📖 Blog Tour ~ The Shipyard Girls Under the Mistletoe by Nancy Revell

 

Thrilled to host today's concluding stop on this blog tour

Arrow
28 October 2021

My thanks to the publishers for my copy of this book
and the invitation to the blog tour

Sunderland, 1944

As the promise of victory draws closer, this Christmas will surely be one to remember.

It should be a magical time for Dorothy, who has just been proposed to by her sweetheart Toby. But with each day that passes, Dorothy's feelings for someone else are growing stronger. Now she has an impossible choice to make.

Gloria is thrilled that her sweetheart Jack is finally home after more than two years away. But his past is continuing to catch up with them both - creating untold heartache for Gloria and everyone she holds dear.

Meanwhile Helen must contend with the fall-out of a shocking family secret that has repercussions for all the Shipyard Girls, while holding out hope for her own happy ending...

Can a little festive magic help them win the day?

📖 My thoughts..

I can think of nothing better as we head into winter than settling down with the latest book in the Shipyard Girls series. The Shipyard Girls under the Mistletoe is now the eleventh book in the series and as each story gets more complicated so the fascinating lives of this intrepid group of women just gets more, and more, interesting. Even at Christmas time their lives are not without drama!

The story takes us back into the heart of this hard working community as they go about their daily lives and with trouble never far away from them we get back into the trials and tribulations which affect them deeply. As we discover, each of the Shipyard Girls have something going on in their lives but none more so than Dorothy, Gloria and Helen who are each facing personal heartache and it is the strength of friendship between these wonderful characters which gives the story its lively wit and warm understanding. 

There is no doubt that this series of books about the female ship working community in Sunderland has been a triumph. Beautifully written, and well researched, with wonderful characters who are now so familiar that it is an absolute joy to meet up with them in each successive story. Of course, as always, there are those characters you love to hate, and in this story, there are a couple of truly despicable characters who really will stop at nothing to get what they want. I only hope that they will get their comeuppance eventually.

There's a lovely festive glow to this story which makes it just perfect to read in the run up to Christmas and whilst it can be read as a stand alone I do think that this is one of those series which must be read from the beginning.

I am excited that there is to be another book in the series in 2022, but also really sad as this will be the last in the series.

About the Author

Nancy Revell is the pen name of writer and journalist Amanda Revell Walton, who has worked for the national press for the past 25 years, providing them with hard-hitting news stories and in-depth features. She has also worked for just about every woman’s magazine, writing amazing and inspirational true life stories.

Nancy Revell is spearheading a campaign to honour the real women of the Sunderland shipyards in her home town with a new public statue that will be displayed within the historic Sunderland Shipyards. Nancy has worked closely with the Sunderland City Council and the Sunderland Soroptimists, a worldwide volunteer service organization for women, and after putting out a call on her own social media channels, Nancy was approached by local artist Rosanne Robertson who has been commissioned to create the statue that will be unveiled later this year.

Sunderland boasted the largest shipyard in Europe during WWII, and produced a quarter of Britain's merchant shipping at the time. When the men went away to war, the courageous Shipyard Girls took up the back breaking work building ships for the British Navy. Due to its size, the Sunderland Shipyards were a key target of Hitler’s Blitzkreig, making the work not only backbreaking but incredibly dangerous. Historians have estimated that without the courageous women working in Sunderlands’ shipyards during the war, WWII could very likely have been lost due to lack of ability to transport troops, provisions and ammunition.

Follow the blog tour

Twitter @arevellwalton #ShipyardGirls #ShipyardGirlsUnderTheMistletoe

@centurybooksuk @PenguinBooksUK

📖 Blog Tour ~ The Mother's Day Club by Rosie Hendry

 

📖 I’m thrilled to host a stop on this blog tour 📖 

Sphere
18 February 2021

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

Meet the women on the home front . . .1939. When the residents of Great Plumstead offer to open up their homes to evacuees from London, they’re preparing to care for children. So when a train carrying expectant mothers pulls into the station, the town must come together to accommodate their unexpected new arrivals...

Sisters Prue and Thea welcome the mothers with open arms, while others fear their peaceful community will be disrupted. But all pregnant Marianne seeks is a fresh start for herself and her unborn child. Though she knows that is only possible as long as her new neighbours don’t discover the truth about her situation.The women of Great Plumstead, old and new, are fighting their own battles on the home front.

Can the community come together in a time of need to do their bit for the war effort?

