I have read A LOT of WWII historical fiction in my time. It’s one of my favorite genres to read. But at this point, it’s rare for something to pull me in so tightly that I barely stop reading until it’s finished. The Last Bookshop of London did just that. Madeline Martin painted such a detailed picture of London during the war that I felt like i was there. Absolutely loved it- the resilience of the British people during the war shone like a character all on its own. Definitely recommend!

You can’t turn around without seeing another WW2 historical fiction book ready for publication. . There are so many of them. Not that it’s bad, but after reading them they all seem to blend together. Not this book. Not at all. There are so many reasons I found The Last Bookshop in London to be a cut above and so worth reading.
Let’s start with the characters. Completely fleshed out, I cared about each and everyone of them, they were created with such depth. Real people I felt I knew and related to. This is also a love story about books and how they can radically change our lives.
Starting just before the war began, Grace and her friend Viv move to London for jobs and a more exciting life, staying with her moms friend, Mrs. Weatherford. Grace takes a temporary job in a bookshop filled to the brim with books and chaos and owned by a curmudgeon older man, Mr. Evans. Over the course of the next 6 months as the war begins Grace transforms the shop into a vibrant hub, and she’s not even a reader of books. Until she’s given The Count of Monte Crisco which she can’t put down, and she understands escaping into a different world through the power of words. The way Martin describes Graces falling in love with reading is lyrically written , and I wish I could quote you some of the passages that are so beautifully written as well. I experienced Grace’s joy of discovering this world of reading like I was going through it for the first time as well. What vibrancy it brings to the book. Her love of reading saves her soul as well as many others during the war.
Becoming an air raid warden Grace is exposed to the bombing that occurs in London every night. Again, I have to say, I’ve never read such an accurate, detailed account of this part of the war. Martin’s descriptions of the blitz and what horror the incendiary bombs caused are chilling, scary, and throughly realistic, as well as what Air Wardens had to deal with on a nightly basis. I feel as if I was inside of Grace, going through every emotion she did. Powerful writing.
One day in the bomb shelter Grace starts to read aloud to everyone around her. This proves so popular, she continues the practice daily in the shelter or at the bookstore. Her reading helps save the souls of so many disheartened by the bombing while creating new lovers of reading as well. The book also depicted how London pulled together as a people to get through the war, a timely reminder during Covid.
I loved this powerful book, I was sorry to have it end and leave the characters.

The Last Bookshop in London, by Madeline Martin. I absolutely loved reading this book. Madeline Martin I feel did a great job with historical information about War World ll in London. She shares stories of what the people of London had to endure then. The book is easy to read. It provides a lot of entertainment that kept me transfixed into the book. The book is very realistic regarding what England did to survive the war. There were a number of things that I didn’t know and some things that answered questions that I had about survival back then. The romance is a slow burn, but it makes up for it later in the book. Grace, Viv, Mrs. Weatherby, Mr. Evans and Colin are characters that I think I will never forget. Each character contributed so much to this story. Each story touched my since of compassion for those who need help, who can’t seem to know how to ask for it. I recommend this book. It shares so much information about war, survival and romance. Until next time my fellow readers... read on. I received a free copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

I enjoyed The Last Bookshop in London. I was expecting it to be a romance because Martin writes some brilliant romances. It is not a romance, but a work of fiction. Grace Bennett arrives in London just before World War II and gets a job in a local bookshop. This story details Grace’s life during the war and its impact on her local community. I thought the storyline was compelling and insightful. There is a little romance in it, but mostly it is a daily account of life in war-torn London.

This book was amazing. I loved all of the characters. The plot was incredible. This story goes behind the scenes of World War II and it was rich in details which are great because it makes you feel that you are apart of the story. I can’t wait to see what Madeline Martin does next.

A hit. I won’t place any spoilers—except to say this story made me long for small neighborhood bookshops. Madeline Martin’s storytelling places you squarely in the scenes of her story...on a wall...maybe as a fly...watching her delicious story take place! Loved it.

