4.25- This book is one of the most unique WW2 books I’ve had the pleasure of reading. Filled with wonderful characters, a delightful setting, and all the books, it brought a lighthearted tone to an otherwise bleak situation. It seemed to epitomize the quote by Fred Rogers “Look for the helpers”.
In 1938 Gertie and Harry Bingham were the owners of Bingham Books in London until Harry passed away and Gertie was ready to give up. When she is asked to take in a Jewish child from Germany, she doesn’t know what to expect, but Hedy (15) enters her life and is the restart Gertie needs. Gertie not only feels recharged in her life, she and the other cast of wonderful character show that books can be helpful during a war. I never thought I’d describe a WW2 book as charming, but that’s the only word to describe this one.
Gertie Bingham is one of the best protagonists I’ve ever had the delight of meeting. I actually loved all of the characters; quirky or curmudgeonly, young or old, they all bring something to this wonderful story.
I can’t review this book without mentioning another set of characters- the books. They played such a pivotal role in this book and as I was reading this I was adding them to my TBR.
While I enjoyed the majority of this book, I found the ending to be a little too perfect. Don’t get me wrong, I love a happy ending, but it felt a bit forced. It was such a wonderful book overall though, I can let that part go.
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the advanced copy. This hit the shelves on July 11th.

I really enjoy reading historical fiction - especially about WWII. This book was really good - captivating and kept me entertained the entire time. I would recommend to anyone who likes historical fiction.

My first book by Annie Lyons - will definitely read others!!

What I loved:
1. This book was about community, friendship and the healing that books can bring!
2. Great references to the classics!
3. Loved the writing style and the development of the characters!

Thank you to Net Galley and William Morrow for the chance to read!

This book was very endearing to me. I was so attached to Gertie and the bookstore. They made for a great story to read! This is one book I am sure I will pick up again and recommend to historical fiction fans.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley.

Thank to Net Galley for this wonderful WW2drama The Air Raid book Club that centers around Gertie, a widow who runs a bookstore in London in the late 1930s. In her late 50’s she has dreams of selling her
bookstore and moving to the country.When her friend Charles announces that homes are needed for German Jewish children , Gertie volunteers to sponsor Hedy, a teenage girl who at first spurns all Gertie’s attempts at friendship since she misses her family terribly.As they grow closer through the years and as the war brings despair, the Air Raid Book Club forms to bring a measure of normalcy to the town.Everyone enjoys reading the monthly book and offers suggestions for the following month’s reads..Lots of drama and a very well written book.Highly recommend!

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

The story takes place in London before, during, and just after World War II.

Prior to the start of hostilities, some Jewish families in Germany had been able to send their children to England as part of the Kindertransport program.

Hedy has been sent to live with Gertie, the owner of the local book store. Gertie has been widowed for many years and never had any children of her own. Now, she has to contend with a withdrawn and lonely teen-ager who has been separated from her family and everything she knows.

The bookstore became a place of refuge when the locals had to hide during German bombings. Air raids were the time when they could discuss the books they had read and that helped keep their sanity and spirits alive.

The story follows Hedy and Gertie through the years as their relationship deepens. Though the heartbreak of the War, they support each other, the community, and the book store.

I’m always drawn to WWII historical fiction anyway, but I especially couldn’t resist Annie Lyons’ latest novel when I saw that it centered on a book shop and book club. Filled with both heartbreak and hope, The Air Raid Book Club was a brilliant read that I devoured in just a couple of sittings.

Set in London in 1938, the story follows Gertie Bingham. For years, Gertie ran Bingham Books with her beloved husband, Harry. When Harry unexpectedly passes away, Gertie starts to feel out of sorts in the shop, too many memories of Harry surround her. Lost in her grief, Gertie thinks about selling the shop and retiring. She puts those plans on hold, however, when she learns that Jewish children are being evacuated from Germany. Gertie agrees to take in a 15-year-old Jewish girl named Hedy Fischer.