📖  My thoughts...

A group of pregnant women are evacuated from the East End of London to the Norfolk village of Great Plumstead at the outbreak of WW2. Some of them land on their feet with billets in really comfortable accommodation whilst others are met with resentment from villagers who do their duty only under threat of being fined, or imprisoned. Expectant mum, Marianne Archer is guarding her own set of secrets but throws herself into the community and thanks to her exceptional dressmaking skills she soon becomes integrated into village life. Marianne's new friend, Sally Parker, who she met on the train to Great Plumstead, is a typical East Ender, quick witted, exuberant and  quick to make friends.

What then follows is a lovely, heartwarming story which looks at the events of the early part of WW2 through the eyes of a group of strong women who are doing their best to survive against all odds. There's a strong, authentic feel to village life, from making jam with the Women's Institute, to the emotional pull of motherhood, not just from the expectant mothers to be, but also for those mothers who are having to give up their sons to the war effort.

This talented author has made this genre her specialty especially with the success of her previous WW2 historical saga series which featured the London Axillary Ambulance Service. In The Mother's Day Club she has once again brought the tumultuous events of WW2 to life, however, in focusing on the more gentle environment of rural Norfolk she gives us an altogether different view of living life during wartime  which is no less engrossing for being set in the English countryside.

About the Author

Rosie Hendry lives by the sea in Norfolk with her husband and children. A former teacher and research scientist, she's always loving reading and writing. She started off writing short stories for magazines, her stories gradually becoming longer as her children grew 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.

Purchase links Amazon UK Amazon US Kobo Apple

Social Media Twitter @hendry_Rosie Facebook  Website Instagram

Follow on Twitter #TheMothersDayClub

@Raresources

🎄His Fic Saturday ~ A Christmas Wedding by Fiona Ford

 

I'm delighted to share my last festive read on Hist Fic Saturday

Let's go back to London, 1943 

For A Christmas Wedding

Arrow
12 November 2020
Liberty Girls #4

My thanks to the publishers for my copy of this book

London, 1943: Dot Hanson has never forgotten the thrill of seeing the beautiful Christmas displays at Liberty’s department store as a young girl.

Never in her wildest dreams did she think she would one day work there, or that she would fall in love with the store’s manager, her childhood sweetheart Edwin Button.

But in spite of the life Dot has built for herself, and the tight-knit community around her, she lives in the shadow of a terrible secret. And as the bombs continue to fall across Britain there is more heartache still to come.

All Dot wants is a family of her own with the man she loves by her side.

Will her dreams come true in time for Christmas?

🎄What did I think about it..

A Christmas Wedding sees a welcome return to the Liberty Girls series of historical sagas set in the London department store, Liberty's. The characters are now as familiar as old friends and I have loved catching up with their individual stories. This book, however, focuses more on Dot Hanson, the bluff, motherly figure who takes in all of the Liberty's waifs and strays. Recently promoted to Head of Fabrics, Dot and her team have a real battle to keep their department profitable at a time when the motto was 'make do and mend' and they have to come up with new ideas to bring in the customers.

The social aspects of living through the latter years of the war are brought sharply into focus, there is no doubt that times are hard but the stoicism and camaraderie of this intrepid group of women shines through. There's more than a hint of romance in the air, and the ongoing relationship between Dot, and her childhood sweetheart, Edwin Button takes centre stage but there are several obstacles in their way and some dark secrets exposed. There's a lovely festive feel to the story and of course as the title suggests there is a Christmas wedding but I won't spoil and tell you get married.

This wartime saga continues to go from strength to strength, and sharing the lives, loves and heartbreak of the girls from Liberty's is always a joy. I hope that we can return to the store before too long.

🎄Best read with a slice of Woolton Pie and a glass of port and lemon.

About the Author

Facebook

Twitter @Fionajourno #AChristmasWedding

@Arrowpublishing

🎄Blog Tour ~ Christmas with the Teashop Girls by Elaine Everest

 

🎄Delighted to host one of today's stops on this festive Blog Tour🎄

Pan Macmillan
15 October 2020

My thanks to the publishers and ed public relations for my copy of the book
and the invitation to be part of this blog tour

The friends return in a moving story of love, bravery and hope set in 1940 – a guaranteed winter warmer full of festive spirit. Bestseller Elaine Everest is the author of the much loved Woolworths Girls saga series. 

