The Ops Room Girls is the debut novel from Vicki Beeby and it follows three young women who join the WAAF-Women’s Auxiliary Air Force during WW2. It was the second book that I had read in a number of months that featured the work of women in the operations room and prior to this I knew nothing about the incredible work these women did. For nearly half of this book I was interested but there was nothing really gripping me, or nothing in particular that set it apart from other books in this genre, but then all of a sudden there was a turning point and things just clicked with me and the book took on a whole new level of deception and intrigue and a sense of working as a team to solve a problem that if allowed to continue would have serious repercussions. From that moment I really became hooked and found this book to be a great read and by the time I reached the end I definitely knew that I wanted to hear more from these girls.

Evie Bishop lives in Oxford and is hoping to study a maths degree at university. She has worked hard and when she is offered a scholarship she feels her dreams are about to come true. I loved that Evie was a bit different from the norm and wanted to better herself through further education. She was lonely and bullying during her school years meant a lack of friends, she hoped that university would change all this for her and help her break through the class barrier. But luck was not on Evie’s side as her father Stan, who had never fully recovered from a mustard gas attack during the first war, takes ill and passes away. Evie knows she can’t go on to do her degree now that her circumstances have changed. Her mother seemed a bit cold and aloof and when she says it’s time Evie pays her way. She knows her dream is gone or maybe it could just be put on hold for the moment? Evie pushes her own needs aside and volunteers for the WAAF. I thought she was so selfless in doing this as it was an entirely new experience for her.

Her life changing decision pushed her out of her comfort zone and presented many challenges both emotional and physical but her mathematical talents would be put to good use as when she has completed her training she is chosen to go to the RAF base at Amberton in Sussex and is tasked with working in the ops room. Here she is on the front line so to speak. Yes she is not on the battlefields in Europe but her knowledge, talent and skills are pivotal in relaying information to pilots in the air and plotting the course of both enemy and British aircraft. It’s a steep learning curve for her but she wants to use her talents to serve her country and in doing so she hopes she will find a sense of purpose and comradeship. Her work as a plotter means people’s lives depend on her accuracy and she soon comes to learn through the two new friends she makes that sharing a problem and being able to laugh about it with someone else makes all her own personal issues weigh far less heavily.

To a lesser extent than Evie, two other girls did feature and I am hoping that in subsequent books that these two may feature more heavily. Of course they were present and did have an important role to play but here the story did really centre around Evie and her experiences. When Evie arrives at the base she meets Jess Halloway, an actress who is glamorous and exuberant. There is a real sense of daring and fun about her, she takes her work seriously but you get the impression that she enjoys the good times too and always has her eye on a new man to keep herself entertained when not on duty. 

May has used this new opportunity to get away from her family as her life is dominated by her father and brothers. She doesn’t want to get mixed up with any men and she comes across as being shy and vulnerable. I wanted to know more about her past experiences and why she was so reluctant to become involved with anyone. It was as if she was down trodden from shouldering the burden at home and this new sense of freedom, opportunities and life experiences afforded to her well I hope she embraced them with open arms. But I could tell that wasn’t going to be easy for her. She develops a fondness for Squadron Leader Peter but seems so reluctant to act on it and given what her mother experienced with her father which is alluded to but never discussed in detail you could understand this but are all men really to be tarnished with the same brush.

Squadron Leader Alex Kincaith featured heavily throughout the story and I was glad to really get a male perspective on events at the airbase on the ground and in the air. He is wrestling with a burden as the last time his squad went in the air it ended in disaster. Guilt and anxiety eat away at him and he wishes to redeem himself. I loved the friendship that you knew could turn into something more between Alex and Evie and I desperately hoped that could give into their feelings and allow it to become something long term. Alex had been grounded ever since but is desperate to get back in the air so when a Czech pilot lands at the base and he is believed to be an enemy this sets in motion a crucial part of the plot and this for me is when things really took off after what was a very slow start. 

