This Book Made Me Think of You Review: Libby Page’s Tender Novel About Grief, Books & Second Chances

🎧 Listened in audio | ⏱ Duration: 10 hours
📢 Narrated by Zadeiah Campbell Davis
🏷️ Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Literary Fiction / Romance

Book Blurb:

When Tilly Nightingale gets a call about a birthday gift from her husband waiting at her local bookshop, it’s a shock. She can barely remember the last time she read for pleasure, and Joe died five months ago. The gift is twelve carefully chosen books, one for each month, to help her turn the page on her first year without him. Tilly sets off on reading-inspired adventures around the world and starts vlogging her journey. With help from Alfie, the bookshop owner, her new following and her loved ones, can her year of books show her how to love again?

Let’s talk about the book:

Books about losing a spouse tend to blur together for me, so I pressed play on this one expecting a familiar cry. What I got was a beautifully written cliché that still managed to be far more emotional than I expected. When Tilly Nightingale’s husband Joe dies, he leaves her one last gift: twelve books, one for each month of her first year without him. Each chapter opens with the book that sets the theme for her month, and the picks (Madeline, Beach Read, A Moveable Feast, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, Hello Beautiful, and even a death cleaning guide) made me want to sign up for a “one book a month for a year” subscription just to find new favorites. Though I do wonder whether anyone truly reads every genre equally. A few of these I might have skipped on my own.

What I loved:

What I loved most was how the story handles grief alongside attraction. Tilly is still young, and it’s natural that she feels drawn to someone new. Her guilt over her feelings for Alfie is written with real sensitivity, and at no point does she come across as pushy or disrespectful to Joe’s memory. The book understands that only the person grieving can decide when they’re ready to turn the page, and the final book in the series makes that point beautifully. I also adored the found family Tilly discovers in France, where she follows one of Joe’s gifts and ends up befriending an entire shop. They stay in touch long after she’s back in London, and it’s one of the warmest threads in the story. Smaller details stayed with me too. I’ve always wondered how you put the scent of a loved one into words, and Page’s wood and lavender for Joe and wood and coffee for Alfie felt intimate and specific. And the line “From one star to another,” a way of recognizing someone who has survived the loss of a loved one, is one I’m keeping.

What didn’t work:

Two things held me back. The narration, though warmly done by Zadeiah Campbell Davis, doesn’t differentiate between characters, so if your attention drifts for even a moment, it’s hard to tell who is speaking. And near the end, a conflict hinges on characters assuming instead of talking to each other. I don’t understand why so many love stories romanticize a lack of communication. It isn’t charming. Talk to your people! What’s the worst that could happen? Still, the ending wasn’t what I expected, and Tilly’s takeaway, that all anyone can do is move forward, rings true.

Would I recommend it?

Yes, especially if you want a tender, hopeful story about grief and second chances, or you love the idea of books as a way to heal. It isn’t perfect, since the audio could use more voice variety and the miscommunication trope tested my patience. But the warmth, the bookish reading list and that quietly brave ending won me over. Keep tissues nearby, and maybe a notebook for the reading list.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

5 Books for the Same Mood

1. The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams: A bookish, heartwarming story about a library list that connects lonely strangers, perfect if you love books as a way to heal.
2. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman: A grumpy widower learns to live again through unexpected neighbors, for readers who loved Tilly’s found family.
3. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig: A thoughtful look at regret and second chances, ideal if you liked the “how do I move forward?” theme.
4. Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman: A funny, aching story of slowly opening your heart, for anyone who wants hopeful healing with a dash of bite.
5. The Lido by Libby Page: Another warm, community-driven read from the same author, great for fans of her gentle, big-hearted style.

Which Book Would Your Person Pick for You?

If someone chose twelve books to carry you through a hard year, what would be on your list? 📚 Tell me in the comments: one book you’d want waiting for you, and the one you’d quietly skip. Bonus points if you’d cry at it, laugh at it, or both!

Book Links

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