad built from scratch. Alfie believes the right book in the hands of the right person at exactly the right moment can change their life forever. Alfie also has a cat named Georgette, but she's a neighborhood stray cat that just loves spending time at Book Lane, oh Georgette was just the sweetest fur baby. Alfie knows all about grief because his dad died from a heart attack right after Alfie finished college. Alfie wants his book store to feel like a safe place for people to just decompress while they navigate life dealing with grief. Alfie made a promise to Joe that he will call Tilly on January fifth which is also Tilly's birthday to let her know about her year of books that Joe left behind- all of these hand picked books from Joe are books that made him think of Tilly. That one unexpected call from Alfie on January fifth changed everything for Tilly. Alfie is actually the one that carefully wraps every book for Tilly with a cutesy colored ribbon for each month. Alfie's vulnerability was so beautiful, his story was so heart breaking, but I just wanted to reach into my kindle and give him the biggest hug as he navigated grief over the death of his dad. Alfie was so supportive, gentle, and patient with Tilly as she navigates this new life without her husband. I absolutely love that Tilly and Alfie had each other to lean on through this new life without their loved ones. After reading this beautiful book, I now want to go to London and visit this book shop and meet my new friends Rachel, Prudence, and Blue who also work at Book Lane And of course, I loved my favorite people, Alfie Lane and Tilly Nightingale. I absolutely adore Alfie for keeping his promise to Joe and gifting these books to Tilly. Ugh, I'm going to miss all of you, but don't worry, y'all will live rent free in my heart because how could I forget you? I can never imagine the pain you two beautiful souls have gone through. 🖤⃝🦋Alfie, you precious beautiful soul, I love you🖤⃝🦋.
February 15, 2026
Don’t you love that feeling when you close a book and think … wow, the author handled that topic so perfectly! I’ve read quite a number of books about characters navigating life after a significant loss, but I’m not sure any of them has felt as complete as this one by new-to-me author Libby Page. The bonus is that the story is also a love letter to books and reading with MANY bookish references that readers will enjoy!
Londoner Matilda “Tilly” Nightingale (take a moment to appreciate how awesome that name is) has lost her husband Joe, the love of her life, to cancer. In many ways the two were opposites: Joe, an American-born athletic extrovert to Tilly’s quirky bookish introvert, but their chance encounter in a bookstore one day began a love story that she’s now deeply grieving the loss of.
Tilly hasn’t felt like reading since Joe’s death five months ago, but on her birthday she receives an unexpected call from a man named Alfie Lane, the proprietor of local bookshop Book Lane. He informs her that she has a parcel waiting for her from Joe. What? How could this be?
In a final act of love for his wife, Joe arranged a year of books … one each month … specially cultivated for her to remind her to keep living and maybe even try new things. Accompanying each book is a handwritten letter from Joe to Tilly explaining the book choice. Over time, her visits to the bookstore lead to a sweet, supportive friendship with Alfie, and the books he gives her from Joe lead her on adventures and to new friends she might never have otherwise had. The places she goes and the people she meets in this book were amazing!
Can I stop for a minute and say … this may be the coolest, most thoughtful idea ever, and I kinda want a box of tissues right now just thinking about it. *sniff*
I won’t spell out the whole book, but here’s what I think Libby Page did SO brilliantly: she didn’t rush Tilly into the next phase of her life and sweep her past with Joe under the rug to be forgotten. I think when readers know that a book involves romance, it can create impatience to get to the next good part, so to speak. Instead, she lets the reader sit with Tilly through that year of processing her grief as she takes inspiration from Joe’s gifts to try new things and figure out what this new life should look like. Romance plays a role, but it doesn’t play the main role in the bulk of the story, and that felt so much more believable and relatable.
Having said that - for those looking for romance, you won’t be disappointed. The level of sweetness in how that aspect of the story develops darn near melted my heart! I don’t think Page could’ve written that romance arc any more believably and sensitively than she did, and it was the yummiest icing on a perfectly baked cake!
This was an immersion read with my Kindle and the audio narrated by Zadeiah Campbell-Davies, who did a lovely job with the voicing and regulating the emotion of the story. I highly recommend both formats. This will be on my year-end favorites list!
★★★★★❤️
Thanks to Berkley Publishing, NetGalley and author Libby Page for this digital ARC to honestly review, and to Libby/my library for the audio. This is out now.
Londoner Matilda “Tilly” Nightingale (take a moment to appreciate how awesome that name is) has lost her husband Joe, the love of her life, to cancer. In many ways the two were opposites: Joe, an American-born athletic extrovert to Tilly’s quirky bookish introvert, but their chance encounter in a bookstore one day began a love story that she’s now deeply grieving the loss of.
Tilly hasn’t felt like reading since Joe’s death five months ago, but on her birthday she receives an unexpected call from a man named Alfie Lane, the proprietor of local bookshop Book Lane. He informs her that she has a parcel waiting for her from Joe. What? How could this be?
In a final act of love for his wife, Joe arranged a year of books … one each month … specially cultivated for her to remind her to keep living and maybe even try new things. Accompanying each book is a handwritten letter from Joe to Tilly explaining the book choice. Over time, her visits to the bookstore lead to a sweet, supportive friendship with Alfie, and the books he gives her from Joe lead her on adventures and to new friends she might never have otherwise had. The places she goes and the people she meets in this book were amazing!
Can I stop for a minute and say … this may be the coolest, most thoughtful idea ever, and I kinda want a box of tissues right now just thinking about it. *sniff*
I won’t spell out the whole book, but here’s what I think Libby Page did SO brilliantly: she didn’t rush Tilly into the next phase of her life and sweep her past with Joe under the rug to be forgotten. I think when readers know that a book involves romance, it can create impatience to get to the next good part, so to speak. Instead, she lets the reader sit with Tilly through that year of processing her grief as she takes inspiration from Joe’s gifts to try new things and figure out what this new life should look like. Romance plays a role, but it doesn’t play the main role in the bulk of the story, and that felt so much more believable and relatable.
Having said that - for those looking for romance, you won’t be disappointed. The level of sweetness in how that aspect of the story develops darn near melted my heart! I don’t think Page could’ve written that romance arc any more believably and sensitively than she did, and it was the yummiest icing on a perfectly baked cake!
This was an immersion read with my Kindle and the audio narrated by Zadeiah Campbell-Davies, who did a lovely job with the voicing and regulating the emotion of the story. I highly recommend both formats. This will be on my year-end favorites list!
★★★★★❤️
Thanks to Berkley Publishing, NetGalley and author Libby Page for this digital ARC to honestly review, and to Libby/my library for the audio. This is out now.
February 15, 2026
I mentioned before that my Valentine’s reading list had become a reading list from hell, each book more disappointing than the one before. This book, however, felt like a breath of fresh air. The one good thing in a Valentine’s bag full of literary heartbreak.
As funny as it seems, this is not quite a romance novel, but it is very much a story about love.
Joe Carter leaves his wife a final gift: a year of books, one for every month. Through this, he gives her back a part of herself she has lost, offering her not just memories, but a life after him and something to look forward to.
I thought this book would break me, but it did not. Not really. Surprisingly, it is not a sad book. It feels…hopeful. Despite its themes of grief and death, it is safe to call this a cozy and easy read. The writing is simple and does not strain to charm. Given the nature of this story, anything else would’ve felt superfluous.
I think many readers will see themselves in Tilly’s story, grief or not. It speaks to grief, yes, but also to that strange, familiar experience of losing your connection to books and slowly finding your way back. Anyone who has ever drifted away from reading, struggled to return to it, or recently fallen back in love with books may find something quietly comforting here. I know I did.
We follow Matilda, aka Tilly, as she rediscovers her love for books and begins to re-engage with life beyond her grief. The stories she reads gently push her toward experiences she might never have chosen for herself. Along the way, she forms new connections and repairs relationships that had worn thin under the weight of loss.
I was genuinely excited to see the books chosen for Tilly’s year of reading, and I wish I could share some of my favorites without spoiling the story. Instead, I’ll focus on sharing some of the things I loved most about this book.
❤️☕ Love and the beauty of community ❤️☕
I love that Tilly finds a safe haven in The Book Lane bookshop and experiences love again with the bookshop owner, Alfie, even though this isn’t the central theme of the novel. I was a little scared when she started having feelings for Alfie because I wondered if it wasn't too soon for her to feel that way. But how soon is soon, and who decides that?
