The Girl from the War Room is a vivid WWII historical fiction novel that meshes a great bit of family drama set against the backdrop of a world at war.

Cassie Marsh comes from a wealthy family but finds herself contributing to the war effort through her work as a secretary for Winston Churchill's War Cabinet. Her long days working at Whitehall leave her reaching for the peaceful summer days of her childhood in Devon. It's in this reverie that the majority of the story is told. While Cassie's work is important, the personal and family drama is what takes center stage in this novel.

The first third of the book depicts an idyllic childhood spent at Greenaways, and after becoming so immersed in Cassie's past, I soon forgot about her present day work in the war room. Rest assure, dear readers, this groundwork is important for the drama that would unfold in the middle and end. As Casssie begins to deal with the secrets of her family, it soon affects her decisions that she will have to make against her own happiness.

What I loved, is that the book is more love story than the affects of the Blitz. The book describes a resilience found in dealing with trauma, paired with the bonds formed during chaotic times. It was a poignant piece that is both engrossing and moving and reminiscent of Downton Abbey. I enjoyed the imagery and minor details written in this book, including a cat named "Kipling." Catherine Law's books never disappoint!

If you enjoy books that are set in WWII, then you will enjoy this historical fiction novel.

Many thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the ARC. This review is voluntary. All thoughts are my own opinions.

Cassie Marsh used to have idyllic, relaxing summers with her family and their cousins in Devon. Now, at the start of WWII, those days are gone, and she reminisces about simpler times when they were younger. She starts discovering long-held family secrets that influence her future.

I enjoyed the story, especially Cassie's growth during the war. and the discovery of family secrets. It was interesting to learn more about the war work she was doing. I'm always fascinated about life on the home front during the war, as well as the war work every one was doing. There was love, and loss, family secrets, memories of a kinder gentler time, war work on the Homefront, including Whitehall. I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.


Thanks to @boldwoodbooks, @netgalley, and the author for this arc

"The Girl from the War Room" by Catherine Law is an engaging and emotionally compelling historical novel that skillfully interweaves issues of love, obligation, and sacrifice throughout World War II. The author's prose is poignant and evocative, drawing readers into the center of London's War Room and into the life of protagonist Cassie Marsh.

Cassie's journey is tracked as she leaves behind the idyllic Devon of her childhood to contribute to the war effort. The dramatic difference between the peaceful rural upbringing of her youth and the high-stakes, tension-fraught environment of the War Room is felt and vividly captured. The author is particularly good at evoking a sense of urgency and common cause, emphasizing the hard work and unobtrusive bravery of women in service.

But it's the love story that makes up the center of the novel, providing a profoundly personal depth to the historical context. Cassie's internal struggle, in love with one she cannot recall and committed to the war, is both tragic and understandable. Her struggle to balance her past and present makes her a very compelling character.

Readers of epic historical fiction will be thoroughly enthralled by this page-turning tale. The skill with which the author weaves detailed historical information into a rich, character-based narrative makes "The Girl from the War Room" an unmissable read for anybody who loves a good wartime romance.

A well written book set in World War 2 and the years after. It is a family story but also giving an insight into the Churchill War Rooms and related services. With her teenage years fast disappearing Cassie's world is falling apart and she finds herself recruited to the typing pool at the war office. She has skills and these are soon put to the test.
This book is also a family tale, a story of War and Cassie's family. There are secrets and deceit. As it develops the reader is drawn in to the tale. Once started it is difficult to put down.
Thanks to Catherine Law for writing this book; boldwood for publishing. Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy for free and I’m leaving this review voluntarily.

Cassie Marsh is a woman who is good at keeping secrets. There are the secrets that she needs to keep due to her work in the War Room during WWII, there are the family secrets which have devastated her, and then there is her own secret that is kept locked tight in her heart.

We first meet Cassie and her family in the summer of 1936. Cassie, her parents and her brother Gerard have headed to Greenaways, the family country house. There, she will spend the summer with her aunt and uncle and her cousins, Marianne and Oliver, playing tennis, reading, walking nearby Dartmoor and just generally having a lovely time. Except this year, one of Oliver’s friends, Luke, is there which kind of disrupts the balance.

