This book takes you on a roller coaster of a ride! Miss Morgan's Book Brigade is a moving and well researched novel inspired by the true story of work done by the American Committee for Devastated France in WWI. The story follows Jessie Carson, a librarian in New York, as she makes the decision to become a CARD and provide services to those affected by war in Blerancourt. A second timeline follows Wendy Peterson working as an NYPL archivist who finds a reference to Jessie in the papers one day at work. Determined to learn more about her while also trying to write her first book, Wendy soon finds herself immersed in the story of the CARDs.

The author weaves a masterful tale, rich with historical details and incredibly well-written characters. I felt all of the emotions throughout this book and ended with tears but a smile on my face. The women are absolutely brought to life in this book and their heroism is inspiring. What really stands out about this book is the resilience of the human spirit as well as the healing power of books and the comfort of community, especially in times of tragedy. I really believed every single character's story and the timelines are seamlessly tied together. I cannot recommend this book enough.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing the original ARC for review. I ultimately ended up listening to this as an audiobook from the library. #netgalley #atriabooks

This was such a great read and I didn't know anything about this organization or what they accomplished in France after the devastation of WWI. I love that this was based on a real librarian who introduced mobile children libraries in France and the dual timelines really worked with this story.

Thanks to Atria and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

Another fascinating untold story of the brave women who took action during WWI to bring books and comfort to French citizens who suffered greatly at the hands of the Germans. Jessie Carson is a real woman who worked with the American Committee for Devastated France. under the direction of Anne Morgan, philanthropist, advocate and daughter of millionaire JP Morgan and redefined the place of libraries and role of librarians in France. I hope these stories continue to be uncovered and told to all.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars)

Janet Skeslien Charles truly levels up with Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade, a novel that surpasses her debut The Paris Library in both heart and storytelling power. Inspired by the real Jessie Carson—an American librarian who helped restore wartime France through the written word—this book highlights a forgotten chapter of literary history.

Charles’s fictionalized Jessie is brave, grieving, and driven. Her journey through WWI-ravaged towns, delivering books to soldiers and rebuilding libraries, is both emotionally resonant and vividly detailed. The novel explores how stories create connection, community, and healing—especially when everything else has been shattered.

The dual timeline follows a modern-day librarian, Wendy Peterson, in 1987 New York, who stumbles across Jessie’s name in the NYPL archives and becomes obsessed with uncovering her fate. While Wendy’s storyline adds a layer of literary mystery, I personally found it less compelling. These split narratives are everywhere lately, and in this case, the historical plot was strong enough to stand on its own.

Still, Miss Morgan and her brigade remind us that books don’t just entertain—they heal. This is a heartfelt, inspiring story for anyone who’s ever believed in the power of a library card.

** Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for a comp of this title. The opinions are my own.

A compelling story told in dual timelines focusing on starting a library in war-torn France during WWI. In 1918, Jessie Carson, a librarian at the New York Public Library, is recruited by the American Committee for Devastated France to establish a children's library. As the war continues not far away, the children are struggling with the loss of families, homes, and schools. In 1987, an aspiring writer working in the archives at the NYPL stumbles upon articles and begins trying to piece together the whole story. Based on the timeline, this is a prequel to The Paris Library, but reading that one first is appropriate. The author's latest, The Parisian Chapter, continues the story in 1995. I wasn't lost reading that before this one, but I would recommend reading them in order of release. If there's an author's note, it unfortunately was not included in the audiobook.

Thank you to netgalley.com for this ARC.

I really enjoyed reading and learning about this small piece of history during and after WWI. It was interesting to read about the women's roles in that war, as well as hearing about life in the NYPL and for librarians at that time as well as during the 1980's. I enjoyed the dual timeline stories and how they interacted. It was a bit predictable but also had a few funny/sad moments as well.

Would recommend for any historical fiction fans.

I enjoyed this book about Jessie "Kit" Carson and the women working for the American Committee for Devastated France (CARD in French) in World War I. The author correctly assumed in writing this that I, at least, had never heard of this group and didn't know anything about their contributions to France, so I was glad to learn something new. Kit and the other members of CARD featured were formidable women, protecting the people of rural France, helping them rebuild during and after the war, and standing up against the traditional views of their time that women shouldn't drive, smoke, or be librarians. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction and true stories of strong, pioneering women.

Thank you to Atria for the advanced electronic copy!

This was absolutely wonderful – a fascinating and heartwarming story told in 1918 France and 1987 New York (specifically at the New York Public Library). I learned so much as I read and felt so proud of my librarian self and of all those who came before me. Book lovers and library lovers should snap this up.

I normally love books about books, especially those in a historical setting. I thought the premise was excellent but I did not care for the writing style.

A historical fiction about two women in two different eras who work at the New York Public Library. Clearly well researched and definitely well written. A great story about unsung heroes and the power of women in the aftermath of war.

A tremendous book on hope, courage and compassion. The love of literature can try a help you through and devastating situation.

Typically I love books about books, but this one just didn't hold my attention. I loved Janet Skeslien Charles' previous novel, The Paris Library, so much that maybe I felt like I needed something different.

