Devastated from a divorce and the news that her estranged mother has died, librarian and bookstagrammer Valentina Baker seeks answers and refuge in London's Primrose Hill. This charming locale was where her mother, Eloise, went to after leaving Val and her father. Eloise has bequeathed Val an apartment and bookstore and Val hopes that by going there, she can find out why her mother left and explore their mutual love for books.

The hallmarks of this popular romance trope are here: an emotionally fraught heroine, a delightful location perfect for spiritual rejuvenation, endearing supporting characters, and the tease of a new love healing a broken heart. Yet Jio's take on the common narrative shines by underscoring it with the emotional pathos of a woman who believes she was abandoned and her yearning to make sense of that abandonment. In short, there's complex, emotional weight threading through the romantic charm.

Val's search for the reason her mother left is not merely told through her experiences (which include a scavenger hunt prepared by her late mother). It's also explored through a dual storyline that harks back to the past to share Eloise's story. Her personality and emotional core are revealed, as is why she left her family and ended up in London. The revelation of the "reason" she left does a good job of tempering the idea that a mother would leave without taking her beloved daughter.

Two minor complaints: At times, the story gets a little too syrupy sweet and Val's search for love ends on a surprising and, to me, unfulfilling note. Still, the emotional search for answers through a fun (and, at times, book-themed!) scavenger hunt, and Eloise's vivid story mix to create a lovely addition to the romance genre.