'Touching and heartwarming . . . get those tissues ready' JILL MANSELL 'A warm and tender tale about the power of books' RUTH HOGAN' As the bombs began to fall, the book club kept their hopes alive... 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... 'A charming, uplifting story of resourceful women and the healing power of books' CLARE CHAMBERS 'A heartwarming and tender ode to the power of storytelling and friendship' EMILIA HART 'I loved this. A sweet and nourishing ode to books that historical fiction fans will love' KATE THOMPSON 'Tender, touching and utterly heartwarming' SARAH STEELE 'A wonderful story of strong female friendship and found family . . . I absolutely adored it' - ? ? ? ? ? Real reader review **'**Beautiful and moving in a way that we need right now' - ? ? ? ? ? Real reader review 'A beautiful depiction of a community striving to survive together**'** - ? ? ? ? ? Real reader review 'A gentle, heartwarming read' - ? ? ? ? ? Real reader review This story of love, bravery and found family is heart-wrenching and utterly charming. I sobbed my way through the final chapters' - Fiona Lucas 'A wonderful story of strong female friendship and found family . . . I absolutely adored it' - ? ? ? ? ? Real reader review 'A gentle, heartwarming read . . . [with] two main characters who are lovely ordinary people living in remarkable times' - ? ? ? ? ? Real reader review '[A] beautiful depiction of a community striving to survive and thrive together . . . I came to love the many characters and I felt like I, too, would be welcomed into their book club' - ? ? ? ? ? Real reader review 'One of my favourite books ever . . . reading this beautiful, heartfelt, heartbreaking, but yet promising story leaves me feeling hope for the human spirit' - ? ? ? ? ? Real reader review