This historical fiction novel made me look up what the Mitford sisters were really like. I enjoyed how this story went from the past to the future. I love stories that are based in a bookshop also. I really enjoyed how Katie figures out the best way for her to live her life and write her next book. This had some nice romance. This story made me want to look into some of the authors mentioned within. This has fun characters. I received a copy of this book from Harlequin for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

I really wanted to love this one. I really loved another book about a London bookstore during World War II that I read earlier this year and I was excited about the present day POV and the literary search into the past. Unfortunately, I never connected with any of the characters or became invested in the past or present storyline.

Other then basic name recognition I'm not super familiar with the details of the Mitford sisters. After reading this I am a bit more curious about them and will probably do a bit of looking into them. While rather horrible I am curious about the ins and outs of their lives. However, that interest does not extend to wanting to read any of Nancy Mitford's works or finding any connection to her in this book. As well, while I did like some of the side characters in the present day storyline I disliked the main character, writer Katie, so much that it kind of soured my feelings about that part of the book. Katie comes off as whiney and aggressive to the point I could just not care about her.

The author does a wonderful job of setting the scene and really makes the locations come alive but unfortunately in the book that skill does not translate to the characters. When all is said and done, when it came to this book I found I just didn't care what happened to the characters or how the story evolved.

Ok, What I knew about Nancy Mitford before reading this book: a) I knew she was a famous author from the 1940s, b) she came from a large family and had several siblings, c) she moved in the upper levels of high-London society, d) some of her sisters were also authors, and e) that one sister was a communist, one a fascist and one a Nazi. Now what I knew after reading this novel? Exactly the same thing I knew before. I am sorry but when I read a historical fiction novel I expect to learn a little something or at least to have what knowledge I already possess expounded upon. But alas, in this instance it was not to be.
This is a dual timeline novel about two women authors, Nancy Mitford and Katie Cabot, whose lives parallels each others. Katie (present day author) goes to London seeking inspiration to free her from writer's block. She, (and here comes the cliché') meets handsome stranger who is searching for a missing memoir written by Nancy Mitford who just so happens to be Katie's favorite author. She joins in the search, there is the expected trust/don't trust issue, what is he really up to suspicion and that's about it, it just falls flat from there. There is no connection to the characters in the present, for a dialogue driven novel Katie's dialogue, to me seemed extremely juvenile, not fitting the age her character was. Also the end of the book left the reader totally bereft, there is no plausible conclusion to be had to Katie's story.
In the past I expected Nancy Mitford's somewhat famous radical personality and bitingly sarcastic wit to shine through, I was very much disappointed. There was just no kick to the scenes at all. Nothing to really engage with or get excited about. I also fear if you go into reading this novel with complete lack of prior knowledge of the Mitfords or the myriad of secondary characters such as Evelyn Waugh, James Lees-Milne or Lady Helen Dashwood aka Hellbags, to only name a few, you will be totally lost and lose interest fast.
I can only give 2 stars for this book which saddens me, I had high expectations and wanted to love it as I had really enjoyed Michelle's earlier novel "A Paris Apartment".
Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and Net Galley for the free ARC of this novel, I am leaving my honest review in return.

This is an interesting dual time line novel featuring one of the famous Mitford sisters. In the present, Katie has experienced several disappointments, including a split from Armie, her fiance, so she heads off to London for a break. While there, she meets Simon, who is hoping to fund an unpublished manuscript written by Mitford when she worked at the Heywood Hill bookstore during WWII. Mitford and her sisters lived big lives, especially during WWII. A variety of real people appear as characters in her time line (I found myself periodically doing a little extra research). I actually liked Katie's story more, perhaps because it was fresher than Nancy's. Both women have romantic entanglements but they aren't the focus of the novel. Nonetheless, it's a good read. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. For fans of WWII fiction.

In this dual timeline book, the author focuses on Nancy Mitford and her life and career in the 1940s. In the modern timeline is a struggling author who is a fan of Nancy’s and she is looking for inspiration. Nancy Mitford, famous but not as controversial as some of her sisters, ends up working at Heywood Hill bookshop and it is also there that the modern day character goes and ends up looking for Nancy’s lost manuscript.

