Easy to get into, hopeful and inspiring. Some bits were predictable and I wish there was more showing instead of telling. Overall a quick read and a solid pick, especially those who like World War II fiction and clean reads.

This is a WWII book with a slightly different tempo because the townspeople gather together around a bookstore. The shop keeper finds himself forced with a assistant, who isn't sure he needs, but by the end of the story she proves her worth. Working together the town fall in love with read alouds, save books, and each other. It was a delightful read.

The Last Bookshop in London: A Novel of WWII by Madeline Martin is a Historical Fiction novel set in London during WWII. Specifically the affects of the bombing of London and the people who withstood it. While I've read other WWII books set in London, the Last Bookshop told of areas of the Blitz that I wasn't familiar with. Such as the ARP which Grace was a part of as well as the WVS which Mrs. Weatherford was active in. The author told of the horrors of the bombings as well as the grit of the Londoners but they were made with broad strokes. Personally, this is fine by me. I loved the characters, Grace, Mr. Evans, Viv, Mrs. Weatherford. Mr. Stokes, etc. and to me this was where the story was.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Hanover Square Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.

A World War II bookshop is definitely my type of book and I wish I could visit Primrose Hill Books in real life. Overall though, I would call this just another WWII book. It was still good and I enjoyed it but nothing seemed to allow it to stand out. The people you expect to die, die, everyone does their part, she ends up with the guy. Another reviewer described the main character as “cotton candy” and I would agree. That being said, it did and excellent job of describing the war in London and the impact it had. And, the ending and holding onto books in a time of terrible distress and upheaval did bring a tear to my eye. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC! (Even if my reading was delayed.)

Madeleine Martin has written a quietly gripping novel about The Last Bookshop in London during World War II through the eyes of a young woman who comes to London in 1939 and gets a job at dusty bookshop for six months and ends up working there through the Blitz. The understated courage of Londoners as they carried on their lives under bombing and the relationships among the bookstore owners, the air raid wardens, the ordinary people who endured makes for a very satisfying historical read.

The Last Bookshop in London is a really engrossing and thrilling ride about the beginnings of WWII set in London. Grace and her life-long friend Viv are moving in with Grace's late mother's best friend. Unable to work alongside Viv at the popular department store, Grace has to settle for working in a disheveled and musty bookshop run by Mr. Evans. Not sure of how long she'll work there, Grace isn't even sure if she can help run the shop-- she doesn't read books! After some time and the imminent threat of war, Grace begins to realize the power that books can hold. They aren't just for the escapism but they can also preserve humanity and help their communities thrive long after the horrors of war is over. I truly appreciated this book not just because it's about books but it has a topic that isn't like other WWII novels. Grace's perseverance and need to prove herself were really endearing parts of her character and I enjoyed her growth throughout. The author's writing is simple but effective and that made this book easy to read and get through in just about one sitting.

Definitely a lovely book for historical fiction lovers, and this book seems to be aimed towards women. This would be a hit in my library with the baby boomer folks as they flock towards these types of books. I'm personally not a huge fan--I find that these types of books are more on the fluffy side, and I'm getting a little tired of the WW2 setting. I understand why it's popular, but the is oversaturated at this point.

A beautiful story where we get to meet these wonderful characters that brought The last bookshop in London alive.

The story of Grace Bennet starts by searching for a job that she was not really expecting, she really didn't know anything about books or about managing a bookshop where she wasn't really feeling welcome, the owner didn't want anybody to help but with a little bit of help from an angel, Grace was able to show her true talents but mainly her kindness was what brought so much to this book shop and the people who frequent the place.

The war was taking place and was stealing so many things, the town didn't felt happy anymore, they were in constant danger and stressed but Grace had a different plan to help people to continue their lives, by always narrating or telling tales, this was one of my favorite parts of the story whenever she had the time to infuse love and happiness to the whole town just by reading them tales.. it was the time they all got together and united forget about anything bad that was happening..

Another great thing about Grace's character was, she brought many people together that maybe before wouldn't even say hi or acknowledge one another but with her kindness, she was always spreading love made people stop before saying something terrible. many people who were "jealous" or wanted to do some harm at the end were in awe of Grace's sensibility.

