A New Chapter at the Little Penguin Bookshop

Little Penguin Bookshop

by Joanna Toye

New stories are being written at The Little Penguin Bookshop…

Carrie Anderson’s business selling books at her local train station is thriving and, with her beloved Mike returned from war, everything feels as though it is falling into place. That is, until Mike is sent to Washington as a liaison between Britain and America.

When her twin brother, Johnnie, a fighter pilot, is injured, and her bookstall falls on hard times, Carrie misses the sage advice and comfort of Mike more than ever.

Bolstered by her supportive station community, can Carrie battle through this challenging new chapter and reach the happy ending she deserves?

Praise for Joanna

'Endearing characters [...] wartime loves, laughter and heartbreak' Annie Murray
'An uplifting wartime saga with family at its heart' Tracy Baines
'Meticulously researched and beautifully written' Helen Yendall

Genres: Historical Fiction

400 pages, Paperback

Published April 22, 2025

About the author

Set in a family-owned department store, Jo's novels bring to life the hardships - and highlights - of life in Britain in the Second World War. With husbands, boyfriends and brothers away, the three Shop Girl friends pull together to battle bomb damage and black marketeers as well as their own poignant personal dramas. A former radio and TV scriptwriter, Jo draws on her family's war experiences as well as memories of how shopping used to be - before Amazon changed all that!
Twitter @joannatoye
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Reviews

[Nicola Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this author, I’ve yet to read a book of Joanna’s that I didn’t enjoy.
Carrie is a lovely character and I’m hoping there’s more of this story to come

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joanna Toye’s A New Chapter at the Little Penguin Bookshop is a heartfelt, uplifting and emotional tale perfect for losing yourself in.

Everything seems to have fallen into place for Carrie Anderson. With her business selling books at her local train station thriving and her beloved Mike back from war, life is looking up for her. But just when she thinks that she can begin to look to the future, Mike drops a bombshell on her: he’s being sent to Washington as a liaison between Britain and America. Carrie is determined to keep calm, carry on and stay strong, however, things take an even more worrying turn when her twin brother Johnnie is injured and her business begins to suffer.

With Mike away and nobody to turn to, Carrie feels more alone than ever, but luckily for her the station community rallies around to help her in her hour of need. Bolstered by their kindness and support, Carrie feels as if she can get through the difficult times ahead. Will she rise above all the obstacles standing in her way and find the happiness she has always wanted? Or will this chapter of her life have an upsetting and heartbreaking ending?

Joanna Toye has the storyteller’s gift and she effortlessly draws you into the world she creates and deftly involves you in her wonderful stories of community, friendship and romance. A New Chapter at the Little Penguin Bookshop is a delightful tale brimming with hope, humour and heart, with a heroine it is impossible not to root for, that will keep you engrossed from beginning to end.

A spellbinding wartime saga from a writer who never misses, A New Chapter at the Little Penguin Bookshop is another must-read by Joanna Toye.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Jaffareadstoo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Those who have read The Little Penguin Bookshop will be entirely familiar with Carrie Anderson and her little railway book shop and those who are new to the story will soon pick up the thread as it’s possible to read this as a standalone story. In this continuation we meet again with Carrie, and the rest of the characters, pretty much where the first book ended, with Carrie and her boyfriend Mike picking up their relationship, only for Mike to be posted to America.

It’s 1941 and Britain is finding that the pinch of war is biting hard. Food rationing is causing genuine hardship and with the devastation of the blitz in London, Carrie and her family and friends are finding it difficult but as ever their stoical nature shines through and Carrie finds, more than ever, that her bookshop with its colourful array of Penguin sixpenny titles is her refuge when the book shop experiences difficult times. As always the author brings time and place to life so perfectly that it is no hardship to spend time in the company of this lovely bunch of characters.

The story flows beautifully, historically accurate, packed with emotion and at times, sadness, but there is always a sense of duty and flashes of humour. I have thoroughly enjoyed spending time at the little bookshop and relished reading about this new chapter in its existence. I hope it won’t be too long before we meet again with Carrie, Mike and the rest of the characters who make these lovely WW2 sagas so special.

[Ann Sampson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Carrie is an entrepreneurial bookshop owner who is trying to survive the war. Her family has their set of ups and downs including her brothers airplane accident and her fiancé leaving for America. Things get more complicated when her uncle, who financed her shop has to pay back their loan, Carrie is distraught at the thought of giving it up. Through all the hardships the family stays positive and works together. There are many love stories throughout the novel, some end well, others are heartbreaking, but that is the war.
A cute book and a quick read.

[Bethany Winchester · Rating 5 out of 5]

So wholesome, loved it!

[Les · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great follow up. I do hope there are going to be more in the series.

[Samantha Neal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow I have loved this story.
I couldn't put it down. There were secrets and you would be quite shocked about.
This is quite a relaxing read.
However I hope they will be a another one.

[The Cruciverbalistic Bookworm]

3.5⭐
Good writing but it's mostly a wartime soap opera, and not my usual genre (just a filler).

[Sally Archer · Rating 5 out of 5]

a charming read

[Krystal Broodryk · Rating 3 out of 5]

A New Chapter at the Little Penguin Bookshop follows Carrie as she faces family struggles and works to keep her beloved bookshop running during WWII. I didn’t enjoy this one as much as the first book — the story felt repetitive, with too many reintroductions and a slower pace. It also lost some of the clean, wholesome tone I liked before, with more mentions of romance and intimacy before marriage. Still, I appreciated Carrie’s character growth and her resilience through tough times.

[Susan Sanderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This historical novel in a series is an enjoyable read. My longer review is here.