What I loved most about the book is how it shows the power of books and stories to bring people together, even in the darkest times. Sophie’s love for the bookshop and her determination to keep it alive were so inspiring. It reminded me how important books are in helping us find hope and strength.

The writing is simple yet full of emotion. The descriptions of Prague were so vivid that I felt like I was walking its streets alongside Sophie. The historical details were well-researched, making the story feel real and alive.

Sophie is such a relatable character. She’s scared but also incredibly brave when it matters most. Her journey shows that even ordinary people can make a difference. The relationships she builds with the people around her—her family, friends, and customers—add so much heart to the story.

If you love historical fiction with strong characters and a lot of heart, I highly recommend The Last Bookshop in Prague. It’s a beautiful story that reminds us of the strength of the human spirit.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Boldwood Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you so much!

This was a gripping and well researched insight into Prague during the war. Often disturbing although equally uplifting I loved the setting in the bookshop and the determination that got the characters through their story. Would recommend, thank you.

This book is so good and I am impressed with author’s writing style. This story about Prague or Jana or other characters are well portrayed, the author well researched about history and gave it a detailed description of war life. Jana a young, beautiful and brave human is the heart of the story lives with her father and runs a bookshop, I followed through her beautiful journey from bookshop to army office and helping the injured in war. She risks her life to save everyone in need. And also runs a secret book club.

A beautiful story of true grit and determination in difficult times. I enjoyed this story even though at times it was sad. Having it set in Prague made it more special. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

The Last Bookshop in Prague is a historical novel during WWII era. It was an emotional, book of courage, and love. Jana, an owner of a bookshop in Prague became involved in the Resistance movement even though placing her life in jeopardy. She develops a plan to get secrets to others who are involved in the movement. The banning of books is relative to today. and what should be done about it. I'm sure you will find this book a powerful read as much as I did Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this novel.

This wartime novel by Helen Parusel is both inspiring and deeply moving, capturing the harrowing experiences of Jana and multiple other characters with chilling precision. The unexpected twists, particularly surrounding Jana’s friends and family, kept me on edge, making for a gripping narrative. The emotional depth and vivid storytelling lingered with me long after the final page, resonating with themes of resilience and hope. It’s a compelling read that I highly recommend for anyone seeking a profound and unforgettable story.

Wonderful suspenseful fiction - If you love ww2 fiction, then you will read this in one setting as I did. Its so good you won't want to put it down.
The bookshop owner is Jana, who helps hide Jewish children from the Nazis, despite the high risk of it to herself. The author did a great job researching the era and events. There is a bit of a love story which is full of suspense of its own making. Great read!
Thank you to the author and publisher for this arc.

What an amazing book. The book is so well written, with such believable characters and scenarios it seems more like a true story. It is well researched, and well written, and I couldn’t put it down – as hard as it was to read at some points.

Jana runs a bookshop, that was once owned by her mother, and lives upstairs with her widowed father. The bookshop isn’t doing very well – mostly because the Nazi’s have banned most of the books she wants to sell. When Captain Kovar comes in to buy a book Jana initially doesn’t trust him, however their shared love of literature brings them slowly together. When Jana hides a Jewish child, and then two more, and hides them in the countryside with a grandparent she realises she needs to help by opposing the Nazis wherever she can. When a friend gives up a job cleaning at the Nazi headquarters through pregnancy, Jana takes over for the money, but also to spy and report to the resistance.

I hadn’t heard of Helen Parusel, but I will certainly be looking out for more of her books. I absolutely loved this one.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6903814156

https://maddybooksblog.blogspot.com/2024/10/the-last-bookshop-in-prague-by-helen.html

A great story set against the back drop of Nazi occupied Prague during WW2. Lots of atmosphere created by the sights and sounds of Prague. The story shows the bravery of the normal, every day people who did brave deeds. Although fiction, there were so many individuals who risked their lives to help others and to free themselves from tyranny.

The Last Bookshop in Prague by Helen Parusel is written superbly and with such a powerful and emotive backdrop that is Prague during WW2. It is a gripping and absorbing read for fans of historical fiction, especially set during the war. Helen Parusel vividly paints a picture of what it was like for many people in the heart of Prague, whether they be innocent citizens, or resistance in the face of oppression.

It follows the story of Jana as she goes from being a quiet bookseller living with her father to one of the resistance members, a spy, a smuggler of children and a sender of secret messages and codes. I think Jana grew so much from the beginning to the end of the book and found herself thinking differently, setting her priorities differently and emerging a confident, brave and loyal Czech citizen.

This book involves themes of friendships, loyalty, staying true to yourself, bravery and family amongst the horror and brutality of the war. I like that the author has used real personalities and events sitting beside her characters. A fantastic read!

