THE SECRET LIBRARIAN by Soraya M Lane is an historical adult story line set in 1942, focusing on Avery, a librarian conscripted by the US government, and Camille, a French widow who find themselves embarking on a friendship in Lisbon Portugal.


Told from dual omniscient third person perspectives (Avery and Camille) THE SECRET LIBRARIAN focuses on espionage and double agents in Europe at the height of World War II. Six months after graduation from an Ivy League university, Avery, an American librarian is approached by the US government to work undercover gathering information in Lisbon Portugal about the allies and enemies during WWII . Accepting the position, Avery will meet a kindred spirit in French widow and book store owner Camille, who is secretly working for the Resistance, pulling Avery into a dangerous world of agents and Nazis. Together, Camille and Avery will gather the secrets hidden in newspapers and books, but not before Camille reveals the truth about her arrival in Lisbon Portugal.

THE SECRET LIBRARIAN focuses on war and propaganda, double agents, secrets and lies: espionage and betrayal, deception and revelations. Avery is an amateur who quickly discovers she has the ability to ferret out the information needed back home; Camille is determined to seek revenge for the loss of a loved one, even if she has to seduce a Nazi to get the information she needs. Two woman together, once separated by an ocean, find themselves embarking on a hunt for a killer, one finding love, while the other finds peace when all is said and done. The slow building premise is dramatic, edgy and intriguing; the characters are determined and desperate- no one can be trusted, everyone is suspect in a game of winner take all.


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Another incredible book by Soraya Lane!

I loved seeing the work of the resistance in Portugal, and the twists and turns had me gripped from the very first page to the last.

5 stars out of 5 ⭐️

The Secret Librarian by Soraya M. Lane highlights the importance and crucial roles women had during WWII even when many seemed invisible. In fact, they walked the fine line of seemingly innocent while helping the cause of freedom as members of the resistance, it was the invisibility that helped them to be successful. However, their contributions were overlooked for many years after the war. A wonderful historical fiction story of convictions, courage and friendship in a plot that kept me hooked, especially with the high-stakes espionage and secrets unraveling. Like me you will find Avery and Camille to be unforgettable in The Secret Librarian.
4.5 Stars

THE SECRET LIBRARIAN is the latest outstanding World War II historical novel by one of my favorite authors, Soraya M. Lane. I have never read a book by this author that I didn’t love and this one is no exception. It is a gripping and heartfelt story of friendship, bravery and hope. In New York in 1942, librarian Avery Johnson is engaged to be married. Deep down, she wishes for travel and adventure instead of the sedate life laid out for her. She unexpectedly gets her wish when, because of her expertise with microphotography, she is secretly recruited by the OSS to perform undercover intelligence-gathering in Lisbon, Portugal. Her new role will challenge every aspect of her previous life. In Lisbon, local bookshop owner, Camille, is a French resistance member, forced into exile after the death of her beloved husband. Can having a Nazi boyfriend protect her from the secrets she hides and allow her to continue helping Jewish refugees? Camille befriends Avery and the pair form an unlikely bond. Can they both survive the dangerous and potentially deadly game they are playing? I was completely engrossed in this compelling story that is filled with intrigue, suspense and drama. This World War II story was unlike any other I’ve read and I loved the historical and emotional aspects of it. I thoroughly this beautifully-written and thought-provoking book and highly recommend it. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review an early copy.

Another amazing story by Soraya Lane. Inspired by her cousin Jack who is doing his bit helping with the war effort, Avery jumps at the chance when given an opportunity to help. After relocating to Lisbon (which is neutral when it comes to the war) she meets Camille who works in a bookshop and helps her to get the information she needs and they become fast friends. As time goes on Camille lets Avery know more about she’s doing and why she is friends with a Nazi. I would recommend this book to those who like historical fiction with a bit of romance and intrigue. Thank you to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and Soraya Lane for the ARC of this book.

I really enjoyed this book! Historical fiction with espionage, strong female characters and emotional depth, say less! I found Avery to be relatable albeit a bit naive but being historical fiction it didn't bother me. Avery's friendship with Camille was so charming, and I loved watching Camille slowly open up to her. I highly recommend this book.

The Secret Librarian by Soraya M. Lane was a fabulous story full of intrigue and was as much focused on friendship and loss as it was on the spies of Lisbon during WWII. Avery, a New York librarian takes on an overseas assignment and meets Camille, the owner of a Lisbon bookstore. Lisbon is neutral during the war, but is the perfect place for spies and double agents. Who can be trusted? I would definitely recommend reading this one.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing, and the author for an ARC of this book which I had the pleasure of reading. All opinions are my own. Publication date: August 15, 2025

I love this author. Her books never seem to disappoint me in any way. This one is her latest. Set in Lisbon during the second World War. About two strong females who happen to be attractive and have the brains we all know females can and do have.

