Thank you to Net Galley for giving me this opportunity to read 'Bloomsbury Girls'.
The story centres around three females who work at Bloomsbury Book store.
The three are Grace, Evie and Vivien.
Grace is married with two young sons. Her husband had a breakdown after the war. She is at a crossroads as to what to do with her life.
Vivien lost her fiance in the war and has a mean streak.
Evie has just earned a degree from Cambridge. She had her heart set on doing research at the university but was turned down in favour of a male grad.
The three women work together at the bookstore and dream off bigger and better things.

3.5 Stars

I'm not much of a fiction reader but the locale of the book (1950s England in a bookshop) made me take the plunge. I was mildly entertained by the story enough to finish the book, albeit with some occasional skimming. The bookshop was the classic kind you would imagine - think of the classic book and movie 84 Charing Cross Road - where you can purchase first edition rare books - which in fact inspired the author to write this. The three ladies who work in the shop are expected to make the tea and don't get paid as much as the men. They also don't get opportunities for advancement like the men. Working in the shop are also a gay couple and a man from India who experiences racism in London. One girl is on a mission to find a rare book, another is escaping a troubled marriage, and another wants to be a writer.

I feel rather sheepish because it seems that most other people enjoyed the book a lot more than I did...so I am an outlier. I didn't connect with the characters on an emotional level, and perhaps that's why it just didn't resonate with me.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for providing an advance reader copy via NetGalley.

This book was quite good.. It was set in 1950 London in a bookstore that was completely run by men. There were women that worked there but they were relegated to cashier, clerks, etc. a little Evie Stone came to work there for a short while and completely bucked the rules. She had been turned down for jobs that she was highly qualified for that went to men because they were men. There were 51 rules they all had to follow in the store. It took awhile but the women worked together achieve their goals. I loved how they did it too.

I got this book from NetGalley and am voluntarly leaving a review

In post-war England, society was rapidly changing—not quickly enough for some, too fast for others. Women had achieved new-found freedoms during the war, and were loathe to give them up afterward, much to the chagrin of the men around them. When Cambridge graduate Evie Stone is passed over for an academic position in favor of a less-qualified candidate, because he is a male, she takes a job at Bloomsbury Books. There she meets Grace Perkins and Vivian Lowry, two women who are also battling to be respected by the men in their lives. The three women slowly come together to join forces to take control of their own destinies. How they manage to do this is the heart of the story, which moves very slowly at first, but picks up speed as Evie’s true quest is revealed. Most of the male characters are unlikeable, with one or two exceptions, and there are some tepid romances, but it all serves to make the women’s determination to forge a new path even more poignant. Each woman finds her own tipping point: when enough was enough. I thought this was going to be a female-buddy story, but it was much more. This is a story of female empowerment.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. For those who read Natalie Jenner's first novel, The Jane Austen Society, Evie Stone is back! This isn't a sequel per se, I don't think reading the first book is necessary to enjoy this book. Set in 1950, Evie has now made her way to London after attending Cambridge and finds herself working in the rare books department of Bloomsbury Books along with a new cast of characters. Vivien Lowery and Grace Perkins, the other main characters, work alongside Evie in the bookshop and are trying to make their mark in the male-dominated book world.

I enjoyed this book well enough, but I didn't feel the same charm I felt with The Jane Austen Society. The beginning was pretty slow and when it picked up, it felt like there were too many things trying to happen at once. Evie, Vivien and Grace were all trying to accomplish different goals until the very end and I missed the camaraderie of everyone working together for a common goal throughout the book. I wish there had been a bit more focus on one goal a bit earlier in the story. I liked what each woman was trying to accomplish, it just didn't feel fleshed out enough. I really enjoyed Evie from Jenner's first book and I wish she had more page time during this book.

On a positive note. there were some pretty great cameos from legendary authors like Daphne du Maurier. For those who love classic authors, I think there are some fun easter eggs in this book. I also really liked the relationship Evie cultivated with another member in the bookshop. There was a tiny amount of romance, but women and the books were definitely the main focus of this book.

Overall, if you read The Jane Austen Society or want to read a book focusing on women in the book world, I would give this book a try when it releases on May 17th.

