"Books are an escape that beckons the reader from the heavy burdens of this world." This split timeline story of WWI and WWII in countryside of Coventry, England where one's lot in life is predetermined by your birthright even when the heart wants something different. This book has love, suspense, intrigue and the love of books. I learned about Land Girls and the Forgotten Blitz.

Mystery, a love story, suspense, intrigue, fascinating history, danger, redemption … so many of my favourite things in a story. I really loved the time-slip aspect to this book, going back and forth from World War 1 and World War 2. Kristy Cambron is a master at time-slip storytelling and The British Booksellers was as superbly done as always.

The British Booksellers has an abundance of depth, with characters carrying deep wounds from the past, and those wounds impacting their present greatly, as well as impacting those around them. Insert, the redemption thread. I loved this but also would have liked a slightly stronger faith thread.

It’s really unfathomable how people lived through both world wars. I think that was one of the most gripping aspects of The British Booksellers for me… watching Amos fight through World War 1, then how he became a pillar to supporting Coventry during the second world war, reliving the horrors in real life that he relived every time he was alone besides. I love how fiction can bring a new perspective to history, and Cambron really brought this to light in Amos for me. Her characters jumped off the page, bringing Coventry alive. I didn’t know anything really about Coventry before reading this novel, and I encourage you to read the author’s notes at the end because they are so interesting and sobering.

One thing I have to add, without giving spoilers, is that in the end, my heart wrung for Will and I found myself cheering for him after all.

Thank you to NetGalley for my copy! I give The British Booksellers 4.5 stars out of 5.

I enjoyed the rich history in this story! I wish that it didn't skip back and forth between the two wars quite so much, but I still thought the story was well written and interesting.

Oh this book was such an incredibly beautiful and spirited take on war and the fact that really no one truly wins. The multigenerational timelines of this book really were able to pinpoint the ripple effects of wartime trauma, and the scars that last long after the war ends. The war can take so very much away, but at the end, it is shown time and time again that love can conquer it all.

I struggled with the multiple POV's and the drastic timeline hops more than I care to admit, but overall I found myself truly enjoying the work that I did need to put in to truly connect with the characters and the story of love. A very compelling read and I will for sure be reading as much as I possibly can by this author in the future!

A big thank you to NetGalley, Thomas Nelson Fiction, and Kristy Cambron for this eArc in exchange for my own opinions.

Books about bookshops are always fun to read, and The British Booksellers was no exception. The intriguing part of this story was that it covered elements of both world wars, with the main characters having a history during World War II and then becoming reacquainted during World War II. The characters are likable and believable, and the sense of community is inspirational.

Every new Cambron story dazzles me. I was so entranced I couldn’t stop reading. Charlotte, Amos, Eden, and Co. were real to me. Their lives and struggles and dreams and heartaches lived beyond the pages and came to life in my mind. And as always, I needed tissues because Kristy nails the emotional rollercoaster every time.

I don’t have enough words or the mental acuity at present to encompass all the reasons why I adored this book so much (*cue a serious reading hangover*!). But know this, my history loving heart rejoiced over the dual timelines of WW1 & WW2 and the story… the truths… the people aren’t ones I’ll soon forget. 💛

Easily a 2024 favourite!!

*Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

This took a bit for me to get into with the constant changing of timeline at the beginning but once I got into the flow of it I really enjoyed it.
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I LOVED that books was such a constant theme throughout this read. The escape, the saviour, the enemy and the teacher. They symbolised such a right of passage for this read and was a common denominator bringing all together. I really feel this cemented amongst the book community and found it relatable.
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The more I read the more I couldn’t stop thinking how much of a good movie this book would make! I really hope to see this one day in the future!! The perfect blend of historical fiction, love drama and book frenzy!
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My fav character would be Amos. He put everyone else before himself always and was forever selfless. He gave when he had nothing and was a man of his word. I found him strong and reliable. I liked the whole, don’t judge a book by its cover but character style. Fit the book brief perfect.
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I think the part that most impressed me was the connection of the pocket watch. For a story based on timelines this was an incredibly clever touch. But if I were to change anything it would be to ramp up the drama surrounding the American. For a lot of secrecy surrounding his reason for arrival, once revealed, I felt it was slightly underdone and lacked to impress.
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The entire read for me would be summed up by the word.. humble. It is how it made me feel. The book is described as lives forever changed by the war and the stories that bind us in what matters most. And what matters most is how you feel. A beautifully touching read.