I also love the friendships she forms with the staff. My only regret is that I could not fully connect with the other characters. I usually adore family drama in novels, and while there was some here, I simply could not bring myself to care. I have tried to figure out why, but the answer is uncomplicated: they just did not feel real to me. Tilly and Alfie, on the other hand, felt like people you could actually meet in a bookshop or pass on the street.
❤️🩹📚 Emotional healing through reading ❤️🩹📚
Another thing I loved about this story was the destinations the books carried Tilly to. I practically screamed when she went to Montmartre in Paris. I generally dislike Paris and live happily in a smaller city in the southeast, but Montmartre is the one part of Paris I find undeniably charming.
While she’s there, Tilly also visits a bookshop named Shakespeare and Company. It has long been my dream to “tumbleweed” there. Tumbleweeding is a program that allows readers to stay at the bookshop in exchange for helping out and leaving behind a one-page autobiography or piece of writing. It used to be more informal (you simply show up at the bookshop and if they have space, they take you), but now appears to require an application. I doubt that makes it any easier to get in.
Now, I need to get this off my chest because this absolutely felt like rage bait. Matilda dog-ears her books. DOG-EARS. If any of my friends do this, please keep that information from me. I’m kidding. I love you, regardless.
Overall, this was a wholesome reading experience thanks to Tilly’s journey. I would have loved, truly loved, to give this five stars. But aside from Tilly and her books, I did not find enough to anchor me emotionally. I guess that will have to be enough.
If you love books about books, books about love, books about finding yourself again, and books that quietly remind you why reading matters, this might be your kind of story.
Updates while reading ༄˖°.☕️.ೃ࿔📚*:･
My Valentine’s reading list has turned into a list from hell. Created by yours truly. Every book has been disappointing so far. I was supposed to be reading Lightning in Her Hands, but I couldn't get into the story, so I switched to this. BEST DECISION SO FAR. This is so good and I knew it would because look at the title! Then the blurb, beautiful 💔❤️🩹 I know it'll hurt, but I'm ready
💘 Valentine’s reading list 💘
﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌
𑣲 Tourist Season
𑣲 A Portrait of a Scotsman
𑣲 An Academic Affair
𑣲 This Book Made Me Think of You
𑣲 Bull Moon Rising
𑣲 Gloves Off
As funny as it seems, this is not quite a romance novel, but it is very much a story about love.
Joe Carter leaves his wife a final gift: a year of books, one for every month. Through this, he gives her back a part of herself she has lost, offering her not just memories, but a life after him and something to look forward to.
I thought this book would break me, but it did not. Not really. Surprisingly, it is not a sad book. It feels…hopeful. Despite its themes of grief and death, it is safe to call this a cozy and easy read. The writing is simple and does not strain to charm. Given the nature of this story, anything else would’ve felt superfluous.
I think many readers will see themselves in Tilly’s story, grief or not. It speaks to grief, yes, but also to that strange, familiar experience of losing your connection to books and slowly finding your way back. Anyone who has ever drifted away from reading, struggled to return to it, or recently fallen back in love with books may find something quietly comforting here. I know I did.
We follow Matilda, aka Tilly, as she rediscovers her love for books and begins to re-engage with life beyond her grief. The stories she reads gently push her toward experiences she might never have chosen for herself. Along the way, she forms new connections and repairs relationships that had worn thin under the weight of loss.
I was genuinely excited to see the books chosen for Tilly’s year of reading, and I wish I could share some of my favorites without spoiling the story. Instead, I’ll focus on sharing some of the things I loved most about this book.
❤️☕ Love and the beauty of community ❤️☕
I love that Tilly finds a safe haven in The Book Lane bookshop and experiences love again with the bookshop owner, Alfie, even though this isn’t the central theme of the novel. I was a little scared when she started having feelings for Alfie because I wondered if it wasn't too soon for her to feel that way. But how soon is soon, and who decides that?
I also love the friendships she forms with the staff. My only regret is that I could not fully connect with the other characters. I usually adore family drama in novels, and while there was some here, I simply could not bring myself to care. I have tried to figure out why, but the answer is uncomplicated: they just did not feel real to me. Tilly and Alfie, on the other hand, felt like people you could actually meet in a bookshop or pass on the street.
❤️🩹📚 Emotional healing through reading ❤️🩹📚
Another thing I loved about this story was the destinations the books carried Tilly to. I practically screamed when she went to Montmartre in Paris. I generally dislike Paris and live happily in a smaller city in the southeast, but Montmartre is the one part of Paris I find undeniably charming.
While she’s there, Tilly also visits a bookshop named Shakespeare and Company. It has long been my dream to “tumbleweed” there. Tumbleweeding is a program that allows readers to stay at the bookshop in exchange for helping out and leaving behind a one-page autobiography or piece of writing. It used to be more informal (you simply show up at the bookshop and if they have space, they take you), but now appears to require an application. I doubt that makes it any easier to get in.
Now, I need to get this off my chest because this absolutely felt like rage bait. Matilda dog-ears her books. DOG-EARS. If any of my friends do this, please keep that information from me. I’m kidding. I love you, regardless.
Overall, this was a wholesome reading experience thanks to Tilly’s journey. I would have loved, truly loved, to give this five stars. But aside from Tilly and her books, I did not find enough to anchor me emotionally. I guess that will have to be enough.
If you love books about books, books about love, books about finding yourself again, and books that quietly remind you why reading matters, this might be your kind of story.
Updates while reading ༄˖°.☕️.ೃ࿔📚*:･
My Valentine’s reading list has turned into a list from hell. Created by yours truly. Every book has been disappointing so far. I was supposed to be reading Lightning in Her Hands, but I couldn't get into the story, so I switched to this. BEST DECISION SO FAR. This is so good and I knew it would because look at the title! Then the blurb, beautiful 💔❤️🩹 I know it'll hurt, but I'm ready
💘 Valentine’s reading list 💘
﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌
𑣲 Tourist Season
𑣲 A Portrait of a Scotsman
𑣲 An Academic Affair
𑣲 This Book Made Me Think of You
𑣲 Bull Moon Rising
𑣲 Gloves Off
February 4, 2026
EXCERPT: Just as he is about to open up, his attention falls on the Book Lover's Calendar that was a Christmas gift from a customer and is pinned to the shop noticeboard, open on the new year and illustrated with an image of a woman reading in a pool of lamplight. Today's date is circled in red, the words 'PHONE NIGHTINGALE' written in capital letters. He glances at the shelf reserved for books awaiting collection. For once it is empty apart from one solitary book wrapped in brown paper and tied with ribbon. It has sat there for a long time, unmoving as a rotation of titles came and went around it.
'What a way to start the year.'
Sweeping a scattering of paperwork to one side on his desk unearths a leatherbound book the size of a particularly comprehensive dictionary. Alfie flicks through the crinkled pages until he finds the number he needs. As he picks up the phone he thinks back to the promise he made over a year ago. He had almost forgotten that this day would eventually arrive. That he'd have to make this call.
He pauses for a moment, his finger hovering over the dial button. Because he's worked as a bookseller long enough to know how transformational books can be. But he also knows from personal experience that some people don't want their lives to suddenly change. And he has the feeling that the call he is about to make will turn this customer's life upside down.
ABOUT 'THIS BOOK MADE ME THINK OF YOU': Twelve stories. Twelve months. Once chance to heal her heart . . .
When Tilly Nightingale receives a call telling her there’s a birthday gift from her fiancé waiting for her at her local bookshop, it couldn’t come as more of a shock. Partly because she can’t remember the last time she read a book for pleasure. Mainly because Joe died five months ago . . .
The gift is simple – twelve carefully-chosen books from Joe, one for each month, to help her turn the page on her first year without him.
Tilly sets out on a series of reading-inspired adventures that take her around the world. But as she begins to vlog her journey, her story becomes more than her own. With help from Alfie, the bookshop owner, her budding new following and her friends and family, can Tilly’s year of books show her how to love again?
MY THOUGHTS: OMG! I am completely blown away by this love story. I have laughed. I have cried, and cried some more. This Book Made Me Think of You is now on my 'FOREVER' shelf. I love it. How have I never read Libby Page before?
