A thank you to Netgalley for sharing the ARC in exchange for an honest to review.

Since there's no need to summarize the book - that's found easily enough - and will just get to the matter. I've always appreciated the author's brand of historical fiction, how she creates a vivid imagination (always meticulously researched) of the lives of important women who haven't received their due. As a librarian I was immediately attracted to this one - and yes, it is my favorite so far. The characters were all fascinating in their own right and I'm ashamed to admit that I had never heard of Bella da Costa Greene, so it was a real discovery. Learning more about the time period, the life circumstances of the seriously real haves vs. have nots, racial dynamics, or what it must've been like to make a decision as to whether or not to pass and what the repercussions might be on each side of the coin. A winner of a read.

An intriguing look behind the scenes at one of America's most well-known names. This book gives life to the woman running JP Morgan's library for a new generation. Well written and thoroughly detailed, I enjoyed the story immensely.

The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray misses the mark for me. Benedict has made a career of writing about admirable women such as Mrs. Einstein, Mrs. Churchill, and Mrs. Christie. In this book, she has collaborated with another writer to provide a look into the story of a woman whose whole life is nothing but deception. Worse, this woman feels she deserves to experience a “grand passion with a man” even if it is someone else’s husband. Try as I might, I find this book and this person wanting. I agree that this is a “little-known story,” but I do not find it “remarkable.” In this case, the man behind the woman is also not admirable but a serial philanderer.

This historical fiction explains the charade put on by Belle Marion Greener as she passes for white to work for J.P. Morgan as his personal librarian for his collection of rare books and such for the Pierpont Morgan Library in New York City.

Heather Marie Benedict left her litigator career in New York City to focus on writing novels. Her first novel, The Chrysalis, prompted her to write full-time. As Marie Benedict, she has written historical fiction about famous women including The Mystery of Mrs. Christie, The Other Einstein, Carnegie's Maid, The Only Woman in the Room, and Lady Clementine. She lives in Pittsburgh with her family.

Victoria Christopher Murray is the author of nine novels including The Ex Files; Too Little, Too Late; and Lady Jasmine. She splits her time between Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.

My review will be posted on Goodreads starting April 7, 2021.

I would like to thank the Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with an ARC in return for an objective review.

As a librarian and as someone who loves the history of libraries, I was surprised that I had never heard of Belle da Costa Greene. The Personal Librarian is a highly entertaining and informative look at her life and her struggle to keep her real identity hidden. Belle, a Black woman pushed to live as a white woman by her mother, has to deal with issues of identity, race, and gender as she becomes JP Morgan's personal librarian. The attention to detail in this novel is incredible, and I found myself unable to put it down. You don't have to be a librarian to love this novel - I highly recommend!
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the advance e-copy.

This is an amazing book, especially because I am a Librarian. I liked that Marie Benedict co authored the book with Victoria Christopher Murray. Her explanation in the author's note increased my respect for her. I learned so much about JP Morgan, his library and his personal librarian. My all time favorite books are those which I learn something and this is one of those books. I will recommend it to others, but it will have a following because of Ms. Benedict.

Historical fiction and definitely worth the read - thanks to NetGalley for the advance digital copy, good for "trapped in the house during Snowpocalypse '21" reading. Belle Greene was the Personal Librarian for JP Morgan, and as such, was instrumental to amassing his collection of rare books, works of art, and rare books that are works of art. She was also a light-skinned black woman passing in "white" society during a time of upheaval in social norms and with Jim Crow still omnipresent in the US. The detail of this book is exquisite, and the research fantastic and evident on every page. The writing style is slightly uneven to my mind's ear, however, swinging from sumptuous detail to sparse prose from one chapter to the next. Dramatization is kept to the necessary, and exaggeration laid out in the twin epilogues. I liked it and think it could be a great introduction to finding out more about this extremely interesting woman.

I enjoyed this book, the Morgan Library is one of my favorite places in Manhattan and getting into the history of it was fun. Sometimes the writing was a bit clunky but the plot moved it along enough that I was satisfied.