It’s late 1940 and the war feels closer to home than ever for Rose Neville and her staff at the Lyon’s Teashop in Margate. The worry of rationing hangs overhead as the Nippies do their best to provide a happy smile and a hot cup of tea for their customers. When a bombing raid targets the Kent coastline, Lyon’s is badly hit, throwing the future of the cafe into jeopardy. The light in Rose’s life is her dashing fiancé Captain Ben Hargreaves and she’s busy planning their Christmas Eve wedding. But she must also plan to take two new stepdaughters into her life and get on the right side of her wealthy mother-in-law, Lady Diana. Is Rose ready to become a mother? When Rose’s half-sister Eileen makes contact, it seems that Rose’s dreams of having a sibling are coming true at long last. But her friends begin to suspect that she’s hiding something… As the wedding draws near, the bombings intensify, putting everything and everyone Rose loves in danger. Only one thing is for sure: it will be a Christmas she never forgets . . 

What did I think about it..

This is such a lovely story and it's not overly festive so that it can be read at any time of year and yet there is a lovely Christmas finale which warmed my heart. 

The story starts in 1940 with a dramatic prologue which had me pondering throughout the story just how Rose and her mother, Flora could have found themselves in such a dangerous situation but the author very cleverly fills in all the missing pieces as the story concludes. Meeting up with Rose, Lily, Katie, and of course the indomitable Flora has been a real treat as we pick up where the first book, The Teashop Girls, left off. These stoical young women who work at the Lyons Tea Room in Margate have more than their fair share of drama especially when the town is targeted by enemy bombardment and most of their time is spent hunkered down in the air raid shelters. 

Throughout it all there is a real sense of camaraderie and everyone just seems to pull together and gets on with what needs doing. I especially loved the introduction of Lady Diana, Rose's soon to be mother-in-law, who despite her posh status, is far from being standoffish and soon brings her own special charm to to the Sea View guesthouse. Whilst Rose features strongly in the story it's not all about her and the other characters soon get their moments to shine, it was especially lovely to catch up with Mildred and Anya again.

Christmas with the Teashop Girls is a really lovely continuation of this WW2 saga. There's a genuine feeling of love and empathy from all the characters and the overriding sense of wartime spirit comes across in a heart warming story about love, life and friendship.

Christmas with the Teashop Girls by Elaine Everest is out now, published by Pan Macmillan, priced £7.99 as paperback original.

About the Author

Elaine Everest is from North West Kent and she grew up listening to stories of the war years in her home town of Erith, which features in her bestselling Woolworths Girls series. A former journalist, and author of nonfiction books for dog owners, Elaine has written over sixty short stories for the women's magazine market. When she isn't writing, Elaine runs The Write Place creative writing school in Hextable, Kent. She lives with her husband, Michael and sheepdog Henry.

Twitter @ElaineEverest #TeashopGirlsChristmas

@panmacillan

@ed_pr

🎄 Blog Tour ~ A Christmas Wish for the Shipyard Girls by Nancy Revell

 

🎄Thrilled to host one of today's blog tour stops🎄

Arrow Paperback Original
1 October 2020

#9 Shipyard Girls

Thanks to the publishers for my copy of this book
and the invitation to be part of the blog tour

Sunderland, 1943: As Christmas approaches in the shipyards, everyone is hoping for a little magic…

Helen would love to find the courage to tell the dashing Dr Parker of her true feelings for him. But how can she when he clearly has eyes for someone else?

More than a year has passed since Bel’s wedding to sweetheart Joe. She knows she has much to feel thankful for and yet there is still one burning desire which she cannot ignore.

And as Polly grows with child, she hopes against hope for a safe delivery – and that her husband Tommy can soon return from the front line to meet their new arrival.

There will be storms to weather, but guided by their strength and friendship there is still hope for each of the shipyard girls that their Christmas wishes will come true.

What did I think about it..

It's always such a pleasure to return to this series as catching up with the Shipyard Girls is like meeting again with old friends. It's now 1943 and the North East shipyards are facing a tough time as a barrage of bombardment aimed at the docks means that the girls are constantly occupied in repairing the damage which has been inflicted by enemy aircraft. 

However, away from the shipyard, there are changes aplenty coming for all of the characters and none more so that for Bel and Pearl who must finally face up to the secret of their past which threatens to overshadow their present. As always the author captures the wartime spirit of stoicism and camaraderie, there are the usual fallouts and arguments but generally everyone looks out for everyone else and the stoicism and camaraderie comes across, especially in their care and concern for Polly who is facing the birth of her child without her beloved Tommy by her side. I think of all the characters, Helen Crawford is probably my favourite, and it's been lovely to have her feature quite a lot in this story as her relationship with the eligible Dr Parker keeps everyone guessing.

