book review the last bookshop in london

Review: The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin

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. August 1939: London prepares for war as Hitler’s forces sweep across Europe. Grace Bennett has always dreamed of moving to the city, but the bunkers and blackout curtains that she finds on her arrival were not what she expected. And she certainly never imagined she’d wind up working at Primrose Hill, a dusty old bookshop nestled in the heart of London. Through blackouts and air raids as the Blitz intensifies, Grace discovers the power of storytelling to unite her community in ways she never dreamed—a force that triumphs over even the darkest nights of the war.

This was an utterly charming read, and I was definitely charmed by it. I’m saying that in spite of, just yesterday , claiming that I seemed to be suffering from a bit of WW2 historical fiction fatigue. It appears that that book just wasn’t the right book, where The Last Bookshop in London definitely was.

When we, along with Grace and her bestie Viv, arrive in London in 1939, Primrose Books is far from the last bookshop in London. It’s just that the rest of them seem to be congregated on Paternoster Row, while Primrose Books is a bit off the beaten path – albeit a bit closer to where Grace and Viv take up lodgings with Mrs. Weatherford.

The young women are from Drayton, a country town the dust of which neither of them could shake off their shoes fast enough. Mrs. Weatherford grew up in Drayton, like the girls, but of an earlier generation. In fact, the generation of Grace’s late mother. And they were besties back then, just as Grace and Viv are now.

And there was a war coming then too. History, damn it all, repeats the worst of its patterns.

Grace needs Mrs. Weatherford’s help, in the form of Mrs. W’s ability to boss around pretty much everyone in her orbit – including Mr. Evans, the curmudgeonly owner of Primrose Books. Which is very much within the scope of her bossing.

Grace needs a job but doesn’t have a reference – and isn’t brazen enough to fake it the way that Viv most definitely is. Mr. Evans needs someone to brighten up both the store and his life for reasons that are not apparent when we and Grace first meet him, although his need certainly is.

And Grace, dives in with a will, even though she has no idea how to sell books because she hasn’t been much of a reader – at least not so far. But she understands marketing, as she’s done it before back in Drayton, and she’s good at organization, and she needs to work with/for/at Mr. Evans for 6 months in order to get a good reference. That’s the deal he made with Mrs. Weatherford. Grace just has to earn that reference, which will just take hard work and a bit of managing – of Mr. Evans, that is.

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.

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.

Rather, this is a story about ordinary people rising to the occasion, managing through adversity, keeping calm, carrying on and doing their bit to keep themselves, their friends and their neighbors together in the face of their world seeming to fall apart.

And in the midst of grief, loss and rationing, bombs falling and spirits all too often falling right along with them, it’s also a story about the power of a good book to take a person – or a whole group of people in a bomb shelter – away from the worst parts of their here and now into someone else’s there and then. Knowing that when they come back from their imaginary adventure the world will seem just a bit less grim for both the tiny escape and the shared camaraderie.

Grace’s Primrose Books may not have actually been the “Last Bookshop in London” even in the story. But Paternoster Row, the center of the British publishing industry, was destroyed during the Blitz as described herein, taking most of London’s bookstores along with it.

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.

So, as I said at the very beginning, The Last Bookshop in London was simply a charming and lovely read. If you like historical fiction centered on World War II, especially about the British Homefront, and/or stories about the power of reading and stories to lift people up and carry them away, this is a story that will bring as big a smile to your face as the stories that Grace reads aloud do to all of her listeners.

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Book review: Moving tale of love, survival in wartime London

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

Author: Madeline Martin

Hanover Square Press, 228 pages, $16.99 paperback

Best-selling Jacksonville author Madeline Martin gives us an enthralling historical novel set in London during World War II. “The Last Bookshop in London” paints an immersive picture of life in London during the war years, especially in the horrific period known as the Blitz (Sept. 7, 1940-May 11, 1941). It puts the reader on the front lines with ordinary citizens as they cope with unremitting bombing, forced sheltering in desolate conditions, death and destruction, rationing and the fear of a Nazi invasion.

This book is a big picture and small picture novel. The war and its impact on London is the well-told big picture. The core story revolves around a young woman named Grace Bennett. When we first meet her in 1939 she has just buried her mum — her last close family member — and been displaced from her family home in the English countryside by a hateful uncle and his harridan of a wife. To make Grace’s misery complete, the uncle dismisses her from her job in his shop, and without a reference. This is a cruel blow and a major impediment to finding new employment.

Despite the looming war, Grace feels she must leave the relative safety of the countryside and move to London to seek employment.

She is a somewhat timid soul. In contrast, her best friend, Viv, is adventurous, and thrilled to move with her to the big city. Together they make their way to the home of Mrs. Weatherford where they will room and look for jobs.

Viv immediately lands a position at Harrods while Grace, lacking a reference, flounders until Mrs. Weatherford intervenes. She bullies Mr. Evans, the proprietor of Primrose Hill Books, to take her on as an assistant for a six-month period so she can obtain a reference. Grace crosses the threshold of the bookshop with trepidation.

She has never been a reader. Her ignorance worries her. So, too, does Mr. Evans chilly reception. She is shocked to find the bookshop in complete disarray. Layers of dust cover a vast quantity of books scattered throughout the shop’s shelves and stacked on floors — all without categorization by subject or author. Grace wonders how she is to help customers find anything in this muddle. She starts by cleaning and bringing order to chaos. She also encounters a young man who is a shop regular. He recommends she read “The Count of Monte Cristo” by Alexandre Dumas. She takes up his suggestion and begins a love affair with books and a close relationship with him.

