I would like to thank NetGalley and Random House Ballentine for allowing me to read this book and give my honest opinion. I literally could not stop reading this book. This book centers around Sofie, a german Jewish young woman; Katie, an employee at the library; and Juliet, a deputy librarian. The book starts off as all three women are about to embark into a new world: Sofie, moving to London to be a housemaid on a workers visa, Katie, about to start college, and Juliet, a new job in London, away from the shame of her fiance deserting at the front lines. The women meet and instantly are friends. The book has many twists and turns and although the ending of the book was far before the end of WW2, I hope for happy endings for each of the characters. Very well created characters and a great supporting cast.

5 stars - review from an ARC copy provided by the publisher.

For fans of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I’ve read all of Ryan’s books but this is my favorite.

This isn’t the first or even second book I’ve read this year centered around libraries and books during World War II-it’s the fourth. Yet this slice of history felt fresh as I found myself transported to the streets and tunnels of Bethnal Green. I instantly felt apart of the community of women.

Juliet. Sofie and Kate are from different backgrounds, countries and cultures brought together by the love of the written word.. These three young women are at the mercy of war but still manage to take charge of their futures and bring together a community.

The book has friendship, romance, drama, and of course many odes to books and libraries. Reading is often a solitary task yet books and libraries have the power to unite people.

With a Jennifer Ryan novel I know that I am always in for a treat! I can sit in my chair, knowing that I will soon be immersed in wonderful writing that will draw me in until I exist only in these pages. I have enjoyed all her books immensely, but I think this one might be her best yet! There is everything for a historical fiction fan and WWII genre enthusiast to love here: excellent historical accuracy, dialogue is perfect and fits the time of the setting, three lovely women who are all on different life journeys yet meet through the power of books. I loved every second of it and will definitely be placing a paper copy on my 'keepers' shelf! HIGHLY recommended!

Inspired by real-life events, this story tugs at the heart during WWII when communities all over London had to find shelters to escape the destruction from bombs. It’s told by three characters who found each other through the love of books.

Sofie was 19 years old when she nervously travelled from Berlin to London by train leaving her Jewish family behind. The British Embassy only allowed Germans a visa if they had a job. Sofie was hired as a servant for Ernest Wainwright who was grumpy, strict, and non-forgiving. He treated her horribly and threatened to send her back to Germany if she didn’t keep up with his demands.

Juliet was 26 years old and unmarried. She was happily engaged to Victor, a writer, but he left to fight in the war and she hadn't heard from him. It was unclear if he would be returning. In the meantime, she was charmed by one of her school friends, Sebastian.

Katie was only 18 years old when her boyfriend was now fighting on the front lines. Word was sent that he was missing in action. She didn't want to believe this to be true. She was smart and had plans to attend the university. Yet, something happened which stopped her.

All of these women were connected through an underground library. Juliet was hired in the beginning as a Deputy Librarian and Katie was working as an assistant. Sofie dropped by when she could to get maps and be with friends. When times became brutal with the bombs, people stayed overnight in the underground station.

Juliet set up an underground library with help from two older sisters and a few others which was enthusiastically appreciated. She started to read books to a handful of people and later to a crowd. Yet, problems came up that needed to be solved.

The characters make this book undeniably wonderful. There was so much love and support with each other sorting through dreadful situations. The war changed everyone making them more aware of the burdens placed in front of them. They depended on each other to survive. It’s very well written and highly satisfying.

My thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of March 12, 2024.

Each chapter of The Underground Library focuses on one of the three main characters. Juliet leaves home to become a deputy librarian of the Bethnal Green Library. Because most men are fighting at the front of WWII in London, women are needed to take jobs usually held by men. Sofie is a Jewish refugee who obtains a visa and comes to Bethnal Green as a housemaid, leaving her sister and father. Katie is a clerk at the library and is thrilled that another woman, Juliet, is there. These three women’s paths cross and they learn that you don’t have to be blood related to become family. After the Blitz, the library is destroyed. The women decide they will transfer as many books as possible to the underground station so those that are sheltered will be able to obtain books. As the war continues, things change for each woman, some good, some not. But they learn that the underground library and the books are not only to read, but they’re to bring people together and heal their hearts.

Jennifer Ryan is my go to author when I want to read a historical novel. Her books, based on actual events that took place during WWII, mostly feature women on the home front coping with the effects of rationing, working outside the home, German bombing, fear about their loved ones and often the deaths of these loved ones. I have thoroughly enjoyed all of her novels. The Underground Library is no exception and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read for me.
This novel is the story of what happened when the bombing of London caused much of daily life to move underground. To escape the nightly bombing many Londoners carried their belongings deep below ground to the tube stations to sleep. When a neighborhood library is bombed a young assistant librarian moves books into an underground passageway and sets up a library complete with story time and a primary school. Other characters are introduced and we follow along with their wartime struggles and the help they provide to this library community. Honestly, you don’t want this story to end. The characters are so likable and real.