Thank you to Netgalley, Boldwood Books and Helen Parusel for allowing me to read an ARC of this book. All opinions stated are my own.

The Last Bookshop In Prague is a beautifully written historical novel during the time of the German occupation of Czechoslovakia during World War II. The bookshop in question is run by Jana who lives with her widowed father and is determined to keep books available to the residents of Prague especially when the Nazis ban them. The shop becomes a meeting point for women whose husbands are away fighting the Germans and for the resistance movement to which Jana belongs. The horrors of being occupied and the dangers encountered when Jana helps young Jewish refugees are realistic and the research involved is lightly but effectively handled in the narrative. Highly recommended for fans of 20th century historical fiction. Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Historical fiction is one of my favourite genres, so I jumped at the chance to read Helen Parusel’s latest book. Jana owns a bookshop and is also secretly involved with the resistance whilst working as a part-time cleaner at one of the German headquarters in Prague.

Helen’s writing provides intrigue, whilst showing empathy for the characters she writes about. Many books set during WWII are based on true events, and this is no exception. I love learning about events that took place during the war, how people dealt with horrific situations and how resilient they had to become.

Resistance, bookshop, wartime, secret codes - I just knew this was going to be a book I’d love!

Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books and Rachel’s Random Resources for the opportunity to read and review The Last Bookshop in Prague by Helen Parusel.

Jana lives with her widowed father above their bookshop in the city of Prague which is, at the start of the story, under German occupation. With certain books banned, Jana is determined to maintain interest in her bookshop and so organises a book club where local women have a safe place to get together but with her shop being watched, Jana is placing herself in great danger especially when she sees what is happening within the Jewish community.

This is such a beautifully described story which brings this dangerous period in European history alive in a really special way. I enjoyed getting to know more about a period in WWII history which I didn’t know very much about and which is brought to life so vividly. Desperately sad in places, this story reiterates the stoicism and bravery of those European communities who suffered so much during this dangerous time in world history.

The Last Bookshop in Prague combines everything I love in skilful historical fiction, the chance to learn something new about a moment in time and to have a story with one of the main characters being a bookshop. With a strong sense of time and place, The Last Bookshop in Prague, is a story which stays with you long after the last page is turned.

In this fascinating and powerful World War II historical fiction novel, readers live in a bookshop in Prague where Jana, the owner, fights back against the Nazi occupation in her own way. From banned book clubs, cover signals in bookmark displays, and hiding secret code in books and bookmarks, Jana uses her shop to help the local resistance in every way she can. Two unexpected patrons -- a young Jewish boy and a fascist police captain -- turn Jana’s life and resistance activities upside down and make her question everything, especially who she can trust. As the occupation grows and the German control over Prague becomes tighter, everything is more dangerous for Jana and her allies and the bookshop becomes a last haven for the survivors. With a fascinating cast of characters, Jana is a brilliant and capable protagonist with her heart in the right place, and the other characters help bring out her strength over the course of the novel. Focusing on the city life under occupation and the underground resistance rather than battles, Parusel brings the contributions of women like Jana and her allies to life in striking historical detail in this complex, enjoyable, and brilliant World War II historical fiction novel.

I absolutely loved this book, it was well written and good storyline. Highly recommend! I have never read a book by this author before but definitely would after reading this book.

The story revolves around Jana and her father. They have a bookshop they are trying to keep open during the invasion of the Germans.
Jana decides to join the resistance against the Germans.
The authors portrayal of a German occupied country during the war was very informative.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Set in Prague under the control of the Germans, Jena runs her bookshop, taking down titles no longer 'acceptable', she lives with her father who makes puppets, they, too, have to change to become Germanic girls and boys, blond hair, dirndl skirts and lederhosen. To make ends meet she cleans at the local German Headquarters and turns to helping the résistance. She has fears as to whom she can trust - her 'wannabe' boyfriend, the local policeman, her friends of the slightly clandestine book club? She has issues of conscience too. Well-written and the reader certainly gets the feeling of danger and horror of occupation. A well researched book including the Red Cross being hood winked about the Jewish camp with the face showing a happy, well fed community compared with what was going on at the back door. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

This book touched my soul.

Jana is kind and gentle but she wants to help the resistance against the Nazis , she doesn't hestitate.

It is a little slow. I needed the pace to be a bit faster but I loved the characters, I loved the atmosphere and it was so heartwarming I couldn't put it down.

4 stars

4.5 stars rounded up! The Last Bookshop in Prague was the first book that I had the pleasure of reading by Helen Parusel. I was impressed with her writing and the impeccable research she conducted in order to write this compelling historical fiction book. As the title of the book suggests, The Last Bookshop in Prague took place in the Czechoslovakian city of Prague and a lot of the story centered around a particular family owned and operated bookstore during the years of 1942-1945. The characters were well developed and some of them were actual people that existed. I really enjoyed the role that books played throughout The Last Bookshop of Prague.

