The Orphan’s Secret Library

by Glynis Peters

In the darkness of war, light shines from the pages of a book…For as long as Alice Carmichael can remember, the only thing she’s been able to count on is the written word. The war may have taken everything from her, but the stories she cherishes provide solace and escape into a world that is more hopeful than 1942 England.

So when Alice finds herself at the mercy and kindness of strangers, miles from everything she’s ever known, it’s little surprise that books become her purpose.

Now, Alice must channel the courage of her favourite heroines to risk everything for her country. Because it’s only in writing her own story that Alice can seize the destiny her beloved books have taught her she deserves…

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, World War II, Books About Books, Audiobook

368 pages, Paperback

Published July 22, 2025

About the author

I write historical novels set in WWII Britain, and live by the sea in Essex.


One More Chapter / HarperCollins

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Reviews

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

UK, May 1943: Alice Carmichael becomes homeless at seventeen when the house of her grandmother is bombed, losing her protector and safe space. As a child, she grew up surrounded by books and her natural instinct leads her to taking a few books she could carry with her.

As she finds new shelter, she finds new guardians, friendship and discovers a new purpose in life. She becomes a postwoman at Billingford who sets up a mobile library, which later extends to a village library and her secret war work.

Alice’s new location is close to an airbase housing American Airforce. She meets an American airman and tries to balance love with her secret mission, which leads to some tensions.

Alice is almost eighteen when she falls in love and receives her first advice about men. Throughout the story, she writes in her diary revealing her thoughts which also involve her feelings toward a man.

As devastating war is, this story demonstrates how one can still find purpose and love; and the resonating fact of the written word that has the power of transporting one to a different place bringing healing, solace, and hope. The story reveals the lost lives of the men who worked at the Norfolk airbase and pays honors to those young men who some of them left the airbase for a mission and never returned.

The story is written with simple prose and carrying a voice of a young person which may resonate with some readers. It has a slow start and there are parts that move faster than the others. Nevertheless, the story carries an engaging thread.

Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

[Stephanie Fitzgerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
A young girl who has lost literally everything in the Blitz is able to channel her grief into helping the war effort.
This novel was a love-letter to the power and healing that books can contain, as well as interesting WW2 historical fiction.
*I received a digital copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.*

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable book set during the war.
I liked Alice and her strength during such a tough time.
It’s a really nice love story not just for Alice but her two adopted Aunts. It’s a fast moving easy to read book. Perfect for all historical fiction fans!

[Jeanette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alice Carmichael had a bad start to life, dumped by her parents at an orphanage she had for a long time simply thought of herself as an orphan but her fortunes changed when it was discovered she had a grandmother and until 1943 when a bomb blasted her grandmother's home, killing her, life for Alice had been one where she knew she was loved. With the death of her gran, once again, she is alone in the world. However, with the knowledge that her gran had a sister, Alice decides to travel to where her grand aunt lives. She arrives in Norfolk distressed, worn out and after a warning to stay away from restricted areas, she finds herself at the door of Hilda Jones, who tells her that her grand aunt is dead. Hilda takes a liking to this young woman and as a forthright woman, informs Alice that her grand aunt was a very unlikeable person and that she was better off without her. Unable to give her a bed for the night, her home full up with RAF personnel, she sends Alice off to stay with her sister, Hettie, who is the local postie.

Life for Alice begins to change, Hettie and Hilda unofficially adopt her, for her security and to stop any gossip. The war is at its peak, being near an airbase Alice is able to observe the comings and goings of planes and airmen. She strikes up a friendship with such an airman but is distressed when informed of his death. It seems that so many around her have died. However, as life goes on as hard as it is with all the restrictions, Alice with her love of books starts to help out at a small bookshop until Hettie, having a fall and unable to continue as a postie, Alice fills in and also starts a book round, people are pretty well housebound with fuel restrictions so they love the diversion of new titles to read. At the bookshop, she notices some strange behaviour of some of her customers and when an unusual event occurs, Alice finds herself in London at SOE headquarters. From hereon, she is recruited into the SOE while employed full-time at the bookshop as the cover. A full-time wage would mean that after the war, she would be able to travel, her desire is Canada, she has continued writing to her gran's penfriend and has formed a friendship of her own. At the same time, she becomes friendly with an American air force engineer, Blake. She is reluctant to have anything other than a friendship after her previous experience and is mindful that he will return home at some stage, nevertheless she feels close to Blake, which is reciprocated. In the meantime, her SOE operations become more and more intense as the war continues.

