Bloomsbury Girls by Natalie Jenner (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

Title: Bloomsbury Girls

Author:  Natalie Jenner

Narrated by:  Juliet Stevenson

Publisher: A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Press.

Length: Approximately 12 hours and 29 minutes

Source: Review Copy from Netgalley for being a part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour.  Thank-you!

Do things always needs to stay the same because that is the way they’ve always been?  Three female employees of Bloomsbury Books in post-WWII London are starting to think that they could be the change for good to help sales at their store.  The store has been strictly run by men, tradition, and a dusty set of rules. Will Vivien, Grace, and Evie be able to change things up?

I had previously read and enjoyed The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner.  Bloomsbury Girls has Evie Stone as a main character who was previously in The Jane Austen Society.  It also had what I loved about that novel, great characters, story, and setting.  The setting was in a book shop and there was a lot of talk about books.  I loved it.  Even better is when really life author, Daphne Du Maurier gives an author talk at the store and becomes a character in the novel.  I LOVE Daphne Du Maurier and the talk of her works and of her as a living, breathing, authoress was thrilling. 

I loved all of the characters, but especially the main female characters of Vivien, Grace, and Evie.  Vivien is a beautiful woman with ambitions to move up at the bookstore and also to become an author.  She also lost her great love during WWII and has a love / hate relationship with another employee, Alec.  Her best friend at the shop is Grace.  Grace is a married mother of two and finds that her marriage has become untenable.  She has found a comradeship with Lord Baskin, the owner of Bloomsbury books.  As his married, employee from a different social class, what future can that hold?  Evie Stone has gone to Cambridge and has become employed at Bloomsbury Books as she is on the hunt for a rare historically significant book written by a female author.  As she gets settled in, she becomes friends with her co-worker Ash.  Will they become more than friends?  Will Evie find the rare book and if so, what will she do with it?

I enjoyed the story as the women have to decide what they want in life and how to move forward.  I also loved the discussion of women authors and rare books.  I loved that characters from The Jane Austen Society were woven throughout the text as well.  You can definitely read this as a stand alone novel, but it’s a fun treat for those that have read both books.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Juliet Stevenson.  Juliet Stevenson was Mrs. Elton in the 1996 version of Emma.  I enjoyed her portrayal as Mrs. Elton, and I have enjoyed her narration of audiobooks in the past.  She does another great job with Bloomsbury Girls giving a unique voice to the characters. 

Overall, Bloomsbury Girls is a gentle story with fascinating characters and setting in 1950s England.  I loved it.

QUICK FACTS

·       Title: Bloomsbury Girls: A Novel

·       Author: Natalie Jenner

·       Genre: Historical Fiction, Women’s Fiction

·       Publisher: ‎St. Martin's Press (May 17, 2022)

·       Length: (368) pages

·       Format: Hardcover, eBook, & audiobook 

·       ISBN: 978-1250276698

·       Tour Dates: May 2-29, 2022

 

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Natalie Jenner, the internationally bestselling author of The Jane Austen Society, returns with a compelling and heartwarming story of post-war London, a century-old bookstore, and three women determined to find their way in a fast-changing world in Bloomsbury Girls.

Bloomsbury Books is an old-fashioned new and rare bookstore that has persisted and resisted change for a hundred years, run by men and guided by the general manager's unbreakable fifty-one rules. But in 1950, the world is changing, especially the world of books and publishing, and at Bloomsbury Books, the girls in the shop have plans:

Vivien Lowry: Single since her aristocratic fiancé was killed in action during World War II, the brilliant and stylish Vivien has a long list of grievances--most of them well justified and the biggest of which is Alec McDonough, the Head of Fiction.

Grace Perkins: Married with two sons, she's been working to support the family following her husband's breakdown in the aftermath of the war. Torn between duty to her family and dreams of her own.

Evie Stone: In the first class of female students from Cambridge permitted to earn a degree, Evie was denied an academic position in favor of her less accomplished male rival. Now she's working at Bloomsbury Books while she plans to remake her own future.

As they interact with various literary figures of the time--Daphne Du Maurier, Ellen Doubleday, Sonia Blair (widow of George Orwell), Samuel Beckett, Peggy Guggenheim, and others--these three women with their complex web of relationships, goals and dreams are all working to plot out a future that is richer and more rewarding than anything society will allow.

