The writing style was choppy and very disjointed.
I didn’t warm to the characters either.
This book wasn’t for me

A brilliant read, lovely characters and a great plot. Looking forward to reading more from the author off the back of this one.

I really wanted to like this book and i really tried, unfortunately I just couldn't get interested in it. It almost became a DNF, but, I kept reading it just to be sure I wasn't missing out on what other readers seem to love. I guess it was the wrong book for me at a time when I should have read something else.
I received a copy from the publisher through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoy reading historical fiction books that are set in WWII. And the fact that this was a dual timeline story was even better. The author’s research is impressive and her writing style is appealing. The picture of two girls triggers a heartwrenching story. The primary character is Elaine. But the author does a fabulous job of weaving the two storylines together so that you have a unique perspective into decisions Elaine made. This was a rollercoaster emotional ride as you travel through the pages. One question remains once you have finished the story … did Elaine make the right decision? You need to read the book to decide for yourself.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookoutre for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

I was not able to finish this book. The characters and plot were not able to grab and keep my interest.

A lovely WW2 romance told in two timelines. The WW2 part was fascinating especially as Robert is a real character and I found this particularly interesting. The dual timelines worked well and there was plenty to keep your attention.

I loved the character development and how the 2 main girls were so likable and easy to connect with as the reader. I enjoyed the book overall, but I did find it romanticised the war and those related elements a little too much for my liking. And it was more focused on romance and love which is not at all what I had anticipated from the blurb.

I’m a huge fan of Lizzie Page’s books. I always enjoy her blend of fact and fiction, and her beautifully written stories.

The Forgotten Girls tells the story of Elaine Parker, a clerical girl in London in 1943. Her job is important and she enjoys it. Her home life is complicated. It’s wartime. Life is hard. Then she meets Bobby, a war photographer, and he changes her life forever.

Bobby is actually Robert Capa, a photographer known for his images taken right at the epicentre of wars. I had heard of Robert Capa, but only really in passing. I now feel as I though I know him very well. Page really brings to life the man, his passion for photography, and his passion for life, the kind of person who people cannot fail to like.

He did really have a relationship with Elaine Parker during the Second World War and, whilst Page admits she used a lot of artistic licence with her character, it’s also obvious she did a lot of research to tell what she could of her story. I was utterly engrossed in (fictional) Elaine’s life and I found the attention to detail fascinating. Elaine lived above a WHSmith and I loved how she popped downstairs to borrow a romance novel, taking care not to damage it so she could give it back. The books filled a gap whilst she waited for Robert Capa to return from his latest dangerous assignment, whilst all the time fretting that she wasn’t enough for a man so full of zest and charisma.

This is a story with love at its heart, my favourite kind of read. It has a modern day story running alongside the war story, a device to explore how the past trickles down into the present. I much preferred the 1940s story which is where all the interest was for me, but I appreciate why the author wanted to add those extra elements.

The Forgotten Girls was a really enjoyable read for me, and like all Lizzie Page’s previous books, one that had me heading off to Google to find out more about Robert Capa and his photographic images. This is a book populated with larger than life characters, a setting that put me right into the heart of 1940s London, and a story that captivated me.

I don’t tend to read too many historical fiction but this story had me intrigued. It did not disappoint! The perfect amount of heartwarming plot lines and well developed characters. I finished this quickly and look forward to reading more from this author.

Thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and Lizzie Page for my copy of The Forgotten Girls.

London 1943, Elaine Parker works as a clerk, her job is to type up letters written by prisoners interned in Japanese POW camps looking for secret coded messages and any information might help the allies win the war. One evening, Elaine meets famous war photographer Robert Capa, he’s so handsome and for Elaine it’s love at first sight. Elaine already has a boyfriend Justin, a pilot and two younger brothers. Elaine didn’t have an easy childhood; she was poor and she raised her younger orphaned brothers. Her brother Alan has problems with his nerves and he ends up being an inmate in a mental asylum and Clive has a club foot and is a petty thief.
Present day, Jen is taking a much disserved holiday with her extended family in Spain, her 23 year marriage has ended, she’s has very low self esteem and worries constantly about her weight. Her brother discovers an old family photograph of two pretty little girls gazing over a beautiful bay of water and in an unknown location in England. This starts the family’s interest in the past; they don’t know a lot about their grandmother Elaine, when they discover who took the photo and how could she have known Robert Capa?
The book has a dual time line it goes between England during WW II and present day Spain and I must admit I preferred the war time story and found it much more interesting.
The war years describe life in England at the time, endless nights of very little sleep, shortages of basic necessities, years of food being rationed and the contestant threat of danger. Rumors are rife about the pig push, when it begins mothers, sisters, wives wait anxiously for any news of their loved ones and Elaine is very worried about Bobby because he goes with the first troops that land in Normandy and you can feel the nervous tension that all of England is feeling.
The story is based around Elaine and her romantic relationship with Robert Capa during the war, the sacrifices and choices she made and how ultimately she always put her family first. Obviously Elaine and Jen’s stories are connected and the girls in the 1950’s photo are possibly Elaine’s daughters Barbara and Shirley?
I enjoyed The Forgotten Girls by Lizzie Page it’s about Elaine Parker and how she knew Robert Capa, I would have really liked to read more about the famous and fascinating war photographer or Bobby as she called him and less about Jennifer and the extended family’s trip to Spain. All thoughts in this review are my own and I gave the book three and a half stars.

