What an excellent novel by Helen Parusel.
This is based around Jana and her family and friends who lived in Prague at the time of the beginning of Hitler's terrible reign of command when the people of Prague and the world didn't yet know what he was planning to do to the Jewish people.
I loved the characters and the story. I am now going to read more of her novels.

Jana runs her family bookshop in Prague, and finds herself supplementing the income by working at the nearby Nazi headquarters. She is recruited by the Resistance, and what follows is the story of how one young girl makes a difference to the war effort.

Well formed characters take the reader through a number of traumatic events that are sensitively handled by the author. Beautifully written descriptions help the reader to visualise, but I did feel it was very slow going at time, and felt a bit repetitive.

Overall a good historical read.

A great story about love, danger, and fighting against the Nazis.

Jana, a bookstore owner in Prague, uses her shop to help people who are fighting the Nazis. She has to be very careful because it’s dangerous. She also falls in love with a police officer who is secretly on her side.

This book is exciting and has a lot of interesting characters. It’s a good read if you like stories about World War II.

Another hit from Parusel! Absolutely loved this book and the ending could not have been more perfect. I have never been disappointed by this author in the past and I am so glad to say that she still hasn't disappointed me.

Do you love historical fiction and women’s fiction similar to Kristin Hannah? The Last Bookshop in Prague was a masterpiece that should not be missed.

My thanks to Net Galley, Boldwood Books., and the personal invitation I received to review this arc.

What an EXCELLENT book! I could not put this down!

Jana, a resident of Prague, uses her deceased mother s book shop to have a book club with the local women of band books from the Germans, send messages to the resistance with her displays, use as a storage unit for the resistance, while helping hide Jewish children whose parents were arrested, while falling in love with a a Fascist police officer also working for the resistance. This is so well written and held my interest . HIGHLY recommend.

The Last Bookshop in Prague is a loving delivery of a difficult period in time for the residents of Prague. It is a powerful WW2 novel that is both heartbreaking and uplifting. It was a season of devastating loss but to see the resilient spirits of the people come through, warmed my aching heart. I truly loved this novel and was impressed with Helen Parusel’s writing ability to draw out complex emotion through her well formed characters. The pacing is perfect allowing me to get to know these people well through their hardships.

A bookshop in Prague is central in this story. It was originally a business built by Jana’s mom who passed away a couple years earlier. Jana has hidden certain special book collections of her mother’s to prevent the Nazis from destroying them. Since the Nazis have taken over Prague, everything is in upheaval. Many important classics are banned and replaced with Nazis propaganda. Jana decides to help the Resistance and her bookshop becomes a cover for some of their activities. She also takes on a part time cleaning position at the Prague Castle, that once housed ‘Bohemian kings and emperors.’ Now it is the central headquarters of the Nazis. For Jana, it is an opportunity to listen in on conversations to gather valuable information.

One day, an officer named Captain Kovar comes in to her bookshop to search her premises after she has hidden a Jewish child in her cupboard. Something about this man seems different but she cannot quite put her finger on what that is.

The desire in the Czech citizens is strong to overthrow the Germans who have invaded their city and unleased terror on them all. It becomes difficult to know who to trust and who is friend or enemy? Jana cannot help but be suspicious of those even close to her. Especially after some of her friends and family are captured. This fuels Jana’s desire even more to help in any way she can. She wonders if someone has been spying on her and given the Nazis information?

There is a well presented cast of characters, both heroes and villains. And even a surprise love interest. I will only mention a couple other figures: Jana’s father, a puppeteer, whose warmth and support is truly felt in her life. Plus, her grandmother who is a bright spark during a dark time. She is a bold courageous woman, too, in the risky part she plays. The children who are part of the story definitely experienced some rough challenges and their plight pulled heavily on my heartstrings. Protecting and saving them from harm and from being shipped off to those death camps, is the motivation that drives Jana to take big risks. She is a sincere caring young woman and tries to help all those in need whenever she can. There are some very tense moments in her rescues and resistance actions that kept me on the edge of my seat!

