The story takes place at the beginning of world war II. Following the lives of three women who end up together in the Cornish town of Porthcurno where a secret military base is running during WW2, they battle with not only the war, but rations, gender stereotypes, abusive husbands and raising nieces after one woman's sister is killed in the blitz. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to more books by the author.

Wartime with the Cornish Girls hooked me from the very beginning. It was hard to put down. When I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it, eager to pick it up again. The characters were well-developed and interesting. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am thrilled that a sequel is in the works!

The setting is 1941 in London during the Blitz. I was anxious to get to the Cornwall setting but this takes a few chapters. We met three very brave women who come from different backgrounds.

Violet lives in London and helps at her mother’s shop selling sandwiches and cakes. Her father is dead, her sister was recently killed in an air raid bombing and her brother-in-law is a soldier missing in action. As his mother was German there are insinuations he was a spy. Cheery stuff here. Violet moves her nieces to Cornwall as it’s safer and goes to work at an air base.

Eva is a showgirl in London. She meets an American airman and there is some romantic interest there, then the club where she is performing is bombed during a strike. She awakens in the hospital and after recovery she moves to Porthcurno Cornwall to work at an air base using her knowledge of Morse code to help with the war effort. ( there’s a backstory to this development )

Hazel is a local woman who already lives in Cornwall and works at the air base. She is married and her abusive husband is deployed during the war. He gets home on leave occassionally and is most assuredly not a model husband. Not a bad man, just not a good husband.

I thought it was a slow start but found it more enjoyable once the three main characters met up at work. I liked the friendships formed and the Cornish setting. Normally I like an edgier plot and action but this is a nice “beach read” type of book. If you are looking to escape the horrors of the news right now you may enjoy this book. Nothing objectionable here.

Much thanks to Netgalley for the advanced complimentary copy. I was not compensated for this review and throughly enjoyed this book. Publication by Avon Books UK is February 18, 2021. Genre is historical fiction/womens fiction.

Betty Walker lives in Cornwall and is a prolific writer.

Sharing with Joy for British Isles Friday

This is a nostalgic, heart-warming enjoyable read tracing the lives of Violet, Eva and Hazel as they converge on the Cornish village of Porthcurno - Violet and Eva fleeing the Blitz in London with Hazel, a local resident. It was a joy to follow their burgeoning friendship, dip into their lives and the privations of World War Two life as well as their romances. A minor detraction was the book ending on a series of cliffhangers with no sense of resolution. It's clearly intended to be the first book in a series but the ending did feel rather abrupt. Overall though this was a really pleasant slice of escapism and thank you to Netgalley for the advance review copy.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

A very different view of England during WWII, as experienced through the eyes and ears of five English girls. The beautiful scenery so well described, and the calmness and quiet belies the fact that the England is at war. Victoria and her nieces, Lily and Alice, have experienced the bombs and the death they bring, and arrive at Porthcurno, South Cornwall ready for a respite. Eve also comes to recuperate after a near hit in London. Hunter, a resident, has wars’ side effect to deal with, a husband in the war and their teenage son who is itching to join his father at the front. They find Porthcurno not quite as silent and serene as it first seems. What the girls find and how they deal with it makes for a highly entertaining story. I did think there was some repetition but the characters were well defined and the story in intriguing. For Historical, General and Serial Interest.

Wartime with the Cornish Girls is a very well-written story with a good plot. There were three different perspectives, but it was written well enough that it didn't confuse or bother me at all. It was clear who was who and it stayed that way during the entire book. I liked Violet's chapters most, but all women were interesting characters with equally interesting stories. The reason I think it's worth four stars instead of five is that at times it was somewhat predictable (Hazel's husband for example, or Max), but apart from that it was great. I am already looking forward to the next book!

A wonderful and engaging wartime saga. The story focuses on the lives of 3 women of very different backgrounds, who meet in the Cornish town of Porthcurno and work together at a secret WW2 base.
From tragedy to intrigue, friendship and romance, the threads of the female characters lives weave together to form a beautiful tale, which highlights the extraordinary resilience and demonstrated by women during the war.

I am looking forward to reading the next instalment!

Thanks to author Betty Walker and #Netgalley for the opportunity to read this advanced copy for an honest review.

Great start to a new series!!!! This book introduces us to three women drawn together during WWII. England is under attack and for different reasons they all end up at a seaside town. Here underground the war is fought by code breakers. This is where the story begins. Romance and intrigue ensues.

Porthcurno, Cornwall hold a well camouflaged, top secret, British military base near the sea during WWII. Here three very different women meet, brought together by war. Some escaping the night bombings in London, another, a local woman. These women bond together to find work and love.
I’m fascinated with WWII history and Britain battled the longest against Nazi Germany. Many not as well known facts are fractionating to learn about.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. How I enjoy a good old fashion story with great friendships and how they all overcome the hardships. Great read

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I’m very glad that I had the opportunity to read Wartime with the Cornish Girls by Betty Walker. I’m not certain if I would have chosen this book without NetGalley’s recommendation. While the title may be simple and generic, the actual content of the novel is absolutely wonderful.