There is no doubt that in each of her stories the author brings the Shipyard Girls to life in such a vibrant and realistic way that you can't help but want everything to work out well for each of them. However, life is never straightforward and the author gives us an abundance of emotions, happy and sad, poignant and emotional, and yet what ultimately shines through is their friendship, love and care for each other.

This is now the ninth book in the series and whilst I think that it can be read as a standalone, there are lots of characters who you really need to get to know, so my advice on this series, if you enjoy WW2 sagas, is to start at the very beginning and get to know these intrepid shipyard girls as they survive the war years.  A Christmas Wish for the Shipyard Girls is a lovely seasonal read which can be read at any time of year but it's especially poignant as a Christmas read as several of the girls have wishes they want to come true whether do they do or not is for you to discover for yourself.

About the Author

Nancy Revell is the pen name of writer and journalist Amanda Revell Walton, who has worked for the national press for the past 25 years, providing them with hard-hitting news stories and in-depth features. She has also worked for just about every woman’s magazine, writing amazing and inspirational true life stories.

Nancy Revell is spearheading a campaign to honour the real women of the Sunderland shipyards in her home town with a new public statue that will be displayed within the historic Sunderland Shipyards. Nancy has worked closely with the Sunderland City Council and the Sunderland Soroptimists, a worldwide volunteer service organization for women, and after putting out a call on her own social media channels, Nancy was approached by local artist Rosanne Robertson who has been commissioned to create the statue that will be unveiled later this year.

Sunderland boasted the largest shipyard in Europe during WWII, and produced a quarter of Britain's merchant shipping at the time. When the men went away to war, the courageous Shipyard Girls took up the back breaking work building ships for the British Navy. Due to its size, the Sunderland Shipyards were a key target of Hitler’s Blitzkreig, making the work not only backbreaking but incredibly dangerous. Historians have estimated that without the courageous women working in Sunderlands’ shipyards during the war, WWII could very likely have been lost due to lack of ability to transport troops, provisions and ammunition.

Twitter @arevellwalton #ShipyardGirls

Website

@arrowpublishing

Hist Fic Saturday Blog Tour ~ Our Yanks by Margaret Mayhew

 

On Hist Fic Saturday I am delighted to host today's Blog Tour stop

Let's go back to ...1943

Transworld Publishers
Published 2011 Reissue : 2020

My thanks to the publishers and Random Things Tours for my copy of this book
and the opportunity to be part of the blog tour

August 1943. A fighter group of US airmen descends upon the quiet and sleepy village of King’s Thorpe in Northamptonshire. The village has never seen the like of them before: they are glamorous, rich, exciting and full of bravado.

While some of the older residents are dismayed, many of the younger ones cannot help but be won over by their charms.

And for many – including young Sally Barnet from the bakery, Agnes Dawe – the Rector’s daughter, and newly-widowed Lady Beauchamp, they will have a long lasting impact.

It will be a summer many will never forget…

What did I think about it..

I live about twelve miles or so from the site of a US WW2 airfield which over recent years has been changed to an industrial site, but thirty years ago the remnants of the camp were still pretty much visible, especially the large aircraft hangers and living quarters. I once had relatives who visited the camp for social evenings, and, in fact, my husband's two aunts met and later married their GI husbands.

Our Yanks is the lovely story of how a group of US airmen, drafted in to help maintain morale, took over the small fictional village of King's Thorpe, where with their swagger and general bon homie they had their work cut out in trying to persuade some of the villagers that they were in the war for the long haul. From the poorest villagers, to the more well to do,  it was fascinating to see how their prejudices and natural reticence were gradually overcome as general compassion and friendship for the airmen began to have an effect.

It was especially interesting to see tentative relationships become a little more personal, some would succeed, others not so fortunate but throughout the story the way the author brought everything to life in such a gentle and well respected way made the story all the more rewarding to read. I genuinely cared for the characters, some made me smile, especially the antics of young Tom and his brother Alfie, who filled their pockets with all the candies and chewing gum the airmen threw their way, and yet, there was such a poignant reason for Tom's lively entrepreneurial skills, that I always wanted him to win the day. 

