Loved this story about 3 different types of women who became friends during the war..Kitty, who was married to Bill who had a problem with buying things on credit. He had a large debt. Lily, who had been a chambermaid at the Dunbat and Beatrice, who had a crappy job delivering supplies to disabled persons .Kitty was a Dunbar by marriage and Bill inherited it. Just as Bill left to serve, the Baliff's came and took everything because of his debt. Lily married Daniel and came back to the Dunbar for a safe place to live and Beatrice ended jump their to run a room of games etc. for the children. Kitty had a daughter, Abbey. Follow them as you find out all the secrets and sad things that happened. A GREAT READ.

What a great start to a new series. I loved this saga a lot. Such an interesting story set in an era I'm interested in. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

The first in what is to be a series set in the Second World War in Manchester.

Kitty Dunbar, with no thanks to her husband inheriting a hotel. Whilst he is away fighting, she is at home fighting to keep her head above water and to stop the debt that her husband seems to have left her with. Running a hotel in wartime is not necessarily what she was expecting to be doing.

Lily, was a chambermaid at the hotel and fell for Daniel. But with Daniel also away at war and a baby on the way, it seems her fate is already written for her but then tragedy strikes and she suddenly finds herself where she least expects it.

Beatrice, is forging her own path in the world and not to be reliant on anyone. When a misunderstanding turns into being accused of a crime she needs to decide what is worth fighting for.

As the scene is set, you get to learn more about these three main women who have all found themselves thrown together at the hotel and trying to make the best of the circumstances. I cannot wait to see where the next book takes us, as this is a fascinating premise for a wartime saga.

A story of strength and friendship between women in WWII. As they work together to keep a hotel running, we enjoy their adventures. Such a strong story.

An engaging tale of three Manchester woman as the do their best through very trying times. War, poverty, rationing, deprivation, debt all play a bug part but so does compassion, grit, a sense of justice and friendship.

A great book to cosy up with and lose you self in. I hope there are more.

An entertaining story of three women finding life very difficult during the war: Beatrice who works as an 'inco' lady, delivering incontinence pads to women looking after family members, but also offering practical support above and beyond her role and yearning for more from her life; Lily who has married in haste out of her class and is expecting her first child, and Kitty who has a spendthrift husband, totally unable to live within his means, who struggles to keep the household together but who has a much loved daughter Abbie.

The War moves along and their lives change as different circumstances affect them, drawing them to the Dunbar Hotel - Kitty because her husband's family owns it, Lily because she worked there before marriage and Beatrice when she is offered space to run a children's club for those young ones forced to look after family members.

Its heartwarming, and while I find the nasty, judgemental gossip so prevalent at that time to be beyond irritating, the book was very true to life and each of the characters were easy to relate to. A nice picture of wartime Britain and some interesting situations portrayed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Times are changing, as Manchester's ladies try to survive during WWII.

I love an educational WWII novel, and I've read many over the years. The ones where you learn more about the atrocities of the prison camps and the tenacity of the people who were held there. But I equally love a more lighthearted story, which is exactly what A New Home at the Wartime Hotel by Maisie Thomas is. It's the first in a new series, and although there is one heartbreaking topic (check the trigger warnings), this was a winner for me.

This time we are in Manchester as WWII continues, men are off fighting and the women are left to hold the fort - or the hotel! The characters are resilient and resourceful, and Kitty in particular was amazing as she fought to keep her home, and reconfigure the business to provide for her teenage daughter. Lily, Beatrice and Kitty (and Abbie) all became firm friends by the end of the story and I can't wait to hear what's in store for them next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read and review A New Home at the Wartime Hotel by Maisie Thomas.

What an absolutely engrossing WWII saga. Set in Manchester, readers are introduced to Kitty, Lily and Beatrice, whose lives will insect in the most beautiful way.

So many details of the time period and setting are beautifully incorporated in this story that I felt I was right there next to these three women.

This is historical fiction at its finest with an emphasis on just how strong women can be, as well as a celebration of the friendship and support between women.

This was my first book by Maisie, and I’ll certainly be looking for more. I grabbed this on audio from my library’s Hoopla collection and it was a treat for my ears. So well done!

A New Home at the Wartime Hotel is a compelling story of women supporting women on the home front during WWII.

Kitty learns early in her marriage that her husband, Bill, isn’t reliable with money. When they inherit the family hotel, Kitty feels hopeful. However, while Bill is away fighting in the war, the bailiffs turn up and repossess most of the hotel’s furniture to pay Bill’s debts. Kitty must get creative to save the hotel.

In addition to Katie, the hotel’s owner, we are introduced to two other strong and well-written characters: Lily, who worked at the hotel as a chambermaid before the war and has a baby, and Beatrice, an unmarried woman who loses her job because of an unfair accusation. These three women join forces to save the hotel, make do in times of war, and overcome personal challenges. Each woman’s story was compelling, and the support and encouragement they offered each other was uplifting.

