Great on audio narrated by Juliet Stevenson. This was a thoroughly enjoyable historical fiction book featuring strong women fighting for their place in a changing world. Reminiscent of The Paris bookseller or The Mayfair bookshop.
.This story follows the lives of three women. Vivien, Grace and Evie who work at Bloomsbury Books, a very old school, male-dominated world, post-WWII London.

Each of the women find an escape working at the bookstore and a freedom to follow their own dreams. You will enjoy interactions with Daphne Du Maurier, Ellen Doubleday, Sonia Blair (widow of George Orwell), Samuel Beckett, Peggy Guggenheim, and others .

Much thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my advance review copies!

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.

Bloomsbury Girls follows the lives of three ladies that work in Bloomsbury Books in the 1950s, as they navigate their relationships and the changing role of women in the workplace.

I loved the friendship between the women and although it had a slow start, thoroughly enjoyed the book!

Thank you to Netgally and Macmillan Audio for the advanced audiobook copy.

As a follow up to "The Jane Austin Society," this novel follows new characters, and features few who were involved in the previous book.

Bloomsbury Books is a traditional, old fashioned store for new and rare books. This establishment has been running for 100 years, and is a place of order, standards and rules. More specifically Bloomsbury Books employees must follow the fifty-one rules of the general manager.

While Bloomsbury employs women clerks and attendants, the store is still very much run by men, and caters to them as the primary customers as well. The 1950's is a new decade and there is a change on the wind, and the Bloomsbury Girls believe that making tea for the men is not the most they have to offer.

The women in this story all have very different backgrounds and living situations. Each women is determined to do what needs to be done to achieve their goals. And with the wonderful plotting and research from the newest Bloomsbury Girl, it all might just work out.

I liked that each female character was so different. They had different motivations and strengths. All the women also had their own way about bringing their goals to completion.

This book made me want to browse a bookshop on a rainy day and then go home and curl up with a new novel and hot tea.

You do not have to have read "The Jane Austin Society" to pick up this one... But after this book you will want to. I was so happy with the conclusions at the end, and the cameos from other historical literary figures. An excellent mix of fact and fiction.

I relly enjoyed this book. I loved hearing about the different girls in the bookstore and their backgrounds but what I truly enjoyed was how the women rose above the men in the stories and actually became business owners, found love and were able to overcome the obstacles in their lives.

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.

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 listen to. ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 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. It was difficult to keep up at first. Because of that, I give the audiobook a lower rating than the physical book. I was waiting for the 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 enjoyed the voice of the narrator.

Story - 4/5
Narration - 2.5/5

TL/DR: Fun and interesting women-in-history story with some great themes and a few downfalls. Likely not a re-read candidate, but would go with the print version if I did.

Read by Juliet Stevenson and set in post-WWII London in the opening days of 1950, Bloomsbury Girls is a nice fit if you are looking for some throwback women’s fiction that is heavily weighted towards character connection and a serious but somehow light and meandering plot.

Stevenson’s narration in the descriptive portions is melodic, allowing you to envision the lives of the women vividly, but the same flow is missing when she shifts into dialogue. Some character voices are inconsistent and others, particularly Vivien, feel flat and emotionless. For a lead character who was portrayed as often angry and battling through how to express so much emotion, it is confusing to hear her with so little depth.

Vivien, Grace, and Evie are the Bloomsbury Girls, the female employees of a 100-year-old London bookshop where the rules and patriarchal attitudes are as old as the shop itself. Vivien’s aristocratic fiancee was killed in WWII, leaving her to make her way as a “modern” single woman. Grace is an unhappily married mother of two, and her family’s financial support. Evie is a Cambridge graduate trying to find her break after being passed over by a man.

Together the women fight against societal constraints of the 1950s using their wits, fortuitous events, and well-timed new friendships to show the world they deserve respect and opportunity. The roles of well-known players in publishing and literature work well to highlight the literary world of that time, as well as the obstacles faced by anyone who was different or female. Vivien is strong and imperfect, and watching Grace’s resolve and awareness grow is made more meaningful by its understated, dare I say it, grace. Evie is the female miss; she comes across as too young and naive for a character who was supposed to have been one of the first female Cambridge grads (was she like that in The Jane Austen Society?).

Saying this has a lighter plot feels counterintuitive given the cornerstone subjects of sexism and racism. These are very well done, there just isn’t enough oomph in the first 3/4 of the book to feel like the story is progressing beyond just making points. The first quarter introduces the characters in a nice flow, but the story stalls and risks losing its grip for the middle half of the book. The last quarter of the book is a fabulous connector of all the earlier webs though, and make this story worth pushing on through the midpoint slowdown.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillen Audio for an ARC in exchange for my honest review

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60553813-bloomsbury-girls

What a charming book! I think this book convinced me that I like historical fiction more than I thought I did. This was a nice warm blanket of a story and one that makes me want to go back and read her previous novel The Jane Austen Society.