BOOK TRAILER

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOOXfMlNnjg

 

AUDIOBOOK

Narrated by esteemed stage and screen actress Juliet Stevenson, enjoy the full unabridged edition of Bloomsbury Girls. “Stevenson delivers the satisfying triumph at the end with perfect polish.” —AudioFile Magazine

AUDIOBOOK EXCERPT

https://soundcloud.com/macaudio-2/bloomsbury-girls-by-natalie-jenner-audiobook-introduction

 

ADVANCE PRAISE

"Jenner follows The Jane Austen Society (2020) with another top-notch reading experience, using the same deft hand at creating complex, emotionally engaging characters [against] a backdrop chock-full of factual historical information... Fans of Christina Baker Kline, Kate Quinn and Pam Jenoff [will] appreciate this gem." —Booklist (starred review)

"An illuminating yarn... Fans of emotional historical fiction will be charmed." —Publishers Weekly

"Bloomsbury Girls is an immersive tale of three women determined to forge their own paths in 1950s London. Jenner has proven to be a master at spinning charming, earnest characters and paints a vivid picture of postwar England. I wanted to stay lost in her world forever!" —Stephanie Wrobel, internationally bestselling author of Darling Rose Gold

"Bloomsbury Girls is a book lover's dream, one of those rare reads that elicits a sense of book-ish wistfulness and nostalgia. Jenner has created a colorful cast of characters in a story about friendship, perseverance, and the ways that determined women can band together in a man's world. You're in for a treat." —Sarah Penner, New York Times bestselling author of The Lost Apothecary

"In a London still reeling from the ravages of World War II and the changes war has brought to English society, three young women take their futures into their own hands. With Bloomsbury Girls, Natalie Jenner has penned a timely and beautiful ode to ambition, friendship, bookshops, and the written word." —Janet Skeslien Charles, New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Library

“In post-war London, Bloomsbury Books survived The Blitz until Vivien Lowry, Grace Perkins, and Evie Stone set off their own bomb on the stuffy all-male management. What ensues is the most delightful, witty, and endearing story you will read this year. Natalie Jenner, bestselling author of The Jane Austen Society, proves that she was not a one hit wonder. Like Austen, her second book is even better than the first.” —Laurel Ann Nattress, editor of Jane Austen Made Me Do It 

 

PURCHASE LINKS

PRINT & DIGITAL BOOK

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY | BOOKSHOP | GOODREADS | BOOKBUB

AUDIOBOOK

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY | BOOKSHOP | GOODREADS

 

A MESSAGE FROM AUTHOR NATALIE JENNER

Dear readers, I am immensely grateful for the outpouring of affection that so many of you have expressed for my debut novel The Jane Austen Society and its eight main characters. When I wrote its epilogue (in one go and without ever changing a word), I wanted to give each of Adam, Mimi, Dr. Gray, Adeline, Yardley, Frances, Evie and Andrew the happy Austenesque ending they each deserved. But I could not let go of servant girl Evie Stone, the youngest and only character inspired by real life (my mother, who left school at age fourteen, and my daughter, who does eighteenth-century research for a university professor and his team). Bloomsbury Girls continues Evie’s adventures into a 1950s London bookshop where there is a battle of the sexes raging between the male managers and the female staff, who decide to pull together their smarts, connections, and limited resources to take over the shop and make it their own. There are dozens of new characters in Bloomsbury Girls from several different countries, and audiobook narration was going to require a female voice of the highest training and caliber. When I learned that British stage and screen actress Juliet Stevenson, CBE, had agreed to narrate, I knew that my story could not be in better hands, and I so hope you enjoy reading or listening to it. Warmest regards, Natalie

 

AUTHOR BIO

Natalie Jenner is the author of the instant international bestseller The Jane Austen Society and Bloomsbury Girls. A Goodreads Choice Award runner-up for historical fiction and finalist for best debut novel, The Jane Austen Society was a USA Today and #1 national bestseller and has been sold for translation in twenty countries. Born in England and raised in Canada, Natalie has been a corporate lawyer, career coach and, most recently, an independent bookstore owner in Oakville, Ontario, where she lives with her family and two rescue dogs. Visit her website to learn more.

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The Last Dance of the Debutante by Julia Kelly

Title:  The Last Dance of the Debutante

Author:  Julia Kelly

Narrated by:  Marisa Calin

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Length: Approximately 10 hours and 03 minutes

Source: Review Copy from Simon & Schuster.  Thank-you!

 What would it be like to be part of the last year of debutantes presented at the British Court in 1958?  Lily Nichols about to find out.  Lily agrees to be a part of the debutantes to appease her Grandmother Nichols who provides support for her and her widowed mother.   As Lily prepares for her debut, she wonders about her mysterious half-sister that she has never met.  While being presented to the queen, Lily meets Leana Hartford who is vying to be THE debutante of the season.  Lily’s mother is vehemently opposed to their friendship.  What is her mother hiding?  As the season progresses, Lily must decide what she wants.  Does she want to be the perfect debutante who finds a rich husband?  Does she want to go back to school to get a degree in English? 

