Published By: Viking
Pages: 400
Released On: 29/01/2026
When Tilly Nightingale receives a call telling her there’s a birthday gift from her fiancé 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.
Tilly sets out on a series of reading-inspired adventures that take her around the world. But as she begins to vlog her journey, her story becomes more than her own. With help from Alfie, the bookshop owner, her budding new following and her friends and family, can Tilly’s year of books show her how to love again?
*****
Thanks to NetGalley and Viking for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.
I will be honest here and say that I requested a copy of this book before I’d even read what it was about solely because of Libby being the author. I love her books. And her Mum’s – Sally Page. They are a writing dynasty of two. This book sounded so hopeful and gorgeous – it’s a love story involving books, I mean what more do you want.
Every so often you come across a book that is more than a book, that is more than a temporary piece of entertainment, and this is that book.
Oh how I wanted to savour every page of this but oh how I failed, and just zoomed through.
I loved the book recommendations that are littered through this story – although my bank account is already worrying about me writing them all down. As it happens, I had either read or own a lot of them so thankfully my list ended up at a mere 16 books!
I loved Tilly. She felt very real and familiar and I felt for her so much, I just wanted to take her hand and tell her it would be okay. And Joe. Okay we only know Joe through flashbacks and Tilly’s inner monologue, but boy do I need a Joe. I mean, I have a Joe – he’s my cousin – but I need a Libby- Page-Joe. He puts a lot of men to shame – it’s a pity he’s fictional. And Alfie who works at the bookshop is a delight. Shy and a bit awkward, and let’s be honest, a look of bookworms are, but he is a lovely, lovely person.
This is the most beautiful and tender novel I think I have ever read, and I can’t even say why. As someone who has gone through her fair share of grief (but luckily, not a spouse), it can be hard to put into words what it’s like, but Libby has excelled herself. I forgot I was reading a book to be honest. Tilly felt so real that I couldn’t believe she wasn’t a real person, and at times that made me sad because I wanted to meet her and hug her. She was gorgeous. It has its difficult moments, its upsetting moments, but it is such a stunning and uplifting novel.
I am not going to pretend I know the intricacies of Libby’s personal life, but to write so honestly about grief, that has to come from experience and not just research, so if that is the case then my heart goes out to her.
Generally speaking, once I’ve read an e-arc, I delete it off my Kindle and move on to the next book. But not only will this take me a while to get over, I will probably have to buy myself a copy of the physical book because I think it’s a story I am going to want, to need, to return to.
I definitely cried at this. Not necessarily at the sad, grief bits, but at the hope and love, the friendship, support, and sense of community. It’s absolutely beautiful.
It is a love letter to books and reading, to bookshops, booksellers, and storytelling. Whilst everyone should read this, I think it will have a special meaning to bookworms. This book shows just how important books are to people.
This is Libby’s best book to date, no question. Every single aspect – plot, characters, narrative, writing, feeling – is 100% perfect. I cannot say more than that, although I have tried to. It’ll definitely be a book I recommend to everyone I know, especially those who have experienced recent grief.
Books By Your Bedside 