She has a second chance...now she she might lose everything...

Are we on Book 5 already? This has to be one of my favourite series and the setting is just superb - on the West Sussex coast of Littlehampton in the stunning Beach Hotel on the waterfront promenade. Throughout this series, we have seen the comings and goings as war was declared and the men shipped off to the Front with the women remaining to keep the home fires burning. And in this case, the Beach Hotel running. Each story is a standalone but to get the bigger picture of all involved, I do recommend reading the whole series.

1918: War has been raging in Europe for four years now and at last it looks as though the end is in sight. For Fanny (Francine) Bullen, head chambermaid at the Beach Hotel, it couldn't come quick enough. But that in itself brings its own drawbacks for young Fanny.

We first met Fanny as a young girl of 18 having left the workhouse in which she called home for eleven years and gaining employment as a maid (I can't remember which position she held back then). She was a rough diamond as life in the workhouse had been tough and you had to be tough to survive. But at the Beach Hotel, she had found she'd been given a second chance and after seven years she looked upon them all as a family. This was none so more true than when two years ago she found herself in the very difficult position of being pregnant, unmarried and abandoned by the baby's father. She had tried to hide her pregnancy for as long as she could, though even she wasn't aware of it for six months, but her family at the hotel were warm and welcoming of both her circumstances and the new baby she gave birth to alone in a storage cupboard.

Now two years later, the old Fanny is but a shadow of who she'd once been and now she has been given this second chance to start again. No one need know who little Elsie's father was. As far as anyone else was concerned, she'd lost him in the war. After all, so many lives had indeed been lost - why not him?

And then along the waterfront one day Fanny met Walter, an American who'd been tasked with helping to build the new aerodrome in nearby Rustington. Before long, the pair were arranging their afternoons off to coincide with the other so as to spend them together. But just as things begin to look on the up for young Fanny, her new-found happiness looks to be ruined with an unknown enemy in her midst.

Susie Shorn knew Fanny from the workhouse but she swore her to secrecy in menacing undertone. The last thing Susie wanted as people sticking their noses into her business. Of course, that didn't stop her from sticking her nose into theirs - that was quite a different matter altogether. Upon gaining the position of chambermaid, she was loathed to discover that she was to be working under Fanny whom she saw was no better than she was what with her past coming from the workhouse. Susie couldn't see what made Fanny any better than her - or why she deserved any better than she did. She listened at keyholes, in doorways and on the stairs, hoping to pick up any interesting tidbits that could be used to her advantage. And anything she could do to bring the snooty Fanny back down to size, pretending to be something she's not. She drove wedges between friends and set her sights on something better for herself - and all the while, she enjoyed every minute of havoc and heartbreak she created whilst pretending to be a friend. But then she made an error of judgement that she thought would mean a big payday for her to clear out and start somewhere new where no one knew her, but she wasn't as clever as she thought.

Meanwhile, it looks as though the war was indeed nearing its end and for Fanny that meant heartbreak as Walter would surely return home to America and she feared she would never see him again. And with the Spanish Flu striking so many down, how will they all survive? And will Fanny get her happy ever after?

There was so much going on in this book - from the war to the Spanish Flu to Fanny's romance with Walter to the unscrupulous Susie. But I enjoyed every minute of it and it was refreshing to hear Fanny's story at last. She's always been in the background as a troubled young girl from the workhouse. She has certainly grown over the course of the books into a lovely young woman. I was happy the book ended the way it did and not up in the air as it could well have. At least we got closure for those involved. And it was a wonderful story.

So we've had Edie, Lili, Helen, Hetty and now Fanny (I much prefer the name Francine) - I think it's Gertie's turn next and I would be interested to see what lay in store for her. And if she continues with the women's football now that the war is over. Already looking forward to the next one.

I would like to thank #FrancescaCapaldi, #Netgalley, #HeraBooks and #RachelsRandomResources for an ARC of #StormySkiesAtTheBeachHotel in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

This is one highly addictive book as I became so invested in the characters lives. I enjoyed reading a little about the Spanish flu which I feel like it was similar to COVID in that no-one knew anything about it. It wasn't so nice for the hotel staff though. Fanny is a adored character from the series and I absolutely loved getting to know her on a deeper level. There is a new maid to the hotel Susie who knew Fanny in the past and she is a real troublemaker. It was interesting to know that girls football was a thing even way back then and I think Gertie was the perfect choice of character to represent the women. The story has a lot happening and I didn't want to turn away. I just really hope that there will be more books in this series because I am in love with the stories.

This is book 5 in the series and though could be read as a stand-alone the context of the characters would be greater if one had read the whole series. I recommend this completely.