In this book we follow three separate women who all work at a bookstore in post WWII London. Evie Stone beings working there after she obtained her degree from Cambridge but found herself struggling to find a research position at the school to lesser qualified male candidates. Vivenne works while secretly working on her own writing ambitions and finds herself annoyed at the men who ignore her ideas for better sales and events at the shop. Grace finds herself more satisfied at work than with her husband at home who has become more and more hard to deal with.

This was just a nice story. I’m not even quite sure how to analyze it. It was soft and allowed you to drift along with the conflicts without ever getting too upset or worried about the characters because you just knew it would work out fine. Even some of the main conflicts or villains of the story were given lessons and learned from their mistakes. It’s a truly feel good story and one I suppose I needed at this moment.

The characters were nice and felt simple but real. The only reason its down from 5 stars to 4 is that I think I could have focused on any one of these women and gotten a more full story but focusing on all three gave me only glimpses. I also loved how this story incorporated inclusion, which is something that historical fiction seems to struggle with. The way they mention the outside fears and prejudices of the world while showing their own small bubble of accepting made it feel like a happy place.

Overall, I really enjoyed this and had a silly smile on my face while listening to it.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for the audiobook in exchange for an honest review. The audio was narrated by Juliet Stevenson, who did a good job.

I should probably preface this by saying I haven’t read The Jane Austen Society and felt at times like maybe I should have while reading this since I’d say it’s kind of a light sequel, but I’m inclined to read TJAS after really enjoying this delightful novel (and it’s worth noting that not having the background didn’t diminish my enjoyment).

Bloomsbury Girls has the kind of comfy feel I want on occasion from a historical novel but can’t always find—the characters are charming without being overly twee, there are interesting narratives (mysteries and romance!), and it’s delivered through good writing and, in this case, good narration by actress Juliet Stevenson (I’m really starting to prefer audiobooks done by actors). A delightful read from start to finish.

Natalie Jenner who delighted readers with <i>The Jane Austen Society</i> reintroduces the character of Evie Stone who secures a job cataloging books at Bloomsbury Books in the fashionable West End of London just after WWII. Evie searches for a rare first edition of <i> The Mummy !</i> a gothic tale written by a little known woman writer included in an allotment of books purchased from a private estate. Although owned and managed by men, the shop employs several women who become friends with Evie. We meet Vivien, arresting and volatile who passionately wants to be a writer as she competes with Alec another bookseller to whom she is romantically drawn. Grace a steadfast mother of two boys secures work as a bookkeeper after her domineering husband loses his job. Grace keeps Lord Baskin, the shop's owner at a distance but appreciates his solicitous and gentle demeanor. Evie becomes close to fellow employee Ashwan Ramaswamy recently arrived from Madras who maintains the bookstore's science inventory. As a couple they overhear comments about themselves when out together, none more unfortunate than an exchange with Stuart a nasty former Cambridge colleague when they run into him in King's Cross. Evie observes, "She saw it again, the constant avarice in his eyes. His ambition was the fulcrum at the center of his social extensions... he made it so pleasant for others to stand in the shade of his practiced nicety, while the cold hard ambition remained even further back than that". The three woman pursue their own dreams as they interact with a number of famous people. Successful novelist Daphne Du Maurier and Sonia Blair, widow of George Orwell work to advance Vivien's writing career. Ellen Doubleday widow of the NY publishing house founder lends her support as well. Even Irish playwright Samuel Beckett and Peggy Guggenheim patron of the arts feature as minor characters. Jenner's book is filled with believable characters and memorable dialogue. Her story celebrates literary friendship and the challenges women face in a world of bookselling still dominated by men. Juliet Stevenson is the perfect narrator bringing this story alive.

As a fan of The Jane Austen Society, I was quite eager to pick up Bloomsbury Girls. This character driven novel focuses on three women, Grace, Vivian and Evie, as they each navigate the world of literary London in the early 1950’s.

While the beginning of the book works to establish the employees of Bloomsbury Books, readers quickly discover secrets and bookish connections that will delight and enhance every page of the novel. The fight for women’s literature is a forefront theme, but this book will be enjoyable for those simply interested in the behind the scenes of a post WII literary landscape. The novel also explores sexism and discrimination in great depth, both in the 1950’s workplace and in everyday society.

