The Resistance Book Club

by Ellie Curzon

Every page is shared in secret… and a single book could cost a life.

France, 1941. Margot locks her bookshop door and slips into the cellar, where a circle of brave women gather by candlelight to read the books the Germans are burning. They are risking everything to share forbidden stories and fight back. But one seat is empty… Esther is missing, and as a Jewish woman, she is in terrible danger. Whatever happens, Margot has promised to take care of Esther’s baby, darling Isabelle…

Present day. Lucy gasps as she descends into the cellar beneath the bookshop she has inherited from her grandmother. Wooden chairs are arranged in a circle, as if the resistance book club members have just vanished. A candle sits on a saucer; a book lies open.

Still grieving her grandmother, Lucy was left a letter about the wartime book club hinting at a devastating secret. And one book is wrapped in yellowed newspaper, addressed in faded ink to a woman named Esther. Does it contain a clue about the fate of the tiny baby hidden by the book club? What really happened on that dark night when one of its members was taken by the Nazis?

And as she uncovers the bookshop’s past, will the truth force Lucy to rethink everything she thought she knew about her own family?

The Resistance Book Club is a totally unputdownable and utterly heartbreaking story of incredible bravery in the darkest of times, and devastating family secrets that echo across generations. Fans of Evie Woods, Fiona Valpy, The Nightingale and The Alice Network will be utterly gripped.

What readers are saying about Ellie

‘I fell in love… I found myself holding my breath… Reaching out for the tissues… If I could give this book all the stars in the world I would.’ Leannebookstagram, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Wow!... Wonderful… I loved this… I couldn’t put it down… Will stay with me for a long time to come. So emotional, heartbreaking.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Absolutely amazing! I loved this book from start to finish! Easy five star read!’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Amazing read!… Tears of sadness followed by happiness… I couldn't love this story more… I loved it.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Totally heartbreaking… I experienced every emotion… amazing… takes the reader from heartbreak to hope.’ Page Turners, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘What a heartbreaker!… I loved this.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I sat and read this book in one day… an emotional read that I haven’t stopped thinking about.

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

382 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 11, 2026

About the author

Ellie Curzon is the pen name of Catherine Curzon and Helen Barrell. Catherine and Helen began writing together in the spring of 2017 and swiftly discovered a shared love of the past and a uniquely British sort of story. They drink gallons of tea, spend hours discussing the importance of good tailoring and are never at a loss for a bit of derring-do.

Reviews

[Debra]

Gripping, thought provoking, and emotion evoking, The Resistance Book Club is told in two timelines which kept me fully invested and feeling all kinds of emotions. I enjoy books where ordinary people are put in extraordinary circumstances and rise to the occasion and show courage and strength that they didn't know they had. The writing duo of Catherine Curzon and Helen Barrell excel at writing war time historical fiction. I enjoy their writing and their focus on the characters; especially strong women faced with life changing choices.

France, 1941
Margot owns a bookstore and hosts a bookclub in the basement of her shop for brave women to read and discuss the books banned by the Nazis. When one of their members goes missing, Margot agrees to look after the woman's baby. She will be put to the test, be put in terrifying situations, and have to be braver than she ever thought possible.

Present day
Lucy is a magazine editor who has traveled to her grandmother's town after inheriting her bookshop. This comes at the right time as her current life is in a stat of upheaval after a shocking discovery. When she goes into the basement of the bookshop, she observes chairs in a circle, a candle, and an open book. Her grandmother left her a note about the wartime book club and as she learns more, she becomes even more intrigued about her grandmother's bookstores past, the baby, and her grandmother's life.

With books with dual timelines, I tend to enjoy one timeline more than the other. While both timelines were captivating and moving, I found my heart breaking with sadness for the characters in the past timeline. I was also proud and cheered for the brave women and men who worked to defy the Nazis. Having said that, both timelines were wonderfully written, well thought out, and riveting. This book had equal amounts of tension, dread, danger, and moments of hope, strength, and resiliency.

I enjoy how this book focuses on friendship, relationships, courage, hope, romance, history, bravery, love, family, and second chances. I enjoyed the array of characters and their interactions with each other. I also enjoyed how the story of the past was told through Lucy's search to find out more about the bookstore and her grandmother's past during wartime. Fans of historical fiction, romance novels, and books about the war, will enjoy The Resistance Book Club.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Abby Farris]

Rating - ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture, and Ellie Curzon for the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own. Publishing date: August 11, 2026.

Some dual-timeline novels leave you equally invested in both stories. For me, The Resistance Book Club had one timeline I couldn't wait to return to and one that never quite reached the same emotional depth.

The Resistance Book Club weaves together a wartime story of courage, sacrifice, and resistance with a present-day mystery as long-buried secrets begin to surface in a charming small town.

Without question, the historical timeline was the highlight of this novel. It was beautifully written, emotionally layered, and captured both the heartbreak and extraordinary courage of ordinary people living through the resistance. Every time the story shifted into the past, I found myself completely immersed and eager to learn what happened next. Had the entire novel maintained that same level of depth, this easily could have been a higher-rated read for me.

The present-day storyline shined most through the setting and its people. I absolutely loved the town, its quirky traditions, and the close-knit community. The fierce loyalty everyone had for both the town and one another gave the story a warmth that made me want to spend more time there.

Where the novel lost a little momentum for me was in the present-day plot. It felt like many chapters repeated the same internal conflict: the main character wanting to leave while simultaneously feeling obligated to stay until the mystery was solved. After a while, that tension began to feel repetitive, especially when compared to the rich emotional nuance of the wartime chapters.

This book felt like wandering through a quaint village where every cobblestone seems to hide a story from the past. Perfect for readers who enjoy dual timelines, World War II historical fiction, charming small-town settings, and uncovering long-buried family secrets. If you've enjoyed the emotionally rich historical fiction of Sadeqa Johnson, I think you'll appreciate Ellie Curzon's writing style. While I connected much more strongly with the historical storyline than the contemporary one, the heart of the resistance and the community that grew from it made this a worthwhile journey.

[Carla]

The Resistance Book Club is a dual timeline story set in Normandy and revolving around the bookshop known as La Librairie de Cordeval or Margot's Bookshop. In 1941, the German's are banning and burning books in occupied France. Margot can't bring herself to turn in books to be burned, so she takes them off the shelves and with others in the town of Cordeval, they either read them in the basement of the shop in secret, or wrap them up and leave them around the village for other to find. This is their way to fight back. One of their member is taken, Jewess Esther. Margot promises to take care of her baby until she and/or her husband Daniel, who is fighting with the resistance, returns. We also meet the professor, who is a piano teacher, but is German. He left Germany because he didn't agree with what was happening there, but it turns out that it is his brother who is S Officer Felix Lauterborn, who is in charge of the Germans in the area. The present day story introduces Margot's granddaughter, Lucy, who has inherited her bookstore after her death. Her plan is to investigate the store and it's history before selling it, but what she finds surprises her. Can she sell after learning her grandmother's story?

