Saturday 3 November 2018

Hist Fic Saturday Blog Tour ~ Christmas with the East End Angels by Rosie Hendry



On Hist Fic Saturday Jaffareadstoo is delighted to be on the blog tour 

for 

Christmas with the East End Angels


Sphere
1 November 2018

My thanks to the publishers and Rachel's Random Resources for my copy of the book
and the invitation to the blog tour

What's it all about..

It's the most wonderful time of the year - and the East End Angels are working hard to keep Londoners safe. 

Frankie is trying hard to keep everything together. She can count on the support of the East End Angels, even in the face of family trouble. 

Winnie's beloved husband, Mac, is putting himself at risk every day in the bomb disposal unit and she's finding it hard while he's away. 

Bella is growing in confidence and happiness. Her friendship with Winnie's brother, James, is getting closer all the time. 

Christmas on the Home Front is a hard time with loved ones far away - but the women of the Auxiliary Ambulance service are making do and mending.


My thoughts about it..

I've followed this war-time series from the beginning, so I was delighted to be approached to spend Christmas with the East End Angels in this lovely continuation of the saga. As the story opens, the crew members of Ambulance Station 75 are facing a quieter period, as the German bombs have stopped falling, for a time, in London. However, as always, the lives of crew members, Winnie, Frankie and Bella come under scrutiny as they each face the troubles that life throws at them. It's all done, of course, under the watchful eye of Station Officer Steele, who continues to both support and cajole, always expecting a high standard of commitment from her crew and herself.

There's a real warmth to this saga and, as it continues, there is such an emotional connection with the characters, that by now, this third book in the series, they have all become as dear as friends. I really care what happens to them all, wondering how Winnie copes with her husband, Mac, working in bomb disposal, how Frankie continues to deal with her viperous step-grandmother, Ivy, who still lives with her in Mafeking Terrace, and of course, the lovely Bella, with her passion for writing and her growing attachment to Winnie's brother, James.

The author captures time and place so perfectly that as soon as the story appears on the page, I am transported back to war-time London in 1941, travelling the bumpy streets in the ambulance alongside Winnie, with Trixie, the rescue dog, curled on my lap, quite settled in the knowledge that the story will take me on a wonderful journey.

The friendship and camaraderie of all the crew will be needed more than ever in what will prove to be a difficult year for them all, and yet, with laughter, and tears, both happy and sad, what's guaranteed is that there's never a dull moment for the crew of London Ambulance Station 75,  and I can't wait to see what adventures befall them all next time.





About the Author



Rosie Hendry lives by the sea in Norfolk with her husband, two children, chickens and a snake. She's worked in a variety of jobs from fruit picking, waitressing, teaching and as a research scientist but has always loving reading and writing. Starting off writing short stories for women's magazines, her stories have gradually become longer as her children have grown bigger. Listening to her father's tales of life during the Second World War sparked Rosie's interest in this period and she's especially intrigued by how women’s lives changed during the war years. She loves researching further, searching out gems of real-life events which inspire her writing. When she's not working, Rosie enjoys walking along the beach, reading and is grateful for the fact that her husband is a much better cook than her.


Twitter @hendry_rosie





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