Written with grace and sincerity, This Book Made Me Think of You is about love, loss, grief and learning to live and love again. It is about the healing power of books and their stories. In addition to the book Tilly receives from Joe each month, there is a list of "Books of the month" following the same theme.
I'm going to quote another paragraph from This Book Made Me Think of You: You know the characters are going to end up together from the beginning, and yet somehow I still can't stop reading to find out what happens . . . Only, not once did I even contemplate stopping reading. I couldn't have stopped if you'd paid me. I was totally immersed in the storyline and totally in love with it. I still am.
Full of wisdom and comfort. A book for booklovers and lovers of love.
At the end of the book, there is another list of recommendations listing Libby's favorite books and books about grief.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#ThisBookMadeMeThinkofYou #NetGalley
MEET THE AUTHOR: LIBBY PAGE As well as being a best-selling author, she is also a writing coach, mentoring writers through the process of writing their own novels.
Before writing full time she worked as a journalist and in marketing. She lives in Somerset with her husband and young son.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Penguin via NetGalley for providing a DRC of This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page for review. all opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
'What a way to start the year.'
Sweeping a scattering of paperwork to one side on his desk unearths a leatherbound book the size of a particularly comprehensive dictionary. Alfie flicks through the crinkled pages until he finds the number he needs. As he picks up the phone he thinks back to the promise he made over a year ago. He had almost forgotten that this day would eventually arrive. That he'd have to make this call.
He pauses for a moment, his finger hovering over the dial button. Because he's worked as a bookseller long enough to know how transformational books can be. But he also knows from personal experience that some people don't want their lives to suddenly change. And he has the feeling that the call he is about to make will turn this customer's life upside down.
ABOUT 'THIS BOOK MADE ME THINK OF YOU': Twelve stories. Twelve months. Once chance to heal her heart . . .
When Tilly Nightingale receives a call telling her there’s a birthday gift from her fiancé waiting for her at her local bookshop, it couldn’t come as more of a shock. Partly because she can’t remember the last time she read a book for pleasure. Mainly because Joe died five months ago . . .
The gift is simple – twelve carefully-chosen books from Joe, one for each month, to help her turn the page on her first year without him.
Tilly sets out on a series of reading-inspired adventures that take her around the world. But as she begins to vlog her journey, her story becomes more than her own. With help from Alfie, the bookshop owner, her budding new following and her friends and family, can Tilly’s year of books show her how to love again?
MY THOUGHTS: OMG! I am completely blown away by this love story. I have laughed. I have cried, and cried some more. This Book Made Me Think of You is now on my 'FOREVER' shelf. I love it. How have I never read Libby Page before?
Written with grace and sincerity, This Book Made Me Think of You is about love, loss, grief and learning to live and love again. It is about the healing power of books and their stories. In addition to the book Tilly receives from Joe each month, there is a list of "Books of the month" following the same theme.
I'm going to quote another paragraph from This Book Made Me Think of You: You know the characters are going to end up together from the beginning, and yet somehow I still can't stop reading to find out what happens . . . Only, not once did I even contemplate stopping reading. I couldn't have stopped if you'd paid me. I was totally immersed in the storyline and totally in love with it. I still am.
Full of wisdom and comfort. A book for booklovers and lovers of love.
At the end of the book, there is another list of recommendations listing Libby's favorite books and books about grief.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#ThisBookMadeMeThinkofYou #NetGalley
MEET THE AUTHOR: LIBBY PAGE As well as being a best-selling author, she is also a writing coach, mentoring writers through the process of writing their own novels.
Before writing full time she worked as a journalist and in marketing. She lives in Somerset with her husband and young son.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Penguin via NetGalley for providing a DRC of This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page for review. all opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
January 10, 2026
| ARC REVIEW | COMING: 29TH JANUARY 2026
★ 4.5 ★
⚠️ Trigger Warnings ⚠️
~ Death (most prominently of a husband, and father)
~ Bereavement
~ Cancer
~ Grief
📚 Summary 📚
Five months ago, Tilly Nightingale lost two of her biggest loves: her husband Joe, and as a result, also her passion for reading. However, five months after Joe's death, deep in grief and with her birthday fast approaching, Tilly receives a call from the local bookseller Alfie Lane, explaining that there is a gift from her late husband waiting for her at his bookshop. The gift being twelve books carefully selected by Joe, one for each month of the year, designed to help Tilly navigate her new life without him, cope with the weight of her grief, support her in ever so gradually piecing herself back together again, and maybe even give her the strength to take a chance on love again.
💭 My Thoughts 💭
I thought this was a wonderfully sweet and emotional read, written in such a warm and tender way, perfectly fitted for the themes mentioned. I found myself tearing up before I was even 10% into the book! I particularly loved the flashbacks showing us glimpses of Tilly and Joe's life together. They made me want to hug my loved ones a little tighter.
The plot was a little bit predictable, but I think that there's something comforting about predictability in these types of books, almost as if it's like a bit of solace amongst the emotional themes and tear-jerking moments.
This book is written in third person perspective, which worked fine. However, I often find this can take a degree of emotional depth away from the characters. Therefore, as this book was so emotive, I did wonder whether it would've better suited being written in first person perspective as this may have potentially portrayed the depth of Tilly and Alfie's emotions more effectively.
The pacing felt a bit inconsistent; sometimes a slow burn and other times a bit too rushed. At several points, I really wanted things to slow down so I could really savour Tilly's shifting mental state and better appreciate her journey of healing. For example, I would've loved to have read more about Tilly's adventures around Paris with the "grief gang".
Sprinkled with numerous book recommendations throughout, I think that this is a great book for anyone who loves reading and uses books as a form of escapism. From the beautifully poetic descriptions of how much a book in the right hands can truly change someone's life, to the level of commitment it must've taken to collate so many appropriate book recommendations to scatter throughout the story, it is apparent that Libby Page is incredibly passionate about literature. This also meant that each characters' love of books also read very authentically.
💫 Overall 💫
I really enjoyed this book. It was emotional, heart-warming and brimming with hope amongst heartbreak. Libby Page handled the themes with such care and sensitivity, and gave all the characters their own little personalities and quirks, making them feel so real and well-rounded. Even with the inconsistent pacing, I found this book fantastic and would recommend it to anyone who likes their romances with a side of sobbing.
Thank you to NetGalley, Libby Page and Penguin General UK | Viking for gifting this eBook in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. All opinions are my own.
★ 4.5 ★
⚠️ Trigger Warnings ⚠️
~ Death (most prominently of a husband, and father)
~ Bereavement
~ Cancer
~ Grief
📚 Summary 📚
Five months ago, Tilly Nightingale lost two of her biggest loves: her husband Joe, and as a result, also her passion for reading. However, five months after Joe's death, deep in grief and with her birthday fast approaching, Tilly receives a call from the local bookseller Alfie Lane, explaining that there is a gift from her late husband waiting for her at his bookshop. The gift being twelve books carefully selected by Joe, one for each month of the year, designed to help Tilly navigate her new life without him, cope with the weight of her grief, support her in ever so gradually piecing herself back together again, and maybe even give her the strength to take a chance on love again.
💭 My Thoughts 💭
I thought this was a wonderfully sweet and emotional read, written in such a warm and tender way, perfectly fitted for the themes mentioned. I found myself tearing up before I was even 10% into the book! I particularly loved the flashbacks showing us glimpses of Tilly and Joe's life together. They made me want to hug my loved ones a little tighter.
The plot was a little bit predictable, but I think that there's something comforting about predictability in these types of books, almost as if it's like a bit of solace amongst the emotional themes and tear-jerking moments.
This book is written in third person perspective, which worked fine. However, I often find this can take a degree of emotional depth away from the characters. Therefore, as this book was so emotive, I did wonder whether it would've better suited being written in first person perspective as this may have potentially portrayed the depth of Tilly and Alfie's emotions more effectively.
The pacing felt a bit inconsistent; sometimes a slow burn and other times a bit too rushed. At several points, I really wanted things to slow down so I could really savour Tilly's shifting mental state and better appreciate her journey of healing. For example, I would've loved to have read more about Tilly's adventures around Paris with the "grief gang".
Sprinkled with numerous book recommendations throughout, I think that this is a great book for anyone who loves reading and uses books as a form of escapism. From the beautifully poetic descriptions of how much a book in the right hands can truly change someone's life, to the level of commitment it must've taken to collate so many appropriate book recommendations to scatter throughout the story, it is apparent that Libby Page is incredibly passionate about literature. This also meant that each characters' love of books also read very authentically.
