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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.
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.
Due to publisher restrictions the library cannot purchase additional copies of this title, and we apologize if there is a long waiting list. Be sure to check for other copies, because there may be other editions available.
Due to publisher restrictions the library cannot purchase additional copies of this title, and we apologize if there is a long waiting list. Be sure to check for other copies, because there may be other editions available.
Excerpts-
From the coverChapter 1
Valentina
London, England
November 3, 2013
“There are far better things ahead than any we leave behind,” says the stranger sitting next to me on the airplane—a sixtysomething woman with feathered bangs and a hair tie clinging so tightly to her left wrist that I’ve spent most of the flight worried it might turn into a medical emergency.
In my years of assorted travel, I’ve had a long history of questionable airplane seatmates: the ninety-year-old man who touched my leg 3,781 times, then lapsed into a flatulence-fueled nap; the crying baby of all crying babies; the woman who drank too many mini bottles of rum and passed out on my shoulder, drooling.
However, on this particular flight, it seems I’ve been graced by the “Sentimental Orator.” We’d barely cleared the runway, and Chatty in seat 26B had already quoted Shakespeare, Marilyn Monroe, and, if I remember correctly, Muhammad Ali.
My tired, blank stare obviously troubles her, because the corners of her mouth plummet into a disappointed frown. “You poor child,” she says, shaking her head. “You don’t know C. S. Lewis? A shame.”
“Yes,” I say, closing my eyes as I press my head against the seat back, attempting sleep—or, at least, pretending to. “It’s . . . very sad.”
And it is. I’ve just been accused of not knowing a quote by one of my favorite authors, though I’m presently too exhausted to defend myself. But what’s sadder? The very quote itself.
“There are better things ahead than any we leave behind.”
My eyes shoot open as the plane begins to descend over London and a burst of turbulence jostles me against the Sentimental Orator who, I predict, will soon start reciting Gandhi, or maybe Mother Teresa.
My mind churns. What if C. S. Lewis was wrong? What if there aren’t better things to come? What if . . . ?
The plane rattles again as it slips beneath a cloud, landing gear deployed. A moment later, we’re touching down at Heathrow with a thud.
I peer out the window. So, this is London.
The Sentimental Orator gasps and fumbles for her inhaler as I take in my first view of England and its seemingly endless gray. A thick layer of fog and dark clouds blend like a muddled watercolor painting—and my own gray mood. Gray on gray on gray.
I sigh as I collect my bag from the overhead compartment and walk numbly ahead. I’m thirty-five years old. This should be chapter thirteen of my life—maybe even chapter sixteen. But somehow, I feel as if I’ve been catapulted back to the very beginning, or worst, thrust into a laborious rewrite.
“Chapter 1: An American Divorcee in London.”
“Miss,” the Sentimental Orator says, tapping my shoulder. “I think you forgot . . . your book.”
She hands it to me and I eye the cover with equal parts humiliation and denial. How to Get Divorced and Not Lose Your Mind. I’d only read two chapters, as covertly as possible, but quickly lost interest and tucked it into the seat pocket for the next passenger’s guaranteed delight. I mean, what therapist in their right mind would title a chapter: “The Best Way to Get Over Someone Is to Get Under Someone”?
“You poor thing,” the Sentimental Orator says, smiling to herself.
Give this model citizen a gold star!
“Are you going through a divorce?”
Is it just me, or did she say the word “divorce” several decibels...
Reviews-
Starred review from January 3, 2022 Jio (All the Flowers in Paris) unfurls an extraordinary and heartfelt tale that will stay with readers long after the final page is turned. When divorced librarian Valentina “Val” Baker inherits a London bookstore from her late estranged mother, Eloise, she leaves Seattle for a fresh start in England. Val has always been told that Eloise abandoned her when she was 12, but as the story—which toggles between Val’s present and Eloise’s past—evolves, both Val and the reader learn the story she grew up believing was a lie. As a young woman, Eloise was caught in a love triangle and only accepted a proposal from Frank, Val’s father, whom she did not love, because she was pregnant. After a miscarriage, the pair had Val, but Frank’s jealousy destroyed any chance Val and Eloise had of a relationship. Val discovers this history via a scavenger hunt her mother has set up for her through clues left in all her favorite books—and along the way she finds a love of her own. Jio’s expert characterization makes Eloise’s heartbreak, sacrifice, and love for her daughter palpable, and her masterful plotting will keep readers guessing until the end. This is sure to tug on readers’ heartstrings. Agent: Elisabeth Weed, Book Group.
In Jio's (Flowers in Paris) newest, a librarian, a bookstore, and mother-daughter relationships take center stage. Valentina's journey is familiar, yet delightful, as she leaves a life dedicated to an undeserving person to a life dedicated to herself. Along the way she discovers why her mother, Eloise, abandoned her. Book lovers will especially enjoy the way reading is integral to Valentina's and Eloise's lives, and librarians may particularly love the demonstrations of readers' advisory skills tucked around their missions to start and save a bookstore. Aside from the bookstore plot, both women learn to find the power to follow their dreams--and perhaps find love along the way. Narrators Gabrielle Glaister and Brittany Pressley are pleasant and voice their main characters convincingly and sympathetically. Unfortunately, moving between point-of-view chapters makes it seem as if the past in the novel moves at a much slower pace than the present, since the narrators perform at noticeably different speeds. Additionally, both narrators voiced characters with accents in a manner that seemed off. VERDICT The book focus will delight, as will themes of healing and forgiveness.--Matthew Galloway
Copyright 2022 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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Brittany Pressley and Gabrielle Glaister alternate the narration of this heartwarming novel about family, friendship, and forgiveness. In her introduction, Jio states she wants to create a "cozy place" for listeners, and both narrators help realize this ambition. Pressley portrays Valentina, a recently divorced 30-something Seattle librarian who comes to London when she inherits a charming bookstore from her estranged mother, Eloise. Pressley's range is impressive as she navigates Valentina's conflicting emotions; ages her timbre for Eloise's best friend, Millie; and deepens her intonation for Valentina's competing love interests, Daniel and Eric. While listeners might benefit from a more definitive backstory on Eloise, Glaister effectively employs a careful intonation and cadence to depict her and deftly shifts tones and accents to portray supporting characters. M.J. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
