INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER“An irresistible tale which showcases the transformative power of literacy, reminding us of the hope and sanctuary our neighborhood bookstores offer during the perilous trials of war and unrest.”—KIM MICHELE RICHARDSON, author of The Book Woman of Troublesome CreekAugust 1939: London prepares for war as Hitler’s forces sweep across Europe. Grace Bennett has always … prepares for war as Hitler’s forces sweep across Europe. Grace Bennett has always dreamed of moving to the city, but the bunkers and blackout curtains that she finds on her arrival were not what she expected. And she certainly never imagined she’d wind up working at Primrose Hill, a dusty old bookshop nestled in the heart of London.
Through blackouts and air raids as the Blitz intensifies, Grace discovers the power of storytelling to unite her community in ways she never dreamed—a force that triumphs over even the darkest nights of the war.
“A gorgeously written story of love, friendship, and survival set against the backdrop of WWII-era London.”
—JILLIAN CANTOR, author of In Another Time and Half Life
“A love letter to the power of books to unite us, to hold the world together when it’s falling apart around our ears. This fresh take on what London endured during WWII should catapult Madeline Martin to the top tier of historical fiction novelists.”
—KAREN ROBARDS, author of The Black Swan of Paris
more
I devoured this story! I loved Grace and Primrose Hill Books! At its heart, The Last Bookshop in London is a love letter to the power of books to unite us, to hold the world together when it’s falling apart around our ears. This fresh take on what London endured during WWII should catapult Madeline Martin to the top tier of historical fiction novelists. I highly recommend it.
Enjoyable! Audio version with Saskia Maarleveld narrating (she also read Burning Sky and I think she’s terrific).
Loved this story of the daily sacrifices and small kindnesses that make life beautiful. Some of my favorite scenes: The bookseller collecting books rescued from Nazi book burnings so no voices would be silenced. The young woman reading Middlemarch to folks cowering in the tube during a bombing raid. An RAF pilot carrying on a courtship by sending favorite novels to his intended. A charming, worthwhile, uplifting story!
Loving this book so much I had to pause and recommend it!
The Last Bookshop in London is an irresistible tale which showcases the transformative power of literacy, reminding us of the hope and sanctuary our neighborhood bookstores offer during the perilous trials of war and unrest.
This is a well-written, entertaining historical fiction novel, based on true events, which takes place in London during WWII. It celebrates the joy of reading, wonderful friendships, and the warmth of community amid the tragedy and losses of war. It vividly describes the daily life in London, and has a touch of romance. I listened to the audio version of this novel, and the narrator, Ms. Saskia Maarleveld, has a lovely voice and does an outstanding job depicting the voices and expressing the personalities of the characters.
Out of the many WWII books I’ve read, this book – with a humble bookshop at the heart of it – has been one of the most enjoyable and heartwarming, This is a book that I will read more than once, just for the joy of it. The characters were excellent, the historical setting during the war years in London was fascinating, and best of all, was experiencing the power and magic of books within a book.
Loved this book so much!
With the London Blitz as its backdrop, one might expect the novel to be full of dread, destruction, and loss. It is however, the storyline of a girl falling in love that captured my heart. Though a love interest does exist within the pages, it is the girl’s love affair with books that truly sparked the joy in my heart. Being a fly on the wall as someone new to reading discovers a life beyond anything they previously could imagine is the real heartbeat of the novel and one I adored completely.
If I could, I’d give this more than 5 stars!
1939 Two girls leave for London to escape chains of country life with demanding families. What a time to seek change—the eve of war! Will they stay or flee like the children to the “safety” of the smaller towns?
There are so many truisms in this novel about the connections between books and readers. The question “What do you like best about reading?” is a winding thread, changing as events shatter the lives of these heroes in London. Reading changes our lives too—or it should.
The Last Bookshop in London is a wonderful story of friendship, loss and love, and Martin cleverly balances the hardships and heartbreak of wartime London, while at the same time creating an uplifting read. This is the type of story that will have you close to tears one moment, and then somehow smiling the next. An absolutely delightful read.
Could not put it down! A real feeling of time and place. So sad when it ended.
What a wonderful book! I loved the characters and the plot. From the title it sounds as if it would be a dime a dozen, but it is far from it. I liked Grace, her personality, her heart, loyalty, moral compass, and drive. I love the pacing of the book, the heartwarming and bittersweet moments, and I loved the ending.
Excellent 5/5 stars
What a truly wonderful book! It’s a great story and special treat for booklovers.
Country girl Grace Bennett and her friend Viv move to London just before the Blitz. They stay with Mrs. Weatherford, a friend of Grace’s late mom and Grace hopes to find work supporting the war effort or at Harrods. With Mrs. Weatherford’s help Grace goes to work at the Primrose Hill Bookshop, an old, dusty, disorganized bookshop that includes a crusty proprietor, Mr. Evans. Grace goes to work with a will and as she transforms the bookshop she begins to transform herself and those around her. In the depths of the nightmare that it the Blitz, Grace reads to the terrified people sheltering in the underground, bringing them moments of cheer and hope. The Last Bookshop in London is the story of hope and help and goodness of people. Don’t miss it!