Jiri Stepanek it turns out has had enough of what he has witnessed on his home soil and is determined to join the British and play his part in bringing about the downfall of Hitler. Alex is put in charge of this new squad with several more pilots from different countries and Evie and Jess are tasked with teaching them English. I loved seeing all the inner working of the base and how this was but one base and one small yet vital cog in the overall wheel of battle. There wasn’t too much detail as to over burden the reader and the plot would become lost amidst technical terms. Yet it was evident that the author had done such impeccable research into the subject matter and it gave me an even deeper appreciation for how so many people put themselves on the line during the war. There was the perfect balance between details re the work of the girls and other issues and plots so that none over took one or the other.

When it becomes clear that the Germans really want to bash Britain into submission, I felt the story took on a whole other level. It felt very real, tense, dangerous, anxiety inducing and thrilling. The plot became edge of your seat stuff and I was rapidly turning the pages. Definitely the later half made up for the slow start as a real element of mystery and sleuthing took effect. Things start happening at the base that really shouldn’t and I could see the little clues and tit bits that were being dropped and I thoroughly enjoyed the girls trying to work things out. They went way beyond the call of duty which just shows how deeply invested they were in what they were doing. A real human element and a sense of everyone working together to solve the conundrum was evident and I lapped up every minute of it. Being a historical fiction book and having the added element of trying to solve the enigma was just brilliant and it really made all three girls step outside of their comfort zones and rash opinions you have formed of them initially were definitely turned on their head into perhaps more positive and admirable ones.

Evie, Jess and May form a close bond and friendship and they bring out the best in each other and stick with one another in times of trouble and strife. Alongside the mystery to be solved before disaster strikes that will leave irreparable damage is the love stories for each girl and I enjoyed this but for me trying to have the good triumph over evil to uncover the secrets hooked me far more. So despite struggling to get into The Ops Rooms Girls initially there was a real turning point for me which made me really really enjoy this book and it left me certainly wanting to read more from this trio. Christmas with the Ops Room Girls was published in the last months of 2020 and it’s one I didn’t get round to reading over the festive season but I hope to rectify that as soon as possible.

A wonderful book about three women who come together during World War Two. Evie, May and Jess are well-rounded characters, each with their own personal battles to cope with as well as having to face traumatic events during their time working in or around the ops room. A lovely escapist read.

Thanks to Canelo and NetGalley for an ARC copy in return for an honest review.

A lovely read.  A little different from my usual reads as this had a little twist with intrigue and mystery becoming part of the storyline.  We become involved in the lives of Evie, May and Jess as they start their careers at the beginning of WW2, as their lives intertwine on the ground of the air base where the girls are stationed.  The characters are strong and as the book progresses you become involved with their struggles and their successes, I look forward to joining them again.

OXFORD - DECEMBER 1939

This novel started well for me, then became predictable.  The book is well written and the descriptions of the Ops Room under fire was enjoyable.  The romantic parts I skimmed over, but interested enough to complete the book.

Oxford, December 1939 is where we are introduced to Evie Bishop.  Evie won a scholarship in maths at Oxford. After the death of her beloved father who encouraged her education, her bereaved mother cancelled Evie's scholarship as she wanted her to stay at home. Evie was so enraged by her mother's actions she signed up with the WAAFs and left home.   Her posting took her to the Ops Room and meeting of two other WAAF recruits, May & Jess. We learn of their friendship, love, secrets, and danger of wartime.  

This book will be popular with some readers.   

I WANT TO THANK NETGALLY FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO READ AND ADVANCED COPY OF THIS BOOK

Wow book one of a series set in WW2. This book tells the story of Evie a young girl trying her best to get the best education possible. After the death of her beloved Father, and her Mum going behind her back to refuse a scholarship to Oxford. Evie feels she has no choice then to leave her home behind. On the spur of the moment she finds herself joining the Waaf. Evie soon makes friends with Jess and May. Together their adventures give us readers a page turning delight. I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading the next book.