I thought the premise of the book was good, but the flow of the book was so slow and i felt like the it was just bouncing around characters points of view and it took awhile to catch on to the characters.

Well, Natalie has done it again with Bloomsbury Girls! She has provided another fascinating read and just like The Jane Austen Society, it is filled with a large cast of mesmerising characters and an intriguing plot that keeps us challenged and inspired. But although there are a number to keep us on our toes, we are generously given a list of characters and descriptions at the start of the novel lest we forget. But each one is so memorable, it is doubtful you will lose track. For even though we get input from many, this really is an exhilarating story of triumph for three women (Evie, Grace & Vivien) who fought hard for respect and position during the early 1950s: a time not generous to women with ambition. Natalie draws us into their circle where we get a close up view of these smart, determined, creative ladies who do battle with controlling men in a London bookshop (and for some in the home). And we sincerely sympathise.

There are so many things about this book I love, starting with one of the opening quotes by Katherine Anne Porter (an American journalist/novelist who wrote Ship of Fools in 1962). Her words are truly inspiring and speak volumes about the story that unfolds. “All life worth living is difficult…It is a by-product of brave living, and it never comes in the form we expect, or the season we hope for, or as the result of our planning for it.” Oh, how true and these daring ladies know this all too well while trying to take command of their lives, aspirations and directions. For there are many obstacles thrown in their paths. But with great fortitude fuelling their wills, the uphill battles cannot defeat them. It only makes them stronger and more determined to overcome and achieve their goals. As a result, their hard earned victories prove to be infinitely sweeter and richer.

Each chapter begins with a Bloomsbury Bookstore rule that employees must abide by. These are used in part as ingenious tools of story telling. For they assist with revealing the atmosphere of the old fashioned bookstore, its entrenched history and the archaic habits of its owners. It also provides a means for character building and trait revelations as each person tries to follow and manipulate the system. As you would expect, there are challenges thrown up by the general manager’s constricting fifty-one rules and sometimes they all must find creative ways to get around them.

Although this shop may have successfully resisted change for over a hundred years, it cannot remain so and survive. Especially when it is inevitable that possible alterations must come into the bookstore to reflect its future identity. These will be a result of the fresh ideas of three forward-thinking women. But will any part of the store’s original rule fabric remain or will it evolve into a simpler more modern content? Read it and see!

There are quite a number of themes in Bloomsbury Girls that bubble up through the shifting flow of this story. Parading across the pages are the challenges of the corporate world of a 1950s bookstore filled with prejudice, resistance, gender battles, depression, independence struggles and workplace romance trials. But in spite of or because of these hindrances, we see positive reactions such as the fierce drive for fresh beginnings, release from fear of aloneness, courage to follow one’s dreams, taking on the challenges of social differences. Then there’s the art and craft of writing and the mentoring of upcoming writers. And the arrival of some highly successful authors like Daphne du Maurier who adds a wonderful splash of colour to an already exciting and dramatic palette. Through all these comings and goings, honest ambitions are uncovered and talent is exposed. We realise that possibly none of this would have happened without those negative forces at work. For that is human nature. It often needs a push.

A few characters from The Jane Austen Society make an appearance and one person particular, Evie Stone, leads the way. She holds a very important role in the novel with her search to find a special book that slipped through her fingers. She is one of the first female graduates of Cambridge University and her job now at Bloomsbury Books is that of cataloguing rare titles. This puts her in a good position, in more ways than one.

The importance of Friendship also shines through, particularly between these three women who have banned together to help each other to champion their cause. They are also joined by other brave influential ladies who lend amazing support to the venture that unfolds.

Of course, this novel is also about the magic of bookstores and how essential they are. They carry a legacy of inspiration, hope, learning and ongoing creativity. We, as devoted readers, know how special these shops are and how they provide a wonderful meeting place for people from all walks of life who harbour a common denominator: love of literature, stories, history, science. Books in general.

