This is the first book in The Bryant Sisters Series by Pam Howes.

Set in Liverpool just as WW2 is starting, it's the story of 15 year old Bella Rodgers and her friends Edie and Fran. The girls form a singing troupe - The Bryant Sisters, so called because they work in the Bryant Match Factory. Together with Bella's boyfriend, Bobby, they are asked to boost the morale of the troops. And so they begin to travel all over the country entertaining. Bella is still struggling with the death of her young sister and when Bobby is called up to fight, she loses her way, falling in love with an American entertainer. This is a tale of heartbreak and the very sad outcome of war. 

Great characters and a lovely story line. I'll be looking forward to reading the other books in this series.

I love this author’s books and was so delighted to be given the chance to read and review this one.

I am delighted that it’s the start of a new series, I’m already looking forward to the next one!

Bella is such a nice character. She’s the eldest of her sisters, and she’s heartbroken when her little sister dies. She’s a really kind and caring person, but she’s strong too. I really wanted the best for her.

Bobby is lovely too, and seems so sincere, but events just seem to conspire against them being together. Times are so different with the war on too.

I really enjoy historical novels like these, and this one is a little different, with the girls getting to travel around and entertain the troops.

It’s an emotional story, with all the heartbreak of wartime, but there’s so much love and warmth in this book that it actually feels quite heartwarming.

I really felt so sorry when I came to the end of this book. It was a lovely pleasurable treat to come back to at the end of each day, and I was sorry that it was finished. Anyone who loves a good historical novel will absolutely adore this book. I hope the next one will be on the way soon!

I tried my hardest to get into this book. Historical fiction is my absolute favorite. 
But this book was hard to get into. Maybe I will give it another chance at a later date. But right now sadly I am putting it aside. 
If I do decide to try it again I will definitely come and update my review.

I loved this story and the characters and I am  looking forward to what is to come.  I did  seem to end abruptly but maybe that was because I wanted to hear more!

A heart-warming wartime saga that celebrates women’s strength, friendships and their indomitable spirit during times of great adversity, The Girls of Victory Street is a nostalgic, uplifting and dramatic tale fans of the genre will fall in love with.

In 1939, Bella Rogers thought that she had the world at her feet. She was about to marry the man of her dreams and have a long and happy life with him. Sadly, fate had other ideas in store for her. When war is declared and Bella’s sweetheart heads off to do his duty for king and country, Bella finds herself heartbroken and beside herself with worry. Worse, Bobby’s letters suddenly stop, but his betrayal pales in comparison to the pain, anguish and suffering she feels when her youngest sister dies after falling ill. Bella is absolutely devastated. Life has dealt her a very hand and after losing her sister and the man she loves, she hopes her new job at the Bryant and May factory will be a welcome distraction. With bombs falling, keeping one’s spirits up proves next to impossible, but Bella sings songs for her colleagues and tries to boost their morale. When she meets a handsome American GI, her luck might just be about to change for the better. With Earl by her side, Bella and her friends form a band that goes around army bases singing for the troops. For the first time in a long while, Bella feels on top of the world. As a member of the Bryant Sisters band and with Earl crazy about her, Bella cannot remember a time where she felt this happy – until she finds out she is pregnant..

Just when things had started to go her way, Bella once again faces yet more adversity. Still, she is sure that Earl would be delighted about her baby news – until he makes a startling confession that rocks the foundations of her entire existence. With the bond that tied them together severed forever, Bella heads back to Liverpool where an uncertain future awaits her. As an unmarried mother, Bella wonders whether she will face rejection from her family or whether she will end up having to give up her baby. Will Bella end up having to make the ultimate sacrifice? Can she ever be happy ever again? And will she ever reclaim her place in the spotlight with The Bryant Sisters?

With characters you cannot help but care about, a strong sense of place, humour, pathos and plenty of heart, Pam Howes’s The Girls of Victory Street is an emotional saga that will bring a tear to your eye on many an occasion, but this is not a sad or melancholic tale, but a story of courage, hope, family and friendship that will touch the heart and warm the spirit.

An engaging and emotional page-turner, Pam Howes’s The Girls of Victory Street is sure to delight fans of Nancy Revell and Rosie Clarke.

