✦ BLURB ✦
A grumpy old man, a well-meaning librarian, and a stack of shared stories - this is a love letter to unlikely friendships, bookish connections, and the kind of quiet community that sneaks up on you.
✶ PRE-READING ✶
There are few tropes I fall for faster than “the prickly elder with a heart of gold” and “socially awkward woman who just wants everyone to read more books.” I was expecting something cozy, maybe even whimsical, with a slow-blooming story about misfits finding each other. I had tea ready. I had tissues nearby, just in case.
✶ POST-READING ✶
As I thought... Yes, this was every bit the heartwarming tale I hoped it would be. Lucy Gilmore threads humour through the pain and builds each character with surprising care. Arthur and Sloane are such an unexpected delight together - snarky, stubborn, and ultimately soft in all the right ways. Their relationship forms the emotional spine of the novel, but the real magic happens when the book club begins to gather steam and the circle widens.
It surprised me by... How much weight it carried beneath the charm. There's loneliness tucked into every character here - some worn openly, some hidden deep - but rather than wallowing in the sadness, Gilmore lets them lean on each other in small, meaningful ways. The pacing is quiet and careful, which gives their growth time to breathe. By the end, it wasn’t just about friendship. It was about choosing connection even when it feels safer to stay alone.
✦ RECOMMENDATIONS ✦
Book: The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams – If you loved the way that story quietly built a community out of grief and books, Lonely Hearts will absolutely be your next read.
TV/Movie: The Hundred-Foot Journey – Not about books, but about creating new family out of friction and sharing something beautiful (in that case, food; here, fiction). Warm and gently uplifting.
✦ MUSIC PAIRING ✦
Because sometimes, the heart of a story plays out like a song.
🎵 Featured Song: "Vienna" by Billy Joel
“Slow down, you crazy child…” You can practically hear Arthur saying it behind a scowl. It fits both the themes of aging and of making peace with yourself.
🎶 Vibe Album: Folklore by Taylor Swift
Soft, melancholic, storytelling-rich—this album wraps around you like an old sweater and quietly reminds you of everyone you've ever loved and maybe lost.
🎧 Artist Recommendation: Gregory Alan Isakov
Perfect for rainy afternoons and quiet revelations. His gentle voice and poetic lyrics echo the soft-spoken power of this book.
✧ VIBE CHECK ✧
🎨 Colour Palette: Dusty rose, faded blue, soft greys, and that buttery-yellow of well-loved pages.
🎬 Soundtrack: Think soft piano, gentle strings, and the kind of music that plays while people drink tea and avoid eye contact until they’re ready to speak.🍂 Season: Early autumn - cool enough for blankets, warm enough for open windows, perfect for starting again.
🪟 Mood: Vulnerable. Hopeful. A little raw. A little radiant.
📖 Scent: Old bookshops, tea tins, vanilla candles, and something slightly medicinal (Arthur’s house, perhaps?).
★ TAROT CARD PULLED ★
Six of Cups – Transient Light Tarot
In this deck, the Six of Cups is depicted as six old-fashioned trunks bursting open, spilling clocks, photographs, and love-worn letters into the air. It’s a gorgeous visual metaphor for this book: how memories, even the ones we’ve carefully packed away, eventually rise to the surface - and how beautiful it can be to let them.
Like the book club itself, this card honors the past without becoming trapped by it. It reminds us that we carry our stories with us always - but when we share them, we invite connection, healing, and maybe even a little joy.
The Lonely Hearts Book Club is available now. I received a free copy and am giving an honest review.
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