Violetta Armour
This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page
This book is a love story on so many levels.
When Tilly Nightingale receives a call telling her there’s a birthday gift from her husband, Joe, waiting for her at the local bookshop, it comes as a shock. Mainly because Joe died five months ago.
Tilly, an avid bookworm, has fallen out of love with reading. She hasn’t had the energy or felt the desire to pick up a book in months. She’d been caring for Joe during his illness and has spent the months since his death consumed by grief. Reading couldn’t be further from her mind and Joe, during his illness, had noticed that.
The gift is simple—12 carefully chosen books from Joe, one for each month, to help her turn the page on her first year without him and exactly what she needs to learn how to start living her life again.
Over the next 12 months, the books bring her back to life. They encourage her to take chances, to travel, to cook and bring her solace at a time when she really needs it.
Her year of books also bring her into close contact with bookstore owner, Alfie, and his friends at Book Lane. For Tilly, Book Lane becomes a refuge, where she finds comfort, conversation and space to happily sit and read. Alfie becomes a friend and confidante as she makes her way through her year of books.
Alfie is dealing with his own grief following the loss of his father years earlier. He feels that it is his responsibility to keep Book Lane going in his father’s memory, but fears he is failing as the shop faces financial challenges in a world of online shopping and rising costs.
Author Libby Page manages to paint a realistic depiction of grief. This isn’t a story about ‘curing’ Tilly; she doesn’t automatically ‘get over’ losing Joe. What happens instead is that she, although grieving, slowly allows joy back into her life. And possibly a second chance at love.
This story is also a love letter to book shops as well as books. You might want to keep a pen and paper handy as you read it because in addition to Tilly’s twelve books are many good books Alfie and his staff recommend to shoppers.
As a former bookstore owner, of course this book spoke to me, but you don’t have to be a bookshop owner to appreciate it. I’m clearly a believer in the restorative power of books and Tilly’s story is proof of that.
It’s a life-affirming tale that sensitively deals with love, loss, grief, connection, and the healing power of books.
Violetta Armour, a former bookstore owner in Ahwatukee, is the author of five novels, including the award-winning I’ll Always Be with You. She currently resides at Robson Reserve in Sun Lakes where she is soon to complete her sixth novel.