Grace is a compelling and well-drawn character, as are all the others in the book. Faced with adversity and deprivation, Grace transforms from a timid young woman to one of courage and conviction. She begins to read books she loves aloud to bookshop customers by day and to fellow shelter seekers throughout nightly air raids. Her popular readings provide hope and much-needed escape for the war-weary, many of whom have suffered great loss.

“The Last Bookshop in London” kept me reading late into the night with tissues nearby. While the book includes gut-wrenching scenes, it also depicts the strength of the human heart and the grit and generosity of a people. I highly recommend this novel to book lovers, WWII historical fiction fans and anyone who enjoys reading about how people come together in the worst of times.

Jacksonville author Claudia N. Oltean is currently completing a two-book historical fiction series set during Prohibition/The Roaring 20s. www.oltean.com.

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#BookReview The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin @MadelineMMartin @HTPBooks @Bookclubbish #HTPBooks #TheLastBookshopinLondon #MadelineMartin #Bookclubbish

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.

August 1939: London prepares for war as Hitler’s forces sweep across Europe. Grace Bennett has always dreamed of moving to the city, but the bunkers and blackout curtains that she finds on her arrival were not what she expected. And she certainly never imagined she’d wind up working at Primrose Hill, a dusty old bookshop nestled in the heart of London.

Through blackouts and air raids as the Blitz intensifies, Grace discovers the power of storytelling to unite her community in ways she never dreamed—a force that triumphs over even the darkest nights of the war.

Poignant, affecting, and beautifully written!

The Last Bookshop in London   is an engaging, moving tale set during WWII that follows Grace Bennett, a young woman who heads to London in the fall of 1939 in the hopes of a better life and a glamourous career only to find herself employed in a dusty bookshop and war being declared.

The writing is seamless and smooth. The characters are brave, resilient, and supportive. And the plot is an absorbing tale of life, loss, family, heartbreak, friendship, self-discovery, community, determination, tragedy, survival, and love.

As some of you may already know, I’m originally from Coventry, a city heavily bombed during the war. And as my dad was born in 1937, I grew up hearing how a bomb exploded in his backyard 30 ft from the house, leaving a crater two garden widths wide, and how he would count the number of new houses missing each morning on his way to school. But as that generation ages and memories start to fade, these stories are so important in reminding us how much novels helped and continue to help people cope with devastating circumstances and unimaginable losses, as well as how the strength, courage, selflessness, and sacrifices of that generation enabled us the lives we lead today. I loved The Last Bookshop in London , and I hope everyone who enjoys historical fiction picks this one up.

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

Thank you to Madeline Martin & HTP Books for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

About Madeline Martin

Madeline Martin is a USA Today bestselling author of historical romance and historical fiction novels with strong heroines and tons of high-action plot twists! Her books have finaled in the Holt Medallion award and National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award.

She lives in sunny Florida with Mr. Awesome (a man who truly deserves such a great name) and two wonderfully magical girls, known collectively as “the minions.”

She enjoys working out (really to support my love of Nutella and wine), travelling and doing fun kid-like things with the minions.

Photo courtesy of Author's Website.

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Book Review: The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin

The Summary

August 1939: London prepares for war as Hitler’s forces sweep across Europe. Grace Bennett has always dreamed of moving to the city, but the bunkers and drawn curtains that she finds on her arrival are not what she expected. And she certainly never imagined she’d wind up working at Primrose Hill, a dusty old bookshop nestled in the heart of London.

Through blackouts and air raids as the Blitz intensifies, Grace discovers the power of storytelling to unite her community in ways she never dreamed—a force that triumphs over even the darkest nights of the war.

Thankfully, the directions Mrs. Weatherford had sent in her last correspondence had been detailed and easy to follow. What had been missing from the account, however, were all the signs of war.

Disclosure – We earn a small commission for any items purchased through the Amazon or Bookshop.org links below at no extra cost to you. These earnings are put toward our website hosting costs. Thank you for supporting Literary Quicksand!

Why I Chose This Book

I didn’t choose this book! My best friend happens to manage a book blog – this one, in fact! – and she sent me this title as a gift! She knows me well. This novel combines my favorite genre of historical fiction, my favorite time period (WWII) and a dusty old bookshop. What could be better!

To be clear, I would have picked this book up myself for the reasons above and more. I had not read a Madeline Martin work yet, and as she writes romance and historical fiction…that’s surprising! I am also always on the lookout for different perspectives on WWII, and this was the first time I can remember reading a title focused on The Blitz in London. Ok, ok. I also would have been totally sucked in by the cover art. There I said it!

Now she would experience the adventure that had led him into a lifetime of reading. She only hoped those pages might offer her a similar passion. And she hoped even more fervently for the possibility of seeing him again to return the volume and discuss its contents.

I have a toddler and have not been prioritizing my reading time as of late. So with this title, I started out reading one chapter a night just to get back into it. That lasted for…maybe a week. I got sucked into the story and had to force myself to break up the remainder of the book into two nights so I could actually get some shut eye!

Martin’s descriptions were written in such a way that I was left haunted by the scenes the characters were experiencing. That said, she didn’t use gory or graphic details to accomplish this which I appreciated. It’s as if she stirred my imagination through suggestions and allowed my mind to fill in the rest. The anchors of fact blended beautifully with the fictional story making for relatable characters and an enjoyable read.

He removed his hand and straightened. “It doesn’t matter how you fight, but that you never, never stop.”

