This was such a lovely story. A main storyline with a few underlying ones really helped breakup the heaviness that a historical fiction book brings.

It was surface heavy so I didn't feel like I needed to take a break from listening to it. The characters were distressed and less than perfect so the realism felt closer to real people as opposed to just being characters.

I didn't connect to this book as closely as I thought I would or how other people did but I still think it's a great addition to my historical fiction collection.

The audiobook was good, I think. Nothing spectacular but enough to allow you to escape.

Kristy Cambron's latest The British Booksellers was my first book by her but will not be my last. This story was highly engaging, I wanted to know how all the pieces fit together for the characters throughout the book. The main characters had depth as they struggled to overcome class distinctions, a changing world, and war. The audio was a pleasure to listen to. It had just enough historical content to make it feel as if it was a real story. I loved that it focused on an event during WWII not often talked about in history books. Also the dual narrative that included both world wars really brought to light the challenging times people lived through in the fist half of the 1900s. Highly recommend!

Kristy Cambron’s latest masterpiece, The British Booksellers, seamlessly weaves a tale with forgotten history and timeless themes of forgiveness, love, and resilience against the dual timeline of WWI and WWII. Through skillful narration and rich character development, Kristy Cambron brings to life the entwined stories of Charlotte Terrington, Amos Darby, Eden Holt, and Jacob Cole, revealing the complexities of human nature and the enduring power of hope even in the face of war.

“What defines the human capacity to love? To love meant to accept all—the grit and grief alongside beauty. To endure the harshness of life not with despair, but hope.” ~ Kristy Cambron

From the very first chapter, I was captivated by The British Booksellers’ depths and the characters’ authenticity. None of us are perfect, and true stories are far from fairytales, yet Kristy Cambron’s ability to portray the imperfections of her characters made their journey all the more relatable and poignant. Through pain, grief, and loss, beauty, hope, and love endure!

Currently living through war myself, reading about the strength and compassion displayed by each character toward their neighbors and enemies was encouraging. The British Booksellers is a testament to the triumph of forgiveness and understanding in a world where bitterness and hatred often prevail. Kristy Cambron masterfully entwines these themes with beautiful stories, reminding readers that falling in love is not without challenges but is rooted in integrity and grace.

“Some pain would never go away. Some choices never alter. But if they’d learned anything from the beauty and brokenness of this world together, it was that light always overshadowed the darkness. And home would always be the place she had with him.” ~ Kristy Cambron

Historical fiction lovers will thoroughly enjoy The British Booksellers. Kristy Cambron’s talent for captivating her audience with accurate historical events while imparting valuable lessons is unmatched, leaving readers both enlightened and deeply moved by the unforgettable stories she creates.

“Books are an escape that beckons the reader from the heavy burdens of this world. They can challenge as well as comfort. Entertain and educate. Even save us in ways we’d never expect.”~ Kristy Cambron

*Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for providing me with a pre-release copy of this novel. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.*

This was a great dual time line story about WWII. It started off a little slow, but then really hooked me! The author definitely put a lot of research into this book.
I listened to the book on audio. The narrator did a wonderful job. Many thanks to the author, Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

So you say, another WWII novel....what else can be relayed? I feel with each reading in this genre, the reader gains a little more depth in the understanding of the time period. In British Booksellers, Kristy Cambron fills the bill. She gives us the "Land Girls." In all my study of WWII, I've never heard of this aspect of the war. Throw in not only the bombings of the city's center, but a widowed Lady in charge of a large estate, trying to keep it secure and keeping the entire community safe, add not one, but two completing bookshops in the mix, a mystery surrounding a "Yank," and a lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers trope, and you've got yourself a very good new WWII novel. Enjoy!

"The British Booksellers" is a heartwarming story of love, and unrequited love. It is set in a time after WWI( and just before and during WWI.I. The story line is interesting and well written. The narrator does a great job. I highly recommend this book.

