Cover Image: The Mother's Day Club

The Mother's Day Club

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Member Reviews

I must firstly apologise for the amount of time it has taken me to provide me review of this book, my health was rather bad for quite some time, something that had me in hospital on numerous occasions and simply didnt leave me with the time I once had to do what I love most.

Unfortunately that does mean I have missed the archive date for many of these books, so It would feel unjust throwing any review together without being able to pay attention to each novel properly.

However, I am now back to reading as before and look forward to sharing my honest reviews as always going forward. I thank you f0r the patience and understanding throughout x

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This was a brilliant read and is being featured on my blog for my quick star reviews feature, which I have created on my blog so I can catch up with all the books I have read and therefore review.
See www.chellsandbooks.wordpress.com.

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A cute and entertaining story that made me smile and root for the characters.
Good character development, a vivid historical background and an enjoyable plot.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

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I love books set around the war years, especially the lives at home. I have never read about expectant mothers being evacuated before and was intrigued by this. The young mothers must have felt isolated at a time when they'd needed family around them. I loved everything about the book. The characters are vividly drawn and I loved the Mothers Day club. I'd be really keen to read more by this author.

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This was such a cute book! I loved all the women! Thea, Prue, Marianne, and all the women in Great Plumstead, just trying to make the best of a crazy situation. With the oncoming war, the women aren't sitting idle but getting things ton, all while supporting each other through some very tough times. This is a really cozy book, and I recommend picking it up if you're looking for a little escape.

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I have been on a huge book binge of stories centered around WWII, so when I saw the synopsis for Rosie Hendry’s latest book, The Mother’s Day Club, I knew I had to read it.

War has just been declared and women and children are being evacuated to the countryside for their safety. Marianne Archer, twenty years old and pregnant, is one of the women currently being evacuated. For Marianne, this is an opportunity for a fresh start where no one knows her or the secrets she has held close to her heart. Thea Thornton, present owner of Rookery House in Great Plumstead, Norfolk is counting down the hours till the new evacuees arrive. When pregnant women and their children step off of the train instead of only children the villagers were expecting, well, it causes quite a stir in the community. The villagers were none too happy, but they made due with who was sent to them. Will Marrianne and the rest of the evacuees really and truly find a temporary place to call home while war rages all around them?

I really loved this story and Hendry really brings to life all of the characters. I loved the women, while even facing hardships, managed to rally around and protect their community along with the women they have just met. Marrianne seemed to find her footing while guarding her secrets, but little by little she starts to open up to Thea and the other women she has grown close to.

This is such a heartfelt tender story where you really become engrossed in the lives of Marrianne and Thea, along with the rest of the women in the village especially when the future is unknown and bombs could start dropping on their quiet little village. Told through multiple points of view from both the evacuees and the hosts, it really makes you feel submerged into the lives of these women and really rooting for each of them.

If you love a WWII saga that draws you right in then you definitely do not want to miss out on reading The Mother’s Day Club by Rosie Hendry.

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I really enjoy books set in this era, and read quite a lot of them, but this one really stands out for me. I never even knew that expectant mothers were also evacuated to the countryside for safety, and it made this book a little different from others.

Quite apart from the fascinating subject matter, I just loved this book in its entirety for so many reasons.

The characterisation is superb. Each and every one of the characters feels as if you know them, and you feel empathy with them all. I particularly liked Marianne and Thea. The setting is just charming, and the perfect place for these women to keep safe, whilst becoming part of the community. This is not easy at the start, as there’s a big culture shock for the women from London, and quite a resistance from the women of Great Plumstead, who were expecting children to arrive, and not expectant mothers.

The plot weaves its way perfectly along, as the country transitions from peacetime to wartime. The worst effects of war cannot yet be seen, but there’s a sense that it’s all going to get much more difficult. I really hope that this might be the start of a series, as I’d love to meet these characters and visit Great Plumstead again.

For anyone who loves good historical fiction, and a tale of friendship and community, I’d really recommend this. It’s a captivating and entertaining read, but also shows a slightly different aspect to the evacuee scheme. It feels like a little slice of history, with an engaging and gorgeous storyline. I really loved it.

