The Air Raid Book Club

An emotional and uplifting novelset in WW2 London about the remarkable power of books to bring hope and light in dark times, inspired by true events, from the USA Today bestselling author.

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...

Review

A warm and tender tale about the power and healing of friendship and community and the magic of books . . . Annie writes her characters with humanity, humour and respect and their stories will stay with me for a very long time. A wonderful, heart-warming read -- Ruth Hogan

Full of heart . . . Annie Lyons has cleverly woven the horror and heartbreak of war with the resilience of human nature, the strength of love, and the importance of friends . . . satisfying, funny, uplifting . . . A fabulous story, perfect for fans of Lissa Evans and AJ Pearce. I adored it. -- Kerry Barrett

Annie Lyons has the rare gift of bringing an unfamiliar world alive in such a way that the reader drops right into the heart of the action . . . This is a book to be read and re-read - each time there will be something new to discover . . . a triumph -- Celia Anderson

If you're looking for a warm and nostalgic read, The Air Raid Book Club will definitely be your cup of tea. This story of love, bravery and found family is heart-wrenching and utterly charming. I sobbed my way through the final chapters. -- Fiona Lucas

This story of grief, community, friendship and the restorative power of books, is charming, witty and thoroughly absorbing from first page to last. Gertie is the very best of heroines: feisty and compassionate. I adored following her and Lyons' cast of colourfully drawn characters through the desperate landscape of the Second World War to the swooping joy of an ending which left tears rolling down my face. This book is exactly what we need right now to remind us that, with kindness, love and compassion for our fellow man, there is always light beyond the darkness -- Lisa Timoney

I devoured it . . . and was caught up in the world of Gertie and Hedy and the Book Club in WW2, turning the pages to find out more . . . a beautifully written story and a book full of heart. -- Beezy Marsh

A tender, touching and utterly heart-warming tale, set against the horrors of the Blitz. Readers will adore Gertie and Hedy -- Sarah Steele

A charming, uplifting story of resourceful women and the healing power of books -- Clare Chambers, bestselling author of Small Pleasures

Immersive and thought-provoking . . . Through the agony of grief and the darkness of war, Annie weaves persistent hope . . . a triumphant success! -- Laura Carlin

I loved this . . . a sweet and nourishing ode to books that historical fiction fans will love -- Kate Thompson

The Air Raid Book Club is a total gem of a book - it completely swept me away -- Miranda Dickinson

I loved The Air Raid Book Club . . . Gertie and Hedy are wonderful characters and their intertwined stories are just so touching and heartwarming. What a beautiful novel this is. And as for that ending . . . get those tissues ready -- Jill Mansell

About the Author

After a career in bookselling and publishing, Annie Lyons became an author. When not working on her novels, she teaches creative writing. She lives in south-east London with her husband and two children and black labrador, Nelson.