I enjoyed this historical fiction story, although as usual, I did enjoy the past timeline more than the present. Margo and the others in her Resistance Book Club were very strong women. They might not be fighting the Germans with guns, but using books as a weapon, to keep morale up. Professor Theo was also a wonderful character. It showed that not all Germans believed in what Hitler was doing, and he was willing to put his life on the line for what he believed in. There are atrocities shared in the book, (the murder of resistance fighters in front of the townsfolk) which might be hard for some to stomach. The past storyline was emotional and had me near to tears more than once. Lucy's story was used to share the past with the reader. As she found books, photos and letters in the store, Margot's story was revealed. Lucy was a woman who had just been dealt a tough hand and her upcoming marriage was called off. She took the time she had booked for her honeymoon to stay in Cordeval to learn more about her grandmother. She is quickly pulled into life in the town, making friends easily. I enjoyed the ending and how the two timelines came together. I had suspected some things and was right, which surprised me. This is a story about resilience, female friendship, the power of books, strength, sacrifice, grief and secrets. One that I recommend to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, stories of women supporting one another, and family.

[Emma Crowley]

The Resistance Book Club is the first of Ellie Curzon’s books to be told through the dual timeline format and it works very well especially as it is two authors writing together as one. It always surprises me that this is the case as the writing is so seamless you’d never be able to guess who wrote which parts. The story is set between occupied France in a small coastal Normandy village called Cordeval and the present day. The themes of sacrifice, courage, friendship, resistance and the power of books shine through every chapter. The plot moves effortlessly back between the past and the present although I will say for me it was the story set during the war that really caught my attention and had me eager to get back to those sections. Initially, I felt this was giving off Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie vibes, a classic book which I’m sure loads of people will remember but then I cast those feelings aside and thoroughly enjoyed the story that developed which moved along at a great pace (in the past timeline) highlighting the risks that people from all walks of life went through in order to see their country free once again.

In the present day, Lucy arrives in Cordeval to sort out her grandmothers bookshop following her recent death. She plans to get it sold as quickly as possible and return to her life as a magazine editor in London where a promotion she has dreamed of lies waiting for her. There is some recent trauma in Lucy’s life as her planned wedding to Andrew has been cancelled due to him not being as he seemed. The reader can see Lucy is deeply cut up about this. She thought she had her life all planned out and then boom it all comes crashing down in an instant. Combined with grieving for her grandmother her emotions are all over the place and the beautiful coastal village although she is drawn to it and it holds such fabulous memories from her childhood she questions whether this is where she wants to be right now. Finding a letter from her grandmother quashes her plans for a quick sale and an escape back to city life. The contents of said letter reveal that during the war her great grandmother Margot ran a secret resistance book club from the cellar of the bookshop. Members met by candlelight at night in act of defiance against Nazi occupation. There is a secret that Lucy must piece together and at the same time her grandmother wished for the story of the book club to be written.

It was obvious that Lucy swayed back and forth over what she should so. She was someone who had goals and aspirations and liked order and structure and all this throws her into a tailspin. Yet, there is a curiosity that arises within her as she digs a little deeper finding a box which contains photos and letters. She must piece the clues together in order to uncover a remarkable story. In all honesty, I found Lucy’s section of the book a bit slow and dare I say it frustrating at times. There was lots for her to get on with to get the jigsaw pieces into place but she didn’t seem always as proactive as she should have been. She finds things and then doesn’t read deeper which would have given her more hints and I wanted to shout at her come on just get on with it. It was a more relaxed and leisurely discovery for her which is what made me enjoy the past element of the story more as we were getting to the crux of things and discovering a lot more much quicker. Lucy, meets Sebastien, the chef who runs the local restaurant/accommodation. He is the grandfather of Beatrice who although in her 90’s is full of energy and life. She featured as a young girl in the war and plays a vital role throughout the book. Romance starts to come on the horizon for Lucy but I am glad she took things slowly and that this wasn’t a dominant feature as really the story of the book club, its members and their actions are what are really the standout points from this book.

Cordeval in early 1941 and the residents lives have never been the same since the Germans marched into their quaint village and transformed everything and not for the better. Despite, the large number of historical fiction set during WW2 that I have read, it never seizes to amaze/horrify me just how much people’s lives were altered by the invasion. To go from living a quiet life with no trouble to the next day being under strict rules and regulations with your movements curtailed and controlled I couldn’t fathom what it would be like. Margot runs the bookshop, whose French name translates to pages of hope and all she longs for is the life she once knew whether everything was safe and secure. She is a widow and had created a new life for herself in the village which has been shattered with the arrival of the Germans and more recently of SS Officer Felix Lauterborn whose brother Professor Theo had been living in the village for several years. Life has become full of suffering, restrictions, food shortages, curfews, intimidation, violence and evil. The charming village streets now echo with her footsteps of German soldiers, and the bar is filled with their raucous laughter on a nightly basis. Even local woman Josephine who lives above the bar has turned and become a collaborator. But Margot is a woman who knows her own mind and she is determined to do anything be it big or small that in some way can help the village see its way through its darkest hours.

I loved Margot as the main character. She could have been someone who hid away in her bookshop just do the least amount of work she had to do to get by. But she was full of kindness, determination and an indomitable spirit. Her idea of setting up a secret book club where members would read from the list of banned books was genius. It was her way of fighting back when she couldn’t physically fight. The Germans had taken away so much from them but they wouldn’t take their stories or words which are so powerful. There were various female members of the book club coming from all walks of life in the village. The names and details of each I won’t go into but one in particular Esther will prove central to the plot. For with Esther there was a lot more going on than at first meets the eye and this is the case with the village and its occupants.

A tense story full of twists and turns develops as the Germans take over their country but not their minds. To be honest there was an element of me expecting this to be literally about the book club and the books they read but there was so much more depth to it. As the layers of the story are peeled back it’s obvious there is much more at play here and as the Germans hunt for the Resistance fighter known as Le Chevalier intensifies so too do the actions of the book club. I thought Margot was fantastic in that she always threw caution to the wind and would do anything for anyone. Making sacrifices is one way of summing her up and when tragedy befalls the book club she again pushed herself to the forefront and did what she knew was right just because she knew it was for the greater good of France as whole.

