The Little Village Library – Helen Rolfe

Cloverdale has a different sort of library, the sort of library you can borrow useful things – a hedge trimmer, breadmaker or ladder. But the library is also fast becoming the centre of the community as its founder Jennifer wanted it to be. Dance classes, sewing and using a drill all feature but so does that sense of community, friendship and belonging.

Some residents including jennifer are hiding things and until all these secrets and anger can be forgiven and forgotten Cloverdale will yet to have that real community feel.

Jennifer is at a loss now her children are growing up and away from her support, she is looking to capture the past she had before she gave it all up to be a wife, a mother and a carer.

Jennifer’s sister Isla has returned to Cloverdale after wandering the planet for months, never settling in one place but now it seems that Isla can put down roots and stay but why is her sister so against this.

Adam and his two children, Zoe and Zac but what are they hiding from and why is nothing much mentioned about their mother and Adams wife. Where is she? Why has she seemingly abandoned her children? Will a diary reveal the secrets?

Viola is helicopter parent, perfect in whatever she does, she judges to harshly and makes her own conclusiojns, which is what happened to her friendship with Jennifer many years ago. Now they are all back in Cloverdale will past misdemeanours be forgiven and will everyone be embraced into the community.

The basis of this book, the library was a great thing however the plot I found the be very laboured and I did consider giving up at more than once. The only thing that kept me reading was to find out what all the characters had done in the past, the secrets they held. The book was not a light hearted read as the cover may imply, it dealt with some difficult subjects, it dealt with them well but perhaps they were not the right book for them to be featured in.

I was left disappointed by this book especially when a previous book by this author, The Little Cafe at the End of the Pier was a great read. I would approach another of her books with a bit more trepidation.

Thank you to the publisher via netgalley for the opportunity to read this book. 

The Little Village Library is published on 6 February 2020.