I couldn't get into this one no matter how hard I tried! The vocabulary felt very English, but the mannerisms and spellings were very Americanised. The jumps in timelines didn't work for my reading tastes at the moment and I wasn't invested in any of the 'mystery', nor did I care much for the characters. Just don't think it was for me.

I am a true fan of historical fiction and Daisy Wood’s novels are a pleasure to read. They are informative, character driven and well written. Her latest novel The Royal Librarian does not disappoint, I like the fresh angle Wood takes it is not one we often see. The story takes place in dual timelines the story begins in 1938 in Austria and ends in 2022 in the United States. Sit back and relax and let Daisy Woods take you to the Royal Library at Windsor. You will get drama, mystery, some romance, and of course history.

Thank you #netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Historical fiction and the Royal Library? Say less. There are alternating time periods/POV’s in this story with two main characters: Sophie in the late 1930’s, and Lacey in present day trying to find out more about Sophie, her great aunt that she never knew existed. The Royal Library didn’t really come into play until about 52 percent of the way through the book, and I would have liked to have seen more of Sophie’s story take place there. Once the story gets to that point, it hits the gas and never lets up through to the finish. This was a very plot driven book, so neither POV got overly deep, however the first several chapters regarding Sophie’s parents and Sophie’s relationship with her sister were very emotional and hard to read at parts. The end was satisfying, but it was very fast. I think this would be a great book for those getting started in historical fiction as it felt easy to read and follow. Thank you to NetGalley and Avon UK for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

i don't really have too many thoughts on this book. it was definitely a little slow in some places, which meant i wasn't hooked as quickly as i would have liked to have been, and the ending felt very abrupt, which also left me wondering about a few things. i do think the two timelines were told really well alongside each other, as we follow both the fmes on their respective journeys, however, i would have loved just a little more explanation towards the end.

thank you to netgalley and avon books uk for the advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

Historical fiction at its best! World War II, the British Royal Family, a librarian turned spy, and a family betrayal—this book is a page turner.

3.5 ⭐s
Historical fiction isn't usually my preferred genre, but Daisy Wood's story kept me reading. I enjoyed the dual timeline, and look forward to finding more Daisy Wood books to read. Thank you for the ARC!

Dual timeline The Royal Librarian by Daisy Wood is a multi-sensory treat! World War II has gripped the world, especially Europe. Millions are persecuted, humiliated, dehumanized, tortured and killed. Austrian Sophie has lost almost everything. Thankfully, her younger sister escaped but Sophie is on her own. Through unusual circumstances, she becomes the Acting Royal Librarian at Windsor Castle and is given access to everything as all documents and books pass through her hands. Information can be sensitive any time but especially in times of war.

In 2022, the world is reeling from covid. Lacey discovers her grandmother isn't really who she thought she was. Eager to learn more, she starts asking questions and what she learns couldn't be more surprising.

The author writes beautifully and poignantly and captures humanity in its various forms so well. Vivid descriptions of the war, Windsor castle and inhabitants, food, daily life and Sophie's duties gripped my attention. Snippets of Edward and Wallis and German connections are interwoven seamlessly. The war timeline engaged me more emotively than the current one but overall, I hungered for more and couldn't wait to see how things wrapped up.

My sincere thank you to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this enchanting novel. I can't wait to see what Daisy Wood writes next!

I really enjoyed this book. It was different than anything else I've read recently. I couldn't put it down! I will keep an eye out for this author's future work!

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books UK for this eCopy to review

The Royal Librarian has all the elements in a story that I love: duel timeline, family secrets, libraries, and royalty. It was full of great characters and the settings are well described I felt like I was there.

A gripping story with lots of twists and turns, I cannot wait to read more by Daisy Wood.

Thank you Netgalley and Avon for the chance to read The royal librarian by Daisy Wood. I love to read fictional stories about books/libraries, and the Royal family and this book definitely hit the spot. I have read several other books by the author and have enjoyed them. This dual timeline historical fiction was well researched and the setting of Windsor Castle during the war was fascinating. My one issue was sometimes there is more emphasis put on one timeline, and I did find Sophie's story much more compelling than Lacey's.

Sophie’s family has been destroyed by the Nazis. Her parents are dead, she has sent her little sister off to the states, so Sophie jumps at the chance to go to England. Hopefully she will be out of the Nazis reach. She ends up in the job of Royal Librarian at Windsor Castle. But, it is not as glamorous as you would think!

This is an intricate family mystery with lots of enjoyable twists and turns. Add in the dual timelines and you have a story made just for me!

I love how this author melds these two timelines together. When Lacey finds the mysterious letter from Windsor castle in her Grandmother’s papers, she knows she has a lot to discover. This story unfolds slowly with a little tidbit here and a tidbit there…very captivating!

Need a tale which will wrap you up and keep you enthralled…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review! This book was so delightful. It was not the usual type of book I go for, but I was so glad I picked it up! Lovers of the royal family would love this one.

The Royal Librarian is the second book by Daisy Wood that I read. She has a special talent for creating gripping stories that captivate in a way that you cannot stop reading.
The story is told in two POV’s, Sophie during WWII and Lacey in present day. There is something that connects our main characters and Lacey is willing to find out.
It was an interesting story, with a good combination of elements such as mystery, romance and family bonds. I really liked both Lacey and Sophie, and the secondary characters were interesting too.
I did not know about what happened in Austria right before the war, and even when it was not easy to read, the stories that make visible those events, are necessary.
Overall, I really enjoyed the story. I read a big part of the book during a family gathering, because I just could not stop reading.