My first Lizzie Page novel! Not my last!

A novel set in two time-lines, with Elaine in ww2 and Jen in curent times. It's always fun seeing how the connections between characters work out, and this was a very enjoyable read. I always love stories where you care about the connections between the characters!

My thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for the ARC, my apologies for the delay in the review.

3.5 Stars

The Forgotten Girls was a tough read for me. The storyline is wonderful, but the writing style and pace was slow and not my style.
But if you are in the mood for a powerful, historical read, this one is worth a try.

THE FORGOTTEN GIRLS is my first book by Lizzie Page but sadly it did not live up to my expectations as promised in the book's premise, which alluded to a photograph of two girls with their backs to the camera on the book's delightful cover. The photograph is said to be the focus of the story but in actual fact it isn't. It is more about the love lives of Elaine in wartime London and Jennifer in present day Spain.

London, 1943: Elaine works for the government typing out letters from prisoners of war to their families looking for secret codes that may have been hidden away within the messages. One night she meets the most agreeable and alluring Robert Capa, a famous war photographer, and despite already being spoken for she finds herself immediately attracted to him. Ending her relationship with Justin, who was an RAF pilot, Elaine is then free to succumb to the charms of Robert Capa.

After their mother died and their father left, Elaine brought up her two younger brothers, Clive and Alan, while living in a small 2 bedroom flat above a bookshop. She is a little embarrassed to bring Robert back to her little flat, particularly when Clive loved Justin and probably wouldn't approve of her having dumped him for someone flashier. As he had a club foot, Clive was exempt from war service but her middle brother Alan was not, his letters often reflecting his desire not to be there. But Elaine would attempt to cheer him with telling him all about her Bobby.

Elaine's friend Annie would often warn Elaine that Robert Capa was not the man for her. He was a player, a playboy, with a girl in every port and she didn't want to see her friend get hurt. But Elaine was in love and while Bobby was in London, they spent every waking moment together. But when he was off in dangerous places and situations, capturing the moments of war, Elaine missed him terribly. But that was who Robert Capa was - he lived for it. But when they were together their relationship was intense. He was her Bobby and she was his Pinky.

Spain, 2016: Jen's marriage is crumbling and she is left feeling unhappy and somewhat redundant. Her brother has summoned her to his expansive villa in Spain where her mother, stepfather Derek and Aunty Barbara have also congregated. Matthew has something big to announce...but what?

He pulls out an old photograph of two girls holding hands with their backs to camera in an ancient silver frame. Jen recognises it as the one that sat on her mother's mantle for years. On the back is written "B and P forever". Everyone wonders who B and P are and what are their ties to the two girls in the photo? Matthew's eyes are twinkling as he springs yet another surprise on them - a documentary on Robert Capa and their Nana's relationship with the famous photographer. Was this photo one of Robert Capa's? It was not his usual type of work. But Jen is curious and begins to wonder where she fits in the grand scheme of things.

I usually love dual timeline stories but this one was bordering on the ridiculous. I couldn't connect with anyone, though I was more invested in Elaine's story than anyone else's...and yet I still found I had little patience with her as well. The premise alluded to a mystery behind the photograph of the two girls when in actual fact there was no real mystery and the photo wasn't even really the focus of this story.

I struggled with THE FORGOTTEN GIRLS so therefore I find it hard to review. I didn't really like any of the characters and the premise was misleading so nothing was what I expected when reading it. The story itself was incredibly slow and it took a 29 minute chapter to depict Elaine meeting Robert Capa. And that was just the first chapter! It left me wondering what the point of it all was.

I love historical fiction and was looking forward to this one but it was nothing like I expected and I honestly didn't really enjoy it very much. I found myself rushing to the end when I uttered allowed "Thank God that's over!" to which my husband replied "That bad, was it?"

THE FORGOTTEN GIRLS is a good story if you are looking for something different but it just wasn't for me.

I would like to thank #LizziePage, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheForgottenGirls in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first book by this author, It was pretty enjoyable. I would give this book a 3.5 star rating! It was a pretty Quick and easy read!

