The Blackout Book Club by Amy Lynn Green

 

In 1942, an impulsive promise to her brother before he goes off to the European front puts Avis Montgomery in the unlikely position of head librarian in small-town Maine. Though she has never been much of a reader, when wartime needs threaten to close the library, she invents a book club to keep its doors open. The women she convinces to attend the first meeting couldn't be more different--a wealthy spinster determined to aid the war effort, an exhausted mother looking for a fresh start, and a determined young war worker.

At first, the struggles of the home front are all the club members have in common, but over time, the books they choose become more than an escape from the hardships of life and the fear of the U-boat battles that rage just past their shores. As the women face personal challenges and band together in the face of danger, they find they have more in common than they think. But when their growing friendships are tested by secrets of the past and present, they must decide whether depending on each other is worth the cost.

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About The Author

  Amy Lynn Green is a lifelong lover of books, history, and library cards. She worked in publishing for six years before writing her first historical fiction novel. She and her husband live in Minnesota, where she teaches virtual classes on marketing at writer’s conferences, engages with book clubs, and regularly encourages established and aspiring authors in their publication journeys. Connect with her on Facebook or Instagram (@amygreenbooks), or sign up for her newsletter at amygreenbooks.com to get quarterly emails filled with bookish fun.

 

My Review

The setting of this story is off the coast of Maine, and we are at war, and with the men leaving, women start filling jobs and help keep this country running.

We meet Avis as her brother is about to leave to fight, he begs her to keep his beloved Library going, and thus with inspiration and the threat of the closing, our book club is born.

We meet a diverse group of people, yes, both men and woman, and what a wide range of topics the club picks for their reads. We soon are involved in the lives of four different women, all members of the book club, and when the last page was turned I wanted to continue being with them.

There are some frightening happenings, and surprises about what is happening off the coast, and in their back yards. There is some closure, and secrets fall and doors close, while others open.

A page turner, and I'll be looking for more by this author!

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Bethany House, and was not required to give a positive review.