Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a cARD of this book.
A post WWII English bookstore. My favorite setti ng. Delightful book and different enough from all the others to allow me to love it.

I've been on a winning streak with books lately, and here's another one. This book is like 84, Charing Cross Road on steroids. Not to say that this is an epistolary novel, because it's not. But it IS a book about very different people working at a London bookstore around WWII. Almost every character is a book unto themselves, without being stereotyped. Almost everyone has a secret of one sort or another. The title refers to the three women of the story, and how they navigate what is still very clearly a man's world, and ultimately turn it upside down.

Real authors and people connected to the literary world are brought into the book, and used as pawns, in a way, in the "war" between men and women working in the shop.

I have only two negative things to say about this delightful book. One, I was expecting and hoping for one particular relationship to head in a certain way and it didn't, so I like to believe it did. Secondly, I'm devastated that I can never read this book for the first time again. It was funny, sweet, mysterious, suspenseful and entertaining. I found it hard to put down and savored every word.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the chance to read and review this book. All opinions expressed are given freely and are mine.

I love this book and this story. So well written, it is delightful and sweet with lots of girl power! A wonderful book that makes you feel good and tell your friends about it! Thank you @NetGalley@BloomsburyGirls@StMartinsPress

My favorite biblio-novel of the season is Bloomsbury Girls (St. Martin’s Press, $27.99) by Natalie Jenner, set in a London bookshop in 1950. The old-fashioned shop, owned by an earl, has 51 “rules,” for its staff to follow. But rules are made to be broken, in this case by three female employees—Vivien, a bookseller; Grace, an administrative assistant; and Evie, a cataloguer—who have been plagued by the pervasive sexism of the time. Readers (like us) who enjoyed Jenner’s 2020 novel, The Jane Austen Society, will recall some of the characters, including Evie, as well as Mimi Harrison, a Hollywood star and Austen aficionado; and Yardley Sinclair, the helpful Sotheby’s expert. Several real-life literary characters like Daphne Du Maurier, Sonia Blair, and Samuel Beckett also make an appearance in the story, as does a rare first edition of The Mummy! (1827). Bloomsbury Girls is thoroughly enjoyable, full of energy and spirit—and best of all, gets the bookish details right.

Absolutely fabulous sequel to "The Jane Austen Society". I enjoyed this one even more than the first book. The characters were better (even though some were the same from the first book, they were better developed), the story was even better, and the flow was better. There was so much to discuss about the characters, plot, and setting.

TIP: It is not necessary to have read "The Jane Austen Society" in order to understand or enjoy this book.

Excellent book club pick or summer read!! One of my favorites this year.

Bloomsbury Girls is a bookish story of 3 women searching for, and working for, their dreams. Avid fans of literature and stories about the changing post-WWII culture will find something to love in this story that nods to the bravery of the female sex and the binding strength of friendship. The story is wonderfully presented in audiobook form with narration by Juliet Stevenson, who applies the perfect theatrical interpretation of the characters with voice and accents.

Natalie Jenner’s omniscient narrative style shines in this story! With all-knowing nods and tidbits, phrases foreshadow events in the story and color character interactions with wit. Each of the characters plays a key role in the story, from the three main women to the tiniest side character. They are united by the most unlikely heroine, Evie Stone, whose determination and fortitude underpin the plot in fabulous ways.

The establishment of the Bloomsbury shop rules, as penned by the inimitable manager Herbert Dutton, is a clever part of the novel. Each chapter is preceded by one of the rules, which relates in some way to the action of the story. The rules are defied by most of the characters, and upheld by some, which allows for quirky and funny situations.

While this book is considered to be historical women’s fiction, it does have a few different threads of romance, too. All contrast neatly, with one a comical friends-to-lovers situation; another a longstanding friendship with the possibility of more; and still another first love with seemingly opposite, romance-isn’t-for-me (until now) with a darlingly clueless couple. These interactions and the strong friendship forged between Evie, Grace, and Vivien serve to highlight the overarching theme of being known and accepted.

Content note: for my inspy reader friends, please note this is a general market title. It has a couple closed door romance scenes that are candidly referenced in conversation, and a depiction of homosexuality with some minor characters.

Thank you to the publisher and Austenprose tours for the audiobook review copy. This is my honest review.

There are great ratings for Natalie Jenner’s books, so it appears it’s me, not her. With that being said, I found “Bloomsbury Girls” to be boring and it failed to captivate me. I just may not be the target audience, so I threw in the towel, Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the copy for review.

The Bloomsbury Girls by Natalie Jenner, A Review

A one-hundred-year old bookstore.
Post WWII era.
Three very different women with something in common.

