With Love from London: A Novel

Sarah Jio

Feb 2022 · Sold by Ballantine Books

About this eBook

When a woman inherits her estranged mother’s bookstore in London’s Primrose Hill, she finds herself thrust into the pages of a new story—hers—filled with long-held family secrets, the possibility of new love, and, perhaps, the single greatest challenge of her life.

When Valentina Baker was only eleven years old, her mother, Eloise, unexpectedly fled to her native London, leaving Val and her father on their own in California. Now a librarian in her thirties, fresh out of a failed marriage and still at odds with her mother’s abandonment, Val feels disenchanted with her life.

In a bittersweet twist of fate, she receives word that Eloise has died, leaving Val the deed to her mother’s Primrose Hill apartment and the Book Garden, the storied bookshop she opened almost two decades prior. Though the news is devastating, Val jumps at the chance for a new beginning and jets across the Atlantic, hoping to learn who her mother truly was while mourning the relationship they never had.

As Val begins to piece together Eloise’s life in the U.K., she finds herself falling in love with the pastel-colored third-floor flat and the cozy, treasure-filled bookshop, soon realizing that her mother’s life was much more complicated than she ever imagined. When Val stumbles across a series of intriguing notes left in a beloved old novel, she sets out to locate the book’s mysterious former owner, though her efforts are challenged from the start, as is the Book Garden’s future. In order to save the store from financial ruin and preserve her mother’s legacy, she must rally its eccentric staff and journey deep into her mother’s secrets. With Love from London is a story about healing and loss, revealing the emotional, relatable truths about love, family, and forgiveness.

Ratings and reviews

I am speechless. Utterly, fantastically, heart melted in a puddle speechless. I've made it no secret I've been battling some not so fantastic depression during these cold months. It happens to the best of us unfortunately. One of the worst things I deal with is the loss of my usual ability to find comfort in pretty much any book I Crack open. I know my genres. I know what I like. But for some reason the blues brings with it the gloom of having a hard time connecting to a good read. I am so so deliciously happy I chose this one at this very moment. When Valentina was a child, her mother abruptly left. No phone calls. No letters. Just one day gone. This of course broke her young heart and was something she carried with her into adulthood. Out of the blue, she's alerted by a solicitor that her mother has passed and left her everything. Everything including a charming bookshop and apartments in Primrose Hill. Though based in Seattle, her recent separation has made it possible for her to trek to England to sort out her mother's estate and hopefully finally receive the answers she's been looking for. This book was absolutely everything wonderful I love about reading! The imagery of England was so vivid I could see the bookshop and the little cafés with such ease. Told from both Valentina and Eloise (her mothers) perspectives, we get the full scope of what actually happened with such vivid detail putting down the book was almost painful because it felt like the loss of a friend. The love Eloise had for her daughter bled into every page and the pain she felt at the things life handed her was so heartbreaking you find yourself crying with her at her misfortunes and celebrating her happiness. This isn't just a novel. This is a beautiful work of art. I loved every page and was sincerely sad to see it end. My only consolation is the ability to now dig into Ms. Jio's past works. She's truly a master storyteller and I'm so overjoyed to have found the book that will certainly be a favorite of the year and pulled me out of my reading melancholy. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 Thank you to Sarah Jio, Ballantine Books, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

After being dumped by her husband of twelve years, Valentina learns that her mother has passed. Valentina has not seen nor heard from her mother since she was twelve years old. Valentina is told that she has inherited a building in the Primrose Hill neighborhood of London, England that contains two apartments and a bookshop. As a librarian, Valentina finds the idea of owning a bookshop appealing. Books have always helped her through the rough moments of her life. Valentine arrives at the Book Garden and meets Millie, her mother’s best friends and Liza, a tenant. When Valentina finds her favorite book in the shop, she opens it to find an envelope with her name on it. Her mother has left her one last scavenger hunt. Valentina hopes this will allow her to learn more about her mother and why she left all those years ago without a word. Valentina receives word for the solicitors that the death taxes are higher than expected. If she wants to keep the Book Garden, Valentina along with Millie and Liza must find a way to raise the funds. Can Valentina save the bookshop, and will she learn what she needs to know about her elusive mother? With Love from London by Sarah Jio is a dual timeline novel. We get Valentina’s story which is set in 2013 and Eloise’s story that begins in 1968. I normally have a hard time with novels that have multiple timelines, but Sarah Jio made it flow beautifully. I was able to go from one section to the other without difficulty. I thought With Love from London was well-written with realistic characters. I enjoyed the vivid descriptions of London’s Primrose Hill neighborhood. I loved how Valentina and other characters just loved books. It is always wonderful when you meet a fellow reader and booklover. My favorite quote is, “There’s absolutely nothing wrong with having too many books.” Another delightful quote is “…a favorite book is like an old friend, waiting for you with open arms.” With Love from London is a poignant novel. There are a couple of scenes where you will want to ensure that you have a tissue handy. The romances were touching, and one was amusing. I enjoyed the humor sprinkled throughout the story. There was, though, some predictability to the tale. There were a couple of items that I figured out early on and then waited to see if my guesses would come to fruition. The ending left me with a smile on my face. I look forward to reading each new Sarah Jio novel and she did not disappoint with this one. If you love romance, books, and people who love books, then With Love from London is the right novel for you.

With Love from London is Dual Time Romantic Fiction with mysteries by Sarah Jio. A librarian from West Coast America inherits a bookshop in London from her mother that she has not had contact with in many years. Delicious, loved the characters and the well woven stories of their lives. Sarah Jio’s writing makes you feel many of life’s emotions: joy, sorrow, but most of all love. I smiled, laughed and cried. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I appreciate the opportunity and thank the author and publisher for allowing me to read, enjoy and review this book. 5 Stars

About the author

Sarah Jio is the #1 international, New York Times, and USA Today bestselling author of eleven novels. She is the host of the Mod About You podcast and also a longtime journalist who has contributed to Glamour, The New York Times, Redbook, Real Simple, O: The Oprah Magazine, Bon Appétit, Marie Claire, Self, and many other outlets, including NPR's Morning Edition. Jio's books have been published in more than twenty-five countries. She lives in Seattle with her husband, three young boys, three stepchildren, and two puppies.