I was too slow in downloading The Air Raid Book Club by Annie Lyons and will now buy the book so I can read it. I was looking forward to it, but life, as it does, got in the way of my brain remembering to download. I love the sound of this book and can't wait to dig in.

London, 1938. Bookseller Gertie Bingham is facing difficult times, having just lost her beloved husband, Harry, and with a lingering sadness at never having been able to have a child of her own. Struggling to face running the bookshop she and Harry opened together, Gertie is preparing to sell up and move away when she is asked if she would be willing to take in a young Jewish refugee from Germany. Gertie is unsure and when sullen teenager Hedy Fischer arrives, Gertie fears she has nothing left to give the troubled girl.

But when the German bombers come and the lights go out over London, Gertie and Hedy realise that joining forces will make them stronger, and that books have the power to bring young and old together and unite a community in need in its darkest hour...


This was a delightful read that really kept my interest the whole way through. It’s a sad and emotional read at times and one I recommend to historical fiction readers.

“The Air Raid Book Club” by Annie Lyons is an absolute gem that transported me to the heart of wartime London. Lyons skillfully weaves a poignant tale of resilience, friendship, and the enduring power of literature.

The characters, especially Gertie Bingham and Hedy Fischer, are beautifully crafted and evolve in ways that tug at the heartstrings. Gertie’s journey from grief to newfound purpose is inspiring, and Hedy’s transformation from a troubled teenager to a strong, resilient young woman is both touching and empowering.

The backdrop of London during the bombings adds a layer of tension and urgency, creating a vivid and immersive experience. Lyons captures the spirit of the times, reminding us of the strength that communities can find in the face of adversity.

The central theme of books as a source of solace and connection resonates throughout the narrative. The portrayal of the book club as a lifeline during the darkest hours is both heartwarming and a testament to the unifying power of literature.

Annie Lyons has crafted a captivating story that celebrates the human spirit and the enduring impact of literature. “The Air Raid Book Club” is a must-read for those who appreciate historical fiction with heart, depth, and a touch of hope. Five stars without a doubt!

The Air Raid Book Club was an enjoyable listen on audio, with a great narrator who fitted the characters well.
A little slow to start but as the story progressed I became heavily invested in the characters in this heartwarming story of friends and family set across the time period of WW2. With lots of literary reference this is well worth a read/listen for lovers of bookish books and historical fiction.

The Air Raid Book Club by Annie Lyons is all it says on the tin and very much more.
I was lucky to be given an audio version read by Jilly Bond and she really nails the voices and nuances of the period.
Gertie sounds a bit Joyce Grenfell, having been nicely brought up and suitably repressed. Her assistant Betty has echoes of Junr Whitfield's Em, whilst an elderly uncle sounds as if he's been buried at his club for a few centuries.
Gertie is a widow who continues with her book store but has no existence of her own since her beloved husband died and he is no longer in the store with her.
By chance she learns of a plan to evacuate Jewish children from Germany. As it is already 1939 there's no time to lose.
From endless days of loneliness and self containment the war turns Gertie's life into a whirl of hopes and aims - amid the dust and grime of bombings.
Twice events are so predictable, and twice the clever author leads us down a false path both with long time friend Charles and beloved dog Hemmingway.
Its the nuances of friendship and repression that are so well conveyed. Being on first mame terms with one's fellow workers in the war effort seems such a huge leap - although one gathers the women woulf die for each other - it's just not British to refer to it and becoming Gertie and Marjorie is nearly as earth shattering as the V2s.
Its a really lovely book full of detail and accuracy.

Unfortunately, my Netgalley app crashed and I lost the ability to complete this title before it expired. Sad as I had been enjoying the beginning. It hold much promise.

“It (the bookshop) is a precious treasure trove of knowledge and imagination. Books have the power to change the very course of history and they will help us win this war. You mark my words.”

London, 1938. When lonely bookseller Gertie Bingham takes in Hedy, a young Jewish refugee from Germany, she fears she has nothing left to give the troubled girl. But when the German bombers come and the lights go out over London, Gertie and Hedy realise that joining forces will make them stronger, and that books have the power to bring young and old together and unite a community in need in its darkest hour.

The Air Raid Book Club is about love, friendship, hope, and most of all the power of books. The novel has a wonderful cast of characters who bond in unique ways over books, forging deep connections and reviving forgotten friendships.