This is a story where you would get to meet many stories many characters, that surround Grace, they will bring love, they will give her sadness at times but overall they are part of this magnificent story where people found the peace they needed in the walls and the people of the last book shop in London.

If you love books, bookstores, historical fiction, and/or books about courage and overcoming adversity, then “The Last Bookshop in London : A Novel of World War II” by Madeline Martin should be your next read.

As the book opens, the year is 1939, and the Blitz is just beginning in London when Grace Bennett and her childhood friend, Viv, move there from rural England. Grace’s mother has died, and her mother’s childhood friend, Mrs. Weatherford, graciously invites Grace to come and live with her to make a new life for herself in the city. The city, however, is not what she has imagined—it is a city transformed by war full of sandbags and blackout curtains and air raid shelters.

Grace, who has a flair for running a successful shop but has never taken the time to read books much, ends up landing a job at Primrose Hill—a dusty, old bookshop run by a curmudgeonly owner who is much more interested in reading the stock than in cleaning up the store or organizing it or making it attractive.

It is a match made in heaven. Grace begins to make the shop more attractive to customers, and the elderly owner, Mr. Evans— who had opened the bookstore years ago with his beloved wife—begins to come out of the depression he has been in since her death. Grace makes the acquaintance of a customer—George Anderson—who recommends a favorite book to Grace—The Count of Monte Cristo.

When George joins the RAF soon afterwards, he shares his much loved and worn personal copy with Grace right before he goes off to war, and a reader who loves books is born.

Here is what George has to say about books when he first meets Grace in the bookstore:

““Reading is…” His brows knit together and then his forehead smoothed as the right words appeared to dawn on him. “It’s going somewhere without ever taking a train or ship, an unveiling of new, incredible worlds. It’s living a life you weren’t born into and a chance to see everything colored by someone else’s perspective. It’s learning without having to face consequences of failures, and how best to succeed.” He hesitated. “I think within all of us, there is a void, a gap waiting to be filled by something. For me, that something is books and all their proffered experiences.”

Grace’s heart went soft at the poetic affection with which he spoke, finding herself both envious of the books as well as the fulfillment he found in them. Nothing in all of her years had ever inspired such passion.

“I see what you mean by trying to describe all the colors in a spinning kaleidoscope,” she said. “That was beautiful.””

The descriptions of the Blitz and the bombing of London by the Nazis, and the people who inhabit London are beautifully written and quite historically accurate. Grace soon becomes an air raid warden by night and a shop assistant by day.

From the book:

“As the month of October went on, the bombings continued, peaking midmonth when the moon was full and bright. A bomber’s moon, they called it. And aptly so.

By the brilliant lunar aura, the Thames was lit like a silver ribbon curling through London’s blackout, and the Germans could clearly make out their targets.

Hundreds were killed, far more injured, thousands were left homeless and so many fires raged within London that the ARP wardens were deployed to assist the firemen in their seemingly endless fight.

Despite London’s flesh being peeled back night after night to reveal more of her skeleton beneath, Churchill still sought to keep as much information from Germany as possible. This meant the casualty numbers listed on the broadcasts in the evening weren’t given a location. It meant stores that had been bombed could reopen in a new area, but not state where their previous location had been. Worse still, it meant the dead could not receive a proper obituary in a timely manner, but were listed at a delay and with simply the month of their death.

Through it all, life in the battered city went on, its people taking whatever pleasure wherever they could and trying to savor the final vestiges of fine weather before the ice and snow swept in. Especially if the upcoming months were to be as frigid as the winter before.”

And another section:

“The ARP shift that night was difficult. There were so many bombs, one Grace and Mr. Stokes had narrowly avoided, and far too much death. The Germans had begun implementing the use of landmine bombs, which f loated down on parachutes and whose explosions caused damage that could spread as far as two miles.

No matter how many victims Grace saw to, she still found herself affected by every one. Each name scored on her heart, each memory burned into her brain. She was not alone in how death had affected her. The heavy rescue service, the men who dug through rubble for bodies, or whatever was left, passed a f lask around as they worked, unable to perform their grisly tasks without the aid of spirits. They too never would grow used to what they witnessed.”

