I found this very difficult to follow. Then I realized that it was actually the second book in a series! I don't want to judge this too harshly because I'm the one who read this in the wrong order. I think I would have liked the book more if I had read it in the correct order though.

Thank you so much to the publisher for sending me this arc, all opinions are my own!


This novel was one of my most anticipated reads of 2022 and let me tell you I screamed when I received an e-arc. This is the second time I’ve had the privilege of receiving an ARC for a Natalie Jenner novel, and just like her debut novel The Jane Austen Society, Bloomsbury Girls exceeded my expectations in every way. Set in post-war London in the Bloomsbury Books bookshop, a trio of women navigate their world that is ever-changing yet still cemented in a male dominated era. Vivien Lowry, Grace Perkins, and Evie Stone each have challenges to face in order to reach the dreams they all desire and deserve.

These three women interact/deal with some very interesting male characters, ranging from extremely infuriating to downright lovely. Ash and Lord Baskin are my favourite, definitely two people I would get along with if I worked at Bloomsbury Books!
Jenner’s ability to paint a picture with words is nothing short of astounding, combine that with her endearing characters and you have a book that I refused to put down until I finished it. The inclusion of other female literary figures added such an entertaining dynamic that made you feel like you were in the room with them experiencing these conversations, and I adored the connections and friendships they made!

While reading I could pick out something from each of the main women that I want to cultivate within myself:
Vivien’s boldness and wit (which was an absolute pleasure to experience), Grace’s gentle yet strong personality, and Evie’s determination to accomplish what she wants.

I firmly believe that Evie and I would be fantastic friends, and it was a treat to be able to witness her growth and accompany her on another adventure since first meeting her in The Jane Austen Society. One of my favourite things about this book is how I related to it while still feeling swept away into another time. Though my life is quite different from someone in 1950’s London, as a woman I am able to understand the difficulties faced by Vivien, Grace, and Evie from working in a male-dominated environment. Nothing excites me more than being able to witness women empower each other and encourage each other to go after their dreams. This wonderful novel left me with not only a sense of pride for these feisty and zealous women, but also with the reminder to go after what I want with the exact same spirit.

Set in 1950s England, Bloomsbury Girls follows the lives of the employees of Bloomsbury Books. Scandals, schemes, and a love for books takes you through an intricate web of deception and triumph. Up against a man's world, Evie Stone, Vivien Lowry, and Grace Perkins share two common interests: Their love for books, and the desire for feminine equality. With twists and turns and an interesting all female support group, Evie, Grace, and Vivien learn what it means to fight for what you deserve.

I thought this book was well written and historically accurate with all the details, that being said, I felt like it was a bit of info dump. The book was slow until about the 80% mark, but I really enjoyed the ending! The writing and research that went into this novel are evident and appreciated. Most of the characters were well-rounded and had relatable struggles. The writing is also very good at invoking feelings, especially being a woman reading about the disgraceful challenges women have faced in the work place since the dawn of time.

If you're a fan of historical fiction or extremely passionate about books, this is the book for you. You will feel attached to at least one character at all times and you will really feel like you've been transported to a 1950s bookshop, fighting through the sexism and classism from the customers and upper management.

Natalie Jenner is a genius! The power of female friendships is rarely encapsulated in the written word as well as Jenner has done in Bloomsbury Girls.

Set in the backdrop of 1950’s London in a male-dominated bookshop, we are introduced to three women who come together despite their circumstances. Evie is a young academic who has come to work at the bookshop after being passed over for a position at Cambridge in favor of one of her male peers. Grace is working at the bookshop to support her family and get a few hours a day away from her unemployed husband. Vivian is a very driven woman who hopes to work her way up the bookshop ladder and maybe do a little writing of her own.

It is a joy to see these wonderful women interact with a handful of historical figures we all know and love, along with a few Jenner imagined for us as well. I would have loved to dive deeper into this wonderful cast of characters and hope to do so in Jenner’s next novel!

