Jennifer Ryan's "The Underground Library" masterfully weaves a tale of historical fiction with a romantic thread, drawing inspiration from real events yet rendering them with a creative touch. Set against the backdrop of a war-torn London during World War II, the narrative centers around three distinct women whose lives intersect in the heart of the city amidst the chaos of nightly bombings and air raid sirens.

Juliet Lansdown, stepping into her role as the deputy librarian at Bethnal Green Library, finds herself in a quiet space yearning for revitalization, a task made challenging by a head librarian resistant to change. Katie Upwood, a library staffer, grapples with family turmoil, harbors a profound secret, and mourns a boyfriend lost to the war, all while preparing for university life. Meanwhile, Sofie Baumann, a refugee from Berlin, battles the disdain of her employer in domestic service, all the while worrying about her family's fate back home and finding solace in the library's offerings and the friendships it fosters.

Disaster strikes when the library falls victim to bombing raids, compelling Juliet to safeguard the books by relocating them to a local Underground station, a nightly refuge for the community. Amidst these trials, questions loom over the fate of the library and the personal resolutions for Juliet, Katie, and Sofie.

Ryan delves deep into the personalities of her characters, from Juliet's intellectual vivacity and desire for independence to Katie's internal struggles and Sofie's reliance on literature as an escape from adversity. The novel shines a light on the strength and aspirations of women, their personal battles, and the societal expectations they navigate.

What captivated me about this book was not just its endearing characters but the exploration of themes such as resilience, friendship, family dynamics, individual desires versus societal roles, and the transformative power of literature. The story is a tribute to community spirit, personal sacrifice, and the enduring hope that binds people together during the darkest times.

"The Underground Library" not only offers a compelling narrative but also provides insightful historical context, particularly about the library's role during the war and the internment camps on the Isle of Man. Ryan's thorough research and rich character portrayal make this novel a memorable read, further enriched by her author's note which I highly recommend exploring after finishing the story.

The Underground Library is a novel from an author I primarily know as a romance writer. However, Jennifer Ryan can write any kind of story that she sets her mine to do. This historical women’s fiction is an inspiring WWII story where Juliet, Kate, and Sofie become friends even though their past are very different during a difficult time with the nightly German Blitz.

The Bethnal Green Library is in danger but so are these women, their lives and their hearts. Daily life as well as nights spent in the underground stations used as shelters give real life feel to the characters, their emotions, and their perspective. Based on a true story it is a vivid portrayal of life in WWII London.

An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Happy Pub Day to The Underground Library, a historical fiction novel that celebrates the sisterhood of women and love of books and libraries. This sweet story offers multiple points of view of women in London during WWII: Juliette, a deputy librarian who comes to Bethnal Green Library longing to implement new ideas and inspire new readers; Katie, an 18-year-old librarian assistant who is coming of age in a tumultuous time, and Sophie, a Jewish refugee who escapes Germany at the beginning of the war and has a work visa in London. Friendships develop and grow, and this was such a cozy book. One thing I loved is that the book made me want to know more and research the history of Bethnal Green and whether there actually was an underground library during the war. Highly recommended for readers who love Natalie Jenner and Patty Callahan Henry books.

I enjoy historical fiction, including books set during WWII. More importantly I'm a complete sucker for books about books and/or libraries. So this was a bit of a no-brainer for me to dive into, and happily I wasn't disappointed. It centers on three young women who are brought together in London by the war, new opportunities presented by that war, and their love of books. Juliet is a librarian who's moved to London in the early days of the Blitz for the rare (for women) opportunity to be a deputy librarian at the beautiful Bethnal Green Library. Meg is a London native and is about to have the (also rare for women) opportunity to go to university, but while she waits she's working at the library. Sophie is a young Jewish woman who's escaped the increasing dangers of Berlin to London via a refugee work program, and finds a haven, friendship and a much-needed support system at the library. Jennifer Ryan intertwines their stories nicely, and while they aren't actual historical figures, they represent Everywoman of that time & place, trying to cope and survive the nightly air raids and the general uncertainty of the times. As they struggle to survive what life throws at them, they also struggle to keep their beloved library alive, even if it means moving it to an underground train station. I truly enjoyed this lovely book that highlights the strength and perseverance of women in difficult times, as well as the power of books to bring us together and give us comfort in times of need.
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House/Ballantine for providing a copy for an unbiased review.