I knew I would enjoy this! I’m always amazed when I read about the WW2 London blitz…the strength, determination and spirit of the citizens was amazing. What a nightmare that must have been, and yet they carried on.
Once again Jennifer Ryan introduces us to a group of characters who are brought together by circumstance. They bond through the Bethnal Green Library book club, and grow stronger through each trial with the support of their new friends. It’s definitely a feel-good story.
I was surprised to read in the author’s notes at the end that the Bethnal Green Library was indeed bombed and moved to the underground train tunnel. Who knew?
Thank you to the publishers at NetGalley for the advanced reader copy for review.

The Underground Library by Jennifer Ryan

368 Pages
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine Books, Ballantine Books
Release Date: March 12, 2024

Fiction, Historical Fiction, World War II, Great Britain

Sophie is a refugee from Berlin. She has a work visa as a maid to Mr. Wainwright. If she loses her position in the household, she loses her visa. He is a demanding and stern man. When she breaks an ornament, he takes her mother’s gold bracelet. She steals a ring and pawns in to get information of her family.

Juliet is the new deputy librarian. She was engaged to Victor who disappeared and believed to be a deserter. She begins making changes to the library like adding a book club and a children’s reading time. She volunteers her time as an ambulance driver.

Katie is a teenager preparing to go to university. She works with Juliet at the library. She learns her lover, Christopher, is missing and believed dead. Now she finds herself pregnant. Her mother’s plan is to pretend to be pregnant and pass the baby off as her own.

The book is fast paced, the characters are well developed, and it is written in the third person point of view. The story is set in the same time as the Wedding Dress Sewing Circle also written by this author. If you like historical fiction, you will enjoy this book.

WWII, the setting the London Blitz. Told through the eyes of three protagonists, we read as Juliet Lansdown, Katie Upwood ,and Sofie Baumann tell their story of London and the Bethnal Green Library. Juliet who becomes the first Deputy Librarian struggles to breathe life back into the library, through the blitz with its falling bombs and the men who doggedly do not want Juliet or any women running it. Katie Upwood works at the library, but has a secret in her life, one that threatens not only how her family perceives her, but how society does. Sofie Baumann a German refugee who made her way to London with a visa as a servant. Alone and leaving her family behind in Germany, she is working as a housemaid for a man who treats her contemptuously. For her, the only respite she has is visiting the library whenever she gets the chance, where she makes some friends. Bethnal Green Library was the glue that held the community together in times of crisis, whatever would they do without it?

These characters are fleshed out and well developed. The research impeccable and the writing with each chapter draws you in. Through Jennifer Ryan this book comes alive in its telling. Bringing the war and the blitz back to reality, it's so much more than a saga of historical fiction. The censorship and banning of books...appalling and deplorable. We are facing that now! For myself and those who love reading as well as those authors who "set pen to paper" it is offensive, disgusting.

My thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love reading Jennifer Ryan's historical fiction. This is a WWII story of a very mixed group of people living near the Bethnal Green tube station who bring the library into the station, creating a community in the underground as they spend their nights during the Blitz. I loved the variety of characters and the historical picture the author paints. While the horrors of the war are clear and devastating, the story has enough optimism and happy surprises that I didn't feel too heavy reading it (which I always appreciate).

This is a very lovely book that had a great cadence to the read. I loved following the stories of the women and how they provided comfort, all in their own way, during a very stressful time for their country. I love the fact that they knew books provided comfort and brought the library to the people. Superb book!!
Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in advance.

I loved this book so much that I am going to read it again! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
The story plot is about 2 Jewish sisters who flee from Germany, one goes to London with a visa to work as a domestic worker. But if she were caught by the Nazis, she would be imprisoned. She manages to get there but suffers mistreatment from an employer who doesn't pay her and steals her only possession, a gold bracelet. With nothing left, she steals a ring from him but is accused and arrested. She is only saved by the library staff. She manages to overcome many difficulties and in the end, she succeeds in bringing her sister who fled to Portugal and obtained a visa there. With the help of the library staff, she brings her sister and her husband with a work visa to London.

Another character is a Polish man who becomes her friend and ends up staying with her, but his story is about Poland being invaded by the Nazis. He fled Poland and is searching for his brother who also fled at a different time.

The central character, Juliet, is a person from London who works as a deputy at the city library. She creates a reading group that meets on Saturdays. Due to bombings, the local community has to take shelter in the underground of the main station. She then starts reading to the people who spend the night at the station. The library is bombed, and with the help of the community, she manages to salvage what remains of the library in the underground. Despite all the difficulties, she manages to convince the authorities not to close it down.

I am not going to spoil the ending but all the different stories are intertwined by the love and cooperation of everyone. Her love for books and the library is truly captivating."

