2 women - 80 years apart- forge their way in the world. In 1913, Laura Lyons is caring for her family in a small apartment in the New York Public Library where her husband works. But she longs to be a journalist and soon finds herself making new friends and exploring life in Greenwich Village. In 1993, her granddaughter Sadie Donovan is thrilled to be working in the NYPL as a librarian planning a retrospective exhibit including some material about her grandmother. The 2 stories are connected by the unsolved mystery of books missing since Laura's time at the Library and new disappearances as Sadie prepares the exhibit. A love story to all who love books and libraries and an engaging read!

Fiona Davis returns with a roar of a novel. The Lions of Fifth Avenue is both brilliant and charming. Davis brings her unique perspective to the historical novel once again here. This time it has a luscious back drop of the New York Public Library, a staple of Davis's novels that always center on a famous New York City building, and this one also has a bit of a mystery to it, as you're following the main character in the contemporary storyline try to discover who is behind the current thefts in the library and how do they relate to thefts from 1913, in the historical timeline of the book. Davis weaves both storylines together beautifully, and the book becomes a page turner, the more and more you get into it you just have to find out what happens and how the two storylines will come together. This book also has a little romance storyline in it as well. Theres something for everyone in Lions of Fifth Avenue.

I'm a devoted fan. I would read the phone book if Fiona Davis wrote it; but dare I say she's outdone herself here. A truly terrific read. I'm just amazed that she's able to keep writing one every year and they still be this good and meticulously researched.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a free digital advanced copy in return for an honest review.

If you are a fan of Fiona Davis and her books, then it is a no brainer - you will want to read this book. I love how she takes a building in NYC and uses a bit of history to weave a wonderful tale. I've read every one of her books and was anxious to read this one. Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC. Finished this book in 2 days. You can read the summary of the story for yourself -- there are numerous wonderful threads including family,, love, and loss. There are wonderful twists and turns, some of which you will guess and and be correct. But not overdone. Another wonderful NYC building , a wonderful story. a wonderful read.

I don't typically read historical fiction, but I am so glad I read The Lions of Fifth Avenue. Davis' descriptions of the New York Public Library were so immersive, and I felt like I was actually there, browsing the rare book collections.

I enjoyed reading from both Laura and Sadie's perspectives, and the dual timelines made the reading experience feel even more fast-paced. Davis did a great job of propelling the story along with a great mystery, while also discussing serious topics such as sexism in the workplace. I cannot wait to read more from Davis in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley & Penguin for my free e-book ARC

Thanks so much to Netgalley for the ARC of The Lions of Fifth Avenue. I read in this one day because I could not put it down. This all the elements of a page turner -- strong mystery, historical setting, duel timelines and two strong female characters. And includes an apartment in the New York Public Library. You couldn't ask for a better read. This is a must for your August reading list.

New York, 1913; Laura Lyons is living with her husband and two children in an apartment in the New York public library, where her husband works as the superintendent, while Laura is a housekeeper and takes care of the children. But Laura wants more out of life. Her dream is to become a journalist, so through a letter of the director of the library, she gets a scholarship to attend Columbia Journalism School.Her study takes her to all kinds of different places and worlds in NYC. From immigrant families in tenements in the Lower East Side to Greenwich Village where she lands in the Heterodoxy Club; a radical, all-female group in which women are encouraged to loudly share their opinions on suffrage, birth control, and women's rights. There she lands in a completely different world then at home, and she starts to question her traditional life as a wife and a mother, and her life turns upside down when she falls in love with someone from the club. But then, very valuable books are stolen from the library, and this is the start of her whole life falling apart..

New York, 1993; Sadie is the daughter of Pearl, the daughter of Laura Lyons, and in this completely different time era then her famous grandmother Laura, she works also at the New York Public Library as a curator. She is a single mom for her daughter Valentina. But also as in Laura's days at the library, valuable books are being stolen now too, and because Sadie is one of the few with the right keys to them, she soon finds herself the main suspect. But then she finds a trail that leads to the real suspect, that also leads her to her own family history .