This was an amazing historical fiction by Madeline Martin. I am so glad I got to read an ARC copy of this book! This book is a thrilling tale of a woman who moves to London when it is on the brink of going to war with Germany. Thanks to a handsome stranger gifting her a book she finds herself emerged in a love of books she didn't know she could have. Grace's character is a strong woman who has compassion for everyone around her and the strength to do what needs to be done. The storyline is an amazing page turner and I absolutely did not want to put this book down. Madeline knows how to bring her stories to life with her writing and this book was no exception. I absolutely love her books and look forward to reading more from her!

THE LAST BOOKSHOP IN LONDON is my kind of cuppa: The Blitz, lit, friendship, romance, and gutsy Brits who keep calm and carry on through constant bombings. Based on a true story, which shows that when all else fails, books and friends radiate hope in darkness. Especially apt for COVID times.

5 of 5 Stars
Pub Date 20 Apr 2021
#TheLastBookshopinLondon #NetGalley

Thanks to the author, HARLEQUIN – Trade Publishing (U.S, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.

While I don’t usually gravitate towards WWI novels, this book is the latest in a series of books set on proving me wrong! I really enjoyed The Last Bookshop in London and am already planning on buying it for at least one reader who I know would enjoy it. This was an enjoyable, easy read for the holiday season with plenty of heartfelt moments that deftly avoided being overly saccharine.

This was such a stunning story, I pretty much devoured this book. The story was so captivating that it just begged to be read in one sitting. I couldn’t help but fall in love with each and every one of the characters. The author gives us a glimpse of the realities of living in London during WWII through the eyes of Grace and her friends. This is not entirely a love story; it is a story of love, loss, sorrow and selflessness. It also shows us the wonderful place literature can be in our lives and the lives of a community. I won’t get into a description of the story as the blurb does a good job of that and I’m sure many of the other reviewers will do so as well. I will say that this book is worthy of a place on your bookshelf. Bravo Ms Martin!

Grace has come to live in London with her late mother's friend when she is basically evicted from her family home in the country. It's the eve of World War II, although Londoners are calling it the Bore War, since it's been only vague warnings and pointless air-raids. That, however, all changes when the Germans begin their ruthless air assault on the city.

The book is almost diary-like, albeit written in third person. There's not a lot of plot...it's more of a year-in-the-life of Grace, her landlady, her crotchety boss at the bookstore where she works, and the other Londoners she knows. It's a lovely little slice-of-life, although there is tragedy and sorrow, there's also a great sense of being there, and getting a good feel for the bravery and resilience of the British people during the war.

Grace and Viv, lifelong friends from the countryside, arrive in London on the brink of war. Viv, who dared write her own reference, finds a position at Harrods, while Grace finds a position in a bookshop due to the efforts of their meddlesome landlady. In short order Grace revamps the dusty bookshop and helps turn it into a bustling, clean little shop. She also learns to love books, meets a handsome suitor and endures what feels like endless bombings. Excellent character development. Slightly predictable love story. This one is sure to be a hit with readers ( Grace's journey from non-reader to bibliophile is well done) and with fans of historical fiction.

Rich in details of life in London during the air raids, the Last Bookshop in London immerses readers in the homeland efforts of those left in the city while World War II raged. The grim realities and horrors of the war are present, but somehow the hope of what comes after permeates each page and softens the blow of each atrocity. Grace Bennett and her friend Viv relocate to London from the country just as Brittain steps into battle. They move into an Islington townhouse under the watch of the lifelong friend of Grace's mom. And then the hits start coming - literally and figuratively - as friends are called to fight and the young women step up to assist in the war efforts.
The book reads exactly as you would imagine it in a chronological arc that spans the length of the war. And it is by no means post-modern; the focus of the book is balanced on hope and ways to stay afloat when the world crumbles around you.