The book follows three young women who all happen to make their way to the same British military base in Porthcurno, Cornwall during WWII. Eva has been summoned to Eastern House by her father, Colonel Ryder, after a near death experience during an air raid in London. Violet, along with her nieces Lily and Alice, are seeking safety from their home in the East End during the Blitz as well as from rumors of their family being spies due to their German relations. Hazel has obtained employment at Eastern House in order to provide extra income to support herself and her son Charlie while her abusive husband is fighting at the front.

Each woman has her own personal issues and burdens to carry. However, they all find a way to work through their predicaments in order to persevere through the war. This story exemplifies how even in the toughest of times, there is some good and happiness that can be achieved.

Although this book is a work of historical fiction, it also includes love, loss, and even a bit of espionage. I felt that the amount of time dedicated to each woman’s perspective was appropriate and moved the plot along at a satisfactory pace. As the story developed, Eva, Violet, and Hazel’s narratives were organically weaved together, allowing for their friendships to evolve. In doing so, I was drawn in more and more with each chapter, in great anticipation of the next development. Overall, I enjoyed the story and getting to know all of the characters. I’m glad that their adventures will continue and cannot wait to read Christmas with the Cornish Girls.

Brilliant!! When is the next installment I cannot wait. Good, solid characters tell this story of intrigue. I love Hazel and Violet and really hope they get their happy ever after. Eva is a wild child but honest and loyal and when she falls for the professor I felt something wasn't quite right. All the girls are brought together in Cornwall after leaving London during the War, and become friends with Hazel who is local and helps find them work. A gritty tale of love and loss in difficult times.

Wartime with the Cornish Girls by Betty Walker is the first book I am reading by the author..

The ARC of this book was kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. #NetGalley.

Reminded me a lot of Ellie Deans Cliffehaven books, which i was a HUGE fan off. I hope this is first book in a series. Story follows a group of wartime girls who for various reasons find themselves in Cornwall during WW2. Their hopes, their dreams and their fears make for a great read.

Cant wait to read more.

I loved this book about women during WWII in England. The author knows how to write realistic, likable characters. I plan to see if Betty Walker has any other books to read. I think I've found a new author for my favorite lists!

This was such a sweet read, just want I needed to take my mind off the world news. A perfect escape from the depressing statistics. Set I WW2 this was slightly different from other war time books that I’ve read. This dealt with the secret codes and messages that went on in England during this time. I found this fascinating which made me enjoy the story even more. If this author has written anymore books then I will definitely look forward to reading them.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

I enjoyed the story once the three girls meet and form friendships. Unfortunately, it took several chapters to get to that point. Four stars for the second half of the book.

Books set during wartime give one better perspective during these months of Covid mayhem in 2020.

Advanced reader copy courtesy of the publishers at NetGalley.

Readers looking for a "gentle read " might just find that this new novel fits the bill. There are characters of several personalities that are likable, plus some romance and suspense..Those that enjoy historical fiction, especially set in Britain during World War II (myself included!) will enjoy the ambiance.

Fans of "Call the Midwife" will easily be able to imagine the characters originally from London's East End. And novels set in Cornwall seem to attract readers. This one combines all of those elements and more. Don't expect anything but a few hours of pleasure reading.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher, I was able to enjoy the ARC of this book, in order to read and give an unbiased review.

I really enjoyed this book. Each of the girls was very unique, but the way their lives intertwined felt real.

I really enjoyed this story of three women and their roll during WWII in a small Cornish town! I'd love to read more about the characters and hope there are more books to this series! Violet from the East End, Hazel a local woman and Eva the daughter of the colonel meet and plan a dance for the soldiers in their area. They couldn't be different but each is eager to find their place in the world and serve their country.

I wish there was more to the book, it did seem a bit short but what was there was very enjoyable. The book has light and dark moments and characters that are well developed with personalities that shine through. It could easily be made into a series and I hope to hear more of Eva and Violet's characters in particular.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon Books UK for the opportunity to read this ARC!

The ARC of this book was kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. #NetGalley.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, from beginning to end! I've read plenty of books that fall into the wartime category but this one was a standout from the start. The characters within this book are fun to read about and I found myself rooting for their happiness, I became quickly emotional invested in them. A few side characters felt a tad two dimensional, but the main characters were developed enough that I could look past this. The story progresses at a steady pace, without dragging or feeling as if it needed a boost. Honestly, all in all this was wonderfully heartwarming and I found myself already wanting to read the sequel, no doubts I'll be picking it up as soon as it's available!