Miss Morgan's Book Brigade is an inspiring and heartwarming tale that beautifully intertwines history, literature, and the power of perseverance. Jessie Carson’s dedication to creating children’s libraries in war-torn France is moving and admirable, and her story is complemented by Wendy Peterson’s passionate search for answers decades later. The dual timelines create a compelling narrative, each one rich with emotional depth and historical significance. The author’s writing is engaging, and the character development, particularly Jessie’s, is powerful. While the connection between the two women is heartfelt and satisfying, the pacing of Wendy’s story could have been tighter. Overall, it’s a captivating and poignant tribute to the life-changing power of books.

Jessie "Kit" Carson heads to France to help with recovery efforts during WWI. As an experienced children's librarian she champions access to education and books in rural communities. The Author's note is a must read!

Janet Skeslien Charles captured the heartbreak and hope during war while developing the connection between the reader and characters. There were a few lines here and there that I highlight like "my mother was my window to the world" and the sentiment of books tasting better than spinach. Carson's relationship with other members of the organization and French people was well written.

I enjoyed the addition of Wendy's experience of researching their efforts in 1987 for providing a peak behind the curtain of a historical fiction writers process. BUT I felt her romance plot was not necessary and detracted from the overall story.

I'm rating the book five stars purely for the emotional response it inspired as I learned about Jessie Carson and the CARDs.
Would recommend to fans of Kate Quinn.

my review was delayed because of personal circumstances.

Jesse Carson works for the New York Public Library and decides to take a leave of absence to head to France to help the war effort. It is 1918 and the Great War is raging and it is time to volunteer her time. American Committee for Devastated France, needs help and Jesse can’t be more excited. Millionaire Anne Morgan had set up this group to help towns in France recover from the devastating effects of war. At first she doesn’t know what she can do to help but realizes she can help with her library skills. She puts her efforts into creating children’s libraries. When she can’t find the right places to set them up, she creates mobile units. She works with Miss Morgan’s brigade until she disappears. 1987- Wendy Peterson is working in the NYPL and comes across the name of Jesse Morgan and her story. Wendy can’t get Jesse out of her mind and decides to research her. She doesn’t know why she is drawn to her but she can’t stop. She uncovers things that make her connected to Jesse in more ways than she could have imagined. This is such a good read about females, courage and their place in history. Based on Croix de Guerre medal for courage under fire, Janet Skeslien Charles tells such an interesting story of WWI, not often mentioned in the history books. I want to thank Netgalley and the author for my copy of Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade, for an honest review. It was my pleasure to read and review this book. I love any opportunity to read historical fiction and this one didn’t disappoint.

I really enjoy reading historical fiction books. But I should have known better than to try to appreciate one that was written about WWI. That is not a time period I enjoy reading about And I am definitely not a big fan of books in the romance genre. So there were several factors that turned me off before I had hardly gotten started reading. One aspect that I should have found appealing is that it included a dual timeline. But even that did not work well for me. Warning: there is the subject of rape or near rape mentioned as well as a couple of lovemaking scenes between Anne Morgan and Anne Dike … one of which is fairly graphic.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

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Adult
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I really enjoyed this book. It did take a bit for me to get into but once I was hooked I buzzed right through it. Great historical references.

1918, WWI, France. Jessie Carson joins a group, the American Committee for Devastated France (CARD), in France, to help establish children's libraries in some very war torn areas. Founded by Anne Morgan, daughter of J.P. Morgan, Anne was using the money for good causes. The villagers came to like and truly respect the American ladies and in turn, the American women came to see how much the villagers were able to do with so little. The Americans turned old ambulances into bookmobiles and with the aid of families sending them books, were able to stock the shelves with children's books.

The other half of the story is that of Wendy Peterson, also working at the same New York library where Jessie worked many years prior. Wendy, in 1987, stumbles across some references to Jessie Carson and determines to find out what happened to her and the CARD organization.

Alternating chapters tell the stories of both women. Jessie Carson was real, she did leave New York and move to France to run the libraries. Based on research done by Janet Skeslien Charles, Jessie and her story are brought to life. The Author's Notes at the end are a great addition to the story.

This is a dual timeline book following our two main characters Jessie "Kit" Carson and Wendy Peterson. Kit is in France in 1918 as a children's librarian working with the American Committee for Devastated France and Wendy Peterson is working for the NYPL in the late 80s. When following Kit we are watching her become immersed in the lives of the French people during the devastation of the Great War and all of the efforts the CARDs are making to restore France. When following Wendy, we watch as she discovers the CARDs and their work during the Great War and she dives into researching Kit so she can write a book about them. Eventually, the two timelines collide and we see the ending of Kit and Wendy's stories.

This book was a bit slow to get into, however after about 30% I was totally hooked. I liked the way the characters interacted with those around them and stood up for themselves and what they believed was right. I loved all of the side characters and their support of our leading ladies. I thought this was a beautiful story about the impact women have on the world and how their efforts should be recognized and celebrated. I love this author and can't wait to see what she puts out next!

Compelling story, interesting history and memorable characters, Miss Morgan's Book Brigade was enjoyable and inspiring.