A story about two females who become the best of friends is always such a pleasure to read. Though the time was harsh and what they were doing was for a very intense and sad reason, Camille and Avery found each other through a book store and became very good friends.

Camille owns the bookstore. She came to Lisbon in search of the man who betrayed her and her husband. She helps the Jews who are there to receive the papers they need to move on with their lives in America. In the USA they can start over and not have to worry about being killed.

Avery is in Lisbon as part of her job. She got a job for the US government to put important news articles on microfiche. She is very skilled with this. She also becomes friends with Camille and wants to help her in her quest to help the Jewish people.

This is a great story. It has such feeling and depth. It pulls you right in and captures your heart. From the time Avery tells her parents she doesn't want to marry but wants to go work for the government to the last page when you find out exactly what her life turns out to be. This is such a compelling story. It is part friendship and part love story. And yes it will make you shed some tears. It will keep you on edge in places. But it's mostly a story about female friendship.

Well written and thought provoking. Makes you see another side to how women did some things during the war. How they contributed to help humankind.

Thank you #AmazonPublishingUK, #BrillanceAudio, for this ARC.

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

This was another fabulous book by Soraya Lane.

It’s set in the 1940’s at the time when WWII was ongoing and it’s told in the perspectives of two characters, Avery who is a librarian and Camille, her husband was killed by the Nazi’s, she know wants to get revenge on those who killed him, as well as find the spy who ousted them.

They both come face to face in Lisbon, Avery is there to photograph foreign newspapers, for the Government. Camille is the owner of a book ship, although she’s French, she’s pretending to be a Portuguese widow, assisting Jewish refugees from France.

This story had you hooked from the beginning and there was a lot of mysteries that kept you turning the pages.

The book was well-written, making you feel like you’re there in between the characters.

I highly recommend this book.

Set in Portugal during ww2 this is an amazing story of two young women who risk their lives to forge documents for Jewish refugees. This is the first book I’ve read set in Portugal during the war, even though it was a neutral country there was still spies, Germans and Jewish refugees there , I found it super interesting to read and learn about. Lots of twists and turns throughout this book, not everyone is who they say they are. The authors descriptions of the main characters, Avery and Camille, show what true friendship looks like even during hard times. Soraya is one of my favourite authors and this book did not disappoint.
I would definitely recommend

Tight-Set Story Packs Hefty Punches. This is one of those tight set stories where it isn't a locked room, but the overall setting for much of the story isn't more than a handful of buildings/ places seemingly separated by as many blocks - in other words, a lot tighter than many of Lane's other historical fiction (always WWII based) stories, many of which span countries. Yes, a few scenes - notably in the beginning and ending of the tale - are set in other areas, but the vast bulk of the story takes place along a few key streets in Lisbon over a period of just a few weeks or so, thus using the location and time as an effective way to increase both the tension and the suspense of the tale.

Yet again, Lane takes great care to craft fictional yet also all too realistic characters with all too common backstories and motivations, place them in very real situations within WWII, and allow us, her readers, the chance to see how these situations very likely played out in all-too-real manners for our parents/ grandparents/ great grandparents. (Yes, it is hard to believe that that era is now great and in some cases even great-great grandparents, but that is the nature of time. ;) )

While not as harrowing as some of Lane's more recent historical fiction novels and by no means a spy-thriller ala Ludlum's Bourne books, this is also a solid spy drama showcasing intelligence gathering by atypical people in completely typical situations, and Lane does a solid job of showing just how much people of this era were willing to and ultimately did sacrifice for the good of all.

Very much recommended.

Unfortunately I didn't check before requesting this book, but it's not available to download on kobo. Will be adding this to my TBR pile!

Soraya M. Lane wrote a very detailed storyline about Camille and Avery as well as those they encountered while in Lisbon during WWII. I found it very interesting and so insightful to read about how difficult it was to assist others during such a tragic time and their working as spies for the allies.
It held my attention and the twists were not something I saw coming. I was quite happy with the ending.

This is a book set during World War Two in Lisbon. Lisbon is a mysterious city which attracts people from all over the world and from both sides of the war. It is hard to know who to trust and all is not how it seems. The book centres around the friendship formed between Camille and Avery. Camille has arrived from France and owns a bookshop. Avery has been sent from America to gather information. Both are hiding secrets from their previous lives. Will they be able to trust each other? There are figures lurking in the dark who could cause serious trouble for these ladies. This was a book that was very enjoyable. It was a gripping story and I enjoyed learning how vibrant and dangerous Lisbon was during the war years.

