Set in London during WWII, this book follows the lives of three women. Juliet has left her small town to become the deputy librarian in Bethnal Green. Katie, a local woman, is terrified when she learns that she is pregnant. Sofie, a Jewish refugee, works as a maid for a bitter older man. As bombs rain down on London, Juliet moves the library into the underground subway system, where a community begins to develop.

This was an interesting and dynamic book with well written characters. The characters were multidimensional and showed growth throughout the story. I loved how the women’s lives were intertwined and how they worked together to build community. Overall, highly recommended!

Bethnal Green, London beginning of WW2. Their library was hit near the beginning of the Blitz. People were forced to take shelter in the underground rail system. This book brings to life people from all different backgrounds who need help, friendship and support to get through this horrible experience. They became a tighter community through hardship, tragedy and just trying to live. The war brought different social views on things, mostly out of necessity - things were forgiven, overlooked and lived with. People supported one another and brought together people who never would have been otherwise. Horrible what people went through, had to endure, many losing family one way or another. Excellent read. Based on true events.

I received this book free from the author, publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

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Many thanks to Ballantine Random House and NetGalley for my #gifted eARC. Pub date 3/12/24.

Book Lovers are going to love this one. I absolutely love books about books and this one was perfect! What makes this even more special it is based on a true story set back in time during WWII. Told by 3 different POV'S, you will fall in love with all of them. I definitely recommend this book!

I have really enjoyed the previous books written by Jennifer Ryan, and was very excited to receive a copy of The Underground Library. This story follows three women who are living and experiencing the Blitz in London. Juliet arrives in the neighborhood to serve as the Deputy Librarian for the Bethnal Green Library, but quickly learns that completing this role as a woman may provide some additional challenges. Kate works at the library and is balancing the stigma of women & their relations with their soldiers. Her family's status and secrets add to her worries. Sofie is a Jewish refugee, working as a maid for an opinionated older man. She finds a welcome escape at the library, but also faces the feelings and opinions of those who learn that she is different and comes from Germany.

As the war intensifies, bombs fall, and the library is destroyed, the women find new strength and resiliency to keep moving forward, adjusting and adapting. The story is a heartwarming tale of these new friends.

What an incredible story of faith, hope, love, and strength. I both laughed and cried with this book as I was reading it and I couldn’t put it down! I love that this book follows 3 different women, all coming from different backgrounds and different struggles. This book highlights the importance of having a strong set of friends around you to get through the difficult times in life. We can’t always choose our family, but we can choose our friends who become our family.

In The Underground Library, Jennifer Ryan explores the resilience of the human spirit, the courage of people when faced with adversity, and the friendship and community that can be formed by a diverse group of people. The Bethnal Green library was damaged during the Blitz, but instead of closing, Juliet, the new deputy librarian, had a plan to moved many of the books to the nearby underground station. This provided the opportunity for many people, who wouldn't other wise visit the library, to read during their stay in the tunnels. They also got to hear the reading of the classics each night, and to make friends of people they might never have known otherwise. Those friendships provided the support and encouragement needed during these difficult times.

Based on a true event, this is a must read for any who enjoy well written historical fiction. I could not put it down. I was able to read an ARC on #NetGaley.

I like that this story took a different direction when it comes to World War II. Instead of the horrors that some stories take, this one focus on the people who help each other through all the difficulties that the war inflicted on them. Now there are parts of the story that are sad, but the majority of the people are helping in both small and big ways. The library comes into play when the inhabitants of Bethnal Green have to go into the underground to escape the bombing and rely on books to relieve there anxiety and occupy their time and by doing so become even a stronger community.

There are many wonderful characters like Irene who helps Katie discover what her calling is and helps her find a place to take care of her baby and there is Mrs. Ottley who becomes a mother like figure to Juliet who has never had someone care for her like Mrs. Ottley does, and it so great when it happens, and these are just a few of the relationships in this story that make this story so wonderful and comforting and it will bring a kinder perspective toward people in this time period.