Books throughout the story becomes symbols of freedom and resistance but beneath all this are acts of heroism from ordinary people doing extraordinary things when pushed to the edges of their limits all because of one mad man. There are so many discoveries which occur throughout the book and there were several times where I thought that I had guessed something and was full sure of it and was even thinking why is this being so easily resolved and then with a turn of the page I was totally wrong but delighted to have been so. That’s what a good book should do keep you guessing until the very last moment possible and that’s what happened in this case. The Resistance Book Club I feel was a bit of a departure from previous books written by Ellie Curzon in terms of setting and more in depth themes but nonetheless a very successful one in my mind. As I was reading through it I could see it as Sunday night serial on the tv or something made for Netflix. I feel this is one of the more memorable books that I have read from the author and would definitely love to see more books in this vein in the future.

[Sharon]

Ellie Curzon's The Resistance Book Club is a traditional dual-timeline historical fiction novel. The story is set in the fictional village of Cordeval, France; Cordeval is based on similarly quaint villages along the Normandy coast. The historical timeline is set in 1941, when France was occupied by the Nazis and the French Resistance famously defied France's oppressors through the secret actions of thousands of ordinary French citizens. The modern-day timeline is also set in Cordeval, in 2025. Both storylines focus on books, female friendship, the charming town, and the courage people find within themselves.

Curzon's WWII timeline focuses on Margot and her friends as they face life in what is supposedly the Vichy "free zone." I found the characters beautifully developed, drawn well enough that the reader can anticipate their responses and choices. Margot is a widow, running a bookstore. She's shocked by the Nazi's implementation of it's list of banned books, so much so that she decides to take a stand against the barbaric policies and their equally horrific enforcement. Believing in the transformative power of books, her friends and she form a book club of locals to read the banned books. The book club members also wrap the books in newsprint and secret them in hidden, but public, spots for others to find and be able to read. Margot's friends include the brave Esther and her baby daughter, Isabelle, Josephine and her young daughter, Beatrice, a local professor, Theo, who is German. Gentle and intelligent Theo is the perfect foil for his detestable and aggressively violent brother, a Nazi over-commander who is stationed in Cordeval. The events in this timeline are as compelling as the characters, prompting both tears and smiles.

The modern-day timeline features Margot's great-granddaughter, Lucy, who is a high fashion magazine editor who has worked her way to having been offered the position of Editor-in-Chief, a stepping stone to her dream job of Editor-in-Chief of British Vogue. First, Lucy must travel to Cordeval to take care of her grandmother's estate, which includes her bookstore. Having to face the aftermath of the death of her beloved grandmother and the discovery (on the way to the airport) that her fiancé has betrayed her, result in Lucy arriving in Cordeval in a state. Her fiancé's betrayed was mere days before their planned wedding and she's reeling from the shock of what has happened. At the bookstore, Lucy discover's her grandmother left her a letter, revealing that there is a mystery involving the bookstore, and she wants Lucy to discover it and write about it. Lucy has no plans or desire to remain in the small village long, but she is intrigued by the letter. She also finds a book wrapped in old newsprint with the name "Esther" written on it.

Lucy was a little annoying at first; she seemed vapid and there were many references to her designer clothes, sunglasses, and shoes. I understood that these were to let the reader know she had been living a very high-fashion, big city life, so she was not feeling part of the small village vibe, despite the very attractive chef who captures her attention almost immediately. It also seems like Lucy's wardrobe changes during the first half of the book are intended to show the reader her changes, but that seemed a little heavy-handed and not entirely necessary. It caused the modern-day storyline to feel a bit more forced than the historical storyline. It was curious that it took Lucy so long to figure out some of the details in the mystery, given the artifacts her grandmother assembled for her. There were also some aspects that were difficult to believe, like the spry energy of Beatrice, who is in her nineties during the modern-day storyline.

Historical fiction, however, isn't required to be completely believable. The Resistance Book Club was a tender story about survival during the Nazi occupation of France, the bravery of the ordinary citizens who made up the French Resistance, and the connections that exist and are created between people to make them family. I want to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me with an e-ARC of Ellie Curzon's The Resistance Book Club. All opinions are wholly my own.

[Naori]

This advance reader’s copy is courtesy of NetGalley.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for this advance reader’s copy of Ellie Curzon’s novel The Resistance Bookclub in return for an honest review. My words are my own.

This historical fiction piece is set in alternating timelines, moving between early 1940s Cordevál, Normandy and 2025. In 2025, Lucy inherits her grandmother Mémé’s bookshop and embarks on a journey to piece together the complex history of the store’s rebellious past. The 1940’s timeline begins with Margot, Lucy’s great grandmother, whose initial act of resistance is to form a book club with the intent of reading exclusively the books banned by the Nazi regime. Because Normandy was such a pivotal occupied territory and also a port for the French resistance, “Les Pages d’Espair” (Pages of Hope bookstore) becomes ground zero for a growing nexus of underground activity. With the network of tunnels running underneath the store to the sea, frequently used to secret away political and religious refugees, “underground” is a literal definition of their acts. The novel unravels a pretty complicated and sometimes unwieldy plot about not only the core group of womens’ acts of resistance, but also the widespread subterfuge of the occupied townsfolk. There are many deeply emotional moments in the novel, historically unique portrayals of rebellion, and truly satisfying storytelling.

That said, the timeline that unfolds in the 1940s is far more eloquent, nuanced and seemingly polished than the 2025 timeline. The more recent chapters, written about Lucy, honestly seemed like they were written by another person. I did not find out until the end of this book that the author is actually two different people writing as one. I don’t know if the dissonance was because this authorial team divided up the segments of the book, but it was almost like reading a romance novel inside a piece of historical fiction. It was hard not to cringe a little at the set-up to Lucy‘s character: a young cosmopolitan woman working at a London fashion magazine named “Glitz”, about to be promoted to editor in chief, who is heartbroken after finding her fiancé in bed with another woman, flees their mutual apartment, blindly flies to this small French seaside village where she has inherited her grandmother’s bookshop, meets a hunky chef who cooks & plays piano at the cafe across the street, and finds a book under the counter of the bookstore with a note from her grandmother saying, “there are secrets tied to the book club and it’s time you found out”, hence prompting a transformation that is repeatedly referenced by her shift from wearing heels to sneakers. It was like the plot from a made for TV movie. Lucy’s interactions with the handsome Sebastian, who bakes her croissants and cheese dishes, are that of a pretty flat, very clichéd romance. However, it is impossible to give this book a rating based on that timeline alone, because the earlier narrative is so historically dense that it helps prop up the much less successful later one.

As Lucy sleuths through more information about the past, and the book continually flashes back to that timeline, the engine of the story propels itself forward in such a way that you start paying most of your attention to the gripping action of the 1940’s and less to the eye twinkling, chuckling, deep gazes of 2025. Lucy gets necessarily more caught up in uncovering the details of the past (thus foregrounding the earlier timeline) and metering out the focus on her blossoming long-walks-on-the beach-with-a-floppy-dog love affair. Both timelines get whipped into connecting the events of the past and Sebastian becomes a cohort rather than a stereotype by the end. This collision, and the unexpected ways the author(s) resolved multiple narrative threads, is why I’m giving this a 3.5. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes an entertaining WWII era novel, but not for those who want a piece of historical fiction based on a true story.

