Write On! interviews Deborah Maclaren, Chief Executive Of LoveReading: The Book Recommendation Website And Online Bookstore And Champions Of Authors Everywhere
Deborah is a book reviewer, passionate literacy advocate, regular speaker and presenter on the power of books and the importance of reading for pleasure.
Chief Executive of LoveReading and LoveReading4Kids since 2018, Deborah has led the brand into a new world, filled with brilliantly bookish content and the launch of an online bookstore with social purpose. Their mission to share book love and to get more people reading is a daily reality.
Deborah has been a Fellow of the Royal Society of Authors since 2020, a trustee of two charities, is in her tenth year of governing schools and is a judge of several awards including CWIP, The Week Junior Book Awards, Coram Voices and The Shine Media Awards. She is also the founder of The LoveReading Foundation. She adores sharing book love.
WO: Where did the idea for LoveReading come from?
DM: LoveReading began nearly 20 years ago with a simple but powerful idea – to help readers discover books they’ll truly love. Back then, there was so much noise in the market, and we wanted to create a trusted, independent voice – a space where readers could find curated recommendations from real experts rather than algorithms. The platform has grown from that seed into a family of purpose-driven sites that don’t just celebrate books, but also give back; supporting school libraries and reading for pleasure across the UK.
WO: Can you tell us a bit about how LoveReading works?
DM: At their heart, LoveReading and LoveReading4Kids are both a book recommendation hub and online bookstore with social purpose. Every book we sell donates 25% of the cover price to a school of the customer’s choice, helping to fund school libraries and get more books into classrooms.
Our editors and reviewers – many of them teachers, authors and librarians – curate weekly recommendations across every genre and age group. We’ve also built dedicated spaces: LoveReading for us, LoveReading4Kids for children, young adults and their parents and carers, LoveReading4Schools for teachers and school librarians, and now, The LoveReading Foundation, which focuses on literacy equity. It’s all about inspiring a love of reading while creating a real-world impact.
WO: Recently Write On! explored the theme of ‘(R)Evolution’ comparing natural, gradual changes with swift and radical ones. Do you think your own reading preferences have gently evolved over time? Or do you enjoy switching it up and trying new things?
DM: My reading life has definitely evolved over time. I fell in love with dystopian fiction at school after discovering The Handmaid’s Tale and 1984. That fascination with imagined futures has never really left me, but I have one rule: I never read the same genre back to back.
Working at LoveReading means I’m constantly surrounded by bold new voices, indie gems, and stories that surprise me – so my reading tastes are in a state of constant (r)evolution. I move happily from sci-fi to memoir, from laugh-out-loud fiction to a moving piece of historical writing or romance. And I adore reading children’s books: we’re never too old! For me, that’s the joy of reading; it balances comfort with curiosity. Reading is joyful. Every book opens a new door, and I still can’t quite believe I get to call exploring them my job!
WO: What one piece of advice would you give to someone looking to be more involved in LoveReading and book recommendations?
DN: Join in! Reading is most powerful when it’s shared. Whether it’s reviewing books on our site, following us on social media, joining our community via our newsletters, or nominating your local school to receive donations, there are so many ways to connect. And don’t be shy – if a book moves you, tell us why. Every recommendation helps another reader find their next favourite story. Their next favourite book. Their next favourite author. And in a society where we’re in the midst of a reading crisis, what can be more important?
WO: Question from Instagram user: @grasshopper2407 Can indie authors send you the details of their new releases for the site?
DM: Absolutely! We love championing indie authors. Our editorial team welcomes submissions from independent writers and small presses. Authors can get in touch via the Indie Author Submission page on the site to submit their new releases for review. We’re always looking for diverse, original voices that deserve to be discovered. If our ambassadors really love a book, it can be awarded an Indie Books We Love badge, at the reviewer’s discretion and will be listed in our Indie Books We Love section and on the homepage for one month.
WO: Can you tell us anything about future projects?
DM: This year is especially exciting for us. We’ve just relaunched LoveReading4Schools as a national Reading For Pleasure portal, complete with new fundraising tools, public wishlists, and donation features to help schools tackle the literacy crisis. We’ve also launched The LoveReading Foundation, deepening partnerships with social value funders, publishers, literacy charities and community groups. For us, The National Year Of Reading 2026, is about uniting readers, schools and the trade behind one shared goal: making reading for pleasure possible for every child.
WO: Lastly, if you could choose one fictional animal/creature to be a pet or companion, who would it be and why?
DM: This book was one of my absolute favourite books from my childhood; I still have my precious, dog-eared copy now. It would have to be Aslan from The Chronicles Of Narnia. Wise, brave and endlessly compassionate, he embodies everything I love about books – their ability to guide, comfort and challenge us. Plus, who wouldn’t want a talking lion as a life coach?
You can find out more about LoveReading and LoveReading4Kids here www.lovereading.co.uk \ www.lovereading4kids.co.uk and connect with them here across social media:
LoveReading
Instagram: @LoveReadingUK
X: @LoveReadingUK
Facebook: @LoveReadingRecommends
LinkedIn: @LoveReading
LoveReading4Kids
Instagram: @LoveReading4Kids
X: @LoveReading4Kids
Facebook: LoveReading4Kids
LinkedIn: LoveReading4Kids
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