When I requested this book I thought it was going to be based in Liverpool, as I was reading I was pleasantly surprised to find  the story of Bella and her friends Edie and Fran morph into a story based in ENSA.  I read a lot of books based in WW2 and not many touch on ENSA and when they do, it is ENSA abroad not in England, so it was nice to hear the stories from here and realise how the troupe travelled up and down the country entertaining the forces.  We were able to keep in touch with the whole of Bella's family and this showed us  that it wasn't just children that were evacuated. I did feel that the story jumped a little quickly through the storyline and more depth could have been used, but I still enjoyed reading it.  I look forward to the next book.

England 1939, Bella Rogers, Edie Potts and Fran Jackson are best friends and about to finish school. They all need to find employment and working at the nearby match factory is an obvious choice. All three girls love to sing and it’s something they enjoy doing together.
Everyone is talking about the threat of another war, this makes Bella extremely anxious, her parents start talking about Anderson shelters or setting up the basement in the house with camping beds and using it to take cover if the Germans start dropping bombs.

Bella has a crush on Bobby Harrison since school but WW II starts Bobby is called up, he promises to write and suddenly his letters stop. The girls have been singing on the weekends in a club and are shocked when they are offered a job singing for the ENSA or The Entertainments National Service Association. Soon they are touring the country as The Bryant Sisters and entertaining the troops who are in training and preparing to fight for their country. Bella has lost her little sister Betty this combined with Bobby not keeping in contact with her has made her very upset. Singing is her way of coping, she’s still feeling rather down and then she meets the handsome American Earl Franklin. He takes her mind off her troubles but can she trust him, as we know many English girls had their heads turned by smooth talking Americans during the war and is Bella going to be another victim?

The Girls of Victory Street is the first book in The Bryant Sisters series, this book is about Bella Rogers, her personal challenges, her feelings for both Bobby and Earl, and how she copes with loss of her little sister, being away from her family while touring and the Second World War. Pam Howes has done an excellent job of describing the beginning of WW II in England, the uncertainty, fear and changes it caused. I enjoyed the book, I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series and I assume it follows one of Bella’s friends Edie or Fran?

this is a great historical fiction novel set in world war two. as all historical fiction books are. and that's great and escelent. so. yeah.

Absolutely loved this book, as I adore period pieces.  As this is the first book in the series, I know I will be looking for the next book that becomes available.  Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A wonderful story about three girls growing up in Liverpool during World War II.  In spite of all the tragedy around them, they still manage to find a way to be useful and bring happiness and joy to those around them.  This is a well written book with wonderful historical details.  The characters are complex and believable, and I could hardly put the book down.  This is a very good introduction to a new series, and I'll be looking forward to the next installment.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book for my honest review. 
I was a little disappointed in this book. I had high hopes reading a WW2 historical fiction centered around women, especially one traveling and entertaining the troops. Man, this could have been great. But I had some problems with this one. I found the writing style to be very choppy, we jumped around a lot and the scenes felt like they just stopped. Parts felt like they were just filler and the conversations weren't needed to further the storyline. I found the romance to be a tab on the cringe-worthy side, very instalove. There seemed to be a lot happening in a very short amount of time, and nothing really played well or meshed together. I felt like we are left with some questions a lose ends. In the end, I rate this 3 stars.

Completely enjoyed this read. I do like anything to do with WWII, and this author didn't disappoint. I'd read more by the author, for sure.

Life in the war - Tragedy, hope and a job entertaining the troops. The Bryant sisters stick to each other through thick and thin.

The Girls of Victory Street by Pam Howes is the first in a new series called The Bryant Sisters. It is a fictional, historical saga set in Liverpool as the second World War breaks out.We meet a group of friends, Bella, Edie and Fran. This particular book focuses on Bella's Story.She lives in Liverpool with her family and along with her friends is looking forward to work at The Bryant and May match factory, a typical job for a woman during these times and it means they are able to put money into their respective households, also something that makes them proud.
Bella is also still struggling with the death of her sister and the love of her life is off to war. 
Bella and her friends sing to their workmates in the factory to keep morale up, but this ignites into them becoming known as The Bryant Sisters and travelling around the country performing for morale and even meeting famous people of the time, George Formby being one example.
 With Bobby away at war Bella meets Earl, an American, who shows her what kindness and love is, until earth shattering information comes to light.
 An engrossing tale from one of the most interesting periods in British History, for me anyway. Everything is turned on it's head and I love travelling back in time every time I read a story from that time. I love the camarderie that came about then and the, "We are all in this together", feeling I get. It isn't without it's heartbreaks and anguish either. People like Bella had to grow up so suddenly and lost so much then it was heartbreaking. This is a fantastically weaved story that I raced through and adored being a part of Bella's life for the time I had with the book! Thank you to Bookouture and Netgalley for the copy of the book and having me in the blog tour. Thank you to Pam Howes for bringing The Bryant Sisters into my life, I love them!

