I truly loved reading this book! It was interesting being set in Lisbon during WWII. It gave a different perspective from books I normally read set in this time period. The two main characters were strong and endured a lot and I really loved them. Would highly recommend this book when it comes out next month!

Thank you NetGalley for this arc!!!

There's endless stories about the world during wartime. In particular, World War II. As I've read many, many of these books, both fiction and non, I'm still discovering new stories and ways to looks at wartime and those affected.

The Librarians of Lisbon is historical fiction about the neutral Lisbon, Portugal during World War II. Boson librarians are trained by the US Office of Strategic Services (early CIA). Assigned to work in Lisbon, the librarians go to their day jobs and try and integrate within Lisbon. However, they are also sworn to secrecy - even to each other.
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I wanted to love this book. I love WWII historical fiction, I love Lisbon and I love new ways at looking at various initiatives that the US took during this time. That said, I felt like the intimate scene were...a bit much. I would have preferred more on the personal growth and development of each of the women.

Suanne Nelson did provide plenty of excitement and mystery in this story so the intimate details were easy for me to overlook.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review.

I had no idea how much Portugal had to do in WWII until I read this book. I appreciate the women we have not heard about finally getting their stories told. I loved Bea and Selene's stories being brought in as librarians to catalog surviving books, but also had other missions. This one had me guessing until the end. Thank you to NetGalley and Zando Projects for a chance to read this one early in exchange for an honest review.

Suzanne Nelson’s Librarians of Lisbon is a dazzling and emotionally resonant tale set against the tumultuous backdrop of WWII. With its lush depiction of 1940s Lisbon, richly drawn characters, and a plot brimming with espionage and romance, this novel captivated me from start to finish.

Selene Delmont and Beatrice Sullivan, two American librarians turned undercover operatives, are at the heart of this compelling story. Their contrasting personalities—Selene’s vivacious confidence and Bea’s thoughtful reserve—create a beautifully layered friendship that serves as the emotional anchor of the book. Their journeys into the shadowy world of espionage are both thrilling and heartbreaking, as the women navigate dangerous alliances and wrestle with questions of loyalty, love, and sacrifice.

Nelson’s meticulous research shines through, immersing the reader in Lisbon’s glittering yet treacherous wartime atmosphere. The city comes alive as a character in its own right, a haven for exiled royalty, desperate refugees, and duplicitous spies. The vivid descriptions of lavish ballrooms and dimly lit corners of intrigue heighten the stakes and underscore the peril faced by Selene and Bea.

The romance arcs add another layer of complexity. Selene’s dynamic with the enigmatic baron Luca Caldeira crackles with tension and charm, while Bea’s tentative connection with the mysterious double-agent Gable is a slow burn full of doubt and yearning. Both relationships are fraught with danger, and Nelson masterfully explores the fine line between trust and betrayal in times of war.

What truly sets Librarians of Lisbon apart is its exploration of the sacrifices made in the name of duty and love. Inspired by real historical figures, the novel doesn’t shy away from the harsh realities of espionage, yet it also celebrates the courage and resilience of its characters.

This is a story of bravery, heartbreak, and the unbreakable bond of friendship. Nelson has crafted a spellbinding novel that lingers long after the final page. Fans of historical fiction, espionage, and sweeping romance will find much to love in Librarians of Lisbon. An absolute must-read!

This book starts with you meeting Selene and Bea in a coffee shop years after the war that they were both a part of. They travel to Lisbon to help with the war effort and become librarians to save books from the Nazis. Selene wants to do more to help the Allied forces and does so. Unbeknownst to her Bea also wants to do more and does so. This story has romance, intrigue and of course sadness as we are reading about war times. Thank you to NetGalley, Zando Projects and Suzanne Nelson for the ARC of this book which I received for free.

Disclaimer, I must say I requested this book on Netgalley because I am portuguese, born and raised in Lisbon, and was trying to catch inconsistencies.

Well, I did find some, especially at a language level (it should have been reviewed by a native speaker, so these could have been spotted), but I also found a very good and solid story, well written, well researched, and I ended up learning many things about what it was like to live in my city 30 plus years before I was born.

The characters were compelling and we were invested in their fate, the plot had a nice pace, and I ended up enjoying myself very much.

