I really enjoyed this book. For those who love libraries and will fight to save them, this one is for you. I liked how each of the characters had a personal story/motivation, but they found common ground in their love of books. Thank you for the opportunity to read this one!

Jennifer Ryan’s The Underground Library was a beautiful story following three incredible women, Juliet, Katie, & Sofie as they meet at the Bethnal Green library in London during the Blitz.

Each woman’s story was unique and captivating. Their bravery and passion for helping others was inspiring.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book. 4 stars!

Juliet Lansdown is the new deputy librarian in the Bethnal Green part of London just as the Blitz started in World War II. The head librarian is a curmudgeonly type man who really wants to close down the library so he can move on to a larger library in a safer area. When a bomb hits the library, Juliet brings the remaining library books to the underground station nearby and brings the sheltering people there into a community.

Sophie is a Jewish refugee from Germany working for an abusive man. She takes refuge in the library whenever she can. Because of Sophie's abilities with languages gets her a job working for the War Department and out from under the odious man she works for. All she wants now is to have her sister with her. Juliet does all she can to help Sophie.

Katie loves working at the library, but there is a hitch--her fiancé has been declared MIA, and she's pregnant. Her mother wants to send her away and to give the baby up for adoption, but Katie is rather against that, even though her mother believes it will diminish the family's standing in society.

There are a pair of older sisters, the Riddells, who take these girls under their wings and treats them as though they are their very own family. They become mainstays in the underground library and work hard to bring the community together.

There is some romance in this book, but it is not overt and is a minor part and only serves to move the rest of the plot along. It's actually a great addition the way Jennifer Ryan worked it in. The Underground Library is a great read that is hard to put down. Four Strong Stars!

Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine Books provided the copy I read for this review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

The Underground Library was an excellent telling of three women brought together by a library. Although this is not a true story, it is based on real events that occurred in London. One was a Jew from Germany who escaped her homeland with a domestic work visa. Sofie was overworked and abused in the home where she kept house for a widower. The second was a native of London who found herself in a difficult situation after her boyfriend disappeared in the war. Katie was naive, but she worked in the library until she was ready to take college classes. She is forced to put those ambitions aside due to her illegitimate pregnancy. The third woman has moved from the countryside in England to be the deputy librarian at the Bethnal Green Library in London after her fiance disappeared in the war. Juliette quietly makes changes at the library that bring more patrons in, including a book club where all these ladies and many more meet and support each other. When the library is hit during an air raid, they take the library into the underground tunnels of the London train tube. The book continues to show how women worked together and became leaders during the war. Through it all, they found friendship and love through heartache.

‘The Underground Library’, is my first Jennifer Ryan book. I thoroughly enjoyed this historical fiction that highlights life in London during The Blitz, and how the library brought the community together during these bleak times in history. I will definitely add Ms. Ryan to my list of future authors to be read.

Three women from completely different backgrounds come together at Bethnel Green library. There they form a book club that moves underground as WW2 impacts the library building. With a rich cast of characters the novel shows how the women forged relationships with others and find their identities in the toughest of times.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

The Underground Library
By: Jennifer Ryan
Publication Date: March 12, 2024

The Underground Library is a wonderful historical novel that celebrates the bond of female friendships during dire life circumstances. It is all centred around the real-life events of an underground library set up in the underground shelter tunnels during the bombing blitz of London.
Sophie - a Jewish refugee from Germany arrives in London to work as a servant in a large house.
Juliet- an engaged young woman whose fiancé is reported missing on the front lines. She arrives in London to work as an assistant librarian.
Kate- a young girl heading off to University. Fall in love with a young soldier and soon finds herself in trouble.

These women developed a friendship along with Mrs. Ottley, the two Miss Ridleys and Marigold Saxby . Together they formed a book club that becomes something more than just about books. Together they help and support one another. They endure hardships and bring some hope and happiness to the greater community.