The author does a good job of describing what life was like for women in the 1950s. Sexism is the word of the day and it permeates every aspect of life. There are three primary female characters … Evie, Grace, and Vivian. They are well developed and their struggles to be accepted as vital members of the working class was interesting. The use of Mr. Dutton’s 51 rules for the shop that starts each chapter was a good decision. The author’s inclusion of real life historical figures was appealing and added to the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

This was a delightful novel set in 1950's London post WWII.
I loved that we get to see Evie come into her own.
Three strong working class women all from very different backgrounds and experiences working together in a large bookstore. These women had many challenges to over come and you could see their strength as they did so.
A story of woman's companionship and self discovery.
Some very fascinating historical figures that I had to research to learn more about.

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

Bloomsbury Girls is a celebration of women standing up for themselves, fighting for their freedom and what they believed in, and getting together to overthrow this man's world they were imprisoned in. I discovered Natalie Jenner last year with The Jane Austen Society. I fell head over heels with Jenner's writing and all her characters within the novel. What a lovely surprise to meet glamorous Mimi and cutie Evie again. But little Evie turned out to be a very smart young women, freshly graduated from Cambridge. She gets hired, reluctantly, at Bloomsbury Books, thanks to a strong letter of recommendation. You wouldn't believe what she, with the help of other badass ladies, was able to accomplish. The message of this book? "Love conquers all" and "Set your mind into something and do it"

I couldn't recommend this book enough to anyone loving historical fiction and stories including strong female characters.

Bravo Ms Jenner! -A faithful fan

Thank you Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for this e-ARC in exchange of my honest opinion.

Natalie Jenner’s previous novel, The Jane Austen Society, was a true favorite of mine. (See review on my blog). I was so excited when I learned that she had a new novel coming out. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the double thrill of receiving advanced copies of both the audio and print book editions. I enjoyed toggling back and forth between them, being able to listen on my walks and when doing chores.

The audio is read by one of my favorite actresses, Juliet Stevenson. She is brilliant and captures the voices of each of the characters, all of whom have different accents. This audio is a real treat!

Before picking up the novel, I thought that it was a standalone. It can function as that but there are some recurring characters from The JAS. Readers of that book will, undoubtedly, be happy to encounter Evie and some of the others again.

This novel has moved forward in time to the early 1950s. Much of the action (though action is not exactly the correct term for a leisurely read), takes place in a bookshop. This is a bookshop with rules; each chapter is headed by one of them. I loved imagining what the interior looked like based upon the descriptions. I adored the dropping of book title names and the famous real life literary people who came in, including Daphne DuMaurier and Ellen Doubleday.

The story focuses on a number of people who work in the shop. My one minor quibble is that I would call them women not girls, as in the book’s title. Evie is a character from The JAS. A Cambridge graduate, she is not able to easily find a job as the better jobs go to men. How does she get her job in the bookstore? There is some drama around this. Vivien has worked in the shop for a while; she has been thwarted by her inability to advance. She has also faced a tragedy. Change may come for her….Finally, there is Grace. She is presented as calm, practical and less than happy in her marriage. Will anything change for her?

There are a number of men in the story as well. There is the Indian gentleman employee who is interested in entomology. Readers also meet an employee who has a touchy relationship with Vivien. Another character is a Lord who owns the shop. Each of these men is well portrayed. They interact with the book’s female characters.

As was true for The JAS, this is a slower moving book and one to savor. I most highly recommend it. Note: All opinions are my own.

Pour a cup of tea and settle in for a slow and easy armchair journey back to post-war London where books became an essential part in rebuilding lives and three inspiring women give a charming bookstore a much-needed woman's touch!

Quaint looking Bloomsbury Books has managed to resist change for decades. It’s run by narrow-minded men and their set of 51 rules. When the manager is off due to an illness, the women who’ve not only had enough of unfair treatment but who are also overqualified and underpaid, take matters into their own hands.

Evie Stone, from The Jane Austen Society, is one of the first females to graduate with a degree from Cambridge and has just recently been overlooked for a university position in favour of a less qualified male.

Vivien Lowry, whose fiance has been killed in action, works harder than any other employee yet can’t earn a better position because of societal constraints.

Grace Perkins, has had to put her life on hold after her husband comes home from war-damaged. She’s struggling to hold down a job to support their meagre existence and doesn’t get paid what she deserves.

