Bloomsbury Girls: A Novel

Written by Natalie Jenner

Narrated by Juliet Stevenson

Named a Most Anticipated Book of 2022 by Katie Couric Media, Audible, the CBC, the Globe and Mail, BookBub, POPSUGAR, SheReads, Women.com and more!

“Juliet Stevenson’s luminous narration is a delight for the ears and makes for an entertaining and moving listening experience.” – Library Journal (Starred review)

"Juliet Stevenson's performance of this novel about a post-WWII bookshop is vocal virtuosity." —AudioFile

“Juliet Stevenson narrates the novel in her lovely, versatile voice, nicely capturing different personalities of the book” – The Washington Post

Multi-award-winning actor Juliet Stevenson narrates this Earphones Award–winning, heartwarming audiobook from the internationally bestselling author of The Jane Austen Society. Natalie Jenner returns with a compelling story of postwar London, a century-old bookstore, and three women determined to find their way in a fast-changing world in Bloomsbury Girls.

Bloomsbury Books is an old-fashioned new and rare book store that has persisted and resisted change for a hundred years, run by men and guided by the general manager's unbreakable fifty-one rules. But in 1950, the world is changing, especially the world of books and publishing, and at Bloomsbury Books, the girls in the shop have plans:

Vivien Lowry: Single since her aristocratic fiance was killed in action during World War II, the brilliant and stylish Vivien has a long list of grievances--most of them well justified and the biggest of which is Alec McDonough, the Head of Fiction.

Grace Perkins: Married with two sons, she's been working to support the family following her husband's breakdown in the aftermath of the war. Torn between duty to her family and dreams of her own.

Evie Stone: In the first class of female students from Cambridge permitted to earn a degree, Evie was denied an academic position in favor of her less accomplished male rival. Now she's working at Bloomsbury Books while she plans to remake her own future.

As they interact with various literary figures of the time--Daphne Du Maurier, Ellen Doubleday, Sonia Blair (widow of George Orwell), Samuel Beckett, Peggy Guggenheim, and others--these three women with their complex web of relationships, goals and dreams are all working to plot out a future that is richer and more rewarding than anything society will allow.

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Press.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Macmillan Audio
• Release date: May 17, 2022
• ISBN: 9781250852328

Natalie Jenner

NATALIE JENNER is the author of the instant international bestseller The Jane Austen Society and Bloomsbury Girls. A Goodreads Choice Award runner-up for historical fiction and finalist for best debut novel, The Jane Austen Society was a USA Today and #1 national bestseller, and has been sold for translation in twenty countries. Born in England and raised in Canada, Natalie has been a corporate lawyer, career coach and, most recently, an independent bookstore owner in Oakville, Ontario, where she lives with her family and two rescue dogs. Visit her website to learn more.

Reviews for Bloomsbury Girls

[Lynne Richardson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A feel-good book! The narrator of the audiobook is terrific.

[Amy Hagberg · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Bloomsbury Books is an old-fashioned new and rare bookstore that has resisted change for a hundred years. It is run by men and guided by the general manager’s unbreakable fifty-one rules, but in post-war 1950, the world is changing, especially the world of books and publishing. At Bloomsbury Books, the women who work in the shop have plans.

Vivien Lowry: Brilliant and stylist, Vivien has been single since her aristocratic fiancé died fighting during World War II. A budding writer, she works in the shop’s fiction department. Grace Perkins: Married with two young sons, she’s been working to support the family following her husband’s mental breakdown in the war's aftermath. Evie Stone: In the first class of female students from Cambridge permitted to earn a degree, they denied Evie a position as a research assistant in favor of her less accomplished male rival. Now she catalogues books.

Although the business is struggling, the owner is reluctant to sell, because it is a London fixture. In post-war London, these three women are determined to battle misogyny and find their own way. If they work together, their dreams just might come true. The characters all have secrets, secrets that could change their lives if exposed.

Remember on Seinfeld when Jerry and George pitched a sitcom about nothing to network executives? Well, that’s how I felt about the first half of this novel. It focused on plodding character sketches without much of a plot and I had a hard time keeping my mind off my grocery list. When the pace picked up, I started to enjoy it. I particularly liked the literary and cultural references to Daphne du Maurier, Samuel Beckett, Ellen Doubleday, Sonia Blair (widow of George Orwell), and Peggy Guggenheim.

The author used some clever writing conventions. For example, each chapter begins with one of the 51 rules that are posted in the bookshop and then the storyline deals with that rule. The book is richly detailed with a strong sense of place and has well-drawn characters, some delightfully unlikeable. I adored the ending. I supplemented the book with audio, which was well narrated. Bloomsbury Girls is a light summer read fans of The Jane Austen Society, also by Jenner, will find charming. Other reviewers liked it better; I give it 3.5 stars. For more reviews visit amyhagberg.com.