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5☆ A Superb Must Read!

The Mother’s Day Club, is the first book in a brand new Historical Saga and it was such a fantastic read.
I was so swept up in the story, I read it in just a few nights.
It bought back some memories as my Nan and her siblings were evacuated too.

I could talk about the plot but then I could potentially risk giving something away and I believe this book is best being discovered for yourself.

This superb book had so much going on, and I simply adored reading all about the war time history, being evacuees, the war effort,  the country life in war times, the friendships, heartache, there was just so much going on.

What shines through most for me is Hendry's passion for war time history, her Authentic characters and plot themes, as she transported me into the heart of Great Plumstead and into the women's lives. Which for me is a huge tick as I love war time reads that are Authentic and make you feel very much part of the story.

If you adore war time Sagas,that have Poignant Moments, Heart Warming and Loveable Characters, Secrets, Drama, a dash of community spirit then I can't Recommend The Mother’s Day Club enough!
I can't wait for the next installment!

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Call the Midwife fans are going to love Rosie Hendry’s delightful, dramatic and engrossing new saga that sparkles with so much warmth and heart: The Mother’s Day Club.

The small town of Great Plumstead in Norfolk is gearing itself up for the arrival of evacuees from London. Preparation is in full swing and the residents have all thrown their front doors open and are ready to welcome with open arms these young children who have had to leave their homes in London to seek refuge from Hitler’s bombs in the countryside. The people of Great Plumstead cannot wait to meet their new charges – so they are rather surprised when the train from London pulls up and rather than children, they find themselves faced with expectant mothers! This isn’t exactly what the Great Plumstead community had signed up for when they agreed to take evacuees in, but they are hardly going to send the pregnant mothers back home to London, so deciding to make the best of things, the entire town comes together to accommodate the unexpected new arrivals. Will it be a recipe for disaster? Or will this end up being the answer to everyone’s prayers?

Not everyone is keen about the new arrivals. While some fear that the expectant mothers will end up taking over the town, sisters Prue and Thea welcome them warmly. Nothing is too much trouble for the two sisters who want to make the mothers as comfortable as possible. For young pregnant mum Marianne, Great Plumstead is the fresh start she had dreamed of for herself and her unborn child. London was full of bad memories she had only been too keen to leave behind and she is happy to be able to start over in this charming Norfolk town – even if she knows only too well that the community won’t be too happy if they find out the truth about her situation…

As the war begins to make itself felt in Great Plumstead, the men go off to do their bit for king and country leaving the women to keep the fires burning. Will they come together to do their bit for the war effort? Or will they allow petty rivalries and unfounded suspicions to divide them and destroy all of their efforts for their boys who are fighting the enemy?

Rosie Hendry’s The Mother’s Day Club is a heart-warming saga that is the literary equivalent of a warm cup of tea and your favourite biscuit on a cold winter’s day. It is impossible not to get caught up in all the Great Plumstead drama and readers will find themselves laughing and crying along with this community full of loyal, kind-hearted and generous people who might have their ups and down and disagreements, but who would do anything for their friends and neighbours and anybody in their hour of need.

Heartfelt, uplifting and wonderfully addictive, saga fans will not want to miss Rosie Hendry’s latest novel, The Mother’s Day Club.

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A beautifully written story set in the era of World War 2.
This story gave such an insight as to what it would have felt like living in this era. There was such a sense of community spirit even though there was a war going on.

I liked how the story was told from different perspectives, it added so much more meaning to the story.

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I love reading novels set during WW2 and this was different but well worth a good read. Most books tell of the children that are sent away from places like London but this is about pregnant mums to be that are off to Norfolk for the duration. Lovely characters and very well written. You can always rely on a good book when it has been written by Rosie Hendry and I can't wait for her next one.. 5 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this early ARC

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A group of pregnant women are evacuated from the East End of London to the Norfolk village of Great Plumstead at the outbreak of WW2. Some of them land on their feet with billets in really comfortable accommodation whilst others are met with resentment from villagers who do their duty only under threat of being fined, or imprisoned. Expectant mum, Marianne Archer is guarding her own set of secrets but throws herself into the community and thanks to her exceptional dressmaking skills she soon becomes integrated into village life. Marianne's new friend, Sally Parker, who she met on the train to Great Plumstead, is a typical East Ender, quick witted, exuberant and quick to make friends.