The new deputy librarian, Juliet Lansdown, arrives only to discover that the Bethnal Green Library isn't at all what she expected. The men in charge seem to resent her being there, and act as though they feel a woman is not up to the task. In fact, they are even hoping to close that library, and have patrons use the library several miles from there. Juliet is determined not to let that happen. When a slew of bombs destroy the library, Juliet relocates the stacks to the local underground station where the city’s residents shelter nightly. She begins nightly readings to those gathered there, and they all begin eagerly checking books out. Katie Upwood is thrilled to be working at the library, although she is only there until she heads off to university in the fall. But after the death of her fiancé on the front line and amid tumultuous family strife, she finds herself harboring a life-changing secret. Sofie Baumann, a young Jewish refugee, came to London on a domestic service visa only to find herself working as a maid for a man who treats her abominably. She escapes to the library every chance she can, finding friendship in the literary community and aid in finding her sister, who is still trying to flee occupied Europe.

This book is told in the alternating voices of those three women. All three had different, yet equally heartbreaking experiences during the war, yet were able to come together and make something wonderful out of it. Based on a true story, the Underground Library will make you feel a myriad of emotions. There is tragedy, romance, reunions, and most of all friendship. This is perfect for anyone who is a fan of historical fiction,, romance, or even just loves a good story. I highly recommend it!

Jennifer Ryan does it again! She is fast becoming one of my top historical fiction authors. This book is well written. I could not put it down. I ended up feeling for their situations and finding a friend in each of these women whose stories were brought together in one area of London during the blitz. The underground library, school, medical clinic, and whole other world that came alive when the warning sirens went off every night was magic to step into through this book. It is amazing to me how well Jennifer Ryan writes about hard to face at the time subjects in her books (death, unwed mom-to-be, desertion, being jewish and trying to escape Germany during WWII, being a woman). I will definitely be purchasing my own copy of this, and I'm thankful to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

THE UNDERGROUND LIBRARY is the latest historical novel by Jennifer Ryan. It is set during the London Blitz in World War II when Germans bombs are dropping nightly on the city. It is the story of three strong women who find themselves spending every night together in the local Underground station, which has been set up as a bomb shelter. Juliet Lansdowne is the new deputy librarian at the Bethnal Green Library. She is determined to make the quiet library into the bustling community hub it should be, if only she can bypass the men in charge who are reluctant to see change. Katie Upwood is working at the library until she heads to university in the fall. After losing her boyfriend in the war, Katie’s library job gives her some respite from the conflicts at home and a place where she can hide a life-changing secret. Sofie Baumann is a young Jewish refugee who came alone to London on a domestic service visa. Little does she know the horrible treatment she will receive at the hands of her employer. The library becomes a place of refuge and friendship. When their beloved library is destroyed by German bombs, the three women and other friends relocate the library to the Underground tunnels where it is a source of comfort, camaraderie and literary pursuits for the neighborhood now living nightly underground. The challenges of war and the perseverance of those living in constant danger are wonderfully-portrayed. I really enjoyed this heart-warming story. Don’t miss the enlightening Author’s Note at the end. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review an early copy.

The Underground Library by Jennifer Ryan is a hopeful story of people coming together with books and shared tragedy. It is a World War II novel, but the story takes place at home, in London. There are half a dozen main characters and many adjacent ones. It is based on a true story of a library that reopened in bombed out England in a subway tunnel, where many people took refuge from the bombs falling almost nightly. Women are working now, out of necessity, but they are not in positions of authority. Juliet Lansdown is one such woman who has come to London to be the new deputy director of the Bethnal Green Library. She learns almost immediately that her ideas would not be welcome so she learns to circumnavigate Mr. Pruitt, the director, as all he really wants is to be left alone. She meets new people in the library but it isn’t until the library is hit by a bomb that they come together as a community.

People fall in love, babies are born, men cheat, others are judgmental and unkind. These things happen both in and out of war. The only way a Jew could get a visa to England was to come as a domestic. Many people took advantage of that fact and mistreated them and underpaid them. It was not an easy time for the elderly. Getting to the tunnel and then sleeping on the floor night after night, was difficult. It was also difficult to drive an ambulance at night and go to one’s regular job during the day. All of these things happened in this heart-rending story. Ryan has woven it together in such a fashion that one hardly notices how much is going on. It is a different time and a different place and well worth delving into. Thanks for another great book, Jennifer Ryan.

I was invited to read The Underground Library by Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #RandomHousePublishingGroupBallanatine #JenniferRyan #TheUndergroundLibrary

The Underestimated Library by Jennifer Ryan is a fictionalized story of a real-life underground library during World War Two.

Three women Juliet, Katie, and Sofie come together in this story. They are very different from one another, yet they bond over books. There are amazing supporting characters as well, and they form a wonderful community. As always, Jennifer Ryan's book is more of a community of women who defy society's rules and show that women are individuals with ideas, strength, and brilliance.