As mentioned, the triumph of the human spirit in the face of maximum adversity is a theme that shines like a beacon throughout The Last Bookshop in Prague. Being under the threat of a ruthless enemy, forced many to reach deep down inside to find courage they never knew they had during those awful WW2 years. The fight for survival and the sacrifices the people of Prague made are clearly visible across these pages. As for their oppressor: the author has included key moments of history, such as some of the activities of the Nazis tyrant Heydrich, his assassination and the Lidice massacre.

Although many innocent bystanders and resistant fighters lost their lives in battle, victory did come with assistance from the allies—allowing a remnant to survive. I believe this story presents a realistic mix of each. I wept for the characters I came to know and loved who did not make it but I cheered for those who did. From the scars and wounds of battle, many rose like a phoenix from the ashes to find new life after the war.

This is a profound, deeply effective novel in showing what it must have been like for the Czech people who lived through the German occupation. I highly recommend The Last Bookshop in Prague that is filled with love, loss, courage, bravery, neighbourly help and intense determination. 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Many thanks to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Helen Parusel became a “read without caring what the book is about” author after I dived into her first book. So words cannot express the excitement I felt when I got an advanced copy of her upcoming The Last Bookshop in Prague. In 1942, Jana operates her mother’s small bookshop trying to make ends meet while battling how book banning has affected her business. When a young neighbor boy’s family is arrested by Nazis, Jana and her father hide him until they can safely get him to a hiding place in the country with their family. Jana also gets a chance to work at the Prague Castle a few hours for extra income and as a way to help the Resistance.

The evolution of Jana’s character in the story is well rounded and accounts for the actions she chooses throughout the course of the plot. Parusel has a knack for creating strong female protagonists that overcome the odds and find a deep inner strength to forge through in the darkest of times. The rare glimpses the reader gets of Babi tell the source of where Jana finds her will to keep going, as you learn of the tragedies Babi has had in her own life. From the get go, this one sucked me in and while I’ve seen pictures of Prague before, it makes me want to one day visit and see the architecture and history for myself. Job well done, Ms. Parusel! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the advanced copy. Opinions expressed are my own. This book will be published on September 25, 2024.

#netgalley #arc #bookstagram #TheLastBookshopinPrague #HelenParusel #BoldwoodBooks

Jana was trying to keep her mother’s bookstore open, but it was becoming more difficult under German oversight. When she went to work cleaning the German headquarters, it started a chain of events leading to her working for the resistance. The Last Bookshop in Prague, by Helen Parusel, follows Jana as she tries to save Jewish children, gather intelligence from headquarters, and fight for Prague. Along the way she struggles to know whom she can trust and if she can fall in love. This is a story of love for your country and for others. I was able to read an ARC on #NetGalley.

Helen Parusel has written a thought-provoking novel by the name of The Last Bookshop in Prague.
When the Russians take over Prague and your friends may not truly be your friends anymore, who can you trust anyone?
Jana and Andrej try to live their lives and help save their Jewish friends.
A story of struggle, heartbreak, perseverance, and love for each other.
#TheLastBookshopInPrague
#HelenParusel
#NetGalley

A sweet and irresistible WWII resistance love story, even if the bookstore doesn’t take center stage.

WW2, Czech-people, German-occupation, German SS, bookseller, puppeteer, historical-figures, historical-novel, historical-places-events, history-and-culture, historical-research, romantic-suspense, resistance-efforts, despair, grief, book-banning, riveting*****

Jana and her widowed father continue to run the bookshop once owned by her mother as the German occupation of their homeland worsens. She becomes involved with the resistance and all the personal agonies involved. This is a very moving story that borders on reality that kept me riveted to the end.
I requested and received a free temporary EARC from Boldwood Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

The Last Bookshop in Prague is the story of Jana who is trying to keep her mother’s bookshop going in occupied Prague during 1942 and 1945. Jana was an amazing character, she saved the lives of three Jewish children and joined the Czech resistance. I also enjoyed the simple things she did to keep up spirits within the community by having a children’s book hour and book exchange with banned books. It was nice to see her romance blossom with police officer Andrej, I was a bit worried how that one might have turned out.

Inspired by a movie set in Prague, you really got a feel for the town and what it was like to live during the time. It’s a little bit of history I wasn’t aware of and really enjoyed learning more about it. A good mix of romance, heartbreak, books and action. I found it hard to put down. This is my first book by Helen and I look forward to catching up with her backlist.

