Oh. My. Gosh.
This was absolutely delightful. I thought I loved The Jane Austen Society, but this one was even better than that one was. I loved every single thing about this book [even the parts that frustrated me - men are so...MEN sometimes] and did not want it to end. Evie, Vivian, and Grace are amazing characters and they are people I'd love to be friends with and I admire their grit and tenacity and capacity to love and show grace in the face of adversity.

What else is great about this book is that not all the men are bad - misguided maybe, but not intrinsically bad and you end up rooting for them too and their relationships, especially when they want to learn and grow and stretch. And the author takes several difficult subjects and writes them with a deft hand, never over-dramatic, always with kindness and caring and that was lovely as well.

Such a great read that I now have massive book hangover and that is the best compliment I can give.

I was also privileged to receive an audiobook ARC of this book and I have to say this was the best audiobook I have listened to in a quite some time. I have had the privilege of listening to Juliet Stevenson before and just about jumped for joy when I saw she was narrating this because I knew she would do the story justice and I was not wrong. WHAT an absolute delight! She made the story come alive and really added to the whole book experience. I am so glad I was able to listen to this book. So well done!

Thank you to NetGalley, Natalie Jenner, Juliet Stevenson - Narrator, Macmillan Audio and St. Martin's Press for providing both the ARC and the audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Bloomsbury Books is a 100 year old bookshop owned by Lord Jeremy Baskin. The story is set in the 1950s, so although there are women working at the shop, it is run by men. The general manager, Mr. Herbert Dutton, who enforces his fifty one workplace rules. He is very old fashioned, and although Miss. Vivien Lowdry, a cashier and Mrs. Grace Perkins, a secretary, both have great ideas to get more business into the store, he won't hear of it. Enter Evelyn Stone, Evie, who recently graduated from Cambridge University, but is overlooked for a job as a research assistant and the position is given to a male colleague. She is hired to work in the rare books collection at Bloomsbury. When Mr. Dutton takes time off for a health issue, the women finally get the opportunity to implement some of their ideas. Highlighting female authors, doing book luncheons and rediscovering forgotten works written by females bring in many new patrons. When Dutton returns things go back to normal until the three women put one over on him. I really enjoyed hearing about all the authors, spouses, and literary legends that were mentioned or that visited the store.

Bloomsbury Girls is a follow up to The Jane Austen Society, which I enjoyed. This is a post WWII story that once again showcases the inequality between men and women. Although women worked and held down the fort during the war, they were still considered to be not as smart or able to run a business or have ideas put into practice. This was especially true with female authors. As we meet all the characters in the story, the book did bog down a bit for me, but it does pick up shortly after that. Evie is one of the characters we met in The Jane Austen Society and she is shy and unassuming, but has an ulterior motive in working at Bloomsbury Books. Grace is a married mother of two boys whose husband has PTSD and she is supporting the family. Vivien is a struggling and frustrated author, whose fiance was killed in the early part of the war. All three of these women are smart and have dreams. They work together, with some support to achieve those dreams as a team of women. Overall this is a book about books, authors, bookish people, women supporting women, and trying to be published when you are a female, friendship, and taking risks to follow your dreams. I enjoyed this historical fiction story very much and learned a bit about some famous female authors and their work along the way. I listened to the audiobook narrated by English actress Juliet Stevenson who does a wonderful job. Her voices and accents for the various characters brought them to life for me. It didn't matter if it was a male of female, she was able to switch between characters easily and seamlessly. Her skills as an actress had her easily adding emotion and tone that added to my enjoyment of the story. I definitely recommend the audiobook to those who enjoy that format.

It’s honestly just a sweet story. Friendship during normal times isn’t easy, layer in the war and things do get challenging

Natalie Jenner does it again and delivers a fantabulous read in BLOOMSBURY GIRLS. I loved the connection with her previous wonderful book THE JANE AUSTEN SOCIETY. It felt like I was returning home. This writing is superb and intelligent. I loved the relationship between the characters and the ending was perfect. I recommend this beautiful book.

The narration was well done and appropriate for this beautiful historical novel.