Jennifer Ryan has written another winner with her new historical fiction novel, “ The Underground Library”. Similar to her previous novels “The Chilbury Ladies Choir” and “The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle”, we are introduced to a wide cast characters in WWII London, focusing on Sofie, Juliet, and Katie. All three are struggling with difficult challenges in their lives, and they find a community of support in each other and in their local library, the Bethnal Green Library. And as London undergoes the terrors of the Blitz, soon Bethnal Green Library and our characters face more changes! The 3 main characters and supporting cast are all so well drawn and immensely relatable; you find yourself rooting for each one in turn. Highly recommend! Perfect for historical fiction lovers, particularly Anglophiles and those with a special interest in WWII. Many thanks to NetGalley for the e-reader advance copy! #TheUndergroundLibrary #NetGalley

I enjoyed the premise of this book but I don’t think historical fiction is for me. I would love to try another story by this author that might be a little more engaging for my background.

This was absolutely stunning. The plot was well-paced and captivating from start to finish. The characters were well-developed; complex, and intriguing. I highly recommend this beautiful telling of the power of community, literature, and love. Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book.

I received a free e-ARC of this book through Netgalley.
I love historical fiction books and anything about libraries so I was very interested to read this one. It lived up to the hype. It kept my attention with plenty of action. It is well written and the characters are lovely.

The Underground Library by Jennifer Ryan is one of those feel good books that help you get through the tough days. London during the blitz was a frightening place to be. The loss of lives, the devastation of homes and buildings along with food rationing and the lack of everyday necessities made life miserable as well as difficult. Jennifer Ryan captures the harsh realities along with the amazing strength of spirit ordinary people showed. Definitely read this book.

This is the third book I've read by Jennifer Ryan. I thoroughly enjoyed "The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle" and "The Kitchen Front". The author has certainly done her research about daily life in WW II war torn London which I found fascinating. Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of "The Underground Library"

This story revolves around several main characters, Sophie, a Jewish refugee, Katie, a young woman who plans to go to university, and Juliet, a newly-hired deputy librarian. When the Bethnal Green library is bombed, Juliet oversees the transfer of books to the London underground which fills up every evening while London is being bombed by the Nazis. Each of these three women were dealing with their own grief and challenges but what they had in common was their love of reading and books. The characters were believable and truly unique. The book dealt with serious issues relating not only the war but societal issues at the time. The author addresses these issues in an informative way that doesn't leave you too depressed. I really appreciate this clean read and although I don't read romance novels, it seemed completely natural within the distinct storylines.

I look forward to reading more by this author.

I have read and enjoyed all of Jennifer Ryan’s previous books, so I was elated when I was offered an ARC of her latest novel, “The Underground Library,” to review. Although her novels are about Britain during World War II, all of her books are infused with feelings of hope and community. Her latest novel followed this same theme.

“The Underground Library” focuses on three primary protagonists each of whom is struggling with their own private griefs and challenges. Juliette escaped from oppressive parents in rural England to work as a deputy librarian at the library in Bethnal Green. Here she faces a misogynistic Head Librarian who resists changes, such as introducing book clubs, hoping instead that the library would close so he could move to another position. Katie works at the library before her entrance into college, but she soon discovers she is pregnant with her missing fiancé’s baby. Sofie is a German Jewish refugee on a work visa working as a domestic servant for a man who treats her abominably.

They all come together in a book club Juliette starts at the Bethnal Green library, then unite forces to move the books to the Bethnal Green underground station after the main building is hit during an air raid. The library soon unites the entire community as they seek solace and friendship during the nightly bombings. The fellowship, friendship and camaraderie found at the library gives each of the characters strength they didn’t know they possessed, which allows them to overcome each of their obstacles. I highly recommend this book to fans of historical fiction that enjoy feel good stories of community and friendship overcoming adversity.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballentine Books for providing me an ARC of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Review Underground Library
This is not the first book by Jennifer Ryan that I have read. I enjoyed The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle, and now enjoyed The Underground Library. I appreciate that the author included notes at the end describing which aspects of this story came from actual occurrences during the war.
It was an easy story to follow. I liked that the 3 main women were so distinctive that I did not have any trouble keeping straight which character she was describing. I appreciate that the language was kept clean, and though describing some relationships there was not unnecessary graphic details of the romances. I like a clean story and I like history better than romance. The author kept the romance just the way I like it, more emphasis on the character development. I liked the secondary characters as well. I really liked the older sisters that were so supportive and caring. There was a balance of mean characters to go with the ones that I found myself cheering for.
I love books, so any story about a library and specific mention of characters from those novels catch my interest.
The ending was slightly predictable, but by then I cared enough about the characters it did not matter much. I look forward to whatever Jennifer Ryan does next. My Thanks to #Net Galley, #BallentineBooks, and the author #Jennifer Ryan for an opportunity to read a digital ARC copy.
This novel will be available on March 12, 2024