Book picks similar to
Secrets of the Homefront Girls by Kate Thompson


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The Teashop Girls


Elaine Everest - 2019
    Rose Neville works as a Lyon’s Teashop Nippy on the Kent coast alongside her childhood friends, the ambitious Lily and Katie, whose fiancé is about to be posted overseas in the navy. As war creates havoc in Europe, Rose relies on the close friendship of her friends and her family.When Capt. Benjamin Hargreaves enters the teashop one day, Rose is immediately drawn to him. But as Lyon’s forbids courting between staff and customers, she tries to put the handsome officer out of her mind.In increasingly dark and dangerous times, Rose fears there may not be time to waste. But is the dashing captain what he seems?

The Narrowboat Girls


Rosie Archer - 2018
    From farms to factories, no job is too back-breaking, and for many women it offers their first real chance at independence.Two such women from very different backgrounds find themselves working on the narrowboats - piloting freights round southern England's network of canals. One is a solicitor's wife, still smarting from the humiliation of her husband leaving her for his secretary. The other is a young working-class woman glad to find an excuse to get away from her violent boyfriend.Life on the canals is hard, and breaking into such a close-knit community can be tough - especially when the remaining male works are sure women aren't up to the job. But though these women start out as strangers, they will forge a bond of friendship that will take them through the darkest hours.

Christmas at Liberty's


Fiona Ford - 2018
    Characters that you can't help falling in love with! This new saga series will surely touch the hearts of saga readers everywhere’ Nancy Revell, author of the Shipyard Girls series'A Liberty treasure chest of silks, satin, lace and ribbons with gritty wartime passion at its very core. A gem!' - Daisy Styles, author of the Bomb Girls series'I loved the warmth of the friendship between Mary and her friends and the wonderful world of Liberty’s. It’s a page turner of a book with twists and turns than make you keep on reading to find out what happens next.' - Rosie Hendry, author of the East End Angels series___________________September, 1941: Mary arrives in war-torn London nursing a broken heart and a painful secret.When she is offered her dream post as an assistant in the fabric department at Liberty store, she knows this is the fresh start she needs. Amid the store’s vibrant prints and sumptuous interiors, Mary finds a new family who can help her to heal.But not everyone will give Mary such a warm welcome, and the trauma of her past will soon catch up with her. As Mary and the Liberty Girls endure the heartache and uncertainty of war, it will take a steady heart to keep the magic of Christmas alive. ___________________ It's only the first book in the Liberty Girls series, but fans are already falling in love: 'By far one of the best books I've read in a long time''The perfect story for historical and saga fiction fans... I cannot wait for the next book in this exciting new series!''Utterly brilliant... I was so impressed by this and felt completely involved in the story and characters!''heartwarming and inspiring... I look forward to reading more''I really enjoyed this story... this was a real festive treat for me! ... The author really transports you back to London during World War II in the book and you feel at times as though you are there with the characters.''Joyous. Charming. Uplifting... a wonderful new series that is packed with charm and warmth... these women lift their chins, put on a brave face and put the show on the road.''a wonderful, magical book that I absolutely loved... The staff are a wonderful team... the lovely sense of togetherness that the staff had was fabulous to read about''Christmas At Liberty's is a must-read for all who love the saga genre and for all who are looking to be part of something that is special and something that just glows with goodness and integrity''The story develops at a great pace that allows the reader to understand more about the characters and their lives so that they start to feel like old friends''The girls from Liberty’s had plenty of ups and downs before Christmas arrived, but I felt every emotional moment with them.'

The G.I. Bride


Eileen Ramsay - 2018
    Training as a nurse, she finds hope in the new friends she makes and the American G.I.s that arrive. But when a bomb lands close to home she'll need courage she never knew she had.

The Bobbin Girls


Freda Lightfoot - 1998
    Hollinthwaite, however, has other ideas and when he forces the two to part Rob is sent away to school while Alena must start work in the local bobbin mill. Life is hard and her love for Rob severely tested. Torn between two men, her indecision is heightened by the knowledge of a tragic secret. Dolly Sutton has problems of a more intimate nature, while shy and unassuming, Sandra Myers finds herself an unlikely campaigner against Hollinthwaite’s destructive plans for the village when he ruthlessly sacks the man she loves.

The Bomb Girls


Daisy Styles - 2016
    And whether she tears, hides or burns the letter the words remain the same - she must register for compulsory war work. Many miles away, Emily is also furious - her dream job as a chef will have to be put on hold, whilst studious Alice must abandon her plans of college. Staring at an identical letter, Elsie feels a kindling of hope at the possibility of leaving behind her brutal father. And down in London, Agnes has her own reasons for packing her bags with a smile. Brought together at a munitions factory in a Lancashire mill town, none of them knows what lies ahead. Sharing grief and joy, lost dreams and gained opportunities, the five new bomb girls will find friendship and strength that they never before thought possible as they unite to help the country they love survive. Praise for Daisy Styles 'A great read that I think will appeal to fans of wartime sagas and authors like Donna Douglas . . . From dances to disasters, encounters with handsome Yanks, rationing and relationships, The Bomb Girls has all the ingredients of an excellent wartime drama and I thoroughly enjoyed it!' Onemorepage.com'The story is full of drama, love, heartbreak, friendship and in some part some comedy . . . It's full of twist and turns and is a real page turner' Laurahbookblog

Belle of the Back Streets


Glenda Young - 2018
    She learnt the ropes from her dad when he returned from the War. But when tragedy struck, Meg had no choice but to continue alone, with only her trusty dog Spot and beloved horse Stella for company. Now the meagre money she earns is the only thing that stands between her family's safety and predatory rent collector Hawk Jackson...Many say it's no job for a woman - especially a beauty like Meg who's noticed everywhere she goes. When she catches the eye of charming Clarky it looks like she might have found a protector and a chance of happiness. But is Clarky really what he seems? And could Adam, Meg's loyal childhood friend, be the one who really deserves her heart? 'I found it difficult to believe that this was a debut novel, as "brilliant" was the word in my mind when I reached the end. I enjoyed it enormously, being totally absorbed from the first page. I found it extremely well written, and having always loved sagas, one of the best I've read' Margaret Kaine Look out for Glenda's next compelling saga, The Tuppenny Child.