The Girls of Victory Street by Pam Howes is the beginning of The Bryant Sisters series.  I enjoyed reading this engaging historical novel.  I thought the characters were well-developed and the author captured the time-period.  Historical events are mentioned along with rationing, Anderson shelters, items in short supply, movies, and popular books.  The author definitely did her research for this book.  The story focuses on Bella, but we also learn about her family and her two friends, Edith Potts, and Fran Jackson.  Bella has a beautiful voice that happens to harmonize with that of the handsome Bobby Harrison.  The three girls work at the Bryant and May match factory until they are recruited to perform.  I enjoyed reading about the girls’ journey.  The story also includes romance, grief, and heartbreak.  The Girls of Victory Street is a story of love, hope, friendship, and family.  I thought the author provided a realistic story as well as a relatable one.  We get to see the struggles people faced before and during the war.  I am eager to read the next book in The Bryant Sisters series.  The Girls of Victory Street is a charming and touching story with snappy singers, a wronged romance, fine friends, silk stockings, and a wretched war.

Liverpool 1939, Bella is about to leave school. She loves singing & is offered a singing scholarship along with Bobby, the lad she really likes & loves to sing with. Along with her two friends Fran & Edie she goes to work in the Bryant & May match factory. The job may be boring but there is always a laugh & song to brighten their day. When war is declared Bobby is called up & Bella's family is broken up by the war. The girls continue to sing to keep spirits up, word spreads & they end up in ENSA singing for the troupes as the Bryant Sisters. For Bella there is heartbreak ahead.

I really enjoy books following the lives of women in WW2 & Pam Howes books are always sure to grab the reader. Her characters are so easy to like & identify with. This was a lovely read & I can't wait to read the next one. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

This is the first book in the Bryant Sisters series. The characters are very well developed, there was war, love, lose, mieschief and happiness. I absolutely loved this book.

The Girls of Victory Street by Pam Howe is a charming story of an English girl before and during World War II. The lives of she and her family are irrevocably changed by the war and this is her story. Bella is the eldest of three children of Harry and Mary. Theirs is a close-knit and loving family. Suddenly, out of nowhere, the youngest, Betty is hit with diphtheria and dies during routine surgery. It is difficult for the family but life goes on. Bella is chosen to receive singing lessons on scholarship and sing with a semi-professional group, as is her friend, Bobby. Upon the turn of her 15th birthday, Bella quits school and goes to work, in order to help support her family. She and her two friends, Edie and Fran pack matches into boxes but shortly start singing top relieve the boredom. Their co-workers love them and they are asked to perform for the company Christmas party. From their careers boom and their lives change as World War II is in full bloom. 

This was a good book, a satisfying look at England during the war. Then ending left me hanging; hopefully there will be a sequel to answer many of the unanswered questions. The plot was good, parts of it old hat, but much of it new and refreshing. The girls were typical girls for the time, and each had stories of their own. Bella was a good character, forced into adulthood a little early and faced with some difficult choices, with which she did a credible job. The peripheral characters were varying degrees of well-rounded, as you would expect, but filled their roles nicely. All-in-all, a charming book, well worth the read. I recommend it. 

I was invited to read a free ARC of The Girls of Victory Street by Netgalley in exchange fore a fair and honest review. All opinions and interpretations contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #thegirlsofvictorystreet

World War II serves as a backdrop for this novel, which is ultimately a study about resilience and how life carries on even as it seems to be falling apart. Heartfelt and honest, it was a quick and thoughtful read. Bella and her family face quite a few challenges, war or no war. I really enjoyed Bella’s “professional” trajectory. I’m a big fan of the Andrews Sisters, so I imagined them quite often throughout the book. I thought the message of music as a relief from the personal strains of life was also a good one. For a detailed review, please visit Fireflies and Free Kicks. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a digital ARC of the book.

I am a historical fiction lover and the era I read the most is WWII so I really loved this book. It was so good I read it in one day! The characters are complex, relatable, and likeable (well...some of them are). The relationships are complicated and keep the reader's interest. The storyline is fantastic because you never know what will happen next. Can’t wait to read the rest of the series! Thank you to @netgalley and @bookouture for the ARC of this book!