When Cassie overhears her mother and aunt talking about a big secret, she is perturbed, but it is only later when she discovers another shocking family secret that her equilibrium is truly rocked.

What we as readers know is that it isn’t going to be long before that idyllic country house life is going to be disturbed even more with the onset of the war. Cassie finds herself working as a typist in the War Rooms, deep under the ground in very heart of London. Unable to face the thought of living in her family’s London home, she is lodging with Luke, although there are lot of times when she finds herself catching any sleep she can in the dormitories in the underground bunker

As the war progresses, we see Cassie move from her initial role, to working in the map room, helping the powers that be keep track of the German bombing raids. However, with her knowledge of German, eventually she moves away from London to a coastal area where she is listening into the enemy’s communications and translating them.

From the title, you would expect that this book would be focused on Cassie’s work. While it is definitely an important part of the novel, really the focus is on the family dramas, the devastating impact of secrets when they are revealed and the way that war and tragedy can affect a family.

This is my second book by Catherine Law, and once again I enjoyed her work. Unlike the previous book this one is not a dual timeline as such. It does cover a few years but there is no modern storyline taking up page space.

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews and with the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge hosted here. Thanks to the publisher, Netgalley and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy. Check out the other stops on the blog tour as well!


Rating 4/5

A deeper story than I anticipated, with equal focus on the lives of Cassie and Oliver (cousins) and their families, and on the war, including Cassie's various jobs at the War Room. I enjoyed reading about what she did during her time there, plus the description of the place. I like it when a fictional book is based on fact, so that not only do you get a great story, but you can also learn something.

This was a very emotional story; I even cried over a lovely cat, amongst other things! There were some lovely moments to help balance the sad, especially the ending!

Even though this book wasn't what I expected, I am glad that I read it.

Ww2 family saga

I found this book an interesting and emotional read. The main character wants to do her part in ww2, and at the same time, starts discovering long time family secrets. It is well written and places the reader in the confused but determined world of the main character. Maybe I am missing something but I find the parallels between the family secrets and the work covered by the Official Secrets Act very thought provoking.

Thank you to the publisher who lent me a time limited e-arc via netgalley with no obligation. This review is optional and my own opinion.

Title: The Girl From The War Room
Author: Catherine Law
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3.5)
Format: eBook
Publication Date: 19the August, 2025
Publisher: Boldwood Books

**Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.**

When I started The Girl From The War Room, I expected an emotional dive into Cassandra Marsh's role inside Churchill's War Rooms. What unfolded, however, was something quite different: an evocative family saga stretching across decades.

Every summer, Cassie and her brother, Gerard, return to Greenaways, her mother's family's Devon home, where long golden days with their cousins define her happiest memories—and eventually, her deepest heartbreaks. As war begins to reshape their world, Cassie takes a post in Churchill's secret War Rooms, determined to do her part for the war effort. But beneath the weight of her duties lies something more personal: fractured bonds, betrayals, and family secrets that echo louder than the rumble of the Blitz above.

Catherine Law paints the era with compassion and sensitivity, capturing not only the relentless pressures of war-time life, but also the quiet, lingering ways that tragedy and secrecy shape families for years to come.. The depiction of the War Rooms, filled with claustrophobic days spent beneath ground, the dread of not knowing what daylight might reveal under the Blitz is gracefully written, and rings through—even if it remains more backdrop than centre stage. Where the War Rooms fade, the family drama burns with intensity. The heart of this story is less wartime resistance, and beats more in the intricacies of family, and Cassie's private reckoning with love, loyalty, and loss.

The themes are powerful, but the story does falter in places. The pacing is slow to begin, and I occasionally found myself struggling to connect with the characters on a deeper level. Cassie herself is strong yet imperfect. While sympathetic, she sometimes felt depicted as being caught between adolescence and adulthood in a way that made it difficult to fully resonate and connect with her. The supporting characters, too, while compelling in places, sometimes lacked the depth needed to make their journeys feel entirely convincing. Solutions or resolutions even in devastating situations seemed to also arrive a little too conveniently, softening what could have been sharper and realistic emotional blows.

