The Last Bookshop in London: A Novel of World War II

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From the bookish goodness, to the rich details of life in London during the bombings and the goings on in Grace’s life. We have a slow-burn side of romance, but the primary focus is Grace, the bookshop and her impact of the surrounding community during these dark and difficult times. August 1939 London, England, Grace Bennett and her best friend, Viv, have just stepped off the train which has pulled into Farringdon Station. Collecting their suitcases, each one stuffed to the point of bursting, they headed off to their new lodgings only a two-minute walk away. Mrs. Weatherford learns to cope with her son being gone and with helping others while continuing to take care of Grace. After Viv, Grace’s best friend, went to serve in the active military and Weatherford’s son, Colin, was killed in the war, Grace began talking to Evans more and more about her fear that she was not doing enough to help with the war effort. Evans encouraged her to volunteer as an air raid warden. When Grace arrived at the store one morning to find Evans drunk, he admitted that Grace reminded him of his daughter, Alice, who was killed in a car crash. Evans had begun to think of Grace as a daughter and was afraid he might lose her as well. Grace promised to be careful, but she would not give up the job. As bombings became more frequent, Grace began reading to a group of people who took cover in the Farringdon Station air-raid shelter. The stories distracted them from the devastation taking place outside. One day a man from the group told Grace she had saved his life. Instead of going to the Marble Arch Station, closer to the area where he was working, he walked to Farringdon because he wanted to hear more of the story. The Marble Arch Station had been hit by a bomb. Many of the people inside were killed. Even on the days when there were no afternoon air raids, the people began meeting at the bookstore to hear Grace read.

The Last Bookshop in London is a wonderful story of friendship, loss and love, and Martin cleverly balances the hardships and heartbreak of wartime London, while at the same time creating an uplifting read. This is the type of story that will have you close to tears one moment, and then somehow smiling the next. An absolutely delightful read.” The heroine of The Last Bookshop in London is Grace Bennett. She moves to London with her best friend, Viv, in 1939 prior to the start of the war. The two women live with Grace’s late mother’s best friend, Mrs. Weatherford, and her son, Colin. While Grace had worked tirelessly in her Uncle’s shop in the country, he refuses to give her the necessary letter of recommendation to obtain a department store position. Based upon Mrs. Weatherford’s insistence with the owner, Grace gets a job for six months at Primrose Hill Books. While Grace is not a reader, she dedicates herself to cleaning up and organizing the messy store in hopes of getting the much-needed letter of recommendation so she can go work with Viv at Harrods. Madeline Martin lives in sunny Florida with her two daughters (known collectively as the minions), one incredibly spoiled cat and a man so wonderful he’s been dubbed Mr. Awesome. She is a die-hard history lover who will happily lose herself in research any day. When she’s not writing, researching or ‘moming’, you can find her spending time with her family at Disney or sneaking a couple spoonfuls of Nutella while giggling over cat videos. She also loves to travel and attributes her love of history to having spent most of her childhood as an Army brat in Germany. Madeline Martin is a New York Times and International Bestselling author of historical fiction and historical romance. Inspiration as an author can come in many forms. It can be an event that once happened or a person you know or have read about, it can even be an experience you yourself have had that manifests itself into a scene for your next book. All it takes is a grain of sand caught in the folds of your brain to work itself into a gleaming pearl.Grace found a job in a bookstore....how fun to arrive in London and to work in a bookshop. Viv worked as a sales clerk at Harrod’s. Recommended: I’m enthusiastically recommending The Last Bookshop in London for WW11 histfic fans, for readers who love stories set in London, for those looking for a story about regular people courageously facing life in difficult times, and for book clubs. The story is surprisingly uplifting in light of its heavy subject matter. It’s 1939 and with the threat of an impending war with Hilter, Grace Bennett and her best friend Viv, set out to London to live in the home of her late mother’s best friend. Without a letter of referral from her Uncle, Mrs. Weatherford secures her a position at the Primrose Hill Book Store with its owner the, curmudgeonMr. Evans. Thank you for my invitation to participate in the 2021 Historical Fiction Blog Tour for The Last Bookshop in London. Thanks, #NetGalley @HarlequinBooks for my complimentary e ARC of #TheLastBookshopInLondon by @MadelineMMartin upon my request. All opinions are my own.

Inspired by the true World War II history of the few bookshops to survive the Blitz, The Last Bookshop in London is a timeless story of wartime loss, love, and the enduring power of literature. In spite of the Blitz, the retreat from Dunkirk, the deaths among Grace’s family of choice in London, The Last Bookshop in London is actually a hopeful story. Not just because as readers we know the result of war, but because of the way that the community that Grace has built around herself and the bookstore rallies ‘round and lifts her up – along with themselves – at even the lowest moments of the story. I Wish: I found myself wishing that the author would have included letter excerpts between Grace and George. It was mentioned that they exchanged letters and built a relationship…readers like me would have appreciated a glimpse! Letter excerpts would have added even more enjoyment for me.An irresistible tale which showcases the transformative power of literacy, reminding us of the hope and sanctuary our neighborhood bookstores offer during the perilous trials of war and unrest.” Grace brought new life and more business to Primrose Hill Books. Her organization had customers buying more and staying longer. She was a success and knew she would get a wonderful letter of recommendation if she could last for her required six months. Further inspiration can also be drawn on experience. While this might be an unexpected contribution, I genuinely feel like having written over 30 romance novels helped me with the emotion behind The Last Bookshop in London . With romance novels, the intent is to grant people the experience of reliving the thrill of falling in love over and over again. In writing my historical fiction, I implemented that skill to show Grace falling in love with reading. It’s my hope that readers experience falling in love with books all over again through her eyes and recall that wonderful, magical feeling.

