I really enjoyed this book!  A great story line that kept me hooked and excellent main characters.  I would highly recommend this book.

I wasn't aware that this was part of a series....... But with that said this was a fantastic book! I wanted to read it due to the christmas theme and it lived up to it! The Author is able to capture your whole attention to the characters without really needed to read the previous books. Im going to have to start with book one and read them so I can read all about the shipyard girls.  Mainly Lily since that is my daughters name. I'd love to read more about her :)

"Christmas with the Shipyard Girls" is part of a series dealing with the lives of women in England during World War II. I like historical novels set during this time period, with emphasis on what is happening on the home front. The characters were interesting and realistic. The main problem I had with the novel is I had not read any of the previous novels, so I felt confused, as if I had dropped into the middle of a movie. It took me about 30% of the book before I had a handle on who the characters were and how they related to each other. This is definitely not a stand-alone novel. Some parts of the plot seemed repetitious as well. I would recommend that readers read the books in order so as to avoid confusion. A timeline and list of characters at the beginning of the book would be very helpful.

I received this book from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

It is wonderful to read a book with characters we are familiar with. The girls from the shipyard are determined to make the holidays memorable in 1942.

Christmas with the Shipyard Girls by Nancy Revell is the seventh installment in The Shipyard Girls series.  This book picks up where Courage of the Shipyard Girls ended.  The East End just suffered severe bombing.  Helen stepped up and earned respect from the ladies for her actions.  Polly is thrilled that Tommy is alive and in the local hospital.  The ladies have gone through so much since World War II broke out.  Polly deserves a bit of happiness after being told her fiancé was dead.  Unfortunately, Polly has some news for Tommy, and she is afraid to of his reaction.  The characters in is this series are well developed and realistic.  I always look forward to catching up with them to see how they are faring.  I feel so bad for Gloria who is raising Hope on her own without Jack because of the nasty Miriam.  The Shipyard Girls series is one that needs to be read in order.  Each book builds upon the previous one.  Christmas with the Shipyard Girls focuses on Polly, Rosie and Helen.  However, we do spend time with all the ladies including Kate and Lily.  I thought the story contained good writing and it flowed along steadily.  The author has an engaging writing style that drew me right in.  I stayed up late reading to find out what happened in this book.  There was repetition of details that I felt could have been eliminated (related to the bombing, who was injured, etc.).  Rosie is surprised when she comes home to find her sister, Charlotte.  It seems Charlotte left school and does not wish to return.  Rosie is worried that her sister will discover her second job which is how she paid for Charlotte’s expensive boarding school.  Rosie wants to encourage Charlotte to return to school and enlists Helen’s assistance.  She also needs to find out what drove Charlotte to leave school.  There is a lot going on in Christmas with the Shipyard Girls.  It is a delight to read though the ending is bittersweet.  Christmas with the Shipyard Girls has joy, sadness, frustration, new love and so much more.  I like how the ladies stick together.  They are more than close friends—they are family.  I am eager to read Triumph of the Shipyard Girls.  I really hope that Miriam gets her comeuppance soon.  Christmas with the Shipyard Girls is a charming historical novel that has a happy homecoming, a sibling sticky wicket, wedding wonder, a surprising secret and Christmas cheer.

I thought this was a fun and well-written book.  I read it as a stand alone, but I wish I had read the ones prior to this book to engage better with the characters.  Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to review this book.

Christmas with the Shipyard Girls is the seventh in the Shipyard Girls series which follows a group of incredible women who work at the docks in Sunderland helping to manufacture ships for the war effort. Nancy Revell continues to bring this series from strength to strength and I always eagerly await each new book as at this stage all the women have become firm friends. It didn't at all feel like it had been several months since the last story, instead it was just a case of picking up the book and continuing right where we left off. All the group women have had good times and bad, peaks and troughs and ebbs and flows in their lives since the outbreak of war but one thing is clear their bond of unity and friendship strengthens with each book and they are more like sisters now rather than co-workers and friends.

Once again the message of love, hope, faith and charity radiates from the book and I thoroughly enjoyed the story and seeing the continuation of certain storylines which have kept me riveted but also the introduction of some new ones. That's what makes this series so good, nothing is rushed and resolved within a chapter or dealt with in a light-hearted manner. Instead I think everything is very true to life at the time and having plots begin in book one and even now at this stage said storylines are still progressing that's what keeps the reader glued and always eager to return and read more about the shipyard girls.