You’ll read about these women, stifled under the rules and the male-dominated workplace, who go about taking back control, not only for themselves but also for female authors who’ve been denied publicity. I chuckled as they went about rearranging the bookstore, and befriending and promoting famous female authors such as Peggy Guggenheim, Sonia Blair, Daphne Du Maurier, and Ellen Doubleday. I cheered them on as they steadfastly and with purpose, took back control and demanded to be treated as equals.

This is an inspiring story about women taking the reigns and forging a path for themselves.

I was gifted this advance copy by Natalie Jenner, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

Natalie Jenner has secured her place as a must buy for me. I loved her debut novel and love this one even more.
I always enjoy when authors mix in characters from previous books. Getting to know more about characters is a win for me.
This story follows Evie Stone (from The Jane Austen Society), Vivien Lowry and Grace Perkins as they come together while working at Bloomsbury Books.
I really enjoyed seeing famous names- Ellen Doubleday, Daphne Du Maurier, Peggy Guggenheim and found myself googling their part in all this to see what was fact.
This book was so good! I loved the strong female friendships, the intrigue over the rare books and of course all the tea.

For some reason, though it has nothing to do with it, this book seemed like the perfect book for the start of spring. Maybe it's the cover calling to me. This book is by the same author as The Jane Austen Society, but has a bit more action. This is still a fairly slow moving book, but it felt kind of peaceful to read. ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 Be sure to read this if you liked her other book.

I have not read the previous book by this author and wasn't familiar with the shared character(s). However, that did not take away from my enjoyment of this book. The story is a bit of a slow burn with learning all the characters but there is a list of characters that helped keep everyone straight. Because there wasn't an immediate hook to grab me into the story, I wondered where the story was going. Soon enough, I grew to love the characters and their day to day lives.

I’m very sorry, but I was unable to get pulled into the story. The description sounds so intriguing, but the plot was moving too slowly for me at this time.

Bloomsbury Girls by Natalie Jenner is an elegantly written and compelling story of three women as they face the challenges typical of their gender in post-WWII London. The author has done her research well, bringing to life the various levels of society in England of the time. The descriptions of the settings are rich and detailed, adding to the overall appeal of the story.
The three main characters - Vivien, Grace, and Evie - work together at the Bloomsbury Bookstore and each of the women has her own distinct challenges that she must face. Yet while their challenges differ greatly between them, there is also the one constant - the treatment they receive from their male colleagues and their determination to rise above and beyond the roadblocks most of the men in their lives place in their way. While these roadblocks and the women's reactions to them ring true for many female readers, the author effectively communicates how much more difficult things were for women at the time. These difficulties and the women's efforts to succeed despite them make all of the characters compelling and relatable, and readers will be sure to care about how the women progress through the story.
Literary themes abound throughout, as does the name-dropping of various notable personalities in history.
This book is definitely a page-turner and it was difficult to put it down until the very end.
I was lucky to get an ARC of #BloomsburyGirls from #NetGalley.

Interesting historical fiction set in post-WWII London about three women trying to make their way in the world but who are held back by sexist norms and the men in positions of power. The story unfolds in a bookstore (a wonderful setting!) that is male-owned and run and which is resistant to the ideas and aspirations of the three women. There is a great cast of characters and cameos of key literary figures of that time. The author does a good job of describing the 1950s attitudes that held women back and these women’s frustrations in being limited in what they could strive for based solely on their sex. But this is equally a story of empowerment and about women supporting each other to challenge societal norms. Very well-written and plotted although I did find the middle of the novel a bit slow in parts.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for an early reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book blew me away! I was unable to but it down. Perfect, dazzlingly, very well written. The details the author described throughout the book was so amazing. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

While I love the premise of Bloomsbury Girls and its cover, I just didn’t connect with the characters or writing style.

