While I went into this book expecting a little more romance, I was pleasantly surprised to find that Lucy Gilmore’s The Lonely Hearts Book Club really didn’t focus on romance at all. It centers on friendship, found family, and connection, which are some of my favorite things about books. Having been the point person for a local book club for a couple years now, I definitely have experienced how books bring all kinds together and give us a place to connect and belong, regardless of where else we are in life. Gilmore captures that and more in this novel.
Sloane and Arthur meet in the library–an optimistic young woman and a curmudgeonly old man– and strike up something of an unlikely friendship. When Arthur’s health takes a bad turn, Sloane feels she has no choice but to get involved, even though Arthur won’t thank her for it. As the weeks progress, the unlikely pair find themselves collecting other misfits until they have a motley crew forming an unlikely book club. And while no one wants to be the first to admit how much they need the others, they’ll each do everything they can to hold on to the strange little found family they’ve created.
This was a sweet book that tugs at the heartstrings at points while making you laugh at others. Each character has deep reasons for clinging tightly to the book club, and Gilmore takes her time revealing each person’s story. Readers can’t help but get drawn in.
First person narratives aren’t always my favorite, but Gilmore makes it work in this story by dividing it up between each character’s point of view so that we can get a close look inside their minds and emotions. This allows readers to connect with pieces of each character.
The Lonely Hearts Book Club is the perfect spring/summer read. It’s fun and engaging but doesn’t require tons of brain power or mental capacity to get into.
Reading, writing, living 