💫 Overall 💫
I really enjoyed this book. It was emotional, heart-warming and brimming with hope amongst heartbreak. Libby Page handled the themes with such care and sensitivity, and gave all the characters their own little personalities and quirks, making them feel so real and well-rounded. Even with the inconsistent pacing, I found this book fantastic and would recommend it to anyone who likes their romances with a side of sobbing.
Thank you to NetGalley, Libby Page and Penguin General UK | Viking for gifting this eBook in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. All opinions are my own.
February 23, 2026
Sweet story, kind of like P.S. I Love You but with books.
Five months after Tilly's husband dies, she receives a phone call from a bookstore. Her husband had ordered a book for her to pick up. When she arrives, she finds out that he had arranged with Alfie, the bookstore owner, to give Tilly a book each month for a year, each with a letter enclosed. Tilly is reeling and doesn't really want to read these books, but she reluctantly reads the first one and then bit by bit is able to read each one and take steps towards moving back into life again.
This is such a heartfelt tale. It's not completely feel-good, Tilly's grief is real and raw and her lifelong love of reading is stifled by that grief. I loved how it wasn't a quick fix, her journey of grief had numerous setbacks and stumbling steps forward. I also appreciated Alfie's own grief story--it wasn't the same as Tilly's but it was real as well.
The books chosen for Tilly to read were ones I was mostly familiar with but they weren't the ones readers will be expecting. That was very refreshing as it made me interested in revisiting some of them. It takes a real book lover to come up with this eclectic list of books.
Beautiful book about books and grief and the power books have to help with healing.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
Five months after Tilly's husband dies, she receives a phone call from a bookstore. Her husband had ordered a book for her to pick up. When she arrives, she finds out that he had arranged with Alfie, the bookstore owner, to give Tilly a book each month for a year, each with a letter enclosed. Tilly is reeling and doesn't really want to read these books, but she reluctantly reads the first one and then bit by bit is able to read each one and take steps towards moving back into life again.
This is such a heartfelt tale. It's not completely feel-good, Tilly's grief is real and raw and her lifelong love of reading is stifled by that grief. I loved how it wasn't a quick fix, her journey of grief had numerous setbacks and stumbling steps forward. I also appreciated Alfie's own grief story--it wasn't the same as Tilly's but it was real as well.
The books chosen for Tilly to read were ones I was mostly familiar with but they weren't the ones readers will be expecting. That was very refreshing as it made me interested in revisiting some of them. It takes a real book lover to come up with this eclectic list of books.
Beautiful book about books and grief and the power books have to help with healing.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
February 6, 2026
4 solid stars - very nice read about a recent widow & the books her late hubs left behind for her. A bit predictable but still a very nice, like warm hug of a book
February 24, 2026
This is the story of a woman who receives a phone call out of the blue from her local bookshop in London, saying that her book is ready for her. She thinks there is a mistake, since she didn’t order anything. No, the bookseller tells her. Your husband arranged a gift of a year of books for you before he passed away.
I approached this with some caution, because there are three subjects that are hard to write about sincerely and with feeling (without turning maudlin): death, romance, and a love of books. I needn’t have worried since this one handles all of them well, with quiet poignancy, humor, and steady bursts of surprise and joy. Bonuses: complex family/in-law relationships, building communities, travel, endlessly thoughtful and varied book recommendations, and a bookstore cat named Georgette.
Particularly strongly recommended if you love the true story of the bittersweet, deeply romantic relationship between American Helene Hanff and the British bookstore she corresponds with for years in 84, Charing Cross Road or if you have ever walked into a bookshop and thought I'm home.
This is such a hug of a book and I'm so happy to have spent time in this world. I freaking love everyone in it.
4.5 stars
Audio Notes: Perfectly narrated by Zadeiah Campbell-Davies. Though I completely misunderstood the way she pronounced "Bali" and kept wondering where this vacation was, until the FMC ate some dadar gulung (Indonesian pancakes), haha.
I approached this with some caution, because there are three subjects that are hard to write about sincerely and with feeling (without turning maudlin): death, romance, and a love of books. I needn’t have worried since this one handles all of them well, with quiet poignancy, humor, and steady bursts of surprise and joy. Bonuses: complex family/in-law relationships, building communities, travel, endlessly thoughtful and varied book recommendations, and a bookstore cat named Georgette.
Particularly strongly recommended if you love the true story of the bittersweet, deeply romantic relationship between American Helene Hanff and the British bookstore she corresponds with for years in 84, Charing Cross Road or if you have ever walked into a bookshop and thought I'm home.
This is such a hug of a book and I'm so happy to have spent time in this world. I freaking love everyone in it.
4.5 stars
Audio Notes: Perfectly narrated by Zadeiah Campbell-Davies. Though I completely misunderstood the way she pronounced "Bali" and kept wondering where this vacation was, until the FMC ate some dadar gulung (Indonesian pancakes), haha.
November 26, 2025
4.25 stars
This Book Made Me Think About You was emotional, sweet, and so very hopeful. It had some heavy topics, mainly centered around grief, but it was represented beautifully. It was my first book by Libby Page, and I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Tilly’s husband passed away in the summer, and it is now the first of the year. She gets a call from her local bookshop that she has a package there. It’s a book. From her husband. It is, in fact, 12 books. One, she gets on the first of each month from Joe. A gift she never saw coming.
Alfie is the bookseller and is dealing with grief of his own after losing his dad and inheriting his bookstore. Though his father has been gone longer than Tilly’s dad, it’s still challenging for him to navigate all his feelings. I loved both Alfie and Tilly and rooted for them to be together. Though the focus of this book is not on romance, I enjoyed it nonetheless.
This is one of those books that brought a few tears, but ultimately left me with the biggest smile on my face. I hurt for these characters, but also cheered for them. This book was a win for me!
This Book Made Me Think About You was emotional, sweet, and so very hopeful. It had some heavy topics, mainly centered around grief, but it was represented beautifully. It was my first book by Libby Page, and I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Tilly’s husband passed away in the summer, and it is now the first of the year. She gets a call from her local bookshop that she has a package there. It’s a book. From her husband. It is, in fact, 12 books. One, she gets on the first of each month from Joe. A gift she never saw coming.
Alfie is the bookseller and is dealing with grief of his own after losing his dad and inheriting his bookstore. Though his father has been gone longer than Tilly’s dad, it’s still challenging for him to navigate all his feelings. I loved both Alfie and Tilly and rooted for them to be together. Though the focus of this book is not on romance, I enjoyed it nonetheless.
This is one of those books that brought a few tears, but ultimately left me with the biggest smile on my face. I hurt for these characters, but also cheered for them. This book was a win for me!
February 19, 2026
A story of love, loss, and the bumpy road to healing. The irresistible cover drew me in, but the emotional growth kept me glued to the pages. My favorite aspect was that the author kept the characters real and that isn't always pretty. Hurting people react, many choose to shut the world out for a time, the fact that the author dug into those moments lent dimension.
Tilly Nightingale (what a great name😉) receives an unexpected phone call from her local bookstore informing her that she has a gift from her late husband, Joe. Convinced it's a mistake she arrives to clear things up. It's no mistake, Joe left her a total of twelve books each accompanied by a letter from him in hopes of reigniting Tilly's love of reading that Joe watched dwindle alongside his own health. She is to receive one book per month each one selected with a unique purpose in mind. These books opened Tilly's life to adventures great and small. The bookstore owner Alfie was supportive of Joe's vision and becomes invested in Tilly's journey of healing. Joe and Alfie were both amazing men with depth and kindness. Alfie's bookstore stole my heart I longed to wander the stacks alongside Georgette the stray cat Alfie opened its door to. She seemed like an employee or boss if CATTITUDE 😺counts.
This Book Made Me Think of You is a love letter to books chock full of recommendations showing the power that a book can conjure. We see Tilly's life change one step at a time it's not a magic immediate blink and you miss it transformation. She struggles, she falls, but Tilly gets back up and is willing to take another step then another until she finds herself in a life that is headed toward mending her shattered heart. I loved that all of her adventures weren't a shining success in the typical way, but by leaving her comfort zone her eyes were opening not only to a world of possibilities but also to her own capabilities.
