This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page

I really enjoyed Libby Page’s first two novels, The Lido and The 24-Hour Café, but then seem to have missed everything else that she’s written – something that I need to rectify as I love Page’s writing. I couldn’t miss her latest novel though given that it’s themed around books and the joy of reading.

In This Book Made Me Think of You, we meet Matilda Nightingale – Tilly to her friends. She’s in a difficult place when we meet her, grieving her husband, Joe, who died five months earlier. Her family and friends would love to see her move on, but she’s not ready, and has unintentionally become disconnected from her friends. But Joe has left her a gift – a 12-month book subscription from her local bookshop, arranged before he died, to encourage Tilly to start reading again but also to try new things and visit new places. In short, to encourage her to live.

What this novel does really well is to look at the power that the right book at the right time can have. Tilly’s journey isn’t an easy one, and Joe’s gift takes her out of her comfort zone. From learning how to cook (thanks, Delia), to signing up for a half marathon, and visiting Paris alone, Tilly faces challenges and adventures and achieves more than she thought possible. And part of Joe’s gift is simply to get Tilly back into reading – something that fell by the wayside during his illness but that was always an important part of who Tilly is.

If it sounds over-simplified, it isn’t. It’s a journey and a tough year for Tilly as Joe’s gift both encourages and challenges and it’s a year that has its ups and downs. She makes progress, reconnecting with those she’s unintentionally lost contact with and making new friends through her adventures, but there are also times when she’s understandably overwhelmed and wants nothing more than to curl up on the sofa with one of Joe’s hoodies wrapped around her. The overall journey is a positive one, though, perhaps helped along by a growing friendship with Alfie, owner of the bookshop supplying her subscription.

Anyone who has read (or seen) PS, I Love You by Cecilia Ahern will notice some similarities and if you enjoyed that novel, I think you’ll like this one too. What sets this novel apart for me is the focus on books and the power that they have to inspire and to provide a space to escape into when we need it. I also like the way in which Tilly becomes increasingly involved in the community and particularly in Alfie’s bookshop which faces the all too real challenge of maintaining a high street presence.

I always know that I’m in safe hands with Libby Page. There might be a few tears along the way, but there will be laughter as well, and I know that I’ll get a good story with likeable characters. This Book Made Me Think of You is a great, heartwarming novel, and I loved the book recommendations throughout – not just those featured in Tilly’s subscription, but the bookshop reading lists that begin each chapter. Highly recommended.

About the Book

Twelve stories. Twelve months. One chance to heal her heart…

When Tilly Nightingale receives a call telling her there’s a birthday gift from her husband waiting for her at her local bookshop, it couldn’t come as more of a shock. Partly, because she can’t remember the last time she read a book for pleasure. Mainly, because Joe died five months ago…

The gift is simple – twelve carefully chosen books from Joe, one for each month, to help her turn the page on her first year without him.

And so begins a reading-inspired journey that takes Tilly around the world; from bustling sidewalks in New York and the tree-lined avenues of Paris to the tranquil Tuscan countryside and the white sands of Bali. With the help of the bookshop owner, Alfie, Tilly starts to discover who she is now, after Joe.

But can Tilly’s year of books show her how to love again?