Thank you to Netgalley for my ARC version of The Forgotten Girls by Lizzie Page. Such a heartwarming story of two strong women separated by many years and different circumstances. First we meet Elaine Parker, during WWII, who has been taking care of her brothers, her work and her emotions during these trying times. She makes a life for herself and keeps everything moving. During this time she meets Bobby. She is shown and different kind of life and love. She almost has it all until she is dealt even more circumstances she can’t hide from. Meanwhile the story goes between Jen and Elaine. Jen is a present day woman dealing with her own issues. She two must face hard truths and new realities while living her life. The way the story goes back and forth between these woman is amazing. There were twists and turns along the way and I had to read one more page, to see what happened. Lizzie Page wrote such a beautiful, flowing story that I couldn’t put down. This was a 4 star read for me and I would recommend it.

An interesting storyline mixing fact and fiction. Mainly set in WW2 to story concentrates on the friendship/relationship between Bobby and Pinky. He's a famous news photographer and she's a typist but their relationship is solid.
Throughout the book we get an insight of their separate lives, the world around them and their commitment to each other.
The story brings us up to the modern day and we meet some new characters; where the Pinky and Bobby's relationship is discussed.
Once again I found myself looking up the main characters to find out more information.

What a beautiful story this is. Absolutely loved it. Its an easy reading love story that spans different generations and it just works and flows so well. The characters are strong, loveable and engaging. This story was inspired from a true photographer, Robert Capa, which has made me more eager to find out about him and his life.

This was my first book from Lizzie Page and it will not be my last. I have already downloaded another of her books and am looking forward to it.

Well deserving of 5 stars and highly recommended to all.

Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley.

Lizzie Page never seems to stop amazing me with her beautiful and lyrical stories centered around World War II. Page first came on my radar with When I Was Yours and her writing style and emotional storyline really pulled me in. I was really hoping that The Forgotten Girls would give me the same feelings and bring me back during a time in history where life was quite different. I am very happy to say that I loved this story just as much as I did the previous one.

It is the year 1943 and Elaine Parker is a clerical assistant transcribing letters from POW’s looking for secret messages that might help the war effort. The boy she is dating is away fighting in the war, but that does not stop Elaine when she meets handsome and dashing war photographer, Robert Capa, who has captured her attention.

In present day Spain, Jen is reeling from a crumbling marriage and not really sure in which direction her life is going. Until, her brother gives her an old photograph of two girls. Curiosity piqued and Jen sets out to discover how an old photograph ties in to her family. But, in the process will Jen find herself as well?

I really love the dual storylines in this story and they are both done quite well and I can see all of the love and research Lizzie Page poured into this book. In parts historical and other parts fiction, the two blend together to create one gorgeous story filled with hope, love and even redemption. I was pulled into the story from the first chapter and found myself really settling in as Page brought to life the characters in the story. The emotions that ran through me as I read through everything Elaine and Jen went through as they try to find their way, really captured my attention and my heart. Page’s writing is just so atmospheric and I really felt as if I could picture everything in my mind. When a book can do this for me I know it is a keeper.

Although Elaine and Jen are quite different and their stories take place at different times in history, I could see the resemblance. I think in a way they were both lost and finding their way in the world as they try to overcome adversity. I do have to say Elaine, by far, was one of my favorite characters in this story.

If you are a fan of WWII historical stories, then you will definitely love The Forgotten Girls. It is an emotionally charged story with writing that is rich and vivid which will pull you right in with its incredible story.

A really good dual timeline story set during WW2 and today. I loved learning about the clerical girls transcribing POW's letters looking for clues or information. It was something I hadn't heard of - a heartbreaking job with little results. The story of a love affair with world renowned war photographer Robert Capa and clerical worker Elaine was beautiful and heartbreaking. I really enjoyed the todays timeline with Jen and her family. Their memories of Grandmother Elaine were of just a bland older lady so really lovely going through the journey with Jen as she discovers the bravery and history of this lady.

This book is told in a dual timeframe, with Elaine's story set in London during WW2 and Jen's story set in present-day Spain. Elaine is a typist for the military, typing in letters written by POWs and looking for secret messages, when she meets -- and falls deeply in love with -- famed real-life war photographer Robert Capa (aka Bobby) who travels around to photograph the men on the front lines. Jen is newly divorced from her husband, has a teenage son she worries about, and is visiting her brother and mother in Spain, both of whom she has complicated relationships. While in Spain, they are approached by a team doing a documentary on Robert Capa's life, trying to get more information about Jen's late Nana Elaine.

While both stories were interesting, I really enjoyed Elaine's story a lot more. It was a bittersweet love story with a lot of real details about Robert Capa woven in. Elaine was a frustrating character to read, though, and made several poor choices that really limited her happiness.

I also really enjoyed how the stories were tied together, and how it almost seemed like Jen learned from Elaine's mistakes, even though she didn't actually know the whole story of her grandmother's life. Definitely recommend this book for those who like the women's historical fiction genre!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. It did not influence my opinion.