Another enjoyable book from Rachel Sweasey.

I usually find I enjoy the past better than the present in dual timeline books but this was the opposite. I enjoyed reading about the modern day Brownsea Island and I actually now would like to visit. I warmed more to the modern day characters than I did those in the past. It took me ages to work out who Charlie was and I was unsure which of the Dutch characters he was. I still feel confused by how Klaus was surviving and what he was doing in the years between arriving in England and being killed?

Like many historical fiction books I learnt new things from reading it and would recommend it to others.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers and author for allowing me to read an Arc copy.

The Island Girls is a warm and uplifting read about friendship, second chances, and finding where you truly belong. Rachel is a new author to me, and she writes with a light, engaging style that makes you feel part of the community she describes. The characters are likeable and easy to connect with, and the island setting adds a charming backdrop to the story. It’s the kind of book that leaves you with a smile and a sense of comfort.

A lovely dual-time story set in 1941 and 1998 in Poole Dorset.
Peggy, Rebekah and a long lost letter. A historical novel with a bit of mystery. Great depth to characters, and a story that keeps you gripped until the end..

This book is such an interesting view on WWII, showcasing parts of the background work being done to aid the fight.

I knew nothing about Poole, about the Dutch refugees who ended up in their harbour after escaping the German invasion of their country, or of the flying boats and the women who stepped up to work on the boats when their male counterparts went to war. After reading this book I have learnt so much more, both through the book itself and through some extra research it inspired me to do.

The dual timeline, plus additional chapters from Hans and Charlie’s POVs, were written wonderfully - it did not feel clunky as some books with multiple timelines and POVs can, as it flowed really well.

This was the first book I’ve read by this author, and after reading this I have added many more of their novels to my “to be read” list!!

4.5 stars out of 5 ⭐️

Having visited Brownsea Island this book appealed to me. I knew a little bit of its history, but not much. This dual timeline story gives the reader an insight into the past, whilst still recognising the familiar. Both sets of characters have us enthralled and wanting to know more, although I have to say Peggy's story was my favourite. A worthy read.

Dorset Coast, modern time (late 1998) and WWII era. Peggy’s story is captivating, romance or duty to her country that’s her dilemma.
Brilliant story, usually I don’t like the genre so much but I enjoyed this one.

In this brilliant new World War II dual-timeline historical fiction novel, readers join Peggy, a volunteer with the flying boats and RAF forces located near the village of Poole on Brownsea Island off the Dorset coast in 1941, and Rebekah, who has traveled around the world to take up a job on Brownsea in 1998. Peggy values her service to her country and its defense, but a special mission specifically meant for her will force her to choose between her duty to her country and her future happiness. Rebekah, over fifty years later, will discover a hidden letter and the island’s military secrets, which will perhaps shed light on the secret history of Brownsea Island and the people of Poole. Brilliantly written with two fantastically complex perspectives and characters driving this World War II narrative, Rachel Sweasey brings the hidden history of Poole and Brownsea Island to life in startling, complex, and emotional detail. The combination of characters and the different challenges they face add different kinds of complexity to the narrative, and the different interpersonal conflicts make Peggy and Rebekah engaging and relatable heroines. With high stakes and two perfectly balanced narratives, this is a great new addition to the World War II historical fiction genre that fans of similar titles will love.

I enjoyed this book so much. It was a roller coaster of emotion ranging from heartbreak to hope. The characters and plot were both well written. I was hooked from the first page because this was such a beautiful story. The moments of lost were heart wrenching, but the moments of courage were so inspiring. I loved this story, and I highly recommend it to those history/historical fiction lovers. I can't wait for more from this author.

Thank you Net Galley ARC and Boldwood Books

This is not the fastest paced novel. It is set in Poole harbour as a dual timeline book set at the end of the last century and WW2. The author has obviously done a lot of research as to the role of the flying core and the harbour during WW2. I get the feeling that she has created this novel in order to tell their story. The later date pre-dates general use of mobile phones which feels like it was also set then so as to let the second half of the plot work. All in all an interesting work which informs but not the best edited piece of writing. 3-4 stars from me.

A novel set in early WW2 and the late 1990s featuring two strong female protagonists. I enjoyed learning about Pooles incredible role in the war and the origins of international air travel and the beautiful Brownsea island. Well researched, the authors love for Poole shone through the novel.

1941: For the townspeople of Poole on the Dorset coast, the war in Europe feels to be right on their doorstep. And with more and more men leaving to fight, one fisherman’s daughter is determined to do whatever she can to help. Peggy volunteers to use her skills on the water to work with the flying boats alongside the RAF based in the harbour. But when she is asked to undertake a special mission, she will have to make a terrible choice – between her duty to her country and her only chance of happiness.