Jilly Bond’s narration, with her warm soothing voice, adapted perfectly to each character, transports you into the sights and sounds of London then.

The author references an array of classical novels and stories in the narrative and starts off each chapter with an epigraph from these books.

The conclusion was so beautiful and heart-warming that I couldn’t stop the tears from falling. I just sat there for about 25 mins thinking about everything that had happened in the story and how it made my heart full. Believe me when I say this is the most gorgeous historical-fiction you’ll read this year.

This ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Headline Books.

This was listened to on my commutes to and from work, so it took a little while to listen to, so it felt a little long, but I did enjoy the narration, sometimes the narrator does not get the feel of the characters but this was not the case. The book is based in a bookstore and the relationship of the widowed owner and the German Jew refugee , Hettie who arrives to stay at the beginning of WW2. We work our way through the whole war, seeing how they all grow up and deal with the tragedies that war brings (but also happiness).

I loved this book. I really enjoyed the relationship between Gertie and Hedy and watching it grow. It was uplifting and hopeful. It was very well written too. The only downside for me was the narrator.

This is such a lovely book. It's not fast paced but there's so much to think about!

Gertie loses her husband just before the start of WW2 and is struggling with her grief and not knowing how to move on with her life. She agrees to take in a young, Jewish refugee and the bond that firms between them (although it takes time to develop) I'd beautiful to see.

We see hardship alongside friendship, love alongside grief and hope alongside adversity.

The Air Raid book Club is my first book from Annie Lyons and she did not disappoint. I gave this five stars but if I could have I would have given this all the stars!!!! This is a historical fiction that is set in Beechwood a quiet suburb of London,in which the prologue introduces to Gertie Bingham, it’s 1911 and she is happily married to her beloved Harry who shares her love of books & reading and so Bingham Books is born.
Then you fast forward to 1938 where Gertie is struggling with her grief after the death of Harry and thinking of selling the bookshop. When a old friend asks her to take in a Jewish refugee who is caming over on the Kindertransport she decides to do it even though she has doubts whether she would be a suitable guardian.When she meets Hedy Fischer who has left everything and everyone behind in Munich it seems her doubts come true as there is friction but slowly they come to care for each other.
I loved that this was set in a small community and centered around the bookstore as well as the powerful message that books can bring comfort to all regardless of what you are personally going through.
Jilly Bond narrates the audiobook and I thought she was amazing and really brought this to life.

I really enjoyed this AudioARC, which I downloaded from NetGalley and listened to while doing some admin.

It fits in well with favourites The Little Wartime Library and The Paris Library, with bookshop owner Gertie Bingham taking in a German Jewish refugee teenager during the Second World War and, like the other two books, is a mixture of relationship and local issues and wonderful bibliophilia.

I particularly appreciated the references to new books at the time which peppered this novel. As we saw Gertie, her friends and her bookshop move from the pre-War period through to 1952, they mentioned appropriate new books from each year as well as many of the classics, especially Dickens, Hardy and the Brontes.

Apart from telling us about the War and its new publications, The Air Raid Book Club also tells us the story of Gertie’s bereavement and how her grief for her beloved husband resolves itself into a contented widowhood and older age. It’s rare enough to read a book with a middle-aged and old-aged female lead character, so I appreciated reading about one as she moved from her middle years into grandparenthood.

All in all, a great listen that I would recommend to anyone who loves good-quality historical fiction and / or books set in bookshops.

The Air Raid Book Club by Annie Lyons is a wholesome treat of a novel! I listened to the audio book.

It follows the story of Gertie Bingham, who set up Bingham Bookstore with her late husband Harry in the early 1900s. As the years have worn on, Gertie thinks about retiring to the coast where she can live out her days in peace with faithful dog Hemmingway. But when the shadow of another war threatens her plans, she finds herself in the centre of London, finding ways to help people's lives become more bearable, including setting up an 'Air Raid Book Club', working for the women's service and taking in a teenage Jewish refugee.

I really enjoyed the story and the narrator. It was almost like having my grandmother back, telling me her stories about the war and the incredible brave things people did to help each other survive. It was a really uplifting story, never too twee, the sorrow and sweetness balanced just right.