I was pulled straight into this emotive read based in Prague in WW2 and during their Nazi occupation. Helen Parusel doesn’t shy away from what life was like during these times and her attention to the historical facts shows just how much research she puts into her writing. The main character is Jana who runs the family bookshop and the story follows her journey through supporting and helping the resistance, to taking in a young Jewish boy and so much more. This covers so many topics from friendship, family, heartbreak, determination and love. I can’t recommend this enough. It’s a page turner that’s captivating, emotional and shows the courage and strength of those involved in this very dark time in history. Thank you to Boldwood Books , Netgalley and Helen Parusel for writing such an utterly brilliant book.

Amazingly emotional!
This book was very well written and very emotional, heart breaking at times and uplifting in places.
I loved this book Helen Parusel is one heck of a writer!
Thank you netgalley

This is the first book I read by this author and it was a great surprise! I love historical fiction and somehow I end up reading books about the same period of time. I have read lots of books like this one but not based in Prague, a place I haven't visited yet and that I really want to go to. The pace was great and the character development was really good, love a strong female character! The subject definitely is not for everyone but I do recommend it if people read these type of books.

This was my first book by Helen Parusel in a genre I don’t often read, however I was engrossed from the beginning and read it in a few days. The writing flowed and the characters came to life, making me want to read more about that period.

Wow what a journey. This book was hard to put down. I was completely captivated with the story set in Prague during WWII.
I have a heritage family trip planned there in a few weeks, so Prague really stood out to me when i first saw this book. I knew very little about that city during WWII. What a great story of strength and perseverance. Highly recommend

Whew! What an intense, emotional rollercoaster ride The Last Bookshop In Prague was. It gives the reader an inside look at living in German-occupied Czechoslovakia under the control of Reinhard Heydrich, the Butcher of Prague, through the end of World War II. It was terrifying.

"Was she incredibly brave or incredibly stupid? Neither. Just a bookshop girl doing what she could against her country's oppressors." This is Jana's story, a 22-year-old trying to keep her mother's small bookshop going as the Nazis keep banning more books and requiring her to stock Hitler-approved books in German. Although this story begins in 1942, her country has been occupied since 1939. The Czech Resistance isn't an organized group, trained & supplied by the Allies as in other European countries. It's just small pockets of people doing whatever they can in the face of relentless Nazi oppression and cruelty. I understood their desperation and sorrow, feeling that the outside world had forgotten them.

"How ironic it is that by banning books, people want to know even more about them." Books as a source of inspiration and comfort in difficult times are woven throughout this story, from the book locket Jana wears in remembrance of her mother to her homemade bookmarks used to pass information. I loved that the passcodes used between resistance members were lines from banned books. My favorite one was from Virginia Woolfe: "Why are women so much more interesting to men than men are to women?" This is the third book I've read by Helen Parusel and it was worth the wait. Her characters have such depth and are believable, just ordinary people trying to live through extraordinary times while retaining their humanity. I highly recommend this latest book. I loved it.

Jana Hajek and her father live in a flat above a bookstore and it was once run by her deceased mother. Jana keeps the shop open, it’s not easy as the Germans have banned so many books and she has to stock a section for them. To boost moral Jana has a children’s reading time and she decides to hold a book exchange club for women and it’s a place for them to come together and take their minds off the occupation.

Jana helps three Jewish children, and she meets Captain Kovar when he searches the shop, at a time when she doesn’t know who she can trust and the Czech police are working for the Germans. Jewish people are being rounded up and sent to camps, everyone’s starving, tired and exhausted.

Jana employed as a part time cleaner at Prague Castle, the chance arises to help the resistance and the bookshop is the perfect cover. The windows can display signs when it’s safe to enter, and Jana hides secret codes in bookmarks she makes and she's keeping track of the movements of a high ranking German officer. The resistance and Czech citizens are waiting for the right time to rise up and fight the Germans and take back their city.

I received a copy of The Last Bookshop in Prague from Boldwood Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The narrative it set from 1942 to 1945 and constructed perfectly to give readers an idea of what it was like to live in Prague during the German occupation and leading up to liberation.

The story is engaging and gripping, Helen Parusel easily achieves what she set out to do, and that’s write a historical fiction novel about war, bravery, helping others and taking risks and the power of books and people, and five stars from me.