Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio (audiobook) and St. Martin’s Press (ebook) for these ARCs.

This delightfully quaint return of Evie Stone is set within the walls of London’s Bloomsbury Books a few years after the events of The Jane Austen Society, and builds on the events of Natalie Jenner’s debut novel.

While I mostly listened to the audiobook, I did occasionally switch to the ebook because I could not wait to find out how Evie’s story unfolded. Both ebook and audio were equally engaging and captured the essence of the story well, but I preferred listening. Juliette Stevenson was a wonderful narrator, capturing the individual spirits of each character beautifully.

I found myself returning to The Jane Austen Society novel at times to remind myself of the characters and events, as they are occasionally referenced in Bloomsbury Girls. For this reason, I would personally recommend reading (or listening) to that before joining Evie again, but the story might also be able to stand on its own if you are comfortable with a few background details shared sparsely throughout the story (enough to follow along, but not enough to have a robust understanding of where Evie is coming from).

As with The Jane Austen Society, this cozy read was really enjoyable and I look forward to more from Natalie Jenner.

Thank you St Martin's for the copy of Bloomsbury Girls on NetGalley. I am a fan of Ms Jenner's early book. The Jane Austen Society, and appreciated the chance to read this new book from her.

3 things I liked
1. The vibrancy of the settings and characters. I love that the book was set in and involved a bookstore, that is a trope that I will always enjoy because it means the characters are readers and book lovers, that is an instant connection for me. I loved that about the Jane Austen society as well. Ms Jenner has a clear affection for charming book loving characters and a talent for weaving in history and context into her stories.

2. The intelligence of the women and of the content, The historical accuracy and Evie's pursuit of the first sci-fi book from a woman author added a lot of enjoyment to me. I don't often like historical fiction but I loved this story because it was about more than the time and historical setting, it was about celebrating the interests and intellectual engagements of women that have persisted over time. I appreciate a historical fiction book that is about women's interests, their brains and intellect, as well as their lives and friendships.

3. The attention the facets of women's identities and themes on race and class and general society/social experiences for women at this time and in England. The ability to place the characters and setting in the larger cultural and social contexts is valuable as it added depth and added spaces for connection.

As noted, I am not a historical fiction reader and often just don't enjoy a historical fiction book so I that I truly enjoyed both books from Ms. Jenner speaks to her ability to engage a broad audience, to create meaning and connection that I often find missing in historical fiction books, and to have stories that exist in one time but connect to me as a reader in 2022.

This is a book perfect for book worms and of course historical fiction fans but I also hope contemporary readers and fans of women's fiction will enjoy this book too. This is a perfect read for many book clubs as well given what I think is wide appeal and a range of topics and characters to talk about.

Bloomsbury Girls is wonderful women’s fiction set in an earlier time period. It is set in post war 1950s London. Bloomsbury Books sells rare and new books and is built on tradition and policies. Every chapter begins with one of the stores many rules. Three women come to find themselves working at the bookstore. Grace Perkins, married with two sons. Her husband has come home from war broken and angry. Vivien Lowery is working class. She was engaged to an heir to a title but he died during the war. Evie Stone, is a graduate of the first female class at Cambridge. She hoped to continue in academia but was passed over for a lesser qualified man. She wants to catalog the rare books in the store. Because of an illness of the store manager the women are given more responsibility than ever before and they shine. But what to do when the men want everything to return to the status quo.

It took me a bit to get into gentle style of writing. The author works to slowly introduce you to each character and then reveals a little more with every encounter. There are some dark themes touched on including; racism, marital problems, and glass ceilings for women. I liked the appearances of famous people of the time like Ellen Doubleday, Daphne Du Maurier, and Peggy Guggenheim. This is already going on my suggestion list for my book club next year. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was immediately drawn to the beautiful cover of Bloomsbury Girls by Natalie Jenner. I thought this was a fun book, a nice escape from the heavy suspense and historical fiction that I often gravitate towards!

Combining a rare book store (yes!) with the girls who work in the shop during the 1950’s. I liked the characters and their own individual struggles, the literary references, the London setting…so much to admire about this book which would be perfect for a book club.