1998: Rebekah has travelled halfway around the world to take up a role on Brownsea Island. This tiny island off the coast of England is a treasure trove of natural wonder, but it still carries the scars of fighting. And when Rebekah discovers a lost letter from the war, hidden all this time, she becomes determined to deliver it, fifty years later.

But the idyllic Dorset harbour hides many more secrets, and Rebekah’s search for the truth will change her life in ways she never imagined possible…

Interesting read. Will recommend to others.

This is a WWII dual time story. I loved this story. The author wrote it so it was easy to go back and forth. I read into the night.

I enjoyed this novel, learning about the significance of Poole Harbour during the Second World War. Some of the facts that Sweasey included were fascinating, such as where the origins of the word “airport” comes from. As far as dual-timeline stories go, this was pretty good, but I felt more invested in the past compared to the present.

Sweasey does a great job of striking parallels between the female protagonists. I liked how Brownsea Island and Poole Harbour connect Rebekah and Peggy over the decades and how both characters have found a contentment in their surroundings. In the present, we learn why Rebekah lives on her own and are briefly provided with her background to life in Australia… which also happened to include her next door neighbour, none other than our second lead female.

In the war, Peggy is responsible for helping with the flying boats. However, it soon becomes clear that there is an enemy within their midst who is leaking information to the Germans. Life changes for Peggy when she realises that she needs to put her country before her heart, crossing her fingers and toes that any budding relationship with airman Darrell will remain intact.

Yet, as is often the case, there are assumptions that lead to misunderstandings. Both Peggy and Rebekah have romantic interests in their timelines, although it turns out that Rebekah has more solid foundations. On the other hand, Peggy shows a strength and determination that I felt was lacking in Rebekah, even though she does start to follow her own mind in the latter part of the novel.

I found I was more interested in Peggy’s story and think that the dual-timeline element could have been forgotten entirely, so focussed was I on what happened during the Second World War. Indeed, the story opens with a fraught chapter in Rotterdam and I was really hoping that the characters impacted would feature more in the plot as a whole, rather than being side-lined to near the end. In my opinion, this weakened the overall narrative; by the time the Rotterdam characters re-appeared, I had almost forgotten about their opening scenes.

An undelivered letter from the past drives this narrative and I loved how it connected Rebekah and Peggy over the years. The love interests were sweet and added warmth, although I was hoping for more of a happy ending for our wartime heroine.

With thanks to Boldwood books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This novel by Rachel Swenson is set in Poole and is a dual timeline story in wartime and the 1990’s.
It’s a lovely story with love, secrets and sacrifice running throughout the pages.
I absolutely loved this book and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it.

Set mostly in and around Poole on the UK’s Dorset coast, The Island Girls is a dual timeline historical story told mostly through the eyes of fisherman’s daughter Peggy Symonds in 194 and National Trust ranger Rebekah Martin in 1998. Peggy, a BOAC launch pilot, knows Poole Harbour like the back of her hand and has been in and around boats all her life. She’s bright, intelligent and very likeable. Rebekah is Australian and learned conservation from an early age thanks to her neighbour Aunty Pig. She’s sworn off men having escaped a controlling relationship which ended in rape and having seen her mother suffer domestic abuse when she was just a child. From these beginnings, we see both women find love, though for Peggy it is doomed by a secret life that Rebekah stumbles onto thanks to the work of her historian boyfriend Paul. This story is well researched and provided a fascinating look at the early days of BOAC, the establishment of Poole Harbour as an international airport and its role in receiving Dutch refugees fleeing after the bombing of Rotterdam. There was plenty going on in both timelines though I felt that the story dragged a little in places. Nonetheless, my historical knowledge has been enriched and overall I really enjoyed reading this book.

Wow is all I can say. I got sucked into this story big time. Wartime story and a good one at that, I found it incredibly moving and written very well.

This review is being posted as part of the The Island Girls blog tour hosted by Rachel’s Random Resources.

The Island Girls is the latest compelling historical fiction novel from author Rachel Sweasey. This is a beautiful story exploring themes of love, sacrifice, secrets and fresh starts, all set against the backdrop of Dorset in both wartime and the 1990s.

Our narrative is made up of multiple timelines sharing the stories of multiple people, all of which interweave. It was fun to try and piece the stories together gradually as the novel progresses, predicting how the different individuals we meet were connected. The story does primarily focus on two women: Peggy – in 1941 – and Rebekah – in 1998. They were brilliant strong female characters and both women have a romantic arc to their individual stories which was a really nice addition.