I was a fan of The Jane Austen Society, so I would have read whatever Jenner wrote next. Once again, she has written a lovely cozy story. This book details the challenges women faced in the mid1950s finding worthwhile, well paying jobs. Sexism is ingrained in society and the only women who escaped it were those with their own money.
We meet three women - Evie Stone, one of the first female graduates from Cambridge, Grace Perkins, a wife, mother and main financial support of her family and Vivian Lowery, who lost her fiancé during the war. They come together at Bloomsbury Books, a new and rare bookstore. The store is led by Mr. Dutton, an older man who resists any attempt to modernize the place. Jenner’s strength is her ability to create realistic, engaging characters. I wanted to see these women succeed and pull one over on the men who discounted their abilities.
To be clear, I view this as women's fiction that takes place in a prior period rather than historical fiction. I expect historical fiction to teach me something about the time. This is a well done character driven story, but it taught me nothing new about the time even though it included actual writers of the 50s.
And once again, someone has seen fit to use “girls” in the title to describe adult women. Argh!
I loved the device of starting each chapter with one of Mr. Dutton’s 51 rules for the shop. And following up with the chapter’s drive being based on that rule. The book moves along at a nice steady clip with no down time.
I found it interesting that the author’s inspiration came from watching 84 Charing Cross. It’s always fascinating where an author draws their inspiration from. Jenner was also an independent bookstore owner.
My thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

#NetGalley

My Interest

Although it had flaws, I LOVED author's previous book, The Jane Austen Society. Natalie Jenner can tell a wonderful story! I've always been a book store fan and a London bookshop--I read Helene Hanff's 84 Charing Cross Road in high school and have been in love ever since.

The Story

"But the war had a way of slipping back through even the thinnest of cracks in a fractured world. Women such as Vivien and Grace had hope for a fresh beginning for everyone' but five years on, new opportunities for women were still being rationed along with food."

"Instead, Evie Stone was back to cataloguing books. But she did not look dismayed as she sat there....For all her aspirations. Evie was most comfortable alone, surrounded by these simple physical objects that held far more exploration, and explanation of the world outside than she had ever acquired from people."

Evelyn "Evie" Stone is back from the previous book, The Jane Austen Society. She's had a meteoric rise from maid, to friend of a movie star and on to being one of the first female graduates of Cambridge due to her academic discovery that let to saving the last home of Jane Austen. Now thanks to a jealous fellow student, she is out of academia and cataloging rare books at Bloomsbury Books, owned by the very lovely Earl of Baskin (who reminds me more than a little of an Earl of my own creation in a work in progress of my own). 

"Ambition is all well and good, but there are some parts of everyday life that one should never miss." (Lord Baskin)

"Vivien wrote to keep pace with a talent that had been fostered in private and unsupported by the external world....talent was something no one could take away.....the gift was also her enemy. Its ease of appearance masked the diligence and self-control required to master it."

The  other "Bloomsbury girls" (as women were still called circa 1950) include Grace, the wife of a man destroyed by the war and forced to "go out to work" to support her husband and sons. Grace lives up to her name. She is lovely and hard working. Then there is Vivien who rose a bit above herself in getting engaged to the Earl of St. Vincent who was killed in the war. Like Princess Diana she wears a Cartier tank watch--a gift from her late fiance. She is also secretly a writer--doing so in a steno pad she hides under the cash register.

"Rule No. 7. The reputation of the shop must never be called into question in any forum, public or otherwise."

"...hard work and diligence were not always enough. The girls of Bloomsbury Books made sufficient wages to survive and nothing more."

Meanwhile, Bloomsbury Books is run on the overbearing rules of it's manager, Mr. Herbert Dutton, and one of his rules starts each chapter. Mr. Dutton is suffering ill health. The other men in the shop include Frank, who is always away on buying trips (interesting--same name as in 84 Charing Cross Road) and the "Golden Boy" of the shop Alec who oversees fiction and is fully a man of his time. There is a retired "sea captain" -type who looks after history and recent immigrant from India, Ash, who is in charge of science. Lord Baskin appears when he wants. He has used the store to get over his bad marriage. The Bloomsbury "girls" do not head departments. They make tea, encourage customers, and ring up sales. The store carries a pitiful few books by women.

"...was a reminder not to leave everything behind--to not become so focused on the future that what made you special in the first place had to be forged all over again."

"But what if it all goes right?"

The "girls" are fed up. An unusual incident brings Daphne Du Mauier and Sonia Blair (aka Mrs George Orwell) and a few other real people into their fictional lives. Change is about to rock Bloomsbury Books. And, once again it is a "find" of Evie's that will make it happen. Gentlemen of Bloomsbury Books, hold onto those bowler hats!