What then follows is a lovely, heartwarming story which looks at the events of the early part of WW2 through the eyes of a group of strong women who are doing their best to survive against all odds. There's a strong, authentic feel to village life, from making jam with the Women's Institute, to the emotional pull of motherhood, not just from the expectant mothers to be, but also for those mothers who are having to give up their sons to the war effort.

This talented author has made this genre her specialty especially with the success of her previous WW2 historical saga series which featured the London Axillary Ambulance Service. In The Mother's Day Club she has once again brought the tumultuous events of WW2 to life, however, in focusing on the more gentle environment of rural Norfolk she gives us an altogether different view of living life during wartime which is no less engrossing for being set in the English countryside.

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I really loved this story. It was a warming saga set at the very start of the Second World War. It did not feel dated like some sagas I have read and I really connected with the characters.

Despite starting in London, we are soon taken to the Norfolk countryside, living in Great Plumstead village with many evacuated, heavily pregnant mothers. As the city-women adjust to living in a very quiet, quaint village, we zoom in on a couple of mothers and their experiences. Marianne is pregnant but trying to hide a secret for fear of her and her unborn child being judged. She makes friends with Sally, a lovely, upfront woman who is gone to live with Prue, the leader of the local WI club. Together, Marianne and Sally become firm friends, settling down in the village despite the locals not really appreciating the women’s arrival and upheaval it brings.

There were many characters to get acquainted with and I did initially struggle with all of those living at Thea’s house. Thea has several strong connections and I found it difficult to recognise their different identities. However, once the plot is truly underway, I actually felt like I was living with members of an extended family! All of the characters feel so warming and genuine; I think the writer has captured that great spirit of wanting to be useful and helpful towards the war effort. This made the story more endearing and enjoyable.

All throughout the story, I was expecting there to be more reference to the annual celebration of mothers that occurs all around the world. After all, this is what the title implies, yes? Nope! I was very much wrong! The title is a reference to the club that Prue, Thea and the rest of the WI create for the pregnant women to attend during the day. In order to prevent them leaving and returning to a potentially dangerous London, the WI wish for the women to enjoy their stay in Great Plumstead and actually feel a part of the community. And so, the Mother’s day club was born. As such, I do think a stronger title could have been used for this book and one that did not make me think of Mother’s Day every year!

There are many key events explored in this book. From suspicious activities and meetings with Prue’s loveless husband; responses to the war effort and signing up; to the act of giving birth itself, this book had plenty to offer. I was therefore quite relieved when I discovered that there will be a sequel to this story as I feel there were plenty of unanswered questions at the end. Furthermore, I wanted to see what happens next to the characters. When the novel closes, Great Plumstead remains largely untouched by the horrors of the war. It is inevitable that this will change and I am keen to see what happens next to the village.

A lovely, long read. I really enjoyed watching Marianne and Sally find their feet in the village and actually wanted to see more of the other pregnant women. It was a story that has hints of sadness but buckets of optimism – exactly what was needed for a country in war that, for many, was the second time of their lives.

With thanks to Little Brown Books, Sphere, NetGalley and Rachel’s Random Resources for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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There is powerful feeling to a Saga - historical novel. Maybe because the events happening are closer to our present and hearts. Maybe because of these events that marked our history. Maybe because of the people that are portrayed.

This book is the first in a series, so it's an introduction to a group of people and the circumstances and background of the characters. So, we met Marianne and Thea... they were really amazing. Read about them was like reading about a family member I never knew. They had that familiar feeling and I connected with them.

Friendship, family, country life, war, drama, secrets... There are a lot being explored in the novel. We can't help but be focus and want to know more. We are not only transported to this time period, but also to a plot that although fictional with characters created by the author, it sounded as authentic as any of our grandparents' tales.