Those new to the series will easily have no problems catching up on what has already happened. There is plenty of back story provided at just the right points without unnecessary pages dedicated as filling in. Long term fans will be deeply satisfied with this book as there is lots of excitement and plenty of twists and turns. Storylines for characters I have been deeply invested in since book one are really starting to pick up the pace and are starting to reach their climax. Although saying that I am sure there are lots more books to come given we have only just reached 1942.

I really loved the prologue set in Gilbraltar, it gave us a really good insight into Polly's fiancé Tommy and how he came to arrive back home to Britain. I felt in the last two books or so that he had been more or less forgotten about and I remember saying a chapter or two from his viewpoint would have been good. Well this time around I certainly got what I had been asking for and it's made me realise that the author really has everything planned out so well and that she has such a clear vision for the direction she wishes the series to take. Things can't be rushed and just like the women at the time anxiously waited for news of their loved ones fighting abroad as a reader even though I am so keen to see how everything will pan out I just have to be patient.

Tommy is not the same man that left the shipyard to do his bit for the war effort. He couldn't be, given all that he had witnessed in his role diving in the waters to check for mines. He has been through such a trauma and although Polly and all his friends and family welcome him back with open arms, they slowly start to realise that they have to be careful as this war is having such a devastating effect on everybody that people are no longer the same and can't perhaps always be treated like the way they were before. I really enjoyed Polly and Tommy's storyline and was pleased that finally some sort of happiness may be on the horizon for them but of course not without its trials. Polly frustrated me slightly in this book in that she knew what her heart wanted but because she had done something that she believed others would perceive as being wrong she was going up the walls so to speak and not being very clear with anyone least of all Tommy. Though even the reader could see her intentions were all in the right place. She was frightened that she had made a mistake that there was no coming back from but really Polly should have more faith in both herself and those around her.

Gloria very much featured on the periphery in this book but I didn't mind in the slightest because she had had an awful happen to her in the last two books so I was glad to see that Rosie and in particular her sister Charlotte recently 'escaped' from boarding school now were once again getting a chance to have their storyline explored in much more detail. It really had been niggling away at me as to just what was up with Charlotte and why she kept begging Rosie to come home. I could see Rosie was torn in two in that she wanted to keep her sister happy as she was her sole 'mother' figure but yet at the same time she was playing a dangerous game.

Her double life was in danger of being exposed and that was her main reason for giving Charlotte such short shrift. Yet at the same time similar to Polly I think Rosie should have given her sister more credit than she did. People won't always judge you first hand. Instead they will take the time to listen to what is being said and make their own decision. Rosie was afraid of losing Charlotte's respect but also everything she had worked so hard for. She had reached a point where her work and private life were going well and although she deeply misses Peter she feels some sort of positivity starting to shine through. Would Charlotte's arrival upset the apple cart big time and throw plenty of spanners in the works? Will Rosie crack under the strain of keep a secret that has stayed that way for quite some time? The way this strand of the book played out was brilliant and engrossing.

Helen again was a character who I felt didn't feature as prominently as before although I am keeping a close eye on whether things with her doctor friend will develop into something more. At this stage, I am still questioning whether she is too good to be true. Had she been demonised for too long by her cruel, narcissist of a mother? Or can a leopard really change its spots? I'm reserving judgement on Helen until we get even further into the series because I still think something major is in store for her. After all both her and her mother's actions have already played such a crucial role in several of the events that have occurred. A string of events have been set in motion by the pair but said events have not yet been begun to be reeled in and dealt with by several of the girls. Simply because the time is not right for confrontation or perhaps the full facts or the wrongdoings have not yet been exposed.

Given the title of this book does have Christmas in it, I would have hoped that this special event would feature at some point in the story. It soon became evident that this wasn't just a normal run of the mill Christmas book that flood the market at this time of year, more so that it suited timeline wise for the author to have Christmas feature in the story. It wasn't a dominant force at all and featured more so towards the end as everyone bands together to hopefully make a special occasion come to fruition especially when it seemed very much in doubt for the majority of the book. It didn't bother me in the slightest that this wasn't a full blown Christmas book because to be honest I am more interested in the overall story arc that is being created with this special and unique group of women some of whom I haven't even mentioned here. But really I did love this book which once again highlighted the bravery, sacrifices and selflessness and Rosie and co. I can't wait until book eight -Triumph of the Shipyard Girls is published next year.

