Book one Churchwood Hertfordshire at the start of WW2
A very moving story to read.
Alice Lovell has just moved to the village from London with her father retired doctor Archibald Lovell and she's hoping to make new friends. Her disfigured hand will not stop her helping out for the war effort.
Meeting Kate Fletcher, her and her family have a reputation in the village working on Brimbles farm. Her and Alice soon become good friends.
Alice is keeping in touch with Daniel Irvine from back home.
Naomi Harrington married to stockbroker Alexander and yearns for a child of her own
Three very different women with the outbreak of war holding the village together.
I loved this beautiful heart warming read and a good start to the series to pull at your heartstrings.
All the characters blend into the book chapter after chapter with Joy and heartache from start to a beautiful end.
I loved it.

This is the first in a new ww11 saga series. Based around community and friendship.
The story is about Alice, a young girl with an injured hand and heart who moves to the village of Church wood. And along with 2 other characters Alice and Naomi a wonderful friendship is built
Full of life, love and hope.

Wartime fiction based around books is my favourite sort of read. I really loved reading this, thought the writing was amazing and overall a great book

I LOVED this book. I have been a fan of Lesley's since first reading The Runaway Women in London (if you haven't read it yet, you really should!) and this book was even better than that, in my opinion. I was thrilled when I found out that this is the first in a series - I've been hoping Lesley would write a series of books for a while now - she's such a good author that I just want to read more about some of her characters!

The characters in this book were engaging, fun, challenging - all the things one would hope to read in a book really! I have my own ideas about how the characters will grow in future books - primarily, I'm wondering what will happen to Naomi and Kate - I can't wait to find out!

Lesley - if you're reading this review - thank you!

Friendship is what is uppermost in this book. You may not think so to begin with as some of the inhabitants have secrets they would rather keep to themselves, will they be found out.?
The three main characters are Alice the doctors daughter who has just moved to the village in order that her father may enjoy his retirement.,
Naomi who lives in the big house and arranges all the committees, how did she start out? and Kate who lives on Brimbles farm and is ruled by her tyrant of a father Ernie and judged by her brothers behaviour.
Naomi and Kate have far more in common than either would like to think. Alice may be perceived as quiet though she has a lot more to offer and would dearly like to help others. It is a lovely story which will keep you glued to find out what happens next. Recommend it.

The wartime book shop, a wonderful book full of great characters that make a great story. Alice is new to Churchwood and struggling to fit in. She befriends Kate a lonely farm girl with an unhappy home life, together they strive to fit in, making new friends with a sometimes hostile neighbourhood. A beautiful tale off friendship between a mixture of different people. You won’t be disappointed with this book, I’m looking forward to the follow up.

The Wartime Bookshop, what a wa,. comforting reading this turned out to be. I love how the characters stood up for themselves and the community surrounding them ,brilliant spirit and strength.

A beautiful, warm book of the strength of community, but also the damage that small mindedness can do. There are some wonderful characters, well thought-out and we'll rounded. I loved the way the book progressed. A great read

Just finished this outstandingly fabulous warm and inviting read,I totally love this authors books and can highly recommend,
The premise of this book the characters is just wonderful it really does leave you wanting so much more so glad there is going to be a follow on which is just beautiful.

What a lovely book.
It wrapped me up in warmth and joy like the beautiful heart that our protagonist Alice has.
I loved the tale of the women all pulling together and overcoming each of their own issues: low self esteem, loneliness, a disappointing marriage; whatever the case may be.
It was a gentle read but one I relished.
Lovely!

I have loved this book it has a lovely story with characters that go so well together fans of Lesley Eames will no doubt love reading this book.BRILLIANT 5*

Alice Lovell has recently moved to Churchwood in Hertfordshire and with her father Archibald a retired doctor. Alice hurt her hand badly in an accident, she needs to create some distance between herself and Daniel Irvine and sort out her feelings. Alice hand is only slightly better, it will never function properly and she worries that she’s a burden.

Kate Fletcher lives with her mean father and brothers on Brimbles Farm, and they treat her like a servant. Kate doesn’t mind working hard, unlike her brothers she doesn’t get paid and has to wear their cast off clothes. The people in Churchwood treat Kate like she has an infectious disease, due to her brothers being trouble makers and she doesn’t have nice clothes.

Naomi Harrington is an influential citizen in Churchwood, her husband Alexander works in London and she keeps busy running her various committees. Naomi comes across as abrupt and snobby, and she’s built a wall around herself. Naomi hasn’t been able to have children, she feels like her husband has lost interest in her and she covers this up.