Bloomsbury Books is an old-fashioned new and rare book store that has persisted and resisted change for a hundred years, run by men and guided by the general manager’s unbreakable fifty-one rules. But in 1950, the world is changing, especially the world of books and publishing, and at Bloomsbury Books, the girls in the shop have plans:

Vivien Lowry: Single since her aristocratic fiance was killed in action during World War II, the brilliant and stylish Vivien has a long list of grievances–most of them well justified and the biggest of which is Alec McDonough, the Head of Fiction.

Grace Perkins: Married with two sons, she’s been working to support the family following her husband’s breakdown in the aftermath of the war. Torn between duty to her family and dreams of her own.

Evie Stone: In the first class of female students from Cambridge permitted to earn a degree, Evie was denied an academic position in favor of her less accomplished male rival. Now she’s working at Bloomsbury Books while she plans to remake her own future.

As they interact with various literary figures of the time–Daphne Du Maurier, Ellen Doubleday, Sonia Blair (widow of George Orwell), Samuel Beckett, Peggy Guggenheim, and others–these three women with their complex web of relationships, goals and dreams are all working to plot out a future that is richer and more rewarding than anything society will allow.

Don’t miss this one! Out on May 17.

It's the 1950's in England, and it is a man's world in Bloomsbury Books. The three women, Grace, Vivian, and Eve, are regarded with little note by the male managers. A story of relationships, lost book. and changing times.
Well-written tale using beautiful, descriptive, colorful words. Definitely read to learn what the three women do to change and improve their world.

It is important to note that the majority of the themes explored in this book deal with sensitive subject matters. My review, therefore, touches on these topics as well. Many people might find the subject matters of the book as well as those detailed in my review overwhelming. I would suggest you steer clear of both if this is the case. Please note that from this point forward I will be writing about matters which contain reflections on racism, racial prejudice, domestic abuse, mental illness, & others.

After the end of the Second World War England finds itself shifting; forced to lean to the side due to the pressures mounting by the desirous women to be free & be recognized as valuable individuals by their fellow countrymen. In the bookstore that services gentlemen, the intelligentsia & a growing population of tourists; Bloomsbury Books finds itself at the centre of one such overwhelming change.

I will not lie to you & say that this is a book that everyone should read or one that everyone would enjoy. The story itself centres around a select group of characters, most of whom are employees at the bookstore & therefore the scenes that transpire on the page, often, do not move past the walls of the shop. The central conflict of the story is one that requires the reader's interest, if minimal, in the world of publishing & the acknowledgment of the sufferance of the female population to acquire, shall we say, equitable rights in their country. Following Grace, Vivien & Evie as primary characters through a selected period of time, the reader learns about the lives these women lead outside of work; the struggles of coming to terms with domestic abuse, internalized anger, & desires of fulfilling academic dreams, to name a few.

Should you be seeking a read that does not pose much of a worrisome conflict, this book is one I would recommend. At its core, the story presents no need for the reader to feel anxious or scared about the fates of the characters & their quest for ownership of Bloomsbury Books. Having not read the first instalment of what I later learnt was becoming something of a series, or a continuation, if you will, I did not find that any of the tendencies presented in Evie were confusing or required my holding previous knowledge & experience with her, to appreciate her participation in the plot. This leads me to my first point of praise.

Though there are many characters in this book, some of whom are grumbling tertiary presences, no one felt underdeveloped or pointless; every single character had a purpose, was well fleshed-out, three-dimensional & sincere. Jenner demonstrated a clear idea of the people she wanted to have present in her book & was able to fulfill that desire eloquently. I truly felt as though I had taken a moment to peer into the lives of the people within the lines of this story. That is not to say that I liked every character. I was hard-pressed to find it in myself to sympathize with Vivien at any point.

The constant anger & quickly brutalizing temper that Vivien fostered rendered me irritated with her presence more times than not. I did try & rationalize her behaviours as coming from someone who was always underestimated. The family of her late fiancé didn’t like her because she was not wealthy enough. The men at Bloomsbury Books did not permit her knowledge to be utilized because to them, she was nothing but a pretty lady. Society as a whole would not acknowledge Vivien as an individual capable of independent thought & notions, therefore leaving her very little to feel happy or excited about. Yet, when it came time for honesty & discussions of emotions, Vivien shied away & ultimately refused to acknowledge her feelings as being in conjunction with her entity. I cannot say that this was wrong, who is to say that none of us have or would not do the same as she, given all the circumstances.

