Great read about family and friendship and survival in hard times. Would definitely recommend this book.

This was such a heart breaking book. It made me cry a few time which is great in my opinion. The writing of this book was great!

Gripping, sad and very heartbreaking. This story really tells the reader about the Bliz and how people just got on with their daily lives as best as they could in terrible conditions. A fabulous series which I hope will carry on. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

In this powerful and fascinating continuation of this World War II historical fiction series, readers follow Charity as she tries to keep her younger brothers, fragile parents, and the family’s boarding house in line and safe from the terrors of the Blitz. When her teenage brother runs away to enlist, Charity must face a threat that could tear her family apart until an unexpected new arrival shows up to help. Across the road, Divya is still running her successful curry house and tries to mask her wish for news of the man she loves, far away on the front line. As the East End and West India Dock Road burn from the bombs, the residents must pull together to keep their community whole in the face of darkness. Powerful, detailed, and emotional, this is a great continuation of this charming series, and readers will love the complex questions about race, immigration, and community that arise. Charity is a great new protagonist, and her relationships with her family and the new boarder are absolutely fantastic and central to her character development, while Divya’s alternating perspective is equally emotional and heartbreaking in this brilliant, emotional, and immersive new World War II historical fiction novel.

Thank you Boldbook and NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this book . I loved it , this is the second in the series and I recommend you read the first so as you get to know the characters . Set in 1940 it is a good book about life from that time and the relationships that form through war. Love the characters you feel as if you are actually there.

War has come to West India Dock Road; Jack is away fighting and the residents of the road are struggling with rationing and endless air raids. The book paints an interesting picture of life on the Home Front in the East End, but most of the narrative concerns the love lives of Divya and Charity. There are a lot of letters written by Divya to Jack and Raghu; as a technique it can work well to impart a lot of information quickly, but it is overdone here and the reader longs for some interaction and response from other characters, rather than a litany of description and maudlin whining.

The plot was fairly simplistic and predictable, and the characters did not really develop in this book. I didn't enjoy it as much as the first one. Certainly the author brought out the small minded prejudices so prevalent then (and now) within a small community, and it was interesting to read how they were all managing, especially with the air raids changing the landscape of their lives overnight.

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

I didn’t realise this was the second book in a series but I enjoyed it and it’s okay to read as a stand-alone. It’s the blitz in 1940 and the residents of West India Dock Road are trying their best to survive these difficult times. The book is told many through the eyes of Charity who helps look after her ailing parents, their lodging house and also her young brothers. Her friend Divya who runs a local curry house also writes letters to her beloved Raghu and a local friend Jack who are both away at war. I don’t know if there will be a third book in the series but I would like to find out more about the characters of West India Dock Road.

Renita D'Silva's 'Wartime Comes to West India Dock Road' is an excellent historical novel that takes place during the Blitz in London. Picking up where Charity, a proprietor of a boarding house, and Divya, owner of a popular curry house, left off, the book places readers in the midst of the determination of an East End community beset by danger.

The story seamlessly interweaves Charity's own battles to keep her family together during the bombings and Divya's own longing for word of the man she loves, serving overseas. Written mostly from Charity's point of view, with Divya's tale revealed through sincere letters, the novel gives a bittersweet glimpse at the home front during WWII.

The author is top-notch at developing a living, breathing, vibrant cast of characters, celebrating the power of friendship and the resilience of a community that depends on one another. It is fully enjoyable as a standalone novel, but fans of the first installment will especially love seeing these favored characters ride out heartbreak, romance, and acts of bravado. This is a deeply evocative book, ideal for fans of wartime epics with an emphasis on human relationship and resolve.

I am sure i have already reviewed this but it is back on my shelf. I loved it and think the characters deserve happiness.

This is a heart-breaking, heart-mending and richly evocative story of resilience, love, and the enduring spirit of a community under siege. Perfect for fans of Patricia McBride, Jean Fullerton and Call the Midwife.

Wartime Comes to West India Dock Road is the second in the West India Dock Road series by Renita D'Silva, but can be read as standalone for those readers new to the series. This is a moving historical saga, rich in atmosphere and strong characters. The story is told through Charity’s and Divya’s alternating points of views. Divya’s particularly are told through letters which I loved as a fan of epistolary novels. Both women are remarkable, showing great bravery and determination during some dark and trying times. The writing is vivid and I was immediately pulled into the story. I could easily visualize both the despair caused by the air raids and the beautiful camaraderie and community of the characters. A beautiful read.

This book really brings the camaradie and the suffering of London’s East End to life and it also emphasizes the prejudice towards unmarried mothers and Indians.

Charity has much to endure. She runs a boarding house while looking after her ill parents and her three charming younger brothers. Her only comfort is the friendship that she find at her friend Divya’s curry house across the road until an injured soldier arrives. Can she overcome her worry about what others think to let love into her life, however?