I have read several of Jennifer Ryan’s books. I always love how she creates stories that centre around the collective bond of female friendships. The Underground Library is another success. Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Absolutely loved the book! Set during the Blitz in London, its a compelling portrait of the life of those living largely underground together while above group life is tenuous and dangerous. With the men largely off to war, Juliet Landsdown becomes the Deputy Direction of the Bethnal Green Library, over the objections of the current library directory. When the library is damaged during a bombing raid, Juliet has the idea to move what remains into the underground, also over the objections of the library director. She starts a reading group, a discussion group and the underground library becomes a source of support for the underground inhabitants, who spend more and more of their time underground. It is also the personal tale of jewish refugee Sofie Baumann, and Katie Upwood, a young woman who plans to attend university but who's plans are completely upended by the loss of her fiancée. Both become a pivotal part of the library and the community.

The Underground Library is a vivid description of the lives of those living underground during world war II; compelling, inspirational, it brings the Underground library to life!

I have read many WWIl books and was somewhat hesitant to read another. I, however, love libraries and books and decided to give this a try. It is not a typical book about the war, but more a story of the power of books, survival, about chosen family, and the importance of connections, human and the book kind.
There are three main characters, all of different backgrounds and
experiences. They were all likable and deal with difficult circumstances throughout the book. It was easy to follow these characters without getting confused !
One of the main parts of the story is the setting- London, specifically the underground stations and the importance these stations were to survival, yes, but also to to community.
The Underground library that was created was invaluable to each of the main characters but also to the secondary characters in the book.
Having worked in a library and in a book store I felt a strong connection to the characters and understood the pull the books and library community had in the characters.
I highly recommend this book and was given an advanced copy in exchange for a review by NetGalley, the publisher, and the author.

3.5 stars

This one was heavy - based off true events from World War II, this piece of historical fiction took me a little while to get into as the pace starts off slow and the themes are very heavy; especially thinking of the current day situation regarding Israel & Palestine.

This story follows three different women who are interconnected through their participation in the Underground Library after the Bethnal Green Library is bombed. The three main characters go through their own unique challenges that will tear your heart apart, but luckily there is a happy ending that makes all the turmoil worthwhile.

This book covers challenging family dynamics, some romance and life-altering secrets. This is not a casual fast paced read that you can take lightly - my emotions ran high and my anxiety with it page after page; imagining what it would be like to be in these situations and praying for a positive outcome for these ladies.

I think readers of historical fiction will be delighted and thoroughly enjoy this piece - this is definitely much different than the fantasy smut that I typically consume, but it was definitely worth reading and reminds us of what war can do to people and how far women have come in a short amount of time. There's a huge theme of female empowerment and challenging the norms of the time which captivated me and had me rooting for the characters.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the ARC.

Unimaginable that this is based on a true story. So dedicated to books, education, and people, the library workers kept the library, not only alive, but thriving after its physical building is bombed and no longer habitable. The library workers have incredible resilience and determination during tragic war time. I was fascinated that these women actually kept the library going in an underground train station. The same train station where many of local people that did not have a bomb shelter took refuge from the nightly bombings. I felt like I was there the details so vivid. Solid 5 stars!

The Underground Library follows three women in London during World War II: Sofie, a Jewish German refugee; Katie, a girl who works at the local library; and Juliet, a young woman who's recently become the deputy librarian. The three of them find a home in the library and its regular patrons, and when bombs start falling on London, they move the library underground.
All three women have tough family dynamics (Sofie has lost touch with her family and is desperately trying to find her sister and bring her to safety; Juliet has never gotten along with her parents; and Katie's family is living a lie behind a beautiful facade). But they find a family in each other, and in the library, and the power of that new family gives them what they need to reconnect with their own--or to forge ahead and make new ones.

The Underground Library is a story of resilience and hope. A story about the power of books and friendships and love of all kinds. It is heartbreaking and tense and oh so beautiful.

This was my first of Jennifer's books, and I really enjoyed it. It is a fantastic story of perseverance during a time of war and immense struggle, as well as the power of books to heal and bring hope. Jennifer had a knack for writing strong and determined women, particularly in a time where women's skills and value were often overlooked or dismissed. I really enjoyed the use of multiple POV's and the kinship between the characters. Definitely recommend!