Recommendation

This is a great, character-driven novel that delves into what life was like during The Blitz in London. While there is a romantic component, I would steer the romance reader elsewhere first as I felt the real highlights were the unique bonds of friendship and camaraderie, even in the darkest of times. The book also has an overall sense of loss and sorrow that left my empathetic self feeling a bit down occasionally. This leads to a more impactful ending, but it is a tale of war and there is no sugar coating the immense tragedy of those times. To me, the ideal reader for The Last Bookshop in London is someone interested in war stories depicting civilian life.

There was a special scent to paper and ink, indescribable and unknown to anyone but a true reader. She brought the book to her face, closed her eyes and breathed in that wonderful smell.

Discussion Questions

• Grace was constantly putting others before herself. When have you found yourself in a position where you have to put others first? What did you learn about yourself through that process?
• During the pandemic we currently find ourselves in, it is good to have distractions and to remain hopeful. How do or how can you keep “fighting?” There is no wrong answer.
• Which of the losses in this book resonated most or made you feel most distinctly?
• What is your Last Bookshop? Where have you felt or currently feel that sense of b elonging and community?
• This book is ultimately a love letter to literature and the power it has. How has reading or a particular title made an impact on your life?
• If you were going to encourage someone’s love of reading and/or literature, which book or author would you recommend?

About Madeline Martin

Madeline Martin is the New York Times and international bestselling author of The Last Bookshop in London as well as historical romance that spans from medieval castles to regency ballrooms.

Stay posted for her next WWII historical fiction coming out in 2022!

She 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.

Find out more about Madeline at her  website , and connect with her on  Facebook ,  Twitter ,  Instagram , and  Pinterest .

Crafter by nature, customer service manager by trade, Wisconsinite by blood, sports enthusiast by choice. Oh, and I have Bachelors degree in Journalism and Masters' degrees in Business and Sports Administration that I like to flex via blogging here and running my small Etsy shop, Nothing Past Nine .

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[…] In conclusion, Madeline Martin’s novels are filled with memorable characters that captivate readers’ hearts and minds. Through their journeys, we gain insight into different historical periods and the human experience. If you’re looking for engaging historical fiction with well-developed characters, Madeline Martin’s novels are a must-read. [11][12] […]

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Milam's Musings

“all you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.”.

• Posted on May 1, 2022

Book Review: The Last Bookshop in London

Spoilers ahead!

To indulge my inner British ginger self, I am bloody beaming after reading Madeline Martin’s 2021 novel, The Last Bookshop in London . Goodness, it was such a delightful, lovely, hopeful book that is certainly one of the most optimistic, feel-good books I can recall reading in quite some time. And that is a seemingly weird thing to say about a historical fiction book set in WWII, and particularly set during the awful Blitz of London. But, that’s kind of the point of the book? That war is unpredictable, that the only thing predictable thing about war is that it is hell, and yet , life goes on. The human spirit finds a way. We dance amid the bombs. We read through the air raid sirens. We emerge from the ashes. To rebuild. To continue on.

Such is the story of Grace, Viv, Mrs. Weatherford, Mr. Evans, and the cast of characters around them during the Blitz. Grace is one of my new favorite lead characters in a book. She’s endlessly, endearingly earnest, dare I pun, graceful, and above all us, compassionate. She does not let bitterness overtake her, nor cynicism of war’s hell engulf her, and she never dares to stoop below her station. The best part? She’s humble, imbued with a deeply abiding humility that she is decidedly not brave — she thinks those volunteering to fight or conscripted are brave; those sending their children off to the countryside to avoid bombing are brave; and those volunteers fighting the fires after the bombings are brave — and her part is decidedly so small in the grand scheme of London’s stand against Hitler’s onslaught.

And yet . She comes to find that she is more brave, more heroic, and more important to the fight against Hitler than she thought. Sure, she didn’t take up a gun against Hitler, or even like her friend, Viv, anti-aircraft guns and radar, or like her budding lover, George Anderson, the Royal Air Force, but she’s heroic in two important ways: First, by volunteering to be an Air Raid Precautions warden, who at first started out seemingly being a busybody telling people to turn out their lights (for good reason, mind you, to not present an easy target to German bombers), to becoming somebody who helps fight fires, check for survivors after bombings, and everything else in between; and secondly, by giving the small world around Primrose Hill bookshop the love, and the vital distraction, of reading.

Something I’ve been fascinated by lately, and I mentioned this I believe in my review of Gulag , is that despite the circumstances threatening the external human condition, humans will always find a way to not merely survive, but to thrive through art, expression, and with art through mediums like books. Because what is all this for — the fighting to repel Hitler — if not only for the chance to survive, but to thrive in a world full of culture and happiness and dancing? After all, Mr. Evans, the Primrose Hill bookshop owner, kept a safe of books saved from Hitler’s book burnings. That is vital. The fight with Hitler wasn’t just about a bid to survive, although of course it was that, too, but a bid for the freedom of men, women and children everywhere from a dictator’s whims and totalitarianism. To read in a world threatened by such men is an act of rebellion, and is a revolutionary act, however small it may seem in the grand scheme of a global war. We need the Graces of the world during such moments in human history.