The story is told from the point of view of the three main characters, Alice, Kate and Naomi. With the Second World War starting, the people of Churchwood are worried about their loved ones serving overseas and what they can do to help the war effort. Alice starts volunteering at Stratton House, a hospital, where she writes letters and reads to the wounded soldiers. The one thing that Churchwood doesn’t have is a library, there is a big demand for books and reading material. The people of Churchwood have to come together, stop judging others and put their egos aside, to raise funds and start The Churchwood Bookshop.

I received a copy of The Wartime Bookshop from NetGalley and Random House UK in exchange for an honest review. The delightful and well written first installment in the new series by Lesley Eames, is a wonderful story about relationships between women, the importance of friendship and helping others, overcoming challenges and prejudice, uniting a community, and the significance of reading and books during the Second World War. I highly recommend this book and the authors previous novel The Wartime Singers and five stars from me.

Oh I loved this book.
I don't want to give spoilers but I'm so happy Mrs H has took the rod outta her butt.
I'm so glad Kate is making friends and has time for them.
I am hoping this is going to be a series just so I no how everyone is managing during ww2.
I hope Daniel comes though safe and sound at the end of the war.
Please carry on the good writing I love ww2 books like this

This is a pleasant read. Leslie Eames has crafted a wartime story around 3 main characters, all women, all string in s9me ways yet with some vulnerability that needs addressing. The book turns commonplace events into a drama, which while engaging is relatively incidental compared to ww2. Still, it was a diverting read

I was only two pages in when I knew this would be a 5 star read and one that would be a wrench to put down. After getting introduced to all the characters, they quickly became ones I was rooting for and my heart went out to them all. Seriously loved the main characters in this! Even the side characters were strong.

With Alice, suffering a debilitating disability but still trying to do her bit in the war, Kate who has hefted the burden of ‘woman of the house’ since a very young age, caring for her ungrateful father and brothers and Naomi, a simple girl gone up in the world, struggling with loneliness despite her position and an aristocratic husband. They all slowly draw together and find solace in one another’s company, building up a friendship which sees them through their difficulties.

With the injured soldiers of the war convalescing in the hospital, Alice sees an opportunity to entertain these war heroes with books. But there isn’t enough to go around. What can she do to ensure these brave men have a little entertainment and a break from the four walls of the hospital? Start a book drive and community book shop, ensuring the men have all the reading material they could possibly need!

It was such a heartwarming and endearing book. It was effortless to read and I loved the spirit throughout. Of strength, overcoming adversity and building friendship in hard times. It ticked all the boxes for a great wartime read and I loved it! Ugh my heart. It’s reeling from finishing this gorgeous book and I honestly can’t put my excitement into words at the thought of reading the next one. Now begins to long road of (in)patience to wait for the next!

Firstly thank you Netgalley for this ARC

Wow what a brilliant start to a new series family saga world war definetely my type of book. Felt like I was part of the community

Really enjoyed this read, storyline was great and characters were all lovely, loved how the village all came together in a time of need to gather books and a place to read not only for the village but for the hospitalised men from the war,and how newcomer and Kate became friends and even mellowed niome

What a heartwarming story this was, hopefully the author will turn this into a series as I would love to hear what’s happening with all the characters.
This book dips in and out off all the lives of Alice, Kate, Naomi, May and Bert. It concentrates on Alice as she has just moved into Churchwood, she makes friends with all the characters but they change and the journey of these people is fantastically written.
This book was fantastic and I was sorry to see it end.
Looking forward to further adventures in to the lives of the Churchwood residents.
Highly recommended read

The Wartime Bookshop by Lesley Eames is a wonderful WWII-era historical fiction that is the first book in a new series. I just loved this!

I just love visiting small, quaint, and quintessential English villages to see how most citizens lived, loved, lost, and “did their part for the war effort and their county” during the World Wars.

I loved visiting Churchwood and meeting the residents. This book introduces us to the character cast and set us up with the trio of women ( Kate, Alice, and Naomi ). Learning some of their backgrounds, their respective trials, and how they are brought together and find friendship and strength within themselves and with one another. Strong female characters that are realistic, likable, and the strong bonds that are formed, is always a win win for me.

I enjoyed the plot, the pacing, and I can’t wait to read more!

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Bantam Press for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 10/20/22.