Fascinating insight into London during the blitz. As a librarian, I've always wondered what bookshops are like and this gives enticing details into bookshops in the 40s in London. Highly recommend for book clubs...

Madeline Martin steps out of her historical romance shoes to try her hand at historical fiction with The Last Bookshop in London. As a lover of both genres, I can say with ease that Martin’s foray into historical fiction is a hit. She touches on every aspect of what makes me love history so much.

Grace and Viv leave country life to live it up in the big city. But things don’t quite go as planned. The girls’ plans to work together at Harrod’s as shopgirls hit a snag, and Grace ends up working at a dusty old bookshop. But, when Grace meets a handsome stranger he turns her world upside down with the gift of a book. Then the adventure really begins.

The second world war brought many changes to London. Bombs and incendiaries became commonplace. Friends and neighbors met a tragic fate. Rationing became the lay of the land, while victory gardens took over the majestic flower beds. I have no experience here as I am way too young to have lived in this era, but Martin made it all feel real. While I was in those pages, she made it come to life. I found myself wishing my grandmother was still here to ask her about her experiences during the war. I felt a pang in my heart that I never asked about her life while I had the chance.

It was nice to live vicariously through Grace. We are different in that I grew up loving books, while Grace discovered her love of words later in life. But, as her love for books grew, I came to know her. We were the same then, allowing the pages to make up our lives. I know that had I been a London resident at that time, I too would have lined up to listen to Grace read aloud. Her magic was more than her war work. Her magic was the love of sharing words.

I adored this book and never wanted it to end. For this reason, I award The Last Bookshop in London a full 5 out of 5 stars. I recommend this novel to those who want to get swept away in the magic of books.

Historical Fiction | Adult
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As we are now into our second year of the Covid-19 pandemic, it’s important to find ways to bolster our strength wherever we can. For many of us, books provide solace, comfort, and even joy. This is one of those books. First, it’s a book about books. Grace Bennett (a nod to Pride and Prejudice, I’m sure) and her best friend Viv leave their farm village in northern England for London. It’s August 1939, and there is talk of war with Germany, but when the newly orphaned Grace is kicked out of her family home, she and Viv decide to finally make their long-awaited move to London. They have an offer to stay in a roominghouse run by a friend of Grace’s mother’s, and both hope to land good jobs in Harrod’s Department Store. Viv succeeds, but lacking a reference, Grace is turned down. She gets a temporary position with the cantankerous owner of Primrose Hill Books. She knows nothing about books, really, but she is an excellent salesperson, and soon finds many friends as she attracts new clients. War is declared, and the two young women find themselves making a contribution. But it is war, and the constant threat of death and destruction create stress, and Grace learns to find comfort in the books she works with, and shares her new love of writing with others. I just loved this book. I think partly because the challenge of life in wartime really resonated with me during the pandemic. The yearning for information, even listening to the same info over and over (remember last March?), the hoarding, the sense that danger lurks everywhere, feeling imprisoned, grief at the pointless loss – I drew strength from reading about the courage in the face of fear, and the strength in community. It was a powerful story just when I needed it most, and I loved the book chatter too. So many favourites and so many classics new for me to discover. The setting was letter-perfect – you could smell the smoke and the baking, I swear. Great characters and realistic dialogue add even more authenticity. My thanks to Hanover Square Press for the digital reading copy provided through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Grand Forks & District Public Library has a copy in its adult fiction collection; you’ll also find e-book and e-audio versions available.
More discussion and reviews of this novel: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53331579

Excellent story about Grace Bennett, a young orphaned woman who moves to London with her best friend, the glamorous Viv. They are looking forward to getting jobs as shopgirls in Harrods and rooming with a dear, widowed friend of her late mother's. Soon after their arrival, Britain enters the war and their London adventure is filled with blackouts, bomb shelters and rationing. Through it all Grace works at Primrose books and is able to use books and stories to help people through the darkest times of their lives. This is another excellent novel about life in London during the blitz. Anyone who enjoys historical fiction will love this well written, well-plotted book.

As you can guess, Madeline Martin’s The Last Bookshop in London is a book about books. It celebrates the power of literature to whisk you out of “real life” and into a different, wholly realized world filled with characters you come to care about. Furthermore, it accomplishes this feat itself.

Martin is a prolific writer of historical romance; this is her first work of mainstream historical fiction, and I hope she stays in this new genre a while longer. Her story manages to be simultaneously inspiring and unflinchingly realistic in its depiction of Londoners enduring the Blitz.

In 1939, Grace Bennett and her best friend, Viv, leave their sleepy Norfolk village and head to London, where they share a room in the comfortable house owned by Mrs. Weatherford, a childhood friend of Grace’s late mother. They both need work, and Grace needs a reference, since her unpleasant uncle, whose shop she worked in, refused to give her one.