 I greatly enjoyed this audiobook and a dive into 1950’s England.  I was ready to do the jitterbug with Lily and attend one of the dances full of debutantes.  I loved the descriptions of how everything worked for a debutante season, and I loved Lily’s yearning for more in her life and for truth in her life.  I also thought it was wonderful that she stayed true to herself and didn’t get completely swept away by Leana.  I found her friend Katherine Norman with a family who made money through trade to be a breath of fresh air.  I liked her honest way of speaking and her supportive friendship.  Besides the life and friendships of the debutante, I enjoyed the mystery to the novel as well.

 Marisa Calin was a great narrator and made this a very enjoyable audiobook experience.  Author Julia Kelly has been on my radar, but this is the first book I’ve read by her.  I am going to be reading more of her historical fiction.

 I loved the cover of this book, it is so beautiful.

 Overall, The Last Dance of the Debutante is a great way to experience 1950s England and be swept away to another time and place.

Shadows of Swanford Abbey by Julie Klassen (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 Miss Rebecca Lane is a paid companion to Lady Fitzhoward in the year 1820.  She has finally returned to her home village in England after traveling for the past few years.  She is surprised to find her brother in a state.  He has no room for her in the lodge he lives in, and he would like her to deliver his latest manuscript to a publisher that is staying at the nearby Swanford Abbey. 

 Swanford Abbey has been transformed into a high-class hotel.  Lady Fitzhoward is also staying at the Abbey and Rebecca is able to get a small room that fits into her budget.  Her childhood friend and crush, Sir Frederick, is also staying at the abbey. Rebecca starts to notice strange things such as a mysterious figure gliding around dressed as a nun and hushed secret conversations.  When a guest is murdered, Rebecca fears that it may have been her brother.  As Sir Frederick investigates, will Rebecca be able to prove her and her brother’s innocence?

 I loved this novel.  It is a perfect combination of gothic and romance.  It is like a Jane Austen novel and Charlotte Bronte novel blended together.  I loved all of the gothic details such as the mysterious figure, secret staircases, mysterious deaths, etc.  I also loved that everyone seemed to have a secret, but they all had a good explanation.  Rebecca is a great character.  I loved her world of being the daughter of a vicar but having to be a paid companion.  She’s not quite a lady and not quite a servant and is in a precarious social position.  I also loved Sir Frederick and the secret of his past with his first wife.  I love how he took over the investigation and helped to solve the mystery.    

 I have enjoyed Julie Klassen’s novels in the past.  This one is more of a suspense and historical mystery like The Secret of Pembroke Park.  I enjoyed it.

 Overall, Shadows of Swanford Abbey is a wonderful historical mystery with great characters and story.  I highly recommend it.

 Book Source:  Review Copy from Bethany House / Baker Publishing. Thank-you! I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

QUICK FACTS

·       Title: Shadows of Swanford Abbey

·       Author: Julie Klassen

·       Genre: Regency Romance, Historical Suspense, Inspirational Fiction

·       Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (December 7, 2021)

·       Length: (416) pages

·       Format: Hardcover, trade paperback, eBook, & audiobook 

·       Tour Dates: December 6-17, 2021

 

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Agatha Christie meets Jane Austen in this atmospheric Regency tale brimming with mystery, intrigue, and romance.

When Miss Rebecca Lane returns to her home village after a few years away, her brother begs for a favor: go to nearby Swanford Abbey and deliver his manuscript to an author staying there who could help him get published. Feeling responsible for her brother's desperate state, she reluctantly agrees.

The medieval monastery turned grand hotel is rumored to be haunted. Once there, Rebecca begins noticing strange things, including a figure in a hooded black gown gliding silently through the abbey's cloisters. For all its renovations and veneer of luxury, the ancient foundations seem to echo with whispers of the past--including her own. For there she encounters Sir Frederick—magistrate, widower, and former neighbor—who long ago broke her heart.

