Set against the backdrop of the London Blitz, The Little Wartime Library is an inspiring and heartfelt story of resilience, friendship, and the power of books. Centered on three brave women—Juliet, Katie, and Sofie—this novel beautifully captures their fight to save a beloved community library amid chaos and personal hardship. With rich historical detail and emotional depth, Jennifer Ryan delivers a moving tribute to the strength of women and the comfort of stories in the darkest times. A must-read for fans of historical fiction and book lovers alike.

For fans of historical fiction set in WWII, and those of us who love and support our local libraries, this is great book to pick up. Following three women's stories around the Bethnal Green Library during the London bombings, the novel does a great job of showing each characters struggles and points of view. Though the focus is on Juliet Lansdown, the new deputy librarian, the book also tells the story of library worker Kate Upwood and Sofie Baumann, a young Jewish refugee fleeing Germany. Each woman has a unique story to tell, and Jennifer Ryan does them all justice.

oh my goodness, this book was wonderful! I have been on a WW2 reading binge and this book fit the bill. It chronicles the lives of several women during the blitz in London, they are all entwined with the library which after being hit in the bombings takes on a new life underground in the Tube station. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc. I have already recommended it to several co worker.

First of all, I would like to apologize for the VERY LATE review...

This book has a gorgeous cover. I most likely requested it because of it. The author's note at the end was very interesting since I didn't know the complete extent of the historical events. The storyline was good but unfortunately, it didn't fully capture my attention.

thanks again for this ARC and once again, I'm sorry for the delay.

A story of braided lives in London during the days of the Blitz during WWII - three women find themselves in need of support and collaborate on the project of moving their beloved library into the underground station at Bethnal Green where there is a promising community evolving as there are so many alarms from the Nazis bombing and flying overhead. Katie Upwood is a library assistant. Sophie Bauman is a German Jew who was able to make her way to London before all the ways out of Nazi claimed territory closed tight. And last but not least, Juliet Lansdown is the new deputy librarian (women can't be head librarian - so she's just a deputy). Each of the three have a Man of Interest, but the men are not in their day to day lives for different reasons.

This is one of those reads that mentions book after book - so I made my list (see below). A very enjoyable read, with new information for me. This is a reimagining of actual happenings in London during WWII.

Books referenced:

A Room with a View
Anne of Green Gables
Alice in Wonderland
The Secret Garden
Narnia
Heart of Darkness
The Rise of Educated Classes
The Edwardians
Short Stories by Anton Chekov (fav is The Lady with the Dog)
Pride and Prejudice
Jane Eyre
Wuthering Heights
Ulysses
Death in Venice
Gone with the Wind
Emma
Vanity Fair
A Tale of Two Cities
The Age of Innocence
The Sun Also Rises
Persuasion
Winnie the Pooh
The Scarlet Pimpernel
Frankenstein
Wind in the Willows
Little Women
The Great Gatsby
Anna Karenina
Goodbye to All That
Death on the Nile
The Metamorphosis
Symposium
Bleak House

Books mentioned in Author’s Note:
Millions Like Us
Island of Extraordinary Captives
Island of Barbed Wire
The Deserters: Hidden History of World War II

*A sincere thank you to Jennifer Ryan, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.*

It's August 1940 and Juliet has just arrived in London to take the position of deputy librarian at the Bethnel Green Library. Sofie, a Jewish refuge from Germany, works as a servant to an odious man, who holds her work visa. Rachel is weeks away from achieving her dream of attending university. These three women are drawn together as the Blitz begins and the community begins spending evenings in the underground. Jennifer Ryan is a master at telling the stories of women in war-torn England, bringing to life the everyday struggles of the women left behind by men going off to war as well as the changes society began to undergo as a result of newfound freedoms. Ryan is an auto-read author for me and I look forward to more from her in the future.

I loved The Underground Library. Jennifer Ryan is a favorite author of mine for historical fiction when I am looking for something that isn't too heavy. The characters are well developed and have depth, and while the story still confronts the realities of war, there is an underlining of hope, resilience, love, friendship, and the ways the people still found light in the darkest of times. Anything by Jennifer Ryan is an auto-add to my reading lists!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC

I am a huge fan of historical fiction books, especially when they are written during the time period of WWII. The characters are well developed and the primary focus on females was a positive change of pace. I love learning something new with each new WWII historical fiction book I devour. This one gave me a glimpse into the lives of three women who were determined that the library would survive … even after the bombings. I also learned about the internment camps on the Isle of Man. When a book has a primary focus on how books make a difference in people’s lives and bring people together, I am cheering it on. While I am not a romance genre fan, the addition of this did not distract too much from this story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

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I want to throw all the stars at this one! What a wonderful book! It is set in London during WWII. We follow some immensely strong women and the library that they open up in the tunnels during the blitz. Wonderful characters and fulfilling stories!

A perfectly written historical fiction. A lot of fact and based on true events, this book shows how community comes together, that books are more than just a story, and how important your comity is in tough times. I thought this was a nice read, putting me outside of my normal genres.