[Donna]

The Resistance Book Club by Ellie Curzon
Started August 31st.
This is the fifth novel I have read by this author. I like how she is able to combine the horrors of war with the heartwarming aspects of true love.
This novel balances the dichotomy of two worlds- Margot in 1941- the owner of a small bookstore in a little town of Cordeval in France. She harbors some books banned by the Nazis.
The other portion of this novel is in current day 2025 and a young woman named Lucy. She works at a fashion magazine in London. She is prepping for a big promotion when she is notified of an inheritance- the bookstore in Cordeval. It was owned and operated by Lucy’s great grandmother, Margot, although this is not made clear until almost the end of the novel.
Lucy goes to Cordeval where her father grew up. She spent a little time there when she was very young. She initially wants to sell the bookstore, but as she meets more of the townsfolk and a couple of the original brave members or the resistance book club, she begins to have mixed feelings. Her great grandmother left Lucy a Memory box filled with letters, old photos, and clippings. Her grandmother also left Lucy a letter about some of the secrets Margot kept in her heart. Margot met a German, Theo, who happened to be the brother of the ruthless Commandant of the town. Margot witnessed this reprobate shoot one of the members, Esther of the book club, in cold blood. Esther had a very young baby. Margot became very attached to the child, and eventually raised her as her own, along with Theo.
Lucy learns more about Cordeval and its brave French people. She decides to keep the book shop whit a young man, Sebastian, who has stolen her heart.
There is far more to learn of these brave women and of Margot and Theo.
This is another compelling book by Ellie Curzon and I highly recommend it.
The Resistance Book Club by Ellie Curzon
Started August 31st.
This is the fifth novel I have read by this author. I like how she is able to combine the horrors of war with the heartwarming aspects of true love.
This novel balances the dichotomy of two worlds- Margot in 1941- the owner of a small bookstore in a little town of Cordeval in France. She harbors some books banned by the Nazis.
The other portion of this novel is in current day 2025 and a young woman named Lucy. She works at a fashion magazine in London. She is prepping for a big promotion when she is notified of an inheritance- the bookstore in Cordeval. It was owned and operated by Lucy’s great grandmother, Margot, although this is not made clear until almost the end of the novel.
Lucy goes to Cordeval where her father grew up. She spent a little time there when she was very young. She initially wants to sell the bookstore, but as she meets more of the townsfolk and a couple of the original brave members or the resistance book club, she begins to have mixed feelings. Her great grandmother left Lucy a Memory box filled with letters, old photos, and clippings. Her grandmother also left Lucy a letter about some of the secrets Margot kept in her heart. Margot met a German, Theo, who happened to be the brother of the ruthless Commandant of the town. Margot witnessed this reprobate shoot one of the members, Esther of the book club, in cold blood. Esther had a very young baby. Margot became very attached to the child, and eventually raised her as her own, along with Theo.
Lucy learns more about Cordeval and its brave French people. She decides to keep the book shop whit a young man, Sebastian, who has stolen her heart.
There is far more to learn of these brave women and of Margot and Theo.
This is another compelling book by Ellie Curzon and I highly recommend it.

[Emma Clement]

"What if a dusty French bookshop held the keys to a dangerous wartime secret? 🇫🇷📖 I just finished The Resistance Book Club and my heart is still in Normandy..."

📖 Book Review: The Resistance Book Club by Ellie Curzon

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5 Stars)

I was lucky enough to receive a digital ARC of The Resistance Book Club by Ellie Curzon, and I absolutely loved it. This is a beautifully woven dual-timeline novel that completely swept me away.

The story expertly bridges the past and the present, tracking the incredible journey of a World War II heroine and the modern-day descendant who uncovers her legacy.

🎥 The Premise
The story centers around Lucy, a busy London professional whose life takes an unexpected turn when her grandmother passes away, leaving her a French bookshop in a Normandy seaside village. As Lucy steps into this new world, she begins to uncover the extraordinary history of her family. She discovers that during the German occupation, her great-grandmother started a book club as a brilliant, dangerous act of defiance—a cover that ultimately drew these brave women straight into the heart of the French Resistance.

✨ What I Loved
• The Power of Women in History: I was deeply moved by how the book explores the immense risks everyday people took to fight for freedom. In particular, it highlights the vital, courageous roles that women played in the Resistance.
• A Beautifully Evolving Mystery: Watching Lucy peel back the layers of her great-grandmother's identity after her passing was incredibly gripping. The transformation of both the history and Lucy herself kept me turning pages late into the night.
• Real, Heartwrenching Characters: Because of the vivid, atmospheric setting of occupied France, the characters feel profoundly real. A tale of bravery, family, and love, it's the kind of book where you become so deeply attached to the characters that they stay with you long after the final page.

📚 If You Loved...
While reading, I was constantly reminded of a couple of other incredible books I've loved:

• The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris by Evie Woods: If you adore beautifully woven dual-timeline stories set in France that seamlessly bridge the past and present, this is the perfect companion read.
• The Nine by Gwen Strauss: If you are drawn to the true, gritty history of female defiance and the real resistance women who fought back against Nazi Germany, this non-fiction account is a must-read.

If you love powerful stories of female-led defiance, family secrets, and deep historical stakes, The Resistance Book Club deserves a spot at the very top of your TBR list!

Thank you to bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

My review has previously been published Substack

Emma - LittleHouseLovely

[Bev Walkling]

The Resistance Book Club is a dual timeline historical fiction novel set in an area of France that ultimately was affected by D-Day. In the present day, Lucy was preparing to marry when she discovered the day before her wedding that her fiance had been cheating on her. She decided to leave England and return to France to deal with an inheritance from her grandmother. While there, she learns that her grandmother had secrets and that in leaving her a bookstore, she hopes Lucy will solve the mystery and stay to run the bookstore.

In the early days of the war, Margot runs the small bookstore in her village and is devastated at the news of all the books that have been banned by the Nazi's and the book burnings occuring throughout France. She decides to hold a book club where residents can secretly read and distribute copies of the banned books. It is extremely dangerous and if caught could mean death but underground tunnels make it possible for the women to move more easily and out of sight of the Germans.

This pair of authors have written a fascinating story that really dors have some heartbreaking moments that could have easily happened during the war. Each part of the time line has romantic elements that help support and enlarge the stance of the main characters. I felt the authors did an excellent job of maintaining the tension as they moved back and forth in the timeline. Each section ended at a heartracing moment that definitely made me want to keep on reading. I did feel pretty sure from early on what the answers were to the mysteries that Lucy was researching but enjoyed how the information was discovered and laid out as Lucy did her best to determine what she valued most in her life.