This novel also tells Divya’s story through the means of her letters to her friend Jack, a POW, and her love Raghu. I liked Divya’s letters and D’Silva’s vivid and emotional writing but I found the interspersion of the letters with Charity’s chapters a bit strange.

I haven’t read the first book but this is good as a stand-alone. I liked this but I am not sure if I will read the first book.

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

It was 1940, and as the Blitz continued over London's East End, the people of West India Dock Road supported one another through it all. With good friend Jack away fighting for Britain, Charity felt the burden of caring for her parents, as well as her young brothers, deeply. She had been running the boarding house since she was fourteen and loved her three brothers - Fergus, Connor and Paddy - along with her parents who were both frail and unwell; Paddy snr from the war and Moira from giving birth. Charity's best friend, Divya, ran the curry house across the street, and her skill as a cook could be seen as she fed the street's residents, making delicious meals even with rationing. When an injured soldier, kind hearted Veet, turned up after having both the curry house and boarding house recommended to him, life changed, especially for Charity. What would be the future for these people so affected by war?

Wartime Comes to West India Dock Road is the 2nd in the West India Dock Road series by Renita D'Silva and I really enjoyed the characters, their camaraderie with each other, the support and kindnesses that were shown. Charity is an exceptional young woman, putting aside her own dreams to care for her family. Recommended to fans of the genre.

With thanks to NetGalley & Boldwood Books for my digital ARC to read and review.

In this book we are reacquainted with Charity and Divya at the height of the Blitz in London's East End. This book was slightly different to the first in that most of the chapters were told from Charity's perspective and some in the form of letters written by Divya.

Divya's letters are alternated between Jack and Raghu; both of whom we have met in the earlier book. However, this works extremely well as a standalone, and reading the first is not necessary to enjoy this book.

The author has created a wonderful cast of characters, not just in Charity and Divya but in all of the secondary characters too. As Divya receives letters from Jack that are intended for all his friends in West India Dock Road, we are reacquainted with the residents once again.

Heartbreaking and richly evocative, this is a story of resilience, love, and the enduring spirit of a community under difficult circumstances.

I loved this book so much!
It is set in West India Dock Road, the main characters are Charity and her family who have a boarding house, and Divya who runs a curry house across the street.
The story is told from Charity's perspective, and interspersed with letters written by Divya to both her friend Jack and her love interest Raghu.
The story was emotional and although had lots of happy moments, there was always the shadow of war looming over everyone.
It's also great to see diverse characters in a historical saga and important to include the prejudice they faced.

The second story in the West India Dock Road is set in the early 1940s. The community have realised that the war is likely to continue for the foreseeable future, and it's challenging for everyone. Divya's Curry House remains the focus of the community, a place of unity despite the prejudices that exist within the East End. Charity's boarding house is another focal point for the community, and she continues to raise her siblings. It's an emotional story with many poignant instances balanced with humour. It evokes the danger and deprivation prevalent in a war setting where there are nightly bombing raids and increasing shortages of food and essentials. Divya misses her friend Jack, who loves her but realises friendship is all she wants from him. She writes to him, but his replies are haphazard, and she becomes increasingly worried for his safety. Her heart belongs to Raghu, and she pours out her love in her letters to him, but sadly, she has nowhere to send them. I like the different narrative styles in this story. Charity is living in the moment, caring for her family and running the boarding house. Whilst Divya is living through her correspondence, even though she is part of the community, she still feels alone. I like the snapshot of the characters' lives this story provides against the wartime ethos.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

3.5 Stars

Wartime Comes to West India Dock Road is installment #2 in a series and continues to follow the lives of Charity, a boarding house owner, and Divya, a restaurant owner, as bombs fall on London’s East End. Charity is stressed and exhausted by attending to her sick parents and looking after her three younger brothers. Divya supports her, feeds the community, and writes to her best friend, Jack, and love interest, Raghu. who are both serving in the war.

Life on the home front during WWII is an interesting sub-genre for me, and I always wonder how I would have supported the war effort and survived these difficult years. Women supported women, held the community together, stepped up to leadership, and worried about their men.

If you love diverse stories, you will find a great deal to appreciate in this series. Divya’s Indian food is a favorite in the community, and her restaurant seems to be the favored meeting spot for a colorful cast of characters.

Most of the story is told from Charity’s and Divya’s perspectives. The majority of Divya’s perspective is told through letters (to her friend and love interest). While I normally love epistolary, it affected the pace of the story as we heard about events after they happened. The letters resulted in a lot of “telling” and we missed out on the first-hand action. It would have been more dynamic to read about events in real time, and then Divya could reflect on the events in her letters. I also noticed that Divya’s letters didn’t have a different voice from the rest of the story. Also, the letters contained detailed conversations between members of the community. It seems that summarizing conversations rather than writing them out might be more engaging. Because a great deal of the story was related through these letters, I would describe the story as quietly told. My observations about the structure are personal preferences.