Jana Hajek a twenty something strong and determined young woman who lived above the bookshop that her late mother had owned and ran and was now in her possession. She lived with her widowed father, a puppeteer by trade. Prague had changed so drastically since the Nazi invasion. Many bookstores were forced to close with the implementation of banned books by the Nazis but Jana was determined to keep her bookshop open. She welcomed children into her shop where she read to them at scheduled times to help them temporarily escape from all that was going on around them. Jana also organized a group for some of the children’s mothers. They read books of their choosing and then summarized them for the group and exchanged the books with each other. Jana developed close friendships with some of the women in the book exchange.

There was one young boy who frequented her shop almost daily. Jana learned that the shy young boy’s name was Michal and that he was Jewish. Michal almost always stayed at Jana’s bookshop as long as he could. One night Jana offered to walk Michal to his home when she realized how late it had gotten. Just as Jana and Michal were approaching Michal’s house they witnessed that the Nazis were rounding up many of the Jewish people that lived there. Michal’s mother was among those people that were being shoved onto the back of a truck. With her eyes, Michal’s mother implored Jana to hide Michal from the Germans. Michal didn’t understand where his mother was being taken to but he held hope that she would return soon. Jana took Michal back to the bookshop. Just as they made their way to the back of the shop, police officers stomped in looking for a young Jewish boy. Jana hid Michal under the sink in the tiny kitchen in the back of the bookshop. One of the officers searched there but informed the others that the boy was not there. Why had he done that? Clearly he must have seen Michal under the sink. There was something about that particular officer that made Jana feel like there was something special about him. Jana knew that she should ignore her attraction but she was having a hard time doing that. After the police left, Jana made a decision. Michal would stay with her and her father until Jana was able to locate one of his relatives. When that did not happen, Jana and her father decided that it was safer for Michal if Jana was able to smuggle Michal out of the city to her grandmother’s farm in the country. Jana went on to save two other Jewish children, both girls, who probably would have been transported to a camp and killed if Jana hadn’t taken the risk to save them.

In the meantime, Jana began working at Prague Castle as a part time cleaner. She had taken over the position that her best friend had held until her pregnancy got in the way. Prague Castle had been taken over by the SS and Nazis officials. Of all the Nazis that occupied the offices at Prague Castle, Reinhardt Heyrich was by far the most feared and the most evil. He was known as “The Butcher of Prague” for good reason. Jana, now part of the resistance, was deemed with the responsibility of keeping track of Heyrich’s arrival times at the Prague Castle and also how he arrived. Jana wasn’t sure why this information was important but she kept accurate records. In the privacy of the bookshop, Jana transposed the information she gathered using a code and hid them in homemade bookmarks. Jana’s lowly position at the castle allowed her to overhear vital information that was discussed in Reinhardt Heyrich’s office as well. One day, Jana had overheard Heyrich talking about “a final solution”. She wasn’t sure what it meant but she knew it had to be bad coming from Heyrich. Jana devised a system so that the resistance members would know when she had important information that couldn’t wait to be shared with them. It was conveyed by the way she arranged the bookmarks in the bookshop’s window. Jana’s diligent tracking of Heyrich’s arrival times at Prague Castle and other pertinent information that was gathered by other resistance members led to an assassination attempt on Reinhardt Heyrich by members of the resistance.

The Last Bookshop in Prague by Helen Parusel was both heartbreaking and uplifting. I found it quite thought provoking and engaging throughout. The Last Bookshop in Prague portrayed what the Czech people experienced on a day to day basis during the Nazi occupation. I had not been aware of the Prague uprising nor the Lidice and Lezaky massacres before reading this book. Those massacres were examples of the pure evil that permeated throughout the Nazi regime. I really admired Jana’s courage, determination and dedication to the resistance and her beloved country. She was strong, intelligent and brave. I also admired Jana’s grandmother for her selfless dedication to the Jewish children in her care. She took the three children into her home, showed them love and cared for them despite the risk she faced if they were ever discovered. There was a strong element of romance mixed in as well. The Last Bookshop In Prague focused on the themes of survival, hope, loss, family, friendships, resilience, war, risks, love and the power of books. I really enjoyed reading The Last Bookshop in Prague and highly recommend it.

Thank you to Boldwood Books for allowing me to read The Last Bookshop in Prague by Helen Parusel through Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.

A suspenseful historical novel set during world war 2 in Prague. Jana joins the resistance to help with doing whatever she can to get the German’s out of her city. There’s a fascist police captain who hangs around Jana’s book store and Jana isn’t sure what he wants. Lovers of historical wartime fiction will really enjoy this read. Thank you to NetGalley for letting me read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.