I had not heard of Belle da Costa Greene and am very glad I was able to learn more about this incredible woman. I also appreciated the historical note at the end of the book that explained a bit about the actual history and the authors' writing process.

The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray gives us a glimpse into the life of Belle da Costa Greene, a powerful woman of color who was decades ahead of her time. This fictionalized version of her life uses Greene's own voice to tell her story, based upon extensive research. Once I got comfortable with the rhythm of the writing and Belle's rather formal style of expressing herself, I was riveted. Here was a woman from a mixed-race background who began her career working for financier J.P. Morgan in 1905 when women, let alone women of color, did not have the right to vote and were virtually never in positions of influence. In order to achieve her success she followed the direction of her mother who decided early on that she and all of her five children would live as white people, doing whatever it took to "pass." The novel explores the stress and repercussions of adopting this role and the huge impact it had on Belle's life, as well as the sexism and harassment women took for granted in that era. At the same time, it presents a fascinating story of the founding of the Morgan Library, the development of its collection, and the exclusive world of art and rare book collectors of the early 20th century.

As a librarian who loves history, I can’t believe I’d never heard about Belle da Costa Greene. Belle was Black woman forced by societal constraints to live as a white woman and worked with J.P. Morgan to build the unparalleled Pierpont Morgan Library. I highly recommend.

I devoured this book in one day! The collaboration between authors Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray provided a rich detailing to the life of librarian Belle da Costa Greene. Prior to this book I had never even heard of this remarkable woman. By securing a position as the personal librarian to J. P. Morgan, Belle was able to provide for her family and excel at her career far beyond anything she dreamed or imagined. She embodied the strengths and capabilities of females in a time where women were still struggling to assert themselves as equals. Her secret heritage always kept her on edge and prodded her to evaluate what her role as a black woman should be. I fully enjoyed the intensity of the fictionalized perception of the relationships Belle developed within her sphere. The juxtaposition of the paths her life took have taken were starkly different. The authors took the time needed to ensure readers felt the magnitude of the effects Belle's mother's decision. Excellent book!

I received a copy of this title via NetGalley.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book.
I thought this story was fascinating. All I really knew about JP Morgan was that he was a business and railroad tycoon that made millions in the late 19th and early 20th century. I didn't realize that he also spent a lot of money on rare manuscripts and art and was creating a special library just for these items. To help him with this, along come Belle de Costa Greene, an African American woman who passed herself as white to get this position. It was interesting to see how important Belle was to JP Morgan and how he respected her business savvy to make outrageous deals . I looked her up online and the information I found about her was also in the book. Great research by the authors.
It is so refreshing to read about strong, brave, fearless women who did make a difference in the past but only now are we starting to learn more about them. I really like this book and not just because it has the word Librarian in the title. :)
Now, if I ever get to NYC one of my first stops will be the Pierpont Morgan Library.

The Personal Librarian...right away, the title intrigued me. In part because of always loving books about books and libraries along with a career in libraries, then the story! I was captivated with this book by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray. The authors introduce us to this very interesting woman in history, Belle da Costa Greene. I glad I now know the personal librarians‘s remarkable
story and have been reading more about her since finishing this book . There are so many historical figures many don’t know much about and should. Belle da Costa Greene is one of them. She was the personal librarian to JP Morgan, and she help him develop a most stellar book and art collection, going on to be the J..P. Morgan Library’s director, and was one of the must successful career woman of her time all while living with a personal
secret that sadly could possibly greatly change things. For her. And her family. An important story well told.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an EARC of this book.
Historical fiction that stays true to real life events in the life of Belle Greene, personal librarian to JP Morgan. I did not know her story and found it fascinating particularly the trials she faced passing as white in a time when she could not have succeeded had anyone known she was a light skinned negro. Well developed, believable characters along with fascinating account of the world of antiquities and collectable art.

