REVIEW:

The Secret Library of Hanna Reeves is the third book I’ve read by Christine Nolfi and it definitely is not going to be the last. I absolutely love her books and plan to do a lot of back reading in my near future. First, I have to tell you about this book because in my opinion it is fabulous! Fabulous because this author writes books with grit, heart, true feelings and substance. That’s the word, substance! She writes true literary fiction.

This book was one that drew me in immediately. The main character is Claire Shelton who works at an antique store. Her employers are two very unique and interesting men that I personally would have liked to have more of in this story. They are an important part of the story. Claire had a rough start in life and they took her under their wing and  taught her all about their trade making her a valuable employee.

Of course we meet Hanna in this book and it has been rumored that she has a secret library that is full of first edition books that are worth a ton of money that was gifted to her by her father. The rumor has never been confirmed. Most book lovers would love to be let loose in a library full of first edition, signed books. I think I would be afraid to even touch them. Wouldn’t you?

There is a lot of love and caring woven into the pages of this story. Hanna comes off as the stern mistress of the estate that has been in her family for years but there is a true love in her for the folks who work for her and their families before them. It has been a family affair. Just about the only way to get hired on as staff is to have a relative who has worked for Hannah or her family in the past.

If you like an author that can offer you a completely different story every time you open a book by them, then I suggest you read Christine Nolfi. Reading her books is like eating a fine box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get. I highly recommend The Secret Library of Hanna Reeves for your next read.

Until next time…Happy Reading!

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I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. The opinions I have expressed are my own and I was not required to write a review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

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SYNOPSIS:

An antiques dealer and an enigmatic heiress embark on a revelatory friendship in a haunting and hopeful novel about family ties, secrets, and belonging by the bestselling author of A Heart Like Home.

Cautious Claire Shelton, employee at a Maine antique shop, is surprised when she’s recruited to catalog the treasures of reclusive Hanna Reeves, sole descendant of the state’s most colorful shipbuilders and industrialists. Hanna’s retreat from society years ago is just one of many mysteries behind the walls of Rose Hill, her fabled estate.

Settling into Rose Hill’s carriage house, Claire finds Hanna, nearing eighty, to be a still-formidable woman. She’s demanding, judgmental, and protective of a mansion that is a veritable shrine to her ancestors. Then, diving into her work, Claire discovers a hidden library that is the stuff of legend among locals. An avid booklover, Claire is in heaven. More enthralling are Hanna’s leather-bound family journals that open Claire up to the past—and soon forge a rich and unexpected bond between two very different women.

A legacy is coming to light. All of Maine is talking. Because the revelations in the journals are enlightening enough to unite old friends, lovers, and families. And shocking enough to tear them apart forever.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Christine Nolfi is the award-winning and bestselling author of seventeen novels. Look for her 2025 release, The Secret Library of Hanna Reeves.

Other works include her 2024 release A Heart Like Home; A Brighter Flame, selected by She Reads as a best book club pick and The Passing Storm, cited by Publishers Weekly as “Tautly plotted, expertly characterized, and genuinely riveting” and gold medal winner in general fiction, International Book Awards.

Earlier works include The Road She Left Behind, a top book club pick by Working Mother and Parade magazines; the award-winning Sweet Lake Series: Sweet Lake, The Comfort of Secrets, and The Season of Silver Linings; Second Chance Grill, highly recommended by The Midwest Book Review and Treasure Me, recognized by the Next Generation Indie Awards. The Tree of Everlasting Knowledge was cited by The Midwest Book Review as “Poignant and powerful, as much a saga of learning to survive, heal, and forgive as it is a chilling crime story, unforgettable to the very end.”

A native of Ohio, Christine now resides in South Carolina with her husband. Visit Christine Nolfi at the website of the same name.