In post-WWII London, Bloomsbury Books is plodding along as it has for decades--until the manager suffers a seizure and has to go on leave. As the employees shuffle positions during his absence, change begins to creep in to the bookshop. Vivien, as acting head of fiction, brings in many new books, as well as an appearance by author Daphne DuMaurier. While men are quick to dismiss her as a romance author, she and her friends breathe new life into the bookshop and inspire Vivien, along with colleagues Grace and Evie, to stop accepting the status quo in both their professional and personal lives. Evie is given the simple but very memorable advice: ask for more.

I cannot express how much I loved this book. It has far more depth than other historical fiction I regularly devour (and that's not a slight to other historical fiction by any means. Plus, the added theme of female empowerment and the fact the bookshop deals in rare books add up to perfection. I cannot recommend this book enough. #BloomsburyGirls #NetGalley

Bloomsbury Girls is the follow-up to Natalie Jenner’s 2020 novel, The Jane Austen Society. This book reads as a stand-alone and it is not necessary to read the first one. Jenner states in the author’s notes that she was inspired by three things: the movie 84 Charing Cross Road, a blog about female literary friendship, and an article about Sunwise Turn, one of the first bookstores in America to be owned and operated by women. These influences shine through the story.

The setting is a 100-year-old bookstore in London that is owned by the wealthy, good-natured, and recently divorced Jeremy Baskin, the 11th Earl Baskin. It is managed by a very old-fashioned Herbert Dutton, who has a list of 51 rules the employees must abide by. The novel primarily focuses on the three female employees, all of who work there for different reasons. The beautiful Vivien Lowry is an aspiring writer and resentful over the inequality at work. She has an unhealthy competition with a male coworker, Alec McDonough; Evelyn Stone, feels trapped by the male-dominated educational system that forced her out of Cambridge; and Grace Perkins is in an unhappy marriage and must work to support her family. There are also chapters that deal with the males and their relationships with the women and each other, so the book isn’t entirely about the Bloomsbury Girls.

While I enjoyed this charming story, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it to others for three reasons. I have recently read two other books (Lessons in Chemistry and The Book Woman’s Daughter) about 1950s women who suffered workplace inequality. I am now officially tired of this theme. Secondly, as my Goodreads friend, Louise, pointed out, the title designated the women as “girls”. Since this is a book about equality, the word “girls” seems particularly demeaning. Finally, The author chooses to use real-life people including Peggy Guggenheim, Ellen Doubleday, Daphne Du Maurier (Lady Browning), and Sonia Brownwell (George Orwell’s wife). I found this plot device to be slightly unbelievable and unnecessary.

3-stars. Thank you to #Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for my advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest opinion.

Though this isn’t advertised as a sequel, I feel like I should have read The Jane Austen Society first to really enjoy this one. Bloomsbury Girls is a cute book in a unique setting- a 1950’s London bookshop- which interested me, but it fell flat for me anyway. It just felt kind of tedious and I had a hard time connecting with anybody the female employees in this male dominated bookshop.
I’m sure fans of Jenner’s first novel will probably love it and probably people with more interest in the interactions of bookshop workers and 1950’s authors will find it all interesting, but I -unfortunately- was pretty bored.

So many rules! This book is laid out by starting each chapter with one of the rules for Bloomsbury Books.

Although the format was creative, I didn't quite feel the empowerment from the characters that I was hoping for. This book really was about women's voices, but I think the multitude of other characters and book details outside of Evie, Vivian, and Grace detracted away from that strength. Some of the details on books and authors from the timeperiod were nice, but I think it could have been narrowed down a bit. Rules were definitely made to be broken!

I enjoyed the book overall since it is very different than others I've read, but it would have excelled if the pace would have been quicker with more focus on women's empowerment.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for providing a copy of this ARC for my honest review.