Although they get off to a slightly rocky start, Gertie and Hedy soon become friends and a great comfort to one another. Gertie opens up to Hedy about how much she misses Harry, while Hedy is able to share her fears about the fate of the rest of her family who were unable to be evacuated from Germany. Hedy helps Gertie in the book shop and when the air raids start to increase, they create a shelter in the shop and invite everyone nearby to come to their shelter when the air raid sirens blare. They start a new book club while in the shelter so that they can pass the time and distract themselves from the danger by discussing books.

I adored everything about this book. The relationship between Gertie and Hedy was just so moving and beautiful. I adore a good found family story and the bond between these two truly warmed my heart. In addition to those beautiful found family moments, there was also so much wonderful bookish content. I thoroughly enjoyed those air raid book club meetings and loved how lively and thoughtful their discussions always were as well as the idea that books could provide these weary Londoners with an escape, however so brief, from the terrors of war. The entire cast of characters was wonderful and the writing was beautiful.

I highly recommend The Air Raid Book Club to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, books about books, found families, and especially to anyone who enjoys stories that explore how to move forward after experiencing loss and grief.

Thank you to William Morrow Publishing and NetGalley for an Advanced Reader Copy of The Air Raid Book Club by Annie Lyons.

When Gertie and Harry Bingham opened their bookshop in London, little did they know what a safe haven it would be for people hurting during the height of WW2. At the beginning of the war, Gertie is mourning the loss of her dear Harry and is even considering closing the bookshop for good. However, when a close family friend asks her to take in a young Jewish girl escaping from Germany, the bookstore takes on new meaning. As Gertie tries to find a way to connect to her young charge, Bingham Books provides the bridge she needs to help her settle into a new existence away from home and without her family. Hedy loves reading and finds happiness in working at the bookshop, however, she misses her family so much. As the bombs begin dropping in England, and so many of their neighbors and patrons seek shelter, Gertie and Hedy decide to turn these frightening nightly events into something better for their community – and the Air Raid Book Club is born.

I did not get this book finished before the pub date, but I LOVED this story!! As a lover of reading and bookshops, I quickly related to Gertie, who might be one of my most favorite book characters I have read in a while. Gertie is tough, yet tender, feisty, yet friendly, and, while her houseguest challenges her at every step, their relationship is so special. All of the characters are quirky, funny, and endearing, yet Lyons has not sugarcoated the heartbreak of war. The Air Raid Book Club is perfect read for those who love historical fiction, delightful characters, and stories about friendship. This was my first Annie Lyons book, but it will not be my last!!

In 1938 London, Gertie Bingham is running a bookstore that she and her beloved husband Harry started, and navigating life as a widow. When a friend asks her to take in a young Jewish girl who is in danger in Germany, Gertie meets Hedy. Hedy is 15 years old and misses her family terribly. Gertie and Hedy work together through the war at the bookstore and with volunteer war work, as their lives and relationship changes over time.

I wanted to read this novel because I love historical fiction set during World War II. The bookstore setting was a big bonus.

This is a beautifully told, immensely moving story. I cared about Gertie and Hedy and felt the heartaches and joys they shared over the course of the war. The title of this novel refers to a book club the women start together for neighbors to share books during wartime air raids in London.

I so highly recommend this novel for fans of historical fiction, and especially for anyone who enjoys a 1940's setting. I plan to look for other books by Annie Lyons; I hope they are all as engrossing and beautifully told as The Air Raid Book Club.

I absolutely loved this book-- it made me laugh, made me cry, and made my heart sing about found family. While Gertie Bingham did not have children of her own with her late husband, Harry, she became a second mother to Hedy, a Jewish teen who was brought to England from Germany as part of the Kindertransport network. The cast of characters and neighbors at Gertie's bookshop, Bingham Books, and their book club, was very memorable. They all faced ups and downs through experiencing World War II. This is one of my favorite books I've read in 2023.

It has been a while since I’ve picked up a Historical Fiction book and I’m glad this was the one I chose to bring me back in to the fold.