My Thoughts

Unlike in the Jane Austen Society, where the author got carried away with modern Woke-Speak a time or two too many, my only "oh, brother" moment was when it was mentioned that Vivien referred to Ernest Hemingway and Henry Miller as "The misogynists." I truly did laugh. The word was never mentioned when I studied both in a class in college as long ago as the '82" so I'm thinking it a bit much for '49 or '50.

Never mind that blip--I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I especially enjoyed letting light in on the dastardly doings of academics which are largely unknown to those outside that realm. Time they were revealed! This story uses a sort of intellectual #metoo moment to show the skullduggery and dirty dealings that eggheads (as academics were commonly called back then) used to get ahead and get full professorships or endowed chairs at universities--even universities far, far, down the food chain from Cambridge.

I liked the quiet dignity with which Grace coped with her situation and found her one friendship in the book (not that with the other "girls") to be completely believable (no spoilers). Grace, Evie, and Vivien all grew in very believable ways. I liked the women the "grew into" over the course of the story. I especially liked the moment that comes to nearly everyone with experience in which the fight for it to be "what" you know (or the talent you have) to matter more than "who" you know ceases to rankle so much and you allow people to step and in and make calls or whatever on your behalf. That's a valuable one, no matter if it does still grate on the nerves.

I thought the great secret in manager's office to be totally believable, too. I've been in libraries, and around rare book collections, rare book dealers, and auctions of the same (and similar professions) all of my working life. The secret worked--it was not at all a modern p.c. element. I also thought Evie's personal life was completely believable. I felt for Ash--I helped an engineer from Congo enroll in a welding program this week. It's still there today, so I thought Ash's situation and responses good, too. The whole book just "worked" well to me. It is still a light read and meant to be. I like that in many books. All of those statements, no matter how they may sound, are high praise from me.

I can't wait to see what happens to Evie's career next! Surely, book three is in the works?

My Verdict
4.0
Additional Comments

"He lived in a state of constant anticipation--of the next weekend shoot, the next charity ball, the next commemorative ceremony." [I doubt it!]

Obligatory aristocratic title mistake: An Earl's younger son is "the hon." not "Lord." Think Prince William's cousin, "The Hon. Edmund Spencer" of today. And, Lord St. Vincent would never be referred to as "Lord Albert St. Vincent."  If the Earl's name is "Albert" he would commonly be referred to as "Albert St. Vincent." Think "Hugh Westminster" of today.

"Poor [Noel] Coward can only play in three keys," Lady Browning [said to Vivien] "and poor Clarissa can't sing in any of them...."

Clarissa Spencer-Churchill was absolutely entitled to call herself that--it was her name. But like the other descendants of Lord and Lady Randolph [Spencer-] Churchill, she (and her Uncle Winston), only used "Churchill."

"She chewed thoughtfully on the end of her pencil...."

There is an epidemic of pencil chewing in fiction at the moment. I've never seen anyone above the fourth grade do this!

Note: One confusing point. According To Richard Mead's book, General Boy: The Life of General Sir Frederick Browning, "Boy" Browning was known as "Tommy" in the family. "Lady Browning" as Daphne Du Maurier was referred to in the book (it was her title and her due, of course) refers to her husband by this name once. I think this was possibly a bit too obscure for most readers. I at first thought they'd made a mistake and confused "Boy" Browning with his Palace co-worker Alan "Tommy" Lascelles. I was wrong. I do not think many would know this name though. I still feel "Boy" would have made more sense or better yet, simply "my husband.

In Chapter 20 a word is missing: "At 7:00 p.m. the staff were all gathered together about the front cash _______" Cash register? Cash desk? Cash office?

Courtesy of Netgalley and St. Martin's Press, I received the ARC of Bloomsbury Girls by Natalie Jenner..This story is set in post WWII London, where three young women are employed in a unique book store, owned and run by men. The power of words, especially those of women, centers this novel as Vivien, Grace, and Evie learn to realize their futures. Three cheers for the Bloomsbury Girls!