Mrs. Weatherford cajoles the grumpy proprietor of the Primrose Hill Bookshop, Mr. Evans, into employing Grace as an assistant for six months. He warns Grace not to get attached to the place, whose dusty, disorganized shelves have their own eccentric charm. Grace works hard in cleaning and rearranging the books, and one frequent customer, the handsome George Anderson, introduces her to the love of reading. As for Mr. Evans, one quickly suspects he has a soft heart under all the bluster.

Through Grace, Martin presents an on-the-ground view of London’s people and streets as the rumbles of war grow louder. Men are called up, including Mrs. Weatherford’s gentle son; children line up to be evacuated to the countryside; wives and mothers join service organizations while worrying about their loved ones’ safety. Many images here will stay with me, thanks to well-placed period details. We see the white chairs and bright yellow towels in Mrs. Weatherford’s homely kitchen and the Anderson air-raid shelter (the “Andy”) in her back garden. During the Blitz, as German bombs fall, we see the various ways Londoners react to these devastating strikes on their neighborhoods: some readily seek shelter, while others, tired of these nightly occurrences, start refusing to leave their homes.

Through it all, Grace and her customers take refuge in stories, which they find a wonderful distraction. We get to experience the appeal of many classic novels as Grace discovers them for herself. Being interested in literary history, I found it especially enlightening to learn about the new books that became top sellers at the bookshop, which ones flopped, and why. After reading about it here, Winifred Holtby’s South Riding is the latest addition to my to-be-read stack.

It’s not surprising that The Last Bookshop in London has been on bestseller lists. It’s an absorbing crowd-pleaser of a novel about preserving hope during dark times, a theme that many of us today can get behind.

Thank you to NetGalley, Hanover Square Press, and Harlequin for the opportunity to read and review this book before it's publication date! This in no way affected my review, opinions are my own.

I. Loved. This. Book. SO. MUCH. I requested this book on a whim, loving the synopsis but not really knowing what to expect, and MAN OH MAN did Madeline Martin deliver.

I don't often find myself wanting to re-read WWII hist fics, but this is one that I will definitely read again - both in print AND audio (I just sampled it, and the new-to-me narrator Saskia Maarleveld has a FAB voice - I've just bought it!).

The plot is contained in a very small world - just a couple of blocks of London - but it feels expansive in how well these blocks are explored and described, and how vibrant every character, every incendiary device, every book, every sunny day, every lost friend, every night in a subway shelter was written. I was completely absorbed in every part of this story, and in every character - and although it travels some well worn roads, this WWII novel felt unique to me.

Lastly, the BOOKSHOP. The STORIES. The BOOKS. The READERS. The way that these characters share their lives through the books they read and the way they talk about both reading itself and the books they've read - it was so dang good. I loved that the main character, Grace, was not a reader in the beginning of the book. I loved - beyond measure! - watching her grow into one. I loved watching her find her affinity for literature and the written word. There was one entire chapter that I read with tears silently coursing down my cheeks, because I felt so connected to this world and these characters.

If I *still* haven't convinced you (HOW?), here's two quotes that have been living rent free in my heart for weeks:

Uncorrected Proof Quote:
'"Reading is...' His brows knit together and then his forehead smoothed as the right words appeared to dawn on him. 'It's going somewhere without ever taking a train or ship, an unveiling of new, incredible worlds. It's living a life you weren't born into and a chance to see everything colored by someone else's perspective. It's learning without having to face consequences of failures, and how best to succeed.' He hesitated. 'I think within all of us, there is a void, a gap waiting to be filled by something. For me, that something is books and all their proffered experiences.'"

Uncorrected Proof Quote:
"Deeper still was the profound understanding for mankind as she lived in the minds of the characters. Over time, she had found such perspectives made her a more patient person, more accepting of others. If everyone had such an appreciation for their fellow man, perhaps things such as war would not exist."

I absolutely recommend this to everyone, whether historical fiction is your jam or not - if you love reading, I think you'll love this book just as much.

A profound journey that takes the heroine, Grace, to London, on the eve of WWII, with her friend Viv. With no true home of her own, Grace hopes to find a job, but with no true references, ends up at Primrose Hill Books, a dusty bookstore owned by a Mr. Percival Evans. Having never had an interest in books, Grace is a great organizer and gets to work cleaning up the shop to pull in more customers.

But as fate would have it, a handsome gentleman one days gives her a book to read, and although it takes her a bit to get started, it literally changes the direction of her future! With everyone going off to war, she gets involved as an ARP-Air Raid Precaution, volunteer. As she patrols London, she shares her new love of reading with the people she comes in contact with and helps protect her area.

An outstanding historical fiction story, by an amazing author, who continues to stretch her writing abilities to the point there is no end to her creativity. Emotional at times, with characters not soon forgotten, brings joy and sorrow with the highlighting of books that we as readers understand their power. Perfect.