Bloomsbury Girls AUDIO by Natalie Jenner is a study of the employees and friends of Bloomsbury Books in London in 1950. The war is over but things have not really gone back to normal. There is still rationing and women in the workplace are looked at with askance and paid poorly. Grace came to work at Bloomsbury Books to get out of the house and support her family and get away from her husband who was there all day, not doing much except demeaning her; Vivian worked there since losing her fiancé in the war and as a backup to her eventual plan of writing for a living; Evie had just been hired in the rare books department as she had some experience with them and had just been overlooked for a job as a researcher by someone less accomplished than her. There was also Alec, the fiction manager, and sometime paramour of Vivian, Frank Allen, who was the buyer for the rare books department and rarely there, Ash, the Indians scientist who had had to settle for work her based on his ethnicity; and Mr. Dutton, the very old-fashioned manager of the store. They interact with one another and a variety of literary figures that come through the store.

It is an old-fashioned bookstore, making no effort to appeal to the younger citizens that were now their customers. They clung to the old ways and prejudices. When Viv came up with the idea of having a midday author talk aimed at women and featuring Daphne de Maurier, there were many who rolled their eyes and sighed, until it was a huge success. It was a time of change and people were having trouble adjusting. Not only were the roles of men and women at home changing, but in the workplace as well. Having women in the workplace at all was an adjustment, but as writers and philanthropists: it was mind boggling. When Alec was temporarily promoted to store manager there was a short conversation about Vivian becoming assistant manager, but that was tabled at once. It was a amazing story of overcoming, or at least ignoring, prejudice. It was also a comedy, watching the women outsmart the men when they decided to take that opportunity. Excellent book!

Juliet Stevenson was the narrator and her accent was just right to make the book come alive with her skill in switching personas and making it all feel important. It was exciting to have the book in the hands of such a skilled narrator. If you love listening to historical fiction, this audio book will be for you.

I was invited to listen to a free e-audio of Bloomsbury Girls by MacMillan Audio, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #netgalley #macmillanaudio #nataliejenner #bloomsburygirls

Beautifully told historical fiction set in 1950s London.
The war is over, there is still austerity, but life has more-or-less resumed as it was before World War II…and that is a problem- this book puts a special lense in regard to this problem on women in the workplace, a bookstore with a famed tradition and in academia.
In addition to being a great story with characters you want to spend time with, this is a great peek into the post-war society in mid-20th-century London. The focus is on the three main characters internal struggles – but by selecting women at different ages and stages from Evie fresh from college to Grace, married with two children - there are lots of glimpses into the wider world and how it impacts their choices.
This book is a heartfelt love letter to bookstores, booksellers and especially to under-appreciated female authors from the past. I loved all the glimpses at the publishing and literary world that were on offer, the book sent me googling to get more background – and of course a couple of pictures for Daphne Du Maurier, Ellen Doubleday, Sonia Blair (widow of George Orwell), Samuel Beckett and Peggy Guggenheim…
If you love your historical fiction to meander a little with an engaging hopeful story and vividly drawn layered and complex characters, this book may be for you.
I had both an eArc and an advance audio copy and went back and forth and i have to say the narration by English actress Juliet Stevenson is fantastic, she gives life to every character from the most minor to the three female leads. Her voice adds to the British atmosphere of the book.

Thank you to @stmartinspress and @macmillan.audio and @netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Unlike most reader reviewers, I have not been able to get interested in this book, even though it is read by one of my favorite narrators. I can’t really pin down what it is and I should have known because I felt the same way about the first book in this series. Usually I would be hooked on a book with Jane Austen references as in the first book or a bookstore as in this book. I just found both of books lacking. Had to DNF.

𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐦𝐬𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐲 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐬 📚 𝐀𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐨 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰

𝑷𝒖𝒃 𝑫𝒂𝒕𝒆: 𝑻𝒐𝒅𝒂𝒚 🤍

🎧 𝚁𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠:
This is my first book by this author and I really enjoyed it. The women of Bloomsbury Books show the men how it is done!

Mr. Dutton (the manager), has set out 51 rules to maintain tranquility at the book shop. Vivien, Grace, and Evie (the 3 female protagonists) operate the book shop by these rules - but all dream of a future that contains more opportunity.

Props to the narrator for transforming me to 1950s London - I could literally imagine this 💎 of a book shop!