[Reading Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alice an orphan loses her only family member her grandmother to a bombing. She finds out her grandmother had a sister. Alice walks carrying what little she owns and a few books salvaged from her grandmother's library to her aunts house. She finds out from a neighbor that her aunt is dead and wasn't a very nice woman. The neighbor takes pity on Alice and sends her to live with her sister. There Alice gets a few jobs but settles in as a librarian. She also gets involved with top secret war work.
I loved this book from the beginning to the end. Alice is charming and a lover of books. I really liked the found family dynamics. I also liked the very real relationship Alice has with a soldier. The diary entries and letters Alice writes are interesting as well. I want to read all the books Alice read.

[Luciana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would say I would give this a 3.5 star rating.

It was another interesting WW2 read, set in England, where an orphan finally meets her grandmother for a short period of time before the war takes the grandmother's life. On her own at 17, Alice sets out to seek an aunt who may take her in. But when she gets to the town, the aunt has died as well. Befriended by 2 older women, Alice lives with them & becomes established in the community as a postal women & then is encouraged to start a mobile library.

Unbeknownst to her, she is approached about her mobile library & is brought to the SAE headquarters to see if she would also like to run a community library & be used as an intermediary to pass important messages via the books.

She is also involved with an American soldier but because of her position, she is also very careful with folks because she doesn't want the library or herself to be compromised.

A good read!

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book but not excessively (I know, damning with faint praise…). Four stars because I didn’t dislike it and if I really don’t like a book I won’t write any kind of review. It’s always interesting to hear about life in WWII Britain.

[ciara · Rating 2 out of 5]

fart noise 😵‍💫

age gap was icky
so much unnecessary fluff
did miss girl really say she didn’t want the war to end so she could spend time with her man?
the spy and library stuff is cool but greatly overshadowed by the boring romance
romanticizing american culture ewwww

[ATLANTIC BOOK REVIEWS · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audio. So interesting to learn about this aspect of life and subterfuge during WWII

[♡ amina ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a charming story to listen too but got too repetitive and long. Like there was no need for this diary inserts bc she was just repeating what had just occurred

[Marie Gallagher · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. Which means "it was okay" but not "I liked it", a 3 star. I didn't dislike the book per se, it's just that it was a little too light and fluffy for me. I've never read a Harlequin Romance book, but I felt this book probably emulates what an HR read would be like, tied in with some WW2 history set around an airbase in England. Young British (orphan) girl, Alice, who has been taken in by two older sisters; Helga and Hettie, whom she met while trying to find an aunt, her only surviving relative, only to learn the aunt had died. The sisters take on a motherly role and Alice that of a daughter to them both. Alice meets Blake, an American who has come to work at the airbase. From there the story becomes a girl meets boy narrative, followed by all the ups and downs of new found love, woven into the goings on of war at the time.

I love Historical Fiction; that's my genre because I learn a lot from it. After reading this book, I noted at the back of the book that the author writes "WW2 Historical Romance". So if you love a good romance book, you'll like this one. It just wasn't for me.

[MoMo Book Diary · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Orphan’s Secret Library by Glynis Peters is a heartfelt WWII novel about Alice Carmichael, a young orphan who finds solace in books and builds a new life after tragedy strikes. Taken in by two kind sisters, Alice’s journey of growth and the creation of her mobile library provide hope amidst the hardships of war.

While the wartime setting and Alice’s love for books are compelling, the story’s pacing felt uneven, with a rushed beginning and an overemphasis on her romantic reflections. However, the warmth of Hettie and Hilda shines, adding charm and heart to the narrative.

A solid read for historical fiction fans, though it didn’t fully capture me.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

I truly enjoy the war time novels Peter's writes. This one reminded me of Rose Code or the Wedding Dress Sewing circle because it highlights how much women did in the war effort that was not always seen.
The secret library was a neat twist added into this too.
However, I didn't feel the connection with Alice as much making this a harder read for me. But I think it just had trouble placing her age consistently in my head with her acting childish sometimes but much more mature at others and that threw me off.