Renown new and rare book store Bloomsbury has been open for 100 years. As the world shifts into post-World War II, its owner Mr Dutton and his rules of operations are strongly rooted in a past that is drastically changing. Author Natalie Jenner brings over Evie Stone, one of Cambridge's first female graduates from her debut novel The Jane Austen Society, and introduces her to the new head of fiction Vivian Lowery, and the backbone to her husband and sons Grace Perkins. Every chapter begins with one of Dutton's 51 rules and the three central female characters who are trying their best to assert agency. Stone, Lowery, and Perkins are given their own plots but are also actively supporting each other by going against the grain of what the book store has always stood for - men in the spotlight, women in the shadows. Though I felt some of the description of locations or delving into brief histories of tertiary characters was mundane, I enjoyed the split between multiple storylines, and how the battle of the sexes affects the characters regardless of gender. Despite the range of characters to focus on, the chapters were quicker to delve into than I thought they would be and the reading experience never felt rushed. The book primarily jumped out at me as a book lover, and Jenner takes great care to highlight women as readers, writers, and bookstore influencers who want to pave a way into literature and their own lives. Bloomsbury Girls is overall a charming read for readers who enjoy character-driven stories exploring an historical setting.

Bloomsbury Books is a 100 year old bookstore carrying both new and rare books. It is a male dominated world and in 1950 it seemed it would remain so.
The general manager has a list of 51 rules that can never be broken, these rules have governed Bloomsbury for decades. The world around them is swiftly changing after WWII, inside Bloomsbury Books, not so much.
They only had two female employees and recently added a third. But the women in the shop are forever passed over for promotions and raises in favor of their male counterparts despite the women being competent and qualified, even more so than the men.
Grace works to support her two sons and emotionally abusive husband who suffered a breakdown from WWIi and hasn't worked since. Grace presents a calm, quiet, dignified persona to all at work. Doing her job in a steady, competent manner she doesn't make waves, express her opinion or otherwise draw attention to herself.
Vivian is the polar opposite of Grace. She is loud, opinionated, ambitious and never afraid to let others know how she feels about whatever has got her riled up for that day. Her list of grievances about how the shop is run is long, and at the top of the list her male counterpart and #1 competition is Alec, who, even though they are both equally qualified, hired on the exact same day, equal in all things, was promoted over Vivian to head of fiction, the reason being-he is a man.
Newcomer Evie is young, people tend to overlook Evie, she is quiet, shy, slight of build, looks like she is a child still, mousey and socially awkward, Evie is one of those people you just don't notice, she blends into the background. This works to Evie's advantage and when Evie takes the position at the shop, true to form she is forgotten and overlooked. This proves to be much to the detriment of the general manager and to the future of Bloomsbury Books!
I loved this story. These 3 very different, very strong, intelligent women trying to make it in a man's world captured me from the get go. I can't imagine the struggles women faced on a day to day basis back then. And that it was accepted to treat women like that is appalling to us today. We are extremely fortunate to have had the Vivians, Graces and Evies of the past to pave the way for all the freedoms we as women enjoy and take for granted today.
This is a wonderfully written story with strong female characters, famous literary figures appear throughout, adding even more depth and entertainment. The pace is steady and held my interest to the end. I would love to see these women's stories continue in another novel-maybe it will?
I recommend this one highly, if you love books, bookstores, writers and strong women this is a book for you. Publication date is May 17, 2022, don't miss it.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and to Net Galley for the free ARC, I am leaving my honest review in return.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that I enjoyed this story even more than The Jane Austen Society. I expected for it to be centered on Evie from the previous book, and while she does play a role, I was equally, if not more, intrigued by the other characters who inhabit the world of the Bloomsbury Books shop. The author did a fantastic job with the setting, making it feel so grounded in reality that I wished I could be having a chat with the ladies while perusing the books. It feels like a real place to visit. The exploration of the repression of women in those post-war years made the story feel all the more triumphant when the Bloomsbury women do what needs to be done to take control of the situation. I'm looking forward to the next book!

From my blog: Always With a Book

Having enjoyed Natalie Jenner’s debut novel, The Jane Austen Society, I knew I had to read her sophomore one, Bloomsbury Girls. Little did I know that not only would I be getting another enjoyable story but some familiar faces would be appearing in this new book!

This is a charming story set in 1950 postwar London. The three women we meet are strong and determined to have their say, frustrated with the men in their lives not recognizing their ideas and/or contributions. This is definitely a character-driven story and I loved that it touches on so many thought-provoking topics in such a way that the story never gets bogged down.

I loved learning about the inner workings of the bookshop, however antiquated some of the systems and roles might have been. Most interesting of all were the manager’s rules – all 51 of them. I loved how the author started each chapter with these rules – it was such a clever way to begin the chapters because more often than not the rule somehow tied into what was going to happen in the chapter.

There were also some pretty interesting literary figures that make appearances throughout the book, my favorite being Daphne du Maurier. I loved that these some of these literary figures were instrumental in helping the women move forward!