This is the second book I've read from Jennifer Ryan. The first one was, "The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle," which also looks at how people come together to help each other in this most dire time and it has just as many wonderful characters to root for as "The Underground Library."

I want to thank Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books and NetGalley for an advance copy of this story about how people come together in a crisis.

Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Genre: Historical Fiction
Setting: London
Format: 📖
Release Date: March 12, 2024
Length: 368 pages

The Underground Library is a delightful story about three women that were brought together by an unfortunate situation, World War II, and the Blitz of London.

It is the story about Sofie Baumann, a Jewish young lady that was forced to leave her family and escape Nazi Berlin for what she thought was one of the safest places, Britain.

It is a story about Juliet Lansdown, on her way from a small village to London. She is twenty-six year, single and intelligent, and has just been offered a job she just could not turn down, deputy librarian for the Bethnal Green Library. Juliet is up for the challenge of this job, a job usually held by men.

It is a story about young Katie Upwood of London, working for the summer until she could start university

The Underground Library is based on true event that happened to the Bethnal Green Library. I adore a good historical fiction book that weaves fact with fiction and Jennifer Ryan does the exceptionally. As one woman’s love for books and a library will rally a community through some of the most difficult dark times with hope and support and how that community embraces family, friends, and the empowerment of women.

Thank you, Jennifer Ryan, Ballentine Books and NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel is due to be released on March 12, 2024.

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Such a wonderful depiction of life in London during the Blitz. I love Jennifer Ryan's story telling and have read all of her books. An author I real enjoy following. For those who love books, the idea of reading to calm people while they are experiencing some awful real life experiences is a real recognition of the power of books.

It's WWII and 26-year-old Juliet Landsdowne has just arrived in London to start her new post as deputy librarian at the Bethnal Green Library. She is brimming with enthusiasm and ideas which are quickly shot down by the curmudgeonly head librarian, Mr. Pruitt. He is peeved that a position that would normally go to a man has been given to a woman as there don't seem to be any qualified male candidates who haven't already gone off to war.

Despite Mr. Pruitt's negativity, Juliet quickly befriends library assistant Kate who helps her plan a book club on Saturdays, Mr. Pruitt's day off. The book club soon becomes popular drawing more people to apply for library cards. Soon members of the book club see each other in the Bethnal Green Underground where they gather nightly because of the air raids. During one of these raids, the library building is severely damaged, and, undaunted, Juliet salvages as many books as she can and carries them to the Underground to continue the library there. With the help of Kate, two elderly sisters, a Jewish refugee, and her landlady, the Bethnal Green Library survives and thrives and provides a needed community in a time of uncertainty

The story is touchingly told and shows how prejudices and norms are changed in times of war and, of course, how strong women are when they work together. And in the words of Jennifer herself: "Libraries aren't only about books; they're about people. They're about human life, how books can mend hearts, comfort wounds, and inspire us. But most of all, books can bring people together. Their ideas and thoughts make us realize we are not alone, that we are all connected." Amen!

Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for an ARC ebook edition of this novel.

In August 1940, Juliet moves to London to be the deputy librarian at the Bethnal Green Library. She, along with a group of women, begin a book club. The women become close and help each other through difficult times. When the library is bombed, they move it underground, where it becomes the heart of the community.

I am so thrilled that The Underground Library was my last book of 2023.

As a librarian, this book really warmed my heart. Told from the perspective of three women, Katie, Juliet and Sofie, we get to see the Nazi invasion from many different perspectives.

Sofie must flee Germany in order to escape the Nazis and she leaves behind her father and sister.

Almost immediately the three women meet at the library in their neighborhood and form a book club. It is only when the library is bombed and damaged too severely to be repaired that the women decide to move the library underground in the Tube station.

This book was such a love letter to books, libraries and those who want to keep education alive. If you enjoy historical fiction, The Underground Library will not disappoint. Bonus points if you love the library!!

Thank you so incredibly much to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Another WWII historical fiction gem from Jennifer Ryan! This is the fourth book that I have read by her and it didn't disappoint. Her endearing characters and attention to historical detail have a way of pulling you in. Thank you to NetGalley for the advance reader copy of this book.