Grace gets put through the wringer in this book, having to overcome Mr. Evans’ curmudgeonly status (Grace reminds him of his daughter, Alice, who was lost to a car accident); Mr. Stokes, her fellow warden, who starts out so callous and heartless; the death of Colin, Mrs. Weatherford’s son who prior to war was rescuing animals (I repeat, war is hell, and takes of us our young); the death later of Mr. Evans due to a seeming heart attack; and perhaps most interestingly to me, the way in which war messes with the psyche. You see, at first, when Grace and Viv arrived to London, it was with the promise of London, the shining, vivacious city promising a life of grandeur that their countryside upbringing could not possibly provide, and instead, they came to a city on the brink of war. Then, once war was declared on Germany by Neville Chamberlain, it would be another eight or nine months before anything actually happened; that period is called the “bore war” or the “phoney war.” Finally, once the Blitz was underway, it was a shock to Grace’s system. The air raid sirens. The drone of the German planes. And the bombs, and the fires, and the ashes, and the destruction. But then, even under the Blitz, life kept going, life became acclimated, and the brain began to just sort of … operate with that hell as white noise. It is utterly fascinating to me how much humans can endure, and make what is unfathomable normal. Because what other choice is there?

Perhaps the best image for showing just how surreal the new normal became in London in the run-up to the war, and during the Phoney War period, was that Grace, Viv, and others carried around gas masks, and there were even specialty-made purses to carry the gas masks. Fortunately, unlike WWI, poison gas didn’t end up being as much of a factor in WWII, I don’t believe.

But by being put through the wringer as Grace is by the dictates by the British government, and society, under siege in London, by the characters around her, and by the war itself, Grace grew in an extraordinary fashion from the beginning of the book to the end of the book. Even aside from the fact that she went into the Primrose Hill bookshop not being much of a reader to ending the novel by owning the shop, giving daily readings, and becoming a voracious reader, Grace also discovered her own mettle, like that of Jane in Jane Eyre . That she is capable of more than she thought, and that her depths are deeper than she suspected.

Did I mention how much I loved Grace’s character? And the reason I also find the book so darn endearing and optimistic is because the other characters, like Mr. Evans, Mrs. Weatherford (who has to rebound from Colin’s death), Mrs. Nesbitt (who is just so cruel to Grace early on), Mr. Stokes, and others, also have these growth arcs where they become better people through the strife wrought by the war. I appreciated that. Because I would think such out-of-the-norm strife would hopefully get people to reconsider, revaluate, and grow.

Out of this historical fiction book, I also learned three new things about WWII, too, by the way (and I’m sure more I’m forgetting more):

• I didn’t know about the aforementioned “bore war” period, and how strange such a time must have been.
• I didn’t know about the heartbreaking fact of the British people sending their children to the countryside far away from London in hopes of keeping them safe from the bombardment surely to come.
• I didn’t know about the blackouts, and that particularly, the blackouts became a time of increased lootings and such. It sounds dreadful.

Now, I want to read more books specifically about Britain’s role in WWII, and specifically about the people of London under the Blitz.

And , of course, I added half a dozen books to my “want to read” list on Goodreads that were books Grace was either reading herself, or reading to the community. Thank you, Madeline!

Seriously, go read this book if you want to feel better about humanity. I’m already an optimistic person, so this book was sort of hitting the notes of a song I was sure to enjoy, but I never mind hearing lovely music!

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The last bookshop in london: a novel of world war ii by madeline martin.

Posted April 8, 2021 by jrsbookr in Blog tours , Historical fiction / 0 Comments

"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." --KIM MICHELE RICHARDSON, author of The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek August 1939: London prepares for war as Hitler's forces sweep across Europe. Grace Bennett has always dreamed of moving to the city, but the bunkers and blackout curtains that she finds on her arrival were not what she expected. And she certainly never imagined she'd wind up working at Primrose Hill, a dusty old bookshop nestled in the heart of London. Through blackouts and air raids as the Blitz intensifies, Grace discovers the power of storytelling to unite her community in ways she never dreamed--a force that triumphs over even the darkest nights of the war. "A gorgeously written story of love, friendship, and survival set against the backdrop of WWII-era London." --JILLIAN CANTOR, author of In Another Time and Half Life "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." --KAREN ROBARDS, author of The Black Swan of Paris

Many books have been written about WW2 war heroes, and they have their place on shelves to inspire and tell the story about the battles. I love stories about ordinary people who got up every day, went to their jobs, and also volunteered in the evenings or in their spare time to help those in their neighborhoods. Grace Bennett’s is just the perfect example of this. She has no recommendation letter to get herself a job and has way bigger dreams than working a dusty old book shop. Inside the bookshop with a curmudgeon older man who doesn’t want her, she gains a whole new perspective on books and the magic they have when a crisis is brewing. Throughout the novel, grace comes into to own as she braves the blackouts to read to fellow Londoners in shelters as the bombs explode around them. She volunteers to help keep those she now calls family as safe as she can and, in the end, gets the greatest treasure all book lovers can escape when the worse is brewing outside your door.

About Madeline Martin

Madeline Martin is a USA TODAY Bestselling author of historical romance and historical fiction.

She 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.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon | Instagram | Pinterest

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The Last Bookshop in London

59 pages • 1 hour read

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

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

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Chapter 17-Epilogue

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Summary and Study Guide

The Last Bookshop in London is a piece of historical fiction by Madeline Martin. Published in 2021, the novel was an instant New York Times bestseller. Madeline Martin is the author of several novels that each focus on historical fiction and romance.

Told through the third-person point-of-view, The Last Bookshop in London tells the story of a young woman named Grace who defies the terrors of World War II to maintain a bookstore and its community. The Last Bookshop in London is a story about resilience, bravery, and the power of literature .

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Plot Summary

Grace Bennett and her best friend Viv move to London from the English countryside in search of new homes and new job opportunities. Grace has recently lost her mother and is now parentless. Her uncle, whose store she worked for, has turned her out of her home. Now, Grace has no choice but to move in with Mrs. Weatherford , a kind woman who was friends with her mother. Mrs. Weatherford lives with her son Colin, who is Grace’s age, and the animals that Colin rescues. Mrs. Weatherford is happy to have Viv and Grace move in with her.