Kristy Cambron writes strong WW2, filled with historical detail and strong characters.

This story was a dual time story set in WW1 and WW2, with the main characters centered in both timelines. Amos was a strong character I connected with from the start, and I loved seeing how he got from 1914 to the 1940’s. His struggles were raw and realistic, and it was heartbreaking how many years were lost between him and Charlotte due to the guilt he took upon himself.

Eden and Jacob’s story was just as interesting, in their search for how they were connected due to an unexpected will. I did guess the connection, but only when I was further along in the story.

The author did a great job of also showing a different side to WW1, a truce over Christmas and enemies unexpectedly saving each other. I enjoy seeing kinder sides of the Germans, since their history is bad.

Kristy Cambron won me as a fan with their first WW2 debut novel, and each one I read after, just proofs her talent and strength with delivering strong WW2 stories.

I'd never heard of The Forgotten Blitz until I read this book. I enjoyed the dual timeline, but man did this one twist my heart around. There were moments that made me teary and moments that made me downright angry. The most loveable character for me was Amos, who is undoubtedly the roughest one around. I loved seeing the way his crusty outside gave way to a soft interior, and how he was willing to put others ahead of himself. I'd describe him as a "reluctant recluse." In the end, there were a lot of his choices made between the dual timelines that just didn't make sense to me.

This story didn't seem to have as strong of themes as others I've read by this author, and I missed that. I could pick out a few, but they didn't resonate with me in the way Kristy Cambron's books have in the past.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me a complimentary copy to review. All opinions are my own.

This book took me a while to get through mostly because I just didn't care for aspects of the story. The multiple point of views was unclear and made the story harder to focus on. I did enjoy the use of enemies to lover's trope in this book. The characters were okay, but I wouldn't say I could easily connect with them.

Kristy Cambron is a very skilled author who weaves the story lines so effortlessly that the reader has to remember all the syntax and basically every word matters. I loved the dual time with World War I and II storylines. This was a pleasurable and powerful read!

The British Booksellers is another engaging dual-time story from author, Kristy Cambron, covering the WWI and WWII eras. The characters have depth and reality and their emotions, strengths, and foibles resonate well with readers. It is a poignant story encompassing family devotion, history, and cultural divides. Readers who enjoy historical fiction as seen through several generations of characters will not want to miss this book. I was given a complimentary copy of the book through NetGalley and was not required to write a positive review. The opinions are my own.

The Forgotten Blitz inspired this story and spanned both world wars. It's a dual-timeline story, taking place during WWI and WWII, and takes place in Coventry, England. Amos and Charlotte are childhood friends. He's the son of a tenant farmer, and she's the daughter of an Earl. She's destined to become the wife of the future Earl of Harcourt. Twenty-five years later, she's a war widow who runs a bookstore in Coventry, named after her daughter Eden, and runs her husband's estate. Amos is a grumpy recluse, who runs a rival bookstore. When a solicitor arrives with unexpected news and the blitz terrorizing the skies and the city, they learn how to work together again.

I read this story in one sitting. It had me turning the pages to find out what happened next. It had romance, books, intrigue, the effect of war on people, and the forgotten blitz. The dual timeline storyline helped me understand more about what happened in WWI and how it affected those in WW II

Thanks to @thomasnelson, @netgalley, and the author of this ARC I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Friends who dreamt of building a bookshop together, separated by class and war, find themselves years later facing a second world war as they fight for their hometown.

A riveting dual timeline read set during both World Wars, following both Lady Charlotte and Amos Denby, their close friendship and the events that brought them to where they are. The nonlinear timeline really served this novel well, as we uncover the secrets of their past.

I really liked Jacob and Eden in the 1940's timeline, as well as getting to know the Land Girls. Amos was one of my favorite characters, and I really enjoyed seeing the man he was while in the midst of the first world war.

Overall, a captivating story of forbidden love in a time of war, with a well paced plot, and well developed characters. Highly recommend for fans of Downton Abbey era reads, with realistic historical settings and engrossing plots.