I struggled with this book and ended up not finishing it because I just didn't like the characters at all and there were too many characters for my liking.

I know some will like this book but it just wasn't one I enjoyed.

The Bookseller's Secret by Michelle Gable contains some serious research that opened up a whole new catalyst for WWII that I haven't read. It is a dual timeline from the 1940's and present times.

...."this is not a biography reflection of the spectacular personality and wit of one of the most underrated authors of the twentieth century...."

With letters and interviews this book provides leaps and bounds of information based on the life literary icon Nancy Mitford, author of "The Pursuit of Love" released in 1945. What is an incredible take on the book is the present time character Katie is summoned 80 years later as one of her biggest fans and ventures into the bookshop Heywood Hills that Nancy worked in with the hopes of finding her missing manuscript.

Nancy's story during the war was famous for helping refugees escape fascism and hiding them away in Rutland Gate. After her husband left her broke, she began a career in a bookstore while the owner fought in the war. "...magic of bookshops and literature..." Her career grows by leaps and bounds as a writer and she falls in love with a Colonel. Their love affair expands decades and has some intricate vibes. One of Nancy's pet peeves were her 5 famous sisters in a secret society known for their very political and controversial views.

Katie discovers there are missing years of Nancy's life, as well as a manuscript mentioned in the letters she finds. The storyline revolves around finding information to write a book about Nancy's life and why those years are important to fill in.

Well-done, and such an interesting view about this famous author. The research is extensive and impressive with a wealth of information at the end of the book about the characters mentioned in the book and their lives. The book articulates present characters with an interesting connection to the past.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a fantastic story bouncing between the life of the real-life Nancy Mitford, and modern struggling writer Katie, who, after a major blowout with her family, decides a change is needed and flies to London to visit another writer friend, hoping for some inspiration.

In London she discovers Heywood Hill, a bookshop where the famed author and spy Nancy Mitford worked for a time during WWII. Nancy's first "major" hit of a novel was published following her time at Heywood, maybe it will hold the same magic in store for Katie? What she discovers is not entirely expected....

This novel kept me riveted from beginning to end, and I loved the plot twist that were just enough to keep you guessing at what secrets would be revealed next!

The Bookseller's Secret is a lot like a box of brownie mix. It is a great idea to have on hand, but when you finally find time to bake it, the edges are crusty, the soft, gooey center is under baked, but there's the part around the middle that makes it all worth it. Nancy Mitford, a British novelist who drew inspiration from her fanatical family of six sisters and a brother left to roam at will by their aristocratic parents who were eccentrics in their own right. The historical part of this novel is fascinating -rich with history and drama. It is obvious why Mitford's The Pursuit of Love has been mined again and again for its entertainment factors. But the modern story, the half-baked center, seems to only serve as filler. Katharine, a published author who struggles to put out her next book, gets drunk at Thanksgiving dinner with her family, has a breakdown, and heads to London to stay with her college friend who is doing quite well for herself.

There are a lot of parallels between Nancy and Katie - childless, struggling writers who need to make some money and find that place in the world where they fit. Katie's friend lives near Heywood Hill , the famous London bookseller where Nancy Mitford worked during the war. Supposedly there's a memoir hidden at the story that Nancy decided not to publish. Katie wants to take a look, but handsome Simon is also on the hunt. Teaming up, Katie gets a love story, but it's the part that is under baked. Nancy Mitford is indeed intriguing, but I wanted more from Katie.

So, read for the history, but the parts set in the present might not be the best part of the book. No one is going to turn down a brownie.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I love the interwoven story lines about the two female novelists. I love the history of Nancy Mitford's life told in this wonderful novel.

3.5
This novel is a dual timeline story between present day author Katie Cabot and the World War II life of author Nancy Mitford. It has an interesting plot surrounding the mystery of a missing manuscript. The novel is constructed mostly around dialogue which is very well done. However, I think the novel would be made even better with more narrative. I was not familiar with Nancy Mitford and will definitely be reading her novel now; this novel gives a snapshot of her life and some of the trials and challenges she faced. I always love a dual timeline novel, and this was no exception - the tool works brilliantly tying the two stories together - I would have enjoyed reading more of the main characters' thoughts and feelings.