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Upon moving to London, Viv and Grace immediately start looking for work as shopkeepers. Viv has a letter of recommendation that gets her a job in the illustrious department store Harrods. But Grace doesn’t have a letter of recommendation because her uncle refused to give her one, even though she was instrumental in making his business a success. Mrs. Weatherford arranges for Grace to work in a bookstore called Primrose Hill Books, run by a cantankerous older man named Mr. Evans. The bookstore was built in honor of his wife and their shared love for books, but it is in disarray when Grace arrives. Although Mr. Evans insists he doesn’t need a shop assistant, Grace sets to work right away cleaning and organizing the store and thinking of ways to make it more profitable. She meets a handsome man named George who has long been a customer at Primrose Hill Books. George helps her understand the value of books for escapism and inspiration, though Grace isn’t herself a reader.

London is setting up for World War II. Though the countryside town Viv and Grace moved from will be mostly safe from the terror of war, London is a prime target for German air bombs. City parks are turned into trenches, and a total blackout is enforced. When England formally declares war on Germany for their invasion of Poland, the news is not surprising but is nonetheless terrifying. Hordes of children are evacuated from London into the countryside. Viv and Grace’s first direct experience with war occurs when an air raid alarm sends them to the makeshift bomb shelter in the backyard. Mrs. Weatherford lived through World War I, at that time known as the Great War. She is therefore calm in crisis and knows exactly what to do.

Colin is conscripted and heads off to war. Grace turns Primrose Hill Books into a success by organizing the shop and ordering books people can be passionate about. Meanwhile, she starts reading books herself, starting with George’s gift of The Count of Monte Cristo . Grace becomes a voracious reader, which is a true comfort to her as times become bleaker. Winter comes with the beginning of food rations, and more and more countries fall to Germany’s invasion. Mrs. Weatherford joins the Women’s Voluntary Service to do something for the war effort, and Viv, bored of her job at Harrods and eager to help her country, signs on with the Auxiliary Territorial Service and is sent away.

News of Germany’s invasion of France disrupts the relative calm of England. Hundreds of thousands of British men are evacuated from Dunkirk, but Colin is killed in the battle. Italy joins the war as an ally of Germany; Italian businesses are ransacked in London and Italian men are arrested on suspicion of being spies.

In 1940, the situation in London grows dire. Bombings become a regular, even daily occurrence. Grace joins the war effort as an Air Raid Precautions (ARP) warden, so she patrols the streets of her neighborhood with a man named Mr. Stokes at night. When bombs drop, Grace runs toward them. She assists in putting out fires, searching burning buildings for survivors, and ushering people into bomb shelters. This job is dangerous and traumatically stressful, and it shows Grace a depth of courage she didn’t know she had. Thousands of lives and homes are lost, but Grace fosters a sense of community by reading aloud to people while they take cover in bomb shelters.

Meanwhile, Primrose Hill Books flourishes under Grace’s care, but Mrs. Weatherford becomes more reclusive after Colin’s death. She stops attending WVS meetings and refuses to hide in bomb shelters. Grace helps Mrs. Weatherford find new meaning in life by introducing her to Jimmy, an orphan boy who often goes to Grace’s public readings, which now take place at Primrose Hill Books. Jimmy’s parents are presumed dead, so he now lives in poverty with his little sister Sarah. Mrs. Weatherford is touched by their plight.

During Christmas of 1940, Viv and George are given a short leave to visit family. Grace goes on a date with George, who gifts her a new book and kisses her.

Mr. Evans dies from ill health. Grace grieves, but finds a new chance to continue honoring his life when she inherits the bookshop. After heavy losses, the Blitz of 1940 eventually ceases. Primrose Hill Books is bombed, but the books and the infrastructure mostly survive. Grace is devastated by the bookshop’s injuries, but her public readings audience pitches in to rebuild the bookshop overnight. They rename the shop “The Last Bookshop in London.”

In the Epilogue, the novel jumps to 1945, a month after the end of the war. Mrs. Weatherford has adopted Jimmy and Sarah, and Viv has moved back to London. Primrose Hill Books is still a business success, now named Evans & Bennett. George returns from the war, alive and safe, and reunites with Grace.

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Book review, the last bookshop in london.

Gentle. That’s one word I’d use to describe The Last Bookshop In London . Gentle, sincere, heartrending, informative – all for yet another World War II book. Surprising? Absolutely.

Having come off Erik Larson’s brilliant if heavy “The Splendid and the Vile,” I was ready to move on from war books. Then THE LAST BOOKSHOP IN LONDON was recommended to me as, almost, an antidote to those books about spies and bombs and the resistance. I’m so glad I listened.

We have Grace, a gentle soul with a sad family history, who ends up in London at the start of the war. She and her BFF board with an old friend of Grace’s mother, their goal being to get jobs. For lack of a reference, Grace takes a six-month position working under a curmudgeonly old bookseller at his ramshackle bookshop. On the surface, it’s a poor fit. Grace isn’t a reader.

The way in which she becomes one is the charm of this book. Likewise, the decency of the characters, some of whom are as quirky as the quirky characters in today’s “it” debut novels, but far more likable.

The Last Bookshop in London shows the war from the ground, through the eyes of our gentle Grace. We live through air raids, through nights in shelters and the devastation of the German blitz. We see humanity at its most relatable, at least for me, a very down-to-earth young woman living through a nightmare experience. And through it all she grows.