Madeline Martin provides a glimpse into WWII London, from before war was declared to the bombing horrors of the Blitz. It all comes vividly to life through her well drawn characters, from shopkeepers to air raid wardens and firefighters. But the beauty of the story is the main character, Grace, who despite a series of losses shows such generosity of spirit. A true gem!

This book covers many of my favorite things: historical fiction genre, setting in London, focused around a bookstore and reading, and many many pots of tea! Throw in several strong female characters and a little romance, and you've made me a happy reader. I flew through this book, not wanting to put it down. It was interesting to see how Grace went from being a non-reader to having books and reading figure so importantly in her life. I loved that names of the books that she was reading was included.

An absolutely amazing story about the London Blitz and how the gutsy Brits work together to get through the continuous bombings. They draw on friendships and books during this dark, unknown time. Very apt during our COVID times. This is my first book by Madeline Martin but won’t be my last. Loved it.

What was it like for ordinary British citizens during the blitz? Grace Bennett, a timid young woman from the country, moves to London shortly before the start of the war and reluctantly takes a job in a dusty old book shop planning to stay for only six months to earn a letter of recommendation. Even though she's not a reader and knows nothing about books and authors, she sets about organizing the dusty old shop and creating displays to entice new buyers. Introduced to literature through the gift of a copy of the Count of Monte Cristo from a handsome young customer, Grace becomes a voracious reader and devoted to the shop.

She joins the ARP and patrols her assigned neighborhood at night, first concerned with the blackout, and after the raids start, moving people to the shelters, putting out fires, and helping the wounded. She learns to overcome her initial terror, just as she adjusts to rationing and the sorrow of losing friends to the war.

This book has received enthusiastic praise but I found it hard to believe Grace's transformation from timid country mouse to brave confident business woman. It's a sweet story but a bit hard too swallow.

Grace Bennet and her friend Viv are beyond excited to have finally escaped their small village of Drayton for the bright lights of London in August 1939. Friends since childhood, they had always dreamed of more exciting lives than what Drayton could offer. When Grace's mother dies, she is told to leave the house she as lived in all her life and this is a good reason to fulfil her dream of moving to the big city. Luckily, her mother's best friend, Mrs. Weatherford, has always offered Grace a place to stay if she ever comes to London.

Grace and Viv are welcomed excitedly by Mrs. Weatherford and her son Colin. Although Colin is a few years younger than the girls, Grace has known him since childhood. He works at Harrods in the "Pet Kingdom" department (which seems, sadly to have become extinct in more recent times). Colin helps Viv to get a job at Harrods, and Grace is told Mrs. Weatherford has arranged a job for her at Primrose Hill Books, owned by her friend Mr. Evans. Grace, having never had much spare time, isn't a reader, but with no other prospects, she agrees to the job until she can find something better.

The store turns out to be very dusty and disorganized, so Grace immediately sets out to do what she can to make the shop more appealing to customers. Having worked in her uncle's small store for most of her life, she knows a thing or two about enticing people into the store and persuading them to buy. Mr. Evans doesn't put up much resistance to this new plan, and soon the store is very popular. Unfortunately, just as Grace is settling in to her new life, World War II breaks out.

Having survived the first war, Mrs. Weatherford is calm in the face of air raid sirens. Colin has constructed a bomb shelter in the back yard, so everyone in their small house has a place to go when needed. Mrs. W is terrified that gentle Colin will be drafted, and soon enough, this happens. Not long afterward, Viv also decides to volunteer and moves away for training. Grace has also met a very interesting and handsome customer, George Anderson, but he is also called away to serve. Left somewhat alone, Grace volunteers to be a local Air Raid Warden. After her days working at the bookshop, Grace spends her nights patrolling the neighborhood, assisting people to shelters, putting out small fires, and helping to look for survivors after bombings.

As the title suggests, soon Mr. Evans's bookshop is one of the few that hasn't suffered extreme bomb damage, and therefore becomes something of a refuge for booklovers. Grace helps to spread her newfound love of literature to others by reading aloud in bomb shelters and the bookstore, drawing even more crowds.

The book does a very good job of showcasing the lives of regular people during WWII. Dealing with rationing, awaiting the next air raid siren, and emerging to find dead bodies and destroyed buildings was a daily part of the lives of Londoners for many years. The fact that the bookshop was a central place for people to gather and find some distraction from the events taking place around them makes the story very enjoyable. Perhaps things were very different in those days, but I did find it a bit of a stretch that apparently very, very few people were familiar with the works of Dickens, Austen, Eliot, etc. but it was heartening that once exposed to those classics, everyone embraced them enthusiastically!

“You can’t save the world but keep trying in any small way you can.”