A charming tale about bookstores and female empowerment, I think this will appeal to all historical fiction readers.

Evie, Grace and Vivien work at the Bloomsbury Books in 1950s England. This is the story of their lives and how they try to overcome the limitations for women in the 1950s. I have not read the previous book to this one, Jane Austen Society, but I think I will go back and read it now. I enjoyed the characters in this book and how they were all such strong women, but in different ways. Reading about this time period always makes me appreciate how much things have changed (still not enough!) and how many choices I have been able to make in my life thanks to those who came before. I also love books about books. It's one of my favorite sub-genres. This was a comforting, feel good story and I highly recommend it to others!

“Bloomsbury Girls” is the convincing tale of spirit, hope, and courage for several post-WWII characters in and around a London bookstore—but mostly, it’s about the mighty connection between women in this character-driven narrative. Strongly sketched principals Evie Stone (former maid, now one of Cambridge’s first women graduates—and alumna from Jenner’s first “The Jane Austen Society”), Vivien Lowry (an aspiring writer who lost her fiancé in the war), and Grace Perkins (wife, mother, and sole provider for her family) find success and disappointment in this setting where men seemingly have all the power.

Though this is a women-centric novel, there are notable male characters, too, who not only add friction to the dialog and plot but also color my romantic sensibilities for all to find their happily-ever-after beyond the business of the bookshop.
As they reviewed the shop’s dismal accounts together, they fell back into another familiar routine. They would suddenly and simultaneously stop what they were doing, take a sip of tea that Grace had since made them, and observe the rest of the staff through the large glass window to her office. At one point, they both watched in amusement as Alex sidled up to Vivien at the cash counter and inquired about something, only to have her respond by throwing down her pencil and storming off.
“Those two need to find neutral ground of some sort.” Lord Baskin laughingly shook his head. “Not all relationships, I would hope, need to end in war.”—Chapter 12
Each chapter opens with one of the store’s 51 Unbreakable Rules, cleverly tying the chapter back to the rule. For example, Rule No. 28: Relations between staff members must remain strictly professional at all times. No spoilers from me, but with a staff of intriguing women and men, you might imagine what kind of tension and histories Chapter Ten reveals. And...whilst Evie looks for a priceless first edition that would further her credibility as a researcher but also satisfy her academic curiosity and more...
Evie’s heart now quickened at the possibility that here on the second floor was where “The Mummy!” had been hiding all along. The main reason Evie had applied for the position at Bloomsbury Books might soon be within her grasp—she had no idea what she would do if it wasn’t.
Ironically, Evie wasn’t even sure what she would do if it was. She did not have enough money to meet its purchase price, which she presumably was no less than the twenty pounds that Mr. Allen had bid and paid for it nearly four years ago. Evie didn’t dare confide in anyone else the book’s potential value or solicit help to purchase it. To her mind, this was an implicit violation of rule number twenty-four: not using knowledge acquired in the course of employment for personal gain or benefit.—Chapter 21
Jenner pens snappy dialog and likable characters as she expertly blends historical details into her fiction, engaging me until the last nail-biting chapters and heartwarming final pages. I particularly relished the titillating interactions with real-life literary figures like Daphne du Maurier, Ellen Doubleday, Sonia Blair, Samuel Beckett, and Peggy Guggenheim.
“So you are one of two people in the world to have read it,” Miss du Maurier remarked with unusual humility. “Although I will admit, I circulated it far more widely than that. To no avail, I might add.”
“It’s a powerful story.”
“I always say, ‘Women want love to be a novel, men a short story.’” Du Maurier smiled brightly at the room as the women in the audience gamely laughed. Vivien looked over at Alec, who was watching from the other side of the makeshift stage. He did not look amused.—Chapter 19
With sentiment and wit, Jenner delves into the intricacies of female bonds and sometimes all-encompassing love—and the drive to be loved. “Bloomsbury Girls,” a poignant story of achievement above social and economic adversity, is a must-read for historical fiction lovers, booksellers, and readers alike. I hope no one revokes my Janeite card, but I enjoyed this more than “The Jane Austen Society.” 5 stars.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by acclaimed actress Juliet Stevenson. Stevenson immerses herself in this cast of many, and her performance is well-paced and distinct, pulling me in from the start. Still I wished for a little more variation for the Bloomsbury female employees and even the voice of Ash Ramaswamy. Overall, I appreciated the subtle rendering without making the voices caricatures. Stevenson shines as the star we expect!