There was plenty of grief in these pages, but love filtered through warming my heart.
*Now Available*
Thank you to Berkley Publishing for providing an ARC via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Tilly Nightingale (what a great name😉) receives an unexpected phone call from her local bookstore informing her that she has a gift from her late husband, Joe. Convinced it's a mistake she arrives to clear things up. It's no mistake, Joe left her a total of twelve books each accompanied by a letter from him in hopes of reigniting Tilly's love of reading that Joe watched dwindle alongside his own health. She is to receive one book per month each one selected with a unique purpose in mind. These books opened Tilly's life to adventures great and small. The bookstore owner Alfie was supportive of Joe's vision and becomes invested in Tilly's journey of healing. Joe and Alfie were both amazing men with depth and kindness. Alfie's bookstore stole my heart I longed to wander the stacks alongside Georgette the stray cat Alfie opened its door to. She seemed like an employee or boss if CATTITUDE 😺counts.
This Book Made Me Think of You is a love letter to books chock full of recommendations showing the power that a book can conjure. We see Tilly's life change one step at a time it's not a magic immediate blink and you miss it transformation. She struggles, she falls, but Tilly gets back up and is willing to take another step then another until she finds herself in a life that is headed toward mending her shattered heart. I loved that all of her adventures weren't a shining success in the typical way, but by leaving her comfort zone her eyes were opening not only to a world of possibilities but also to her own capabilities.
There was plenty of grief in these pages, but love filtered through warming my heart.
*Now Available*
Thank you to Berkley Publishing for providing an ARC via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
January 29, 2026
This book felt like the warm hug I needed.
This Book Made Me Think of You is a love letter to readers, and to indie bookshops that give us refuge in the storms of life. It's an ode to remembering those we have lost, and forging new paths in their memory. It's also a book about finding love again when you least expect it, and grabbing hold of it while you still can.
I adored the concept of this story, it's what made me pick it up in the first place. Before he passes, Tilly's husband leaves her 12 books...one book a month for a whole year. Each book includes a special message to help her get back on her feet after he is gone. The main rule: she has to pick them up one month at a time from a bookshop.
From the very first chapter I was invested in Tilly and her journey after losing her dear husband. I loved the back and forth timelines that gave us a peek into their marriage, which was heartfelt and sentimental. Yes this book made me teary eyed on multiple occasions. Alfie the bookshop owner is boyish, sweet and charming. The romance elements were so naturally woven into the book, and while they weren't front and center...they still made a huge impact in the story.
This book was one of those special stories that reminded me of why we read books. Not to get through them, but to have them go through us. For them to impact us, and remind us of the magic of truly living and seeing the special in the ordinary. I will be thinking about this book for a while, and it's easily a favorite of the year.
CONTENT:
Heat: Kissing Only
Language: none (at least none I remember)
This Book Made Me Think of You is a love letter to readers, and to indie bookshops that give us refuge in the storms of life. It's an ode to remembering those we have lost, and forging new paths in their memory. It's also a book about finding love again when you least expect it, and grabbing hold of it while you still can.
I adored the concept of this story, it's what made me pick it up in the first place. Before he passes, Tilly's husband leaves her 12 books...one book a month for a whole year. Each book includes a special message to help her get back on her feet after he is gone. The main rule: she has to pick them up one month at a time from a bookshop.
From the very first chapter I was invested in Tilly and her journey after losing her dear husband. I loved the back and forth timelines that gave us a peek into their marriage, which was heartfelt and sentimental. Yes this book made me teary eyed on multiple occasions. Alfie the bookshop owner is boyish, sweet and charming. The romance elements were so naturally woven into the book, and while they weren't front and center...they still made a huge impact in the story.
This book was one of those special stories that reminded me of why we read books. Not to get through them, but to have them go through us. For them to impact us, and remind us of the magic of truly living and seeing the special in the ordinary. I will be thinking about this book for a while, and it's easily a favorite of the year.
CONTENT:
Heat: Kissing Only
Language: none (at least none I remember)
February 19, 2026
4.5 stars GR 4.48 rated
"I am the person I am because of the books I have read. My reading history is a map that shows the path of my life."
How many times have I read a book and thought..... "they will love this!"
When Matilda Nightingale's husband passes away, she is surprised to hear from a local bookstore owner. Her late husband, Joe, has left her 12 books for each month of the year ahead. While dealing with her grief, each book pushes her to new adventures and to confront challenges. Grief is tricky.
I loved travelling with her to London and New York, running a marathon (which I will not be doing), and wild camping. (also a big NO!) At the heart of the book, is finding who you are when someone close passes. I loved all the literary references within the book, from Fredrik Backman to Elizabeth Gilbert. I recently saw an Instagram showing this author in her natural element. You can tell both by watching and reading her work that she is a huge bookworm.
Perhaps this book was predictable- but oh so lovely. It was a balm for the soul in the current climate of life.
"I am the person I am because of the books I have read. My reading history is a map that shows the path of my life."
How many times have I read a book and thought..... "they will love this!"
When Matilda Nightingale's husband passes away, she is surprised to hear from a local bookstore owner. Her late husband, Joe, has left her 12 books for each month of the year ahead. While dealing with her grief, each book pushes her to new adventures and to confront challenges. Grief is tricky.
I loved travelling with her to London and New York, running a marathon (which I will not be doing), and wild camping. (also a big NO!) At the heart of the book, is finding who you are when someone close passes. I loved all the literary references within the book, from Fredrik Backman to Elizabeth Gilbert. I recently saw an Instagram showing this author in her natural element. You can tell both by watching and reading her work that she is a huge bookworm.
Perhaps this book was predictable- but oh so lovely. It was a balm for the soul in the current climate of life.
October 27, 2025
3.5- Rounding up to 4.
Sweet story but definitely a bit too cutsie and cliche for me (our FMC has red hair, of course she does!). If you can suspend reality, I think you'll enjoy it. I do think the plot just wasn't enough which feels wild to say since it was about a widow getting books from her dead husband! --but the writing was lacking to keep tension and interest chapter to chapter. This will be a sweet story to read cuddled under a blanket.
Sweet story but definitely a bit too cutsie and cliche for me (our FMC has red hair, of course she does!). If you can suspend reality, I think you'll enjoy it. I do think the plot just wasn't enough which feels wild to say since it was about a widow getting books from her dead husband! --but the writing was lacking to keep tension and interest chapter to chapter. This will be a sweet story to read cuddled under a blanket.
Read
February 24, 2026This was cute but maybe a bit longer than I was expecting
February 6, 2026
Tilly gets a call from a bookstore telling her she has a book ready to pick up, but she doesn't understand because she didn't buy a book.
The bookstore owner suggested that she stop in so he can explain.
What a surprise!! Her husband who had passed has surprise books scheduled to be delivered to Tilly every month for an entire year.
Tilly wants all the books, but the bookstore owner said he promised that he would only give them out one month at a time.
The books have a note from her husband that makes Tilly feel he is right there with her. Each book has something to help her get back into reading and to help herself cope.
This was the sweetest read. I was excited to see what book was next for Tilly and what adventure Joe wanted her to experience.
If you need an uplifting book with wonderful characters, please read this book.
You will get many book recommendations and also visit the Library Hotel in Manhattan.
The cover is as adorable as the book. 5/5
Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
The bookstore owner suggested that she stop in so he can explain.
What a surprise!! Her husband who had passed has surprise books scheduled to be delivered to Tilly every month for an entire year.
Tilly wants all the books, but the bookstore owner said he promised that he would only give them out one month at a time.
The books have a note from her husband that makes Tilly feel he is right there with her. Each book has something to help her get back into reading and to help herself cope.
This was the sweetest read. I was excited to see what book was next for Tilly and what adventure Joe wanted her to experience.
If you need an uplifting book with wonderful characters, please read this book.
You will get many book recommendations and also visit the Library Hotel in Manhattan.
The cover is as adorable as the book. 5/5
Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Every now and then, you come across a book that just grabs you. You know, those stories that take root and plant themselves right into your very core, those stories that you still think about long after they have ended. Those are the ones that change you. Those are the ones that matter.
This is one of those stories. A story that moved me. Made me think. Made me feel, oh how this story pulled at all my emotions. I can't even tell you how many times I cried, both sad tears and happy tears. It really was just that good.