Even with the annoyance that I felt during some of the dialogues or confusion about the inclusion of certain aspects, I think it’s nice to read a story that is gentle & calm. This book presented such an array of characters that feeling a lack of connection with any one of them did not take away from the overall enjoyment of the book as a whole. For example, I quickly found myself rooting for Grace. I became worried about where her storyline would go & truly was hoping that Jenner would write her as having a happy ending. She was such a warm character to read about that I truly was content if the book compromised itself to allow her to find peace in her life. Dealing with the repercussions of war & mental illness from her husband, Grace was maneuvering her way in a world that always looked past her. I was beyond pleased when we read about her realizing her worth. It’s difficult to move past the cycles of abuse but Grace found it within the world around her, with the support of her friends & family, to seek out a better life for her & her children.

Regardless of the extremities which were transpiring in this story, it is easy to hope for the best for each character. When the reader is introduced to Evie, a person who is completely cast aside for being silent & intellectually driven, I was worried that we might see her fall to the waste side. It’s refreshing to read about an intelligent character who has a fully formed personality; someone who might not have everything figured out across the board but, who knows objectively that there are good things to be found in life. When Evie comes to the shop after being snuffed for an internship I was excited for her to find herself amongst people who could match her enjoyment of literary practices. I was encouraged by the way that Jenner wrote about Evie’s relationship with Ash.

The subject matter of racial prejudice in literature is tricky to include. What one might not seek to acknowledge is that racism is not necessarily found in the boisterous voices of those with less than stellar understandings of human beings on a scientific level, that is to say, the comprehension of the body as a genetic entity versus the unbelievably ignorant one; imagining that Ash being from India makes him lesser-than every other white Brit in London. The method with which Jenner includes the lived realities of Indian people coming to England, living alongside the colonial presence of the English in India, was very well done & I am glad to see the topic approached in such a way as to lead the reader to understand that racially motivated & performed acts of prejudice are accomplished with the complacency of those who move down the bench alongside everyone else, to further their bodies from the person whose skin colour is different from theirs. We did not need to read what the man said after pushing Evie out of the way; many people have already been personally told those invisible words.

As an aside, I did enjoy the inclusion of historical figures throughout the story. I cannot say that it brought me an overt level of enjoyment but, it did encourage me to seek out the works of these women & ensure that I was giving a fair shot to all writers. I particularly enjoyed the search for “The Mummy!” throughout the plot. I had never heard of Loudon & am happy to say that I shall be seeking out her work in future. If anything, it’s positive to include such non-fiction figures into a fictional world if only to raise awareness of the amplitude of courage & force that they brought forth in the world.

Overall, I would say that this was a book I thoroughly enjoyed reading. It’s a calming story that highlights a changing world & puts forth the works of literature that supported the shifting times. Isn’t it wonderful to realize that the stories that were written all those years ago, & further back still, exist in the same world in which we live & breathe today? Jenner crafts a formidable story of the publishing world, the men & women who built it into the diverse & powerful entity it is & the writers who uplifted the world with their words.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press & Natalie Jenner for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Natalie Jenner is quickly becoming a must buy author.

Historical fiction is a new genre I have been exploring. What I liked about this story is the depiction of life after the war. The women working at Bloomsbury Books are trying to find their place in the new world. Just a few years earlier they were needed to work while men were off to war, but now they are back to where they started. Only marginally better off than before.

All of the characters in the story are well developed and I enjoyed watching their growth over the story. These women are learning more about themselves and going against what society expects of them. One is figuring out her life after losing her fiancé in the war.

This is a wonderful read and I can't wait to add it to my collection right next to The Jane Austin Society.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.

