It’s 1940 on West India Dock Road and the bombing rages on.Divya is working hard in her curry house waiting for any news of Raghu away at war ,writing letters too him but not able to send as she doesn’t now where he is also letters to Jack who helped her when she first arrived in England from India.Charity is busy running he parents lodging house across from the curry house and looking after her young brothers.Her father Paddy is suffering from being in the First World War and her mother is not well so it all falls on Charity to keep things going.Then her eldest brother runs away to enlist ,can she stop him only time will tell.This was a great read.Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood.

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I loved reading the first book in this series and was looking forward to reading the second book.

It’s 1940, and the Blitz continues its terror on London. But, for those living in the East End, life goes on.

Charity has forgotten her dreams and spent her life running the boarding house, her brothers have been brought up by her, she’s done everything to keep her family together, her parents aren’t well and Charity has kept them safe in the house so that they don’t hear the bombs going off around them.

Her younger brother wants to join up, but is told by his sister that he’s not old enough, so he runs away to enlist. Charity is upset, as this could break her family. But, her brother doesn’t get to that stage, and he’s made aware of the brutality by a stranger who brings him back home. What will him being at the boarding house mean for Charity?

Divya, who is Indian, continues to run her restaurant across the the road, from Charity’s boarding house. She loves cooking and has made this place her home, with her friends. As she cooks and feeds her friends, she’s worried for the person she loves, Ram, who’s gone to do his bit in the war. Will Divya see Ram again?

Divya writes to him and her friend, letting them know that everyone is thinking of them and informing them on what’s happening on East India Dock Road.

I loved the characters and felt for Charity and Divya. The story is about friendships, love and a community coming together to help others.

I recommend this book.

West India Dock Road #2

1940. The Blitz rages, but life goes on in the heart of London's East End.

Charity has spent her life keeping the family together - raising her younger brothers. running the family boarding house on West India Dock Road, and now shielding her fragile parents from the relentless bombardment outside their door. When her teenage brother runs away to enlist, she faces a battle she never expected - one that could tear her family apart. But help comes from an unexpected arrival.

Across the road, Divya, is a young Indian woman with a gift for cooking has found a happy home among the dockside community. But as she feeds the neighbourhood at her bustling curry house, she secretly yearns for news of the man she loves. Will she see him again?

Published 23rd July 2025

I would like to thank #NetGalley #BoldworldBooks and the author #RenitaDSilva for my ARC of #WartimeComesToWestIndiaDockRoad in exchange fr an honest review.

I was so happy to come back to these characters and to West India Dock Road. Once again I couldn't put it down and became compltely absorbed in them and their lives. I really enjoyed it

The second in the series and whilst not obligatory to read number one first it does help with the characters. Having said that I didn’t think this one was as good. Thanks to Renita and her publisher. Thanks also to NetGalley.

another wonderful visit to this little community and i was so pleased to be here. Renita has such a warming and beautiful way of writing her books. her tone, the language how she form the stories and pacing is just so unique and i really liked how i new i was back into one of her book.
this is book 2 in the Dock series and its great to be back. we follow the lives of those living on West India Dock Road and once again come to the boarding house run by Charity and the curry house run by Divya. we got both our character Pov in the book which makes for a great in depth read.
Charity is really trying her best, but things are always being sent to try her. shes looking after her parents and brothers and still trying to keep the house going. the support her and Divya give to each other is so heartwarming and Divya for me has such a caring way about her especially when in this book Charity is really feeling the strain. this only gets worse when she finds out one of her brother has lied and run away to enlist.
i also appreciate how realistic theme were touched upon. it was done in just the right way to weave it realistically into the story.
another superb instalment to this series which is quickly becoming a fast favourite of mine. there something more to these books that hit me in the heart and connect to me so much more than i usually get.
the food from Divya is a gorgeous added bonus to this book! although it does make you mouth water way too much, haha. so what you really need to do is snuggle up with this book and a lap tray dinner of one of Divya
i cannot recommend this book or the series enough. im only nervous now in case i cant get the chance and luck to read the next!

Second in this series and while continuing the story is not as engrossing as the first.
Felt the long letters where unnecessary.

This is the 2nd book in the West India Dock Road series. I haven't read the first book, but I wish I had. It isn't strictly necessary, but I would have appreciated the characters more if I had read their back stories.

It took me a while to get into the book because I found the way it was written unlike any other I have read in WW2 novels. One of the points of view was, for the most part, written in the form of letters to two people away at war. It definitely took some getting used to.

The story tells about life during the London Blitz and how it affected families, relationships, and how people came together to help each other. It also brought up racism and stigma towards unmarried mothers. It was quite an emotional read.

It kind of ended on a cliffhanger with regards to one of the characters and a possible romance. Other than that, everybody had their story wrapped up. Some sad endings, some happy ones.

I advise that you have some tissues at the ready as you read this book, because although there are some beautiful moments, there is one particular heartbreaking part in the book. I admit to ugly crying as I read it.