[Lisa M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Orphan's Secret Library is a tale about the comfort that can be found in books. Tucked into that is a girl orphaned at a young age, who just finds her grandmother at age 15 and falls in love with the library. Then the house is bombed by the Germans when she's 17 and she's homeless and family-less again. She grabs her belongings plus as many books as she can carry and heads to small town where a supposed great-aunt lives. When she arrives to learn that great-aunt isn't there any longer, she ends up starting a life beyond her wildest dreams in the homes of two sisters Hettie and Hilda.

the story incorporates life during the last year or so of the war. Some challenges they dealt with. The town is near an airbase, so they experience the sorrow when planes don't come home.

The heroine also falls in love for the first time. she journals it in her diary which is quite hilarious as it reminds me of my own diaries from when I was 13-18 years old.

As the title suggests, she does create a library there for the town--and it becomes even something more!

Side note for those who would like to know: There is discussion by a character with the lead character Alice about "the birds and the bees". And Alice does journal her sexual desires after that point--not explicitly or anything though. Also sex outside of marriage being okay (if that's a topic you don't agree with).

I didn't like how it started. It's almost like it drops us in to a story and just gives tidbits about her last two years of her life. i feel like it would have been better starting it two years prior then have it move forward to when she was 17.

I loved the characters of Hettie and Hilda most.

3 STars as I found it just okay, not great, not terrible either.

*thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book to review. All opinions are 100% my own.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Glynis Peters writes a wonderful story placed during WWII of a young women, Alice Carmichael, who was orphaned as a child and recently lost her Grandmother and guardian during the war. The book begins while Alice sets off on a journey with the little she owns and a small collection of books from her grandmothers library. She comes to a place in Norfolk meeting a women names Hilda to find that the last living relative she knows was dead and a women Alice would rather not know. Alice now has no where to go, though Hilda sends Alice to her sister Hettie's as she knows there was at least a place to stay for the night.
While Alice believes there is no where for her to go now. Hettie and Hilda have made the decision to take in Alice during this time for her safety, knowing she does not have many options.

Alice is new to the town and with the townspeople under the impression she is the niece of Hettie and Hilda they welcome her in. This new home of Alice's is placed next to an airbase, with many men coming and going through the town during the war. Alice becomes a help to Hettie at home and even more to Hilda when she has to leave her job of being a post-women Alice takes over. As Alice becomes established in the town meeting many through her postal route, finds many who also have a love for books and she starts a mobile library to go along with her postal service. It is not long before members of the SOE notice her efforts to bring an escape to war to those around her which to the SOE Alice becomes a means to communicate during the war.

This is a fast paced book keeping readers intrigued in the story of Alice Carmichael as she faces having a role in WWII and building a new life with Hettie and Hilda. The Orphan's secret is a book of new found family, friendship and love brought together of the story of a young women and her place during wartime.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Orphans secret Library is another great book from Glynis Peters.
Alice Carmicheal is an orphan. At 5 she was left at an orphanage and then went to live with her grandmother but sadly she died in the Blitz. Her only living relative lives in a small village in Norfolk. But when she gets there, she finds out that she also has died. With nowhere else to go she is taken in by two sisters who becomes her family. She gets a job as a post woman, who cycles every day. As one of the sisters who is a postie has an accident and can’t do the job, so Alice takes over. She does so well the decides to do her bit for the war by joining the SOE and passing messages though the books at the local library.
When the Americans arrive at the village Alice falls in love with one of them Blake. With that and doing her bit for the war keeps her busy.
This is an emotional tale of everyday life during the war and of the lads going of to war and some that never come home. This is a great love story too with someone who wasn’t born with a with a hold lot of love but eventually found it. This is a great read. 4 stars from me.

