Secrets of the Lavender Girls (Homefront Girls 2) by Kate Thompson
Secrets of the Lavender girls is a gritty and heart-warming novel based in Stratford, East End of London during World War II. The year is 1943, and the novel concentrates on the women working at the Yardley’s Cosmetic Factory. It continues the stories of some of the amazing characters from the first book in the ‘Homefront Girls’ series and also introduces new exciting characters. Enough backstory is given that this book can be read as a standalone story or as part of the series. Having read Secrets of the Homefront Girls, I was looking forward to catching up with the Yardley girls and I was not disappointed. As World War II is still continuing across Europe on the Homefront the Yardley girls continue their work at the factory whilst coping with their day to day struggles of living in a bombed out London, facing rations and food shortages. A character from the previous book, Esther is now newly married and learning to adapt to life as both a working women and a married women. However she is also trying to find away to help her adopted family during war time. New Yardley girl Patsy is leading a double life, working on the lipstick belt in the factory during the day and on the stage in the West End at night. Patsy is desperately trying to keep this a secret from her controlling mother, Queenie. Meanwhile Lou, is forced to choose between her family and a forbidden love but is unsure if she is brave enough to take a risk on love during these uncertain times. The Lavender girls all support each other both inside and outside the factory, forging bonds that will last a life time.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, I loved the storyline and the characters from new recruit Patsy who is independently minded but also held back by her mother, to bubbly Lou who is torn between family loyalty and new love and Esther who has gone from a refuge to a married working women. All the characters are likeable, realistic and relatable. I was fully immersed in this novel and found the authors notes at the end fascinating. The main characters and the events of the book are inspired by Kate’s own research, which involved talking with the women who worked at Yardley’s, and you can tell this in her writing as the women’s strength, loyalty and friendships really shine through. The sights, smells, and fear of being in the the East End during 1943 was bought to life under Kate’s pen, along with the fun and the lasting friendships which were made between the wonderful whilst working at Yardley’s. A five star read!

I absolutely loved reading the Secrets of Lavender Girls. It was inspiring to watch the characters stand up and snatch the little joys in life despite the war and personal crisis they faced. A perfect, cosy read to loose yourself in.

A lovely book that I sat with a cup of tea and wanted to keep turning the pages. Wonderful characters very gutsy as women at that time were although they all had a sensitive side to. A great story to get your teeth into. Romance mystery and lots of twists. Totally enjoyable read.

I loved this book, totally different genre to my usual reads. Well written with engaging characters
Fab read!

When I started reading this book I realised that it was a continuation of a series, I was a little unsure if I would be able to 'catch up' with the characters and the storyline. All this was unfounded, it very much was a stand alone story with little insights into what had happened in the previous book, you would easily be able to go and read the first book.
What a glamorous bunch the Lavender Girls were Yardley was definetly a fun and hard working place to be! You felt that you were with them all the way and how they enjoyed work and play, but they did have hard living conditions. Having watched Call the Midwives I had an image of Poplar and the rest of the East End, but then we could jump to the excitement of the West End and the Windmill Theatre. I thought the book gave a very good insight into how London adapted with all its different faces and people that lived there during WW2 and how they had to adapt their lives to what was happening around them. The storylines of the girls from Lou, Snowball and Patsy weaved beautifully together and were written with love and thought, you could tell that a lot of research had gone into the characters and their storylines. I look forward to reading more about them.

What a lovely read. Follow the exploits of the Lavender Girls, they are the workers at Yardley cosmetics factory in East London and read about their secrets and lives during the wartime era.

Brilliant. Read the two books back to back and thoroughly enjoyed them both. Thought perhaps the second book went through the final war months very quickly and perhaps could have been spun out for a third in the series. The characters are likeable and even those not so friendly have chance to explain themselves. Would recommend to others. Hope the series will continue to let us know what happened after the war.

Secrets of the Lavender Girls is a historical fiction novel set in 1943, Stratford England. The book starts on Esters wedding day, with all of the Yardley Lavender girls. Each chapter in this books comes from the perspective of one of these girls. helping to unravel the secrets of each of their lives and how they all intertwine.

I truly adored this book, I didn't want it to end. I loved all of the characters, they wear all so real and the flaws just made them more human. I went through so many emotions whilst reading, from laughing one minute to on the verge of tears the next. it really showed how a community can come together and above all how important friendship and forgiveness is.

The thing I loved the most about this book was actually the stories at the end, where the author had added the inspiration for the book. She had incorporated true stories from the wartime and shown photos of the wonderful women that the characters and locations that parts of the book were loosely based on. I found this to be such a lovely touch.

Although this was the second book in the series (I have not read the first) I feel like you could pick up and enjoy the characters regardless of that, I will definitely be on the look out for more Homefront girls novels in the future.

I highly recommend this book.