I think that it is such a lovely idea of the publishers to reissue the historical fiction written by this author twenty or so years ago. Her books deserve to be read by a new audience and I am sure that Our Yanks will continue to delight fans of the WW2 saga genre.

About the Author

Margaret Mayhew was born in London and her earliest childhood memories were of the London Blitz. She began writing in her mid-thirties and had her first novel published in 1976. She is married to American aviation author, Philip Kaplan, and lives in Gloucestershire.

Twitter #MargaretMayhew

@TransworldBooks

@RandomTTours

Blog Tour ~ Secrets of the Homefront Girls by Kate Thompson

On Hist Fic Saturday 

It's a real pleasure to host today's Blog Tour stop

and go back to ...1939

Hodder Book
25 July 2019
Homefront Girls #1

My thanks to the publishers for my copy of this book
and for the invitation to be part of this blog tour

1939. ‘Beauty as Duty’ was an official propaganda campaign, backed by Winston Churchill, encouraging women to continue to pursue fashion and beauty despite the hardship that they had to endure, and discouraging the notion that devoting attention to their appearances was trivial or petty.

Although England may be at war, for the young women working the lipstick production line at Yardley's cosmetics factory in East London, it's business as usual. For headstrong and flirtatious Renee Gunn, that means taking Esther, a young Austrian refugee, under her wing and teaching her how to be a true cockney. But when Lily, Renee's older sister, suddenly returns home after six years away, it's clear that life in Stratford is changing for good. In the face of the Blitz, could the secrets that Renee, Lily and Esther are keeping be the most dangerous weapon of all?

The richly colourful characters and events in Secrets of the Homefront Girls are inspired by Kate’s research, speaking to those who worked at Yardley, and even reuniting factory friends after 70 years.

What did I think about it...

I must admit that I never gave much thought to just how necessary it was, during the war years, for cosmetic production to continue, for as long as it could, and yet, in the confusion of wartime it was even more important for women to feel that they had those important beauty products which made them feel special.

'Beauty as a Duty' was something which was actively encouraged, and in Secrets of the Homefront Girls we go right into the heart of the industry and spend time in the Yardley cosmetic factory in Stratford, East London. There we meet a delightful group of feisty young women who work in the factory on the lipstick production line, and, with the newly returned, Lily Gunn as their line manager, we soon become part of their group and become emotionally involved in the nitty-gritty of their lives.

They're a lively bunch, and yet, there is a real sense of togetherness and camaraderie as their strong fighting spirit makes them all the more determined to survive the war in their own inimitable style. However, it’s obvious from the start that there are some deeper elements to the story, particularly around Esther, a young Jewish refugee, who has arrived in the East End after fleeing persecution in Austria, and also around the abject poverty and indiscriminate violence of the East End. The sections of the story which focus on the effects of the Blitz are particularly well done and I must admit to shedding a few tears. The author handles the darker elements of the story with compassion and a fine eye for historical accuracy.

Secrets of the Homefront Girls revolves around stories of friendship, love, and of the family we make for ourselves, who might not always be related by blood, but who stick together through good times and bad. And as always, the author writes with huge warmth and brings a real sense of authenticity to both people and place. From the author notes at the end of the story it is obvious that a great deal of research has been done in order to do justice to the strength of spirit of those Yardley Girls who lived and worked in the East of London during the momentous war years.

This is the first book in the series and I have really enjoyed getting to know all of the Homefront Girls and have followed their adventures with great interest so that I was really sorry to say goodbye to them. However, it’s not the end of their adventures, as book number two - Secrets of the Lavender Girls - is due to be published in 2020.

Secrets of the Homefront Girls is published now in paperback and ebook by Hodder.

About the Author

Kate Thompson is an award winning journalist, ghost writer and novelist, who has spent the last two decades in the UK mas market and book publishing industry. Over the past eight years Kate has written nine fiction and non fiction titles, three of which have made The Sunday Times top ten bestseller list, Secrets of the Homefront Girls is her tenth book.

‘My research has taken me into the homes of so many women and I have listened rapt as they explained how they lived through cataclysmic times. It is often the quiet voices, which are the most revealing. Working-class women and their unassuming thoughts and feelings tell us so much about how difficult, but also how rewarding it was to be a woman in pre-welfare state Britain.’

©Kate Thompson

In 2020, Yardley celebrates its 250th anniversary.