As with all the previous books of Fiona Davis, this is also a book set in a famous NY building, this time it is the New York Public Library. And as in her previous book, this book is a true page turner, on every page something happens that makes the story thrilling and it was kept a true mystery in both time periods who was behind the book thefts. The plot was just amazing, and even where the characters, of Laura, Sadie and their families and all the colorful side characters that made the story very lively. Without giving too much other spoilers away, I totally recommend reading this new upcoming book by Fiona Davis that will be in bookstores from July 21th, it is truly a breathtaking book, just like the other amazing beautiful books by Fiona Davis!!!

Fiona Davis' books are always fantastic and I especially enjoy that she bases her stories on historic landmarks in New York with a "hint" of historical fiction!! You will fall in love with the Lyons family and their life in the New York Public Library.

Unfortunately, I didn’t love this book. The premise was good, but the story was bland. The characters lacked depth and several significant plot points were predictable.

Fiona Davis does it again! A dual timeline story of strong women with mystery and and a bit of romance, set in the iconic building of the New York Public library. Davis does what she does so well. This story focuses on Laura, the wife of the superintended of the New York Public Library in the early 1900's. Laura and her family get to live in an apartment inside the Public Library building. Sadie, the great grand daughter of Laura, is the focus of the second time line and she works at the New York Public Library in the 1990's. In both timelines, items start to go missing of the from the library and these women are both caught up in it.

I really liked how both of the these women were portrayed. They were strong and independent, working hard for what they wanted and for their goals. They both fought against the norms of their time and sought out the truth as best as they could. They both felt alive and real and they did have their struggles and life was not perfect. And I loved that it centered on the library. Davis always uses place in her novels almost as a character and it was so fun to learn more about the New York Public Library.

I received an electronic ARC from Penguin Group Dutton through NetGalley.
Davis has created another historical novel that pulls readers in. As is her style, she tells the story in two time periods: 1913 (Laura) and 1993 (Sadie). Laura is Sadie's grandmother but the relationship is complicated by events that happened in the earlier time period.
The New York Public Library is the perfect setting and is, indeed, a third main character. Laura's family lives in the apartment in the library as her husband is the Superintendent. Rare books are stolen during Jack's tenure and were never found. Those thefts will come to the forefront in 1993 when rare books are again stolen while Sadie is the Head Curator for one of the collections at the same library.
Sadie explores the family history and unravels mysteries of both her grandparents and her mother and uncle. She even figures out the thieves in the current rash of thefts.
Some of the secondary characters are flat and unlikeable but serve their purpose to move the plot forward.
I appreciate the research Davis does to bring her locations to life. Even if readers have never seen this library, the descriptions bring it to life.

Fiona Davis' adoration of New York City and its institutions certainly comes through in her books. This time, her focus is on the venerable New York Public Library, connecting the mysterious (fictional) thefts of books that took place 80 years apart.

The New York Public Library is the setting of a story that covers the experiences of two women and thefts of books from the library. Laura and her family live inside the library in 1913. Sadie works at the New York Public Library in 1993. Sadie dips into the past to learn about her family ties with Laura and to solve the mystery of the missing books.

Davis always writes well conceived and executed novels. “Lions” is no exception. Great character development in a spare and concise way. Two story lines, one from the 1910’s and one from the 1990’s, circle and intertwine smoothly and come to a great ending.

It’s 1993 and Sadie Donovan is a 43-year-old divorced New York Public Library librarian working with the coveted Berg Collection trying to prove herself worthy of a promotion. When rare editions begin to go missing from the Berg, threads to her past start becoming unravelled.

The story jumps back and forth in time between Sadie and Laura Lyons, Sadie’s grandmother, who lived in the New York Public Library in 1913 shortly after it first opened with her family and husband who served as the library’s superintendent. Both women struggle with balancing work and troubled relationships while questioning how they want to live their lives.

The NYPL setting is what drew me into this story and kept me reading. I ate up the descriptions of the building and little tidbits about its history. There were storytelling conveniences that, as a reader, I can overlook, but I had many questions regarding characters’ decisions and actions that weren’t explained by the end of the book. I would have preferred delving into character motivations, rather than reading the thinly constructed love stories concerning Sadie and Laura. The character I was most drawn to was the library itself. The Lions of Fifth Avenue is a quick weekend read especially enjoyable for those familiar with the New York Public Library, as Davis’ story will take you right back there, standing between Patience and Fortitude.

