The Library on Love Heart Lane: Escape with this heartwarming and feel good must read novel for 2024! (Love Heart Lane, Book 13)

I do love this series. It’s rare for me to read any kind of romantic fiction – I’ve far more in common with the darkness of my beloved crime fiction. it’s rarer still for me to revisit a romantic series time and again. I typically dip in and out just to get a little bit of a break from mystery and tension. But there is something so addictive and utterly heartwarming about taking a trip over to Heartcross and spending time with the various residents that I cannot resist when I see a new book is coming out. It’s true what they say – once you visit Heartcross, you’ll never want to leave. And with a book which also caters to my one indulgence – books – how could I say no to an early read? I couldn’t, and I didn’t, so here we are.In The Library On Love Heart Lane, we meet Elle, one of the Librarian’s in Heartcross. She is soon to celebrate her thirtieth birthday and, with the particular milestone looming, has also made a very key decision about her future. As a foster child, Elle has always wondered about her birth mother, and decides that now will be the right time to try and find her. Before the smoke clears from the candles on her birthday cake, she’s sent a request of to The Salvation Army and now the rest is in their hands. Not that she has that much time to dwell on things as a surprise birthday present, an impending visit to Heartcross from a famous author, and a new housemate all in the space of a few weeks keep her well and truly occupied.Now this would not be a Christie Barlow novel without a touch of romance spilling over into the story, and Elle’s tale is no different. In fact, it’s not just Elle who finds herself on the cusp of a romantic dalliance, as co-worker and new roomie, Pippa, becomes the object of not one, but two suitors attention. For Elle, she only has her eyes on one man, but it’s someone she fears is far out of her league. I really liked Pippa and Elle – chalk and cheese when it comes to personality and style, but the kind of friendship which you know just works and who compliment each other perfectly. Whilst Elle is quite quiet and unassuming – and the more we learn of her upbringing the more we understand why – Pippa is loud, addicted to fashion and always setting out to make a statement. They both made me smile, their interactions making me laugh, and whilst Pippa does get herself into a little bit of a mess over her two potential beaus, you know it will all work out in the end.Creating likeable, or dare I say loveable, characters is something Christie Barlow really excels at. Within a few short pages I find I am completely drawn into the world of the latest protagonist, and that I become totally invested in their story. And with the larger than life supporting characters from around Heartcross, you always have the sense of familiarity, even when we are meeting people. It’s not just Elle and Pippa who make their mark in this book. We also spend a good deal of time with Elle’s foster Mother, Irene, someone who is also on the cusp of something new. She is really supportive of Elle, and I loved that bond between them which shows that family is not just about shared DNA. There is new librarian Aiden, who quickly makes himself at home in Heartcross having transferred from Inverness, and author Noah Jones, who turns heads in the town for far more than just his literary prowess. It all adds up to a wonderful story that really did make me smile.It’s not all happiness though, and although much of the story is fun and carefree, there are two very emotional scenes in the book that really hit home and get the tears flowing. One surrounds two very familiar Heartcross residents. A little bit heartbreaking to be honest and stirs up a whole host of emotions for some of the friends. The other is Elle’s backstory, and the more we learn about what really happened in the time leading up to her birth and her mother’s decision to give her up, the harder it is not to feel real sympathy for all involved. It’s a teary moment for sure, but this is a Love Heart Lane story – you can be sure we’ll have reason to smile again by the end of the book.Funny, romantic, heartwarming and emotional, with great characters and that wonderful feeling of familiarity – everything I love about this series. Plus cake. There is a lot of cake. If you aren’t still rolling around in a food haze from Christmas, in true Christie Barlow style this book will have you drooling and reaching for the cake tine before you even make the halfway point. you have been warned! Definitely recommended.

Words can't describe how I feel about love , the Lane series, and all the characters. I feel as if I know every single one deeply and all their life stories. Its like they are all my friends that I've had or have and the same with family members. Each character is unique and is described lovingly and in great detail. The description of love heart lane's backdrop is described so clearly that you can picture where someone walks,shops, or what house they have. I have recommended this series to absolutely everyone I know because it's what I call an easy read because you can't put these books down. There are so many twists and turns, and then at the end, when you think you've figured it all out, boom,there's a massive twist plot. Christis Barlow is an incredible author, and it is the definition of a true author who writes from the heart.

Zoomed throught this book in a matter of hours. Very easy to read and nothing to think too deeply about. Would make a good holiday read. Storyline was a bit predictable but there were a couple of twists that were entertaining.

This was my first, but definitely not my last, visit to Love Heart Lane.I loved the characters and storyline and twists and turns.

What a lovely long lost family story, along with a great friendship and family story. I love all the interactions between the characters and the appearance of characters we met from previous books. Looking forward to the next book.

What a lovely story.I didn't want it to end.

Elle is hitting a landmark birthday and making some life changing decisions! Go Elle!!! She’s wanting to make the most of her thirtieth year in life starting with locating her mother. But this is just the start, this one not-so-small decision is just the start and life starts to become very interesting for Elle.I loved how Elle was bold in making some pretty major decisions in life. I wish I could be as brave at times. She didn’t always take life by the scruff of the neck which I could see she regretted to an extent but life in Heartcross always seems to find of working itself out for the better in a strange kind of way. It is such a magical place to live!I read Evie’s Year Of Taking Chances 6 years ago and from what I remember, I thoroughly enjoyed the story. Barlow has taken Evie, transformed her in to Elle and relocated her to the gorgeous location of Heartcross. It felt a different book if I didn’t know better!Going to The Library On Love Heart Lane is a wonderfully heartwarming way to end the year. It may be a standalone in the Love Heart Lane series but it fits perfectly into the fold. I encountered some of my favourite characters from the Scottish town as well as meeting some new ones which I hope (hint hint Christie) will reappear in the later books.

I thought it harder to read at the end as there were more twists and turns and it was more unbelievable towards the end as there were too many coincidences.

Surprises, good ones are wonderful to receive. This is a sweet fun loving story, friends and family, how important they are to us.

Love this series and love this book

This was the best book I have read out if the series! It was predictable but a very emotional journey.

I enjoyed reading The Library on Love Heart Lane. It was an easy read, and a light read. The main character, Elle, winds up working in a library in a quaint, small town. She develops some close friendships and sets out to search for her biological mom. This becomes one of the main thrusts of the story, as well as developing feelings for an author she meets.The story is good and well done. It has one very subdued bedroom scene, which I think could have been deleted and not affected the story at all.It is a story for enjoyable and relaxed reading. It didn't provide some of the more meaty aspects I like in a story, such as content that affected me deeply or provided significant meaning.