Louise Hare brings post-war London to life in this exploration of the arrival of the Windrush generation. People invited across the world to new homes who then weren't welcomed by the British people. The story follows Lawrie who has taken a chance to come to London in search of new opportunities and the people he meets along the way. His discovery sparks the tension that has been held within the community.

Equally important to the story is his girlfriend Evie, who has lived with racism all her life and a mother who has always made her feel guilty for ruining her life. As their stories converge the author explores many themes, from widespread racism, to the women whose husbands returned from the war different men and those trying to rebuild their lives without men. This story highlights a society that was starting to become more progressive but still had double-standards when it came to sex and race.

This was an interesting story that kept me guessing until the end but was a little slow at times. I would give it 3 out of 5.

I found this a sad story in the wake of all the publicity about the Windrush immigrants. The story documents the problems faced by a group of Jamaican immigrants who arrived in the UK at different times. they are therefore at different stages of integration into the new society.
It is sad to read about the discrimination that was obviously rife and accepted by the new arrivals and the behaviour of the local police is shocking but it seems that it was normal for this period. The story is really about the problems that the immigrants were dealing with and the assumptions of the British residents when facing the unfamiliar although a theme of an unwanted baby runs through the book.
Recommended

A great story about Lawrie who comes to England on the Windrush from Jamaica and his time here. With it's undertones of racial abuse and tragedy, Lawrie, who is a postman by day and a musician by night, struggles through with his girlfriend Eve. A very compelling story and at times upsetting. If you liked Small Island then you should like this. Brilliantly written and captures what the Windrush Immigrants had to go through which resonates with me as my parents and in laws were of the Windrush era.

Lawrie Matthews arrives in England, part of the first Windrush generation, to make his fortune. He arrives to find a gloomy, broken city still reeling from WWII, and to find no one has thought what to do with the new arrivals. He feels unwanted, useless and clearly missing his home. He meets and falls in love with Evie, a young mixed race girl, who also feels isolated, being the daughter of an unmarried mother, who won’t speak about Evie’s father. They fall in love, but both have secrets. Then Lawrie makes a discovery which stuns the community, and threatens to ruin his, and Evie’s, lives.
I found this a difficult book to read, and at times felt like giving up. I can appreciate the research that has gone into this part of our history, and the country’s unjust treatment of the people who left their homes to come to the UK to help rebuild it, but I couldn’t empathise with the characters at all. I realise that the language used was from the time but it’s not something I really wanted to read.

Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for letting me have an ARC in return for an honest review

Incredible book. I would definitely recommend. The story pulls you in right from start while still being a fairly easy and quick read (given that you have some time). I enjoyed the characters and enjoyed learning about them. I would definitely read again.

Jamaican Lawrie Matthews answers the mother country's call for help and embarks on the Empire Windrush to make his fortune in London. He struggles to find work, but eventually delivers post by day and plays clarinet in a small dance band by night. He falls in love with mixed race Evie and takes a room next door. A terrible chance discovery colours both their lives and introduces DS Rathbone.

A compelling book yet very difficult to read at times, especially Rathbone's shocking treatment of Lawrie. I put the book down at intervals. The extent to which I empathised with Lawrie and Evie, and rooted for them, is surely a testament to the quality of the writing.

Such a moving book and so sadly relevant in these Brexit days with us becoming more and more aware of the mistreatment of the Windrush generation. Fortunately, it is a book of hope, but I do feel ashamed of how very badly we treated these people, who had rushed to our aid when we needed them most. Beautifully written and very thought provoking. A gripping storyline and believable characters. A memorable account of post war London.

Wow what a breath of fresh air. I throughly enjoyed the story and it isn’t like anything I can remember reading. It struck a cord with me and left me wondering and thinking which is what the best books do.
The characters came alive from the pages and told their story.
I would happily purchase this book for friends. Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity of reading this book.

This is a story which captures the atmosphere of the times very well, including appropriate language which was used then (although this dismayed one reviewer here!). The treatment of the Windrush generation is well documented and the plight of unmarried mothers depicted accurately here seems horrendous to our eyes in the 21st century. Although a worthy subject it was was written in a simplistic, dated way and little romanticised with its happy(ish) ending and polarised good/bad characters. I found it to be a little bit tame and boring.

A hard book to read given the recent Windrush scandals. The characters are extremely well written. I really didn’t want to keep reading it as it was really difficult to read the struggles of this lovely young man. I found the language difficult even paying lipservice to the point that it was used during this time.

Sorry but the language in this book it's horrid to use the n word is just wrong ok so the book was set back in the 1940s but you could of found a different word to use that n word is evil and cruel it's 2019. Just goes somehow people think they can get away with anything as long a as its in a book.
I will never buy this book in a million years