When the famous author is found murdered in the abbey, Sir Frederick begins questioning staff and guests and quickly discovers that several people held grudges against the man, including Miss Lane and her brother. Haunted by a painful betrayal in his past, Sir Frederick searches for answers but is torn between his growing feelings for Rebecca and his pursuit of the truth. For Miss Lane is clearly hiding something…

 

YOUTUBE VIDEO

Author Julie Klassen shares her inspiration for Shadows of Swanford Abbey

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPQ24y7dl-E

 

ADVANCE PRAISE

"A brilliant Agatha Christie-esque whodunit by reader favorite Julie Klassen. Set in the creepy atmosphere of an old abbey, Shadows of Swanford Abbey will keep you guessing until the very end. There's plenty of danger, intrigue, and—yes—romance to delight Regency-era lovers of all ages. Truly a don't-miss read!"—Michelle Griep, Christy Award-winning author of Once Upon a Dickens Christmas

“If you enjoy historical fiction with equal blends MYSTERY (suspense) and ROMANCE, then I recommend Shadows of Swanford Abbey with you wholeheartedly without any reservations. This may just be my FAVORITE Klassen novel yet.”—Becky Laney, Becky’s Book Reviews

“Once again Julie Klassen has delivered an intriguing book with all kinds of mystery and a few ghosts added in made it all worth the midnight oil I burned because I didn't want to put it down!”—Lori Parrish, Red Headed Book Lady

 

PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY | BOOKSHOP | BOOKBUB | GOODREADS

 

AUTHOR BIO

 

Julie Klassen loves all things Jane—Jane Eyre and Jane Austen. Her books have sold over a million copies, and she is a three-time recipient of the Christy Award for Historical Romance. The Secret of Pembrooke Park was honored with the Minnesota Book Award for Genre Fiction. Julie has also won the Midwest Book Award and Christian Retailing's BEST Award and has been a finalist in the RITA and Carol Awards. A graduate of the University of Illinois, Julie worked in publishing for sixteen years and now writes full time. She and her husband have two sons and live in a suburb of St. Paul, Minnesota.

 

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Jane and the Year Without a Summer by Stephanie Barron

 

What is your favorite novel, movie, or TV show with an author as the main character?

 The Year is 1816.  In what will be the last full year of Jane Austen’s life, a volcanic eruption has caused global climate change that has brought about crop failure and global famine. This is the summer that Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein.  It is also the summer that Jane Austen spent a fortnight in Cheltenham Spa with her sister Cassandra to improve her health. 

 While in Cheltenham Spa, Jane and Cassandra meet an entire host of characters while staying at Mrs. Potter’s boarding house.  While one Mr. Garthwaite expostulates that the end of the world is neigh, Jane and Cassandra find themselves in the middle of a murder mystery after a masquerade ball.  Also visiting Cheltenham is Mr. Raphael West, an artist who Jane has previously solved a mystery with and has a spark with. Will Jane be able to solve this mystery?

 I loved this book.  I first started reading this series almost twenty years ago.  I feel that Stephanie Barron really has Jane Austen written as a relatable and wonderful character that matches the wit of her letters.  The research for the novels is wonderful.  I always enjoy the notes in the text to explain the history as well as the great author’s note at the end.  I feel like I get to enjoy learning about Austen’s life and world, while also having a great mystery involved.  I loved the boarding house setting and the new cast of characters.  As Jane learned more about the characters and peeled away the layers it added more mystery.  The ending was a surprise to me.  I also loved the flirtations between Jane and Mr. Raphael West.

 This novel will be released on February 8, 2022, and I highly recommend it.

 Overall, Jane and the Year Without  Summer is a riveting history mystery with my favorite author, Jane Austen, as the heroine.

 Book Source: Review Copy from Publisher Soho Crime. Thank-you! I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Cartographer’s Secret by Tea Cooper (TLC Book Tour)

 What is your favorite historical mystery novel?

 Clear off your calendar as once you pick up The Cartographer’s Secret, you won’t want to put it down.   This duel narrative novel is set in Australia.  On a ranch in the Hunter Valley in 1880, Evie Ludgrove is going through a lot of changes at home with her mother’s death and her sister’s marriage.  She shares her father’s obsession with discovering the fate of the famed Australian explorer, Dr. Ludwig Leichhardt.  She leaves one day to research a clue and is never seen again.  What happened to Evie?

 In 1911, Letitia Rawlings feels confined by the life that her mom wants for her in Sydney.  After her brother’s tragic death, she takes his specially outfitted Model T Ford on an adventure to Yellow Rock in the Hunter’s Valley to let her great aunt Olivia to know of his passing.  Once there, Letitia discovers family secrets and feels herself pulled into the mystery of Evie.  Will she discover what happened to Evie and will she determine how to move forward in life herself?

 I couldn’t put this book down.  I loved the mystery of Dr. Ludwig Leichhardt.  I had had never heard of this particular piece of Australian history and was intrigued to learn in the author’s note at the end that it was a true story!  I was equally if not more intrigued by the disappearance of Evie.  What happened to her when she left for a seemingly short trip to investigate some clues?  I couldn’t stop reading as I really wanted to know!  The story had a riveting plot.