One thing that I really missed was a note from the authors telling their inspiration to write thiis story and what might or might not have been inspired by true events. In my own online searching I could not find out if the location existed or was make believe. Having said that, it is still a good story and if you like wartime historical fiction with elements of romance then you will definitely enjoy reading it.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #Bookouture for giving me an advance readers copy. All opinions are my own.

[Vanessa Johnson]

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book.

The Resistance Book Club is a moving and thought-provoking novel that blends historical fiction with the enduring power of literature, friendship, and courage. From the opening chapters, I was drawn into the lives of characters whose love of books becomes both an act of comfort and quiet rebellion during one of history’s darkest periods.

One of the novel’s greatest strengths is its exploration of how stories a preserve hope when everything else seems uncertain. The book club itself serves as more than a gathering to discuss literature-it becomes a refuge where trust, resilience, and humanity flourish despite the dangers surrounding its members. I appreciated how the author highlighted the transformative power of reading without ever making the message feel forced.

The characters are richly developed, each bringing their own fears, motivations, and emotional depth to the story. Their relationships evolve naturally, making both the joyful moments and heartbreaking losses feel deeply personal. I found myself invested in their journeys and eager to see how each storyline unfolded.

The historical setting is vividly realized through immersive descriptions and careful attention to detail. The novel focuses on the every day choices ordinary people make in extraordinary circumstances. The pacing is steady, balancing moments of tension with quieter scenes that allow the characters and themes to shine.
What stayed with me the most was the reminder that resistance can take many forms-sometimes through grand acts of bravery, and sometimes through preserving culture, sharing stories, and refusing to lose hope.

I would highly recommend The Resistance Book Club to readers who enjoy historical fiction, emotionally driven character stories, and novels celebrating the importance sod literature and human connection. It is an inspiring read that lingers long after the final page, and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

[Eric Reeves]

I’m always drawn to historical fiction, especially stories set during World War II, so "The Resistance Book Club" immediately caught my attention. Overall, this was an enjoyable and heartwarming read with a fascinating historical backdrop, a strong sense of place with the village, and a story centered around courage, friendship, and the lasting impact of choices made during wartime.

The past timeline was definitely the highlight for me. I found the WWII sections more engaging, especially as the resistance group’s story unfolded and the characters faced real danger and difficult decisions. The tension in these chapters felt much stronger because the stakes were so high, and I was invested in discovering how everything connected. By contrast, the present-day storyline was a little more hit-or-miss for me. I liked seeing how the past affected the present, but some of those sections felt repetitive, especially with the ongoing question of whether the main character could really stay and run the bookshop. Even when conflict appeared, like the issues with her fiancé, I didn’t always feel the same level of urgency or tension as I did in the WWII timeline.

That said, I thought the twists were well done. A couple of reveals genuinely surprised me, especially the identity behind the major French resistance fighter being a married couple with the woman with her child as apart of the Resistance Book Club and the truth surrounding the baby’s connection to the bookshop’s history. The ending was emotional and satisfying, even though some of the wartime events were heartbreaking and showed the very real cruelty of the era.

While I connected more strongly with the historical portions than the present-day story, this was still a solid and touching historical fiction read. Fans of WWII fiction, hidden histories, resistance stories, and books about the way the past shapes the present will likely enjoy this one.

[Hana]

Overview 🪄

This book is really something. It is beautiful. It is sad at the same time. I knew I was going to like it soon as I read what it was about... It did not let me down. If you like books that're about history and have a lot of excitement and adventure then you should read this book.

The Dual Timelines 🗓

I liked how the book jumped back and forth between two time periods. We get to know Lucy in 2025. She is trying to figure out a mystery that her grandmother left her.. It is not just about the mystery. Lucy is also trying to deal with some things in her own life. As she spends time with her grandmothers friends in Cordeval we see her grow and change as a person. Learning about the past helps her see her life in a new way.

We also get to know Margot in 1941. Margot is a character. We see her go through some tough times during the war. She loses people she loves. She has to fight to protect the people and things that matter to her. She loves books & She wants to share that love with others. She is very brave, We can admire her for that.

Atmosphere & Pacing ✨️🦋🌊

The book moves at a pace. It keeps you wanting to know what happens next & The writing is very good. It is easy to picture the places and people in the book. We see the village and the bookshop and the hidden tunnels. We see how the war affects the village and the people who live there. The women in the book are very brave. They start the 'resistance book club', It is a way for them to fight back against the war. They love books. They love their country.

Final Thoughts 📖☁️

Both stories have romance in them. It is sweet. It makes the book a little happier. Margots story is very sad at times but The romance helps to balance it out. This book is great, The characters are well & The story is exciting. You will really like it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Sharon Honeycutt]

This had elements I enjoy in my historical fiction: WW2, France, resistance, and a book club. I should have loved it, but unfortunately, I didn't.

The story and the characters were great. I enjoyed getting to know Margot and Lucy, as well as all the supporting cast (which was big). The minor supporting characters were rather superficially drawn, but I could remember who they were, and the major supporting characters were interesting. I cared about them all, which is what I want in my fiction.

I liked the story concept of Lucy discovering Margot's notes, letters, albums, etc. and having (or rather deciding) to piece it all together to discover the complete picture of what happened back in the 1940s in Cordeval. I was intrigued and invested in that and wanted to finish the book to wrap things up. (I did guess really early on a couple of the big reveals. That wasn't a big deal; it was nice to be proven right at the end.)

I'm giving this three stars instead of four because of Curzon's writing style. This is the second historical fiction novel I've read recently where I've felt the authors were writing for a juvenile audience. The writing is tinted a little too purple for my liking and it's as if Curzon wanted to shield us from the worst of the events (as you would for children).

I'm coming around to thinking there should be a genre called "cozy historical fiction" for stories like this. I think it would be an apt description. If you think of the difference between cozy mysteries and thrillers and apply that difference to historical fiction, I think you'd agree with me after reading this.

I ended up skimming large parts of the last half of the book and didn't miss anything in doing this. Again, my issues were with the writing style, so many others will likely feel differently than I do.

I want to thank Ellie Curzon, Bookouture, and NetGalley for the advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Ashley]

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the advanced copy of The Resistance Book Club.

This was an interesting and somewhat different perspective on World War II, particularly as a North American reader who doesn't often encounter stories told from the French perspective.

The story moves between the 1940s and 2025/2026. The 1940s storyline, told from Margot's perspective, was by far my favourite part of the book. As a widowed bookstore owner who becomes involved in the Resistance, Margot's story was enthralling. There were quite a few characters to keep track of, but I found the historical storyline genuinely intriguing, and the bravery and strength of the women involved was both inspiring and compelling.