Overall, I enjoyed it so much. It had all I look for in this kind of book. It had a realistic setting and narrative. It had amazing characters that made me connect with their stories and their lives. It had enough secrets, danger and drama. It had the interactions needed to understand the plot, the flow of the novel and for me to see the characters almost in real light.

[I want to thank Rachel, at Rachel’s Random Resources, Rosie Hendry and Little Brown Sphere for the eCopy of this book, via NetGalley, and for allowing me to join in the fun and being a part of the blog tour with my honest review of the book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.]

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Anybody who knows me well knows that not only am I a book geek but I am also a huge history nerd with a particular focus on the Second World War. So you can imagine why the synopsis of ‘The Mother’s Day Club’ appealed to me. So without further ado, I grabbed my copy of the book, grabbed a cup of tea and settled down for what I hoped would be a superb read. Having just finished reading ‘The Mother’s Day Club’, my first thought is ‘wow’. I adored ‘The Mother’s Day Club’ but more about that in a bit.
It kind of seems unfair to single out a single character for closer attention as I loved them all. I was particularly fond of two of the female characters and they are Marianne and Sally. On more than one occasion I wanted to jump inside the pages of the book to give them both a huge hug. There was one character who really did get on my nerves, up my nose and under my skin. I could have quite cheerfully have slapped him silly with a wet flip flop. I won’t go into any further details as I would hate to give anything away. Needless to say that I have my own suspicions as to what the toad is going to get up to next and I can’t wait to find out if I am correct.
I can definitely say that ‘The Mother’s Day Club’ was a superb read, which blew my socks off. I read this book in one long reading binge over the course of a few hours. I cannot remember the last time I enjoyed a book so much that I didn’t stop reading all day. This was one of those books that developed a hold over me and it was a hold that I wasn’t willing to break. I became so wrapped up in the story that I started to think of most of the characters as friends and I had to know how the story panned out for them. I found ‘The Mother’s Day Club’ to be a gripping read, which held my attention throughout and kept me on the edge of my seat. ‘The Mother’s Day Club’ is a prime example of an unputdownable page turner of a read.
‘The Mother’s Day Club’ is superbly written but then I wouldn’t expect anything else from Rosie Hendry. She wrote ‘The East End Angels’ series and I thoroughly enjoyed reading every book in the series so I knew that ‘The Mother’s Day Club’ was going to be an amazing read. Rosie has one of those writing styles that is easy to get used to and easy to get along with. Reading one of Rosie’s books felt more like a chat between friends rather than reading an actual book. I hope that makes sense. Rosie has the knack of being able to make the Second World War come alive. Rosie has clearly done a lot of research into Wartime Britain and this shines through in the quality of her writing.
In short, I adored reading ‘The Mother’s Day Club’ and I would have no hesitation in recommending this book to other readers. ‘The Mother’s Day Club’ has to be one of my top reads of 2021 so far. I will certainly be reading more of Rosie’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

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I have previously enjoyed Rosie Hendry's East End Angels series so I was pleased to see that she is starting a new series, also set in the Second World War, with a whole new set of characters. I loved this standalone and it could promise to be my favourite so far. This story centres on a group of expectant mothers who have been evacuated to the countryside in 1939 from London. There is the clash between the two ways of life as rural meets city ways. There are some strong characters established and I can see that there is such a lot of potential for them in future books, especially the three sisters, Etta, Prue and Lizzie.

In addition to the personal stories you get to follow, there is also a lot of detail on the roll out of The Home Front with the campaign to Dig for Victory and the need to grow your own food as rationing is be on the horizon. The stalwarts of the Women's Institute set about organising and enabling the locals to contribute. Not everyone is pleased to be evacuated or eager to offer them a home. Great Plumstead society is shown to be varied, from the more well- to- do to the poorer but you get a sense of a common purpose slowly becoming clear to them all and genuine friendships being formed. The men too are shown, as young men are starting to be called up to the forces. Most of all, you get a real sense that some social attitudes are beginning to be questioned as the war becomes real. Despite some darker moments, this has the overall feeling of a heart-warming read.

