ShortBookandScribes #BookReview – This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page
This Book Made Me Think of You is Libby Page’s sixth novel (links to my reviews of all of the others are below) and will be published by Penguin Viking on 29th January 2026. My thanks to the publishers for the proof package.
The Vintage Shop of Second Chances
A BBC RADIO 2 BOOK CLUB PICK
Twelve stories. Twelve months. Once 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?
Tilly is grieving the loss of her husband Joe when she receives a call from a bookshop called Book Lane and specifically a bookseller called Alfie. He tells her that she has a book to collect from the shop, one that was chosen by Joe before he died. In fact, there are twelve books in total, one for each month of the year. Tilly is shocked at first, but as the months go by she begins to heal and to enjoy new experiences (well, most of them anyway) as well as getting back the love of reading that she lost when Joe was ill.
If you’ve ever given or received a book as a gift, you’ll know that so much thought can be put into it and it can be such a personal thing. Even more so for Tilly as each one comes with a letter from Joe telling her why he chose it. The books are well-timed and along the way Tilly makes new friends who help her to deal with her loss, Alfie being chief amongst them.
Having read all of Libby Page’s other books and considering myself a fan, I knew I would enjoy This Book Made Me Think of You but I loved it even more than I expected. The storyline hit just the right note without ever becoming twee, and I found it just as joyous and uplifting as I did heartbreaking and emotional. Page tells Tilly’s story, and Alfie’s too, so beautifully and empathetically throughout.
What makes this book even more special is the bookishness of it. I loved the idea of Alfie’s bookshop and the personal touch he bestowed on every single customer. I also really liked that at the beginning of each month there is a list of reading recommendations and they’re not the usual suspects. I follow the author on social media and I recognise many of the books as ones she has read and enjoyed herself and I was particularly pleased to see so many modern books on the lists too.
This book is about grief, love and books and I found it touching and captivating.
Libby Page is the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Lido, The 24-Hour Café, The Island Home, The Vintage Shop and The Lifeline. This Book Made Me Think of You is her sixth novel. She lives in Somerset with her husband and young son.
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