Even though Percival Evans, the man for whom Grace worked, claimed he did not need Grace’s help in his bookstore, Grace began cleaning and organizing the store as a way to be useful. Evans demonstrated his appreciation for Grace’s work when he discouraged a fellow shop owner trying to lure Grace into working for him. Then, Evans also raised Grace’s salary. He showed interest in her well-being when she agreed to have tea with George Anderson by telling her George was a good man. He warned her not to rush and marry before the war started. During times of crisis, who can deny the comfort of books and reading? Deftly written, and testament to survival in a challenging time, this book is a soothing and reassuring read." Escape Rating A-: Although this story covers very large events, the London Blitz being the obvious exploding elephant in the story’s “room”, it’s not actually a big story. It isn’t about important people directing earth-shaking events – even though the earth does frequently shake under the nightly assault by German bombers. I devoured this story! I loved Grace and Primrose Hill Books! At its heart, The Last Bookshop in London is a love letter to the power of books to unite us, to hold the world together when it’s falling apart around our ears. This fresh take on what London endured during WWII should catapult Madeline Martin to the top tier of historical fiction novelists. I highly recommend it.”With aspirations of working at a department store, Grace never imagined she’d wind up employed at Primrose Hill, an offbeat bookshop nestled in the heart of the city - after all, she’s never been much of a reader. Overwhelmed with organizing the cluttered store, she doesn’t have time to read the books she sells. But when one is gifted to her, what starts as an obligation becomes a passion that draws her into the incredible world of literature. I read because books are a form of transportation, of teaching, and of connection! Books take us to places we’ve never been, they teach us about our world, and they help us to understand human experience.” But the dark clouds of war that have been looming on the horizon much longer than anyone wants to admit turn into a full blown storm of German bombs, just as Grace gets her feet under her in London. A London that is now on fire. Bomb damage from St. Paul’s towards Paternoster Row thoughtful and poignant themes: determination, perseverance during difficult times, kindness, found family, power of storytelling, community, the “keep calm and carry on” attitude of Londoners, loss and grief, and friendship

He came to me after one entry I read where a mother lamented over her son who was being conscripted into the military and was scheduled to depart the following day. She observed his gentleness with the family dog (one he had saved, cared for and kept as a boy) and went on to bemoan how tender-souled men are not meant for war. It was a heartbreaking observation and one I wanted to push forefront in my story. I wanted to highlight those men forced into war when their spirits were never meant for battle. But in reading those detailed accounts, characters began to take shape in my mind. The naysayer who always had an opinion (like Mr. Pritchard), the woman who unexpectedly finds purpose in her war efforts (like Viv) and then there is Colin’s character who is an especially dear one to me. August 1939: London is dismal under the weight of impending war with Germany as Hitler’s forces continue to sweep across Europe. Into this uncertain maelstrom steps Grace Bennett, young and ready for a fresh start in the bustling city streets she’s always dreamed of—and miles away from her troubled past in the countryside. As far as characters go, I received most of my inspiration from the Mass Observation . This was an initiative funded by the men who came up with the concept where hundreds of people were paid to record their daily life in journals and diaries before, during and after the war. It was a truly unique opportunity to have an inside look into the lifestyle of the time as well as how the daily bombings affected the overall mindset.The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin is a lovely tribute to the people of London who survived the Blitz during World War II. The story emphasizes what true fighters Londoners were during this horrific time. Many of them had two jobs, first their regular employment, and second their numerous volunteer jobs such as firefighting, searching for survivors, bomb squads, and medical assistance. August 1939: London is dismal under the weight of impending war with Germany as Hitler’s forces continue to sweep across Europe. Into this uncertain maelstrom steps Grace Bennett, young and ready for a fresh start in the bustling city streets she’s always dreamed of - and miles away from her troubled past in the countryside. Inspired by the true World War II history of the few bookshops to survive the Blitz, The Last Bookshop in London is a timeless story of wartime loss, love and the enduring power of literature. The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin drew me in with its World War 11 time period and bookshop setting in London. Rich, captivating and well written Madeline Martin pulled me into the story and endeared me to these characters. A love letter to the power of books to unite us, to hold the world together when it’s falling apart around our ears. This fresh take on what London endured during WWII should catapult Madeline Martin to the top tier of historical fiction novelists.”