Fiona Davis presents two protagonists from the same family but of different generations. In 1993 Sadie Donovan is a curator at the New York Public Library. She is about to prepare and present her first exhibit. Coincidentally it features some of the work of her grandmother, Laura Lyons, a feminist essayist and journalist from 1913.

Both women, Sadie and Laura are impassioned about their work. Although separated by seventy years, they both confront the unexpected. Someone is targeting and stealing the most valuable editions from the prestigious area of the NYPL collection. Laura and Sadie also experience family situations that upend their plans and relationships. But the real star of this book is the New York Public Library – its collections, architecture and stewardship. Recommended.

I really love Fiona Davis' brand of historical fiction--I'll take my history with a side of suspense and adventure every time! This one was so much fun because the two narratives both featured the NY Public Library. The book opens in 1913 when Laura Lyons and her husband are actually living in an apartment in the Fifth Avenue library with their two children. Laura's husband, Jack, is a writer and is also the superintendent in charge of managing the library. Laura loves her family, but she longs for a job outside the home, as well. Her narrative includes a fascinating look at the early years of the feminist movement, as well as the many challenges women faced while trying to pursue careers in writing and in medicine. The other narrative thread is about Sadie, Laura's librarian granddaughter, who is a curator at the same branch where her famous grandmother once lived. Both narratives involve mysteries concerning stolen books, and both main characters were equally interesting. Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction and books about books! Thanks to Netgalley, Dutton, and the author for the librarian preview.

I really wanted to love this book and it had great potential. However, I feel like it had too much going on to truly be a great book. It is classified as historical fiction yet lacked many interesting facts in the time in which it is set. It had this mystery going on about the stolen books, but it’s not compelling enough for you to really be excited to find out “who done it”. It also had this feminist piece thrown in that I felt like wasn’t fully thought out, it didn’t add much to the story.

I had HIGH hopes for this book due to the fact that I've read Ms. Davis previous two works. I was NOT disappointed. The two story lines were so well written and the way they dovetailed together... As a librarian, I am always fascinated by tales of other libraries. The main characters in this book were very believable and interesting. I just could not put the kindle down! I will be buying the book for my collection! I highly recommend purchasing this book.

I've never read Fiona Davis, and I'm not a huge fan of historical fiction, generally, but this was a fantastic and fascinating book. The time switch was really compelling because both characters had depth and fully explored life situations. I cared about both women and the struggles they were each going through, and the added bonus of the NY Public Library historical element was so fascinating. AND, then add the exploration of the history of the women's movement in NY City and what it would have been like as one of the few allowed women in Columbia University's journalism school ... just, wow. The author's note at the back of the book referencing all of the books she'd read to prepare this manuscript showed the extent of the research undertaken, and made the book all the more rich.

I found that the book really cranks up a notch after the halfway mark, the book thief mystery and chase really driving the story forward at that point.

My only complaint about the story is that the 1993 librarian, Sadie, is such a librarian trope that I rolled my eyes a lot. The quirky-retro-crazy-style-outgoing librarian is the new mousy-glasses-shushing librarian of "The Music Man," and neither is obviously accurate. But I guess women who just like books and working among them who have nondescript styles or who are regular people don't make for compelling narratives, so I'll give that a pass.

I think because I am not able to travel right now, I have become obsessed about reading books about places I long to visit. Upon the recommendation of author Kristin Tubb, I started reading this because it is about the New York Public Library. Tubb has also had a series of books about the New York Public Library recently, which I also thoroughly enjoyed.

I am generally a reader on a mission. I am trying to get through books to get to the end. This was not the case with the Lions of Fifth Avenue. I savored each page and did not want the book to end. The characters were so vivid in my imagination and I thoroughly loved spending time with them. I especially liked Sadie as she reminded me so much of myself. I reveled in watching her grow as the story progressed.

Overall, this book was so enjoyable because the author did a fabulous job with the plot. The story moved along so smoothly, even jumping from one time period to another. The mystery surrounding the family was enthralling. Of course, having the story set at one of the most famous libraries in the world and getting a glimpse into the inner workings made it that much better. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys a good mystery and loves the library.