The meat of the story takes place in the last third of the book and I read through this portion as quickly as possible. As stated above, Bloomsbury Girls is a highly character driven novel, so if you’re looking for a deep story structure, you won’t find that til after the half way point.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed this read and especially enjoyed the character and plot connections related to Jenner’s previous book, The Jane Austen Society. If you enjoy cozy bookstores, feisty, determined women and everything London, you’ll definitely enjoy this read.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I wish there was a way to give half stars because it’s solidly a 2.5 for me. I would certainly agree with another reviewer who said that it should be classified as Women’s Fiction, set in a prior period, and not Historical Fiction. Which was disappointing.

I listened to the audiobook and I found it very slow and I wasn’t really engaged. When I finally got to a point where I was interested I took a look and it was 71.3% into the book. That’s not good. I am glad, however, that I stuck with it because I really did like the last 28.7%

I was excited about the narrator but a bit let down. She has a lovely voice but didn’t infuse much life into many of the characters … it was very inconsistent.

I did not read the Jane Austen Society but I will admit this book made me want to. I’ve complained before that I hate when an author is clearly begging a reader to read their other books. This did not do that! It just dropped enough hints that I am curious to follow the breadcrumbs. And some of the characters involved in the “mentionings” were the most interesting in the story. Had I not known that was the authors previous title, it would have completely passed me by.

As I mentioned above, the book is a solid 2.5 stars for me, but I’m always a fan of books with strong and empowered women and ultimately that’s what this was, so I’ll round up on that basis. Maybe the print version moves more quickly?

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest opinion.

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.
Juliet Stevenson did not impress as the narrator. While she has a lovely voice, her attempts to portray the characters fell short for me, especially her depiction of Vivian.
My thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an advance copy of this book.

This review is for both the ebook and the audiobook.
Setting - 4/5
Characters - 4/5
Storyline - 4/5
Pacing - 3/5
Narrator - 5/5
I thoroughly enjoyed the setting of Bloomsbury Books in post-WWII England. The main characters are complex and well-developed. The power of female friendships is an overarching theme throughout this book. The narrator in the audiobook was absolutely outstanding! The one thing that was a little challenging was the pacing of the book. At times, I was happily reading through it and other times I felt bogged down by the backstory and too many facts and history thrown in. It threw off the pacing and enjoyment factor at times. Overall, however, a very enjoyable read. 3.5/5 stars

Bloomsbury Girls, by Natalie Jenner, is a cozy work of historical fiction that should appeal to those looking for character-driven, warm-hearted, historically detailed stories.

I found it too dull and plodding for my taste, and while the character portraits are carefully wrought, they weren't enough to keep me engaged in the story. Neither was the historical detail, such as the presence of real figures of literary history, but which all felt too consciously pasted on top of the story to educate me; nor yet the prose, which I found rather insipid.

I haven't read The Jane Austen Society, the author's first book, and Bloomsbury Girls is something of a companion/sequel to it - it certainly can be read and understood on its own, but if you already enjoyed The Jane Austen Society, the presence of some repeat characters should be a nice discovery.

I'm clearly in the minority in not loving this book, but unfortunately I just found it relatively slow and inactive, without enough character interest - the central point of the book - to keep me invested. It's a period I know enough about to be interested in, but too much to avoid being irritated by how awkwardly and ostentatiously displayed the historical research was.

I listened to the audiobook, and Juliet Stevenson's excellent narration and character voices did make it a much more enjoyable read for me than otherwise; it's the kind of story that works well in audio, and Stevenson gives a masterful performance. Unfortunately still not enough to make me love this book as much as I wanted to, but for those interested in reading this, I do recommend the audio!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I ready Bloomsbury Girls a couple of months ago and trust enjoyed I, but decided to give the audiobook a try. I often like to listen as a 2nd read while puttering around the house and thought I would enjoy the audio. I did! The narrator is fantastic!! Highly recommend!

I got about 20% into this audiobook and found the narrator's voice to be somewhat difficult to understand, maybe it's just my copy?

The pace of the book is too slow. While the subject matter and characters seem interesting, I don't think I would be able to slog through this one.

Thank you for the opportunity to listen to this title. It just wasn't for me

I really LOVED The Jane Austen project and this newest book by Canadian author Natalie Jenner has been one of my most anticipated books of 2022! I am happy to report it did not disappoint! Set in post-WWII London and following the lives of three women who work at Bloomsbury Books, a very old school, male-dominated sphere.

Each of the women find an escape working at the bookstore and a freedom to follow their own dreams. I enjoyed so much that Evie from The Jane Austen project features so prominently in this story. There are several references to her work and the people from that book. It was also fun to see cameos from famous authors of the day like Daphne Du Maurier and George Orwell's widow.

Great on audio narrated by Juliet Stevenson. This was a thoroughly enjoyable historical fiction book featuring strong women fighting for their place in a changing world. Highly recommended, especially for fans of The Paris bookseller or The Mayfair bookshop. Much thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my advance review copies!