4/5 ⭐️

Thank you @netgalley & @macmillan.audio for letting me listen to this audio in return for my honest review. #Netgalley #MacMillanAudio #BloomsburyGirls

First of all, I'm already a sucker for books centering around a bookstore before I even read the first page. Best setting ever.

This book centers around the stories of three women who are trying to find their way in 1950: Vivien (who lost her fiancé in the war and has an ongoing feud/rivalry with a male coworker), Grace (an unsatisfied and unhappily married mom) and Evie (a former university student who was passed over for a man for an academic position) . They all work at Bloomsbury Books, ran by men in a time when the world was dominated by men and their rules.

There are exciting characters introduced with names you'll certain recognize from the literary world, all who add to these interwoven storylines, and a few men who maybe aren't so bad. Drama, secrets, girl power, and a lot of soul-searching throughout.

This was a lovely book.

(Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest feedback)

I am not finishing this book. I was gifted the audio format for my ARC and this narrator is absolutely awful. I audiobook around 100 books a year and I am far from picky in terms of vocal performances. It's cringe-worthy. Historical Fictions are my absolute favorite audiobooks. . . when done well. I will not leave a bad review on my bookstagram or my goodreads given that I am not finishing this book. I do, however, fully intend on purchasing the physical copy and reading the book for myself because I think the author did a really great job writing it. I can just no longer tolerate the audio version. Thank you for this gifted copy! I look forward to its publishing.

Thank you to @stmartinspress #StMartinsPress #SMPInfluencers for the finished copy. Thank you to @macmillan_audio @netgalley for the ALC in return for my honest review.
.
My thoughts…
Timely. I haven’t read Jenner’s “The Jane Austen Society,” but, I couldn’t pass on a book about a bookstore! An emotional historical fiction set in post-war London. In a century-old bookstore we met Vivien Lowry, Grace Perkins and Evie Stone. The contrast was perfect between Bloomsbury Books and the women. Where Bloomsbury Books persevered by resisting change, the women persevered by overcoming changes and trauma. The audiobook was good. But, because of the steady plot and the women’s character development, it felt a bit slow. So, I moved over to the book and it worked better for me. I just adored how the women met real life literary authors such as Daphne Du Maurier, Ellen Doubleday, and Peggy Guggenheim! This book was about celebrating women and their strength to face patriarchal challenges.

Bloomsbury Girls
by: Natalie Jenner
Macmillan Audio
narrator: Juliet Stevenson
Pub date: May 17, 2022
Women's Fiction

I love discovering a new favorite audiobook narrator, and the talented Juliet Stevenson is now on my listen list! Her style matches perfectly with that of author Natalie Jenner. Lovers of literature will delight in the setting of Jenner's new book, Bloomsbury Books in 1950s London. Although the hundred-year-old bookstore is run by men, Vivien, Grace, and Evie are the female employees who are eager for transformation and change. Writer Jenner and reader Stevenson takes us through their roles both in the shop, their personal lives, and in an evolving society.

These three women are expected to follow the precise fifty-one rules established by the male general manager. They know that change does not come easy, and each brings a back story to the narrative. The stylish and bright Vivien lost her fiancé in World War II. Grace is devoted to her family, but clings to her own aspirations as well. Evie had the distinct honor of being one of the first women graduates of Cambridge.

Jenner's follow up to The Jane Austen Society is an incredibly rich story of women's rights in the workplace and the changing roles of women authors. Readers are treated to the inner activities in the store, as well as in the literary world during this time period. Issues of gender, race, domestic abuse and discrimination are addressed.

Eager to find out if the shop's fifty-one rules were broken, followed or changed, I appreciated being on these women's journeys. Some famous literary figures made appearances along the way, adding to the appeal!

Thank you to Net Galley and Macmillan Audio for the advance reader's copy and opportunity to provide my unbiased review.
#NetGalley
#TheBloomsburyGirls
#MacmillanAudio
#NatalieJenner

𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘪𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭!

I loved The Jane Austen Society so I was beyond excited to get this copy, and what a great treat it was. Historical Fiction, a bookshop, strong women, friendship and love, everything I love in a story.

Thank you St. Martin's Press for this gifted copy.

https://www.instagram.com/booksandcoffeemx/

𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘪𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭!

I loved The Jane Austen Society so I was beyond excited to get this copy, and what a great treat it was. Historical Fiction, a bookshop, strong women, friendship and love, everything I love in a story.

