Thank you to William Morrow and Custom House | William Morrow Paperbacks and to NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

I have never read anything by this author before, but I love Historical Fiction books and this one seemed to be right up my alley,

This is a HF book with dual timelines ( on in the 1930's and the other is modern day). I liked the idea of this book, but it didn't keep my interest the whole time. It was really slow in parts and I couldn't tell what the point of the story was. It was just ok for me.

I would try another book by this author at some time though.

I just can’t get into this story. I enjoyed the first few chapters to introduce the two main characters. I usually love dual timeline stories. But for right now, this book isn’t for me. I will try to revisit it at another time to give it another chance.

I enjoyed this book written in dual timelines. Even though the book is historical fiction, the story is based on Nancy Mitford’s life. The modern day protagonist Lucy St. Claire’s storyline was interesting, but I enjoyed Mitford’s character better.

Thank you #Netgalley, #WilliamMorrowandCustomHouse, #ElizaKnight and #TheMayfairBookshop for the book for my honest review.

I could not finish this book.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from William Morrow and Custom House through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is a Historical Fiction that has two timelines (1930s Nancy and Present Day Lucy). The novel follows Nancy Mitford (of the notorious Mitford sisters) during her years as one of the “bright young things” and follows her through her budding career as a novelist and into WWII. I did not know much about the Mitford Sisters so I was intrigues by this part of the storyline. The second story, set in the current time, tells the story of Lucy St. Clair who has come to England to curate rare books for a collector. Their stories merge at the Heywood Hill bookshop in London where Nancy worked during WWII while her marriage was falling apart. Lucy has a second motivation for her work at the bookstore; she possesses a copy of Nancy Mitford’s novel “The Pursuit of Love” with an inscription to Iris. Lucy wants to solve the mystery of who Iris was and what her connection was to Nancy. I was eager to read this, I love books about books and bookstores, and I love that part of London, however I found this novel a little slow.

hank you to William Morrow and Custom House, as well as NetGalley

A perfect balance of mystery, historical fiction and coming into one's own. There are many stories that pursue a connection between their modern and historical characters, sometimes creating an unbelievable reach. The Mayfair Bookshop however is not one of those. Connections are built through personal connection and character development. Great read.

This took a bit to get into so the rating is actually 3.5. The last 45% of this book was awesome, but the beginning dragged so much!

LIKES:
1) it’s a “true” story. I really enjoyed learning about Nancy Mitford and her family.
2) WWII novel but not like any I have ever read. I enjoyed seeing the conflict of the Brits with the Nazis. You tend to assume that there no sympathizers but alas, like our country, some craved the fascist ideals.
3) dual timelines. I’ll admit, some times I really just wanted to stay with Lucy. Nancy life was so interesting but it was cruel and messy and Lucy was just on a “treasure” hunt
4) Gavin… love a Scottish love interest.
5) the ending. No epilogue but it felt like one! I loved how everything turned out.

DISLIKES:
1) it needed more Gavin
2) it took forever for me to be interested in this. I’m glad I stuck within, but gees, it was so boring bay first.

I was really excited to start it, but it was a struggle to finish.

I love dual timeline historic fiction. This one though, not so much. I didn't care much for the modern timeline. I found Nancy and her family insufferable. I didn't know Nancy was a real person so I was wondering why the author would make these people so horrible. I wouldn't want to know or hang out with any of them.

For the first half of the book, I'm wondering what the plot is or if there even is one. Is it about her being a party girl and picking the worst guy to marry? Fascist family members? Having a horrible marriage?

At least toward the end, Nancy takes some action in her own life.

I really enjoyed The Mayfair Bookshop, and have recommended it to many of my friends & family! It never slowed down for me and told a really neat story.

This was my first introduction to the Mitford sisters, and what a history they have! Of the six sisters, half of them became Nazi sympathizers who were in Hitler's personal circle of friends. Nancy Mitford, the oldest, was an accomplished novelist for the times and was in a group called the Bright Young Things. Nancy's greatest heartbreak, according this book, was her inability to find true love. For many years she pined after a man who later permanently broke off their on-and-off again engagements and gently let her know he was attracted to men. In return, she married someone she knew she wasn't in love with but convinced herself she would fall deeply in love with him since she was in danger of becoming a spinster. Alas, starting off with no love never leads to a deep love, and Nancy and her husband were estranged from nearly the beginning. As the War comes closer to London, Nancy struggles with her writing, lack of money, and her sisters' and mother's traitorous behavior.