One a wife and mother, one a career girl and one a recent graduate of Cambridge University. They all work at the bookstore and share common issues even though that’s not readily apparent at the beginning of the story.
The author takes us on three distinct yet interwoven journeys with these women. Real literary figures appear in the tale and interact with the fictional characters which gives the setting, as well as the prose, a realism that was well done.

The social issues at play here are the end of WWII return of the men from fighting and how that affected the workforce that had been relying on women while the men were gone, the societal expectations of wives and mothers, privilege in society and how that affects behavior, and racism. The author gave us a compelling story for each of the women while weaving in these issues in a finely crafted way.

The path each of the three protagonists took and where they ended up was obvious pretty early on to this reader, but the journey of each was fulfilling and interesting.

Overall, I liked the story and the way the author interwove the various narratives. The setting was perfect as it moved the plot along at a nice pace and contributed to the issues facing the main characters. The bookstore was a little microcosm of society contained in four walls. The time period chosen for the story emphasized the issues as well. Sadly, some of the themes covered in the book are still problematic to this day. Some things seem slow to change in society and this book shows that in many ways.

An enjoyable, thought provoking read that was entertaining as well. Not at all preachy, but the author has a lot to say.

This is a story about three women and their lives and work at a bookstore. I enjoyed the characters and their storylines. This is a great read for anyone who loves books and writing but would especially appeal to those who like strong women characters.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* Really liked this read. I spread it out over a few days since i liked the characters, would reread this in the future for sure.

I enjoyed learning more about the girls of Bloomsbury and how their stories weave together. As a book lover it was fun digging into the history of those publishing houses such as Bloomsbury, but also Dutton and others.

I also loved how these strong women, and women with a LOT of money, worked to control the industry during a time women were NOT allowed to run the industry.

The men of the story just did not work for me, super frustrating and kudos to the author for creating these men to be YUCK. They definitely worked to highlight the strength of the female characters.

I was intrigued by this book for so many reasons, and I am so happy that I read it! The women in this book were powerful and ambitious women who rose to the top and made names for themselves, all during a time when it not common for women to speak up for themselves. This was a time when it was thought women should be home raising a family, or working on administrative tasks only. This is a book about politics, independence, and ambition, as well as relationships, goals, and dreams. The characters are exceptional and really make this book even that much better. I haven’t read other books by this author but I definitely will be, especially when I read that some of the characters are in her other book as well.

This is a must read - it truly resonates with me and I highly recommend it. I love reading about powerful women standing up for themselves against sexist men, especially back in that time period when women were just starting to speak up. ❤️

I don’t read a ton of general market fiction that isn’t a cozy mystery (because my Christian fiction TBR galaxy is…well… a GALAXY and I’ll never catch up lol) but I do have a handful of authors that I do love and pounce on their book as soon as they release. Kate Morton. Pam Jenoff. Hazel Gaynor. Sarah Addison Allen. I’ve heard a lot of people say that fans of Pam Jenoff will also enjoy Natalie Jenner’s books so I jumped at the chance to read & review her latest novel, Bloomsbury Girls! And yeah, the fact that it’s set in a 1950s London bookstore – with a whole floor devoted to rare books – didn’t hurt.

Stories like these, with women of great persistence despite the uphill climb they face, always inspire me to keep going when I come across daunting obstacles, too. Grace, Vivien, and Evie (whom some of you may remember from The Jane Austen Society) come from different backgrounds and different experiences but they have some key things in common. They’ve all had their hopes dashed painfully, they are all determinedly chasing a dream of ‘better’, and they are all fighting to be respected as females in a predominately male industry. It’s these shared commonalities that give this story its structure and its heart – and make it instantly relatable to any woman, of any era, even if our exact situations don’t mirror those of these three spunky characters.

The author’s writing voice is warm and elegant, while still being entertaining. She draws you in with the intriguing history of post World War 2 London – the glamour of society, the grit of the everyday, and the overlap where they meet. Grace, Vivien, and Evie are vibrant characters with inner strength and determination & readers will love cheering for their success.

