I received an advanced copy of this text from NetGalley for review.

This book follows the lives of many characters' daily lives as they adjust during WW2. Juliet is the main character, and the one we see on the cover as the Deputy Librarian. She has moved to Bethnal Green in London after her boyfriend has gone missing in action, and declared a deserter by the army. Heart-broken she is looking for a fresh start away from judgmental people.

We also meet Sofie, Rachel, their father, and Rachel's boyfriend. A Jewish family who is trying to escape Berlin but finding that it will be difficult to do so together. Sofie goes ahead of everyone else to London, and then makes it her mission to reunite her family.

And finally, the last major character we meet is Katie. She is a young girl, in love, who comes from a well-to-do family. But also one that doesn't hold back in sharing their opinions about how she should live her life. When her boyfriend is killed in action, her entire world comes tumbling down around her, and it seems as if there is nobody to turn to.

These women find each other after the Underground Library is established, due to repeated bombings in London. These damaged the original public library and gave Juliet the idea of moving some of the books underground in order to give the community something to do while they were sheltering in that location already. This turns out to be a benefit for many reasons.

This historical fiction story of three women in London during WWII and the blitz was an inside look at the ways in which people coped and came together during the worst of times.
Juliet moves to London as the Assistant Librarian at the Bethnal Green Library, coming from the country, and excited about her new responsibilities.
Sophie is a German Jewish refugee who obtained a visa to work as a servant for an abusive and bitter man.
Katie is a young woman in love, pregnant with her boyfriend who is missing in action in the war.
Once the Blitz starts, librarians and locals take refuge in the Underground where Juliet starts a book club reading and discussing books,
The story brings another aspect of WWII demonstrating the devastation of London, the fear of its inhabitants, as well as the development of female friendships, and found family while coping with the losses of war and the fight for survival. The importance of books was integral to the plot (of course).
Each of the main characters developed a romance that did bring some hope to their plight, but I thought they were a little too predictable and melodramatic.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Random House and liked seeing London from this point of view. The opinions expressed are my own. .

Juliet Landsdown is thrilled to be moving to London to work in the Bethnal Green library, despite the fact that it's the middle of WWII. The stuffy library director isn't very welcoming but Juliet perseveres.

Taking refuge in the underground station during the Blitz, Juliet forms a book club. Sofie, a Jewish refugee working as an exploited and abused maid, desperately searching for news of her sister and Katie, who is keeping a secret from her family after the death of her young man in the war are book club members as well as juliet's landlady. When the library is itself bombed, Juliet moves many of the books to the Underground, setting up an impromptu library there to help people get through the long hours of bombings. Of course, the library director objects and Juliet and her friends try to save the library, and one another.

Based on a true story, this tale of the Underground Library will quickly hook fans of WWII fiction.

Note: I read an ARC provided by NetGalley.

A great perspective of women finding community during the darkest of times. Loosely based on a real u underground library, Ryan provides a tiny bit of light in an otherwise dark part of world history.

Jennifer Ryan once again gives her readers an authentic look at life in England during WWII. She paints for us authentic characters and problems that need creative solutions. Many of us are familiar with the urban setting during the blitz and the horrors that the citizens faced. But what did they do during the air raids? Where did they go? How did they protect themselves and their families?
Well, our author gives us a snapshot of life underground at night during the bombing.
The Underground Library is a book with strong woman characters who create a community with what they've been given. It's a book about books. It's a book with sadness, resilience, love and loss.
It is also a book that wraps up all the loose ends rather tidily. I'm a fan of happy endings so that works for me.
I am grateful to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC of The Underground Library by Jennifer Ryan.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for a review copy as well as a finished copy in exchange for my honest opinion. I have to be in the right mood to read historical fiction, and this is an engaging bookish read that I really enjoyed.
Set in London during World War II, The Underground Library boasts a strong female main character, Juliet, taking on the Assistant Librarian role with a boss who has low expectations for her because she’s a woman. Told through three different female characters, The Underground Library shows the significant of female friendships and found family, as well as the importance of books and libraries, and the respite they can bring, mentally and physically, even in times of struggle
Having recently read Nineteen Steps, based on the Bethnal Green tube disaster, I had some knowledge of the Underground usage for shelter, and I really appreciated the author’s notes about what small embellishments and timeline rearrangements had been made for the storyline to work best. If you’re a historical fiction fan and a library lover, this book would be a great pick!

I adore historical fiction that includes bookish characters, jobs, or communities. I was instantly in love with this book cover and couldn't wait to read it! The Underground Library is an incredible historical fiction novel that readers of The Librarian of Burned Books and The Keeper of Hidden Books will love. This book takes you on an emotional journey through three characters lives and it will be impossible to forget.

I do love novels set in England during the blitz. Ms. Ryan really breathed new life into the themes of war, family, loss, love, essentially what makes life worth living when there is death and destruction all around you. Books provide so much when times are good and even more when times are bad. The three heroines were very well written and fleshed out with believable back stories. I enjoyed each heroine for different reasons. I don't want to spoil anything so go ahead and read The Underground Library!
I look forward to reading more from Ms. Ryan.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC

I ADORED The Underground Library. This novel is the perfect culmination of WWII trials meets strong women meets found family. It seems a bit out of place to call a story about war heartwarming, but that’s exactly what it is. All three of our main characters along with a full cast of secondary characters are fleshed out and fully developed. I loved getting to know each and every one of them. I know this book and these characters will stick with me for quite a while.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I truly appreciated this story about the importance of books, and friendship. I rooted for each of the characters throughout the story, and connected with almost all of them. The only one I did not like was Victor, but that was done on purpose. I do not think the reader is supposed to trust him. I did not know anything about underground libraries before reading this novel, and i appreciate that I was able to learn something new.