Thanks to the author for a copy of the book

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It's lovely to read a story about an element of WW2 that I haven't come across in my reading, so this book has many original aspects which are refreshing. The story set in Norfolk focuses on the changes brought about by the declaration of war in 1939 in a small Norfolk village. Engaging and informative, it's told from three viewpoints. Thea, a free spirit of independent means. Prue, a born organiser with a kind heart who is married to someone who doesn't deserve her and Marrianne, a pregnant evacuee from London who has a secret she must keep.

The well-paced plot immerses the reader into this home front world brought to life by the vividly portrayed characters. There's conflict, community spirit, heartbreak as the story unfolds. It is the first in a historical saga and makes me want to read the next instalment.

This story has all the drama, emotion and poignancy of a historical saga but with quicker pacing making it the perfect read.

I received a copy of this book from Little Brown Books UK -Sphere Books via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

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I love historical fiction particularly sagas set around this era and although Rosie Hendry is a new-to-me author I knew I would thoroughly enjoy THE MOTHER'S DAY CLUB. And I did. I really didn't want it to end and found myself completely immersed within Marianne's story from the beginning.

September 1939, London: With the threat of war looming, women and children are being evacuated to the country in an effort to keep them safe. This time it's the expectant mothers and their infants as they find themselves on a train away from the familiar and into the unknown. One their way to the station, the air raid siren sounds but instead of taking shelter the women are urged to continue by the WVS evacuation officers. It is the 3rd September 1939, the day that changed the course of history for Britain and her people when war was declared on Germany.

Expectant mother Marianne Archer is one of many women from the East End being evacuated but unlike the others, she has a secret. One which she hopes to maintain as she welcomes this relocation to the country as something of a new start for her and her unborn child. Having fallen in love with someone above her class, Marianne found herself pregnant and when her employer discovered her condition promptly sacked her from her prominent position. Marianne had grown up as an illegitimate child herself and she does not want that for her child so fabricates a marriage to a merchant seaman in the Navy. She meets an effervescent woman with auburn hair who introduces herself as Sally Parker and chatters away happily to her throughout their journey.

Great Plumstead, Norfolk: At Rookery House, Thea Thornton prepares one of her spare rooms for an evacuee that was expected later that day. As a child she fell in love with the house she now owns and vowed one day to buy it. When the Great War came in 1914, Thea's betrothed went off to fight while she joined the war effort by driving ambulances at the front line. Sadly the war claimed her fiance, but Thea returned home and set up a business in London where she lived for a number of years before her sister informed her that Rookery House was up for sale. Without another, Thea sold up her business and bought the house she had long been in love with and now lives there with her brother Reuben, who lives in a converted railway carriage on her property, and dear friend Hettie, a retired cook from "the big house".

Prue Wilson, Thea's sister and WI vice-president, thrives on activity. As billeting officer for the community, she has organised billets for each of the evacuees who will meet their hosts at the village hall after their journey from London. Her husband Victor is a prominent businessman and local councillor (and a bully to boot) and while he loathed to take in anyone, Prue reminded him of his duty and standing in the community, and so he reluctantly acquiesced. Now she is standing on the station platform awaiting the arrival of the evacuees.

Upon arrival at Great Plumstead, the expectant mothers and those with young children are met with a flurry of confusion as Prue scurries from WVS officers to the station office. It seems there has been a mix-up. The residents of Great Plumstead are expecting children and their teachers...not expectant mothers and their children. But a phone to HQ and the orders are that the women will remain so they are to make the best of it. But it took a lot of persuading with some people to host children - how will they react to having an expectant mother instead? No woman will welcome sharing their kitchen with another. Not only that, when Prue's husband discovers their billet is to be an expectant mother rather than a teacher he is wild with rage.

Making the best of a bad situation, Prue takes in Sally while Thea immediately befriended Marianne. Thea soon discovers that Marianne is no stranger to the countryside, having grown up in Kent. When her grandmother died, Marianne had moved to London to become a seamstress and trained under a prominent employer in the West End making ball gowns, wedding gowns and clothing for affluent customers. Now a fully qualified seamstress, Marianne soon finds herself making gowns, dresses, suits and clothing for a number of Great Plumstead's residents...including the affluent ones.