I will look out for more of Annie Lyons books. Many thanks to the publishers and Netgalley audio for an early release copy in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this from beginning to end. Enjoyed the book so much that I downloaded the audio so I could listen to it while on the move. Great narration.
In front of the backdrop of London bookshop in the time before WW2 began, a grieving widow (Gertie) struggling to come to terms with her new life circumstances, takes in a German teenager (Hedy) and together the face what comes. Gertie has no energy for living until that is, Hedy arrives.
A real bond of friendship develops and grows pulling both women, separated by decades and by culture open to each other. It is a story of companionship and community.
While war’s might be known by the battles fought in far away places with names which are difficult to pronounce, they are won by the resilience, fortitude, and battles by the people at home who struggle to keep life going on the home front. This is a story of resilience, pain, adversity, and survival, as each of the many shortages and brushes with life and death hit home.
This story is so well written, that the reader feels as if they are living and breathing the same air as Gertie and Hedy. By the end of their struggles, you feel as if you have become a lifelong friend of Gertie. If you have ever wish to experience life on the frontline, without putting your own life on the line, feel the same highs and lows and work through the many difficulties then this is your next read.
Thank you for bringing the story to life. I can’t wait to reading more of your work, Annie.

Many thanks to NetGalley & the publisher for offering me to listen to this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book was so unique and a bit different from what I normally read or listen to. I normally read books about Jewish people who survived WWII, but I never read/ listen to a book from a different perspective, in this case from England. I know it's fiction but I assume there are some similarities from real life from back then.

Honestly, I believe this is a good book and very well written. Most of the characters are ending up developing even if the situation they have been put through weren't the best ones, which is why most probably they end up developing anyway in a good way.

Finally, I would recommend this book, but I'm not sure if I am keen to read it again.

A flash back to the days of WWII struggles in England. The value of books and a bookshop/ reading group echos through this whole book. Lots of tales of love, Loss and kindness. But also a beautiful shout out to the power of books.
Great audiobook- the narrator is amazing and her voices as so perfect for each character.

This is a quality audio book, not my usual genre. But in good ‘bookshop tradition’ was recommended to me by my wife. I’m glad she did. A bitter sweet story of life in London during WW2, dipping into the escape of Jews from Germany, the holocaust and living through the bombing of Britain. Thank you to Headline Audio and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

This enchanting story has ALL the emotions!

I read a lot of WWII fiction and this book is truly unique. With the war as a backstory, Annie Lyon’s evocative writing explores how the community around Bingham Books pulled together and held each other up when each of them needed it. For these wonderful characters, friendship really is a gift, and love, hope and strength shine throughout this story.

Each and every character is well developed and as I connected with them all, I truly felt their individual pain and joy.

Books, and the hope and healing they bring, are the running theme throughout the book, as the community draw on everything from Winnie The Pooh to Jane Eyre, to buoy up their resilience in the hardest of times.

5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Thank you to Headline Audio for providing the audiobook in exchange for a review.

Now I’m not normally a WWII historical fiction fan, but this just sounded too cozy and warm-hearted to miss.
I know it sounds strange, but this was exactly what I needed. Whilst it deals with horrific atrocities and families being torn apart, there’s a poignant sense of finding family and friendship in an environment where community becomes everything.

It was funny at the right times, emotional, and simply heart-warming, making it all the more heart-breaking. Demonstrative of the sense of loss women and those left behind felt, this shows their resilience and determination to help however they can. To make life that bit sweeter amidst the suffering and bad news around them.

This is also full of references to classics such as Jayne Eyre and John Steinbeck, so that’s an added bonus.

If you enjoyed Anne of Green Gables, I think you would enjoy this.

Well I am still thinking about this audiobook long after I have finished it because it was so enjoyable! Set in WW[[ in England the story centres around Gertie Bingham and her bookshop in London. Gertie takes in a young Jewish refugee called Hedy Fischer and the story goes from there and you get to see how their relationship develops. There are an amazing cast of wonderful characters on the novel that I became invested in and the fact that this story is set in a book shop is an added bonus as so many book titles are dropped in too. The story is emotional in parts and I felt a real lump in my throat at one point, a sign of an excellent book, and also down to the incredible narration from Jilly Bond who really brought the story to life. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this audiobook with its uplifting wartime spirit that echoes throughout. Thank you Netgalley and Headline Audio.