You will adore Tilly, you will adore Alfie, you will love Joe, and Blue, and Prudence, and Harper. There isn't a character in this story that doesn't matter, that doesn't stand out in some way or another.
This is a must read, I just can't say enough good things about it. Try it. You won't regret it.
*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
This is one of those stories. A story that moved me. Made me think. Made me feel, oh how this story pulled at all my emotions. I can't even tell you how many times I cried, both sad tears and happy tears. It really was just that good.
You will adore Tilly, you will adore Alfie, you will love Joe, and Blue, and Prudence, and Harper. There isn't a character in this story that doesn't matter, that doesn't stand out in some way or another.
This is a must read, I just can't say enough good things about it. Try it. You won't regret it.
*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
August 7, 2025
This is a beautifully written book. Full of inspiration, hope and showcasing the profound impact books can have on the reader.
Tilly is only just surviving after the loss of fiancée Joe. He has left her a collection of books each to be collected once a month after he has passed away. Tilly struggles to open the first book, but as each month passes she finds herself looking forward to finding out what lies behind the beautifully wrapped parcels. The books not only remind her of the thoughtfulness of Joe, but encourage her to make changes to her life, pushing herself out of her comfort zone and helping her navigate her grief.
This book highlights how books can expand our horizons, taking us travelling, building new relationships and friendships along the way.
This book is full of wonderful characters and is both thought provoking and inspiring. Overall a book I didn’t want to end .
Tilly is only just surviving after the loss of fiancée Joe. He has left her a collection of books each to be collected once a month after he has passed away. Tilly struggles to open the first book, but as each month passes she finds herself looking forward to finding out what lies behind the beautifully wrapped parcels. The books not only remind her of the thoughtfulness of Joe, but encourage her to make changes to her life, pushing herself out of her comfort zone and helping her navigate her grief.
This book highlights how books can expand our horizons, taking us travelling, building new relationships and friendships along the way.
This book is full of wonderful characters and is both thought provoking and inspiring. Overall a book I didn’t want to end .
March 6, 2026
If you are looking for a feel-good book about rediscovering yourself after grief, this is the book to pick up.
Read this if you want to:
📖 Read a love letter to book stores & small businesses
📖 Read about communities created through sharing stories
📖 Add books to your own TBR
WARNING: You also may be inspired to do the following: Sign up for a Half marathon, take up skating, go wild camping, quit your stagnant job, take a trip to a country you've always wanted to visit, pretend to be a tourist in your own city, write your own novel, revisit children's literature, reconnect with family, learn to cook fresh pasta, and finally: you may be inspired to stop dreaming and start doing.
My husband picked this book up for me because of the cover. He has an uncanny ability for choosing books that are meant for me. His past selections include this gem The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry.
I loved Page's premise for this book: The love of Tilly's life dies, and he leaves her a year of books to help keep her company in her first year without him. His gift not only reignites her love for reading, it brings her back to life. While this is ultimately Tilly's story, her world becomes intertwined with her local bookstore, Book Lane, and that of the owner, Alfie Lane. If you are looking for a a romance novel, this isn't really that. Yes, Tilly does eventually learn that it is possible (and okay) to love again, but only after learning to heal herself first. This book shows it is possible to love life again after loss.
I took it upon myself to jot down all of the books listed.
Book Lane's Recommendations
JANUARY - books for when you don’t feel like reading
Dear Reader: The Comfort and Joy of Books, Cathy Rentzenbrink
Cold Comfort Farm, Stella Gibbons
Tilly and the Bookwanderers, Anna James
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, Sangu Mandanna
FEBRUARY- books to make you hungry
Chocolat, Joanne Harris
The Kamogawa Food Detectives, Hisashi Kashiwai
One More Croissant for the Road, Felicity Cloake
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, C.S. Lewis
MARCH- books to fall in love with
One Day, David Nicholls
Love Story, Lindsey Kelk
Here We Go Again, Alison Cochrun
Venetia, Georgette Heyer
APRIL- Paris, je t’aime
The Little Paris Bookshop, Nina George
The Dud Avocado, Elaine Dundy
Down and Out in Paris and London, George Orwell
The Elegance of the Hedgehog, Muriel Barbery
MAY- books that will inspire you to take up a new hobby
You Will Be Able to Draw By the End of this Book, Jake Spicer
Field Notes from an Unintentional Birder: A Memoir, Julia Zarankin
By My Hands: A Potter's Apprenticeship, Florian Gadsby
The Curse of the Boyfriend Sweater: Essays on Crafting, Alanna Okun
JUNE- books for when life feels like a mess
The Gifts of Imperfection, Brene Brown
Outer Order, Inner Calm: Declutter & Organize to Make More Room for Happiness, Gretchen Rubin
The Art of Rest: How to Find Respite in the Modern Age, Claudia Hammond
Weathering: How the earth's deep wisdom can help us endure life's storms, Ruth Allen
JULY- poetry for every feeling
Set Me On Fire: A Poem For Every Feeling, Ella Risbridger
Staying Alive: Real Poems for Unreal Times, Neil Astley
Every Day Is A Fresh Beginning: Meaningful Poems for Life, Aoibhin Garrihy
I Wish I Knew: Comforting words to strengthen your soul, Donna Ashworth
The Peace of Wild Things: And Other Poems, Wendell Berry
AUGUST- dear reader, some epistolary novels you must read
84, Charing Cross Road, Helene Hanff
Meet Me at the Museum, Anne Youngson
Business as Usual, Jane Oliver and Ann stafford The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
SEPTEMBER- books to take you on an adventure without having to leave home
The Wild Places, Robert Macfarlane
Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail, Cheryl Strayed
Miss Benson's Beetle, Rachel Joyce
The Hobbit, or There and Back Again, J.R.R Tolkien
OCTOBER- tired of London? tired of life
Londoners: The Days and Nights of London Now - As Told by Those Who Love It, Hate It, Live It, Left It, and Long for It, Craig Taylor
Swing Time, Zadie Smith
Mary Poppins, P.L. Travers
A Bear Called Paddington, Michael Bond
NOVEMBER: books about bookshops
Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop, hwang Bo-reum
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, Gabrielle Zevin
Days at the Morisaki Bookshop, Satoshi Yagisawa
The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, Abby Waxman
DECEMBER: the best festive festive fiction
A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens
The Christmas Bookshop, Jenny Colgan
The Night Before Christmas, Clement C. Moore
A Snow Garden and Other Stories, Rachel Joyce
Tilly's Year of Books
January: Matilda, Roald Dahl
February: Delia's Complete How To Cook, Delia Smith
March: Beach Read, Emily Henry
April: A Moveable Feast, Ernest Hemingway
Bonus—Madeline, Ludwig Bemelmans
May: What I Talk About When I Talk About Running Haruki Murakami
June:The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself and Your Family from a Lifetime of Clutter, Margareta Magnusson
July: The Poetry Pharmacy: Tried-and-True Prescriptions for the Mind, Heart and Soul, William Sieghart
August: Letter from New York: BBC Woman's Hour Broadcasts, Helene Hanff
September:Wild Camping: Exploring and Sleeping in the Wilds of the UK and Ireland, Stephen Neale
October: Lonely Planet London (City Travel Guide) by Tom Masters
November: Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear, Elizabeth Gilbert
December: blank journal
Bottom Line: More people should be reading and talking about this book.
“I am the person I am because of the books I have read.”
March 2026 update— I am reading through some of the recommendations & just finished Big Magic (a book o never would have read) & loved it!- thank you Libby Page
Read this if you want to:
📖 Read a love letter to book stores & small businesses
📖 Read about communities created through sharing stories
📖 Add books to your own TBR
WARNING: You also may be inspired to do the following: Sign up for a Half marathon, take up skating, go wild camping, quit your stagnant job, take a trip to a country you've always wanted to visit, pretend to be a tourist in your own city, write your own novel, revisit children's literature, reconnect with family, learn to cook fresh pasta, and finally: you may be inspired to stop dreaming and start doing.
My husband picked this book up for me because of the cover. He has an uncanny ability for choosing books that are meant for me. His past selections include this gem The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry.