Daisy Wood's "The Royal Librarian" is a captivating tale that seamlessly shifts between two timelines: 1940 and the present day. Sophie's courage in the face of Nazi invasion and Lacey's modern-day quest to uncover family secrets create a richly layered narrative.

I loved how Wood combines the historical backdrop of World War II with contemporary themes of resilience and discovery. The pacing is spot-on, keeping you hooked from beginning to end.

"The Royal Librarian" isn't just about history; it's also packed with intrigue, a touch of romance, and a fresh take on the royal family. Wood's storytelling talent shines through in every chapter.

Big thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. This book is a must-read for anyone craving a gripping story that spans generations.

When I first started this book I wasn’t sure about it but I can state it was a fantastic book and I could not put it down.

Sophie lives with her parents and little sister Hanna in Austria. Her Dad is a Jew but they were never brought up as religious. Hanna is able to leave Austria with other children. Sophie follows to London where she gets a job working in the library at Windsor Castle. This is where we see what happens to Sophie for the next few years.

Lacey is Sophie’s great niece and she discovers that her Grandmother was born in Austria and also she has a sister called Sophie. We see what happens to Lacey in her discovery of what happens to Sophie.

There was a lot of intrigue in the story and a bit of romance.

This book had everything and was so well written the characters worked really well together.

I would recommend this book.

Thank you to the publisher, Avon, and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

In 1938 following the Anschluss, the situation in Vienna is growing more dire by the day and after what was meant to be a simple family outing turns into a tragedy that destroys their family, Sophie Klein and her sister Hanna escape Austria. Hanna is sent off to America and Sophie finds herself in England with a very interesting job offer. She is to work in the Royal Library at Windsor Castle and keep watch over the communications that pass through for anything that may be a threat to the country or to the Royal Family. Years later, in present day Philadelphia, Lacey Jones finds to her surprise that her grandmother was born in Vienna and comes across a letter amongst her papers that is stamped with the Windsor Castle crest. Curious to know the story behind the letter and her grandmother’s past, Lacey finds herself travelling to the UK to learn more about the members of her family she never knew existed.

I read another book by this author, The Clockmaker’s Wife, a couple of years ago and enjoyed it so I was interested to pick up this book, especially as the plot sounded so different to the other WWII novels I’ve read.

The setting of Windsor Castle for this tale was a familiar one for me as I visited it not too long ago, and it was fun to imagine what it must have been like in that time period and how it compared to present day. This book was also different in the sense that though it is very much set during WWII, the focus is far from the frontlines, instead looking towards the possibilities of plots and threats from within.

The mystery element was well written and built and maintained the tension consistently throughout the book in the past timeline and it was fun to follow Sophie settling into her new life at Windsor while also secretly passing information about any possible threats she comes across in her work.

This book was very easy to read, which I really appreciated as I needed something fast paced and light after a couple of more weighty reads. This story was narrated in a dual timeline, and I found that I much preferred Sophie’s WWII timeline to Lacey’s present day one. The timelines did, however, blend well and the transitions between the two were seamless, making it easy to keep track of the plot.

Sophie’s storyline was much more interesting and as the two timelines only came together with any major reveals towards the very end of the book, I couldn’t really get invested in Lacey’s story at all, which was far too long, and quite frankly, boring.

The ending was far too rushed, and the story was wrapped up very abruptly. The plot certainly had the potential for it to have been drawn out a little longer with a more dramatic and extended finish, but literally, Sophie discovered the plot and worked to foil it all in the span of maybe 3-4 chapters. It was a bit disappointing given that the buildup was so good.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read and quite a different type of WWII historical fiction novel. I would definitely recommend it to fans of the genre!

This is an excellent read by Daisy Wood. There’s such intrigue all the way through. Answers are only given at the end, when all the key parts are explained. The story is so compelling, & utterly fascinating. Such a new & interesting take on events, especially within the Royal Family; known, but not read in a novel. Highly recommend this engaging story

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. As a bookish person, a tale about a librarian is right up my alley, and that combined with the world war 2 setting piqued my interest immediately. I'm something of a history nerd, and that's one of my favourite time periods to read about. I got so attached to the characters and was a little sad about how it ended, even though there was a happy ending overall.

I think if you're remotely interested in history, and a little feel good slow love story, this is a perfect read.

A fascinating historical fiction book. Liked the detailed descriptions of the inner workings of Windsor Castle pre World War 2 and the dual timeline of events. Thanks to # NetGalley and #TheRoyalLibrarian for advanced digital copy.

Interesting WW2 romance/mystery

I have read all of Ms Wood's books for adults and have enjoyed them all. The Royal Librarian presents a bit of a different view of WW2 from Austrian immigrants to England (and the US). Some of the themes that also affect our lives today include the separation of family, the distrust of foreigners vs welcome of refugees fleeing war/abuse and how to know who to trust. Lots of intriguing details, an interesting plot and compelling characters mean that this is a must-read for me.

Thank you to the publisher who lent me a time-constrained e-arc via Netgalley. This review is optional and my own opinion.