Each woman’s story is interesting, and we are quickly invested in their complicated lives. We cheer for these three likable and determined ladies as they form a partnership to tackle some difficult challenges on the home front. A multi-layered plot makes this an engaging and riveting read.

Thoughtful themes include women supporting women, friendship, partnership, trust, secrets, compassion, overcoming challenges, resourcefulness, determination, and managing life in wartime England.

Fans of home front WWII histfic and strong, resourceful women will find a lot to appreciate in this story. This is the first installment in a series. However, A New Home at the Wartime Hotel can be read as a stand-alone.

Thanks #NetGalley @BoldwoodBooks for a complimentary eARC of #ANewHomeAtTheWartimeHotel upon my request. All opinions are my own.

For more reviews visit my blog www.readingladies.com where this review was first published.

Maisie Thomas release of the first book in the series has characters that I know everyone will love. Kitty is married to a spendthrift, Lily 's whirlwind love and marriage is filled with heartache and Beatrice's is hoping the war will change the circumstances of her life. They start out as strangers but become family.

I love each of these characters, but I think Beatrice is my favorite. Her heart is so large and all she wants to do is be of help not only to her fellow man, but to the children who grew up just like her. I found myself rooting for all of these woman and was so glad that this book is not the end to their stories.

This is a great book to read on a rainy day, cause you can just snuggle into this story.

A New Home at the Wartime Hotel marks a brand new series by best-selling author, Maisie Thomas, and what an entrance it is!

Kitty has discovered that while her husband is giving her, their daughter and their home everything, all is not as it seems. Kitty is delighted to move the family to Dunbar’s Hotel but things take a turn for the worse. Can Kitty turn it around?

I have loved every novel by Maisie and this one is no exception. Kitty is a strong, determined woman who is willing to learn and will go far. With her new friends Lily and Beatrice, I’m sure Kitty is goi g to succeed and I'm excited to go on the journey with them.

Grab your copy today.

A New Home at the Wartime Hotel by Maisie Thomas

I loved this a start to a new series , a great addition to books on this genre.
It was the story of three women . We meet three women because of the The Dunbar hotel.
Kitty the wife of Bill , Beatrice who works there and Lily .
All of their individual stories were interesting , and I enjoyed how they were getting to know each other all whilst under the common denominator of the hotel .
Looking forward to finding out more.

- [ ] This is the first book in a brand new series by Maisie Thomas and I really enjoyed it. It didn’t take me long to settle into the story and I quickly became immersed in this book.
Set in Manchester during the 1940’s, life isn’t easy for everyone as the menfolk are away working and It’s left to the women to keep everything together back home.

The three main characters; Lily, Beatrice and Kitty were all strong women and they soon formed a very close knit friendship with each other. I really admired them all.

This was an emotional read at times and also a wonderful start to a new series . I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction saga .

I find myself drawn to WWI or WWII historical books. My mother and my maternal relatives are from England. My mother lived in England during WW II.

All the main characters are very much aware of the danger of having a bad reputation and being the source of gossip. Each woman had to face this gossip and continue on.

Kitty, Lily and Beatrice became sources of strength for each other. Their friendship was unique and beautiful to read. It is so rare to see in today's world.

I did enjoy watching Kitty taking charge and doing what she needed to do to keep her home. Survival. Her daughter and eventually her friends depended on her.

I loved it!

A New Home at the Wartime Hotel by Maisie Thomas is an inspiring and heartwarming story. We are taken back to Manchester in 1941. I found the book to be easy to read. The characters are developed and realistic. The story is told from Kitty, Lily, and Beatrice’s point of view. I liked each of the ladies as well as some of the secondary ladies (I especially liked the lady with the hat with the large plume). Each of the main characters has gone through difficulties in their lives. I felt for each one of them. While the war is terrible, it may be a time for these ladies to shine. The author described the long queues the women had to wait in at each shop to get food (you had to go to the butcher, bakery, etc.). There was no guarantee that what they wanted would be available and food rationing regulations changed often (sometimes month to month). I cannot imagine having to endure the frequent bombings. You could return from the bomb shelter to find your home a pile of rubble. This is an emotional story. What I liked most of all was the friendships that developed between the women and how they supported each other. I am eager to read the next book in the Dunbar’s Hotel series.

Oh my goodness what a brilliant book and a wonderful start of a series.

Kitty is married to Bill but unfortunately he does not know how to not spend money and he has inherited the Dunbar Hotel he is away helping in the War when the bailiffs take all the furniture from the hotel. She decides to turn the hotel into a storage facility for the people who have lost their homes. Lily is married to Daniel she is expecting a baby and he is away in the Merchant Navy he is upper class while she is working class and through tragic circumstances she ends up living with Lily and her daughter Abbie. Beatrice works for the corporation where she sees the poverty of all the people she wants to help people, she ends up living in the Dunbar Hotel as well.