Rachel Sweasey’s engaging writing style had me hooked from the prologue. The narrative was well paced and the split between the different timelines was perfect. The history was all well-researched and provided a really interesting insight into the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) and the work they did during the war.

The Island Girls does generally feel more light-hearted than other World War Two historical fiction works of a similar nature. Whilst there are still lots of gripping moments and touches of darker topics – outlined in the content warnings at the beginning of my review – the setting of the home front and multi-timeline aspect means that this is ideal for historical fiction readers who want a refreshing break from reading harder-hitting novels in the genre, whilst not sacrificing the compelling writing style and history-packed narrative we love the genre for.

Rachel Sweasey’s love for her hometown of Poole was clear through her vivid setting descriptions of the beautiful landscape of the Dorset coast, particularly around Brownsea Island.

Overall, The Island Girls is a brilliant addition to the historical fiction genre. This beautiful story, spanning multiple decades and continents, is a must-read and one which will stay with readers for some time.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

I have posted an extended review on my blog www.yourschloe.co.uk

*Thank you to Rachel Sweasey, Boldwood Books, Rachel’s Random Resources and NetGalley.

Thank you to net galley for giving me this opportunity to read this book.
This is a dual timeline story, set during WWII and 1998. Spanning three countries - the Netherlands, England and Australia.
Hans is a young husband and father who lives in Rotterdam. Rotterdam is decimated by the Nazis and Hans loses everything that he holds dear. He makes his way over to England in his boat hoping to start anew.
1998
Rebehak is an Australian who lives in Brownsea, England. She works as a ranger.
She is quite an independent woman who has decided that she diesn't need a man in her life.
Late one night a man shows up at her door. Against her better judgement she lets him in and sleep on a settee.
Soon a relation forms.
Rebekah finds a letter and is determined to find out who the person is who wrote it and if the recipient is still alive 50 years after the letter was written.
This is my own opinion.
Again thank you to net galley.

A moving wartime story, beautiful settings and a contemporary romance. What could be better? I was so sorry to finish this lovely book, partly set in my hometown of Brisbane.

After her neighbour and friend Peggy passes away, Rebekah moves to work on Brownsea Island. After a damaging romance, she is happy alone but can’t help feeling attracted to the handsome historian Paul. Together they attempt to solve a wartime mystery, but Rachel can’t help wondering if Oaul is too good to be true.

During the war, Peggy operated a ferry on the remote island, and becomes involved with a handsome Australian pilot. She is asked to make a choice for the sake of her country, however, which could ruin everything…

I look forward to reading more of Rachel Sweasey’s books and visiting Brownsea Island one day!

I received this free ebook from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Four stories combine into one captivating, heart-warming romance set between England and Australia which captures the very essence of life changing decisions and their results, in The Island Girls from Rachael Sweasey.
A heartbreaking letter from Peggy to Darrell, written in March 1941, as War raged across Europe and England, declaring undying love sets the tone of the storyline which reaches its conclusion in Australia, many years later.
The German army is steadfastly moving through Europe, bombing Rotterdam unmercifully. Hans Meyers believes he should consider siding with them until his wife and infant child are killed in a bombing raid. He decides to flee, joining a flotilla of craft to cross the English Channel, to seek refuge in Britain.
Peggy Symonds is a boat captain plying her craft between the BOAC Flying Boats and the wharf in Poole. She loves her job and one days wants to be able to fly. She meets Darrell Taylor, a Flight Lieutenant based in Dorset and they fall in love; deeply and irrevocably.
Rebekah Martin has always had a love affair with Poole and Brownsea Island, having grown up next door to ‘Aunt’ Peggy, who told her stories of this marvellous place where she grew up. When an opportunity to take up a position as Caretaker on Brownsea Island for the National Trust offered Rebekah the opportunity to leave her beloved Australia and settle into a new life in Poole she took it.
When a stranger comes knocking on her Cottage door in the late evening, she takes pity on him, as he is coping with an allergic reaction to sleeping on the heather. Paul is an Historian researching the old Poole Pottery and somehow they seem to be very comfortable with each other; as if they have known one another for years, not just hours.
Four stands skilfully come together to create an unforgettable story of love, bravery, sacrifice and trust that warms the heart in this charming Historic Romantic Fiction, in The Island Girls.
In The Island Girls Rachael Sweasey has selected a little known slice of War time Britain with the Flying Boat harbour at Poole operated by British Overseas Airline Company, the clandestine work carried out throughout this Port, its use as the clearing depot for many refugees and the massive changes that had come to this small, quiet town in Dorset, with respect and innate skill for this genre of fiction.
The Authors Notes on Research and History at the end of the book are a must read.