I loved Page's premise for this book: The love of Tilly's life dies, and he leaves her a year of books to help keep her company in her first year without him. His gift not only reignites her love for reading, it brings her back to life. While this is ultimately Tilly's story, her world becomes intertwined with her local bookstore, Book Lane, and that of the owner, Alfie Lane. If you are looking for a a romance novel, this isn't really that. Yes, Tilly does eventually learn that it is possible (and okay) to love again, but only after learning to heal herself first. This book shows it is possible to love life again after loss.
I took it upon myself to jot down all of the books listed.
Book Lane's Recommendations
JANUARY - books for when you don’t feel like reading
Dear Reader: The Comfort and Joy of Books, Cathy Rentzenbrink
Cold Comfort Farm, Stella Gibbons
Tilly and the Bookwanderers, Anna James
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, Sangu Mandanna
FEBRUARY- books to make you hungry
Chocolat, Joanne Harris
The Kamogawa Food Detectives, Hisashi Kashiwai
One More Croissant for the Road, Felicity Cloake
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, C.S. Lewis
MARCH- books to fall in love with
One Day, David Nicholls
Love Story, Lindsey Kelk
Here We Go Again, Alison Cochrun
Venetia, Georgette Heyer
APRIL- Paris, je t’aime
The Little Paris Bookshop, Nina George
The Dud Avocado, Elaine Dundy
Down and Out in Paris and London, George Orwell
The Elegance of the Hedgehog, Muriel Barbery
MAY- books that will inspire you to take up a new hobby
You Will Be Able to Draw By the End of this Book, Jake Spicer
Field Notes from an Unintentional Birder: A Memoir, Julia Zarankin
By My Hands: A Potter's Apprenticeship, Florian Gadsby
The Curse of the Boyfriend Sweater: Essays on Crafting, Alanna Okun
JUNE- books for when life feels like a mess
The Gifts of Imperfection, Brene Brown
Outer Order, Inner Calm: Declutter & Organize to Make More Room for Happiness, Gretchen Rubin
The Art of Rest: How to Find Respite in the Modern Age, Claudia Hammond
Weathering: How the earth's deep wisdom can help us endure life's storms, Ruth Allen
JULY- poetry for every feeling
Set Me On Fire: A Poem For Every Feeling, Ella Risbridger
Staying Alive: Real Poems for Unreal Times, Neil Astley
Every Day Is A Fresh Beginning: Meaningful Poems for Life, Aoibhin Garrihy
I Wish I Knew: Comforting words to strengthen your soul, Donna Ashworth
The Peace of Wild Things: And Other Poems, Wendell Berry
AUGUST- dear reader, some epistolary novels you must read
84, Charing Cross Road, Helene Hanff
Meet Me at the Museum, Anne Youngson
Business as Usual, Jane Oliver and Ann stafford The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
SEPTEMBER- books to take you on an adventure without having to leave home
The Wild Places, Robert Macfarlane
Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail, Cheryl Strayed
Miss Benson's Beetle, Rachel Joyce
The Hobbit, or There and Back Again, J.R.R Tolkien
OCTOBER- tired of London? tired of life
Londoners: The Days and Nights of London Now - As Told by Those Who Love It, Hate It, Live It, Left It, and Long for It, Craig Taylor
Swing Time, Zadie Smith
Mary Poppins, P.L. Travers
A Bear Called Paddington, Michael Bond
NOVEMBER: books about bookshops
Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop, hwang Bo-reum
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, Gabrielle Zevin
Days at the Morisaki Bookshop, Satoshi Yagisawa
The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, Abby Waxman
DECEMBER: the best festive festive fiction
A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens
The Christmas Bookshop, Jenny Colgan
The Night Before Christmas, Clement C. Moore
A Snow Garden and Other Stories, Rachel Joyce
Tilly's Year of Books
January: Matilda, Roald Dahl
February: Delia's Complete How To Cook, Delia Smith
March: Beach Read, Emily Henry
April: A Moveable Feast, Ernest Hemingway
Bonus—Madeline, Ludwig Bemelmans
May: What I Talk About When I Talk About Running Haruki Murakami
June:The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself and Your Family from a Lifetime of Clutter, Margareta Magnusson
July: The Poetry Pharmacy: Tried-and-True Prescriptions for the Mind, Heart and Soul, William Sieghart
August: Letter from New York: BBC Woman's Hour Broadcasts, Helene Hanff
September:Wild Camping: Exploring and Sleeping in the Wilds of the UK and Ireland, Stephen Neale
October: Lonely Planet London (City Travel Guide) by Tom Masters
November: Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear, Elizabeth Gilbert
December: blank journal
Bottom Line: More people should be reading and talking about this book.
“I am the person I am because of the books I have read.”
March 2026 update— I am reading through some of the recommendations & just finished Big Magic (a book o never would have read) & loved it!- thank you Libby Page
November 21, 2025
A Delightful and Captivating Story of Hope
SUMMARY
When Tilly Nightingale receives a call about a birthday gift from her husband at her local bookshop, it's a shock. Joe had died five months ago, and she hadn’t read for pleasure ever since he got sick. Alfie, the bookshop owner, explains the gift—one book each month with a handwritten letter from Joe for the next twelve months. Though hesitant, Tilly begins reading Joe’s letters, and she immerses herself in the books he chose. She starts to enjoy the monthly visits to the bookshop and her conversations with Alfie and the bookstore staff, which offer comfort and motivate her to travel, take risks, and have adventures.
REVIEW
This is one of those fabulous books I can’t stop talking about. It was a delight watching Tilly’s character evolve from a grieving widow to a strong, confident, and independent woman. I absolutely adored the posthumous gift of books from her husband. I love the thought and care that went into selecting each book. And the letters…priceless.
The writing is captivating. Both Tilly and Alfie’s characters draw you into the story. You can’t help but anticipate what each month’s book and letter will bring to Tilly’s life. The struggling bookshop and the colorful bookstore employees also play a significant role in the story development.
My favorite part is Tilly’s solo trip to Paris and the wonderful group of diverse friends she meets there—in a bookstore, no less.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All opinions expressed here are my own.
Publisher Berkley
Published February 3, 2026
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com
SUMMARY
When Tilly Nightingale receives a call about a birthday gift from her husband at her local bookshop, it's a shock. Joe had died five months ago, and she hadn’t read for pleasure ever since he got sick. Alfie, the bookshop owner, explains the gift—one book each month with a handwritten letter from Joe for the next twelve months. Though hesitant, Tilly begins reading Joe’s letters, and she immerses herself in the books he chose. She starts to enjoy the monthly visits to the bookshop and her conversations with Alfie and the bookstore staff, which offer comfort and motivate her to travel, take risks, and have adventures.
REVIEW
This is one of those fabulous books I can’t stop talking about. It was a delight watching Tilly’s character evolve from a grieving widow to a strong, confident, and independent woman. I absolutely adored the posthumous gift of books from her husband. I love the thought and care that went into selecting each book. And the letters…priceless.
The writing is captivating. Both Tilly and Alfie’s characters draw you into the story. You can’t help but anticipate what each month’s book and letter will bring to Tilly’s life. The struggling bookshop and the colorful bookstore employees also play a significant role in the story development.
My favorite part is Tilly’s solo trip to Paris and the wonderful group of diverse friends she meets there—in a bookstore, no less.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All opinions expressed here are my own.
Publisher Berkley
Published February 3, 2026
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com
February 26, 2026
Easiest 5 stars I have given in a while! I could not stop listening to this one (great on audio)! The second I started the book, I already knew it was going to be MAGIC. This was definitely sad in some ways (similar to P.S. I Love You) but also incredibly uplifting! Highly recommend!
July 23, 2025
My thoughts: TBMMTOY is genuinely one of the most incredible and beautiful reads I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing and I am grateful for the opportunity to have had an advance reader copy.
I wrote pages of notes for this novel as I was reading through, as there was just so much I loved and enjoyed - so I will try to narrow and simplify my thoughts below:
• my favourite quotes from the novel can be seen on slide 3 - I will, from this moment, always be referred to as a “library mouse”
• The recommendations throughout of books to read either by Book Lane or from Joe to Tilly - I looked up every book that was mentioned and so many were added to my TBR!
• Whilst there is some predictability to the plot, the journey the characters go through to get there is absolutely incredible. There are moments of intensity, emotional depth, resilience and vulnerability. There are tears and laughter which as a reader you feel emotionally in tune with - have tissues at the ready as there were so many heart wrenching moments.