I greatly enjoyed this story following the lives and developing friendship of three WAAFs during WWII. The women were all likeable and driven by their own motives. Clearly well researched, the story evoked a great sense of period and portrayed the high stakes under which the men and women lived. I loved the Sussex setting, living in the area with family who served locally, I picked out and recognised key places. With friendship being the key theme, there’s also love, danger, mystery and intrigue – plenty to keep the pages turning and to hold your attention from beginning to end.

As usual in my reviews I won't rehash the plot - plenty of other reviews like that out there!

I really enjoyed this book - the author's style is easy to read and flows well, and the plot was well thought out.  There is a nice mixture of friendship, romance, history, and intrigue to keep the reader interested throughout. The characters are so well described that you can picture them all.

I was pleased to discover that this is the first in a series, so I will now be looking out for the sequels.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC. All opinions my own.

This engaging story follows the lives of three young women during WW2. All are part of the Women's  Auxillary Airforce (WAFF). Evie, Jess and May have different backgrounds and personalities, but they gravitate together when they meet on an airbase in Sussex. This friendship sustains them through adventure, danger, intrigue and romance.

The characters are believable and likeable. The story's excellent sense of period brings WW2 to life, highlighting the sense of community and the tragic consequence of war.  This is a charming story, One that involves the reader in the women's lives. It's easy to imagine the airbase and its occupants as the author uses sensory imagery well. It would make a good television series.

I received a copy of this book from Canelo via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

It’s 1939 and Evie Bishop manages to get a scholarship to study mathematics at the Oxford University, unfortunately a loss in her family will turn everything upside down and will crush her dream. This brings Evie to join the WAAF to still make something purposeful with her life. In Amberton she will find love and friendship. 
This was such a compelling book I couldn’t put it down. I loved how the main character, Evie, in such a challenging environment, finds the self confidence that she couldn’t find before, it’s nice to see her transformation throughout the whole book. The love story in the book it just felt dreamy and super romantic, I felt their feelings and imagined their reactions. But what made the book stand out to me was the mix of romance, historic but even suspense details present in it.

An interesting read which has obviously been very well researched. The story of 3 friends during World War 2 is well written and a compelling read.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

Evie Bishop is a working class girl in Oxford in 1939. She has just won a scholarship to read Maths at the University. Before she can take up the offer her father dies. Her mother tells her she could get herself a good job in a bank & has refused the scholarship. Evie is furious & whilst trying to walk off her anger sees a recruitment for the WAAF & signs up. Before long she is sent to a base near the South coast. On the train journey she meets May, another recruit & along with Jess, another WAAF the girls become close friends & share the ups & downs of their lives.

This was a terrific well researched book about an area of war work I knew very little about. I've seen the bit plotting table & markers in films, but it was really fascinating to find out what was really going on. Tha characters were interesting & the story kept going at a good pace. It was a good satisfying read. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review it.

A good historical fiction, gripping and entertaining.
The historical background is well researched and vivid, the characters are lively and interesting, the plot flows and kept me hooked.
I strongly recommend it.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

The ARC of this book was kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. #TheOpsRoomGirls #NetGalley.
This book was a pleasant surprise! It was well written and well paced, with loveable characters. I particularly enjoyed the development of the main three girls, it felt genuine and not too rushed. There was enough mystery left surrounding their pasts, so much so that I would eagerly read a book from both Jess's and May's perspective. Some scenes felt a tad repetitive, for example, the constant emphasis on Evie's worries about Alex while he was flying and she was stuck in the Ops Rooms. However, the dialogue felt fresh as did the progression of the story. I see myself picking up the next book once it becomes available, all in all this was an enjoyable read!

What can I say?

Brilliant! Gripping! Full of characters that I grew to care about - most important, of course - and a flow to it that made it impossible for me to put down.