A welcome beam of light in the general gloom of 2020 was the publication of The Jane Austen Society, Natalie Jenner’s fictionalised account of the founding in 1940 of the Jane Austen Society, and events leading to the establishment of the remarkable library of women’s writing at Chawton Great House and, in 1948, Jane Austen’s House museum.
Her latest novel picks up the story in December 1949. Evie Stone – former housemaid, bibliophile, Janeite, founder member of the Society and, now, Cambridge graduate – has been rejected for a research fellowship at her old college. Turning her back on disappointment and academia, she heads for London.
Her objective is Bloomsbury Books & Maps – a perfectly imagined example of the kind of literary emporia that still cluster in the maze of streets around the British Museum. Unchanged for more than a century, and strictly run according to the 51 rules laid down by general manager Herbert Dutton, Bloomsbury Books represents a safe haven and a natural home for Evie. After a near-disaster of an interview with Mr Dutton – Rule no. 12: First-aid procedures shall be strictly adhered to in the event of an emergency – Evie is offered what is probably her dream job: cataloguing the hundreds of volumes in the company’s rarely visited rare books department.
She joins the other two female members of staff – clever, discontented Vivien and thoughtful, tender-hearted Grace – at a time when women were poised to make their mark on the post-war political and literary world.
These three Bloomsbury girls – Rule no. 20: New staff shall dedicate themselves entirely to learning their roles and responsibilities – take advantage of the temporary shift in power offered by Mr Dutton’s unexpected absence to bring about some fairly radical changes at their place of work.
Jenner mixes fact and fiction to great effect in this entertaining novel: a beguiling mixture of sparky romantic comedy and literary detective story. Bloomsbury and the post-war East End are beautifully evoked, along with all the edgy sensitivities of the era – the understanding of ‘a woman’s place’ in the Britain of the early 1950s, the rise of racism and homophobia, the realities of peacetime life for the men returned from war.
As Evie concentrates on her search for a first edition of Jane Wells Webb’s three-volume novel The Mummy! A Tale of the Twenty-Second Century (it really exists – published in 1827 and now acknowledged as the earliest example of science fiction), Vivien and Grace turn their attention to improving the fortunes of Bloomsbury Books by organising literary luncheons on the shop floor. And so we are introduced to some of the most fascinating and influential women of the mid-20th century: Ellen Doubleday, of the leading American publishing house of the day; art collector and socialite Peggy Guggenheim; Lady Browning – better known as the successful and prolific novelist Daphne Du Maurier; Sonia Blair, George Orwell’s widow, and many more. Men too, from Cyril Connolly to Samuel Beckett, are soon beating a path to Bloomsbury Books, as the ‘girls’ take on the establishment with the express purpose of winning!
It's an endlessly entertaining tale, with a serious message and a warm heart. I read it in a single sitting.

Being a big fan of WWII historical fiction, I've only recently begun reading post WWII historical fiction and have to say Bloomsbury Girls is my favorite so far! Ms. Jenner's writing style is engaging & transportive, and the themes of friendship & finding one's way in this world, especially after the traumas of war, are universally timeless.

This was a wonderful historical fiction read by an author I hadn’t encountered before but will make sure to look for in the future. Set In post-WWII London, as the working roles for women were quickly evolving, the story focuses on the dynamics and personalities of three very different and beautifully-drawn women: reclusive rare book expert Evie Stone, vivacious and ambitious Vivien, and hardworking but maritally challenged Grace. The characterizations of these women are superlative and beautifully-drawn, and I felt I knew them. Likewise, the male characters, a number steeped in traditional male thinking of the time, were similar but distinct: Herbert Dutton with his “bookshop rules,” Alec with his sense of class and sex superiority, and the reclusive Ashwin Ramaswamy, head of the science collection. Not to mention the rigid Master Mariner Simon Scott, more lightly but vividly drawn, and numerous others.

The story begins as Mr. Dutton is set to interview Evie for a position at Bloomsbury Books after she had lost out on a research opportunity at Cambridge despite being a first-honors Cambridge graduate. Suddenly, he experiences a seizure and Evie is able to assist until an ambulance arrives. She goes on to work on the disordered rare books floor, the head of which, Mr. Frank Allen, is often away seeking rare books.. But quiet Evie has a secret book mission of her own which forms the basis for the interesting plot.