A lovely read seventh in the series.The characters come alive a warm wonderful English saga.Historical fiction at its best.#netgalley #randomhouseuk

This is my first book by this author. I enjoyed it but there was a lot of characters to keep up with. 
I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley.
All opinions are my own.

This is the seventh book of a series which continues the story of a core group of women who work in the shipyards of NE England during WWII. I have not read any previous books of this series but it was easy enough to get into the relationships of the friends who work together, their families and poignant war losses  I enjoyed this war-time read very much and will definitely buy the other books and read them in sequence.

My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a great historical story! I loved this one. 

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review!  This is the first book I have read of this series and it won't be the last.  Well written and enjoyable!  I will definitely read the others in this series.  Highly recommend!

I really liked this book about life during the second world war era in London.  It was very well researched and written and follows some families during the air raids, rationing and working for the war effort.

This book is the perfect feel good holiday read.  You know how the story is going to end up, but enjoy the ride!  I enjoy these heartfelt books during the holidays and this one was extremely well written.

As frequent readers of my blog will know, I’m a huge fan of this fantastic series. There is just something about it which is perfect to snuggle up with and lose yourself in for hours at a time.

The book opens with one of the most dramatic openers of the series which had me quickly thrown back into the war and the lives of the Shipyard girls. It’s impressive that the author is still managing to find fresh and exciting stories for this series with so many books under her belt, but Christmas With The Shipyard Girls is exactly that! New characters are introduced and new drama but it all flows beautifully, with the story never seeming forced. This made the book seem very realistic, making the reader feel more invested in the story.

It was so nice to be back with the Shipyard Girls who have stated to feel like old friends to me. Once again I loved the close relationship the girls enjoyed and how they helped each other through their darkest times. The way the book is written makes the reader feel like they are actually there watching everything unfold and I found myself wishing I was there as part of their group.

The author has cleverly blended real historical events into the story and by doing so has managed to vividly describe what life during the war must have been like. The constant fear of not knowing what will happen to their loved ones fighting and the nightly raids of the blitz is almost palpable at times allowing the reader to experience how things would have been themselves.

Overall I thought this was a gripping read which I couldn’t put down as I was so enjoying it. I’m so excited for the next installment of this fantastic series!

Huge thanks to Rachel from Arrow publishing for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book via Netgalley. If you are a fan of world war two fiction I highly recommend this series!

I hadn't read the first six books when I was approved to review this, but reading it as a standalone was still a brilliant experience. Well written with an air of authenticity, I enjoyed this war-time festive read very much. I will definitely book buying the other books and will read them in order.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for allowing me to read this lovely book in exchange for an honest review.

Guessing that the majority audience for this series is ladies and so, as a male, I very possibly have a very different view of things. This is the first book that I have read from the series, having discovered it by accident and for the most part enjoyed it; just not sure that I will read any of the others.

Appreciate that much scene setting and character building has been done in the first 6 books and feel that in some ways my lack of detail from those other volumes detracted from this one but that is my fault for jumping straight into the series with book 7. That said, I did have more than a bit of a challenge with the language used as it seemed to be a bit far away from the way that they speak in that neck of the woods, even now. I had a great difficulty in my head with this because I tend to hear accents in my head whilst reading and the mix, within one sentence, confused my brain.

One thing that did leave me mystified is how on earth the ladies managed to brew so many enormous pots of tea when, like everything else, tea was in short supply and rationed?

Overall, an easy read about everyday people going about their mostly shipyard jobs in wartime and so a perfect holiday read.

It’s always wonderful to catch up with the Shipyard Girls, the fiery, feisty, courageous and strong women who people the captivating and addictive novels of best-selling author Nancy Revell and they are back in another page-turning instalment that will touch your heart, make you laugh out loud and keep you reading way past your bedtime: Christmas with the Shipyard Girls.