Nancy Mitford, author and eldest of the famed Mitford sisters, has been dead for 48 years. And yet there are two novels coming out featuring Nancy Mitford, each of which is a dual-narrative novel with the other storyline involving a contemporary American female protagonist and a setting in the bookshop in London where Nancy Mitford worked during World War II. (The other book, coming out in April, 2022, is The Mayfair Bookshop by Eliza Knight. I can’t imagine how she and her publisher must be feeling about the extreme similarity.)

I’ll probably read Knight’s novel when it becomes available, but in the meantime I’m here to review Michelle Gable’s effort. I’ll start with the protagonist of the contemporary narrative, Katie Cabot, a successful novelist who is now in year three of a dry period in which she can’t seem to find a subject for a new novel. Her wildly successful writer friend Jojo invites Katie to visit her in London, where she lives in tony Mayfair. As soon as Katie arrives, Jojo orders her to nip around the corner and go to the Heywood Hill bookshop, which she insists is a magical place that will help dispel Katie’s funk.

This is the same Heywood Hill bookshop where Nancy Mitford worked for three years during World War II. When Nancy was on duty, the shop became something between a literary salon and a hangout for her louche friends, including Evelyn Waugh. It was there she got the idea to write her most famous novel, The Pursuit of Love, inspired by her extremely unusual family—which included two sisters who were friendly with Hitler, another who was a communist, and another who became the Duchess of Devonshire and chatelaine of Chatsworth, setting of so many movies and TV series, including Pride and Prejudice.

I’ve always had a fascination with the Mitfords, so I find any book about them nearly irresistible, even though there are some that shoehorn in characters who are supposed to be the Mitfords to sell barely adequate books. (I’m looking at you, Jessica Fellowes, and your Mitford murder-mystery series.) I had my doubts about this one, but thought I might as well give it a whirl. I ran into a discouraging omen fairly quickly, when Katie lists her favorite historical novelists, among whom are a couple of names I’ve added to my to-be-avoided list, having read a few of their efforts that turned out to be romance-y books coated with a veneer of Wikipedia-level history.

Reading this book was a slog. The Katie character is a shallow whiner, and the author doesn’t succeed in bringing Nancy Mitford to life. Way too much of the book consists of dialog clunkily filling us in on Mitford history. The Nancy story includes many snippets taken straight from Nancy Mitford’s The Pursuit of Love. As the novel proceeds, more and more parallels emerge between Katie’s life and Nancy’s. I never understood the point of the parallel-lives stuff, especially since Katie is no Nancy Mitford, and I was distracted by reading the bits straight from The Pursuit of Love.

Katie’s pairing up with the Simon character was a walking cliché: the impossibly handsome and confident man meeting the somewhat awkward female lead, her initial antagonism to him, followed by a contrived push-and-pull between attraction and distrust, mostly fueled by easily-avoidable misunderstandings.

On top of it all, there is a mystery of sorts involving a supposed autobiographical manuscript of Nancy Mitford’s, possibly hidden in the bookstore, keenly sought after by Simon and then Katie, though their search seeming to be actively thwarted by the bookstore’s manager. This plot element goes nowhere. The same can be said for the Katie element of the story. Though I was relieved when the book ended, I was puzzled by how Katie’s story ended with no real resolution other than an obviously wrongheaded decision to write a novel based on The Pursuit of Love.

I’m just not sure who this book is for. Those already familiar with the Mitfords don’t need this exposition and those who aren’t familiar with the family aren’t likely to take to this verbose and didactic approach. My advice is to read or re-read The Pursuit of Love and forget about this uninspired effort.

The Bookseller's Secret by Michelle Gable

I would like to thank Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Michelle Gable's The Paris Apartment is one of my favorite books. So, I was thrilled to get an advanced copy of The Booksellers Secret hoping it would be as engaging as The Paris Apartment.

Sadly, this book did not do it for me. At one point in the story I read, "Why does a person like any book? It strikes the right note, at the right time". The Bookseller's Secret was not the right book, at the right time, for me.

I knew nothing about Nancy Mitford before reading this book. I love historical fiction, especially when the focus is on a strong, independent woman. I found Nancy to be a fascinating woman, rather unconventional and up for a challenge. Her story should have been captivating, but it wasn't.