Jennifer Ryan is one of my favorite authors, and this book did not disappoint. Reading historical fiction set during World War Two can get tedious, but stories like these show the other side of the war where individuals were just trying to adjust to the new norm. A story about libraries, books, and the community coming to read is the dream of any reader. Anything Jennifer Ryan writes, I am going to read!

Thank you, Random House @randomhouse , for this book.

I love a good WWII historical fiction. This book follows three young women of different backgrounds, along their journey during part of WWII.

The storylines were very easy to follow and I found I loved each one. Usually with multiple POVs, I find there is always one that I am not interested in. That was not the case for this book. Even the side characters were fantastic and brought so much more to the storyline. I love the found family aspect woven into the story and loved that this showed a lightness and hope, even in the darkest of times.

The only thing I would say "against" the book, is I felt it had a checklist of tropes to add to the story and that came to be a lot at times, but didn't necessarily take away from the book.

I would definitely recommend this to others who want a hopeful outtake on a WWII historical fiction. I plan on checking out other works from this author.

The Underground Library by Jennifer Ryan is the story of three women during the London Blitz trying to survive and save their beloved library. When Juliet Lansdown comes to the Bethnal Green Library as the new deputy librarian, she realizes that the library needs a bit more life. Katie Upwood loves working at the library as she prepares to head to university. After learning that her beau was killed in action and growing strife in her family, she finds herself with a life-changing secret with no help and no options. Sofie Baumann is a young Jewish refugee who came to London on a domestic service visa in order to escape the horrors in her home country. She finds herself treated horribly and her only solace is the beloved books of the local library. When the library needs to go underground where the city’s residents are sheltering during the nightly bombings, Juliet, Katie and Sofie find a community that come together for the love of books and friendships that only grow stronger with each bomb dropped.
Based on the true story of the Bethnal Green Library and the London Blitz, Jennifer Ryan weaves a story of survival, friendships and courage in uncertain times. Despite a bit of weariness of World War II stories, I was captivated by the stories of these three women and the strength they find to endure the uncertainty of their futures. Their world is changing around them and, despite the social rules, they fight back against racism, gender biases and finding love in the most unlikely places. Ms Ryan also brings to life the horrors and uncertainties of the London Blitz. I felt as if I were there with the characters, huddled in the underground shelters as the bombs exploded above them and in the aftermath as they searched for survivors and dealt with the unfortunate loss of life. My heart broke as the character suffered and I cheered for them as they rose above their circumstances and survived. If you enjoy World War II stories, I highly recommend The Underground Library.

The Underground Library is available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook

This is an incredibly thoroughly researched novel set largely in an Underground station in London during the Blitz. Jennifer Ryan writes talented descriptions of the everyday life of Jewish refugees, East Enders hiding from German bombs, and the ordinary people who stepped up to take care of themselves and their neighbors. Most of the endings are happy ones, so even though this was a time of deep trauma, the reader is able to relax into the development of the characters.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Jennifer Ryan's "The Underground Library" is a compelling WWII historical fiction novel set in wartime London. The story revolves around three women whose lives intertwine within the confines of Bethnal Green Library's underground shelter. The novel skillfully combines historical accuracy with a fictional narrative, portraying the resilience of the human spirit amidst the darkness of the Blitz. Through nuanced exploration of themes such as community, sacrifice, and the power of literature, the author creates a captivating story that celebrates friendship, love, and hope in the face of adversity. Ryan's evocative prose and meticulous research bring the bygone era to life, making this novel a must-read for fans of wartime fiction and historical dramas.

The Underground Library is the story of three women struggling through the London Blitz in World War II. Juliet moves to London to be a deputy librarian and is met with a boss that does not like change. Sophie escapes Germany leaving behind her sister and father to be employed as a housekeeper. Katie has been accepted to attend university, but mainly because of the men being away at war. Once the bombings force people to move into the underground to stay safe at night, Juliet recognizes the need for a library to be set up underground to inspire people and keep them occupied during this scary and chaotic time. This is based on a true story that shows another aspect of WWII while still demonstrating the resilience and innovation of the civilians in London. The book was hard to put down in order to see what happened to the three characters as well as some of the ancillary characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the opportunity to read the ARC of The Underground Library.

Jennifer Ryan definitely has a gift for bringing history to life on the page—for bringing readers alongside her characters to experience life in a different time. And that makes The Underground Library a novel that’s heartwarming and uplifting—and eye-opening, too.

Full review published on NightsAndWeekends.com and aired on Shelf Discovery.

The Underground Library
By: Jennifer Ryan
Published: March 12
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Pages: 368

Bethnal Green Library is at the center of this novel. Juliet Lansdown is the deputy library trying to revive the library, which is a challenge as the head librarian does not like change.

Katie Upword whose family life is not the best finds the library as a refuge and has been going for years.