Unfortunately, I struggled much more with the modern-day storyline, which follows Margot's granddaughter as she returns to the family bookshop in Cordeval after her grandmother's death. As she begins uncovering the secrets Margot left behind, she is also navigating a sort of personal crisis and finding more than she expected in Cordeval. I found this part of the story slow and repetitive at times, and some of the romance and personal-growth elements felt a little cliché and cheesy. I also had a difficult time connecting with the main character, which made her storyline less engaging for me.

The book didn't really pick up for me until around the 80% mark. Once I reached that point, I genuinely couldn't put it down, but getting there was a slow process. I kept wishing the modern-day storyline would move along more quickly so I could get back to Margot and the Resistance.

Overall, I appreciated the historical perspective and especially enjoyed Margot's story and the portrayal of the courageous women who risked so much during the war. While the modern storyline didn't work as well for me, the final portion of the book was compelling enough to make for a satisfying ending.

[Heather Copping]

In the prologue we meet up in Margot's bookshop and Margot is recollecting her thoughts about a copy of a book called "The three musketeers " and remembering this book from during the German occupation when the Germans ordered all the books to be burnt, and her determination to start a book club to talk about these books.
Back to present day in Normandy France in the summer of 2025 and Lucy has arrived to escape her fiance who has been cheating on her. While she is in Cordeval, France she is discovering the story of the book club during WW2 when the residents of the town were determined to read and recommend books that the Germans say have to be destroyed. Lucy has also just been offered a promotion as editor in chief at a magazine called "Glitz" but she is unsure what to do, should she accept the post? Or does she stay behind to sort out what needs to be sorted regarding the "The Resistance Book Club"? As she reads through the notes carefully written so long ago she must make up her mind what should be done! The notes make heartbreaking reading and as you read along you can't help but care about both Lucy and the residents of Cordeval. Its a dual timeline storyline but its easy to follow with changes happening at the start of the chapters and each chapteris clearly marked with the date. Lucy is all the time finding out important family details and friendships along the way, all these people have an important mission to protect themselves and the books from the Germans who want to burn important story books like Oliver Twist.
I was totally hooked from the beginning, I'm a big fan of books by Ellie Curzon and you will not be disappointed reading this book, its sooo good and keeps your attention throughout. The storyline will stay with me for a long time. I would certainly recommend it and would have given it more than five-stars if I could.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review this great book.

#bookouture
#Netgalley
#TheResistanceBookClub

[Angela Brown]

Historical fiction specially WW2 is a genre I really enjoy. But I have read a lot and many about similar subjects as The Resistance Book club.

I’d also forgotten the important fact that Ellie Curzon is in fact 2 authors and I’ve felt before that this comes out in the writing. This book is no exception. I have read that often one takes one main character and the other the second. I felt this came over too.

It was written from a very English perspective for a book mostly set in France - I have read a review where someone didn’t understand the term ‘grizzling’ when applied to Isabelle - it’s that kind of miserable cry babies make when they want something and can’t get over what.

This is a dual time line novel - set in 1940’s Normandy and 2025. We meet Margot and Lucy respectively. Lucy inherits the book shop from her grandmother and doesn’t know what to do - she has a secure job and the offer of promotion in London. She also finds out that her finance has betrayed her in the worst way possible.

The book revolves around the ladies who hold their book club in the cellar of the bookshop. They hide banned books within the village. But they are in danger of being found out at every turn. There are real Nazi’s mentioned, the Nasty Nazi regional leader and his brother. Theo - but we never find out why Theo is so against the Nazi regime.

As one would expect there are harrowing scenes and events but somehow the absolute horror is missing from the narrative.

It would be so easy to provide so many spoilers but that wouldn’t be great for other readers. Suffice it to say that there are secrets to emerge, betrayal and sacrifice.

The end is rather rushed and the ends tied up slightly too nicely in my view.

It’s obvious the authors had done a lot of research but in my view they need to collaborate more in their writing.

[Julia]

This is a dual timeline, historical novel linking a secret book club in Nazi-occupied France and a modern-day granddaughter in mourning. In the present, Lucy has escaped a disastrous marriage and escaped to the recently inherited family book shop in Cordeval, Normandy. In 1941 Margot ran a book shop in a small seaside town when the Nazis started banning, and burning, books.

The story is an interesting contrast between Lucy's childhood memories, and Margot's frightening and dangerous experience of occupation. From the very beginning I was drawn into the lives of these two women and found myself not wanting to put the book down, needing to know what happened to Margot and her friends, as Lucy uncovered her family history. The friendship bond between the women in the book club feels genuine and real, as they enact their quiet defiance. Meanwhile, Lucy is tracking a family mystery with its roots in 1941.

I did enjoy the book but found myself more invested in Margot's story, which was more dynamic, with lots of action, Lucy's story was slower and she showed a lot of restraint with the information, taking days to read through it, I'd have tipped it up and opened everything the first day. I did work out the mystery before it was revealed but this did not dull my enjoyment of the story as I was emotionally attached to the characters.

This story commemorates the resilience of the people and communities under occupation. How books can stand as power and resistance during such dark periods. I fully recommend this book for those who enjoy historical fiction and ordinary people resisting a tyrannical regime in any way they can.

Thank you to @bookouture and @netgalley for allowing me to read this arc.

[Sarah Hayes]

Historical Fiction
WWII
German Occupation
Jewish Hardship
French Resistance
Dual Timeline

Can a simple bequest change the course of one’s life?

With her personal life thrown in chaos, Lucy travels to Cordeval to deal with Mémé's bequest - her beloved bookshop. What her grandma left her was a mystery secret to unravel. As she digs into the mystery, she realizes that her grandma had more stories that were not shared. Using her journalistic skills, she weaves the contents of letters, photos, and other memories to create the story of the ladies who were part of the Resistance Bookclub. The more time that she spends with the mystery and in the quaint small village. The more she feels connected and less like her London self. With each discovery, she learns that these women put their lives on the line to share love of books. Will she discover her grandma’s secret? Will she return to London and accept the promotion?

The novel has a dual timeline with one being during German occupation in a small village in France while the other in 2025 with the FMC Lucy getting reacquainted with a town that she visited often. This writing team (Yes, it is a duo sharing the responsibilities.) has done much research regarding the war time hardships as well as the lengths people would go to resist and help others. While I have read quite a few historical fiction based in this particular timeframe, I was enamored with the French aspect since my grandmother grew up in France. If you like historical fiction with strong FMCs and dual timelines, then this one is for you. Thanks @Ellie Curzon and @NetGalley for the Advanced Copy.