Bottom Line: Bloomsbury Girls by Natalie Jenner is a story of the unnoticed, the marginalized, who fight against insurmountable odds to be seen, to be noticed, to change the narrative that society has written for them. It is a heartfelt love letter to under-appreciated female authors, a shot of hope for the currently marginalized, and ultimately an engaging read with vividly drawn & smartly layered characters. It is a reminder to never underestimate the power of female friendship, to never dismiss a minority as less than, and to see the worth in every person you encounter. Add in a dash or two of romance that made me swoon and a particularly intriguing rare book that made me smarter, and I’m an instant fan!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

This is a delightful historical fiction taking place in a book store setting in England post WWII. It's a stand alone follow up to The Jane Austen Society (don't feel like you need to have read that one first). I highly recommend this one for fans of historical fiction and strong female protagonists. I definitely struggled keeping the male characters straight in the first half of the book, and was very grateful for the list of who's who that's included in the beginning. Thank you so much St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Bloomsbury Girls
By Natalie Jenner

I was a huge fan of "The Jane Austen Society" when I read it last year. So I am so excited to have the opportunity to read an early copy of "Bloomsbury Girls" that was even a more delightful read for me, that follows Evie from Jenner's previous novel. The Bloomsbury Girls follow three women - the ever so fashionable and witty Vivien Lowry, a mother's strength is tested through Grace Perkins, and our scholar from Cambridge Evie Stone who is doing her best to path her own way in a man's world.

Bloomsbury Girls is set during post war London when everything is moving at a fast pace, where society is demanding to keep up with the times, in this impressive novel that is the perfect read with lots of cameos from some of my favorite female authors.

This novel was definitely charming, heart warming, and impossible to put down, I mean a historical fiction novel set in a bookstore, interweaving some of the most famous names in classical literature made this truly a book lovers' dream read.
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Bloomsbury Books is an old fashioned and rare book store run by men but the real back bone of the store are the women. This shop has fifty one rules and all the employees know them and know when an employee is not following them. It is after world war two and things are changing now in publishing and the world in general despite the men not welcoming these changes.
The book is rich with literary figures and details. I really would have loved to visit this book store, so much going on here. Full of nostalgia . Delves into women's rights and sexism.

Published May 17th 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Bloomsbury Books is an old-fashioned new and rare bookstore that has persisted and resisted change for a hundred years, run by men and guided by the general manager's unbreakable fifty-one rules. It's 1950 in London and three women are determined to find their way in the fast-changing world of books and publishing. Having worked in a bookstore for the majority of my life, I found this to be a very interesting and relatable story about the struggles in retail. Their daily dealings with the prevailing misogynistic attitudes in London at that time were frustrating and sadly in some ways these attitudes haven't changed much in all the years since. The story had some slow points where I was easily distracted by a fast-paced thriller but overall, I did enjoy it and was delighted with these clever ladies and their determination to improve their lives.

Bloomsbury Girls is among the most delightful books I’ve read this year. Never under estimated what a group of women can do no matter what the odds. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the complimentary copy

I absolutely loved Natalie Jenner's debut The Jane Austen Society in 2020 and I was eager to read her new release as well! Bloomsbury Girls is a historical fiction novel set in post-WWII London in a sweet-sounding bookshop. The cast of characters we encounter in this story took me a second to keep track of, but I really ended up enjoying all of them! Grace, Vivien, and Evie (who was in The Jane Austen Society) all come from different backgrounds; the former two women have worked at Bloomsbury Books for years and Evie begins working in the rare books section as this novel begins. I loved reading (hearing - I listened to the audiobook mostly) about how these women's relationships evolved with each other and with other employees or those involved in the bookshop. Above all, it was fun to encounter characters us literary fans may know of: Daphne Du Maurier, Doubleday, Peggy Guggenheim, and Ellen Doubleday <-- of Doubleday Publishers.

The ending to the story was so satisfying, and I won't spoil it, but I *loved* the way these women came together and came out on top. It was fun and felt a bit like a heist got pulled off or something and I loved that.

Another gem from a Canadian author!! If you enjoy historical fiction that is NOT set in a war and follows a timeline of several different characters, I think you'd like this one as I did. The audiobook narrated by Juliet Stevenson was really just the icing on the cake. Thank you to @macmillan.audio and @stmartinspress for the gifted copy of the audiobook and ebook in exchange for an honest review. I recommend this one and The Jane Austen Society!!!

What an amazing follow-up to The Jane Austen Society. It was a joy to read this book. The character development was amazing, I liked it even more than Natalie Jenner's first novel (which I loved). This book focuses on a more female driven set of characters. The time frame its set in highlights the displacement of women after World War II when women who had been begged to join the workforce were expected to just joyfully mosy their way back into their homes and "women's work."

We get reacquainted with Evie Stone the quiet young girl who had to leave school early to help out her family has now graduated from Cambridge and has a talent for research and cataloging. An unfortunate interview left Evie scrambling for a job. But as a stroke of luck has it, Evie starts working at the very place her research was leading her to: Bloomsbury Books.

Already employed at Bloomsbury Books are Grace and Vivian. Two women who are undervalued and underappreciated by their male counterparts at the bookshop. They're ready for change and growth and Evie might just be the catalyst they need.

I enjoyed the character development, as I said, quite a bit. I thought there were some fun surprises and twists along the way, and unique cameos from famous authors.