Evie, Grace and Vivian are heroes. The kind that makes your heart sing and inspires you to pick up that pen and keep writing, keep living and pushing forward through all the negatives life can throw at you. These women have their share of battles with society and various individuals’ viewpoints. But they discover that nothing can stop a determined heart or the power of books. And a glorious message rings clear: that obstacles can serve to help us grow, learn new things and adapt. In our day, we have seen this with COVID. This misfortune has actually magnified the importance of books because people have been at home more, alone more and had to find ways to deal with the stress of a pandemic. In many cases, like in times of war, there is a strong need to escape to other worlds for relief. And when you cannot travel, reading a book will deliver the next best thing. It is a palatable prescription for the mind to recover, rejuvenate, refresh. Bloomsbury Girls celebrates all this and more.

So, without question, I highly recommend this very intelligent, well-devised story that is meticulous, mesmerising and magical. Natalie Jenner’s experience as a lawyer, bookstore owner, lover of great fiction and literary history shines through this potent, personality-packed powerhouse of a book. 5 Book-Tiered 📚Stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Many thanks to Natalie Jenner, Macmillan publisher and Netgalley for a review copy.

This book follows Evie, a character in Jane Austen Society, to her job in a bookstore in London after WWII. Evie, along with several other women, works in the bookshop, but the shop is definitely run with rules that greatly favor men. While a bit slow paced, this book does a nice job of following the women as they seek to better their situations.

Bloomsbury Girls by Natalie Jenner

It's 1950 London and Bloomsbury Books has been in business for a hundred years. The general manager has 51 unbreakable rules and every employee is able to name each rule and identify when anyone is breaking them. The men are "in charge" at the store but the real movers and shakers are the three women, making things happen, or at least making their unhappiness known, with their unique silent communications to each other, to the vexation of the men. Yes, the men know the woman are pulling the wool over their eyes everyday, they know that even though they are the decision makers, they may not be as in charge as they'd like to think.

Vivien wears her list of grievance like a badge of honor and I think the men of the store are scared of her. No way they can escape her sarcastic wit and critique but she is so very good at what she does and she is determined to make changes at the store, one way or another. Grace is a mother of two, in a miserable marriage, who loves her career but is worn out with all the work she does both at home and the store, always feeling guilty about leaving her family to go to work each day, even though she's the bread winner in the household. Young Evie, who was in the first class of female students from Cambridge permitted to earn a degree, has her hopes dashed when a less qualified man gets the academic job for which she was better qualified. These smart, resourceful women have to bow down to men because a woman's place is to do all the grunt work, make the tea, keep quiet and helpful, never getting recognition for the fact that they are really the heart of making the store run.

Three men feature in this story, too, Alec, who can't keep his mind off Vivien, even if he feels she will be the ruin of him, Lord Baskin, the gentle, hands off owner of the store, who has been hanging around the place more than he did in the past, and Ash, from India, who knows a different kind of discrimination than the women, that he must endure on a daily basis. There are other men at this store, all powerful and dismissive of the women and their work. Little do they know that they are creating a storm like they have never seen before.

You do not need to read the author's previous book to enjoy this one, even though this is a continuation of the earlier story. This book starts slowly but once Evie get a job at Bloomsbury Books, I was swept up with the politics and in fighting among all the players. And then we begin spending time with real life people from the writing and publishing world of that time, both men and women. I've become familiar with the backgrounds of these people from other books I've read and I enjoyed seeing Vivien, Grace, Evie, and the men intermingling with these legends. I'm hoping the author has more in store for us because I can't wait for another book that contains some of the fictional characters in this world.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC.

“All great writing comes from a desire to escape, but you have to know what you are escaping to. The audience will follow anything you do if they are confident you know where you are going.” Cameo Appearance by Dame Daphne du Maurier, Lady Browning DBE

Natalie Jenner (author of The Jane Austin Society) writes about ALL of my favorite things in this new novel set in 1950’s London! The centerpiece is a centuries old bookstore which is a character in and of itself, and provides the historical and atmospheric context that truly grabbed me from the first chapter.

The 3 female employees at Bloomsbury Books are suppressed by a male dominated business and a set of rules - reflecting a colonial order worthy of The British Empire. With feminist determination guiding the plot forward, the path to some big mid-century changes is not an easy one! The complexity of personal and professional relationships with their male counterparts, each other and an impressive cast of literary cameo characters, made this a solid 4 star read for me!

Have you ever felt limited in your abilities? There’s something you want to do so badly, but you just can’t seem to achieve it? It can be frustrating at the best of times. But what if those limitations were imposed on you by someone else?

