As the bombs began to fall, the book club kept their hopes alive…

The most emotional, uplifting and captivating story of wartime London and the extraordinary power of books to shine a light and draw people together in the darkest of days, inspired by true events.

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…

*Annie Lyons was shortlisted for the RNA Contemporary Romantic Novel of the Year Award*

Readers adore USA Today bestselling author Annie Lyons’ books:

‘An exquisitely poignant tale of life, friendship and facing death’ Ruth Hogan

‘One heroine I will never forget…We all need friends like Eudora, Stanley and Rose. Their kindness is a shining light in these stormy times’ Celia Anderson

‘This beautifully told story shows us how we can live and support others at all stages of life, value what matters most and suck the juice out of every day’ Kathryn Mannix

‘Unique and wonderful’ Kirkus Reviews

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 puppy, Nelson.