What an absolutely sensational book! I was hooked from the very first page and found myself constantly wanting to read just one more chapter. Avery and Camille felt so authentic, and their stories were so absorbing that I couldn’t put it down. The author masterfully kept the suspense alive with twists, surprises, and unexpected turns. I can’t recommend this book highly enough!

Lisbon, Portugal. A melting pot consisting of Nazi soldiers, foreign spies with cover stories, Jewish refugees frantically trying to find passage to anywhere else away from the horror of war, a bookshop owner you will love from the start, and a librarian gathering intelligence for her government who has no idea how much courage she has inside. Lisbon was a difficult place to live during WWII, everyone looked suspicious, no one trusted the other, and sometimes a smile masked ill-intentions.

Such a great story with several twists, and moments that make your heart jump. And this author sprinkled in a romance among this chaos. I couldn't wait for a reunited happy ending but Soraya gave me a well-rounded happy ending which is very difficult for WWII. After that war, I would assume that no one's life was the same, there was no returning to normal, so many lost souls, and some had scars from their bravery to ever have normal again. Great read, I'm grateful Netgalley offered an ARC and I got to read this gem in advance. Can't wait for others to read this story.

What a wonderful story about two women during World War II, from different backgrounds and experiences. I loved each of their characters and how their stories came together, while learning about what life was like in countries a bit farther from what we picture when we think about the war. I was sucked in and woke up to read more until I reached the end. Loved it!

This was really good writing that lacked a creative story line.
The MCs are good. The setting is good. The world building is good. Just lacked inventiveness.

Avery is a young woman living in 1940s New York with her parents. She is a college graduate, working in a library, archiving books and newspapers onto microfiche. She is reluctantly engaged to the perfectly nice Michael but is in no hurry to actually marry and give up her dreams of traveling despite the fact that there is currently a war going on in Europe. Even her favorite cousin Jack, who is currently overseas, encourages her to hang on to her dreams, for once the war is over.

Avery's life gets upended when she is approached at work by a member of the OSS who recruits her to join the war effort by going to Lisbon, where she is tasked with procuring any print materials from the axis countries, photographing them and sending them back to Washington DC via diplomatic pouch. She is reminded that she is NOT a spy per se but should only tell anyone who questions her that she is simply a librarian tasked with archiving a history of the war for the Library of Congress.

We are told that she goes to DC for training though we are not taken through that process. She arrives in Lisbon, a complete fish out of water and so naive you want to pluck hayseed from her hair. She was a full grown adult woman, from New York, who had attended and completed an Ivy League education in a time when few women did so and was holding down a job. She should have had a modicum of self awareness and not just been blabbing her whole story to the first handsome man she saw, twirling under streetlights like some toddler.

Over and over she does things because she is dumb or careless, or so painfully naive but somehow it all works out. Why?? Why couldn't things work out because, she was a smart, intelligent, well-trained woman who understood what it meant to be overseas during wartime?

Anyway, she meets and befriends Camille who runs a local bookstore, and James a British man who tells her he is a journalist while making it impossibly obvious that he is a spy. Then there is Walter another British man who is also a journalist and knows James and yet the penny never drops for Avery. (facepalm)

Wartime stuff happens, refugees are everywhere, desperate for papers and Avery and her microfiche camera joins the resistance efforts of Camille, a French citizen who fled to Lisbon when her husband was killed while trying to help get a Jewish family out of France to safety. Someone betrayed them and Camille will stop at nothing to find out who it was - including a relationship with German officer Keifer.

There is nothing new here for readers of historical fiction and after much better books and movies like All The Light We Cannot See and We Were The Lucky Ones, this was a bit of a letdown. There is a sweet but completely telegraphed epilogue.

This is my first World War II book written by Soraya but it won't be my last. I couldn't help but be pulled into the world of Avery and Camilla, both in Lisbon for different reasons. This book was like a history lesson on the war in other countries and what the Jews, who should never have had to go through what they did.

Camille - ah I fell in love with her from the beginning. She's fiesty, brave, determined and she's a woman who will go to any length to fight for what she believes in even when she's battling heartache.

Avery - the girl is so naive but she has so much character growth as her story is told from New York to Lisbon and back again. I love to see how she changes so much as these two fight for everything that right.

But my question is: can you tell who the double agent is?

I can't wait for my next Soraya book!