[Lisbeth Zabihi]

En virkelig god roman om forholdende for ganske almindelige mennesker under 2. verdenskrig. Romanen er skrevet i 2 tidsperioder: 1941-1945 og nutiden.

1941: Margot er boghandler og lever et helt normalt liv i en lille by i Frankrig. Da Tyskerne invadere byen, opstår der hurtigt problemer mellem lokalbefolkningen og de tyske soldater. Og sladderen går. Margot bliver rystet da hun får stukket en seddel i hånden, med de bøger der nu er bandlyste. Hun danner derfor en bogklub, hvor en gruppe kvinder vil læse de bandlyste bøger og derefter forsøge at distribuere dem ud i byen, så andre også kan komme til at læse dem.

Nutiden: Lucy har netop arvet sin bedstemors boghandel i Frankrig. Lucy bor i London og skal giftes og har fået tilbud om en ny stilling. Så alt ser umiddelbart ud til at flaske sig for Lucy. Hun kan dog ikke lige overskue arven. Men så opdager hun, at hendes forlovede er hende utro. Lucy rejser derfor til Frankrig - så langt væk fra ham så muligt. Og bryllupet bliver aflyst. Ved ankomsten til boghandlen, opdager Lucy nogle skjulte hemmeligheder fra krigens tid.

Det er en spændende fortælling om helt almindelige kvinder, der bliver indblandet i kampen for frihed. Vi bliver ikke skånet for krigens grusomheder. Henrettelser på torvet i byen af ganske almindelige mennesker. Jødeforfølgelse og forfølgelse af en tysker, der har vendt Tyskland ryggen på grund af de grusomheder han har oplevet. Jo, der sker lidt af hvert.

Jeg var ikke helt med i starten af bogen, men det kom. Jeg endte med at blive meget berørt af emnet.

[loopyloulaura]

1941, Margot runs a book shop in France when the Nazis take over the town. The occupiers issue a list of banned books and Margot sets up a resistance book club to read them. Present day, Lucy inherits the book shop from grandmother and finds a letter about the book club and a secret...
The Resistance Book Club is a dual timeline historical novel set during WW2 and 2025.
Lucy has been cheated on by her fiancé and is musing on a promotion opportunity but feels dutybound towards her family history and the book shop. She wants to uncover and explore the secrets she finds among the books and reveal the truth about her family history. There is plenty of emotion in both timelines as the women adjust to changes in their lives.
The plot is delivered through alternating chapters in 1941 and 2025 to show the lives of Margot and Lucy. I felt equally immersed in both timelines and invested in their lives. The other main characters are all either good or bad stereotypes (valiant French resistance, evil Nazis, lovely community, dastardly ex), although I liked the misunderstood who prove their worth as the plot develops (Theo as a German and Josephine as a collaborator).
It was easy to guess the twists about the secrets waiting to unfold and I was a little frustrated at how slow Lucy was to work it out! I enjoyed the historical and geographical elements of the book which have been thoroughly researched to support the plot and character development.
The Resistance Book Club is an interesting and emotional historical novel.

[Kristin Rouhselang]

Family secrets, books, French Resistance, history....yes please! I could not put this book down - except when my Kindle battery died. It was SO GOOD! It drew me in from the very beginning and never let go.

Lucy traveled back to her family's hometown of Cordeval, France, with every intention of selling the bookshop that her grandmother had left her. After discovering that her fiance was unfaithful and calling off her wedding, it seemed like the perfect time to escape her life to settle the sale of the store before accepting a huge promotion and returning to England. But her grandmother had a different plan - leaving Lucy a mysterious mission to discover and preserve the history of her family and Cordeval's participation in the French Resistance during the brutal occupation by the Germans. Starting with her great grandmother's Resistance Book Club whose pla to read all the books the Germans banned grew into much more.

Told from dual timelines of Lucy in 2025 and her great grandmother Margot in the 1940's, this the story of a community trying to save their country, Jewish friends and political prisoners from the Nazi regime. I loved these characters and experienced all the emotions with them - heartache, hope, love, tragedy and more.

I loved this book!! I will definitely be adding a physical copy of this book to my bookshelves when it is released. I had never read anything by this author before but will be reading more of her work soon.

[theliterateleprechaun]

Ellie Curzon is a new-to-me author and I was surprised to read that this is the pen name of Catherine Curzon and Helen Barrell.

This dual-timeline historical fiction book is set in Cordeval, a French village on the Normandy coast, in both 1941 and 2025, and centers around censorship and the freedom to read.

“The Germans have taken so much from us. But they can’t take away our stories. And they’re not getting the final word.”

I was in awe of the courage of a few remarkable women who chose to push back against the Germans, using literature as a tool of resistance against oppression and authoritarianism. They bravely defied the Nazis’ curfew and fearlessly shared forbidden stories in a secret book club.

The present-day timeline features a relative of the book shop owner. She’s come to sell Les Pages d’Espoir and get on with her life. She’s not counting on the power of literature and the pull of a secret.

This story reminds us that (1) freedom is never guaranteed and therefore must be protected, (2) reading is an act of resistance and (3) we must fight to keep stories alive.

If you enjoy wartime stories about friendship, bravery and personal sacrifice, I’d encourage you to investigate this one and learn more about this time in history.

I was gifted this copy and was under no obligation to provide a review.

[Whitney Hofstetter]

Review of advanced copy from NetGalley

Plot: Modern woman inherits a bookstore from her grandmother. She sets out to discover the secrets about her grandmother as she decides what to do with the bookshop. Each chapter time hops between the present day and 1941 in occupied France.

Impression: I struggled with this one. The concept was not completely original and there were constantly new layers to the story making it less believable. It was also very predictable. The language of this book was trite with repeated words and phrases (I’ve never heard of a baby grizzling but it was used many times). I felt like I was reading a translation at times because the language was clunky, perhaps because the author is 2 different people writing together. The characters needed emotional development as well.

Content: very clean, rare profanity

My Star System
5 star reads are books I can’t put down and/or make me cry. This is a book that will stick with me for either the topic, writing style, or emotional impact.
4 star books are unique or interesting and perhaps teach me something new. A feel good read is usually 4 stars.
3 star reads are good, solid books. I’m not necessarily learning or feeling anything new.
2 star books have some plot holes or timeline issues. These are the books that just aren’t believable.
1 star books are typically offensive

[Anneka Lowrie]

Some historical novels recreate the past. Others illuminate why the past continues to matter.
The Resistance Book Club belongs firmly in the second category.

Ellie Curzon tells the story of Lucy, who inherits her grandmother's bookshop in Normandy and discovers that her family's history reaches back to a clandestine book club operating during the Nazi occupation. As the story moves between past and present, long-buried secrets emerge, revealing not only the dangers faced by those who resisted tyranny but also the enduring legacy of their choices.

