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In With Love From London by Sarah Jio, we meet Val, a librarian (and bookstagrammer!) who is in the middle of finalizing a divorce when she learns that her estranged mother, who abandoned her when she was young, has passed away and left her a bookstore in London. At first, Val has the intention to sell the bookstore but when she arrives, her plan takes on a life of its own, as her mother has also left her a scavenger hunt of clues that pulls her closer to the community and the bookstore and where she learns the truth about her mother’s life.
We then travel back in time and learn about the life of Eloise, Val’s mother, and her dreams of owning a bookshop, how she meets her true love, the trials of her marriage and how life separated her from her daughter. I found it fascinating to watch as the decisions that Eloise made play out for Val and her future.
With Love From London is a beautiful and bittersweet story of a mother/daughter relationship, the search for (and loss of) love, unbreakable bonds of friendship and how understanding your past can also free your future. The transition between timelines is seamless and the details of London and the bookstore are so vivid you can almost watch it play out in your mind.
I’ve been a huge fan of Sarah’s work since her first book more than 10 years ago. Sarah is a master at not only writing heartfelt stories but she also has the ability to craft a duel timeline in the most creative way. If you haven’t read Sarah’s books, I urge you to also check out her backlist titles. No matter what book you start with, you won’t be disappointed!
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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