On the nights that Grace isn’t on air warden duty, putting out fires in bombed neighborhoods, and walking the darkened streets, she shelters in the tube station with many others when the air raid siren goes off. The air raid siren also goes off during the day sometimes. Sheltered at one of these stations, she begins reading aloud from the novel she is reading, and she gains a following of people who also come to the bookstore where she continues the readings in the afternoons when they don’t have to shelter. Some are orphaned children and young people, and some adults.

From the book:

“Sarah sucked in a deep breath and announced in a very loud voice, much like an actress, “Every day you read to a crowd. But they’re not just stories, for many of us, they’re a sanctuary.” She said the last word slowly and Jimmy gave her a thumbs-up. She twisted with apparent pride as children are wont to do and took a deep breath again, meeting Grace’s eye. “And you’re not just someone who reads to us. You’re a hero.”

Such words rendered Grace speechless. She wavered on her feet, light-headed with gratitude.

Jack approached her. “You saved my life, Miss Bennett. Were it not for your readings, I’d have been blown to bits at Marble Arch. Thank you.” He didn’t wait for a reply and stepped back, lowering his head with gratitude.

Mrs. Kittering replaced his position at Grace’s side. “I was in a dark place when you found me sobbing in your store. You gave me the light to keep going. Thank you.””

“Mrs. Smithwick stepped forward. “My Tommy was killed in the war and so was my Donald.” She looked down and discreetly glanced over her shoulder. “You don’t know it, but you saved my life as well,” she said so softly Grace nearly didn’t hear. “By my own hands. You showed me that when all seems lost to the enemy, one can always find a friend.”

On and on they all came forward. A man whose leg Grace had bound after a blast with whom she’d shared by memory the details from The Count of Monte Cristo, distracting him from the pain. A professor who had been seeking a welcome place to find fellow readers, having discovered them at Primrose Hill Books.”

I rest my case. This is a beautifully written and inspiring book— historical fiction at its best—and my review which just quotes a few short passages can’t really do it justice.

Thank you Hanover Square Press and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book and for allowing me to review it. (Publication date 6 April 2021)

The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin. Such an incredible story and very well written. It is a brief snapshot of what happened during WW2 in London during the bombings. Very well written and I highly recommend this story. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this early copy.

A very nice light read with characters that are developed well. An extraordinary story of the destruction of London during the Blitz of WWII. The main character Grace, along with many others, is relocated to London and looks to find work as well as finding herself volunteering as an Air Raid Warden. With the help of Mrs. Weatherford, Grace finds a position in a local bookshop. The shop owner is at first not warm to her assistance but Grace transforms the shop, as well as, the lives of citizens by reading out loud during air raids. Grace learns she has extraordinary strength and supports the lives of so many touched by tragedy, only to find in the end that they soon return the favor to see her through the ravages of war. A charming read!
I received an advanced copy of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Title: The Last Bookshop in London
Author: Madeline Martin

Chapters: 21 plus Epilogue

Pages: 320

Genre: Historical fiction

Rating: 5 stars

Publisher: Hanover Square Press



I'm not going to lie I hadn't planned on reading The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin when I did. My original plan was to wait because I wanted to take a break from WWII fiction and read something lighter. But readers and authors opinions I toss were raving about this book, so I went ahead and read it, and I'm glad I did. Even though this book is set during WWII its focus is on the Home front of London and the blitz. Which isn't a WWII fiction I've read before, so it was a change of pace.



Grace Bennett takes a job that she thinks is only going to be temporary at a bookshop. But the bookshop ends up changing not only her life but the lives of everyone around her. This book had me laughing, and crying and celebrating with Grace. Not to mention this book gave me one of my favorite type of hero a slightly nerdy hero who brings books to a date instead of flowers. I don't know about Grace but that would be a way to my heart.



I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

I just loved this story and its love letter to books, reading, and community. Set in WWII and based on a true story. I could not put this one down!

Another WWII book? Yes, you need this one. It was interesting to read about ordinary lives in the lead-up to the war, and then it added charming characters and a much-loved bookstore. Would recommend!

Very good, realistic view of the London Blitz, I learned a lot from that, and could feel what Grace was going through from the descriptive passages. I was happy it ended well, for the most part, and that most of the characters lived through that time. Very good read, and I will recommend at my library!

