“The right book in the right hands of the right person at exactly the right moment can change their life forever. At least, that’s what Alfie has always believed. It’s hard not to when you spend six days a week in a bookstore and have witnessed more times than you can count the magic of someone entering your shop as one person and leaving with the possibility of becoming another held in paper between their palms.”
Those are the opening lines to Libby Page’s novel This Book Made Me Think of You. The story takes place in a small village in England. Alfie, who inherited the struggling book shop from his father, has placed a call to Tilly Nightingale to tell her that before her husband died, he arranged for a new book to be waiting for her each month at his shop.
Tilly is an editor and, therefore, a lover of books. Her husband was not, but he loved her, so this was an incredible gift. He wrote a letter to accompany each book. The first one is a copy of her favorite children’s book to help her ease back into the joy of reading after his death. Then there’s a cookbook because he did most of the cooking and a book on running, and one on Paris, etc. Each book was his way of helping her get on with her life. Along the way, we get to know more about Tilly and Alfie and their friends and families. And each chapter begins with a list of suggested titles similar to the month’s topic. For anyone who is grieving the loss of a loved one, this is a thoughtful and beautiful book.
If you, too, believe that the right book at the right time can make a difference, then you must read This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page.