From a heart-warming and heart-stopping scene post Dunkirk - if you don't have tears in your eyes at reading this scene, you're not human! - to the way the author describes the duties undertaken by the ladies (ex-RAF reviewer with a big interest in this period), I can't think of a place the author went wrong. The characters have charm, but also realism. I can't wait to catch up with them in the next in the series.

My thanks to both Canelo and Netgalley for allowing me to read this wonderful novel!

Excellent, I loved everything about this book, its got a bit of everything, friendship, romance, action and adventure. Throughly enjoyed meeting all the characters and can't wait to read what become of them all

My thanks to NetGalley and publisher Canelo for the ARC.

This is just such a great read!  I could easily have been watching a war-time film; lots of drama and intrigue alongside the dangers and consequences of romantic involvements around that time.

It's 1939 and Evie Bishop has won a scholarship to Oxford to study mathematics.  However, her father dies after a long illness and, despite making her promise at his death bed that she would follow her dream, after his death she discovers a subterfuge her mother has carried out in order to make her stay at home.
Frustrated, she joins the WAAF and after training is sent to an airfield in West Sussex where she teams up with two other girls, May and Jess - each having their own reasons for joining-up.  Jess and Evie are working in the underground Operations Room as Plotters and May is working as a driver.

The reader is taken through the highs and lows of RAF life; the discipline, the disappointments, but also the joy of these three girls' friendships and their support of each other.  But things take a sinister turn when it's realised there may be a saboteur at work and the hunt for a traitor leads Evie and Jess into danger.

Riveting!  Couldn't put it down; absolutely absorbing.

I would like to thank Canelo for asking me to review this book and to be apart of the blog tour.
The Ops Room Girls is the first book in a lovely new series and one I am very excited about. I adore historical reads and from the amazing cover to the blurb I knew this was one I would enjoy.
Evie Bishop has received a scholarship and an amazing opportunity to go and study mathematics at Oxford however, when tragedy strikes she has to let her dreams go and try and carry on the best she can. Its 1939 and war is breaking out and Evie decides to join the Women's Auxiliary Air Force as an Ops Room Plotter. She meets two other girls who are WAAF's and together they face not only the war but all the other tough situation that arise during that era, including the danger.
This was an incredible read and one I had high expectations for and I was not disappointed. The story is written so well with believable and dramatic scenes. The characters are believable and real and they had me completely immersed in their world. 
I am incredible excited for the next instalment of the series.

Absolutely loved this book.  The characters brought you into the story.  Lovable characters.  They made me want to read on when I finished.  I really hope this becomes a serious of books about each character.  The story tells us about the courage and bravery of the WAAF girls and the pilots in the Second World War what they came up against every day.  A brilliantly written book.  Hoping for the next book very soon.

The Ops Room Girls is such an enjoyable book. The story gallops along, making it difficult to put down, and there were places towards the end when my heart was actually thudding.

It features three women, all of them young and from modest backgrounds although they all join the WAAF for different reasons. This book (the first in a series) focuses on Evie, a working class girl whose scholarship to an Oxford college was ripped away from her. The characterisation in this book is so good I was feeling for her within the first few pages and really wanted to know where her story was going.

The answer is the operations room of an airfield in West Sussex, where she arrives in the summer of 1940. She makes friends with glamourous former actress Jess and shy May who has been perpetually put down by her father and brothers. All of them are escaping from something but become totally committed to the war effort.

I expected this, and I expected love stories, but what made this book stand out is the mystery that had to be solved as sabotage rears its ugly head on the base. It is a compelling plot strand that certainly kept me turning the pages.

I so enjoyed this book! I was right there with the heroine, Evie all the way through each page, feeling her emotions and was sure I could even hear the aircraft engines. What a great depiction of life in World War Two as a WAAF. Loved all of the characters, especially Evie, May, Jess and Alex. Finished reading the story with a tear in my eye.  I need the sequel now please.