This book was a great saga telling a story of love and compassion.
A well written saga with strong characters. Such an emotional read.

A lovely and very heart-warming saga that will put a smile on your face. I'm looking forward to reading more from the author.

This was a brilliant read and is being featured on my blog for my quick star reviews feature, which I have created on my blog so I can catch up with all the books I have read and therefore review.
See www.chellsandbooks.wordpress.com.

★★★★★ 4.5 stars (rounded up)

One of the best things about reading so many books is the plethora of new authors that I would never have encountered otherwise. Having started my love of books in my youth with The Famous Five, my chosen genre has generally been mysteries and thrillers...but over the past few years I have found a new love in historical fiction. Particularly wartime sagas such as THE NIGHTINGALES IN MERSEY SQUARE. Lilly Robbins is not a name I am familiar with but the premise to this book intrigued me so that I found myself drawn to the tale that lay within.

Stockport 1940: Young student nurses Clare O'Sullivan, who is Irish, and Gaye Robinson, a Geordie, are in their second year of training at St Timothy's Hospital in Stockport in the county of Cheshire. They are enjoying a rare night out at the cinema featuring the dishy Laurence Olivier as the mysterious Heathcliff in "Wuthering Heights" when the film slows to a stop and an announcement is made that there is a raid coming and for all patrons to make their way out to the shelter next door.

In the ensuing crowds, they stop to help the elderly Mrs Atherton who stumbles and falls, and guide her to the shelter with the assistance of the Red Cross. There they meet Diana Thornley, a well-spoken young woman a little older than themselves, from an obvious upper class background but who holds no weight in the difference in social classes. Diana works in a textile factory putting her sewing skills to good use in making parachutes from silk for the airmen who will come to rely on their special set of skills. However, Diana has come up against some indifference from the other women she works with due to their social differences, making her feel incredibly isolated at work. Which is why her new-found friendship with Clare and Gaye is just the tonic she needs.

The women call on Mrs Atherton in the coming days to see how the older woman is faring after her fainting episode at the cinema, and were thrilled to be received with such a welcome by both the older woman and her daughter Catherine. Mrs Atherton thus has a proposition for the younger women. It seems the Germans are advancing on the Channel Islands and fears for Guernsey falling under Nazi occupation becomes a very real possibility. And so women and children have been evacuated from the island and are on their way to Britain across the wilds of the English Channel, dodging German fire along the way, and Mrs Atherton working alongside the Women's Institute and the local vicar in helping these evacuees find accommodation here in Stockport. She encourages the young women into helping out, no matter their religion which is a concern for Clare who comes from a strict Irish Catholic upbringing, and they all band together to help the Guernsey families find homes here in Britain for the duration.

At once Clare and Gaye organise with their Sister in charge to allow them most weekends off to help out while Diana also makes herself available. Together they find homes for the evacuees and their families, as well as creating regular activities each weekend for the children so they are not bored or homesick. Gaye takes the singing lessons, Clare the knitting while Diana gives art classes.

As well as their volunteer work, the women continue with their regular jobs as well, meeting new people and finding love interests along the way. But as with any aspect of war forever looming largely over them, time is precious and each of them dare not waste a moment. But at what cost? And can the social classes cross the divide that separates them at a time when they all need to band together?

Set against the backdrop of Stockport, Liverpool and Manchester, with a fleeting glimpse of London, THE NIGHTINGALES IN MERSEY SQUARE is a delightful read from start to finish. As with most stories set within this time period, it is as heartbreaking as it is heartwarming. And although it appears to be a standalone story, it could work well as a series as Clare, Gaye and Diana's stories continue to to unfold.

THE NIGHTINGALES IN MERSEY SQUARE is a light and easy read, despite the era, and the women are easily likable...even Diana's hypochondriac aunt Rosamund and her snobbish mother Annabelle, with the latter featuring briefly. I actually quite liked Aunt Rosamund despite her idiosyncrasies and myriad of excuses as to why they couldn't possibly house evacuees...lol In all, each of the characters shine through as the reader gets to know each of them, with all their faults and flaws, as well as their redeeming qualities that endear them to us all.

A truly delightful read, THE NIGHTINGALES IN MERSEY SQUARE is compelling tale of love and friendship in the midst of wartime throughout Britain's darkest days. I look forward to reading more by Lilly Robbins and any sequel to this wonderful tale, should there be one.

I would like to thank #LillyRobbins, #Netgalley and #OrionPublishing for an ARC of #TheNightingalesInMerseySquare in exchange for an honest review.

A new voice exploring the well worn theme of life in WW2. The characters are very well portrayed and the author has clearly researched her subject well. I enjoyed this gritty portrayal of a very famous period in time - it manages not to feel the same as other wartime sagas! Recommended.

Really enjoyed this book, set in war time, it follows the lives of 3 young women. Two of them nurses, all away
from home. Showing how they cope with the changes war brings.

Loved loved this book.English saga writing at its best.A story full of friendship family love.A Book I did not want to end did not want to leave their world.An author whose books Ibwill be devouring.#netgalley#orionbooks

A lovely book about friendship of 3 women during the war who do their bit and support evacuee children find a home. Whilst each having their own problems to deal with however these children are their first priority.

Wartime drama following the lives and loves of three young women from different backgrounds. A look at the evacuation of children from Guernsey which I wasn't aware of.. A good read.

booklover BEV 



Stockport Cheshire 1940. Irish Clare O'Sullivan and Geordie Gaye Robinson are nursing colleagues at St Timothy doing their training and war is raging. Diana Thornley working in the textile factory who's living with her aunt Rosamund and all three become friends through Mrs Atherton. Nightingales have to stick together they all also volunteer at weekends down at the town hall sorting and helping out with the Guernsey children and their families finding them all permanent homes so life is very busy for not much else. Oh this book what can I say it was such a delightful read right through. All the characters shine through as you get to know them all as the years during the war plod on. I found it a inspiration to read and enjoyed all of it and will definitely look out from more from this author in the future.

I am very happy to say that i have loved reading this book about Gaye,Clare and Diana and their lives during the war.Clare and Gaye are trainee nurses at St Timothy's in Stockport.One evening they are watching a film when the air raid siren went off while leaving the movie theatre an elderly lady takes a tumble as young boys run past them,Clare and Gaye go the lady's aid and make sure she is ok before going outside.A young girl had sent the red cross across to help them.After a night in the shelter the three girls become great friends and enjoyed getting to know each other and to becoming involved with the Evacuees from Guernsey.If i could i would give this book more than 5* EXCELLENT and well done to Lilly Robbins and i look forward to her next book.

Omg this is one of the best books I have read. It is my type of story bit of family saga, wartime and nursing. Brilliant storyline. Can t wait to read more by this author