Sofia Bauman received a visa to work as a refugee. Visa’s were rare for the Jewish to get, but she gets one to London to work as a domestic.

When the library is bombed, Juliet relocates the books to an underground station where people take refuge.

Family, war, hope, sacrifice and community come to life in this novel. Ryan knows how to pull you in and I was invested in the lives of these women.

Out now! Happy Pub Day!

The Underground Library is a wonderful depiction of life in London during the Blitz of WW2. We see how life was braved through the eyes of three women. Sofie, a young Jewish girl who fled Nazi Germany, has come to work for the most awful of men just so she can keep her visa to stay out of harms way. Juliet has fled her small village in hopes of escaping the controversy around her fiancé's disappearance from the war and has become the new deputy librarian. Katie has grand plans to go to university only to find she's in the family way and must fight to keep her secret.

These three strong women find friendship and solace in the patrons of the library, who eventually move the establishment underground in the tunnels of the Tube stations in order to survive the bombings. The details of how they manage to survive are eye opening. We get a glimpse of the women working the ambulances, and internment camp, and those who fight to find and be reunited with their loved ones.

This was such an inspiring tale of bravery and perseverance that these women displayed during such a horrific time in history. I was left in awe of what society was put through and how they survived and helped others to survive. It shows just how great humans can be when they are called upon to love their neighbors.

Thank you to Random House Publishing - Ballantine and NetGalley for the ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.

I loved absolutely everything about The Underground Library by Jennifer Ryan (thank you @netgalley and @randomhouse for the eARC). It’s out today and I encourage all historical fiction readers and book lovers to get their hands on a copy of this five star read. I’m jealous of everyone who gets to read it for the first time. I’ll be purchasing a copy for my permanent shelves.

Based on a true WWII story, The Underground Library tells the story of three remarkable women: Juliet Lansdown, the new deputy librarian of Bethnal Green Library in London, Katie Upwood, a summer librarian preparing to attend university in the fall, and Sofie Baumann, a young Jewish refugee who escaped without her family from Berlin to London. Each woman has a trial to overcome and they must learn to overcome on their own and with their new friends. When bombs destroy the library, Juliet and her new friends relocate the stacks to the local Underground station. It becomes a life-line for all those sheltering at night and needing stories to soothe their souls.

For readers who love found family stories, you will fall in love with each character and who they connect with and what they overcome. The writing is magnificent – I felt transported back to WWII London and could easily imagine the library in the Underground. And the way Ryan writes about the power of books, stories and libraries was simply beautiful and made me so proud of my librarian past and of all librarians. I found the author’s note fascinating as well. Jennifer Ryan is definitely an auto-buy author for me. This is a hugging book for sure.

"Friends can make life bearable through the unbearable." And thus begins the story of three women and their journeys during WWII in London. Sofie, Katie, and Juliet learn to find their own strength through the horrors of the war. They also learn to find strength through books, each other, and the kindness of strangers. Each has their own stories, their own tragedies, and their own loves. (And yes, while this is not a romance, it IS a love story or three). Through injury, pain, and sorrow, the intersection of their lives brings joy in lives well lived. I absolutely adored this story and would definitely read this author again.

SYNOPSIS: This is the story of three women whose lives were changed forever by The Blitz in London during WWII. Sophie is a German Jewish immigrant who leaves her family behind on a work visa only to find an unwelcoming employer in London. Her only saving grace comes from the library and the book club she steals away to whenever she can. There she meets the deputy librarian, Juliet, who has worked very hard to overcome her cold parents and gender norms of the time. Her passion for books and people is contagious, and inspires Katie, a young girl working at the library just waiting to go to university. When the library is bombed by enemy planes, the women are forced to take what is left of their books to their underground shelters in the train stations each night. The most unlikely of friendships become the heart of the story as lives are changed and none of them will ever be the same.

MY THOUGHTS: I have read a multitude of WWII stories. Because of this, finding a new topic or a new way of telling the same stories becomes challenging, but WOW! This book blew me away. The stories of three women intertwine to tell the story of what it was like to live in the Bethnal Green area of London during The Blitz in 1940. I think I have found my favorite trope(?) in books–books about books and bookish people. This is not the first book I have read where books bring people together, especially when they don’t have much more to be thankful for. Jennifer Ryan weaves history and fiction with ease, and I became utterly obsessed with the characters’ stories. Each woman is going through pain and struggles, but with the community that they build they are able to confront anything. All of the women, old or young, educated or uneducated, Jewish or Christian, show bravery and resourcefulness in a time when they could have considered themselves victims. These women are supportive of each other without questions or hesitation. It is such a beautiful reminder that books can connect us, bond us together through interests and art, and bring us friends that become family. Anyone who loves this genre should pick this one up immediately!