Content Consideration: war injuries and trauma, racism

Fans of the first installment will enjoy following the characters. While the first book is my favorite of the two (5 stars), I appreciate catching up with our beloved main characters and look forward to book 3.

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

I had read the first book in the series and said in my review then that I was unsure about the second.

But it caught my eye and I decided to give it a try. And try I did - I did finish it but it was an effort.

I personally didn’t like the way that Charity’s chapters were written in prose but Divya’s chapters were written as letters to Jack Devine and the man Divya loved - Raghu Kumar.
For me this format didn’t work at all - I found the letters repetitive and Charity’s chapters just didn’t flow properly for me at all.

We had met many of the characters in the first book and this one developed their stories - both in the Blitz and their back stories.

The book did tackle themes of mixed ethnicity relationships and the ramifications, relationships outside of marriage when husbands were away serving their country and babies conceived outside of marriage.
There were plenty of loose ends and wartime left - I think the book ended in 1941 - that there is room for more episodes. But again I am unsure if it would be for me.

The research had been done but the repetition and slowness of the story really puts me off.

I would like to thank net galley for giving me this opportunity to read this book.
I read the first book, 'New Arrivals on West India Dock Road.'.
So, there are the same characters as the previous book, but is nowhere in WWII.
Charity is managing her parents lodging house and Divya has her Curry House up and running.
The group of people that live on West India Dock Road use Divya's Curry House as a gathering place to catch up with the latest news and to chit-chat with the other residence. The group of people that live there all look out for one another.
New characters have been added and we have lost some.
These are my own opinion(s).
Thank you again to net galley and Boldwood Books.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood for an ARC of this novel to read and review.

Renita D’Silva captures the hustle and bustle of an east London dock in the early years of the Second World Warin book 2 of her West India Dock series. West India Dock Road reveals its purpose in its name. It is the gateway to the sea craft of varying sizes, from small fishing boats to trade ships. Local men provide for their families from the wharf, as they have for centuries. Some, mostly further away, find great wealth there. It’s is a teeming neighborhood of families at different poverty levels, but all poor and depending on each other to get by.

What I find especially interesting is the author’s treatment of gender and class. Despite the typical working-class understanding that ‘you keep yourself to yourself’—that is, you reveal little about your personal circumstances and you stay out of the affairs of others—it doesn’t actually work that way in everyday life. It can’t, because, just as families must stand together or fall, so must neighbors. Virtually every character—and there are many—has survived some misfortune, thanks to how the community rallies around them. The efforts to help, no matter how big or small the need, are organized by the women, who keep an eye on everything and quickly spread the news. Of course, much of the news they spread is gossip by any other name. Although it’s meant to show their concern, it can’t fail to be occasionally overbearing.

The two main female characters, introduced in the first book of the series, are East Indian immigrant Divya Ram and local girl Charity O’Kelly. Both perform non-traditional roles, and, although respected and appreciated, their independent initiatives cause much tongue-wagging.

By dint of hard work and perseverance, Divya has established a very popular curry house even while the locals remain suspicious of ‘foreigners,’ especially as the Blitz regularly threatens their lives and possessions. Charity has been successfully running her parents’ boarding house across the street from a very young age, while nursing them through their illnesses and also raising her younger brothers. Both are in love with men who, despite fighting for the Allies and gaining the respect of the denizens of West India Dock Road, do not meet with community approval. Divya is less affected than Charity; since both she and her beloved are from the same culture, she is freer to follow her path. Like Charity, however, she has to abide by ascriptions of feminine virtue or risk alienating those who keep her restaurant, afloat. Charity has it much harder. She grew up on the road, and being one of us’ means higher expectations. Her neighbors had long been helping her out, even while keeping it low key to protect the family’s pride. they both have serious life-changing decisions to make that could put them outside of the established social order, even though it consists of people already placed their by their supposed ‘betters.’ Will Divya and Charity follow the path laid out for them or, no matter the sacrifices, will they listen to their hearts?

The ending didn’t entirely win me over. It wasn’t altogether a happy one for each young woman, not is it clear who, in the context of those times, should be considered more ´deserving.’ In wrapping up the stories of a number of other characters, the author leaves aside her firm footing in historic realities (which I very much like) and seems to slip into a bit of magic. It’s hard to object to a little magic where romance is concerned, but this one calls for a bit too much suspension of disbelief. There is a third volume coming, which will answer some of the open questions. But some can’t be resolved. You have only to believe.

Read the first book in this series and enjoyed it and looked forward to this newest book. Characters were good and mostly believable but admit to not reading through all the letters sent by Dyiva............far too long and felt they were largely not required. Not as enjoyable as the first book.
Many thanx to NetGalley, the author and publishers for allowing me to read and review this book