The British Booksellers
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4.5 • 8 Ratings
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- $11.99
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
Inspired by real accounts of the Forgotten Blitz bombings, The British Booksellers highlights the courage of those whose lives were forever changed by war—and the stories that bind us in the fight for what matters most.
A tenant farmer’s son had no business daring to dream of a future with an earl’s daughter, but that couldn’t keep Amos Darby from his secret friendship with Charlotte Terrington…until the reality of the Great War sobered youthful dreams. Now decades later, he bears the brutal scars of battles fought in the trenches and their futures that were stolen away. His return home doesn’t come with tender reunions, but with the hollow fulfillment of opening a bookshop on his own and retreating as a recluse within its walls.
When the future Earl of Harcourt chose Charlotte to be his wife, she knew she was destined for a loveless match. Though her heart had chosen another long ago, she pledges her future even as her husband goes to war. Twenty-five years later, Charlotte remains a war widow who divides her days between her late husband’s declining estate and operating a quaint Coventry bookshop—Eden Books, lovingly named after her grown daughter. And Amos is nothing more than the rival bookseller across the lane.
As war with Hitler looms, Eden is determined to preserve her father’s legacy. So when an American solicitor arrives threatening a lawsuit that could destroy everything they’ve worked so hard to preserve, mother and daughter prepare to fight back. But with devastation wrought by the Luftwaffe’s local blitz terrorizing the skies, battling bookshops—and lost loves, Amos and Charlotte—must put aside their differences and fight together to help Coventry survive.
From deep in the trenches of the Great War to the storied English countryside and the devastating Coventry Blitz of World War II, The British Booksellers explores the unbreakable bonds that unite us through love, loss, and the enduring solace that can be found between the pages of a book.
Split timeline: WWI and WWIIStand-alone novelBook length: 118,000 wordsIncludes discussion questions for book clubs
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this memorable blend of romance and WWII history, Cambron (The Paris Dressmaker) chronicles the devastation of the Coventry blitz and its impact on two budding couples. Widowed Lady Charlotte Terrington-Holt and Amos Darby own rival bookshops in 1940 Coventry, England, but put their competing interests aside to offer tea to residents recovering from nights spent in air raid shelters. As they work together, Amos's feelings for Charlotte reignite: he had once hoped to marry her, but then the Earl of Harcourt swept in. Meanwhile, the arrival of Detroit lawyer Jacob Cole adds to the chaos. He's in England to prevent Charlotte's grown daughter, Eden, from claiming a mysterious inheritance left to her in his father's will—but he finds himself taken with the young lady and soon joins the efforts to keep the Holt estate operating while the farm hands are off at war. Both couples hope for futures together—if they can survive the bombing. Cambron brings a great deal of authenticity to her rendering of Coventry's "Forgotten Blitz" (which took place almost 100 miles from London), as the tumult and trauma of wartime make class disparity and past misunderstandings wash away, leaving only authentic emotion. Readers won't be able to turn the pages fast enough.
Customer Reviews
Outstanding!
“Perhaps days like this are exactly why we have books in the world. To remember that not all is lost, even if we find ourselves in the unknown. I like to think we provide a haven for the wanderer. And help him remember he has a place to call home.”
From the very opening pages this story swept me away and I couldn’t put it down. It’s a beautifully crafted historical romance, with a dual timeline.
Amos and Charlotte had dreams of a future together, but were torn apart by class differences and WWI.
Twenty five years later, they’re rival bookshop owners. Amos is a recluse who is physically and emotionally scarred. Charlotte is a war widow, taking care of her estate and running her bookstore with her daughter, Eden.
As WWII looms and blitz bombings affect their community, Amos and Charlotte are drawn together again and may get a second chance at love.
I loved Amos. Underneath that hard exterior, he had such a heart of gold, and never stopped loving Charlotte. Charlotte’s character was also wonderful. She was strong, resilient, and kindhearted. I adored their relationship and romance!
There’s a second storyline with Eden and Jacob, a lawyer from America who is there to contest his father’s will that mysteriously names Eden as a beneficiary.
Both storylines were excellent and resolved in such a beautiful and touching way.
I loved the themes of the beauty and solace of books, the beauty of music, and the strength,courage, and resilience of people during wartime. Honestly, I loved everything about this book, and highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction. It was outstanding!
I received a copy from NetGalley, Thomas Nelson Publishing, and Austenprose PR. All opinions expressed are completely my own.
ENDURING LOVE THAT SURVIVES AGAINST ALL ODDS!
Award-winning writer Kristy Cambron has gifted readers with an exquisite novel based on an enduring love that survives against all odds. Cambron is passionate about her research, as illustrated in the depth and richness of her writing. She has chosen the setting of Coventry and the period from the Great War through the Coventry Blitz of WWII for this novel.
Cambron has written a story that will touch your soul. Amos and Charlotte have been friends all of their lives, even though she was the daughter of an Earl and he was the son of a tenement farmer. They were best friends and planned to marry, but another man who wanted Charlotte for himself interrupted their plans. That one act would change the course of both their lives for many generations. Amos and Charlotte eventually become competitive booksellers but respect one another enough to “stay in their own lane.” War has a way of changing things, righting wrongs, and making people realize the truth that has been in front of their eyes the whole time. It opens your eyes to those who have been constant, loyal, and always ready to put their lives on the line for the other one. This is a beautifully moving story of an enduring love that survives against all odds!
A Fascinating Read
This duel timeline book alternates during 1913 and the Forgotten Blitz of WWII.
Lady Charlotte, an Earl’s daughter and a farmer’s son, Amos Darby, have had a friendship since they were teenagers that is secretive and forbidden. Amos worked in her family’s garden. As an escape to life, they would read together. But as life has it, Charlotte would get married and widowed due to the Great War and Amos had battle scars from The Great War. Little did they know they would have competing book stores as adults during the Forgotten Blitz. When an American solicitor visits Eden Bookstore with a lawsuit against Holt Manor, asking questions to Lady Charlotte, will this threaten its existence? Will their bookshops survive the Forgotten Blitz?
A fascinating read that takes you back to 1913 through WWII that showed what life was like for royalty vs commoners, having a forbidden relationship because of their class, the effects on both WWI and WWII and what it was like to own a bookstore during WWII. I love how Kristy Cambron included in her author notes a more detail account of the history that she wrote about in her book! If you enjoy a well written and researched book, then add this to your TBR list! Perfect for book clubs as there is lots to discuss!