The book ebbed and flowed it was happy and sad in places. I really liked all three woman and they all worked well together their characters clicked.

The book was well written and interesting.

I would recommend this book and look forward to reading the next book in the series.

I'm reviewing this via NetGalley as part of a tour with Rachel's Random Resources.

I found it heartwarming to follow all of the characters in this WWII saga.

Kitty and her husband Bill own the Dunbar Hotel, but have struggled with debts since their teenage daughter, Abbie, was born.

Lily returns to Dunbar as an expectant mother. She met her husband, Daniel, when she worked as a chambermaid before the war began. With her husband away at sea, Lily doesn't know who to rely on for support.

I felt that Kitty was a strong and determined character, which I admired. Abbie was a great character too; she seemed kindhearted and intelligent. I felt the character with the most growth and development was Beatrice, who seemed to struggle finding her place at the beginning.

I enjoyed the old-fashioned values of the book, and how all of the characters supported one another through their struggles. This book both made me smile and tugged at my heartstrings.

Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel's Random Resources, Boldwood Books, and to the author, for the opportunity to read and review this.

Kitty learned early on in her marriage that her husband, Bill Dunbar, isn't reliable with money. So when they inherit the Dunbar family hotel at the start of the war, they are hopeful that their financial worries are over.... until the bailiffs turn up!

Lily worked as a chamber maid at Dunbar's before the war. She met Daniel there, but their relationship was complicated by class differences and the disapproval of Daniel's mother. Now Lily is pregnant - and Daniel is away at sea, she's all alone. When tragedy strikes, will Kitty and Dunbar's come to her rescue?

Beatrice is in her forties, unmarried and working in a job that exposes her to the harsh realities of poverty and sacrifice. She wonders if the war would give her the opportunity to change lives for the better - including her own. But when she's accused of a crime she didn't commit, the future looks bleak.

This is the first book in a new series that's set in Manchester around WWII.We meet Kitty, Lily and Beatrice and their struggles to survive in a man's world. This is quite an emotional read. The women are strong characters. The three women are drawn together and form a strong bond. I'm looking forward to reading the next book.

Published 27th March 2025

I would like to thank #NetGalley Boldwoodbooks and the author #MaisieThomas for my ARC of #ANewHomeAtTheWartimeHotel in exchange for an honest review.

The story begins in Manchester in 1928, where our main character Kitty Dunbar has become a mother to baby Abigail. We meet Kitty’s husband Bill and her older sister Naomi.
The action then moves on to January 1941, thirteen years later, during World War II. Kitty, Bill and Abbie (12) are still in Manchester. Bill is now going to inherit the Dunbar Hotel. However, his rash overspending is going to have consequences for his whole family.
The other main characters in the novel are Beatrice and Lily. Beatrice is a spinster in her forties who delivers incontinence pads on her bike. But her caring nature means she wishes she could do more, especially for the children that can’t go to school because they have to be young carers.
Lily worked at Dunbar’s hotel as a chambermaid, which is where she met Daniel. His mother doesn’t approve of her because of the class difference. Lily is now pregnant and married (in that order) and Daniel is away in the Navy.
Events bring Beatrice and Lily to Dunbar’s and along with Kitty and Abbie, they become firm friends and look out for one another, while trying to help others struggling in the War and dealing with their own personal issues. The wonderful Fay Brewer is another great character – a list of strong women all trying their best in trying circumstances.
The WWII background is described authentically and I enjoyed the details and reading about the long queues for food, rationing and the Anderson shelters, but the emphasis of the novel is definitely on the brilliant women at home dealing with all their issues.
This is the start of an exciting new series and I look forward to catching up with all the characters in the next book.

What a super start to a new series - it would be possible to think that this was just another book of historical fiction set in WW2 - but it’s so much more than this.
It was the story of three women - all of whom had separate back stories - who were brought together by The Dunbar hotel.
Kitty -the wife of Bill Dunbar took over the hotel when she ‘inadvertently’ arranged for her husband to receive his call-up to avoid his spendthrift ways. Did she succeed? - maybe there is obviously more to come on this - but along the way she suffers bailiff humiliation and the finding of herself.
Beatrice - a rather sad character that is down trodden in a job she doesn’t like until a turn of fate and an accusation - allows her to begin a job that fits her far better - again scope for more to come
And Lily - she was the character I wanted to shake - more so after her husband Daniel told of his experiences. Lily had suffered a heartbreaking event but so had Daniel - even if he was away as a Merchant Navy sailor.

This was well written and well researched - the author has her own style whatever name she writes under - I wonder if she needs all the nom-de-plumes?

I really enjoyed this book with its different scope on life in WW2 and look forward to the next instalment - hopefully this will follow all three ladies and not focus on just one of them.


Deserves its 5 stars