The Red Cross Girls Review

The Red Cross Girls

The Red Cross Girls Book 1

Susanna Bavin

 

 

Lancaster, 1943: As the war rages on, the Red Cross girls will do whatever it takes to bring their boys home. But can they find happiness in such troubling times?

When Livvy receives her orders for war work, she’s desperate for a new beginning. Most of her friends have been sent to munitions factories, so she is delighted to be working for the Red Cross, who are making secret packages that can help prisoners of war escape.

Arriving at her lodgings, she soon meets fellow Red Cross workers Rosalind and Dulcie, and the three women become firm friends. Together, they work hard for the Red Cross to help their boys fighting overseas. For Livvy, that means using her cooking skills in the face of rationing to keep spirits high.

When Livvy meets Dr Jonah Kemble, who works alongside the girls, his warm smile and kind, sparkling blue eyes make Livvy feel seen in a way she never thought she would be again. But as they grow closer, Livvy realises she will have to decide whether to tell Jonah the truth of how she came to be here, and decide whether she can ever open her heart to another man again…

In the face of war, can Livvy find the bravery to tell Jonah the truth of her circumstances and declare her true feelings for him? Or will her one chance at happily-ever-after be lost forever?

An absolutely gripping and page-turning romantic saga set in the midst of the Second World War. Perfect for fans of Kitty Neale, Rosie Clarke and Vicky Beeby.

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My thoughts:

First off, this is all-around an excellent book. This book follows the story of three women who are assigned to work at Bowland House during WWII. All three come from different backgrounds and are hoping for different things while working there, but they are all committed to helping the war effort.

 

Fairly quickly after starting work they're split up, as some of them have tested to work in the top secret are and some have not. Yet through it all, they remain friends, lean on each other, and comfort each other when the worst happens. Might there be romance in their lives also?

 

This book does a wonderful job of telling the stories of these three women, but it also does an amazing job of spelling out what life was like in England in WWII. It's interwoven into the story so well that you don't realize it that you're learning about it, until suddenly you have a whole new view on history.

 

Absolutely couldn't put this book down, and I can't wait for the next one to come out! 

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the advanced copy. 

 

Readers love The Red Cross Girls:

‘Wow, what a read!… Beautiful… Defy you to put it down! Loved it.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I adored this book. It’s warm, hopeful, and completely immersive… Loved… I finished it hugging the book.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Every so often a book comes along that you can’t put down; this one is one of them… I loved every page.’ The Penny Street Reading Group, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I loved this book… A brilliant read.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘A most enjoyable read which I found hard to put down. I loved all the characters.’ Christian Novel Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Another brilliant book… Family saga at its best.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘What a wonderful story!… Heart-warming… This book does not disappoint!’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

Author Bio

Susanna Bavin

Susanna lives in Llandudno in North Wales with her husband and their rescue cats, but her writing is inspired by her Mancunian roots. She has written stories ever since she was a child and always wanted to be a published author. Susanna enjoys reading, walking and gardening and she loves living by the sea. She also writes as Maisie Thomas, for The Railway Girls series, and as Polly Heron, for The Surplus Girls series.

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