I really enjoyed this book. For those who love libraries and will fight to save them, this one is for you. I liked how each of the characters had a personal story/motivation, but they found common ground in their love of books. Thank you for the opportunity to read this one!

Jennifer Ryan’s The Underground Library was a beautiful story following three incredible women, Juliet, Katie, & Sofie as they meet at the Bethnal Green library in London during the Blitz.

Each woman’s story was unique and captivating. Their bravery and passion for helping others was inspiring.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book. 4 stars!

Juliet Lansdown is the new deputy librarian in the Bethnal Green part of London just as the Blitz started in World War II. The head librarian is a curmudgeonly type man who really wants to close down the library so he can move on to a larger library in a safer area. When a bomb hits the library, Juliet brings the remaining library books to the underground station nearby and brings the sheltering people there into a community.

Sophie is a Jewish refugee from Germany working for an abusive man. She takes refuge in the library whenever she can. Because of Sophie's abilities with languages gets her a job working for the War Department and out from under the odious man she works for. All she wants now is to have her sister with her. Juliet does all she can to help Sophie.

Katie loves working at the library, but there is a hitch--her fiancé has been declared MIA, and she's pregnant. Her mother wants to send her away and to give the baby up for adoption, but Katie is rather against that, even though her mother believes it will diminish the family's standing in society.

There are a pair of older sisters, the Riddells, who take these girls under their wings and treats them as though they are their very own family. They become mainstays in the underground library and work hard to bring the community together.

There is some romance in this book, but it is not overt and is a minor part and only serves to move the rest of the plot along. It's actually a great addition the way Jennifer Ryan worked it in. The Underground Library is a great read that is hard to put down. Four Strong Stars!

Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine Books provided the copy I read for this review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

The Underground Library was an excellent telling of three women brought together by a library. Although this is not a true story, it is based on real events that occurred in London. One was a Jew from Germany who escaped her homeland with a domestic work visa. Sofie was overworked and abused in the home where she kept house for a widower. The second was a native of London who found herself in a difficult situation after her boyfriend disappeared in the war. Katie was naive, but she worked in the library until she was ready to take college classes. She is forced to put those ambitions aside due to her illegitimate pregnancy. The third woman has moved from the countryside in England to be the deputy librarian at the Bethnal Green Library in London after her fiance disappeared in the war. Juliette quietly makes changes at the library that bring more patrons in, including a book club where all these ladies and many more meet and support each other. When the library is hit during an air raid, they take the library into the underground tunnels of the London train tube. The book continues to show how women worked together and became leaders during the war. Through it all, they found friendship and love through heartache.

‘The Underground Library’, is my first Jennifer Ryan book. I thoroughly enjoyed this historical fiction that highlights life in London during The Blitz, and how the library brought the community together during these bleak times in history. I will definitely add Ms. Ryan to my list of future authors to be read.

Three women from completely different backgrounds come together at Bethnel Green library. There they form a book club that moves underground as WW2 impacts the library building. With a rich cast of characters the novel shows how the women forged relationships with others and find their identities in the toughest of times.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

The Underground Library
By: Jennifer Ryan
Publication Date: March 12, 2024

The Underground Library is a wonderful historical novel that celebrates the bond of female friendships during dire life circumstances. It is all centred around the real-life events of an underground library set up in the underground shelter tunnels during the bombing blitz of London.
Sophie - a Jewish refugee from Germany arrives in London to work as a servant in a large house.
Juliet- an engaged young woman whose fiancé is reported missing on the front lines. She arrives in London to work as an assistant librarian.
Kate- a young girl heading off to University. Fall in love with a young soldier and soon finds herself in trouble.

These women developed a friendship along with Mrs. Ottley, the two Miss Ridleys and Marigold Saxby . Together they formed a book club that becomes something more than just about books. Together they help and support one another. They endure hardships and bring some hope and happiness to the greater community.

I have read several of Jennifer Ryan’s books. I always love how she creates stories that centre around the collective bond of female friendships. The Underground Library is another success. Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.