I enjoyed this look into the Mitford's lives, but this story was a little all over the place for me. The bookshop wasn't really the focus, and didn't even come into the story until the end. There is a dual storyline, but it is not fully developed. The big focus of the modern day storyline with Lucy is a mysterious lady named Iris who is supposedly one of Nancy's closest friends, but who is actually hardly mentioned in the story. By the end of the book, I felt Nancy was more sad about her love life than the War. There were too many pieces in this story, and not one real focus. Was it the missing friend? Nancy's love life? Her sisters cozying up to Hitler? I also think the dual storyline was unnecessary and a bit distracting.

Lucy is a book curator that has landed a job in London at the bookstore that Nancy Mitford worked at. Lucy can't believe her luck as she has a 1st edition of one of Nancy's books with an inscription Lucy is curious to figure out. Who was the mysterious Iris and how was she a part of Nancy's life. As Lucy searches for answers she learns more about Nancy and her life.

I enjoyed the duel narrators/timelines. I enjoyed the story centering around WWII. Found it interesting it also centered around a book shop. Would recommend. Thanks to Net Galley and William Morrow for the ARC.

Great story. Well written. Couldn't put it down! The Mayfair Bookshop is an engaging tale about two women whose stories are beautiful written by author Eliza Knight. The world that was once inhabited by Nancy Mitford was during one of the darkest times in modern history, and Eliza fully immerses her readers in this world until the very last page. A must read!

Love a good dual timeline historical fiction. Add in a bookstore and I’m happy. Would recommend this!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the digital advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

This was such an imaginative, beautiful historical fiction. I knew nothing about the Mitford sisters before reading this, but it was so much fun to learn all about Nancy Mitford. A really fun book with some heartwrenching moments.

It was interesting to read about someone I didn’t know, but I didn’t fell truly connected to the concept. I can’t fully understand why Lucy was so obsessed with Nancy; that part of the story wasn’t developed enough.

This book did a great job of making me dislike the Mitford family, that’s for sure.

There are two other books published recently about Nancy Mitford, one in 2021 and one coming in 2023. I’m not sure why the fascination with Nancy is so prevalent but maybe I’m missing something.

I received an advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

This book was received as an ARC from William Morrow and Custom House through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

I love the historical fiction novels that travel through time intertwining two similar stories where its settings are in the past and future. This time the story begins in 1938 with Nancy Mitford escaping the politics of the war and the elite society of the Mitford Sisters and gets a job to help her family at the Heywood Hill Bookshop and finds herself in an adventure of a lifetime. Now in 2022, Lucy St. Clair finds herself working in the same bookshop discovers some works Nancy wrote encrypted with a secret message which opens Nancy's eyes and long kept secrets are revealed. Learning and reading these long kept secrets is the reason why I love historical fiction novels and this is the perfect book to get lost in and read on a rainy day. The contrast of careers from a bookseller to a curator is much overlooked for the invigoratingly enticing story Eliza Knight brilliantly wrote.

A historical fiction novel for the ages telling the story of two women that will change the course of history for years to come. This book deserves 5 stars.

What a wonderful historical fiction piece. This has a dual timeline and focuses on the Mitford family.
I love every and all stories that involve The Mitford's as they are such an interesting family.
The intertwine of Nancy and Lucy is wonderful.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Books about books! About writers and how they began! Those are books that keep me reading. . .and this is one. I had only heard of the Mitford family in the broadest terms, in books about WWII. So to find an author or two in the group of siblings was a plus, and the focus of this book centered on a bookshop. . .in England. . .Book vacation!

This was a welcome combination of the historical reads I enjoy, and romance - which I rarely read - they so often can only end one of two ways (right?). The Mayfair Bookshop was time well spent, and resulted in books added to my TBR (to-be-read list) and a much better understanding about who was who in Europe's literati pre- and during WWII. If you are a Mitford fan, or Evelyn Waugh, even, this book will please you! Before this read I didn't even know them and now am an eager-to-continue-investigation fan.

A Sincere Thank You to Eliza Knight, William Morrow and Custom House, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review. #TheMayfairBookshop #NetGalley

Dual time line - modern and post. I felt they didn’t read well together.

Was interesting to read about Nancy who I’ve never heard of before this read.

Book takes off after Page 300

Was a miss for me