4.25⭐
G for a closed door romance

Have you ever wondered why most "classics" you read in high school English class are written by white men? Lord of the Flies, 1984, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Tale of Two Cities... fine books if you enjoy them but where are the women? The queer people? The black, Latinx, Desi and other diverse cultural backgrounds?? I've been thinking about this recently and reading this book really just furthered these questions.

Natalie Jenner explores the lives of three women working in a bookshop in London after World War II where they may work twice as hard as their male counterparts, but they can't get ahead. Vivien yearns to be the head of fiction because she can't stand the store's focus in primarily stocking fiction from male writers when she can't even arrange a table with the Bronte sisters and Austen novels together. Grace has brilliant ideas to modernize the shop and enhance business but the manager could care less. And Evie was passed over for a university job for a less qualified man so she's working at a bookshop rather than researching. This story remains relevant as women continue to strive for equality in the workplace today.

I loved how Natalie Jenner masterfully created a cast of characters the reader cannot help but root for as these characters work to create change in a world that doesn't want it. Vivien, Grace and Evie just not only overcome sexism in this book but also with the taboo of divorce and homosexuality, and interracial relationships. Natalie Jenner captures so well the challenges of this time, but in creating a large cast of diverse characters, the narrative and pacing was sometimes lost in an effort to provide the backstory.

Overall, I enjoyed this book quite a bit in its reflection of a time where the world and publishing was changing significantly. If you enjoy historical fiction and are sick of WWII books, I think this would be a welcome change to see the challenges of adapting to a new post-war society where some wished to maintain old archaic ways.

Thank you to St. Martin Press and NetGalley for the eARC of BLOOMSBURY GIRLS by Natalie Jenner. This novel was a joy to read and a page turner.

Some of the characters from the JANE AUSTEN SOCIETY make an appearance in BLOOMSBURY GIRLS. I loved the nicknames for different characters like The Tyrant. It shows a touch of humor through the novel. I loved the premise of women supporting women.. I loved the setting of a bookshop and the characters working with books.

Highly recommended for readers who love books about books. This is a historical fiction taking place after the end of the Second World War in England.

I really enjoyed Natalie Jenner's previous novel, The Jane Austin Society. It was about the people in a small village in England, trying to save the home where the legendary author Jane Austin lived. Now, Jenner's new novel, Bloomsbury Girls, focuses on some of the same characters, specifically young Evie Stone, living and trying for success in post-war London. And even though Evie is in the big city, she still manages to surround herself with a group of fascinating people who all work at a struggling bookstore.

The two other main female characters, Vivien and Grace are also struggling to find their place in the world. They are both smart, capable and stifled by the societal norms of the times. Women must always defer to the men in the shop (and in life), even though Vivien, Grace, and Evie, are much more capable than their male counterparts. It's infuriating. I loved that all three women work towards the same conclusion that they are worthy, and can take charge of their lives.

We also get to see other characters from The Jane Austin Society such as the famous American actress Mimi Henderson, and Sotheby's auctioneer Yardley Sinclair. There are also interactions with historical characters of the era such as Samuel Beckett. This is really fun and add to the richness of the story.

With the London setting, themes of women emerging as a force in society, and the delightful characters Bloomsbury Girls is another winning historical novel from Natalie Jenner. I highly recommend it.

What I Liked:

Setting:

In the years after WWII London was still a city trying to get back on it's feet. There were food shortages, and people were under-employed. As the novel begins, people are just starting to have extra money for items such as books. So Bloomsbury Books should be doing well, but it isn't. With dozens of rules created decades ago the business is still stuck in the past. Many of the rules are good ones, such as the customer is always right, and the salespeople should give the customer space to browse without intrusion. But other rules are ridiculous. The rule for having events only be at night might seem fine. But this leave housewives, who need to be home in the evenings to cook for their families, out of the mix. There is an inherent bias towards discounting female novelists and customers that is really detrimental to book sales.

Themes:

The storylines of the book all involve the theme of women being denied their due. All three women are smart and capable. But it's the insecurities of the men in the story that's the real issue. These men are desperately trying to remain in control of day to day decisions at the business and (in the case of Grace's husband) in the home. I felt that it was actually a manifestation of the trauma that they acquired during the war. What is more emasculating than seeing people you love killed, and the cities you've known all your life destroyed by something you have no power to influence? But the way they do this is by keeping females "in their place" rather than recognizing that women were the unsung heroes of the war.