Twitter @katethompson380 #SecretsoftheHomefrontGirls

@hodderbooks

Review ~ The G I Bride by Eileen Ramsay

Zaffre
2018

My thanks to the publishers for my copy of this book

When trainee nurse April suffers a personal tragedy during the London Blitz she decides to move to Cornwall where she hopes to find out more about her mother's family. Taken in by the kind hearted landlady, Mrs Teague, April starts to put her life back together again. Continuing her nurse training at the hospital in Truro and making new friends helps April to come to terms with all the losses in her life. Romance starts to blossom when April meets a dashing American GI, but she finds out, to her cost that the course of true love, particularly in wartime never runs smoothly.

I really enjoyed this WW2 romantic saga which has just the right amount of tragedy interspersed with some lovely romantic interludes. The characterisation is charming, particularly Mrs Teague, whose motherly care of April is truly heart warming. The excitement comes from the interaction between April and her nursing friends and the GI soldiers who are stationed in this small Cornish town.

The author writes this genre really well and whilst there are no real surprises to be had throughout the story, overall it's an entertaining and  heartwarming historical saga.

About the Author

Eileen Ramsay was grew up in Dumfriesshire. After graduation she went to Washington DC, where she taught in private schools for some years, before moving to California with her Scottish husband. There, she raised two sons, finished her Masters Degree, fell in love with Mexico, and published her first short stories and a Regency novel. The family returned to Scotland where Eileen continued to teach and write and to serve - at different times - on the committees of The Society of Authors in Scotland, The Scottish Association of Writers and The Romantic Novelists Association. In 2004, her novel SOMEDAY, SOMEWHERE was shortlisted for the Romantic Novel of the Year award. Eileen is currently Chair of the Romantic Novelists' Association.

Website

Twitter @BonnierZaffre

Amazon UK

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

Facebook

Amazon UK

Blog Tour ~ The Bomb Girl Brides by Daisy Syles

☆
Happy Paperback Publication  Day
☆

Jaffareadstoo is delighted to be hosting today's stop on the The Bomb Girl Brides Blog Tour

Michael Joseph
28 June 2018

My thanks to the publishers for my copy of this book and the invitation to be part of this blog tour

The life of a Bomb Girl isn’t usually glamourous. But Maggie is getting married, so she is going to make sure her wedding day is – even if she does have to spend every other day slaving on the factory floor.

This blasted factory was not what Julia had in mind either. She had always dreamed of attending Oxford University rather than getting her hands dirty and the easy laughter of the other women intimidate her badly.

But they are all here together in this munitions factory in a Lancashire mill town, sharing firsts, pitching in and getting on. These Bomb Girls are going to do their best at work, and in love.

****

I'm really thrilled that Daisy has written especially for this blog tour stop an original piece that is set in the same timeline as the book!

Never before seen Exclusive Content from The Bomb Girls Universe ..

“Oh, God! What have I done?” 

Long strands of Maggie’s gorgeous golden auburn hair lay on the floor at Julia’s feet whilst Maggie, for the moment happily oblivious of the disaster brought about by her best friend, continued smoking her Woodbine whilst flicking through an old magazine. When she’d permed her friend’s hair in London only a few months ago it had turned out beautifully. Gloria’s thick black hair had slipped out of the rollers in great fat gleaming ringlets which she’d pinned into a glamorous Victory roll then arm in arm Julia and Gloria had gone to the Ritz in Piccadilly and danced until the blasted air raid siren had sent the revellers running for the nearest underground station. So what had caused Maggie’s hair to fall out, too much perming lotion or too much heat from the borrowed hair dryer? With only two days to go to Maggie’s wedding day Julia had to think fast – otherwise (to avoid Maggie’s wrath) she’d have to leave the Phoenix, the cowshed – in fact the whole county of Lancashire forever! 

About the Author

Daisy Styles grew up in Lancashire surrounded by a family and community of strong women whose tales she loved to listen to. It was from these women, particularly her vibrant mother and Irish grandmother, that Daisy learned the art of storytelling. There was also the landscape of her childhood – wide, sweeping, empty moors and hills that ran as far as the eye could see – which was a perfect backdrop for a saga, a space big enough and wild enough to stage a drama, one about women’s lives during the Second World War.

Twitter #BombGirlsBride #DaisySyles

@MichaelJBooks

@PenguinBooksUK @penguinrandom

Blog Tour ~ Shelter by Sarah Frankilin

Jaffareadstoo is thrilled to be part of the Shelter Blog Tour

Zaffre
31 May 2018

My thanks to the publishers for my copy of this book and for the invitation to be part of this blog tour.