I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

**I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley. **

This was a really cute second-chance romance about two rivaling bookshop owners, Charlotte and Amos, a la the movie "You've Got Mail." It takes place in Britain during WW2 with flashback scenes to the start of their friendship/ attraction during WW1. In the WW2 scenario, we don't know why these 2 bookshops hate each other. Through flashbacks, we learn they were friends/ childhood love interests from different sides of the tracks and that Charlotte married an earl, while Amos went to war with her husband, and only Amos returned from war, badly scarred. When a young man arrives in Coventry, claiming half his fortune has been left to Charlotte's daughter, Eden, and they don't know why. The mysteries continue to build and the backdrop of the war only adds to the tension in the story. Who will survive? Will these two bookshop owners be able to put aside their past and find love with each other again? Will this group of townspeople survive the war?

I loved all the historical information injected throughout the story. Both storylines were super interesting and built tension as they went along. But I kept wanting to find out what happened next in one timeline of events then have to flip back to the other timeline, which got frustrating at times. I would've preferred the flashbacks be shorter or more frequent to hold my interest.

I know you are not supposed to judge a book by it's cover... but oh my!
This was a great book that weaved two World Wars. Amos and Charlotte, Charlie, were childhood sweethearts but couldn't get married due to their social status. They were separated by World War I. Then World Wat II starts raging and Charlotte's daughter Eden, is trying to save her father's legacy. An American lawyer arrives and they try to piece together a puzzle that can potentially save them all.
If you like historical fiction, this book is for you! I have never read a book by Kristy Cambon before, but I look forward to reading more by her. Many thanks to the author, Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

A wonderful dual timeline story that weaves both into a story of loss, forgiveness and love amidst the horrors of both WWI and WWII. Ms. Cambron skillfully weaves both stories into one seamless masterpiece. The secrets of the past stretches its shadow into the main story which is set in WWII on the British home front in Coventry, England.
Ms. Cambron's trademark attention to historical detail brings to life the events of the bombing of Coventry, seen through the eyes of well-crafted characters. Lady Holt and Amos Darby must set aside differences and work towards a united goal. Long held secrets are uncovered, threatening to hurt those they love most. The characters are realistic and well-drawn, ones I wanted to find a happy ending as the horrors of war come closer to home.

****I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher through Netgalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

3.75. An interesting historical fiction that covers both WWI and WWII, that generally follows the lives of a tenant farmer and an aristocratic woman in Coventry, England. I always like historical fiction novels as I usually learn something, and I definitely did in this novel specifically regarding “The Forgotten Blitz” devastating bombings in Coventry which impacted so many. A story of love, death, injury, books, castes, familial relationships, and secrets, to name a few. It was a well researched novel, yet in some ways I felt I was a reading a Harlequin type novel and felt that that the plot was too slow in many parts as well as was extremely predictable. Thank you to Netgalley for providing me an advance copy in exchange for a candid and honest review

In this dual timeline and multiple perspective World War II historical fiction novel, readers follow Eden, her mother Lady Charlotte Harcourt, and Amos Darby. Lady Charlotte, the widow of the Earl of Harcourt who died in the first World War, and Eden oversee the estate and run Eden Books in Coventry. A soldier during World War I and the son of a tenant farmer, Amos knows Charlotte from when she was Lady Charlotte Terrington, the headstrong daughter of another earl, and he now owns a bookstore across the street from Eden Books in Coventry. As World War II continues, so does Amos and Charlotte’s professional feud, and Eden must contend with this feud and a lawsuit from a strange American lawyer while holding down the home front. An incredibly complex historical fiction novel, readers will see how Charlotte and Amos’s relationship changed over the decades and uncover their hidden history with Eden. Charlotte, Amos, and Eden are fantastic protagonists, complex, lifelike, and intelligent, while the other minor characters are also complex with interesting backstories. As this fantastic historical fiction novel progresses and characters’ secrets are revealed, readers will become part of the bookstores’ community with stakes in everyone’s survival of the Blitz.

I don't always love multiple perspectives, but Kristy Cambron does a wonderful job with this book!

It's nice to read books inspired by real life, and still get a happy ending.
If you love WWII historical fiction, this is the book for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for an arc. All opinions expressed are my own.