There is nothing I love to read more than a good historical fiction novel with epic women characters and Jennifer Ryan did not disappoint. WOW!! This story definitely gives you the warm and fuzzies, but maybe that's just me when I read a book about books/libraries. I really enjoyed the author's note at the end. Those always help to wrap up the historical fiction novel and let you know what they pulled from history and what was conjured by the author. I will definitely be recommending this book to my fellow readers to add to their TBR in 2024!! I also cant wait to add this to our list for our local book club to read. Do not pass this one up!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine Books, and Jennifer Ryan for my ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and own opinion.

Juliet, Katie and Sofie are three young capable women that meet through different circumstances. Juliet comes to Bethnal Green as Deputy librarian. She is leaving behind her old love and learning to be independent.
Katie is a young girl that works in the Bethnal library. Her boyfriend is overseas.
Sofie has come to the area with a Jewish work visa. She has fled Germany.
Juliet, Katie and Sofie start an underground library when their precious library is bombed.
I really enjoyed all of the characters and the storyline very much. Juliet, Katie and Sofie will stick with me for a long time.

The Underground Library by Jennifer Ryan unfolds against the backdrop of World War II, focusing on three resilient young women—Juliet Lansdown, Katie Upwood, and Sofie Baumann—whose lives become intertwined in their efforts to save Bethnal Green Library from bomb damage during the Blitz. Juliet, the new deputy librarian, faces challenges breaking traditional gender roles, while Katie harbors a life-altering secret amidst personal tragedy, and Sofie, a Jewish refugee, seeks sanctuary from an abusive employer.

As the library succumbs to bombs, Juliet relocates it to a local Underground station, creating a symbol of hope and resilience. While the novel explores familiar WWII themes, Ryan's storytelling prowess, well-developed characters, and the library's role as a community hub elevate it. The book seamlessly weaves history, romance, friendship, and female empowerment, offering a poignant reminder of the enduring strength found in literature during challenging times. Despite minor deviations from historical accuracy, The Underground Library stands as a compelling and emotionally resonant addition to the genre.

I loved The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle by Jennifer Ryan and I was so excited when I found she had written a new historical fiction piece!

Juliet, Sofie, and Katie join together to save the Bethnal Green Library during the London Blitz. They know how much it means to get the books into the hands of those living through the attack because it gives them hope and a distraction. They move books to an underground station in hopes of bringing joy to others.

I could not stop reading this book; it was so good! I felt a kinship with the characters and bonded with them over their love of books. Wonderfully written by Jennifer Ryan!

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballentine Books for the opportunity to read The Underground Library!

I love what the author did with this one. She takes a diverse cast of female characters and tells their individual stories in a way that makes you want to keep reading along. The chapters switch between characters but I never felt a desire to skip or skim any of them to get to the better characters. They were all equally intriguing in my opinion and that's a hard thing to achieve.

In the notes the author mentions changing some details regarding the setting in order to tell a more complete story of the things people experienced living in the underground stations during the air raids. While it does make the story seem less real at times (like too many coincidences), it does move the narrative and make the story more engaging and I forgive her for this. It is fiction, after all.

I definitely recommend this. Especially if you like a WWII, female centric story based in London. But who doesn't?

I enjoyed this story about women from different walks of life meeting for a book club and eventually running an underground library together during the London Blitz. It shines a light on friendship, family, resilience during difficult times, and the importance of libraries.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

There are few things I love more than books about books except maybe books about libraries and multiple perspectives. The Underground Library hits the mark on all these. This is the story of a group of women who meet through London's Bethnal Green library during the Blitz of WWII. While the library serves to bring the community together it's the people who make the community, library, so incredibly special.

The Underground Library follows Juliet, the newly appointed Deputy Librarian of the Bethnal Library; Katie, a library employee soon heading off to university; and Sophie, a Jewish refugee who is working as a domestic servant for a reprehensible man.

When the library is bombed during the blitz, Juliet decides to move it underground to ensure it's safety. In ensuring the library is saved, the library ends up saving the main characters and so many others.

Excellent WWII fiction with plenty of courage, heart, and determination.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House - Ballentine for the advanced copy