This book was amazing!! Sometimes historical fiction falls a bit flat for me, but this book was just 5 STARS. All 3 of the main characters (Sofie, Juliet, and Katie) were so well written and I was immediately drawn into all of their stories. Seeing how all 3 of them experienced WW2 in similar but different ways was wonderful (even if heartbreaking at the same time). And I loved the author’s note at the end of the book about how the story of an underground library of Bethnal Green in East London actually happened and that the book was based on a very true story.

I really enjoyed this unique look at the London Blitz through the stories of three young women who are each facing a great struggle, yet somehow find a way to deal with their challenges and make a positive difference in helping people through the horrors of the Nazi bombing raids. Rather than a typical WW2 fiction, this book was uniquely focused on the daily lives of Londoners who had the face the horror of nightly bombing raids and still somehow manage to keep their humanity. Each of the characters discovered strength through a sense of community that the library provided. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

I really didn't know if I would like this book at first. The more I read the more I learned how hard it was for the three women running the library in this time period. There is a little love story in here but most important is the way people pulled together. You wouldn't think they could be more different and yet the same. I'm so glad I read this story. Even more so with what is going on in the world now. I hope everyone gets a chance to read this book.

This heartwarming story features three women—Julia, Katie, and Sofie—who, alongside some supporting characters, make the Underground Library a success. Each woman, with the help of kind-hearted volunteers, understands the transformative power of books and their ability to inspire and bring hope. They come together to help Julia by volunteering their time and involving the whole village, all with the belief that books should be accessible to everyone. As they work together, they form deep bonds of friendship, realizing the empowering support they can offer each other in ways their families haven't been able to. Julia and Katie, in particular, find strength in these friendships, as Sofie already has a loving family behind her.

Julia's landlady, a compassionate woman, also plays an important role, as do the elderly sisters Dorothy and Irene, who act as surrogate family to the women. Together, they all aim to ensure the success of the Underground Library. Meanwhile, the head librarian wants the library to shut down so he can move on to a new opportunity, but Julia and her friends have different plans.

Set in the time of World War II, this story is a testament to the strength of women in an era when men were typically granted more power and freedom. By coming together, these women challenge the societal norms that confined women to the roles of wives and homemakers. They prove that they are just as capable as men in the workforce, defying conventions and creating something meaningful that leaves a lasting impact.

#ARC #netgalley

What a wonderful story!!

I read a lot of mystery and suspense and sometimes you just need a good story about a few very special people to cleanse the brain. This was just that book!

My Nan was in England during WWII and I grew up listening to stories about the war and the blitz, I remember how afraid she would get every time we had a thunderstorm and she would make us go to the basement. She said some of them reminded her of the bombing and nights in the shelter.

The characters were well written and the story was so well written, but not too flowery that I could see London, the library and most of all the tube station. This story and these characters will stay with me for a long time!

I have loved previous Jennifer Ryan books, and I love the way that she writes historical fiction based on true but lesser known stories from World War 2, often finding uplifting and hopeful stories to share! The Underground Library was no different. I really enjoyed learning something new about the Blitz, life in the tunnels during it, and specifically the Bethnal Green Underground Library. I spent a summer living in East London near Bethnal Green, so I was especially drawn to this story. There were a few aspects of the book I have quibbles with, specially with some of the choices of characters that where I felt modern sensibilities were sneaking in in a way that didn’t feel as authentic to the time period. Nevertheless the characters were lovely, the story was heartwarming and Jennifer Ryan proves to be an author who writes World War 2 historical fiction with hope.

Courtesy of Netgalley, I received the ARC of The Underground Library by Jennifer Ryan. This well researched WWII historical fiction focuses on the Bethnal Green library relocated to the tube in 1940, during the Blitz of London. Jennifer Ryan created a diverse community coming together in difficult times, with resilient and strong characters, showcasing the power of books. Highly recommend!

The Underground Library by Jennifer Ryan is a truly captivating historical novel that will stay with you long after you turn the final page. Set against the backdrop of the Blitz, this heartwarming story follows three remarkable women - Juliet, Katie, and Sofie - who find solace and strength in the face of adversity within the walls of their beloved library. This is a celebration of the enduring power of books, the resilience of the human spirit, and the profound impact of community.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.

Thank you to netgalley.com for this ARC.

I gave this book 5 stars because I read through it quickly, but would probably say more like 4.5 only because everything was wrapped up a little too nicely, especially for a book about WWII.

It was interesting to learn about the underground library and school which was a part of WWII I had never heard about. The characters and their relationships were heartwarming.

I've read one other book by this author and will keep an eye for further ones from her.

Poignant, moving, and emotional, "The Underground Library" is a powerful story set during WWII. The stories of three women, Juliet, Katie, and Sofie, whom all find an escape in books, intertwine as they work together to save the library and provide books in an extremely heartbreaking and dangerous time. Showing the power of books and literature, the power of coming together and supporting one another, and the power of standing up for what is right, this book truly is so meaningful. I was truly pulled in to each of the characters' stories, and reading this book kept me up until the early hours of the morning as I simply did not want to put it down.

I highly recommend this book!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC of this incredible novel! All opinions expressed in this review are my own.