The novel follows three women during the early stages of WWII. Near the beginning of the London Blitz, the German bombs destroyed the large and beautiful Bethnal Green Library, requiring its relocation underground. Juliet Lansdown has just taken the role of Assistant Librarian, a role usually reserved for men. Jewish Sofie Baumann has managed to obtain a visa to leave Berlin for London as a household servant. Household servants were one of the few ways Jews could still get out of Germany and go to the relatively safe shores of England. Katie Upwood, a library assistant, finds out she is pregnant shortly after hearing that her beau is missing in action, presumed dead. Together these women, and the growing community taking to the tube station for nightly shelter, form a support system for the female cast of The Underground Library. It was interesting reading about the events happening during this time. Big hotels opened their basements for dancing, women in internment camps teaching each other skills, the treatment of unwed mothers surprised me, deserters are mentioned, efforts at Jewish reunification. The universities started to open up for female students due to a lack of male students.

It is an amazing historical fiction due to all the factors told. The novel is written by the three females — each one in a different chapter. I enjoyed “seeing” through their eyes and thoughts. It’s a book to be treasured.

There are a lot of WWII stories out there, and I'll admit that I was hesitant to dive into another one...but I am happy to report that I really enjoyed this book. As the story progressed I found myself more and more invested in these characters, and I also appreciated that while there were definitely love story components to most of the storylines they weren't the focus of the story. I think what made this book stand out amongst the wealth of other WWII novels is its focus on the library, and the fact that it was based on a real underground library. I thought the author did a great job of depicting the impact public libraries can have on their communities, and how much value libraries add to the lives of the patrons that rely on them.

This was a delightful novel. I can't remember the last time I read a book where there was limited tension and fear that things wouldn't work out in a positive way for the characters. Yes, horrible events were going on in London during the Blitz, but the characters in the novel displayed courage and resiliency, much like we read that Londoners really did. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction and even a touch of romance.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book a lot. It was as good as Jennifer Ryan's other books!

Wow, what a wonderful book! I like historical fiction and have been trying to read more lately. It seems like a lot of recent books are set in bookstores or libraries, which are some of my favorite places. Ms. Ryan has done her research, and this book reflects the horrors and fears (plus the goodness) of living in the time of the blitz. Her characters are well developed and likable, even relatable. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in historical fiction. I look forward to reading Ms.Ryan's future books.

I am always drawn to World War II fiction and have read quite a few books about it. The Underground Library was probably one of the better ones that I've read though I think I might be biased because I am a librarian and it is a book about how important librarians and books were to the time period.

I liked that the three women that were POV characters were pretty different from another and therefore easy to remember which one you were reading about at which time. The combination of character types was also good with Juliet being a working librarian trying to gain respect as a woman, Katie being a younger woman with relationship trouble and a big secret in a time period where that secret was scandalous, and Sofie, a Jewish refugee. The women were wonderful characters and I liked their character growth.

Overall I really liked the book and how it depicted the importance of books, especially in a time of such high anxiety though I kind of think the ending may be a bit unrealistic. (Spoiler alert: it was a pretty darn happy ending for everyone given the circumstances.)

I don't like to say I enjoy stories involving the war, but I'm unsure how else to acknowledge the wonderful story that was told based on the time period. The writing is beautiful; the characters felt real and I was fully invested in their lives.

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC of The Underground Library!

Juliet Lansdown moves to London to take a job as deputy librarian right before the Blitz after her fiancé goes missing during the Battle of Dunkirk. Katie Upwood is thrilled that Juliet is joining her at the library and leans on her as she also lost her beau during Dunkirk. Sofie Baumann, a young Jewish refugee, came to London on a domestic service visa only to find herself working as a maid for a man who treats her abominably. She escapes to the library every chance she can, finding friendship in the literary community and aid in finding her sister, who is still trying to flee occupied Europe. Together, with other members of the library, these women learn to survive the chaos of war and lean on each other.

This book is a delightful addition to the WW2 historical fiction genre! This book is lighter than a lot of others in this genre and while there are definite moments of anguish, this is a mostly uplifting story of surviving a war and welcoming progress for women. I have been moving away from reading WW2 books but I am really glad I picked this one up. The characters, main and secondary, are well-developed, unique, and delightful. This book touches on some history that I hadn't heard before so it was delightful learning new details as well.

I genuinely enjoyed this book. It was interesting to see multiple POV’s from many backgrounds. I have to admit it did seem to sag in the middle a bit, no real peak to the story.

Another book about WWII and the chaos and destruction caused by Hitler and his madmen. But out of the horrors, the rubble, the despair, a group of women find their inner strength, their ability to support each other and those around them. I was rooting for each one as they faced their deepest fears. My heart broke for Sofie, torn from her family and sent across the sea to what was hoped to be a safe job, finding those new circumstances slightly better than slavery. How could you not cheer on Juliet, a bright and optimistic young woman, leaving behind her oppressive parents and a fiancé lost to the war to assume a dream job as a Deputy Librarian. Katie is a bright eighteen year old student, the first in her school about to start university until everything falls apart. Then there is Mrs. Ottley who has sent her children to the country to protect them from the Blitz and who offers Juliet a place to live. Irene and Dorothy Ridley, the dearest set of older sisters who play such an important role in helping these young women to realize their capabilities.

Ryan has done an excellent job of adding flesh to her characters so that they truly come alive and depth to her story. In Sofia’s words she explains “how transitory life was, how nothing ever stayed the same, every life fluttering in the wind.” Heartbreaking and uplifting she shows us the worst and the best of humankind. She offers hope when things are beyond tenuous and always keeps the door open for one more chance. Katie reminds us “beneath all the struggles and unspoken rules, life was about these inborn connections, as easy and instinctive as nature itself.”

So many thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for a copy of this very moving book.