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The Last Bookshop in London

A Novel of World War II

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The Last Bookshop in London

By: Madeline Martin
Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld
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About this listen

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 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.

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.

As the Blitz rains down bombs on the city night after night, a devastating attack leaves the libraries and shops of London’s literary center in ruins. Miraculously, Grace’s bookshop survives the firestorm. Through blackouts and air raids, Grace continues running the shop, discovering a newfound comfort in the power of words and storytelling that unites her community in ways she never imagined - a force that triumphs over even the darkest nights of war-torn London.

©2021 Madeline Martin (P)2021 Harlequin Enterprises, Limited
Fiction World War II England Heartfelt Feel-Good Inspiring World War Ii Fiction
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What listeners say about The Last Bookshop in London

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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A Pleasant Story

Well narrated An overall pleasant listen not riveting or exciting in any sense but the characters where all pleasant and the story flowed uneventfully

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2 people found this helpful

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the love of books

I was so sorry when it ended, even though I don't read books , I love listening to them, so this book to me was wonderful thank you , and so beautiful read .

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Fantastic!

This book is amazing. I loved it so much. The narration is really good too. Get it, you won’t regret it :-)

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2 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Evocative of WW2

I enjoyed this book and thought it captured the feeling of the Blitz. Narration was mostly good apart from some annoying mispronounciations which should have been picked up.

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A Lovely Heartwarming Story

This was such a lovely book to listen to, heartwarming but sometimes sad too in a time where the country was at war with Germany. It makes you think, even in times of war and what people endured, it still brought out the strength and the best in people. And how every person can always help someone else. The power of reading and how it transports you to another world of escapism, an imaginary world where you can experience something new. The part of the book where Grace had been reading books aloud to the people in the tube station as the air raids where taking place, brought tears to my eyes and how those people came to the book store to ask Grace to carry on reading to them, it brought comfort and togetherness in a time where people needed it. Saskia Maarleveld is a wonderful narrator, I just love her voice, I've previously listened to The Alice Network, excellent too! But I'm so glad Saskia's voice has brought me to a beautiful author Madeline Martin, who will now become one of my favourites, and I shall definitely be reading more from her soon. Highly recommend! Thank you so much to Madeline and Saskia! for a lovely few days immersed in a wonderful story!

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Did not want this book to end!

This book touched me so deeply I will carry its story with me forever. I chose this book for our book club this month. It is something I wouldn't normally read, and in general I don't leave reviews either, but I had to just rave about it. Its magical, sad in places and joyfully in others. I don't want to give the story away. I fell in love with each character.
The audiobook was good, the only reason I gave it 4 stars was because I just wished the narrator would use a different voice for the different individual male characters. Thats just personal preference though.

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4 people found this helpful

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A love story - with books, friends and life

An engrossing and poignant tale of Grace finding much to enrich her life in London during the Second World War, nothing more than her newly found love of books and reading 😁

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A good read; heart-warming and evocative

I found this audio a really good 'read'. An interesting story set in the Second World War; one or two of the details were not quite accurate but this didn't matter to me. I actually lived through the war as a very young child and although it was during the first five years of my life, I have surprisingly many memories, particularly the siren, warning of the start of a raid, and being taken down to shelter in the cupboard under the stairs, or the described 'official' models of shelters, until the raid was over. The atmosphere and coming together of communities and individuals is conveyed vividly.

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1 person found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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Only OK

I had hopes for this book as I like this subject matter. The narration was OK, but the American pronunciation of words, supposedly coming out of the mouth of an English girl in WWII was very irritating indeed. Her accent was English, but her pronunciation was definitely not. The story was OK but I have read better in a similar vein.

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Rich with historic detail.

I adored this reading. Beautifully read, and rich with details. If you have an interest in WWII, London in The Blitz and a great cast of characters then just sit back and enjoy.

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