Recommend it to all those that love historical fiction, well researched, with a dash of romance.

(A review will also be posted in my blog, on January 2025)

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Suzanne Nelson's Librarians of Lisbon took me on an emotional ride that is witty, palpable and so smart. This is first time author for me but I loved it. I loved the flashback with the historical fiction and take on what it's like to live through war. One thing I loved was how this read like a biography and documentary where I could feel like I was watching through their eyes. I loved that I learned so much reading this story and what it's like to live through times like those by women's eyes and their friendship and the romance in it? It was beautiful. such a beautiful story and truly enjoyed it. A must read!

This story goes fast and is full of WWII missions between two American women. There is a taste of mystery that winds through it. I was up all night reading.

This book does a great job of telling the story of two strong women that chose to sacrifice their life for a much bigger purpose. It follows them through the sacrifices and close calls, along with love interests.

While this book is a slow start, the ending has you unable to put the book down and so attached to the characters that have grown throughout the book.

The author did an amazing job of incorporating the stories of real life heroes in this time period that aren’t well known into some of the main characters.

I was clueless about what went on behind the scenes during WW2 until authors started sharing their talents. I am ashamed to admit that I thought most war was fought on a battlefield. Reading The Librarians of Lisbon removed the blindfold. The war was so much more complex. The war was so much more dangerous.

In the story, Lisbon was a hub of spy activity. The Allies and Axis were working to win the war. The Librarians of Lisbon tells the story of deep espionage. No one seemed to be who they said they were. Danger filled the pages as the allies tried to control the Wolfram exports. Double agents seemed to be everywhere. People disappeared without a trace.

Trying to keep track of who was good, who was a traitor, or who was only out for themselves kept me on my toes throughout the story. It left me in awe of what was going on during the war. This story made me realize that we are taught very little. This story made me realize the importance of those that worked in the dark, risking everything in order to help win the war.

The suspense created such tension. It was if it was all happening now. There are so many mind blowing moments. Adding to the drama was the romance that happened. I was reminded that one can't control the heart or protect it. For others it was all a game of survival. I closed the book wanting to know more, needing to know more. The unsung hero was the spy that risked all.

The Librarians of Lisbon is my top book I’ve read this year.

Fast paced and with so many twists and turns, I truely could not put this book down. Love, danger, spies, and double agents - it has it all. The historical information at the end of the book was also amazing, many of the characters are based on real-life people who did incredible things in WWII and I had no idea about the many ways Portugal affected the war.

5 stars out of 5 ⭐️

Selene and Bea, librarians at the Boston Public Library, were best friends. Selene had been a rich Newport socialite until she refused to marry the man of her parent’s dreams. Ostracized, she was taken in by Bea and they became inseparable. Selene was unafraid and beautiful, while Bea was quiet, and preferred the company of books.

In 1943 Selene joined the Army to be a spy, live a life of adventure, and forget her past. Bea would be lonely as her fiancé and brother were deployed, and her parents were dead, so she also joined. After training, the friends were assigned different roles in neutral Lisbon, Portugal. Bea would work with other librarians, saving books the Nazis were trying to destroy, while Selene’s beauty would be used to lure secrets out of rich men to find a Nazi informant.

Because of Bea’s photographic memory, she was reassigned to work as a spy. She and a double agent had to discover who was selling large amounts of wolfram to the Nazis. As danger began to press in for the friends, they knew they had been sworn to secrecy and their mission would be compromised if they talked about their work. However, neither of the friends knew their assignments would converge, leaving them to make the hardest decisions of their lives.

I was drawn into the story of these two librarians, especially because I’m also a librarian. It was disheartening to read about how brave librarians saved books the Nazis were destroying, while in books are being routinely banned in this country just like the Nazis had done. I learned there was a Portuguese version of Oskar Schindler and hope the name Aristides de Sousa Mendes, who saved thousands of Jewish refugees from death, becomes as well known. I also didn’t know Portugal, a supposedly neutral country, allowed a wolfram trade that leaned more towards the Nazis than other countries – especially knowing weapons made with it were armor piercing. Like many, I wonder what would have happened if they had not been neutral and, instead, had been on Germany’s side. It’s a scary thought.

“The Librarians of Lisbon” is an exciting, historical read and will make an excellent book club choice.

Highly recommended for Adults.