What's it all about..

Spring 1944. Connie Granger arrives, alone, in the Forest of Dean. Fleeing her blitzed home and the war that’s fiercely raging on, she will train with the Women’s Timber Corps as a lumberjill. Deep in the heart of the forest, Connie’s duties will include felling, snedding, loading and crosscutting.

As she is drawn to the healing rhythms of the ancient forest and its remote local community – the forester and his wife, the shepherd, – Connie battles with the knowledge that she must soon make a life-changing decision.

Also arriving in the forest is Seppe, an Italian Prisoner of War, who is haunted by the past. Amongst the trees of the forest, he finds a strange kind of freedom and when Connie and Seppe cross paths in the forest, their meeting signals new beginnings. With the support of one another they will find the means to imagine their own lives anew and to face the fears that haunt them.

In this explosive moment of history, everything is changing. Women just like Connie – brave, uncompromising and strong – are finding opportunity and liberty like never before. But is the price Connie must pay for her freedom too great?

My thoughts about it..

After a family tragedy, in the spring of 1944, Connie Granger leaves Coventry for the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, where she is to train as a lumberjill, one of a group of young women who are trained in forestry work. Meeting the government war quotas for timber is a hard task, but Connie finds that she has a remarkable skill for wood cutting which endears her to those who call the forest home.

Cutting trees is hard physical work and Connie is glad of the help of Seppe, a young Italian POW,  who is interned in a camp near to the forest, and who is coping with his imprisonment by turning to that he loves best, namely working with wood. Gradually a friendship develops, between Connie and Seppe, which will have far reaching consequences for both of them.

There's a real endearing quality to this story which, unlike most novels set in WW2, doesn't focus too heavily on what's happening in the wider picture of the war, and although there are interesting snippets about Seppe's family, which add some poignant background information, it is the story of the forest itself which really comes alive. The Forest of Dean, with its ancient woodland, and the foresters, who live and work within the boundaries of this ancient land, really help to give the book its heart and soul.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Connie and Seppe's story and whilst I didn't always like Connie very much, I could understand why she acted in the way that she did, and felt that, both she, and Seppe were very much the product of war time. The idea finding of shelter is very much in evidence throughout the whole of the story and the author has done a good job in keeping this theme alive.

About the Author

Sarah Franklin grew up in rural Gloucestershire. She lectures in publishing at Oxford Brookes, is the founder and host of Short Stories Aloud and a judge for the Costa Short Story Award. She has written for The Guardian, Psychologies, The Pool, Sunday Express. In 2014, Sarah was awarded a Jerwood/Arvon Mentorship on the strength of her opening pages of SHELTER, and worked on the novel for a year with Jenn Ashworth, amongst others.

Twitter @SarahEFranklin # GiveMeShelter

Amazon UK

Author Interview ~ Elisabeth Gifford

Jaffareadstoo is delighted to welcome back to the blog the best selling author

Elisabeth Gifford

Hi and welcome back to Jaffareadstoo, Elisabeth. Thank you for taking the time to come and talk with us today about your latest novel, The Good Doctor of Warsaw.

Corvus
Atlantic Books
1 February 2018

Doctor Janusz Korczak is the eponymous doctor in The Good Doctor of Warsaw. Tell us about him and why you decided to tell his story.

I came across his quotes as a young mum and teacher and found them so helpful. You get pressures coming at you from all directions to be perfect and busy and Korczak helped me find a new perspective: he said just know your child and what they need. I began researching Korczak and came across Roman Wroblewski in Sweden, the son of two young teachers who worked with Korczak in the ghetto. So few people survived the ghetto and I realised the story would be lost if I didn’t try and tell it. Above all I wanted to share Korczak’s ideas on listening as the fabric of love. 

The Good Doctor of Warsaw is set in Poland during WW2. In researching the book did you visit Warsaw and did anything leave a lasting impression on you? 

Warsaw itself was an unforgettable experience. It is the site of a double tragedy. First the Jewish ghetto and it’s people were annihilated by the Nazis, then Hitler ordered the rest of Warsaw destroyed. The beautiful medieval centre was rebuilt from old photos and records but the Jewish ghetto is gone apart from a few sections of wall and various pavement markers, and a few buildings. The little white synagogue where Sabina was married is still there – it was a Gestapo stable during the war, as is the church where the girls went to obtain their false papers to escape the ghetto. The original orphanage built by Dr Korczak by some miracle is still standing and largely unchanged. It was an incredible experience to visit the place where he had cared for so many children, and where Misha had been a student teacher.