This is one of the main issues focused on in Bloomsbury Girls, the second novel by Natalie Jenner. Having greatly enjoyed her debut novel The Jane Austen Society, I couldn’t request an advance copy of Bloomsbury Girls for review fast enough, and I was not disappointed.

This is a standalone novel, but if you’re familiar with Natalie Jenner’s previous book you’ll immediately recognize a familiar face. The story kicks off with young Evie Stone, the servant girl who spent years cataloging the massive library at Chawton Great House in The Jane Austen Society. It’s the tail end of 1949, and Evie is now one of the first women to be allowed to both attend and graduate from Cambridge. However, for all her intelligence and skill, she’s lost out on a position working at Cambridge to a man who is lacking academically but has better social connections and is, well, a man. This is what leads her to a job at Bloomsbury Books, joining two other beleaguered female employees, Vivien and Grace, in a bookstore ruled by men.

In the era that this book is set, working women could primarily be found as shop girls or secretaries and the like. You didn’t often see them in jobs they could truly advance in. 1950 was my grandparents’ era, and they had much more set notions of what was considered “man’s work” and “woman’s work.” As I read about the head of the rare books department (a man, of course) arriving to find Evie working there and proceeding to splutter about there being a girl in his department, or Grace’s apathy towards her work as a secretary, or Vivien’s growing frustration about not being promoted to do more than work the cash counter because it just wasn’t the done thing, or their shared apathy over always having to stop their own work to serve the men tea, it gave me pause for thought. These women were so restrained by the men they worked for, but why? I’d always assumed it was simply the thought so prevalent back then that a woman’s place was at home, that perhaps the men really didn’t think women could do more than domestic work. But in World War II women took over a lot of the men’s jobs while the men were away at war. Some of the women even worked in factories building bombs. Then the men that came home from war wanted their jobs back. So did men genuinely believe women were incapable of taking on other responsibilities, or were they threatened by the ambition more and more women had? This isn’t a question I can answer, but this book certainly made me ponder it.

Aside from the dynamics between the characters and the food for thought, I also enjoyed the friendships the women developed. Evie, Grace, and Vivien had distinct personalities and were vastly different in many ways, but they respected each other and formed a strong friendship. At a certain point those friendships expand to include other women, real historical figures that shall remain nameless in this article (spoilers). A sisterhood of sorts is formed as they eventually unite in a common goal to save the bookstore and gain some freedom to pursue what they actually want to do in life, and it was a pleasure to read about.

If you like a story about books, friendship, and women helping women, I’d highly recommend Bloomsbury Girls. As an added bonus, Natalie Jenner is excellent with her descriptions of people and places, giving you enough detail to picture everything with clarity without bogging you down with an overabundance of facts. Her writing style made both of her novels highly enjoyable to me, but in my opinion Bloomsbury Girls shows that her storytelling skills are getting even better with time.

Side note: I will also post this review on Goodreads, talk about it on Instagram, and post it to my website when the book is published.

A sequel to The Jane Austen Society, this current work of Natalie Jenner meets all of my expectations . Many of the interesting characters from the original, manage to revisit as well as Evie Stone, who has graduated in the first class of women, from the prestigious Cambridge University. She has qualified as a candidate for a research position at the university, only to be past over by a less qualified male candidate. Devastated and needing a job, she applies at Bloomberg Books, an established bookstore of rare and old books, hoping to secure a position cataloguing their extensive collection of rare books. When this come to fruition, she settles into her dream job.
While this is a sequel, it does well as a stand alone. Again, we are treated to interesting, off beat characters that are as entertaining as The Jane Austen Society cast. Natalie Jenner is a talented story teller and doesn’t disappoint. I loved it!

Bloomsbury Girls takes a look at the obstacles women and minorities faced in 1950, post-war London. Bloomsbury Books is a very traditional, century-old bookstore, run by men. The women employees are treated as second-class, not receiving the professional treatment accorded men (they always have to make tea, for example). The three main characters are Evie, Vivien and Grace. I haven’t read Jenner’s first book, The Jane Austen Society, but apparently Evie and some minor characters played a large part in that book. While you certainly don’t have to read the first book to enjoy this one, you will probably have a deeper enjoyment if you know the whole backstory.