As the war beckons, young men are being called up to fight for King and country but before he gets the call, Prue's son Jack signs up for the Army, making his pompous father preen himself with pride. Prue is both worried and fearful for her son as he sets off for training. When the call-up comes a month later, her younger son Edwin receives his papers to register with one of the forces. But Edwin doesn't want to fight. Not because he's a coward but because it goes against all that he believes in - that thou shalt not kill. When he registers as a conscientious objector, his father is furious and tells him he is no longer welcome under his roof. Prue is heartbroken, having felt like she has lost both her sons. With Jack away about to be sent to the front line and Edwin now gone, her house no longer feels like home. But although Edwin has registered as a CO, his status as one is not yet official. He must first go before a tribunal who will then decide, based on letters, references and a barrage of questions that they will put to him, whether his claim will be accepted. What will he do if it's not? And he is forced to fight? What will Prue do?

Meanwhile, after a conversation with one of the expectant mums on a blackberry picking expedition, Thea approaches Prue with an idea for the women to occupy them during the day in Great Plumstead. These women have come from the city where life is constantly busy and there is always something to do and somewhere to go. But in the country, life is vastly different to what they know. So together the sisters come up with a mothers "day club" where the women and their children can gather to chat, where they can learn new skills like sewing or knitting and even make things for the soldiers on the front line. Not only that, it's a place where they feel welcome as many of them don't feel that with their hosts. The only problem is, Prue must get permission from Victor who is the local Councillor. With his say-so, all will be well...but will he give it?

As Marianne continues to keep her secret to herself, she feels bad about lying to Thea and Hettie who have done nothing but made her feel welcome. But she knows that if word gets out she will be shunned, will lose the business she has built and her child will then have the stigma of being illegitimate. But when someone discovers her secret and comes calling with an offer and a threat of blackmail, what will Marianne do? Will she risk everything she has built up and her child's future or will she give in?

There is so much going on in this wonderful story that it is easy to get caught up in the lives of Marianne, Thea, Sally, Prue and everyone else. You wonder will there ever be a happy ending for Marianne whose secret risks coming out? What will happen for Prue and her loveless marriage to a pompous bully? Will Edwin's registration be accepted or will he be forced to fight? So much happens and yet there is so much more to come!

THE MOTHER'S DAY CLUB captured the feeling of wartime Britain and those caught in the crossfire at home, as they prepare for rationing by the "Dig for Victory" campaign to encourage growing your own produce where possible to help the nation as well as keeping themselves fed. It was a refreshing aspect to take by focusing on the evacuation of expectant mothers rather then the children we usually hear about. It made for intriguing reading with some emotional moments as well as some laugh out loud ones too.

A beautiful uplifting story told in the third person narrative from the perspectives of both hostesses and evacuees, namely Thea, Prue and Marianne. The bonds formed in this installment serve as a preface to the rest of the story to come. I really didn't want it to end and the only negative thing about thing was that I had to finish it! I look forward to the next installment "The Mother's Day Victory".

I thoroughly enjoyed THE MOTHER'S DAY CLUB and recommend it to fans of wartime sagas, Lynn Johnson, Elaine Roberts, Pam Howes, Lizzie Lane and Ellie Dean.

I would like to thank #RosieHendry, #RachelsRandomResources, #Netgalley and #SphereBooks for an ARC of #TheMothersDayClub in exchange for an honest review.

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I love historical fiction based in this era and loved being swept away to Norfolk and getting to read about the expectant mothers who were also evacuated as well as children from London.

A story that reinforces the links with our past, whilst circumstances and locations might be fictitious these stories stop us forgetting the wonderful men and women who sacrificed so much for us.

I loved the characters in this story, Thea and her siblings are wonderful and it was great to get to know them. Lots of controversial subjects were covered in this story and I learnt more about things that happened in our past as a country.

A great read that I highly recommend

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I loved this book, it was such a lovely read. The characters were all very likeable and the idea of the story was just right. Set during the Second World War, (one of my favourite eras), it dealt with women evacuated to a village and they were all pregnant. It was a different twist to the usual books set in this time. I really enjoyed this. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

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