What a surprise this book is! I was unaware of the story (and secret) of Belle la Costa Greene, her incredible life and contribution to the country through the designation of the Morgan library as a public institution. A massively generous gift to a country that would not have accepted her had it known her true identity.

I appreciated Belle's optimism about a better day ahead.

I've been itching to read Marie Nebdict. Glad this one was my first.

I've never been a huge fan of historical fiction, but as a librarian I was intrigued by the title. I also have many patrons who read Marie Benedict so I thought I'd give this one a chance. I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! The intriguing story of JP Morgan's personal librarian is one that many will find fascinating. From her childhood, family life and how becoming linked to the Morgan family leads Belle on a journey she could never dream of. Highly recommend for any historical fiction lover and those who like author BA Shapiro or similar.

You'll get a skewed review, I 'm sure, from all the librarians on this site! Like everyone else, I'm sure, I love reading about smart librarians who changed the world. This was an entertaining and educational read. I enjoyed it very much.

The writing team of Benedict and Murray delivers an intriguing portrait of a talented and ambitious woman in the early 20th century men's world of art and rare book collecting. Belle is a young librarian at Princeton who has become an expert in rare books and manuscripts. She is offered her dream job--creating and curating a library of the world's most sought after books with a virtually unlimited budget. Her new boss? None other than J.P. Morgan, whose wealth and aesthetic tastes are harnessed by Belle to build what will become the Pierpont Morgan Library in Manhattan (now known as The Morgan Library & Museum). The only catch is that Belle is concealing her racial heritage--she and her family are light-skinned Black people, originally from Washington D.C. and now living in Brooklyn and passing as white. This is a secret that, if revealed, would devastate the lives of Belle and her family.

Though the racial tension provides an element of drama and suspense--Belle must constantly be on guard from letting slip any hint of her background--the story of this remarkable woman and her accomplishments in the art world is compelling in itself. We can thank her for the eventual evolution of this unique library into a research facility open to the public. A detailed historical note informs us that Belle de Costa Greene (born Belle Marion Greener) was in fact a woman who broke many barriers in her life and her work. The writing is rich with historical detail and fluid with solid character development and believable dialog. Since this is a novel based on a biography, the plot may not deliver all we might hope for in a work of fiction. Biography, after all, is never as tidy as a crafted plot. The authors also must, out of necessity, speculate on the nature and details of some of the relationships between these characters. Was the affection and flirtation between Belle and J.P. really one of mutual consent? In this era (or any other, for that matter) a powerful employer wielding sexual coercion over his assistant would not be surprising. In any case, the historical background and notes on the writing of the novel reassure us that the authors have done their homework. Kudos must also be given to Marie Benedict, who developed an interest in Belle and formed an idea for the novel, but realized that as a white woman, she wasn't equipped to tell the story. She deliberately recruited a writing partner who could give the character's voice and situations more authenticity. Given the results, we might hope that these two find themselves teaming up again.

What a wonderful book detailing the life and work of an early 20th century librarian I knew nothing about. The co-authors Benedict and Murray have written an excellent portrayal of the life and times of Belle De Costa Greene and her work in the Morgan Library. The tension that she must surely have lived with was very well depicted in the book

Marie Benedict writes fantastic historical fiction novels and she's written another one with THE PERSONAL LIBRARIAN. I haven't read anything by Victoria Christopher Murray, but definitely will after this book. This was a wonderful collaboration about a woman named Belle da Costa Greene who was the librarian and curator for J. P. Morgan's library of rare books and manuscripts. She tells the story of how she gains respect in the auction world, which is male dominated with her knowledge of rare books as well as her business sense. The struggle she has is she's a light skinned African American woman trying to pass for a caucasian woman. She does this because that is the only way she could get a job like this one. She's worried her secret will be discovered and she won't be able to help provide for her family. Her struggle with denying her true identity is very thought provoking throughout the book. I found her story to be very interesting and it kept me wanting to read about her. We need to learn more about amazing women like Belle who was an important part of history, but no one ever knew her story.