Thank you St. Martin's Press for this gifted copy.

https://www.instagram.com/booksandcoffeemx/

3.5 Stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an audio copy of Bloomsbury Girls in exchange for an honest review.

In the early 1950s Evie Stone is one the first women to ever graduate from Cambridge and extremely accomplished but when she looses out on her dream job to a less qualified male student she takes a job at Bloomsbury Books. She is met with an eccentric group of coworkers including two captivating women who are vastly overlooked by the male staff, a quiet man from India and a general manager who has complied a list of 51 rules that all employees of the shop must adherer to at all times. While this choice of occupation suits Evie she is actually working to correct an error from her past. At a previous employer she had been tasked with reading and cataloging rare books for an auction but she may have missed an undiscovered piece of fiction history. In order to right her wrong she must first find the lost treasure and that starts at Bloomsbury Books.

This is a nice historical fiction that looks into the life and times of a small book store recovering after the great war. This is a character driven piece showing how exploited the women in the shop were... underpaid and tasked with making the male coworkers tea. Since it is so character focused there is not a lot of plot movement and at times felt stagnant. The ending is expected but was enjoyable enough.

I had the audio Narrated by Juliet Stevenson who did a nice job and was enjoyable to listen to.

I liked the idea of this story but for some reason the execution didn’t completely work for me. It was interesting enough to keep going but I wasn’t as invested as I’d wanted to be. The narration of the audiobook was great. I have seen amazing reviews so I definitely encourage you to check them out!

Thank you to the publisher and @netgalley for providing a free advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I was so looking forward to this one, however I was bored while reading it. The idea of women working at a bookshop in the 1950’s London sounded great! The problem was that there was very little action throughout. The story follows the everyday lives of Grace, Vivian and Evie, each with a past yet they all have a love for literature. The rules of Bloomsbury Books seem ridiculous and some degrading towards women. Some rules were common with the times and others that seemed over the top. A little bit of romance is sprinkled in the story, which was nice, but could have used some more. This was another story about how 1950’s women try to make it in a man’s world. I enjoy fast paced, action packed reads. This one wasn’t that.

I went back and forth between reading this and listening when I was doing other things. Every time I began again, I had to go back and remind myself what this was even about. It had the obvious theme of sexism and gender roles. But it put it in a neat little package of civility and politeness. The women were angry but not in a way that made their anger even interesting. I enjoyed meeting these women but I fear I will forget them shortly.

These days, we’re often reading about progressive women but I find it exciting to read about these women throughout history as with this gem taking place in the 1950s, a time when women not only knew they had a voice but began to turn up the volume.

The Bloomsbury Girls are three women employed at a historic bookstore that is dominated by men both in how things are done and who the women answer to. How long until it’s time to crack through this secretarial view of women and allow their unique skills and personalities shine?

I greatly enjoyed Evie, Grace and Vivien and wanted nothing more than to share in their plights to be heard and appreciated.

From my blog: Always With a Book

Having enjoyed Natalie Jenner’s debut novel, The Jane Austen Society, I knew I had to read her sophomore one, Bloomsbury Girls. Little did I know that not only would I be getting another enjoyable story but some familiar faces would be appearing in this new book!

This is a charming story set in 1950 postwar London. The three women we meet are strong and determined to have their say, frustrated with the men in their lives not recognizing their ideas and/or contributions. This is definitely a character-driven story and I loved that it touches on so many thought-provoking topics in such a way that the story never gets bogged down.

I loved learning about the inner workings of the bookshop, however antiquated some of the systems and roles might have been. Most interesting of all were the manager’s rules – all 51 of them. I loved how the author started each chapter with these rules – it was such a clever way to begin the chapters because more often than not the rule somehow tied into what was going to happen in the chapter.

There were also some pretty interesting literary figures that make appearances throughout the book, my favorite being Daphne du Maurier. I loved that these some of these literary figures were instrumental in helping the women move forward!

A charming tale about bookstores and female empowerment, I think this will appeal to all historical fiction readers.



Audio thoughts: I just loved the narration for this book. Juliet Stevenson did a fantastic job bringing this book to life. Her cadence and intonation was spot on and she managed to give each of the characters their own unique voice and personality, even adding accents when needed. I was completely engaged with this audio and definitely recommend it.