Publishers Weekly
★ 02/19/2024
In this memorable blend of romance and WWII history, Cambron (The Paris Dressmaker) chronicles the devastation of the Coventry blitz and its impact on two budding couples. Widowed Lady Charlotte Terrington-Holt and Amos Darby own rival bookshops in 1940 Coventry, England, but put their competing interests aside to offer tea to residents recovering from nights spent in air raid shelters. As they work together, Amos’s feelings for Charlotte reignite: he had once hoped to marry her, but then the Earl of Harcourt swept in. Meanwhile, the arrival of Detroit lawyer Jacob Cole adds to the chaos. He’s in England to prevent Charlotte’s grown daughter, Eden, from claiming a mysterious inheritance left to her in his father’s will—but he finds himself taken with the young lady and soon joins the efforts to keep the Holt estate operating while the farm hands are off at war. Both couples hope for futures together—if they can survive the bombing. Cambron brings a great deal of authenticity to her rendering of Coventry’s “Forgotten Blitz” (which took place almost 100 miles from London), as the tumult and trauma of wartime make class disparity and past misunderstandings wash away, leaving only authentic emotion. Readers won’t be able to turn the pages fast enough. Agent: Rachelle Gardner, Rachelle Gardner Literary. (Apr.)
Booklist
'Christy Award—winner Cambron's latest is set during the years prior to and during WWI and WWII . . . Cambron presents a psychologically rich and historically vivid inspirational story of courage, sacrifice, and people coming together to preserve their community.'
New York Times bestselling author of FINDING MARGA Allison Pataki
'Kristy Cambron has long delighted readers with her richly textured tales of epic historical episodes and the intimate, intricate workings of the human heart. In her latest work, THE BRITISH BOOKSELLERS, Cambron delivers yet again, with her powerful punch of assiduous research and skillful, lush storytelling. Sweeping across generations and both World Wars, this is a luminous ode to the soul's deep and indelible yearning for love, hope, and truth.'
New York Times bestselling author of The Summer of Kristy Woodson Harvey
'With pitch-perfect prose and impeccable research, Kristy Cambron brings to life the Forgotten Blitz bombings of World War II—and shines a light on the ways in which we find hope in even the darkest moments. A testament to bravery, loss, and the power story has to unite us, The British Booksellers will steal readers' hearts. This stunning novel is a poignant reminder of the indomitable nature of the human spirit and the enduring power of true love. Five huge stars!'
national bestselling author of Sisters of Night an Erika Robuck
'From page one, the dynamic, endearing characters in The British Booksellers stole my heart. Kristy Cambron is an assured storyteller, weaving together dual periods and complex family structures with ease. Fans of Downton Abbey will adore The British Booksellers.'
author of Hotel Laguna Nicola Harrison
'Set in the English countryside and spanning two wars, Kristy Cambron's latest, The British Booksellers, is a beautiful and enlightening novel that captures the lost love and youthful dreams of two unlikely soul mates, Charlotte and Amos. Full of longing and sprinkled with literary gems, I was completely swept away with this enchanting tale.'
Library Journal
★ 01/19/2024
Lady Charlotte Terrington and Amos Darby grew up together making mischief in the English countryside. But an aristocrat and a tenant farmer aren't destined to be together at the turn of the 20th century, no matter how much love flows between the upstairs and downstairs of a Coventry estate. In a split-time storyline, Cambron (The Italian Ballerina) brings readers into the nightly bombings of World War II, where Charlotte and Amos are now running competing bookstores and still dealing with scars from their nation's previous war. Charlotte's daughter hires Land Girls in a last-ditch effort to save the family's estate, even as she wonders why the rivalry between her mother and Amos is so intense. When American lawyer Jacob Cole visits with a bombshell announcement, the characters must learn to forgive. VERDICT In this delightful historical romance, with nods to the movie You've Got Mail, readers will be put through the emotional spectrum, all the while rooting for the mismatched couple: now middle-aged and battle scarred, but not without hope for true love.—Christine Barth
