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 warm and tender tale about the power and healing of friendship and community and the magic of books' - Ruth Hogan 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 The Air Raid Book Club: '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 . . . perfect for fans of Lissa Evans and AJ Pearce' - Kerry Barrett 'This is a book to be read and re-read - each time there will be something new to discover . . . a triumph' - Celia Anderson 'Warm and nostalgic . . . 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

An emotional and uplifting novel set in WW2 London about the remarkable power of books to bring hope and light in dark times, 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...

'A must-read of the summer!' Jenny Oliver, bestselling author of The Summer House by the Sea 'Happy, hopeful and joyously life-affirming. Exactly the book we need right now.' Cathy Bramley Life is about to change forever... Heather is finally back on Hope Street after running from the memories for so long. She hasn't bumped into many neighbours yet but with her upcoming wedding to plan there's plenty to keep her busy! Fran is still trying to get used to a life without her husband by her side. It's hard enough raising two children on her own - she doesn't have time to even think about dating... Pamela is fed up of being taken for granted by her grown-up children and grumbling husband. She's ready to shake things up a little, but will her family even notice? So when the three women hear about a 'happiness course' starting on Hope Street, surely it's the perfect opportunity to let their hair down, laugh with new friends and maybe even change their lives in ways they never expected... Don't miss The Happiness List, a delightfully uplifting story from bestselling author Annie Lyons, coming soon! Praise for The Happiness List: 'Annie Lyons captures the true complexities of our lives with warmth, emotion and heaps of laughter. The Happiness List is a must-read of the summer!' Jenny Oliver 'Happy, hopeful and joyously life-affirming. Exactly the book we need right now.' Cathy Bramley 'Go on then, I was thinking, win me over. Well it did - it's Oprah Winfrey meets Victoria Wood and I loved it!' Felicity Everett 'This book will fill you with feel-good! A heart-warming read that will leave you with the biggest smile!'Mandy Baggot

'An exquisitely poignant tale of life, friendship and facing death... Everyone should read this book' Ruth Hogan, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Keeper of Lost Things USA TODAY BESTSELLER *Shortlisted for the RNA Contemporary Romantic Novel of the Year Award* 'Eudora's 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, Sunday Times bestselling author of With the End in Mind 'Wow - definitely my book of the year... in my all time top ten!' Reader review 'This is undoubtedly one of the best books that I have read this year' Reader review Eudora Honeysett is done - with all of it. Having seen first-hand what a prolonged illness can create, the eighty-five-year-old has no intention of leaving things to chance. With one call to a clinic in Switzerland she takes her life into her own hands. But then ten-year-old Rose arrives in a riot of colour on her doorstep. Now, as precocious Rose takes Eudora on adventures she'd never imagined she reflects on the trying times of her past and soon finds herself wondering - is she ready for death when she's only just experienced what it's like to truly live? A heartfelt story of life, death, friendship and family perfect for fans of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine and Away with the Penguins. Readers love Eudora! 'One heroine I will never forget...We all need friends like Eudora, Stanley and Rose in our lives. Their kindness is a shining light in these stormy times' Celia Anderson, bestselling author of 59 Memory Lane 'Strikes a winning balance, reaching deep feelings while avoiding the traps of sentimentality' Publishers Weekly 'Unique and wonderful...a sensitive examination of human connections' Kirkus Reviews I have to say this is the best book that I have ever read! Being in my 40s I've read a lot of books!' Lyn 'One of those that I will always remember...it really has touched me like no other book has' Sylvia *Shortlisted for the RNA Contemporary Romantic Novel of the Year Award*

'It was an ABSOLUTE gem of a book and I LOVED every minute of this fantastic story!' - Christie Barlow, author of 'Evie's Year of Taking Chances' The best things in life happen when you least expect them Nat's husband has just said the six words no one wants to hear - 'I don't love you any more'. Caroline's estranged mother has to move into her house turning her perfectly ordered world upside down. Living on the same street these two women couldn't be more different. Until the beloved local community centre is threatened with closure. And when the only way to save it is to form a community choir - none of the Hope Street residents, least of all Nat and Caroline, expect the results... This spring, hope is coming!

Sometimes having it all isn't enough... Emma has everything she's ever wanted. Her boyfriend's just proposed and her career has finally taken off. And so what if her latest client just happens to be downright gorgeous? She's getting married. Isn't she? Rachel's married with 2.4 children (well, actually, 3) and life is all about trying to leave the house in a non-stained top. Once it was about skinny cappuccinos, cocktails and dynamic ad agency meetings. She wants her old life back, but can it ever be the same? A sparkling, funny tale of two sisters and how often you don't know what you've got until it's gone. What readers are saying about Not Quite Perfect 'a humorous, lighthearted read' - Fiona's Book Reviews 'A great holiday read!' - Jill Steeples, author of Let's Call the Whole Thing Off 'Not Quite Perfect is such a page turner... I couldn't put this book down and found myself crying with both laughter and sadness at this touching and thought-provoking story.' - Bookaholic Confessions 'Not Quite Perfect is a mixture of heart warming situations and light comedy. I found myself having a giggle and thinking 'that's so like my family', on several occasions and that was nice and refreshing. Also, I will admit that I even cried in a few places because it pulled on my heart strings so much.' - A Book and a Tea 'Not Quite Perfect is a great title for this book. The writing is bubbly and vivid and very entertaining. It's a story about trying to find out what is important in life and also that live can't be perfect all the time.' - Sky's Book Corner