A dual timeline book that served the story well. This is a sweet read spanning both world wars. The friendship between them is so fun to read. Learned a lot while reading too.

“Books are an escape that beckons the reader from the heavy burden of this world. They can challenge as well as comfort, they can train and educate and save us in ways we'd never expect.”

I listened to the audio version of this book. With only one narrator, the many characters and the dual timeline, it took me a bit of time to adapt and not feel lost. I loved the narrator’s voice and her acting, that was very well balanced, with an effort made on the accents without turning them into a caricature.
I loved the beginning of the story, when Amos and Charly were young, then adults and tenants of rival bookshops. That characters’ background was particularly moving and resonated deeply in me. I loved them both at this point.
The story, though, falls a bit short after that. Quickly, they unite their efforts to help the city of Coventry and its people –and Charlotte’s estate. I wish the “book aspect” would have lasted more, and wasn’t reduced to the token of that book that seals Charly and Amos’ fate more than once (even if, like the watch, it was a nice red thread). Indeed, promptly, the story focuses on the War effort and the complex story between the older MCs. In the end, the only question articulates around Eden, her lineage and why that mysterious solicitor comes from America. I have to admit it wasn’t exactly what I expected, I wished it had been turned a bit more about the bookshops’ storyline than the Estate’s.
That being said, I loved how both timelines interlaced WW1 and WW2, making them mirroring each other, showing the repercussions the Great War had on the survivors. It was particularly well documented and even if I had trouble investing in the characters’ stories I liked how the historical part was dealt with and how the writing (and the narration) made it very immersive.

Rate 3.5/5

Thank you NetGalley,Kristy Cambron and Thomas Nelson Fiction for this ARC in exchange for my honest review

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this historical fiction. I will admit that the start was a bit confusing as the timeline jumped around, but once I understood what was happening it was not a problem. The characters in the novel are genuine, likeable, and believably flawed. Charlotte makes a decision at one point that I am still baffled by, but I guess that's part of being human. This novel provides an excellent description of the Forgotten Blitz on Coventry.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio through NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Perhaps I would have gone to four stars if I hadn't read so many other WWII historical fiction novels in the past decade, but at this point, I've lost count of how many I've read. This novel bounces between WWI and WWII.

Beyond the overdone premise, this book may appeal to fans of Downton Abbey and possibly to Land Girls fans. The class theme was done well. I found the pacing to be about right; the book never seemed to drag. There was a bit of a mystery threaded throughout the story, which was the best part of the novel for me. There were a couple romance storylines, not really my genre, but at least they weren't graphic. I enjoyed the ending, though I didn't care for the epilogue simply because things wrapped up far too neatly. Most of the story felt realistic to me, but not the epilogue, so it didn't really fit.

I listened to the audiobook and one thing I found very confusing for the first quarter of the book or so is that about every other chapter switches between the 1920s and the 1940s. I didn't realize this and was getting confused. Once I understood, I made sure to take note at the beginning of each chapter of where I was on the timeline and the confusion cleared right up.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Expertly written and heart wrenching, to say the least. This was a fairly complicated story- the audio narration is excellent but I will suggest that keeping a physical copy on hand will really help follow the timeline. I loved the two previous KC books I’ve read (The Hidden Masterpiece Collection) but this one was far more complicated (in a good way) as well as insightful.
#TheBritishBooksellers #NetGalley

Charlotte is an earl’s daughter who plays the cello even though it is unladylike. Amos is a farmer’s son who reads to escape and dreams of owning a bookshop and marrying Charlotte. WWI tears them apart. Fast forward 30ish years and both have own a bookshop on opposite sides of the same street. There is another war threatening their life.

This was a cozy historical fiction. I loved that the two wars were connected between the families. I loved the surprise/twist with the watch. This story gave a wide view of the lives of Coventry during WWII. Each of the 4 main characters had their story told so you didn’t get too deep into one storyline.