• Every character is so loveable - from the Paris Grief group, Tilly’s sister Harper, Prudence and Blue, and even stray cat Georgette - you will become immersed in the world that Libby creates and feel like these characters are friends and family to you.
An easy 5✨ read!! ❤️
I wrote pages of notes for this novel as I was reading through, as there was just so much I loved and enjoyed - so I will try to narrow and simplify my thoughts below:
• my favourite quotes from the novel can be seen on slide 3 - I will, from this moment, always be referred to as a “library mouse”
• The recommendations throughout of books to read either by Book Lane or from Joe to Tilly - I looked up every book that was mentioned and so many were added to my TBR!
• Whilst there is some predictability to the plot, the journey the characters go through to get there is absolutely incredible. There are moments of intensity, emotional depth, resilience and vulnerability. There are tears and laughter which as a reader you feel emotionally in tune with - have tissues at the ready as there were so many heart wrenching moments.
• Every character is so loveable - from the Paris Grief group, Tilly’s sister Harper, Prudence and Blue, and even stray cat Georgette - you will become immersed in the world that Libby creates and feel like these characters are friends and family to you.
An easy 5✨ read!! ❤️
September 3, 2025
The premise was promising. Young, sad, widow gets a call from a local bookshop that she has a book waiting. She didn't order any books, but apparently her late husband (not a reader!) purchased one book a month for his wife to read after he died. Sweet! A great romance book plot!
BUT this book was pretty dreadful. It was chock-full of every rom-com cliche, but the spin is that the MC is not doing ALL THE THINGS with her husband, because he's DEAD. Which is, you know, horrible. But this privileged, mourning, QUIRKY gal does ALL THE THINGS, and then finds what she needed all along, right there at home. GAH.
ALL THE THINGS include: honeymoon in Bali (with her sister), including drunken karaoke; three weeks in Paris where she meets other grieving people and becomes instant BFFs with all of them; "wild camping" in Scotland with hilariously awful results; running a marathon (excuse me, *half* marathon), again with sis.
She's QUIRKY because she has red hair! She wears a tweed coat with big mismatched buttons! And a rainbow scarf and orange bobble hat! A floaty dress with a denim jacket!
BUT this book was pretty dreadful. It was chock-full of every rom-com cliche, but the spin is that the MC is not doing ALL THE THINGS with her husband, because he's DEAD. Which is, you know, horrible. But this privileged, mourning, QUIRKY gal does ALL THE THINGS, and then finds what she needed all along, right there at home. GAH.
ALL THE THINGS include: honeymoon in Bali (with her sister), including drunken karaoke; three weeks in Paris where she meets other grieving people and becomes instant BFFs with all of them; "wild camping" in Scotland with hilariously awful results; running a marathon (excuse me, *half* marathon), again with sis.
She's QUIRKY because she has red hair! She wears a tweed coat with big mismatched buttons! And a rainbow scarf and orange bobble hat! A floaty dress with a denim jacket!
October 29, 2025
ARC from NetGalley
This book was just beautiful. A perfect rom com written for book lovers. The obvious comparison is that this book is like a modern P.S, I love you but written for bibliophiles.
I mean this as a compliment but this book was exactly what I thought it would be, in the same way that re-watching Love Actually every Christmas is comforting and nostalgic.
I really appreciated the references to famous book shops and book related places, as well as the monthly book recommendations. The recommendations at the beginning of each month were so good and I actually ended up adding a few to my TBR.
This book isn’t doing anything ground breaking but you can tell that the author (and therefore the characters) just really loves all kinds of books, from modern romance bestsellers to the classics. A warm hug of a book!
This book was just beautiful. A perfect rom com written for book lovers. The obvious comparison is that this book is like a modern P.S, I love you but written for bibliophiles.
I mean this as a compliment but this book was exactly what I thought it would be, in the same way that re-watching Love Actually every Christmas is comforting and nostalgic.
I really appreciated the references to famous book shops and book related places, as well as the monthly book recommendations. The recommendations at the beginning of each month were so good and I actually ended up adding a few to my TBR.
This book isn’t doing anything ground breaking but you can tell that the author (and therefore the characters) just really loves all kinds of books, from modern romance bestsellers to the classics. A warm hug of a book!
February 8, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this novel. All my thoughts and opinions are my own.
Real rating: 4.75
Oh, this is so soft and warm. I felt like I was tucked in a warm, weighted blanket, fuzzy socks covering my feet, with a mug of tea sitting idle beside me as an old radio crackled lightly in the distance while it crooned soft melodies.
I love books about books. I love friends to lovers. I especially love strangers to friends to lovers. And I really, really love when both parties are open and vulnerable and safe with each other. I don’t see enough of that. And this? This is simply gorgeous.
Real rating: 4.75
Oh, this is so soft and warm. I felt like I was tucked in a warm, weighted blanket, fuzzy socks covering my feet, with a mug of tea sitting idle beside me as an old radio crackled lightly in the distance while it crooned soft melodies.
I love books about books. I love friends to lovers. I especially love strangers to friends to lovers. And I really, really love when both parties are open and vulnerable and safe with each other. I don’t see enough of that. And this? This is simply gorgeous.
February 9, 2026
5 stars. Five months after Tilly loses her husband to cancer she receives a call from a bookstore. She’s told her husband has gifted her one book a month for one year handpicked by him with a letter attached (the bookseller had no idea he had passed away). Each book is a challenge to help her through her grief while becoming a better person and realizing her worth. This isn’t all rainbows and sunshine.. it is also about loss and grief, and after losing my husband of 40 years three months ago this is the 1st book that has abled me to read refs to spousal loss without not finishing and in tears. This was just the right book I needed to help me in the process of healing. It’s being referred to as “a warm cozy hug to people who love books” and I truly believe that. I absolutely loved it. 💔🙏📚xx
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance reader’s copy. All opinions are my own.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance reader’s copy. All opinions are my own.
February 1, 2026
This Book Made Me Think of You is a tender, hopeful story about grief, healing, and the quiet ways love continues after loss.
While the story is somewhat predictable, it works in the book’s favor, offering comfort and warmth in heavy topics.
I received an ARC through NetGalley -thank you to the author and publisher
While the story is somewhat predictable, it works in the book’s favor, offering comfort and warmth in heavy topics.
I received an ARC through NetGalley -thank you to the author and publisher
February 16, 2026
This was a really good read. It deals with grief, but is uplifting and hopeful. It has healing, friendship, and of course, books. I really enjoyed seeing what book Tilly got each month, and also the book recommendations.
4.5 stars
4.5 stars
March 3, 2026
“ I wish I could show you when you are lonely or in darkness the astonishing light of your own being.”
I can’t think of a more perfect gift for a reader than a surprise year’s worth of books. From beginning to end, oh how I loved it so much. If you read the synopsis, you know this isn’t a light book, even though the beautiful cover depicts that. Two people finding themselves again after loss and through the love of books and connection. I laughed, cried, and cheered them on as I read. This is the perfect book for readers and those struggling to get their footing after going through difficult times. Well done, Libby Page.
I can’t think of a more perfect gift for a reader than a surprise year’s worth of books. From beginning to end, oh how I loved it so much. If you read the synopsis, you know this isn’t a light book, even though the beautiful cover depicts that. Two people finding themselves again after loss and through the love of books and connection. I laughed, cried, and cheered them on as I read. This is the perfect book for readers and those struggling to get their footing after going through difficult times. Well done, Libby Page.
February 26, 2026
Twelve months, twelve books and a celebration of bookshops.
“Her visits on the first of the month have become like bookmarks, keeping her place in the year. But there will come a day soon when there are no books left to collect.”
I really liked the concept of this book. Joe Carter’s gift to his wife, Tilly Nightingale, consists of twelve books—one for each month of her first year without him after his death. Each book includes a letter from Joe, that sets Tilly on a specific task, coaxing her to start living her life again. These twelve books lead Tilly back to her passion for reading, new friendships and healing from her grief.
“Her visits on the first of the month have become like bookmarks, keeping her place in the year. But there will come a day soon when there are no books left to collect.”
I really liked the concept of this book. Joe Carter’s gift to his wife, Tilly Nightingale, consists of twelve books—one for each month of her first year without him after his death. Each book includes a letter from Joe, that sets Tilly on a specific task, coaxing her to start living her life again. These twelve books lead Tilly back to her passion for reading, new friendships and healing from her grief.
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