Characters:

Vivien knows what books are worth stocking, but every time she suggest a female author she is shot down. She also is in competition with her male co-worker Alex. Both are aspiring authors and share an attraction to each other. But Alex only sees her as an angry woman, not as a whole person.

Grace has a family at home, but is working at a job because her husband has injuries from serving in the War. He resents this and cuts her down at every opportunity. Grace feels tremendous guilt for this. She has a hard time seeing how terrible her marriage is until she starts to spend time with the shop's owner, an Earl. She never dreams that one of the aristocracy can see her as anything other than an employee. But through their friendship, she can see that she and her children are being treated terribly by her husband.

Evie Stone, the young servant from the first book, is gifted intellectually, but doesn't understand the social cues that prevent her from getting more prominent jobs in academia. Although she is one of the most qualified people in her field, she doesn't figure out (until it's too late) that a woman will not have the same opportunities as a man. But she is determined to create her own opportunities.

Story:

The story follows the Vivien, Grace, and Evie as they find ways to break out of the mens control. Vivien starts to find female mentors for her writing. Grace begins to see her self-worth. But it's Evie who has the long plan in the works. She finds something while researching at Cambridge that could be of vast historical significance. The book she's looking for may be at the bookstore. But there are others looking for the book, as well. For someone like Evie, who is a rule follower, it's might be morally challenging to bend such rules to get what she wants.

I loved Bloomsbury Girls. The story was so satisfying and entertaining. I truly hope it finds as much success as The Jane Austin Society. If you want to pick up a copy, consider doing so at your favorite independent bookstore, please. They always need and appreciate the support.

Sometimes the reader only needs to read a few pages to fall in love with a book. This happened to me while reading Bloomsbury Girls. I just started smiling and said this is the book for me. My only wish was that my mother-in-law who was a war bride was alive so we could discuss the book. She served for four years in the Woman’s Auxiliary Air Force as a Transport Driver during WWII. Always a lover of books, we shared lots of good conversations about books we read. It was not hard to fall in love with Vivian, Grace, and Evie Stone who are employees for Bloomsbury Books. Loved how Evie saves Mr. Dutton’s life when she arrives at the bookstore to interview for a job. Throughout the story, we find out how women are underpaid and are definitely not seen as equals. Natalie Jenner cleverly crafted the story to weave historical people into the story. I also liked the quirky characters that work in the store. I have not read Jenner’s first book, The Jane Austen Society, but I will rectify this soon. I think this is sure to be a book club favorite. My thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an ARC of this books. The opinions in this review are my own.

Four and a half Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭒
Bloomsbury Girls by Natalie Jenner is a bookish, historical fiction novel about three women and how they navigate the inequalities of men and women in a retail setting.

Set in London in 1950, this book follows three women who all work at Bloomsbury Books, an old-fashioned bookstore owned and run by men. Evie Stone has just finished her degree at Cambridge University after being accepted to the first class that accepted women. She’s very bright, and applied for a research position at the University, but was beat out by a man with much less experience. Feeling dejected, she calls an old friend who helped her get a job at Bloomsbury books to help catalog their old rare books collection.

Grace Perkins is married with two sons. Her husband is difficult and his time in the war made him even more difficult. Unable to hold down a job, it was up to Grace to find a way to supplement their income. She works as a clerk for Mr. Dutton, the manager at Bloomsbury Books.

Vivien Lowry is single after losing her fiance in the war. She started working at Bloomsbury books at the same time as Alec, the fiction manager. She has great ideas to improve the store, but, the men in the store are the only ones that have any power to change anything.

Bloomsbury Girls is a book lover's dream book. It’s set in a bookstore, with characters who love books, and features many real-life bookish people of that time. Publishing moguls, famous writers of the day, and society women all came in and out and interacted with the characters in the store.

I did not read Natalie Jenner’s earlier book, The Jane Austen Society, but there are characters from that book that are also in Bloomsbury Girls, so now I want to go and read The Jane Austen Society!

Bloomsbury Girls is full of history, drama, and relationships. These women were all so very different, but all were full of heart and loved books and their jobs. They were also so relatable, as they were not perfect, but they tried so hard to do the right thing. I loved the way the women found ways to outsmart the men and make their lives a bit easier.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Highly recommend!! My first book to read by this author but definitely not my last!! Uniquely and beautifully written, this story and its characters stay with you long after you finish the book.