I won’t give away more of the story except to say that the ladies of the shop make connections with prominent and nonconformist women who assist with the “girls” individual and collective professional interests. It is a fabulous story which lovers of historical fiction should enjoy, and well-crafted, atypical romance is included as well.

My thanks to #NetGalley and #St.Martin’s Press for an advance copy in return for an honest review.

Is there such a genre as cozy historical fiction? If there is, Natalie Jenner is quietly making a place for herself with her first two books. It isn't necessary to read Jenner's first book, The Jane Austen Society (although if you haven't, you really should!), but one of the character from that book, Evie Stone, plays a prominent role in Bloomsbury Girls. The story takes place five years after the end of World War II, and while women now have the opportunity to have careers more than they ever have in the past, that doesn't mean circumstances and opportunities are equal between men and women. It is this, along with a secondary motive that drives Evie to Bloomsbury Books. A store "run" and "managed" by men that in more ways than one is actually run and managed by Evie and the other two women, Vivian and Grace, that work in the store. Jenner's story blends the women's passion for the store and independence with romance, particularly with men also associated with the store - but avoids being a romance. In a genre of bookstore genre books, this stands out from the crowd, both in the time that it's set and the struggles the women face in wanting to succeed not just in the bookstore but in the literary world. Thankfully for Evie, Vivian and Grace, they have a group of successful women that want to see them succeed, as well as a few of those male co-workers whose eyes they open to their ambition and passion. Jenner artfully weaves in several of the characters from her previous book for those who loved that story, but it's done so well that it only adds to the richness of her latest story, which is enjoyable from the first to the last page. A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This book was such a fun, enjoyable and smart read. I loved the historical tie-ins as well as the relationship between the 3 main characters. The 'concept and points' in the story, women in the workplace, the 'old' being good enough but inevitable changes happening, women working to fulfill their hopes and dreams in spite of or with the other responsibilities they carry - Universal! A timeless read because the tone and ideals are timeless. I completely enjoyed this book and will read it again.

Bloomsbury Girls is a historical fiction novel set in post-WWII London. The story surrounds Grace, Vivien, and Evie and their work at Bloomsbury Books during the early 1950s. The book was a bit slow at times but picked up toward the end. Historical fiction fans will enjoy the book. Thanks to author Natalie Jenner, St. Martins's Press, and NetGalley for providing a copy of this ebook for an honest review.

The War has been over for five years; at Bloomsbury Books of London, however, there is a war of wills between the female and male booksellers. Lord Baskin, the owner, allows the shop to run without his interference, guided by a long set of rules dictated by the manager, Mr. Dutton. The other men run the sections, “assisted” by the women. Viv, having lost her fiancé in the War, battles with Alec, one of these heads, whom she names the Tyrant. Grace supports two young boys and an angry and depressed spouse. Evie, used and cheated by a man she trusted, must abandon her dreams and a promising future. A chance meeting with a famous female author and her friends presents a potential for change. A hidden literary treasure could provide the means. Cameos of other literary figures of that era sprinkled throughout enrich the storyline. I have met Evie and some of the other characters in Natalie Jenner’s previous novel, The Jane Austen Society. Endearing in both works, her appearance makes me anticipate meeting some of the others in the next.

Loved this book can't wait for it to be released so I can read with my book club. Love how the story is set and love all the characters kept me reading from morning until night. This is a must read for all historical fiction lovers and it also has a little mystery wound in.

Post-WWII London. Three women at Bloomsbury Books "...an old-fashioned new and rare book store that has persisted and resisted change for a hundred years, run by men and guided by the general manager's unbreakable fifty-one rules." These rules, not in sequential order, begin every chapter.

The cast of characters:
"Vivien Lowry: Single since her aristocratic fiance was killed in action during World War II, the brilliant and stylish Vivien has a long list of grievances - most of them well justified and the biggest of which is Alec McDonough, the Head of Fiction.

Grace Perkins: Married with two sons, she's been working to support the family following her husband's breakdown in the aftermath of the war. Torn between duty to her family and dreams of her own.

Evie Stone: In the first class of female students from Cambridge permitted to earn a degree, Evie was denied an academic position in favor of her less accomplished male rival. Now she's working at Bloomsbury Books while she plans to remake her own future."