It was easy to get into and to remember all the characters and their pasts. There was of course sadness as the book was set in the latter days of WW1.
This book centred around Fanny (Francine) and in some ways a colleague she had known through the Workhouse. Susie was of lesser morals and work ethic than Fanny and just out to cause as much trouble and heartbreak as she could. Sadly she enjoyed the havoc she caused.
It was interesting to read of the Americans building the Aerodrome outside of Littlehampton and the relationship that developed between Fanny and Walter, Susie wasn’t quite as clever as she had thought - or as manipulative
I think it shows the merits of Francesca Capaldi as an author that she made Susie Shorn so unlikeable.

Once again this was a thoroughly likeable book, well written, well researched and such a great read I didn’t want to put it down

Thank you to all concerned

We visit Beach Hotel once again ,this time it Fanny turn.Fanny is an unmarried mother who was from the workhouse but is trying to get on with her life with the help from all at the hotel. Susie then arrives and Fanny knew her from being in the workhouse ,Susie didn’t want anybody to know she had been in the workhouse so made things up.Fanny went along with her and never said where she knew her from. Susie tries to make things awkward for Fanny by doing and saying things.Fanny meets an American,Walter ,a carpenter at the airdrome and their friendship is put too the test by Susie.Then a flu epidemic turns everything upside down at the hotel as it has to close and some loose their lives too it.Thank you to Netgalley and Hera books.

This gem of a novel takes place in England during the great war. It follows thw story of various hotel workers as they try to make due with most of the men away. Our character go through many struggles along the way but they mention to overcome. Although things seem to get worse when someone seems to know their dark secrets and it becomes worse when the person is someone they work with.
One of our characters is a young single mother named Fanny. Now despite her life situation she has managed to do well for herself. When she meets an American Walter she feels like this could be her chance for a fresh start. However, will it be ruined when an unknown enemy tries to sabotage the relationship by revealing the true parentage of Elsie's father.
I will admit that I was hooked on this book. There was so much going on what with the war, the blackmail situation, and the Spanish Flu. The characters were indeed very memorable. The emotions that these characters displayed wether it was feelings about the war or about their own personal lives were indeed interesting. Lastly the situation with the blackmail was very intriguing and thw villain behind it was someone you wanted hate dearly.
I received an arc copy from Netgalley and all opinions are of my own.

This book is amazing I couldn't stop reading it I love all the characters but fanny did steal my heart from the first book I'm so glad she got her own story.
I'm glad the war is over in this book.
No spoilers. I'm glad that other little madam got caught and was sent packing.
I really hope there's more in this series I love all these books.

another brilliant book with such depth and warmth. the way the characters are described by Francesca just brings them to life for the reader. its like you are both reading about them but almost sometimes in the rooms with them as the observer.
Fanny is such a good soul. a great character. but sadly for her, her goodness and need to see the best in people sometimes means people hurt her.she is such a strong young thing though. life hasnt been easy for her.
when there seems to be some light to her life in this book its put in jeopardy once again by someone who isnt out for her est interests. and this kind of injustice really make me rage and get anxious over a book. because it always feels unfair and yet you cant stop it and cant stop the character going through it and what it does to them! but i wish i could shake a few people in this book.
another brilliant read. all round the book just hit every note you wanted from it going in.
the new characters and familiar ones all felt like as the book went on your got to know them all. they all held their perfect places within the story told.
there certainly has been alot of adventures at the beach hotel. and its one of my favourite type of books. where you have a place or time and then learn about a whole group, each given their own book or part of the wider story.

Firstly thank you Netgalley for this Arc

Wow what can I say another brilliant book in this series.

Cant wait to read more by this author

A beautifully written drama.
Well written characters.
This is an easy and enjoyable read set in a very important time in history.
My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy.

Characters just came back to me as soon as I started reading. This one follows Fanny Bullen who has had a difficult journey through life so far, after being in the workhouse. Just when things start to look up for her an old acquaintance may make things difficult. On the bright side Fanny and daughter Elsie accidentally met some of the American men who were working at the aerodrome, she is quite taken by Walter , what could possibly go wrong!
When the town is hit by a flu epidemic it has an effect on all their lives, the staff at the Beach Hotel which is already reduced by the men going off to war, have to pull together to make sure standards are kept.

I loved this book as there is so much going on. Favourite character was Fanny who was always willing to see the best in others.
Least favourite was Susie, who could cause mischief in an empty room.
I do hope there will be more in this series.

I absolutely loved reading this book, I loved the period that it was set in and at times I felt very emotional. I felt I could really bond with the main character and it made realise what it was like at the time for some women. I thought it was beautifully written and a lot of time was taken to create this book . I highly recommend to anyone