The story of Nancy Mitford is told mainly through conversations with her family, friends, customers, etc. I found most of the conversations boring and, at times, tedious. I didn't connect with any of the characters in this book, not a one. They were shallow, their conversations felt forced and the outcomes were fairly predictable.

I gave this book three stars because of the Author's Notes and the short bios of the major characters at the end of the book. I learned a lot reading these additions to The Bookseller's Secret.

After reading The Bookseller’s Secret, I will be adding Michelle Gable to my favorite author list. This marvelous novel, an ode to authors and literature, is sure to please all book lovers.

Based on the life of literary icon Nancy Mitford, Michelle Gable’s newest novel weaves together the story of two authors who are generations apart. In the current day timeline, American Katie Cabot is a young author suffering from writer’s block. When a friend invites her to visit in London, Katie quickly accepts and stumbles upon the historic Heywood Hill bookshop. She becomes involved in a search for the unpublished memoir of Nancy Mitford, the subject of her senior thesis, leading her on a path of mystery and romance.

The Bookseller’s Secret effortlessly combines two narrators and timelines, Nancy Mitford’s past during WWII and Katie’s current day London. I found the true life history of the Mitfords fascinating and appreciated the epilogue for the facts about the family.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin and Michelle Gable for the opportunity to review this title before it is published.

The Bookseller’s Secret by Michelle Gable
Source: NetGalley and Graydon House
Rating: 3/5 stars

The Bottom Line: I tend to pile up my book reviews and sit down for marathon writing sessions. 95% of the time, I have no difficulty recalling a story, its plot, and characters even with distance between finishing the book and writing the review. That other 5% are the books I must really think about, re-read the synopsis, and think back to the actual reading of the book. It is times like this when I know the star rating is going to be a bit lower because the book has clearly not stuck with me as the really good books tend to. The Bookseller’s Secret is among the 5% and as I think back on the reading of this book, I distinctly remember struggling to get through it.

I generally enjoy a past meets present book, but this one is quite lacking. In the present, a struggling author and inquisitive young man are on the hunt for a missing manuscript from renowned author Nancy Mitford. In the past, Nancy is not only working through her own author-ly struggles, but personal and financial struggles as well. The lost manuscript is in fact written by Nancy, but it never sees the light of day. My struggle with this book is how dull the past portion of this book really is. While Nancy Mitford may have been a wonderfully interesting figure that excitement and interest is dulled completely in this book. In truth, I wanted to like this book far more than I did and find I have a hard time recommending this read to others.

I received an electronic ARC from HARLEQUIN – Trade Publishing (U.S. & Canada) through NetGalley.
Dialogue driven novel about Nancy Mitford's life during and just after World War II. Gable tells this in two timeframes - Mitford's '40's and current time as Katie, et. al. try to learn more about Nancy's life.
The characters were interesting to see engage with each other and the story, but, as a reader, I felt like I was simply watching and not engaging with them. They hint of a mystery in the title is revealed in the final chapter but doesn't offer much resolution. Teasers about a hidden autobiography fill the modern chapters and information about her writing it are included in Nancy's chapters. However, the ending falls a bit flat as most of the characters have made little progress in their own lives.
Gable's writing style flows well. The dialogue works and moves the plot forward. The settings also work to show readers where the action happens.
Others who are more invested in the Mitfords will appreciate this fictionalized account of Nancy's life.

I quite enjoyed the premise of this book, and it's the second one I've read lately featuring a woman reeling from a breakup who travels to London to re-examine her life (I have a type, ok?)

The switch from present day to the past happens very naturally, and you can follow the thread from one generation to the next. There's a love story, a historical mystery, a missing manuscript, and a bookseller keeping a secret. And there are multiple booksellers in this book, so who has the secret? There's a lot to love about this book.

The overall story is great, it's intriguing, but I found the book to be “put downable." That's not to say I didn't want to read it, but if I got interrupted and had to step away in the middle of the chapter I didn't always feel compelled to pick it right back up. It probably took longer for me to read it than it really should have.