Still, there is undeniable beauty in Law's prose. She has created a poignant exploration of family, forgiveness, and the burden of secrets. She reminds us the forgiveness is not forgetting, but moving forward; that love adapts and reshapes itself, even after heartbreak; that life, even under the darkest clouds, insists on finding a way. Though the War Rooms are mild in presence, the emotional weight of grief, love, and betrayal keeps the narrative resonant. Once I let go of my initial expectations of the story I'd anticipated, I found myself drawn into a sweeping tale of family reckoning, and the quiet resilience of ordinary people in extraordinary times.

This isn't a story for readers seeking a high-tension wartime story. Instead, it is a tender story of love, and the complexities of family dynamics. For those who are drawn to slower, reflective historical fiction rooted in family, memory, and the enduring search for belonging, The Girl From The War Room will be a quiet and heartfelt, bittersweet journey well worth taking

This is the story of Cassie who gets a job in the War office typing but goes back to her time as a child and her holidays in Devon at her mothers family home which has an affect on her life.It is not till she is older that family secrets come to light.This story tells of those secrets and what happens.I really enjoyed reading it.Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood Books

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood books for the chance to read this book . I was surprised when I started this book I thought it would be about a girl in the war room with Churchill but it turns out it’s more a book about her family and the struggles they have during the war.
Still worth a read .

Cassie is determined to do her bit for the war effort and embarks on her journey into the war room. She feels divided by love and hate after discovering things about her family and she’s lost. She runs to a family friend for shelter but when he declares his love for her she is confused the one person she truly loves is unobtainable.
Cassie must navigate her way in these hard times as war continues to rage around her.
Brilliantly written and a thoroughly enjoyable read a highly recommended ww2 tale.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

As others have said, I wish that more details of Cassie’s wartime work and the bunkers of Winston Churchill were included, but I still really enjoyed it! Cassie’s story had so many ups and downs, and I felt every emotion captured the author’s amazing writing.

4.5 stars out of 5 ⭐️

Another historical work of fiction spanning the effects of the Great War and the ongoing WWII in England. A reader will see the tragedy of war and the awful affects but also the stalwart women who valiantly picked up jobs that were tough and deemed more as 'a man's work'. Keeping war secrets was a challenge that confronted Cassie right in the face.

Throughout the story we see great family togetherness but also deep secrets within the family ties that once discovered, rocked the foundations of Cassie's being. Romance comes in to play as well, with shocking discovery.

I quite enjoyed this story and was sorry to have reached the last page. All-in-all, it was a satisfying read.

~ Eunice C., Reviewer/Blogger ~

July 2025

Disclaimer: This is my honest opinion based on the complimentary reveiw copy sent by NetGalley and the publisher.

I received an arc from NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

This was an okay read for me but it was hard to get into the story. Lots of family drama and relationship issues that Oliver, Luke, and Cassie along with the rest of the family had to work through.

I liked the glimpse into their future in the end. Overall it as a three star for me.

As two families through blood and friendship weave their way through the two world wars plus numerous relationships can Cassie, Gerald, Marianne Oliver survive all that is thrown at them. A great WW2 fiction with obvious truths along the way. Thanks to Catherine Law and her publisher. Thanks also to NetGalley

I absolutely loved it—I couldn’t put it down and finished it in just two days. The Girl From The War Room is a beautifully written novel, an emotional story of courage, loss, and duty, woven with family secrets. Amid all the horror and sorrow, it reflects that love still endures.5 stars
I would like to thank the author, Boldwood Books and NetGalley for my free copy of this novel, in exchange for my honest review.
#TheGirlfromtheWarRoom #NetGalley

I've read several other books by this author, so was delighted to be invited to read this one.

I really enjoyed the story - loved the characters, settings and general atmosphere. I particularly enjoy novels set in WW2 that weave factual history with fiction.

Looking forward to reading more from Catherine Law.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC. All opinions my own.

Set in WW2 mainly in London. Cassie is recruited to the war room firstly to type reports but then her job changes as she gains more experience . Cassie sees something shocking in her home life and this affects her greatly so she throws herself into her work thus having no time for anyone else.