This is a wonderfully performed audiobook! The various voices are distinctive and I love the authenticity of the accents. I was able to listen comfortably at 1.25 & 1.5 speed.
If you enjoy historical fiction I recommend The British Booksellers!

What a fun book! As a big reader of books I enjoyed the book store aspect of this one. Kristy Cameron has written a historical fiction novel that takes place during WW1. It switches between the past and the present and the different characters points of view, with beautiful love stories woven throughout.

The narrator of the audio book is Barrie Kreinik, who was the perfect choice for this book. I loved the British accent and the transitions between characters was great.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson, Zondervan Fiction Audio and Net Galley for the advanced copy of the audio book!

I have really enjoyed some to the recent historical fiction books surrounding both WWI and WWII. And along comes this book that deals with both. Unfortunately for me, the dual timeline just did not work this time - perhaps because I listened to the audiobook version or maybe because some of the relationships between the characters in one timeline or the other just got confusing. To me, this was more of a love story (or stories) for much of the book as opposed to historical fiction. That said, I was not familiar with the Coventry Blitz so kudos to the author for using this part of England as a backdrop for the story. Also, the narrator of an audiobook is so critical to enjoying (and understanding) a book - and Barrie Kreinik did an excellent job. My thanks to Zondervan Fiction Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to the book and provide my review.

I have always been a fan of historical fiction, add this era and swoon! Inspired by true accounts, Guernsey Literary Potato Peal Society vibes! Pick this book up!

Thank you for the audio version NetGalley and McMillan!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review The British Booksellers by Kristy Cambron. The writing in the book was fairly solid, and the story was decently engaging. I am disappointed in the 'historical fiction' moniker of the book, however. This is a romance that takes place with bombs dropping in the background. There wasn't really anything complex about the plot or characters.

Shifting between the changing dynamics in class at the outset of WWI and the drama of the Coventry Blitz in WWII is a love story that endures across time. Charlotte and Amos are star crossed lovers who can’t bridge the difference in class. And are thwarted by war and society. Decades later, as Charlottes daughter Eden grapples with responsibilities and the appearance of a stranger amidst the nightly air raids. Can their love sustain them as they deal with betrayal, secrets, and the bombings.? Excellent narration bring the story to life!

I adore historical fiction books ... especially if they are focused on WWII. This one actually covers WWI and WWII. The dual timeline was so well done and the characters richly developed. You will fall in love with Amos Darby and Lady Charlotte Holt. And getting to know second characters, Jacob and Eden adds to the story. You will experience multiple points of view and timelines and a wide variety of characters. That sometimes made it difficult for me to keep focused. But the end result is worth the effort. Traveling through the pages and the experiences of both World Wars will have you flipping the pages and devouring the story. While presented as Christian fiction, this is not in-your-face. The characters attend church and have Christian morals. However, I do not think it would offend someone who is not a fan of Christian fiction.

A story of hope, social hierarchy, betrayal, resilience, death, hope, loss, and redemption, you will find this a tale that you will appreciate. A different view from most WWII historical fiction books that I read, this will demonstrate the endurance and dedication of those caught in the crossfires of war.

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

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

The bones of the story were good and interesting but the format of a dual timeline with only small bits of each character focus and time was so abrupt and disjointed. You couldn’t get into each part of the story before you had to switch gears again but when you returned it was at a further point in the story, and I had to both struggle to remember where I was but also infer into the gaps. It felt like riding in a car and hard-pressing the gas, then slamming the brakes, only to repeat it again.

The characters felt inconsistent to me as well, especially Will and Amos. They would be portrayed one way at one point - Will being awful or good, Amos being gossiped as “a beast” tho I never understood why - and then be completely different at other times. I could never figure out if I liked or disliked either of them. And the whole feud thing never made sense to me even when it Charlotte mentioned it at the end. But maybe in the disjointedness I just missed it.

I think the intention was to create mystery and intrigue but when that happens so ambiguously and in tiny bits, I feel like it becomes more work to read it than is enjoyable, at least for me.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are mine.