A Christmas Gift


Katie Flynn - 2019
    Devastated, Lizzy joins forces with her old school friend Dolly and Clara, an escaped evacuee, and vows to find her mother whatever it takes.But the war rages on and demands on the home front take Lizzy’s life in a host of unexpected directions, and hopes of finding her mother gradually start to fade.If Lizzy can muster the strength to keep searching, she might just get her Christmas wish after all.

Lizzie of Langley Street


Carol Rivers - 2005
    Her father Tom, crippled in the fighting during WWI, has been left a broken and bitter man; her elder brother Vinnie is in serious trouble with the local hard man; her two younger sisters are in danger of being taken into care, and her sweetheart Danny is heading for Australia to seek his fortune. Determined to keep her family together, yet unable to escape the poverty and degradation of the slums, the heartbroken Lizzie is tricked into marriage by Danny's unscrupulous brother, Frank. Will she ever find the strength to protect her family from the underworld thugs who monopolise the Isle of Dogs? Can she escape her increasingly unhappy and violent marriage? And will she ever be reunited with her one true love, Danny Flowers?

The Jam Factory Girls


Mary Wood - 2020
    Caring for her siblings and working long hours at Swift's Jam Factory in London’s Bermondsey is exhausting. Thankfully her lifelong friendship with Dot helps to smooth over life’s rough edges.When Elsie and Dot meet Millie Swift, they are nervous to be in the presence of the bosses’ daughter. Over time, they are surprised to feel so drawn to her, but should two East End girls be socializing in such circles?When disaster strikes, it binds the women in ways they could never imagine. Long-held secrets are revealed that could change all their lives...

Like Father, Like Son


Diane Allen - 2015
    . . From birth, Polly Harper seems destined for tragedy. Raised by her loving grandparents on Paradise Farm she is unknowingly tangled in a web of secrecy regarding her parentage. When she falls in love with Tobias, the wealthy son of a local landowner of disrepute, her anxious grandparents send her to work in a dairy. There she becomes instantly drawn to the handsome Matt Dinsdale, propelling her further into the depths of forbidden romance and dark family secrets. But tragedy strikes, Polly is forced to confront her past and decide the fate of her future. Will she lose everything, or will she finally realize that her roots and love lie in Paradise?

The Workhouse Waif


Lynette Rees - 2018
    Separated from her mother and five siblings, young Megan must learn how to stand on her own two feet. But it's on one of the days she's sent out on errands that her fate changes. She meets a young boy who's stealing apples from the local market, as well as a friendly well-to-do lady with the most melodious voice she's ever heard. With her newfound friends, can she find a new life for herself? A heartwarming saga, perfect for fans of Dilly Court, Katie Flynn and Nadine Dorries Please note: this edition contains editorial revisions

A Mother’s Courage


Maggie Hope - 2018
    When she comes of age, Eleanor is married to Frances Tait, a missionary, and she is delighted to have a husband who shares her passion for helping others. It is not long before Eleanor starts a family of her own. But when Mr Tait’s work takes their family far from home, her children face dangers that Eleanor could never have imagined. She will need to put her family first, before everything else, if she wants to protect them… A gripping saga from the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Coal Miner's Daughter

The Complete By the Sea Series Boxed Set


Antoinette Stockenberg - 2014
     Book One: TESS. From the wild decadence of late nineteenth-century Newport comes the tale of Tess Moran, a beautiful Irish housemaid in one of the grand summer "cottages," who makes a dark bargain with a man of commanding wealth — and falls in love in the bargain. Book Two: AMANDA. Marrying American money to an English title is a tradition of its own; but Amanda Fain, a brash heiress with money to burn, has a fondness for Bolsheviks and bootleg liquor that makes her an unlikely match for the reluctant, ironic, and impoverished English aristocrat Geoffrey Seton, who has been ordered to America to find someone who can pay the bills for the family estate back home. Book Three: LAURA. While the Great Depression grinds relentlessly on, Laura Andersson, a Midwestern farm girl with an improbable love of the sea, embarks on a bold adventure that promises riches but delivers passion, one that threatens all she holds dear. Book Four: THE HEIRS is the dramatic conclusion to the four-book series BY THE SEA. Economic hard times are a distant memory in high-flying, recent-day Newport, home of the oldest and most prestigious trophy in the world, the Holy Grail of sport--the America's Cup. Here, the descendants of Tess, Amanda and Laura play out their destinies, their paths crossing in unforeseen ways: Mavis Moran, Neil Powers, his daughter Quinta, and America's Cup skipper Alan Seton all find themselves caught in a web of mystery, sabotage, and conflicting desires. "A quality novel [that] contains many of those little epiphanies, those moments of recognition. [Part 1, TESS,] is what makes Stockenberg's book stand out from the rash of novels on class conflicts between Irish servants and their Yankee masters." —Providence Journal

The Girl With No Home


Sheila Newberry - 2016
    Jerusha believes she has finally found the security she has always craved. But then disaster strikes.Kent, 1904.Two years after the sudden death of her husband, Jerusha is alone once again. But the arrival of the enigmatic Joe Finch, a traveller seeking work on the farm and a home for his daughter, sets Jerusha's life on a new path, giving her hope for her future.Has Jerusha found her happy ending at last, or will she be forever destined to lose the ones she loves?