I enjoyed this story but as a character Cassie did annoy me the way she went about things. I would have like more of the action to be in the war rooms but this book was more of a family saga.
It's a book about secrets and deceit but it's also about realizing that everyone has their own life to lead and you shouldn't let that affect the way you live yours. Good read.

Catherine Law’s historical novel, The Girl from the War Room, is a poignant and compelling look at the lives of ordinary people caught in the extraordinary circumstances of World War II. Set against the backdrop of London’s secret underground War Rooms, the novel is a story of duty, survival, and the enduring power of human connection.

Cassie Marsh becomes a secretary for Winston Churchill's War Cabinet, and spends her days in the claustrophobic, high-stakes environment beneath Whitehall, where crucial decisions are made and secrets are fiercely guarded.

One of the novel's strengths is its vivid and authentic portrayal of wartime London. Catherine Law visited the War Rooms for her research and says, "I explored these underground corridors with a sense of awe, taking in the low ceilings, the concrete walls, lined with vents, pipes and girders, aware of how stifling and confined it felt."

The novel explores themes of resilience and the different ways people cope with trauma and uncertainty, and how friendships forged in crisis can become unbreakable bonds.

I am happy to recommend The Girl from the War Room, which captures the spirit of a nation at war through the eyes of one brave young woman. It is a tribute to the heroes of the home front and a reminder of the strength of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

Tony Riches

My thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC of this novel.

The war room in the title is the centre of the Allied war efforts under Sir Winston Churchill ‘s command. Eighteen-year-old Cassie Marsh leaves a comfortable upper middle class home and a loving extended family to embark on a wartime career as a typist, mapmaker, interpreter, and anything else that she is required to do to save the free world. Those who went to work in the dark and damp underground headquarters often stayed there for extended periods, working swing shifts under very stressful conditions, while the Blitz raged overhead. Like moles, they emerged into the light never really knowing if their homes, friends and families had survived the latest bombardment.

The descriptions of Cassie’s claustrophobic work conditions and how life continued, hardly as it would normally but in spite of dread and death, is very well done. Without going into graphic detail, Catherine Law conveys the sense of perpetual anxiety that pervades. But this novel isn’t really about the main character’s war work. The action is split between the city and the family’s Greenaways estate in Devon, her mother’s childhood home, now presided over by her warm and welcoming and his fashionable, free-spirited artist wife. Cassie was used to spending tranquil summers there, enjoying the freedom of outdoors play with her older brother Gerard and her cousins, especially Oliver, with whom she has a particularly close bond. Looking back nostalgically from the point of view of young adulthood and the burdens of war, she longs for those days ‘when we were all bathed in sunlight.’ But these idyllic memories are mostly just that—much darker truths had to be suppressed in order to maintain those golden hues.

Much of the story is told in flashback, mostly through Cassie’s eyes, and consequently it is filtered through the perspective of a sheltered and naive young girl as she discovers that the world, and the people she has always known and trusted, do not necessarily line up behind good and evil. It is possible for what appears weakness to be strength, selfishness to be kindness, and a rigid sense of duty to end up harming those who were meant to be protected. Above all, in Cassie’s view, keeping secrets and telling the million little lies that propriety demands, damage the soul.

The author writes with sensitivity and compassion as she follows Cassie through the trials of growing up in a fast-changing war. Although Cassie and her various family members are far more tolerant and open-minded than most, they perhaps get too much credit for their sacrifices. They must face losses—Cassie’s brother goes missing in action very early, and Oliver is fighting in North Africa, unable to make contact for months on end. Despite their personal struggles, it’s fair to say that their wealth and status
protect them to some extent. Unfortunately they come across as what the British call ‘toffs’ all too often. Both Cassie and her mother, with their lamentations for Greenaways and how it is changing, seem very little-girlish, even if they are ‘doing their bit’ for the war effort. They may not be exempt from heartache, but they are never too far away from solutions that would be unavailable for many. Although there is a lingering hypocrisy that can be off putting, I can’t help thinking that its presence testifies to the author’s talent for setting the historical scene.