What stayed with me long after I finished the novel was Curzon's exploration of moral courage. Rather than focusing solely on dramatic acts of resistance, she illustrates how ordinary people preserve their humanity through quiet acts of conviction, loyalty, and sacrifice. The unfolding mystery becomes a meditation on the values we inherit and the responsibility we bear to carry them forward.

Curzon writes with sensitivity and restraint, allowing both the historical setting and her characters to speak for themselves. The emotional weight of the novel grows naturally, making its final revelations especially meaningful.

Readers who enjoy historical fiction that combines family mystery, emotional depth, and thoughtful reflections on courage and conscience will find much to admire in The Resistance Book Club.

[Snekha Bhasker]

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the advance copy for my honest opinion.


Give me a WWII historical fiction with strong female characters running a book club and you have my full attention!!

Dual timeline, dual POV, set in the French coastal village of Cordeval-1941 and 2025. Lucy comes home to Cordeval to inherit her grandmother Margot's bookshop, heartbroken and a little lost, and ends up finding her footing in the last place she expected-surrounded by her grandmother's books and a village full of secrets. The deeper she digs into the Nazi occupation-era history, the more she finds her way back to herself.
There's something so fitting about a story where healing looks like going home-to a bookshop, a village, a grandmother's legacy. Lucy tries to outrun it at first, but eventually surrenders to it, and that was so beautiful to see.

The imagery is gorgeous, you can see the quaint French town in both timelines. Pacing was a little uneven though, some transitions pulled me out of the story.

At its core this book is about community, female friendship, and quiet everyday resistance-the kind that doesn't make headlines but holds a village together. Genuinely heartwarming.

Was it predictable? Yes! Did I still gasp when it all unraveled at the end? Also Yes! A genuinely good read with a solid premise and an ending that left me feeling inspired. :)

[Fliss M]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Resistance Book Club - Ellie Curzon

A WWII historical fiction about books and a book club?
Honestly, this was always going to appeal to me. WWII + books + a secret book club is pretty much my perfect combination!

I really enjoyed this book and was especially invested in the dual timeline. I loved following both Lucy and Margot’s stories and seeing how the two timelines slowly began to connect.

I particularly enjoyed Margot’s story and reading about her friendships, the courage of these women and the sacrifices they made during such an incredibly difficult time. Their bravery really stayed with me.

I was also hoping we would discover the link between Isabelle and Arielle, so I was very happy when that connection finally came to light. There were plenty of little moments along the way that kept me wanting to know more.

And I might have developed a little crush on Sebastian along the way too…

The book was really well written and I loved the nice, short chapters. They made it such an easy read because I constantly found myself thinking “just one more chapter…” — and we all know how that goes!

Overall, I really enjoyed this story. It had everything I look for in historical fiction: courage, friendship, sacrifice, secrets, family connections and, of course, books.

[Jennifer Moore]

Title: The Resistance Book Club
Author: Ellie Curzon
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Lucy returns to her Mèmè’s beloved bookshop after the breakup of her engagement to piece her heart back together. When she arrives, she reunites with her Mèmè’s dear friend Beatrice who tells her that her Mèmè left her the bookshop and wanted her to discover the story of their resistance book club and share it with the world. Chapters alternate between 1941 and 2025 as Margot’s (Mèmè’s mother) and Lucy’s stories are revealed. I did find myself frustrated with the back and forth each chapter from 1941 to 2025. I felt I was just slipping back into the characters and keeping everyone straight and then the chapter ended and changed time periods. I did learn a lot about the determination of a small village to protect their own and contribute to the resistance effort in their own way. Enjoyable, warm characters and an enchanting village along the northern French coast for a setting. You feel like you are walking the cobblestone streets with the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the advanced copy. Opinions expressed are my own. This book will be published on August 11, 2026.

#arc #netgalley #bookstagram #elliecurzon #theresistancebookclub @bookouture

[Dee Groocock]

Review of advanced copy received from NetGalley.

It’s 1941, in Cordeval, Normandy, and Margot has decided to set up a secret club called The Resistance Book Club. This is to enable herself and her local friends to read the books that the Nazis have banned.

Sneaking into the tunnels under the cellars for their meet-ups, the women do their bit for the war effort and do all they can to ensure they all survive.

Summer in 2025, and Lucy flees to her grandmother’s bookshop in Cordeval, following a traumatic breakup. After finding a letter from her grandmother and a book wrapped in old newspaper and addressed to Esther, Lucy decides to look into the history of the area as well as the bookshop.

I thoroughly enjoyed the dual timeline in this story. It was interesting to read all the historic information from World War Two, and then to read Lucy’s story from the present.

The fact that the Nazis did ban books and then burn them on large fires, hurts me, and I could feel Margot and her friends’ pain when having to watch the books burn. The attention to detail in the story was, at times, difficult to read. So many lives lost, although these stories are fictional, they are still important.

Lest we forget.

[Arden Lake]

the" resistance book club" flashes back and forth between two timelines and two characters. margot lives in nazi-occupied france in 1941 and, as the book starts, she has just formed a bookclub with other local women who secretly gather in her bookshop cellar to read banned books and support one another during hard times that just keep getting harder. what starts as a small act of rebellion, turns into an even bigger fight for france. flash forward to present day, lucy has inherited the same bookshop and discovers letters, hidden books, and clues that point to long-buried secrets about the wartime resistance group and a missing child. as lucy uncovers the truth, she is forced to confront shocking information about her family’s past.

i really wanted to like this book, but i just couldn't get there. it had everything set up to be a great read, but the writing never got to the level it needed to be to match the topic. it was a bit chaotic at times and the pacing never really hit it's stride with it being either too slow or too fast. on top of that, for such a deep story, the characters were quite surface level. overall, i had such high hopes but, sadly, it didn't meet them.

thank you to bookouture for the eARC via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Sue Garland]

THE RESISTANCE BOOK CLUB by ELLIE CURZON is WW11 historical fiction that will touch your heart as you read about resistance fighters with a difference! The bravery of a handful of women who move under the tunnels in the small town of Cordeval in Normandy to hold their book club meetings in the bookshop cellar, where they read and wrap books banned by the Nazis, hiding them around the town, is incredible. They have a love of books and are determined to save as many as they can from the German bonfires. They move on to other resistance work where they help the brave men and women of the French Resistance. ….
The characters are very well portrayed and I like the setting and also the way the author honours the Jews in the story.
When Lucy comes to Cordeval from London in 2025 and finds that her grandmother has left her the bookshop called “Les Pages d’Espoir”, which was started by her great grandmother Margot, together with a box of photographs, notes and letters, she is fascinated as she starts to decipher the history of the Resistance Book Club……
I highly recommend The Resistance Book Club to anyone who loves books and enjoys this genre.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bookouture. The opinions in this review are competely my own.