I won’t say more, other than to strongly recommend this book. While not edge-of-your-seat suspenseful, it is one of the more satisfying books I’ve read of late. Tears at the end. Oh yes.

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

Written by Madeline Martin Review by Valerie Adolph

This novel set in London covers the full period of the Second World War. Young Grace Bennett has escaped a miserable home life in a small village with her friend Viv. Together they expect London to be their ideal of an exciting and glamorous new home.

Outgoing Viv soon finds a job at Harrod’s, but quieter Grace only finds a temporary job in a musty overstocked bookshop whose crusty owner does not appreciate her help. Grace proves herself useful despite the owner’s crotchetiness and remains in the job throughout the struggles of a city under siege from frequent bombings.

Sustaining her throughout is the memory of a young man she met briefly at the bookshop, but who left to join the RAF. The well-maintained tension in the story comes from the constant fear of loss – of many foodstuffs, landmarks, jobs and homes, light on a dark night and, worst of all, the loss of loved ones.

Grace struggles to keep the bookshop going despite the danger of bombing and, despite her fears for the young man in the RAF, becomes the strength of her neighborhood with her storytelling and her readings from the classics of literature. The author offers the benefit of extremely thorough research, beautifully disguised in a well-paced story. This novel has the feel-good warmth of virtue overcoming evil, with well-intentioned people doing their best to survive and help others throughout the horrors of war.

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Reading Ladies

The last bookshop in london [book review] #throwbackthursday #historicalfiction #wwii #booksaboutbooks.

Today for Throwback Thursday I’m featuring The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin , a book about books and a sweet love story.

The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin

Genre/Categories/Setting: Historical Fiction, London, Book About Books, WWII, Love Story

Welcome to #ThrowBackThursday where I highlight an older review or post a current review of a backlist title. Today, I’m sharing a book about books and a sweet love story,   The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin.

I’m linking up with Davida @ The Chocolate Lady’s Book Review Blog for #ThrowbackThursday.

*This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

My Summary:

The Last Bookshop in London is a book about bookstores and a book about books set during the London Blitz during WW11. Grace Bennett has always wanted to move to the city, but the life she finds is not nearly what she expected as she hunts for a job, endures air raid shelters, and puts up black-out curtains. The only job she can find is at Primrose Hill, a dusty, old bookstore with a curmudgeonly owner. Grace, not sure she even loves reading that much, organizes and cleans the bookshop, gradually develops a love for books, enjoys a friendly relationship with a handsome and well-read customer named George, finds ways she can contribute to the war effort and the book community, and discovers the power of storytelling during the most difficult times.

“Reading is going somewhere without ever taking a train or ship, an unveiling of new incredible worlds. It’s living a life you weren’t born into and a chance to see something colored by someone else’s perspective. It’s learning without having to face consequences of failures, and how best to succeed.”

Continue here for my full review of The Last Bookshop in London…

Do you love books about books and sweet historical love stories? This one is on my lifetime favorites list! Purchase information here.

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Book Review – The Last Bookshop in London

Last month in the Literary Escape Book Club , our destination was London. Our Book of the Month was The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin .

This was probably one of our favorite books that we’ve read this year. It seemed to be enjoyed by everyone. It was made even more a favorite after our Author Chat in the Literary Escape Society with Madeline Martin. She shared her research stories and the behind-the-scenes stories of how this book came about.

Related: CLICK HERE to join my FREE Literary Escape Book Club group on Facebook !

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Through blackouts and air raids as the Blitz intensifies, Grace discovers the power of storytelling to unite her community in ways she never dreamed—a force that triumphs over even the darkest nights of the war.

My Thoughts

As I mentioned earlier, The Last Bookshop in London was a favorite of everyone in the Literary Escape Book Club that read it. To watch the transformation of Grace through the pages is a beautiful thing.

And she went from not a reader to a book lover. We all know the magic books can have, but to read through a character’s transformation was a treat. Grace, although working in a bookshop, admits that she really isn’t a book lover. But, she finds pleasure and comfort in reading The Count of Monte Cristo. As the story moves along, Grace finds herself in the subway tunnels during the Blitz reading to others to help pass the time and provide comfort. Somewhere along the way, she discovers her passion for books.

This story takes place in London during World War 2. We are introduced to Paternoster Row, an alley with several bookshops and publishers in London.

Favorite Quotes

Here are a couple of my favorite quotes from The Last Bookshop in London :

About the Author

Madeline Martin, author of The Last Bookshop in London , is a  New York Times  and International Bestselling author of historical fiction and historical romance.

Instagram – @madelinemartin

Around the world in 18 books

* 18 countries, 18 books

* Join the FB Group to connect with like-minded readers

* Shoot us your email and you’re on your way!

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Becki is the author and founder of A Book Lover’s Adventures. She has a degree in elementary education, has worked and volunteered in libraries for years, and spent several years in the travel industry. All of this has led to a love of books and travel. Becki loves to share her love by finding literary escapes to share!

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New York Times  & International Bestselling Author

Madeline Martin

The books featured in the last bookshop in london.

When planning out The Last Bookshop in London , I set my eye toward making the book a celebration of reading. This meant exploring books that I have known and loved and that have impacted my life in some way. These books have been read at various times in my life, going all the way back to high school and include some of my favorite authors, like Jane Austen and Charles Dickens.

Some of these books chosen, however, have stories behind them.

The count of monte cristo by alexandre dumas.