The men in the store--Herbert Dutton, Ashwin Ramaswamy, Frank Allen, and Master Mariner Simon Scott. And outside the store, most importantly Lord Baskin and the trio of women--Ellen Doubleday (widow of publisher Nelson Doubleday, Sr,, Mimi Harrison (movie star), Lady Browning (English aristrocrat & author). and Peggy Guggenheim (collector and heiress). Any many more characters who play a role--some more pivotal than others.

Some wording I liked:
"placid brow"
"...looks, a strange tightrope walk between terror and indulgence..."
"...a difficult man, needing the whole of daily life joylessly cut into pieces to fit his unpredictable moods."
"little eggbeater legs"

Historical fiction of a kind as some real-life characters are woven into the narrative.

What I liked/appreciated: strong women, though for some, it took longer than others to come into their/her own.

What I didn't like: About half-way through I could see the trajectory all too clearly. I am not necessrily a fan of the neat and tidy--or what I call the "oy" moment--mostly prose that is somewhat mushy. And one of the stories--towards the end--[no spoiler from me] had me pegging a definite downward spiral.

I have not read Jenner's previous novel, The Jane Austen Society, but believe this book can stand on its own.

Notes: the author is both a former lawyer and independent-bookshop owner.

So although this book started out as a 4 for me, it devolved into a 3.

Oh my gosh. I loved this story! The women of the book shop, the Bloomsbury "girls," band together in friendship and, later, in conspiracy. They are women in a man's world and are limited in pay, power, and responsibility simply because they are not men. Some of the members of the Jane Austen Society appear in this story along with some famous people: Daphne du Maurier, Peggy Guggenheim, Ellen Doubleday, Samuel Beckett. I so enjoyed reading about the main characters, their trials and triumphs, And their love stories. I was totally absorbed in all the twists and turns and finished the story with a big smile on my face.

Thus historical fiction was a fast and intriguing read. I found myself in ruptured with the story and needing to find out what would happen next. Thank you for the arc preview!

I really enjoyed this book. It was set in a bookshop in the Bloomsbury area of London in the early 1950s-what's not to like? The three main characters had different types of lives, but they were all brought together because of the bookshop. Despite working in a male-dominated environment (and world!), the women were able to make a way for themselves, and the shop. Highly recommended!

3.5 Stars

Set in the years following World War II, this is a follow-up to Jenner’s debut novel, The Jane Austen Society which largely follows Evelyn, Evie Stone. Evie, former ’servant girl’ at the Chawton Great House. Evie has now completed her education, being one of the first females to graduate from Cambridge, has her hopes for her future career dashed when she is denied the professional career she’s been hoping to pursue. As this begins, Christmas is nearing, and the 1940’s will soon be a thing of the past.

Fortunately, she has contacts, those she’s made as a member of the Jane Austen Society over the years. Through those contacts, she is able to find employment at Bloomsbury Books, a book shop with a set of rules meant to prevent the ‘fairer sex employed there from ever attaining a level equal to the less-than-fair sex - men. It’s there that she meets Vivien Lowry, a woman still grieving the loss of her fiancé in the war, and Grace Perkins, working to support her family with two sons and a husband. These three will form a lasting bond.

The first rule of working there listed, if not rule number 1, is that tea is to be served ‘promptly’ four times every day. Imagine all those years of an education at Cambridge wasted on pouring tea for co-workers. Of course, there are other rules, but for the women working there who had grown accustomed to being considered necessary in the workforce during the war, it was a bitter pill to swallow that they were now being relegated to serving the men.

There are brief moments of romance in this story, and a few noted authors of the time appear in this story, Daphne du Maurier, Jane Webb, Samuel Beckett, as well as others, and one novel that is at the heart of this story.

This also, if somewhat lightly, touches on misogyny, the more controlling and abusive natures of some men, as well as the thinly veiled racism toward ‘others.’

As in The Jane Austen Society this is a somewhat lighter read that while touching on some heavier themes, is nevertheless entertaining.

Pub Date: 17 May 2022


Many thanks for the ARC provided by St. Martin’s Press