Its an epic story set during WWII and I loved how the timespan was so large, but somehow still felt manageable.

There’s of course love for books, but also found family and community. I just adored this book.

Thank you to the author, publisher and @NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I was beginning to think there was nothing new to write about WWII historical fiction but Annie Lyons proved me wrong with this latest book that and had me falling in love with these characters, their found family and their love of books during difficult times.

Gertie is a widow mourning the death of her beloved husband Harry. She's contemplating closing their bookstore and moving to the country to live a quiet life but when a friend encourages her to take in a young Jewish refugee, suddenly she finds a new reason to live (and fight).

I loved the way classics were sprinkled throughout this book and how Gertie helps people find the right book for them. I also adored her relationship with young Hedy, trying to help her reunite with the other members of her family still left in Germany.

Equally heartbreaking and heartwarming and sadly still very relevant to our times today where the importance of standing up for those being persecuted is more necessary than ever! Good on audio narrated by Jilly Bond. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book and all opinions are my own.

It’s a difficult task to write a book about WWII England that is heartwarming as well as realistic. Lyons accomplished this by telling the story of Gertie Bingham, a strong, loving woman who takes in a young Jewish girl, a product of Kindertransport. Gertie is the owner of Bingham Books, mourning her husband while trying to find a way to help with the war effort. There are many unique and likable characters, regulars at the bookstore and in Gertie’s life. The horrible realities of the war are intermixed with the hope and love and strength of the book’s characters. Highly recommend for lovers of historical fiction. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

What a beautiful story. In the face of war and unimaginable horrors, this groups of friends who become family make you believe in the good of people. That there is always hope and joy to be found even in the worst of situations, even when that hope is hard to find.

The Air Raid Book Club by Annie Lyons has something for every reader. There is history, love and romance, and families that suit the situation.

I chose this book because I loved The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin and thought this would be a similarly structured story. I was completely wrong and for the first third of the book felt I had made a huge mistake. The story seemed very muddled, jumping around from past to present with no clear direction as to where it was headed. Maybe this was purposeful as the protagonist, Gertie Bingham, is at a very unsettled point in her life, basically still grieving the loss of her husband and other family members and having just made the decision to retire and close or sell Bingham Books to which she has devoted her entire adult life.
Things started to gel at the 40% point and by halfway I felt like I was reading an entirely different book. So the message is hang in there, it’s well worth the effort.
The second half grabbed my heart and soul as I became emotionally invested in and inspired by the characters. This is not really a ‘bookstore’ book. Books, reading them, discussing them and sharing them, are a vehicle to help the characters survive a seriously difficult life in WWII ravaged London (1938-1947). The book is actually about family, friends who become family, hardship, grief, second chances and resilience.
Thank you to the author Annie Lyons, the publisher William Morrow and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an ARC.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC publication for an honest review.

This book was so lovely! Gertie and Harry owned a bookstore, and now Gertie is widowed. She finds a new lease on life by taking in a Jewish teenager, Hedie, and establishing a book club in a time of war. There are many quirky, loveable characters who become a part of the group. A lot of sweet and fun times that help with the horrors of all the dark days. I loved the surrogate mother role Gertie takes on with Hedie.

4 stars

I like it a lot. Fast paced - good characterization - centered around a book store about found family and healing along with community and friendship. It captured my attention and held it. Characters wrote very well.

Set in London in WWII, Gertie, a widow who owns a bookstore, takes in a teenage Jewish girl from Germany. Gertie doubts her ability to appropriately care for the girl who just wants her family. When things get worse in Germany, Hedy's dreams of her family coming to join her in London are smashed and contact with her family becomes more and more rare. Gertie and Hedy pour their hearts into Gertie's bookstore and soon create an air raid book club and read and discuss books during the increasingly frequent air raids. A beautiful, but at times heartbreaking story of two women (and their community) who find their place during the war. I really enjoyed the characters and could really feel the emotions and pain of the characters.

I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Loved this WWII book club novel. Books have the power to bring people together. And a way to take your mind off the war if only for a brief period of time.