I also rolled my eyes a few times at the dialogue in the modern story line. It just felt kind of juvenile given the age of the characters. I'm about the same age as the modern protagonist and I know literally no one who talks that way. Maybe when we were younger? It's obviously not that big of a deal, but it did take me out of the story enough that it stuck with me.

And as always, I really love the inclusion of real-life history and characters. I always like to follow up with a little research into the real stories of those characters and was pleased to find a pretty thorough "here's what really happened" at the end of the novel. I'm interested to read Nancy Mitford's work.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin - Trade Publishing for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

THE BOOKSELLER’S SECRET by Michelle Gable is an engaging work of historical fiction that tells the story of two literary women living eighty years apart. Inspired by real people, places and events, the story alternates between wartime and contemporary London and features socialite, spy and novelist, Nancy Mitford and the real Heywood Hill bookshop in Mayfair, London where she worked during World War II. In the present day storyline, bestselling author Katie Cabot is suffering from writer’s block and a heartbreaking broken engagement. Her best friend, Jojo offers up her home in Mayfair, London as a place for Katie to regroup. While in Mayfair, Katie discovers the Heywood Hill bookshop which remained in operation during the war and ever since. While visiting the bookshop, Katie hears speculation that Nancy Mitford may have left behind an unpublished memoir. Katie is immediately intrigued since Nancy Mitford was the subject of her English literature dissertation. As she begins digging, Katie is drawn into a mystery that links the past and the present in ways she could never have expected. The story is narrated by Nancy Mitford in the past and Katie in the present. It was so interesting to learn of Nancy Mitford’s real-life family and friends. The epilogues for their lives were fascinating. I enjoyed this entertaining dual-timeline novel and look forward to reading more from Michelle Gable. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read an early copy.

An avid historical fiction reader I was anxious to learn more about Nancy Mitford. The synopsis gripped me and the cover art dazzled me. The premise was intriguing as it was a dual timeline (which I love) focusing on two heroines – a modern day author who is experiencing writer’s block and an established author desperately trying to write during the London Blitz. Add in books and a bookstore to this line up…I was excited to start reading!

Unfortunately, this book fell flat for me fairly quickly. It started with a curse of too much dialogue, then slid into unrealistic dialogue and then sputtered and stalled with pacing problems. Dialogue is great, but it can also be like binge-eating a bag of chips…pretty soon you don’t want to see another bag of chips for a month! I wonder if the author fell into the trap of too many dialogue scenes in a row instead of implementing action and/or narrative to balance it out? It felt like author’s names and book titles were dropped into the plot with little to connect them to the action nor narrative. The modern-day dialogue was the death of this book. It felt so out of place and almost juvenile. It certainly wasn’t representative of the characters’ ages. I kept reading expecting something exciting to happen because the tag line promised ‘thrilling’ and the characterization promised ‘spy’ activity. I wasn’t thrilled. I didn’t read anything mysterious nor was I led on an adventure with characters running for their lives or in danger.

While I read historical fiction, I like to go online and check out people, places or events to get a broader scope. I was expecting to reach for my computer to Google as I read, but it didn’t happen. Not once, and that’s rare.

I think what it boiled down to was that (1) the author wasn’t able to bring history alive for me and (2) I wasn’t able to connect with any of the rather unlikeable characters.

Sadly, although it had so much potential, it left me completely underwhelmed.

The Bookseller's Secret by Michelle Gable is a parallel story of Nancy Mitford during World War Two and Katherine Cabot at the present time. Both women are writers without clear sense of direction as they approach middle age. Katie, an American, travels to London to visit a friend and the Heywood Hill bookshop where Nancy was employed during the war. She meets a teacher who shares her interest in a missing manuscript, and the pair set out to solve the mystery.

The characters are well-developed with a strong dialogue. I enjoyed Katie's awkward spunk and Nancy's quick wit. The author did a wonderful job of presenting them as outwardly confident but inwardly insecure. I admire the amount of research that was necessary to transform historical events into a fictional story with a modern twist.

The book had a lot going on, and it was difficult for me to keep up with everything. Savoring lots of tiny details has never been my strong point; however, I realize that plenty of slow reading young ladies who would adore this well-written book. Cheers to them!