An amazing spy romance based on real events with characters based on real life heroes of WWII. Though Ian Fleming was a naval secretary working for military intelligence, not a spy.

This was an intriguing read set in Lisbon in WW2. I'm not sure I've read a book set directly in Lisbon during this time period, I learned a lot about their neutrality and what that could have looked like for the people involved. It makes you think about if neutrality can really exist in situations like that and the consequences of our actions. The female characters were strong to me, and I'm a sucker for a good love interest in the midst of any historical fiction. Sometimes the intimate scenes were a little graphic for my opinion. I enjoyed this read and would read another book by this author.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

I really enjoyed this book . It told a different story take on the usual WWIi book as it was set in Portugal . It was well plotted and had amazing characters
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book

I forget how much I love the historical fiction genre, but this book reminded me of this fact. I enjoyed hearing about how the war affected Portugal, since normally WW2 stories focus on Britain, Germany, France, or the U.S., so it was nice to see a change of perspective, especially since Portugal didn’t fight. I loved the friendship between the main character, Bea and Selene, and the spy aspects were my favorite. I highly recommend this if you want to get into the historical fiction genre since there are spies, strong female characters, romance, and mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an e-ARC of this book!

Many WWII books play in countries that were occupied during WWII, this one plays in Portugal. It was truly interesting to find out what life was like in Lisbon. It was a nest of spies and life wasn’t easy despite the fact that it was not at war. To find out what the American spies were asked to do was shocking. “Go get yourself a lover in order to infiltrate”. What?? The book was very well researched and I thoroughly enjoyed learning so many facts about Lisbon in WWII. The two main female characters were very real, pleasant and well developed throughout the novel. If there’s a part two, I would love to find out how one of them fared on a different assignment.

However, I read this book to learn more about the topic at hand, not to read racy sex scenes. The book could have easily done without these. In fact, it would have made the story stronger and paid proper tribute to the memory of those men and women who chose to fight the wrongs and at times gave their lives. Romance, sure, but a “they disappeared into the bedroom” would have been much more pleasant than the explicit sex scenes. They very much spoiled my enjoyment of the book and is the main reason I’ve given it 3 stars. I’m sorry that an author who’s able to write so well and integrates research beautifully into the story, feels it necessary to add these bits to books that deal with some very serious issues of our past.

Thank you NetGalley and Zando Projects for providing me with an ARC. I was not required to leave a positive review and all opinions are my own.

The Librarians of Lisbon is a historical fiction novel set in Lisbon, Portugal during World War II. The main characters are Boston librarians who are trained by the U.S. Office of Strategic Services (precursor to CIA) and assigned to work in Lisbon. The librarians have day jobs, but are also assigned missions for which they are sworn to secrecy—unable to reveal even to each other. Nobody in Lisbon is who they seem to be. Will the women find fulfillment in their work and in romance?

I expected to LOVE this book as I enjoy the genre, setting, and subject. I enjoyed the development of the strong female characters as they accepted challenges, took risks, and experienced personal transformation and growth. However, I rated it four stars instead of five because I was about 70% through the book before it became “un-put-downable”. There were a few scenes of physical intimacy that while not gratuitous, didn’t particularly add to the story. They were detailed enough that some readers might want to be forewarned or prefer to skim through those parts. I REALLY enjoyed the historical information provided in the epilogue.

I appreciated the opportunity to read this ARC thanks to NetGalley.

This is the first time I have read a book by this author. I will admit that I enjoyed it very much, and I look forward to more in the future. I love historical based novels, so this was my cup of tea. The story line revolved around a lesser known aspects of WWII. The characters were interesting and well written. The plot was well thought out. The only down side was the use of foreign language, but it did make it a more authentic story. I would recommend this book to other for reading. Thank you Net Galley ARC!

A well written account of a lesser known WWII story. Could have taken more care with the use of portuguese expressions. Calling someone "Dono" was never a proper greeting and sounds really creepy. The correct form is Dom if he belongs to an aristocratic family and Senhor if not. Senhorinha is only used in Brazil, in Portugal it is simply Senhorita.
Despite these annoying issues that would only concern Portuguese readers, I did enjoy the book and the plot. The characters are interesting and mostly likable. I especially enjoyed the chapters in Casablanca.