[Gwendolyn Broadmore · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Orphan's Secret Library, by Glynis Peters, takes us on a harrowing journey to England in 1942. It's a dangerous place for an orphan who's lost everything she holds dear. Alice enjoyed such a short time with her kind and loving grandmother; a grandmother, who for most of her young life, Alice hadn't known existed. Then the terrifying bombs came. Years ago, before she'd been abandoned by her parents, Alice had been too young to remember much of her mother and father, except vague recollections of lots of unpleasantness, and fights. The orphanage had been Alice's home. Now, as a teenager, she's alone again except for her precious books. At the kindness, and mercy of strangers, Alice's books become her purpose and her refuge. Yet, Alice is bright, strong, resourceful and much braver than she knows. Decent strangers come to her rescue, as she (in her own way) comes to theirs. Family isn't always related by blood. What can this little waif of a girl possibly do to help to save her country, herself, and these precious strangers who have become her world? Gwendolyn Broadmore, author, Life Came to a Standstill.

[Louise Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

May, 1943: Alice Carmichael is homeless at the age of seventeen when the home belonging to her grandmother was hit by a bomb. She finds new purpose in her life when she finds new guardians, tow sisters take her in and treat her like family. She turns her grief into helping the war effort. When one of the sisters has an accident while doing her job as a postie, Alice takes over. As she did the job so well, she decides to join the SOE, passing messages through books at the local library.

This is an emotional read. The characters were well portrayed. It's so well-written and covers the realities of living during WWII. Of course, as with most good stories, Alice finds love with an American called Blake. The pace is slow to start with, but it soon picks up. This story honours the people who lost their lives fighting for their country.

Published 21st November 2024

I would like to thank #NetGalley #HarperCollinsUK and the author #GlynisPeters for my ARC of #TheSecretOrphansLibrary in exchange for an honest review.

[Nikki Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alice is an orphan, her only family member being her grandmother, but after a bombing in the midst of WWll, she finds herself truly alone. After finding that her grandmother had a sister, she embarks on a journey by foot to find her, carrying what little she owns and 19 books that belonged to her grandmother, that she just couldn’t leave behind hide.

This is her story of found family and finding love during wartime. It is a story of finding one’s purpose, the hero’s and heroins during war and it is of books and how reading can help one escape, but also create connection and be a safe space during hard times.

It is a story that teaches us love, respect, grace, kindness and to never give up on your dreams. It is sweet, hopeful, heartbreaking, heartwarming and displays determination and trust.

I enjoyed the diary entries and letters, they truly had me feeling all of Alice’s emotions and for a war story, it was more on the lighter, which I liked and that ending - beautiful ❤️

What books would you grab if you had to flee your home?

[Preethi Sri · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Heartwarming Story of Family, Resilience, and the Love of Books

The Orphan’s Secret Library by Glynis Peters is a beautifully written WWII-era story about Alice, a young woman raised in an orphanage. Fifteen years later, she reconnects with her grandmother, whose home library becomes a sanctuary and sparks Alice’s lifelong love for reading. The story is a testament to the healing power of books and the strength of family bonds, even in the most uncertain times.

The audiobook narration by Sofia Engstrand is captivating, adding an emotional depth to Alice’s journey. Engstrand’s voice perfectly conveys the tension, hope, and heartache woven throughout the narrative, making it an even more immersive experience.

The unexpected twists and poignant moments kept me engaged, though the pacing occasionally slowed. Overall, this is a heartfelt and inspiring tale for fans of historical fiction and stories about the transformative magic of books.

Highly recommend!

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a wonderful story of hope, love and a dedication to the power of words. Alice was an orphan who found out she had a grandmother, and went to live with her. It was during WWII and she lost her grandmother when bombs hit all around them. I thought it was interesting that instead of clothes when she went to find her grandmother's sister, she packed her bag with books from her grandmother's library. It must have been so heavy. Her search for the great aunt didn't work out as she was dead, but wasn't a nice person anyway. A stranger took her in and gave her a new start in life. She takes over being a postwoman when Hilda is hurt and starts delivering mail. She also starts a library of sorts and starts delivering more than mail.

The story was very interesting and engaging from beginning to end.