I adored this book! Seriously, I can hear Laura Linney’s voice in my head announcing this as PBS’s new miniseries (I wish!). It has all the ingredients: London in wartime, a sweet, strong heroine, a wonderful cast of secondary characters, a bookstore that is a character all on its own, and an ending that was just so lovely I had a good sniff and had to wipe my eyes. It’s a warm, cozy book that doesn’t shy away from the trauma of war and the pain of loss. Highly recommend.
The Last Bookshop in London is a poignant novel set in London during WWII. Many novels written during this time focus on military battles, European politics and romance. I was drawn to this novel because Madeline Martin chose a different route. The Last Bookshop in London depicts the fears, the strengths and the shared experiences of the everyday person who lived and worked in London during WWII.
Grace Bennett and he best friend Viv arrive in London in 1939 as London was preparing for worwar. They take in the sights-the double decker buses and the shops- as they walk to Mrs. Weatherford’s home. Mrs. Weatherford was Grace’s late mother’s best friend and has offered them a room to rent. Grace and Viv were not prepared to see blackout curtains, the underground Anderson air raid shelter and gas masks when they arrive at Mrs. Weatherford’s home.
The characters made this story sparkle and shine! Grace wanted to work at Harrods with Viv but, she was unable to secure a reference from her uncle. Mrs. Weatherford was able to work her magic and secured a position for Grace at Primrose Hill books. Grace was disappointed went she walked into the unorganized, dusty book store and met Mr. Evans. She wasn’t a reader and felt out of place when asked to recommend books until she was gifted a book by George Anderson, one of the bookshops customers. Reading George’s book enabled Grace to forget about the war, the rationing, and the bombings for an hour or two. I loved the connection between George and Grace and how his simple gesture provided Grace with a revelation of what she has been missing. Loved the larger than life character of Mrs. Weatherford. She was warm, caring and an important part of the community. Mrs. Weatherford welcomed Grace and Viv into her family.
Witnessing the aftermath of the night bombings through Grace‘s eyes brought the events of the Blitz in a new light. Madeline Martin’s descriptive voice allowed me to walk in Grace’s shoes as she watched incendiary bombs rain down from the sky, smell the fires and see the aftermath of the nightly bombings during the Blitz. I admired Grace’s courage and the bravery of the Londoners who worked together to protect their community. Grace starts a reading hour at Primrose Hill. As she reads the stories out loud, she notices that the number of people gathered in the room grows daily and that her love of books has brought peace and happiness to others.
I highly recommend The Last Bookshop in London! It’s the perfect blend of engaging characters and wartime drama with a bit of romance. Settle in with a pot of tea and enjoy this heartfelt, emotional read.
First, let me say I normally do not enjoy books about war time. I bought this audio book because Madeline Martin is a favorite author of mine. I got the audio because I didn’t think I would finish the ebook because like I said, not my favorite subject.
The emotions that this book generated was unreal. I couldn’t even listen to it at work because I would sit here and cry or I would laugh.
I had dreams about this book, wondering what was going to happen next. Grace’s discovery of books and what they can bring to your life is so good.
I will never forget this book.
Thank you Madeline Martin for such a heart stirring book.
I can’t remember listening to this narrator before but she brought just the right timbre to each of the character’s voices that you would think there was a whole cast of people reading the book.
If you’re a book lover, you will love this story! Grace, who’s never been much of a reader, ends up working in a bookstore during the height of London’s tragedies of World War II. Not only does Grace become an avid reader, but she inspires her bookshop patrons as well as victims of bombings that she meets through her duties as an Air Raid Precautions Warden by reciting stories from memory or reading from books. I loved the characters in this story, especially Grace, Mrs. Weatherford, and Mr. Evans and I enjoyed the way Madeline Martin neatly resolved all the subplots by the end of the book.
This story made me bawl toward the end of the book. I loved that the story is around a bookstore and there is a little bit of romance. This is a story of joy and heartache and growing up. I love Grace and Mr. Evans and Mrs. Weatherford. Grace helps Mr. Evans and Mrs. Weatherford to handle what happens during WWll and they help her. This is a beautiful story. I received a copy of this book from Mira and Harlequin for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
In Madeline Martin’s The Last Bookshop in London, small Town girls from Dayton, England find adventure in London. Grace and Viv escape overbearing guardians when they use their savings to hop a train to London to find work and live with Mrs. Weatherford, a good friend of Grace’s late mother.
The two friends find work and a loving home, and with the start of The Blitz, they find more adventure than they bargained for. Like many Londoners, they find an inner strength that keeps them keeping on. Through a customer, Grace discovers the joy of reading and eventually shares that joy through a storytelling hour at the bookshop she works in. It unites her neighborhood in ways she could not have anticipated.
The Last Bookshop in London is based on a true story of grit and determination through the darkest nights of the war. I loved the characters, the discussion of books and bookshops, and most of all, I loved how Ms. Martin portrayed that books can lead to friendship and friends create hope in the darkness.