I’d read this book an age ago, but the idea for making it such an integral piece in The Last Bookshop in London actually came from my dad. We are a family of readers and one night, we were chatting on the phone while I was in the plotting phases and trying to narrow down which books to include. My father said, “You have to include The Count of Monte Cristo . That’s always been one of my favorites!”

And it got me thinking. Because the gift of the first book would be coming from George, it made sense that the book would be less Jane Austen and more action/adventure/treasure hunt. Truly it was the perfect book with a quick pace despite its length, one that can be appreciated by both genders. It’s a tale of loss, of accomplishment and the ultimate revenge, but also a love story 😉

Pigeon Pie by Nancy Mitford

My bestie is also an author. In 2020, Eliza Knight and I decided to take the plunge together into historical fiction after having both written several dozen romances. We helped one another plot, chatting research and read through each other’s completed manuscripts. It was through these chats with Eliza that I learned about Pigeon Pie.

Eliza’s book, The Mayfair Bookshop , is a story about Nancy Mitford’s life – a socialite author who struggles to find her footing in the publication world. Pigeon Pie was written during the start of WWII when there was absolutely nothing happening in England and the war was dubbed ‘the phoney war’. The piece was meant to be a wartime comedy that was very tongue-in-cheek. Unfortunately, its release date in May 1940 was just a couple days after the Nazis attacked France (the country just a hop away on the other side of the English Channel). Due to the timing of the release, the book was an utter flop and a devastating blow to Nancy.

For those of you who haven’t read it, I highly recommend The Mayfair Bookshop by Eliza Knight – it really peels back the layers of Nancy Mitford and it such a fabulous and fascinating read.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

When The Great Gatsby first came out, it was not well received. There are many reasons for this, but it was certainly not the success Fitzgerald assumed it would be.

In 1942, The Great Gatsby was selected to be one of the many books printed for The Armed Services Editions books. These books were made to be small enough to fit in a jacket pocket for soldiers to read while on deployment. The Great Gatsby was hugely popular among men in the trenches who really connected with the story and their own pursuit of the great American dream. The popularity of the book during WWII helped make it become the popularized novel it is today. Unfortunately F. Scott Fitzgerald died before seeing The Great Gatsby rise to fame, but he always did consider the book to be his masterpiece.

Q. Do you plan on using more book references in your future historical fiction publications?

A: I absolutely do! The Librarian Spy (coming out July 2022) features some of my favorites that include Little Women by Louisa May Alcott and The Secret Garden as well as many more. The book I’m currently working – The Keeper of Hidden Books will also include some classics, including some by popular Polish poets and authors.

If you are interested in seeing all the books mentioned in The Last Bookshop in London, check out my Book Club Reader’s Guide .

19 Comments

Just finished The Last Bookshop in London. It’s 3:00 am. I loved it! Couldn’t put down so pushed to finish the book tonight. I like reading historical fiction from WWI and WWII. I can’t wait to get The Librarian Spy. Thank you for writing books for us to enjoy, learn and take us away from our daily lives for awhile.

Thank you so much, Linda! I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed The Last Bookshop in London and hope you also enjoy The Librarian Spy. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to write these books 🙂

I read first the Librarian Spy and I loved it and comments directed me to The last Bookshop in London. I am a WWI and WWII reader as well. I really think you will love the Librarian Spy.

Wonderful read! Will be a keeper book for me. Thank you!

Thank you so much, Janelle!

I’m presently reading The keeper of lost books. I’m part way thru T he last bookshop inlondon. I love what you said about reading in that book & want permission to use it. It’s such an incentive to read. I want to see it displayed in libraries & book stores. Needless to say I’m a big fan & intend to read all your books

I just finished reading The Last Bookshop in London. Amazing book! I love historical fiction. I was born in 1942, and the WWll era has always fascinated me. I also love to read, so this book was perfect for me. Thoroughly enjoyable and was very moving! I will be looking to read more books by Madeline Martin.

Thank you so much, Elaine! I can imagine that the World War II era would definitely fascinate with you being born in the middle of it! I’m so glad you enjoyed the book and hope you enjoy The Librarian Spy as well 🙂

Just finished , The Last Bookshop in London. It came at a time for me where I needed to be absorbed in something else when I was diagnosed with Sepsis in April. I became one with Grace just feeling the terror in London with the bombings and changing the bookstore into a success. I particularly was fascinated with the analogy of the box in her mind, where Miss Martin wrote about Grace had a forceful redirection of thoughts into that box in her mind and then the box erupted when she had to face everything that was stored in that box.

Oh, Pat – I’m so sorry to hear you have been suffering from sepsis. I’m so grateful my book brought you such comfort in a difficult time. Thank you for taking the time to write to me and let me know how much you enjoyed my book and what it meant to you. I hope you are recovered by now and am sending you all my love!

In tears of happiness, I, too just completed devouring The Last Bookshop in London! In gratitude for your contribution to re-inspire my heart and emotions…You are loved and cherished….Jeffry W.Myers

Thank you so much, Jeffry! I’m truly so grateful you enjoyed it.

I lived in London through the Second World War, 8 yrs old in 1939. So I could really relate to the story told in this book. Apart from a few references that didn’t quite ring true, you captured the life and times exceedingly well. I realize It was a story about the blitz , but I was surprised that in covering the rest of the war years you didn’t even mention the horrendous destructive terrible casualties of V1 and V2 rocket attack on London This started in June 1944 and went on until war ended.

I just finished your book and enjoyed it thoroughly. Talk about transporting to a different time and place. I couldn’t help but empathize with the brutal treatment of the Ukrainians who are currently being bombed by the Russians. The bombing of London felt all too real for me.