Not only was this book a beautiful tale of a young woman realizing her own worth in London during WWII, it pulled no punches when it came to how soldiers killed in battle affected those left behind as well as the devastation of the bombings London endured. This was a hopefully story that went straight to the heart, and I look forward to reading it again.

Fascinating insight into London during the blitz. As a librarian, I've always wondered what bookshops are like and this gives enticing details into bookshops in the 40s in London. Highly recommend for book clubs...

Madeline Martin steps out of her historical romance shoes to try her hand at historical fiction with The Last Bookshop in London. As a lover of both genres, I can say with ease that Martin’s foray into historical fiction is a hit. She touches on every aspect of what makes me love history so much.

Grace and Viv leave country life to live it up in the big city. But things don’t quite go as planned. The girls’ plans to work together at Harrod’s as shopgirls hit a snag, and Grace ends up working at a dusty old bookshop. But, when Grace meets a handsome stranger he turns her world upside down with the gift of a book. Then the adventure really begins.

The second world war brought many changes to London. Bombs and incendiaries became commonplace. Friends and neighbors met a tragic fate. Rationing became the lay of the land, while victory gardens took over the majestic flower beds. I have no experience here as I am way too young to have lived in this era, but Martin made it all feel real. While I was in those pages, she made it come to life. I found myself wishing my grandmother was still here to ask her about her experiences during the war. I felt a pang in my heart that I never asked about her life while I had the chance.

It was nice to live vicariously through Grace. We are different in that I grew up loving books, while Grace discovered her love of words later in life. But, as her love for books grew, I came to know her. We were the same then, allowing the pages to make up our lives. I know that had I been a London resident at that time, I too would have lined up to listen to Grace read aloud. Her magic was more than her war work. Her magic was the love of sharing words.

I adored this book and never wanted it to end. For this reason, I award The Last Bookshop in London a full 5 out of 5 stars. I recommend this novel to those who want to get swept away in the magic of books.

Historical Fiction | Adult
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As we are now into our second year of the Covid-19 pandemic, it’s important to find ways to bolster our strength wherever we can. For many of us, books provide solace, comfort, and even joy. This is one of those books. First, it’s a book about books. Grace Bennett (a nod to Pride and Prejudice, I’m sure) and her best friend Viv leave their farm village in northern England for London. It’s August 1939, and there is talk of war with Germany, but when the newly orphaned Grace is kicked out of her family home, she and Viv decide to finally make their long-awaited move to London. They have an offer to stay in a roominghouse run by a friend of Grace’s mother’s, and both hope to land good jobs in Harrod’s Department Store. Viv succeeds, but lacking a reference, Grace is turned down. She gets a temporary position with the cantankerous owner of Primrose Hill Books. She knows nothing about books, really, but she is an excellent salesperson, and soon finds many friends as she attracts new clients. War is declared, and the two young women find themselves making a contribution. But it is war, and the constant threat of death and destruction create stress, and Grace learns to find comfort in the books she works with, and shares her new love of writing with others. I just loved this book. I think partly because the challenge of life in wartime really resonated with me during the pandemic. The yearning for information, even listening to the same info over and over (remember last March?), the hoarding, the sense that danger lurks everywhere, feeling imprisoned, grief at the pointless loss – I drew strength from reading about the courage in the face of fear, and the strength in community. It was a powerful story just when I needed it most, and I loved the book chatter too. So many favourites and so many classics new for me to discover. The setting was letter-perfect – you could smell the smoke and the baking, I swear. Great characters and realistic dialogue add even more authenticity. My thanks to Hanover Square Press for the digital reading copy provided through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Grand Forks & District Public Library has a copy in its adult fiction collection; you’ll also find e-book and e-audio versions available.
More discussion and reviews of this novel: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53331579

Excellent story about Grace Bennett, a young orphaned woman who moves to London with her best friend, the glamorous Viv. They are looking forward to getting jobs as shopgirls in Harrods and rooming with a dear, widowed friend of her late mother's. Soon after their arrival, Britain enters the war and their London adventure is filled with blackouts, bomb shelters and rationing. Through it all Grace works at Primrose books and is able to use books and stories to help people through the darkest times of their lives. This is another excellent novel about life in London during the blitz. Anyone who enjoys historical fiction will love this well written, well-plotted book.