finished reading

June Jones is a quirky character.  I couldn't help but cheer for her.  Her processing through grief was well done. This is a book about the role of libraries in communities; about how libraries offer a haven to everyone.  It's one of the few places left to go that has no fee.  I liked the secondary characters--from precocious children to ornery octogenarians.   

I related to this book.  My earliest childhood memories include trips to the local library.  Filling my wagon with stuffed animals and going to the library for a book haul.

From the publisher:

June Jones emerges from her shell to fight for her beloved local library, and through the efforts and support of an eclectic group of library patrons, she discovers life-changing friendships along the way.

Lonely librarian June Jones has never left the sleepy English village where she grew up. Shy and reclusive, the thirty-year-old would rather spend her time buried in books than venture out into the world. But when her library is threatened with closure, June is forced to emerge from behind the shelves to save the heart of her community and the place that holds the dearest memories of her mother.

Joining a band of eccentric yet dedicated locals in a campaign to keep the library, June opens herself up to other people for the first time since her mother died. It just so happens that her old school friend Alex Chen is back in town and willing to lend a helping hand. The kindhearted lawyer's feelings for her are obvious to everyone but June, who won't believe that anyone could ever care for her in that way.

To save the place and the books that mean so much to her, June must finally make some changes to her life. For once, she's determined not to go down without a fight. And maybe, in fighting for her cherished library, June can save herself, too.