I was overjoyed to be revisiting the lives of the characters who we were introduced to in the first book. It's a harsh time with the war raging and Divya and Charity are not spared from the harsh realities. But with family, friends, community and love they will find their way through to happier times. I enjoyed reading about the food which had my mouth watering and I would love the recipes. The atmosphere was great and the letters are a nice touch. I can't wait for the next one to find out how the characters are travelling.

Charity has spent her life looking after her parents, her brothers and the family boarding house. But when an unexpected guest arrives she finds with help from Veer her burdens are more manageable. But the residents in west India dick road are quick to point out his skin colour.
Divya is still running her curry house a place the community gather daily for food and help from each other. Divya is yearning for her lost love and when she gets to visit him when he’s injured she comes away with a lasting memory, shortly after his return to the frontline he is killed.
Loving this wartime series and looking forward to another visit soon.

A really good read. Charity gives up her dreams to look after her parents boarding house after both her parents become ill whilst also taking care of her three younger brothers but the community comes together to help non more so than Divya a young Indian women who runs a curry house and helps feed the residents but is always worried for the man she loves who is fighting in the war and she doesn't know if she will ever see him again. It's a heartbreaking story but also a story of resilience, love and difficult relationship's that can sometimes decide a community but also bring them together.

What a treat to find Renita D'Siva, a new to me author. I thoroughly enjoyed this book..the characters, the setting, the way she used letters alongside the present day plot. I had not read the first book in the series, New Arrivals on West India Dock Road, but had no trouble following the story line.
I look forward to reading more novels by Ms D'Silva.

This book was simply divine. The letters were a pivotal part of it and enabled us, as readers, to get a more personalised side of the story. I learned a lot from this book. An excellent piece of writing.

Book 2 in the West India Dock Series and continues to follow the lives of the inhabitants of West India Dock Road with boarding house proprietor Charity O'Kelly and Indian restaurant owner Divya Ram the main protagonists. Told from the POVs of these two characters, with Divya’s largely in the form of letters to her friend Jack and the man she loves Raghu who are both away fighting in the war.

Briefly, the blitz is in full force and the East End of London is being hit day after day. Charity is still running the boarding house, whilst looking after her sick parents and three brothers. Divya is a massive support to Charity, as are the other residents of the area, but she is still exhausted with everything she has to do. Then her eldest brother disappears and she is told he has gone to sign up, lying about his age, and searching for him a new man comes into her life.

I love how this story is progressing although I have to be honest and say that I wasn’t overly keen on Divya’s story being told through her letters, they felt too neat, too contrived and not written by someone who is writing in her second language. Issues around racism once again raise their heads and from a surprising source at one point. A story about a family, a community and a country under attack. An entertaining read. 3.5⭐️

I found the storyline quite uninteresting. I usually enjoy stories about family and how they overcome the horrors of wartime, but this book didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

This book is about two enterprising young women. One (Divya) who comes to a strange country and sets up her own curry house which is loved far and wide. Divya tells her story through letters.
Then there is Charity, who lives her life for others. She has cared for her young brothers Fergus, Connor & Paddy jar. This is as well as running the family boarding house and looking after father Paddy who suffers terribly from shell shock & mother Moira who has never been the same since Paddy’s birth.Will both women get their happy ever after or are obstacles put in their way?

I enjoyed Charity’s story, plenty will she/wont she. Divya’s story I wasn’t sure of I.e. the telling through letters.
Liked Mrs Kerridge, she may have had a lot to say for herself but underneath a heart of gold.
Favourite character was Charity who continually thought of others. Least favourite was the enemy.

A great sequel. A rich story. Characters who are so strong as WWII blasts are all around them. A must read.

I came into this series on Book 2, so the vast amount of exposition was sort of helpful and even still it was too much. I also didn't enjoy the epistolatory nature of Divya's contributions to the story as they came across as very unrealistic and unnatural. Even though it was explained over and over that she was using these letters as therapy and never intending to mail them to her unrequited love interest, they were cringy at worst and sappy at best. Another thing that bears mentioning is the dreaded use of "released a breath I didn't realize I was holding" trope, at the 47% mark. Finally - when Charity described Veer some version of the word TWINKLE was so overused it became comical.

Overall, this book had more potential than it actually delivered on. I had higher hopes and it might be someone else's cup of tea.

Read and reviewed in exchange for a free copy from Netgalley. I haven't read the first book in this series, but as I enjoy the genre, I thought I'd give this a go. I didn't feel I missed out by not having read the first - it works well as a standalone book - but I struggled to fully engage with it. I was interested in both Divya and Charity's stories, but found Divya's parts being told in letters distracting and disruptive to the flow of the book. I felt neither character was developed that well, especially not Charity, although I enjoyed the depictions of her brothers. Although I was ambivalent towards much of the book, I enjoyed the closing chapters for both - I am intrigued as to what happens next.

They are finally back. I just love this community. Ot was sweet and sad at the same time. But I Will obviously continue reading this series.