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| Rookery House Press 25 July My thanks to the author for my copy of this book and to Rachel's Random Resources for the invitation to the blog tour |
Spring has arrived and it’s time to Dig for Victory…
March 1941
After Flo Butterworth loses everything in Manchester’s Christmas Blitz, she decides to leave the area and join the Women’s Land Army. Putting the past firmly behind her, she arrives at Rookery House in Norfolk hoping for a new start and a chance to do the gardening work she loves.
The grip of war has intensified and growing more food is vital to keep the nation going. Thea buys an extra field to grow crops, and in the village, her sister Prue leads members of The Mother’s Day Club and Women’s Institute as they take on a derelict allotment. Meanwhile the construction of a nearby aerodrome disrupts village life and brings even more new residents to Rookery House, including Hettie’s difficult sister, Ada. With Rookery House now bursting at the seams, will it still be the happy home it’s always been?
When an enemy plane crashes nearby, Flo must help German airmen who might have been directly responsible for her family loss. She quickly finds that her heart-breaking past cannot so easily be forgotten. Can she do the right thing? And will her new friends help her move on towards a brighter future?
My Review..
Florence Butterworth has had her share of tragedy however, joining the Women’s Land Army will give her the chance to put her life back together. When she joins the community at Rookery House she is welcomed with enthusiasm especially as she can help out on the land with the new government initiative of Digging for Victory. With her usual flair for storytelling this talented author once again gives us a warm hearted story about the inhabitants of Rookery House. The stalwart nature in which they all help each other soon helps Flo to relax and open up about the tragedy which has made her question her future.
Returning to Rookery House in this second book in the series feels much like meeting up with old friends so that it really is a pleasure to return to Great Plumstead and catch up with all the news of those who call this lovely place home. There is so much to enjoy in this wartime saga which shows how the local community pull together, making do and mending, digging their allotments and generally looking out for each other, it all helped to make the deprivation of war just that little bit easier to bear. Whilst Digging for Victory at Rookery House can be read as a standalone story if you are new to the series it does make sense to start at the beginning with book one as that way you can ‘meet’ the characters and get to know their individual stories.
Beautifully written, from start to finish, there’s a genuine warmth and a real feeling of camaraderie which make these stories such a pleasure to read. I’ve really enjoyed my visit to Great Plumstead and hope to return again soon to Rookery House.
About the Author
Award winning author, Rosie Hendry lives by the sea in North Norfolk with her husband and children. She writes uplifting, heart-warming historical fiction based on true events from our social history. Listening to her father’s tales of life during the Second World War sparked her interest in this period and she loves researching further, seeking out gems of real-life stories which inspire her writing.
Twitter @hendry_rosie #DiggingforVictoryAtRookeryHouse
@rararesources
Thank you so much for being for part the Digging for Victory at Rookery House blog tour! I really appreciate you taking the time to read and review the book, and am delighted you enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteAlways a pleasure to be involved, Rosie.
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