The Last Bookshop in London is a love letter to the saving power of books. Even through the darkest times, like the daily bombings of WW2 London, books have the ability to give hope, escape and in this story, build trust and community. Grace works in a small bookshop by day, and volunteers as an air raid warden by night. She grows to love reading and shares her passion with her community. She emerges as a hero who reads to the people of this London neighborhood daily and in the process saves them from their individual sufferings.

I gained a deeper appreciation for the toughness of Londoners and their ability to “carry on” through the horrific daily bombings of their city. Madeline Martin did a great job of painting the picture of London through images such as the blackness of night, the endless line of children leaving the city, or the many roles people took on to contribute to their community. You get a good sense of the heroic in the simple act of daily living.

I would have liked to have seen more character depth and vulnerability. While the events are big, the characters are a bit vanilla and predictable. There is an odd sweetness for a WW2 story. I wanted to “feel” for the characters, particularly the main character, but I didn’t. Rather than being pulled in, I was left as more of an outside observer.

There was a fabulous list of books that Grace read throughout the story. I am curious to know if the titles carried any significance to the author.

An overall uplifting book. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

A beautiful story that showcases the love of community, reading, and the power of relationships. Grace finds herself working in a bookshop in England during World War 2. While there, she makes deeply connected relationships with patrons and owners. A wonderful tribute to the people who survived the war and the power of the written word to heal.

A lovely story of wartime life in London during the bombings of WWII. This book illustrates how a love of literature and reading can unite and bring hope to those who are enduring difficult circumstances.

Thank you so much for allowing me to have access to the digital arc! This will be a book that I will be ordering for the school library.

Wow! What a story! I absolutely LOVED The Last Bookshop In London - it was fantastic!

First off, a title with the word 'Bookshop' in it - how could I resist? Secondly, the story is set in London - how can I not read a story set in London? And third, combine 'bookshop' and London - how can I not read a book with both of those words in the title? Suffice it to say, I gobbled this book up as soon as I got my hands on it. Oh, and did I mention that I enjoyed every second spent with this story? Because, I did!

The Last Bookshop In London is such a great story. The historical aspects are vividly detailed. The characters are fascinating and show just how resilient Brits can be. And the story itself, is captivating. You can't help but be swept away to London during the Blitz and navigating bookshop life with Grace - this story makes for such a treat. I just LOVED getting to know everyone and reading about Grace, a non-reader, discovering the magic of books. It was fun and emotional, getting to see Grace using books to help her community during this terrifying time in history.

I would happily recommend The Last Bookshop In London to anyone and everyone looking for their next great read - you won't want to miss out!

The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin is a story of war on the home front. At the same time, the book paints a picture of what happens when people come together. In this way, this story of war ends up a sweet, feel good story of the triumph of good and, for this reader, a love letter to the power of books to heal.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2021/04/the-last-bookshop-in-london.html

Reviewed for NetGalley and the Winter 2021 historical fiction blog tour from Harlequin Trade Publishing.

he Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin drew me in with its World War 11 time period and bookshop setting in London. Rich, captivating and well written Madeline Martin pulled me into the story and endeared me to these characters.

It’s 1939 and with the threat of an impending war with Hilter, Grace Bennett and her best friend Viv, set out to London to live in the home of her late mother’s best friend. Without a letter of referral from her Uncle, Mrs. Weatherford secures her a position at the Primrose Hill Book Store with its owner the, curmudgeon Mr. Evans.

Grace dreamed of working in the department stores like Viv, and knows nothing about books, but a handsome young man gifts her a book before he is called up to war and opens the door to a passion for the written word.

From the bookish goodness, to the rich details of life in London during the bombings and the goings on in Grace’s life. We have a slow-burn side of romance, but the primary focus is Grace, the bookshop and her impact of the surrounding community during these dark and difficult times.

Grace is wonderful and felt genuine. She affects the lives of everyone she touches. I found myself swept up and transported to London. I could smell the musty books and the fires that burned. I imagined myself in the bomb shelters, and after shortages from the pandemic, wondered at rations and conditions folks endured during the war. Martin touched on the losses too, and I swiped the tears from my eyes more than once.

Fans of historical fiction with historical details of WWII in London will want to add this story to their bookshelves. Fans of bookshop tales who haven’t dabbled in historical fiction should give this one a try. The bookshop is central to the story with talks about some fantastic titles.

This is a feel good book to celebrate the power of the written word to bring people together during tough times and I cannot recommend it enough! It was the perfect read for me to escape into for a few hours and appreciate that life right now truly isn't as bad as it could be and that books are always the friends waiting to welcome us when times are tough! As Independent Bookstore day looms, please take advantage of your amazing indie bookstores and the wonderful services they provide for your community. HIGHLY recommend for fans of The Paris library, When books went to war or The light over London. Self care is more important than ever before!!! XOXO
Thanks NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!