Happy Release Day!
Congrats Christine
on the release today of
The Secret Library of Hanna Reeves
The Secret Library of Hanna Reeves by Christine Nolfi
Historical Fiction, Mystery, 330 pages
Published June 24, 2025 by Lake Union Publishing
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.
My thoughts about The Secret Library of Hanna Reeves ~~
(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first lines.)
First line—"The letter arrived in the afternoon. The message tucked inside the envelope should've gone unread until closing time, when we ushered out the last of our patrons milling around Holbrook & Kinneys two-story shop of antiques and collectibles."
Several things drew me to this book. First of all—the author, of course. I've loved and read almost all of Christine Nolfi's books. I always know her latest one is going to be my new favorite read. And then there is this amazing cover. Seriously? A library? Yes, please. And then lastly—what is the secret surrounding this said library? So many things I need to know.
And I was not disappointed about any of the things that drew me to this book. This story is filled with wonderful, interesting characters and plenty of secrets, to be sure. The secret library is just the beginning. I loved how the history of the people and the place were woven together to get us to the present.
I absolutely loved this story and I found myself completely immersed in the lives of Hanna and Clare. I didn't want their story to end. I highly recommend The Secret Library of Hanna Reeves and I can't wait to re-read it.
I received a copy of The Secret Library of Hanna Reeves from the author and this is my honest opinion of the book.
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 Second Chance Grill, highly recommended by The Midwest Book Review and Treasure Me, recognized by the Next Generation Indie Awards and Put Your Heart in a Book 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 and their crazy wheaten terrier, Lucy. For more information, visit www.christinenolfi.com ~ Goodreads
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