Mixing historical fact with fiction must be quite a challenge – how do you get the balance right without compromising on authenticity?

I kept to the facts but I did have to fill in missing information such as clothes, conversation and housing from research and then from imagination. I guess it’s the same principle as a historical film where there’s care taken to be accurate and authentic but you have to make decisions about filling in what is missing. Roman read the text and corrected errors which was challenging but essential.

Whilst you are writing you must live with your characters. How did you feel about them when the book was finished? Are they what you expected them to be? 

I feel as though they are friends. Korczak’s words, books, and diary are all part of my life now and he has altered the way I approach relationships and caring for children. I think I put more value on listening and getting to know other people from different cultures and generations as probably the most important thing we can do. It makes for a happier life for children when they feel listened to and safe.

The Good Doctor Of Warsaw is a powerful story and your style of writing is very much ‘from the heart’. Did writing the book take its toll on you emotionally, and if so, how did you overcome it?

Yes, it was quite hard to read so many difficult things. But a story gives the cause and effect between the things that happen so I wanted to show how the ghetto had come about. I didn’t want to make a gratuitous list of difficult things, but rather to include enough to give readers a clear view of the history and of people’s choices and character. I believe it is a story that still informs the way Europe and modern society work and that made me keep going. I did take quite a long break from writing afterwards and fortunately had a restorative trip planned.

Without giving too much away, what do you hope readers will take away from reading The Good Doctor of Warsaw?

We can see childhood as an expert activity belonging to the parents who are under pressure to do it perfectly and may end up pressurising their own children in ways that make them unhappy. Kids don’t just belong to the parents, they belong to themselves, and really their welfare is the concern of all of us. So long as a society puts children as their highest care, then we will have a good nation. And children save us : Korczak said that when nations stop holding on to the hand of a child, then the world flies apart – which is what happened in Nazi Germany and in the Warsaw ghetto when so many children were taken away.

Huge thanks to Elisabeth for sharing her thoughts about The Good Doctor and for her insightful answers to my questions.

You can read my review of the book  here 

More About the Author

Elisabeth Gifford's debut novel, Secrets of the Sea House, was shortlisted for the historical writers' Association Debut Crown. She is married with three children and lives in Kingston Upon Thames.

More about Elisabeth can be found on her website

Find on Facebook

Follow on Twitter @elisabeth04liz #GoodDoctorofWarsaw

Amazon UK

Blog Tour ~ The Secrets Between Us by Laura Madeleine

Jaffareadstoo is delighted to host today's stop on 

The Secrets Between Us Blog Tour 

 

Black Swan 

2018

My thanks to the publisher for my ecopy of this book and the invitation to be part of this blog tour

First off, it must be said that this book cover is absolutely glorious and captures the setting of the novel to perfection.

In 1943, eighteen year old Ceci Corvin and her family struggle to survive in occupied France where, even, high up in the hills, in their small village of Saint-Antone, they are not immune to struggle and hardship. Working in the village bakery gives them a unique place to view what's going on but also places them in danger.

Fifty years later, Annie is unsatisfied with both her work and personal life and seems be searching for something which will give her life more meaning. When Annie's mother, on holiday in Australia, contacts Annie and expresses a wish to reunite with her estranged mother, Annie's grandmother, the search is on to find her. For Annie this is something of a journey of self-discovery, as not only does she make contact with her gran-mére, but also discovers a deeply buried family secret, which changes everything she once thought to be true.

What then follows is a beautifully written dual time story which looks at the turbulent latter years of the Second World War and of the discovery, many years later, of a family mystery which has been buried for far too long. The author writes really well and brings time, place and people to life with fine attention to detail. Of the two halves of the dual time narrative, I was perhaps more emotionally involved in the war time story and thought that the description of life in Saint Antoine was particularly well defined. I especially enjoyed reading of the bakery in Saint Antoine, and such were the delicious descriptions of the breads being produced that I could taste the pain aux noix and sip the  Acorn roasted café.

The Secrets Between Us is inspired by true events and is a fascinating story of forgotten friendship, lost family, forbidden love and, ultimately, of the healing power of reconciliation.

More about the Author can be found on her Website

Twitter @lauramadeleine #SecretsBetweenUs

Amazon UK

The Secrets Between Us is a kindle monthly deal in January and will be on sale for just 99p until the end of the month.