Somehow I missed reading her first book, The Jane Austen Society. After reading Bloomsbury Girls I will be reading The Jane Austen Society. Her writing style flows smoothly as she tells the story of Vivien, Grace and Evie and Bloomsbury Books. It's 1950 London and nothing has changed in the bookstore in one hundred years. There are no Sale signs allowed, women authors are almost nonexistent on the shelves and the staff must adhere to The 51 Rules of the store. Vivien, Grace and Evie are ready to make changes.
I won't go into great detail beyond saying that by the end of the book I was very happy I hadn't passed on this one. It has been added to my 2022 list of favorite reads and it will make gift giving for friends easy throughout the years to come.
My thanks to the publisher St. Martin's Press and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy.

Bloomsbury Books has been around for a century, run by men, strictly adhering to their set of rules and resistant to change. But with an unexpected change in management, Vivien Lowry sees her chance to put some of her ideas in place. Determined to sell more women authors, she pushes nemesis and temporary new manager, Alec to accept her ideas, in the process bringing in more business.
Evie Stone is part of the first class of women allowed to graduate from Cambridge, but she's passed over for a coveted position by her less talented male classmate. She takes a position at Bloomsbury cataloging the rare books section, but she also has her own agenda in a quest for a lost and priceless book.
Grace Perkins is a married mother of two boys. While she loves her boys, she longs for a divorce from her controlling husband. Working at Bloomsbury is the only thing she has for herself. With the help of the other two women, she may find the courage to go after what she wants in life.
I like how this book describes London in post war times, where women are fighting against the male domination of the times. I think fiery and determined Vivien was my favorite character. The book got a little slow at times, but overall I enjoyed the book and the author's writing style.

Thank you to @stmartinspress and @netgalley for both my physical, and e-arc copies of BLOOMSBURY GIRLS by Natalie Jenner! This book publishes this Tuesday, May 17!

Books about books are one of my favourite types of books to read about!

This was my first book from this author- I actually have a copy of her first book, The Jane Austen Society and I’m even more excited to pick it up now! Her first book was mentioned in this one, but this is NOT part of a series, meaning you can read either one first and not be confused!

I did find this book slower paced than I am used to when reading. It’s historical fiction, set after WW2, which I don’t read very often, but do enjoy!

I love LOVED that it took place in a bookstore, and that women worked there! Women working during this time was not very common, but the three main character women were determined to fight for their rights to work there and prove to the men “running” the place, that they were valuable, and worthy of having more of a leadership role in the bookstore.

I also was looking for more “action” in this book. Yes, there was a conflict- but it didn’t happen till past the halfway mark, and most of it actually happened on the last hunk of the book.

While I did enjoy reading it, it took me longer to read as it didn’t “hook” me right from the beginning. But this is probably just a me thing. I think this is just the author’s writing style and because of the genre. Now that I am familiar with the author’s writing style, I know what to expect when I read more of her books!

If you enjoy reading books about books, and a historical fiction novel NOT SET during WW2, I recommend this one!

Bloomsbury Girls
by: Natalie Jenner
St. Martin's Press
Pub date: May 17, 2022
General Fiction (Adult), Historical Fiction, Women's Fiction

Lovers of literature will delight in the setting of Jenner's new book, Bloomsbury Books in 1950s London. Although the hundred-year-old bookstore is run by men, Vivien , Grace, and Evie are the female employees who are eager for transformation and change. Jenner takes us through their roles both in the shop, their personal lives, and in an evolving society.

These three women are expected to follow the precise fifty-one rules established by the male general manager. They know that change does not come easy, and each brings a back story to the narrative. The stylish and bright Vivien lost her fiancé in World War II. Grace is devoted to her family, but clings to her own aspirations as well. Evie had the distinct honor of being one of the first women graduates of Cambridge.

Jenner's follow up to The Jane Austen Society is an incredibly rich story of women's rights in the workplace and the changing roles of women authors. Readers are treated to the inner activities in the store, as well as in the literary world during this time period. Issues of gender, race, domestic abuse and discrimination are addressed.

Eager to find out if the shop's fifty-one rules were broken, followed or changed, I appreciated being on these women's journeys. Some famous literary figures made appearances along the way, adding to the appeal!

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for the advance reader's copy and opportunity to provide my unbiased review.
#NetGalley
#TheBloomsburyGirls