 The book also had great characters.  In particular, I loved the characters of Lettie and Great-Aunt Olivia. They were both head strong women who made their own way in a man’s world.  I in particular loved Lettie driving her Model T around and impressing everyone as she repaired it herself.

 I was also fascinated by Evie’s beautiful map that she made herself. 

After a summer internship of surveying back in the day, I was intrigued by the brief talks about surveying and mapmaking. While the map is not in the book, the afterword has a link for a place to look at maps that inspired the author.

 Overall, The Cartographer’s Secret is a riveting historical mystery novel that you won’t be able to put down!!

 Book Source:  Review copy from Harper Muse as part of the TLC Book Tour.  Thank-you!  I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Every Word Unsaid by Kimberly Duffy (Book Tour)

 

Augusta “Gussie” Travers is a woman who loves adventure. She does not like the staid life that her wealthy family wants for her, and she instead travels around the United States writing a Miss Adventuress article for Lady’s Weekly.  Her family sends her Uncle James, a former Pinkerton agent, after her to bring her home for family events.  When her identity as the author of the article is revealed, her family is horrified, Gussie decides it’s time to embark on a new adventure that her editor sets up for her to explore India. While she is there, she will be able to reconnect with her childhood friends. Will Gussie determine what path she wants to take in life?

 I LOVED Gussie.  I loved her adventuress spirit and how this was really her story of what she wanted out of life.   I enjoyed that she wanted to break expectations of society and explore the world.  I loved the description of the locals, her photography, and articles.   I loved seeing India through her eyes and watching her mature with the story.

 Gabriel is Gussie’s old friend and love interest.  I thought it was an interesting narrative choice to have Gabriel suffer from anxiety. It was a friends to lovers trope with a very slow burn romance.  The book was primarily Gussie’s journey with the romance as a secondary story. Uncle James was wonderful as well.  He had one of my favorite quotes in the book, “You are fearfully and wonderfully made.  You are the daughter of my heart, knit from my own dreams and hope.  There is nothing wrong with you.  Nothing that makes you broken.”

 My other favorite quote is about India: “America, with its youthful zeal and brazen thirst, whispered a sonnet to Gussie’s heart.  But India sang, her voice a thunderous roar to the percussion o drums.  It reached inside of her and wrestled with accusations that had chased her across the ocean.”  I really enjoyed Duffy’s writing style.  It was lyrical and descriptive.  It was an interesting voyage to India that included a terrible plague as well as the horrors of the caste system.

 Overall, Every Word Unsaid is an enjoyable novel with an unforgettable heroine.

 Review copy from Bethany House as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour.  Thank-you!  I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

QUICK FACTS

·       Title: Every Word Unsaid: A Novel

·       Author: Kimberly Duffy

·       Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery & Suspense, Inspirational Fiction

·       Publisher: Bethany House (November 2, 2021)

·       Length: (368) pages

·       Format: Trade paperback, eBook, & audiobook 

·       Tour Dates: November 1-14, 2021

 

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Augusta Travers has spent the last three years avoiding the stifling expectations of New York society and her family's constant disappointment. As the nation's most fearless--and reviled--columnist, Gussie travels the country with her Kodak camera and spins stories for women unable to leave hearth and home. But when her adventurous nature lands her in the middle of a scandal, an opportunity to leave America offers the perfect escape.

Arriving in India, she expects only a nice visit with childhood friends, siblings Catherine and Gabriel, and escapades that will further her career. Instead, she finds herself facing a plague epidemic, confusion over Gabriel's sudden appeal, and the realization that what she wants from life is changing. But slowing down means facing all the hurts of her past that she's long been trying to outrun. And that may be an undertaking too great even for her.



ADVANCE PRAISE

“Duffy shines in elegant, flowing prose and delicate precision that underscores the nineteenth-century setting."— Booklist, starred review

"An author to watch."— Library Journal

"Duffy's writing is beautiful, deep, and contemplative."— Jocelyn Green, Christy Award-winning author of Shadows of the White City

 

PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY | BOOKSHOP | GOODREADS

 

 

AUTHOR BIO

Kimberly Duffy 

is Long Island native currently living in Southwest Ohio, via six months in India. When she's not homeschooling her four kids, she writes historical fiction that takes her readers back in time and across oceans. She loves trips that require a passport, recipe books, and practicing kissing scenes with her husband of twenty years. He doesn't mind.

 

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