It was great to be back at Yardley’s factory with the Lavender Girls again. This is book two with the same characters from The Homefront Girls and a few more. Esther who is now married to Walter and is no more the shy young girl she was. Nell , who is the top woman in the Shoot but a new arrival sets out to challenge that. There’s Lou who’s father is just the most rotten human being who ever walked and Patsy who has the most difficult mother to contend with.
What I love most about these books is the friendship between the women. In such a horrendous time as the war they all had to look out for each other because they never knew who would be needing help next,it could be you.
At the end of the book Kate tells us the true stories of the women she interviewed and where she slotted some of their stories into the book. These are precious memories and I’m so glad they are written down.
I was loathe to leave the lavender girls, knowing that there probably won’t be another book about them.
I enjoyed this book so much. There is only one book by Kate Thompson I haven’t read and I have every faith that it will be just as good.
More power to your pen Kate.

I did not want this book to end. Amazing the way the reader is transported back in time. The characters are bold, vivacious and real I loved Lou and Nell real stalwarts of the community and women to be admired. These ladies show camaraderie at its best through the worst of times and no matter what they come back smelling of lavender.

Absolutely loved this book.
The characters were such a joy to follow, along with each of the problems and troubles they had to face.
I didn’t want the book to end it was that enjoyable.

More about the Lavender Girls from Yardley

The Yardley girls, who work at the famous cosmetics company known for its lavender talc, are a fun bunch of girls. There's beautiful Patsy and her over-protective mother, Lou whose love for another woman is unacceptable in the 1940s East End and Esther, who is about to get married. This is the second in the Homefront girls series but works well as a stand-alone.

It doesn’t matter how many books have written which are set in WWll, still there will always be a fragment, a piece or a part of someone’s life left untold and unheard. How would it not? War has destroyed innumerable lives, even who survived, left with scars which is impossible to heal. This book is about those lives who were not directly in the war but living with the war, with the fear and yet learned to get through the life with whatever possibilities came their way.

The plot is focused on lives of three women, their relationships, families, neighbors, work Life at Yardley, and of course the war when most of the men on their duties to serve their country. It’s enriched with real-time incidents and I totally loved that the characters are developed out of real personalities and of course with some creativity. It also put lights on the situation of same sex relationship in the mid-20th century. The other thing I loved is the happy ending and who doesn’t like that...right! I would highly recommend this book to the readers.

Thank you Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton (publisher) for providing e-ARC to review.

A wonderful read.Loved being transported back in time to the world of the lavender girls.Their families friends relationships,Enjoyed every page of this saga.#netgalley#hodderstoughton

Kate Thompson has brought us another great read. All about the Yardley girls. For some going to work was their social life, it got Esther away from for mother-in-law. Patsy held two jobs, going to the theatre straight from the factory. She also wanted away from her mother, appropriately named Queenie as she was the queen of mean. In sharp contrast to Nell Gunn who was the street matriarch, keeping and eye on everyone. She even takes in the homeless Snowball, aptly named for being a soft natured man. The my favourite character Lou who had a difficult life but with plenty support from her friends. Couldn’t put it down and enjoyed all the factual information throughout the book.
Worth all ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

It is nice to be transported back to the world of World War 2 and step into the lives of these special women. The story made me experience a variety of emotions. An enjoyable read. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me review this book.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. What a nice good old fashioned story this was, great characters, and a real feel good vibe. Really liked it.

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

Absolutely loved reading about the Lavender Girls at work and play,

Esther, whose married Walter at last and is happy, but her mother-in-law, is another matter.

A new girl starts at the factory called Patsy, whose very pretty, who has a dragon for a mother.

All the girls make her feel welcome and everyone gets on well, even after meeting the dragon mother Queenie.

Throughout this book I have laughed, cheered and cried. Please have a box of tissues handy, you’ll need them, I don’t want to put out any spoilers.

AN ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT BOOK.

I loved reading about the Lavender Girls in this second book in the series, Homefront Girls. This historical novel is set in the second world war in the East End of London, an area that has seen more than it's fair share of death and destruction. It's 1943 and the blitz is over, the children are returning from the homes in the countryside where they were evacuated. The Yardley factory is still working flat out to produce the finest cosmetics that the shortages allow and also essential war work. The girls who work in the factory always take pride in their appearance and when the American forces arrive in London some of the girls will do almost anything for a pair of the silk stockings that miraculously appear. Although there is a lot of sadness in the area it doesn't stop them having a good old knees-up and the wedding of Esther and Walter was no exception, everyone pulled together and rations were shared to produce a spread to be envied. There is so much more to this book and it will have you laughing one minute and crying the next, all in all, a brilliant read.

This book has a large,diverse bunch of characters who are very well portrayed. They are great characters and the story follows their lives during the close of World War 2.. A good read.