The bottom had truly fallen out of Polly’s world when she had received the shocking and devastating news that her beloved fiancé Tommy had died on the front line. Heartbreak and anguish had become her constant companions, yet Polly had refused to give up hope. Even though she cried herself to sleep every single night, she had never stopped yearning to be able to hold Tommy in her arms again. But just when all hope had been nearly lost and Polly had begun to resign herself to never seeing Tommy again, the man she loved had returned back to her. In hospital recovering from a serious injury, Polly feels as if all her Christmases have come at once. The man she loves most in the world is alive and he will soon be with her again and she can finally have the winter wedding she had always dreamed of. Can happiness finally be within Polly and Tommy’s reach? Is their love strong enough to survive all the obstacles that will be standing in their way? Or will they fall at the final hurdle?

Shipyard manager Helen has had the year from hell yet she refuses to be beaten. Helen refuses to dwell on the past and is intent on focusing on the future and on making a success of both her personal and professional life. After one romantic disappointment after another, Helen has met the dashing Doctor Parker, a man who seems to be as attracted to her as she is to him. As the two continue to grow closer, could a future be in the cards for the pair of them? Or will their chance at happiness be thwarted? Not only is Helen’s personal life going great guns, but the determined ship manager also wants the yard to break the production record and nothing and nobody is going to stand in her way. But will Helen end up paying a very dear price for her ambition and determination?

Head welder Rosie is in for a shock when she finds her younger sister Charlotte on her doorstep one dark winter night. Why did Charlotte leave her expensive boarding school and come all the way to Sunderland? Why has she made it perfectly clear that she is not about to go back to her school? If Charlotte wants to make her own way in the world, then Rosie is going to show her that being a grown-up is no picnic, so she takes her with her to the shipyard and puts her to work. Will Charlotte sink or swim? Is she going to stick around the shipyard? Or will she return back to her boarding school with her tail between her legs?

The run-up to Christmas will once more be fraught with drama and excitement for the Shipyard girls, but their friendship and support for one another will see them through the darkest and most challenging of days.

Nancy Revell’s books are always a joy to read and Christmas with the Shipyard Girls is certainly no exception. 
Full of warmth, humour, heart and exquisite period details that sweeps you back to wartime Sunderland, Christmas with the Shipyard Girls is a well-written, emotional, dramatic, uplifting and captivating read that celebrates women’s friendships, triumphs, tragedies and strengths with terrific flair and style.

Nancy Revell juggles multiple characters and plotlines with deftness and skill and each storyline is written with care, sensitivity and compassion and you will be unable to choose a favourite as each one is so fantastically written and bursting with realistic characters that jump off the pages.

As addictive as ever, Christmas with the Shipyard Girls is another addictive and engrossing saga by the immensely talented Nancy Revell.

This is book #7 in the Shipyard Girls series.  It can be read as a standalone book, but I would recommend reading the series in order for continuity of the storyline.  In this book we are back in Sunderland, 1942.  War is still raging and we again meet the welding women working in the shipyards, experiencing their highs and low at Christmas time.

The story begins with Tommy, Polly’s fiancé who was reported to be missing.  The story grabbed me from the first page and I found this first meeting with Tommy particularly heart-breaking.  At the beginning of the book, however, there are a lot of characters to reconnect with and this took me a while to remember who was who!  The book focusses mainly on the characters of Polly, Rosie and Helen although all the women from the previous books have a part in the story.  The women certainly have their ups and downs and you find these emotional and sad at times yet uplifting and heart-warming at others!  I particularly loved Polly’s character and was so happy for her at the beginning where she’d received news about her fiancé, Tommy.  She goes through so much upset and bad times that it would be lovely for Polly to finally get her happy ending!  Unfortunately, as the bombs are still falling on the country and the men are still at war, this proves to be difficult not just for Polly but for all the ladies of the shipyard!

The story isn’t just based on the lives of the women, but also the work they do and the difficulties they face during wartime.  These stories show the friendship and camaraderie not just between the main characters but also amongst the whole community.  They also show how difficult it was living through the war years.

Whilst I’ve never been to the North East, through this series of books I feel like I’ve come to recognise the area well and the author has done a great job of researching the industries that were there during, and probably after the war.  I’m assuming the author is also from the area as the local knowledge throughout these books is outstanding!  If I was to recommend a wartime saga series of books then I’d have no hesitation recommending this one!

Great writing.
Fantastic characters.  A very entertaining plot that continues the tales of the girl who work in a shipyard.  A fun historical book.  I recommend this book.  I received an arc from the publisher and this is my unbiased review.