There’s a lot of name-dropping of famous (and maybe not-so-famous) people and books along the way and some real people play crucial roles in the story. Among them are Peggy Guggenheim, Daphne Du Maurier, Ellen Doubleday and Samuel Beckett.

The book is slow paced, in a pleasant way. I never really got attached to the main characters, however. I disliked the title - these were WOMEN, not GIRLS! (Evie is young, in her late teens, perhaps, but Vivien and Grace are mature women.) I enjoyed the character of Ash (a South Indian) and felt angry about how white English people reacted to him.

I bounced between the audiobook and the ebook for this title, which was very convenient. Juliet Stevenson did an excellent job narrating the audiobook with many voices and accents.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook and to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this story. The war is over and there are three girls working at the bookstore. The men are in charge and there are rules which must be followed each day. Evie is looking for a first edition book that she feels is worth more than people realize. She is a member of the Jane Austen Society which gives her some influential friends. Vivian is single and has worked at the store for five years. Grace is married and has also been there for five years. She is married but not happily. There are well known literary figures of the time in the story which adds to the interesting flow of the story. The shop will eventually change hands but it depends on how things go as to who the new owners will be, but the fun is in how they all get to that end.

The Bloomsbury Girls is an emotionally layered story. There are multiple layers of depth in the character development. I savored the slower pace with attention to detail that builds relationships between the characters while heightening my anticipation and expectation. Vivian is a force to be reckoned with and will not allow just being a woman stand in her way. I loved seeing her grow into herself as she met women to encourage and mentor her. Grace moved my heart because I wanted so much more for her. She truly is stuck and begins to wonder, not only if there’s more out there, but if she’s brave enough to go after it. She’s loyal but broken and the weight of that tension comes to a tipping point. Evie is a breath of fresh air. She is wickedly intelligent and underestimated, allowing her to flourish in her world of books while staying under the radar. Together, these three women form a bond a friendship that transcends expectations and paves the way for their individual enlightenment. A true testimony to the power of friends who see you and enable the best in you to thrive in spite of others holding you back. There are so many deep and meaningful observations in regard to emotions and experiences and how they help shape us. I was truly inspired and challenged by Jenner in this heartwarming story.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given.

Three women who work in a bookshop are kept from advancing by the men in charge. They fight for their rights.

Historical fiction isn't one of my typical go-to genres, but I really enjoyed this very well-researched book about 3 women working in a bookstore in 1950. It had to be a frustrating time for women with ambitions because after WWII and women having found a new purpose and place in the work-world, women were expected to go back to life as it was.

Vivien, Grace, and Evie all had their challenges in life and in the bookstore and the way they chose to handle them made for a great read. I also enjoyed how the women came together to help each other.

The bookstore as a setting was also very interesting. If you like historical fiction and strong women finding their places in the world this is definitely a must read.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and publisher for an ARC at my request. All thoughts are my own.

After having read THE JANE AUSTEN SOCIETY, I was very much looking forward to Evie's story. I found so much more in the pages of BLOOMSBURY GIRLS. One of the things I love about historical fiction right now is the focus on women's stories - either stories that haven't been told, or stories that highlight women's triumphs over misogyny and discrimination. All three heroines were so different from each other! Grace's way was always to go along to get along. Vivien had the fiery spark of her temper, and Evie hid in her books, unsure of how to overcome her anger at being passed over simply because she was female. To see these three women come together and, with the help of some very well-placed friends, create the life of their dreams, was an utter joy.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It was fun to see Evie again in her new job at Bloomsbury Books, and getting to know all of the quirky characters working there. Vivian and Grace prove they are strong women and in teaming up with Evie and a few celebrities in the book world, they go on to do great things! Throw in a few good men and some karma and it is quite a story!

I really enjoyed reading Bloomsbury Girls by Natalie Jenner! Far from a sophomore slump, Bloomsbury Girls was a well-researched and engaging historical fiction novel that delved into the publishing world. I loved the friendships the characters formed throughout the novel as well as the ways that they pushed back against unfair societal expectations of women. A delight for literature lovers everywhere!!!