I was in a historical reading fiction trench when I finally picked this book up and it pulled me out to the point of winning the battle. I’ve already be raving about it to patrons at my library, telling them to keep an eye out next year for it.
The Last Bookshop in London is a brilliant WW2 historical about a young woman who leaves her country life behind to move to the big city just days before war breaks out. She loses three close characters to the war and you’ll have to read to find out how many return by the end, but it spurs her into becoming brave herself so she becomes a night warden to help guard a section of London. In the meantime, she finds the love of reading at a bookshop that she reluctantly works at during the day, in turn spreading the joy of books to the rest of the community during these hard times of air raids.
I couldn’t put the book down, reading long into the night forgetting that time and life exists. The characters are so well built with their slight changes though the novel to give them a human dynamic. Even the secondary characters are well thought out with personality changes.
This book even gave me tidbits that I didn’t know about London during the 1940s. For example, did you know that Harolds had an animal kingdom with exotic animals on the fourth floor? How does one get a baby elephant up and down there?
Pick up this book and prepare to fall in love!

Book: The Last Bookshop in London
Author: Madeline Martin
Rating: 3 Out of 5 Stars

I would like to thank the publisher, Hanover Square Press, for sending me an ARC.

I think I enjoyed this, but I’m not sure. It was okay book, I guess. I was engaged in certain parts, but not in a lot. I felt like there was kind of a little bit of a disconnect from what was going on and happening in the characters’ lives. However, on the other hand, I did like reading about the behind the scenes and reading about events that isn’t really talked about all that much.

The plot focuses mainly on the home front during World War II. I like getting to see what life was like for those who weren’t in the heat of battle, but rather getting to see how the war affects the daily lives of people back home. Seeing how the war has changed their lives and seeing the impacts of the government on the daily people is what makes history real. So many times, I feel like history focuses on the leaders and all of that, but never on the everyday people. Reading a book like this just reminds you that these were people living in these situations and just trying to make the best of it. This is why something as simple as being able to pick out a book and listen to a story is so important.


The characters were just everyday people trying to deal with whatever life threw at them and trying to just make it in a dark world. We get to see the war effort hit home and how that changes their lives. However, I did feel a little bit disconnected from the characters. I don’t know why, but they just didn’t have the impact on me that they should have. I just felt like there was something missing from them to bring them home. They just don’t stick out to me, I guess is what I am getting at.

I did enjoy the writing, but I think that was what made the characters kind of slip away form me as well. There were certain things that happened in this book that should have made me feel something and should had torn my heart out. Only it didn’t. I honestly did not care, well, maybe not care, but it just didn’t have that punch that it should have had on me. I think that had we had that little bit of punch to drive it home then I would have gotten a lot more out of it.

Anyway, I did like this one, but there were certain things that were just missing to make the point and drive it home.

This book comes out on April 6, 2021.

Youtube: https://youtu.be/wA8KzFr8IkU

this was a great read, the time period was great and I really enjoyed the use of real world events. It helped the characters be real people.

A heartwarming piece of historically accurate fiction. Grace Bennet — 23 — heads to London just in time for Britain to enter the war and the Blitz to begin. Without any kind of reference, she is lucky to get a job at Primrose Hill Books, complete with the requisite curmudgeonly owner, Mr. Evans.

This is the story of Grace’s growth into a stellar human being and unassuming pillar of the community. We share her experiences as a volunteer ARP (Air Raid Precautions) warden, her discovery of books and reading, and her ability to find ways to bring some light into people’s lives.

While similar stories have been told before, Martin’s depictions of the British spirit and the way the community comes together in the face of terrible adversity were completely inspiring. I was also, of course, enraptured by her transformation into a bonafide Reader of Books.

As the clouds of war loom over London in 1939, Grace Bennett becomes an unlikely bookseller at Primrose Hill, an eclectic bookshop. Not much of a reader, Grace had aspirations of working in a department store, now all her time is taken up by sorting and inventorying the books she sells. When she’s given a book as a gift, she reads it out of obligation, bur soon she’s swept up by the spell of the written word. When the Nazis reign down bombs on London, Primrose Hill is the only bookshop left standing and Grace is left with a huge responsibility on her shoulders. Based on real events, this is an incredible story about the power that books have, to shine light in even the darkest of times