I loved the exchange between Grace and George regarding what it means to read and escape. Brava!

I started this book somewhere around 9:30 last night and finished it somewhere around 2am. I LOVED it so much that I could not put it down and had to keep reading to see what happened next. I loved how the characters grew and changed as the world around them grew and changed. I am a huge fan of historical fiction and World War 2 specifically. I have read many books that take place during this time period but none caught my attention the way this one did. Can’t wait to read more of your books.

Fan note from an admitted literary snob: I rarely read fiction, unless it’s part of a book group. My reading interests are mainly confined to nonfiction about history, politics, and current affairs — plus biographies of upper-class Brits from the 20th century. But the other night I was searching for an audio book to listen to while I got ready for bed; something unrelated to current events or political figures. The title immediately appealed to me: bookstores in World War II London! I quickly downloaded it and spent the last two days listening. What a satisfying story. I didn’t think anyone wrote this type of fiction any more! An admirable heroine, no gratuitous sex, violence that is realistic but not overly graphic, plus a close-up look at a historical period I was only vaguely aware of. A very satisfying listen. I will recommend this book to others!

The Last Bookshop in London was such an amazing read. I was so fully immersed and am deeply missing my friends now that I finished it. One foggy night, when I was 3/4 of the way through the book, the lifeflight helicopter flew very low above my house. At the same moment a truck going up the hill sputtered and backfired starting me awake. It took me a great many moments to gather my bearings and convince myself that it wasn’t a bomb being dropped. That I was safe in my home.

I loved the book. Quick question: Wasn’t “The Kitchen Front” mentioned? I just finished reading that book by Jennifer Ryan published in 2021. Was there another book by the same name published during WWII?

Just finished a fantastic book. It made me think. It captured how grateful I am for good literature. Can’t wait for your next book.

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The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin | Book Review

Posted December 4, 2023 by Haze in Book Reviews / 4 Comments

The Last Bookshop In London by Madeline Martin

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. August 1939: London prepares for war as Hitler’s forces sweep across Europe. Grace Bennett has always dreamed of moving to the city, but the bunkers and blackout curtains that she finds on her arrival were not what she expected. And she certainly never imagined she’d wind up working at Primrose Hill, a dusty old bookshop nestled in the heart of London. Through blackouts and air raids as the Blitz intensifies, Grace discovers the power of storytelling to unite her community in ways she never dreamed—a force that triumphs over even the darkest nights of the war.

Well, you know, I can’t resist books about books and bookshops, so of course I had to borrow it when I saw it on Libby.

“Books are what have brought us together. A love of the stories within, the adventures they take us on, their glorious distraction in a time of strife.” “You can’t save the world, but keep trying in any small way you can.” “There was a special scent to paper and ink, indescribable and unknown to anyone but a true reader. She brought the book to her face, closed her eyes and breathed in that wonderful smell.” “No one told her finishing the book would leave her so bereft. It was as though she’d said goodbye for the last time to a close friend.”

The Characters

Grace Bennett is the main character but I found myself loving all the other characters very much as well. Even the side characters came very much to life for me. Madeline Martin has such a way of writing the characters that makes each and every one of them stand out distinctly and individually. And yes, there is also a cat! I love it!

My Thoughts

This book gives me so much Anne of Green Gables vibes, which might sound weird because it’s definitely a lot darker. But it has that feel-good thing going on for it, even in the face of horror, death, and disaster, with the war going on. Grace, her friends, and their community face so much loss and grief, but through it all, they come together through the love of books and stories. There were some parts where the author writes about the feelings of guilt for doing well or having fun while others weren’t, and always wanting to do more to help but feeling like it’s never enough. The characters also talk about the importance of preserving books and stories, and making sure that all stories are told, not just the ones the people in power want to be told. So many powerful messages in this book delivered so beautifully.

This book totally punched me in the feels. I sobbed so much near the end because it was such a testament to the power of community and people coming together, supporting one another, through hardship and suffering. I see them all at different parts of the book, taking turns being the ones to support others and then needing support from others, and I thought that was so beautifully written and shown, about the power of community. I also love how the bookshop was such an important part of that support system. I have always felt for myself that books and stories have been crucial to my growth and development as a human being living in this world, and sometimes crucial to my survival. I feel that sentiment illustrated so well in this book and I am just completely in love with everything this book has to offer.

5/5 stars. No question. In fact, I feel like this may be one of the books I come back to over and over again. I highly recommend it to any and all book lovers, and anyone who believes in the power of community and the resilience of people. This book is a testament that even in the face of the darkest of times, there is still hope and love and magic to be found. It is an absolutely beautiful book.

Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?

Tags: books about books , bookshop , historical , history , madeline martin , the last bookshop in london , world war 2

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

$ 13.58

It’s August 1939 and Grace Bennet, along with her best friend Viv, leaves her small village to live in London with Mrs. Weatherford, her deceased mother’s best friend. Both are hoping to secure positions at Harrods, but with no letter of recommendation, Grace cannot work there and so must take whatever job she can find, which is how she, a girl with no interest at all in reading, ends up working in a small bookshop just as the Blitz begins. Even against the backdrop of constant fear and nightly blackouts, Grace finds strength thanks to the books and the people connected to them. She even finds love and a new understanding of those she thought cruel and unlovable.

Madeline Martin’s The Last Bookshop in London is a well-researched novel about World War II. She excels in telling the personal stories of the characters in such a way that readers are brought so close to them that it is impossible not to cry along with their tragedies and celebrate their victories. Any novel about World War II must include the horrible facts, but where this one differs is the way Martin observes the humanity in the small acts.

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