I got this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review

[Melinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Orphan’s Secret Library by Glynis Peters is what I would call a light WWII romance novel. It’s a story about nice people who mostly survive a dark period. I’ve read three other books by this author, all with orphan in the title! Alice was left at an orphanage as a five year old and finds a grandmother as a teenager, but loses her in the war. In this book she is 17-19 years old and you kind of forget this as the things she accomplishes are not things you expect from such a young person. She is a post mistress delivering mail, a librarian, a spy and so much more. I liked that she kept a diary and loved the characters in this small English town. And you can’t help but root for the romance of the young Alice and the American Blake. Very quick read and 3 stars, just gets you away from serious things and we can all use a bit of that now and then.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Glynis Peters brings another aspect of WWII to life in her new book, The Orphan’s Secret Library. Alice, a 17 year-old orphan, makes her way to where a great-aunt lives. Discovering her aunt has passed away, she is taken in by two sisters who become her family. She is exposed to the realities of war living by an airfield built to house Americans from the USAAF in Britain. Alice becomes a librarian, utilizing her little library as a tool to assist her country in the war effort. This is a moving depiction of what life was like during WWII, describing the tragedy of pilots leaving in the morning but not returning in the evening. I highly recommend this book for those who enjoy history as well as a moving love story.

[Blessing Debel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was completely swept away by The Orphan’s Secret Library! Glynis Peters has this rare gift of weaving heartbreak, hope, and courage into every page. Alice Carmichael is the kind of heroine who stays with you long after you’ve closed the book, her love of stories becomes a beacon of light in a world overshadowed by war.

The historical detail is vivid without ever feeling heavy, and the emotional pull had me rooting for Alice from the very first chapter. By the end, I felt like I’d taken the journey right alongside her, discovering that even in the darkest times, the power of stories can carry us through.

Highly recommend to anyone who loves WWII historical fiction with heart, hope, and unforgettable characters. This one’s going straight to my “favorites” shelf!

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s not until a third of the way through this novel, that we learn of the Secret Library. The foregoing simply sets the scene but is slow moving and at times a bit tedious. I felt the ‘Dear Diary’ sections were unnecessary and detracted from this rather sweet romance between an America mechanic based in Norfolk, and the orphaned Alice who had rebuilt her life with the help of strangers. Alice’s recruitment and work for the SOE proved invaluable towards bringing the war to an end and added a nice bit of excitement. Highly readable and entertaining.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers HarperCollins One More Chapter, for this ARC

[Esther Chilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

The thing I love the most about Glynis’ books are her characters. She has a way of connecting you with them and making you believe in them. The main character in The Orphan’s Secret Library is Alice and I felt protective of this poor orphan girl who seems to have no one to love her. But she has a resilience and we admire this girl who forges a new life, making lifelong friendships in the process and finding a crucial role, which involves her love of books.

I truly felt I was with Alice on her journey every step of the way. A beautiful, captivating read that also delves into the hardship of war. Five stars from me.

[Rhiannon's Reading Corner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Displaced by the second world war, an orphaned teen girl finds herself starting a new life in a small town in England. Between new friends and family, a budding romance, and undercover work for the war effort, the months that follow are anything but dull. As the girl grows, she can feel her dream of becoming a librarian within reach - but will the ongoing war throw a wrench in her plans?

Interest Level: ages 13+
Reading Level: ages 11+

The Orphan's Secret Library was a pleasant surprise for me! The story is well-planned, the characters are lovable, and the relationships realistically complex. This book feels ageless, and could be enjoyed by teens of any age and adults alike.

[Sue Sykes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just loved this book and its characters, Alice was such a beautiful brave character and her love of books showed by carrying so many of them in a battered suitcase. After finding her grandmother and then losing her Alice takes to the road to walk to Norfolk to find her aunt, she finds no aunt but is taken in by two lovely sisters. This is where Alice’s story really begins, you need to read it to find out much more,
My thanks as always to NetGalley and to Publisher HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter | One More Chapter for the lovely enjoyable early read.

[Mae Leveson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being a fan of wartime fiction, I was intrigued enough by a synopsis to seek out this title and I’m so glad that I did. I didn’t want to put it down. I was immersed in the lives of the brave airmen and their civilian neighbours during what were some of the darkest days of the Second World War. The author captured the scene perfectly and I loved the originality of the storyline with the secret twist that allowed Alice to do a job that she loved, at the same time as ‘doing her bit’ for the war effort.

[Chrissie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in early WW2 Alice is only seventeen and an orphan ,her Grandmothers house was blown up by a bomb killing her ,so Alice decides to go to this little village in Norfolk where she is told a distant relative is living ,Here she finds love and being part of a Family she is also very brave and is involved with the War effort .Very atmospheric with some great characters ,such a lovely story .Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC.