The second book in the series
It is well written with friendly, relatable characters. The author brought the characters to life
A charming historical novel

I didn't particularly like the previous book or this one. I don't know why but this book just didn't click for me. But then you can't like them all.

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.

This one did not do it for me at all sadly. I really didn’t like the main characters so struggled to relate to or empathise with them. Ended up not even finishing it

This book commences just prior to Christmas 1940, a time when Manchester was suffering under ongoing air raids by German bombers.





Dot is busy being devoted wife to the Reg (who quite frankly doesn't deserve her), mother in law to Pammy and Sheila who are on their own whilst their husbands are away fighting, and grandmother to the ever mischievous Jimmy and pretty Jenny. Dot cooks, cleans, works full time on the railways and provides a listening ear and sage advice to the younger railway girls who she befriended when she started working. But don't think that Dot is a saint. She knows that she has a tendency to jump to conclusions, to be a perfectionst when it comes to her housewife duties, can be a bit impatient with Reg, but she always has her family's best interests at heart.





Joan is still living at home with her Gran and her beautiful sister Letitia. The girls have both always know that Letitia has been their Gran's favourite, but they are the only family that they have given that their mother ran away with her 'fancy man' and their saintly father had died of a broken heart. Luckily, her boyfriend Bob's family, the Hubble's have taken her into their hearts. Joan is an all round good person, someone most people would like if they had a chance to meet her.





Mabel is finally coming out of her shell, helped by her own cheeky blighter boyfriend Harry Knatchbull. She's happy living in Manchester, and doing hard physical work on the railway line, even though that she has been bought up to be a lady. She would be safer at home with her parents, but Mabel has let guilt over past events to stay away.





As a reader, we know that in 1940 the war still has a long way to go, the characters aren't to know that there will still be several more years of war to come. They, in turn, display hope that the war will be over soon and their loved ones will be home safe and sound, to self doubt (for example when Dot wonders if she is selfish to still have her grandchildren at home rather than evacuating them to the country) and to despair as they lose people around them or their homes.





One of the key storylines in the book relates to Dot trying to uncover the truth about a possible theft from a secret food store. She enlists her friends to assist her, including lovely, friendly Mr Thirkle. At first, I wasn't sure about this storyline but it did make sense as the book went along.





Whilst the women prove their competence at their jobs time and time again, there are still plenty of people who don't like them doing men's work, and the women are often held to a higher standard of behaviour than their male co-workers might otherwise have been!





One of the main focuses of Secrets of the Railway Girls is the description of the Christmas Blitz which took place in Manchester in late 1940. The descriptions of the bombings and of people being affected in small and large ways, were extremely vivid and is one of the main strengths of this book!

Secrets of the Railway Girls by Maisie Thomas is the 2nd tale in The Railway Girls series. It can be read as a standalone, but I recommend reading the books in order. I enjoyed reading this gently paced historical novel. I thought Secrets of the Railway Girls was well-written with friendly, relatable characters. Dot, Joan, and Mabel are the focus of this installment. Dot Green is the mother figure of the group. She is such a hardworking, caring woman. Dot has a big heart. Joan was raised by her strict Gran who favors Joan’s sister over her. Mabel Bradshaw was devastated when her best friend died in a motor accident with her at the wheel. She left her home and came to volunteer for the war effort. Dot, Joan, Mabel, Cordelia, Alison, and Persephone all work for the railroad in various positions. They have stuck together and are there for each other. I like how they help each other through the difficult times and how close they have become. The war is escalating with new rules enacted each day. Rationing has begun which causes ques at the shops. Getting needed supplies is a challenge and cooks need to be creative. I thought the author captured time and place beautifully. The ladies face a variety of problems such as grief, heartache, and attitudes from men at work. The bombings are escalating. Lives and homes are lost. The ladies are all trained in first aid and are out during the bombings helping the injured. There is more drama in Secrets of the Railway Girls. The author really brought her characters to life. I felt I was experiencing the bombings and other events with them. I enjoyed the mystery of who is stealing from the food bank. I like how they worked to catch the culprit. Secrets of the Railway Girls is charming historical novel that left me eager for the next installment.

It's the first book I read in this series and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
The characters are well thought and likable, the historical setting is vivid, the plot flows and kept me hooked.
I loved to read about the trains and it was a fascinating part.
I look forward to reading other stories featuring these characters, it's recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

It's been such a treat to return to this group of women who we first encountered in The Railway Girls. Picking up the threads of the story again we follow, Dot, Joan and Mabel as they continue their valuable work on the Manchester railway network, keeping everything both at home, and at work, in lively focus.

In this novel, the northern stoicism of the railway girls is sorely tested when Manchester becomes the target for some pretty fierce bombardment, but as always, they rise to the challenge of what lies before them. Trained in first aid some of the women find themselves in some tricky situations which they handle with bravery and compassion.

The individual stories are just as interesting, I love the brave, good humour of Dot, so reminiscent of the strong northern women in my family who, during WW2 kept, hearth and home together. The practical skills of Joan, and the seriousness of Mabel, and yet they all bring out the best in each other and their support is especially vital when times get tough.

I love the setting of the book in North West England, it all feels so familiar, there's even a shout out to the railway station in my home town in it! The war-time authenticity is without question as is the author's enthusiasm and skill in bringing place, people and historical context to life. With heartbreak, tragedy and upheaval as a constant threat the railway girls face some difficult challenges but with their brave good humour they do their absolute best to keep going even though life around them is really difficult.

Beautifully written, with a quiet charm, the author has most certainly got the balance just right with this historical saga. Her characters, with all of their problems and insecurities, come alive, we laugh, and cry, with them as they do their best to keep to keep morale alive in some pretty difficult circumstances.

I am sure that this isn't the last we have seen of The Railways Girls - I would hope that they have many more adventures before the war is over.

I loved the first book in Maisie Thomas' The Railway Girls wartime saga series when I read it back in May and I've eagerly been awaiting being reunited with this eclectic group of women who are drawn from all walks of life, yet have become firm friends.
As Christmas 1940 draws near, Dot Green is making plans for how to celebrate; mock turkey is on the menu but she has a clever plan to ensure her beloved grandchildren won't have to eat their pet rabbit. However, Manchester becomes the latest bombing target in what becomes known as the Christmas Blitz and tragedy strikes meaning the friends need each other more than ever. The devastation left by the bombs, both on the city itself and on those who live there is vividly evoked and although this is a heartwarming series, Maisie Thomas describes the horror and the collective sense of loss and grief with sensitive and searing honesty.
Of course, these are women who are working in jobs usually undertaken by men and who face mocking, criticism and doubt by those who believe their place should be in the home so despite their personal tragedies, they remain strong even when their hearts are broken. That's not to suggest that they are unrealistically perfect - on the contrary, they make mistakes and are forced to confront difficult situations. Joan, in particular, has a real dilemma this time around and although it would be easy to condemn her for the position she finds herself in, because these are such well-rounded, believable characters, I couldn't help but sympathise with her plight.
The three characters who featured most strongly in the first book take centre stage for the most part again here and their stories are all moving and engaging. While Joan is struggling to deal with the shocking developments in her life, Mabel also undergoes some big changes during the course of the novel and has her own difficult dilemma to deal with. She finds herself missing home and I loved that the privileged, aloof girl who came to Manchester to spread her wings is now secure enough in the love of her friends to also appreciate and to miss her wealthy, social-climbing yet undeniably loving parents. It's Dot though who remains my favourite character; as a devoted mother and grandmother, it's not surprising that she should become the sounding-board and the shoulder to cry on for the younger women in their group but her job on the railway has given her something beyond a new group of friends. She has become more confident in her own capabilities and her bravery really shines through in some tense and dramatic scenes.
If being reunited with Dot, Mabel and Joan feels like greeting old friends again, the small glimpses we're given into the lives of Cordelia, Alison and Colette means I'm eager to discover more about them too - I have a feeling each of them has secrets to still be revealed. I'm also becoming increasingly fond of the extended cast of characters beyond the Railways Girls; most notably Mr Thirkle, Mrs Cooper and Mrs Grayson and I'm absolutely intrigued to learn more about just what Joan's awful Gran has been hiding from her...
The Secrets of the Railway Girls is an authentic, poignant and dramatic homage to the fortitude of the ordinary people who showed such extraordinary courage and resilience during the Second World War. It's also strikingly relevant to our own current circumstances as we too queue outside shops at a time when social cohesion and a sense of communal responsibility is vital once again. The lives of the Railway Girls, the railway they work on and Manchester itself are all richly brought to life and as the saga progresses, I have no doubt that I'll continue to be engrossed as I celebrate the highs and mourn the losses of the Railway Girls. I highly recommend this captivating book and series.

After enjoying the first book so much I was really looking forward to this one. Sadly it wasn't as good. I found the Joan storyline silly and skip read some of the middle parts of the book as it seemed to drag on. The part surrounding who she really is still drags on. I enjoyed the Dot storyline and becoming a heroine. Knowing Manchester i enjoyed the parts describing the damage done in the war. In the second half of the book though the warwas hardly mentioned at all. I'll give the next book a chance and hope it goes back to the quality of the first one.

The girls are back and it's so lovely to be reunited with them once more in this stunning series. With the war ramping up around them, times are proving tougher than ever so to see these women having to face up to really serious times was just so gripping and emotional! There may have been tears shed on my part! That's how involved I've become in the lives of the railway girls!!

This book is a great look at the lives of normal people during the war - how life carries on despite the fear and danger they are all surrounded by. The women are working harder than ever with the threat of bombing getting closer and closer.

But real life has to continue as normal as possible, so the women are having to face problems at home, dealing with grief and they're still up against a few derisive attitudes from men at them working on the railways.

I found this book to be more dramatic than the last book and shows that the girls are having to grow up fast with what they're facing and dealing with. Really enjoyed seeing how the war was impacting on them day to day with rationing, and just how the s*** that life throws at you doesn't let up in the midst of a war!

Work for these girls is a distraction from the horrors and the support they receive from one another is so touching. They've become like family to one another and are always there when needed.

I'm hoping there'll be more visits back to the railway girls as I just adore seeing them and how their lives continue to chop and change so dramatically, whilst counting on those around them to be supportive and show what real friendship is all about.

Loved it!!!

I had the pleasure of reading and reviewing the first book in the series , ‘The Railway Girls’ earlier this year. Since then I have been (im)patiently waiting for the second book in the series to be released. Well ladies and gents, the wait is finally over because ‘Secrets Of The Railway Girls’ is due for release on 17th September 2020. I was fortunate enough to have early access to the book so I could review it for my stop on the blog tour. I absolutely ADORED reading ‘Secrets Of The Railway Girls’ but more about that in a bit.
It seems kind of unfair to single one character out for special attention as I like all of the Railway Girls. I must admit that I have a soft spot for Dot. Dot is a motherly figure who has a heck of a lot to put up with. She runs around looking after the welfare of her husband, the not so delightful Reg, her daughters in law and her beloved grandchildren. Not only that but Dot is determined to do her bit for the war effort, which is what leads her to volunteer as a Railway Girl. The woman never stops and she often doesn’t have a moment to herself. There were numerous times when I wanted to jump inside the pages of the book to slap Reg and her daughters-in-law across the face with a wet fish a few dozen times as they needed a reality check and they needed to look after Dot rather than treat her as a slave. I kept willing Dot to lead a walk out. Dot looks after everybody and at times I wondered who is looking after Dot? She is the sort of lady I would love as a friend- she is kind, considerate, compassionate, fiercely protective of those she cares about, hard working, determined and at times stubborn. I could easily imagine putting the world to rights over a cup of tea with Dot.
Oh my word, I was drawn into this book from the synopsis alone and I was like a child on Christmas morning with this book in that I was desperate to open it but I didn’t want to finish the book too quickly. The book seemed to develop a hold over me and it was a hold that I didn’t want to break. To say that reading ‘Secrets Of The Railway Girls’ became addictive seems a bit of an understatement to say the least. I made the fatal mistake of starting the book shortly before I went to bed. Let’s just say that I became that wrapped up in the story that I read into the wee small hours of the morning and I ended up with a ‘lack of sleep’ hangover but it was so worth it. I seemed to race through the book because I had a desperate need to find out how the story panned out and what implications that had for my favourite characters. I soon got to the end of the story and I had to say a little farewell to Dot and the gang.
‘Secrets Of The Railway Girls’ is superbly written but then I think that was true of Maisie’s first book too. She has a way of grabbing your attention and drawing you into the story from the beginning. She has created some adorable characters who are described so realistically that they seem just as real as you and I. That’s how I felt at any rate. The author brings the 1940s alive and she describes that time so well that I felt as though I had borrowed the Tardis from Dr. Who and I had travelled back in time. I must admit that in that sense I am a history nerd too. This book certainly took me through a whole range of emotions- at times I wanted to laugh, at times I wanted to cry and at times I wanted to scream. In that way I felt as though I had been on an emotional rollercoaster ride. Everything the characters went through, I went through. ‘Secrets Of The Railway Girls’ was a gripping read, which had me on the edge of my seat throughout.
‘Secrets Of The Railway Girls’ is a brilliant addition to ‘The Railway Girls’ series. I thought that the first book was good but this book is even better. I would have no hesitation in recommending this series to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Maisie’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

Secrets of the Railway Girls is the second book in the series from Maisie Thomas which follows the ups and downs of a group of women working for a railway company during the war years. I really enjoyed the first book so I was delighted that the wait for the next instalment wasn’t too long. In case you were worried judging this book by its cover that the focus would be all Christmas based and that in fact being September is far too early to read it, then you needn’t worry at all. This is not a Christmas book by any means. Yes the festive season does feature but only briefly and it’s more to do with providing a backdrop to a serious event which shapes and moulds the remainder of the plot. So really this book can be read and enjoyed at any time of the year. This was a good follow up to the introductory book in the series and I felt overall that it really moved the story as a whole much further on. There was lots going on and I didn’t feel there were any chapters or scenes that were there simply as filler ins to increase the word count as is often the case in some historical saga books that I have read lately.

I felt we got to know the majority of the characters in much more depth. I definitely think this story will have you changing your opinions about some of them as I know their actions, one woman in particular, had me really disliking them but then by the end they do something that makes them redeem themselves in your eyes. I felt I slotted straight back into the story as there was a quick reintroduction with just a suitable amount of information to refresh readers memories and there was enough backstory to arise the interest of new readers. It’s not strictly necessary to have read the first book but if you’re anything like me you’ll want to read the series in order, to get the overall picture and to not miss out on any of the finer details. But yes it’s written in such a way that those who pick it up now or at any point with future books will be easily able to follow along.

Joan, Dot and Mabel still the form the core characters of the book, some other women do feature but certainly not to the same extent. I am still really hoping that Cordelia, Colette, Alison and co will get more prominent roles in future books as I really want to know more of their personal stories aside from the various jobs they are employed to do on the railways. Colette in particular is one character I really have my suspicions about as to what is going on beneath the shy, quiet exterior that she presents. Hopefully this will be explored more as there are certainly enough tantalising hints being dropped at the moment.The women of the group are a mixture of both young and slightly older but their differences in age and to some extent their backgrounds never gets in the way of them developing a close and united bond and friendship. One in which they are always there for each other through thick and thin and whatever may be going on in both their personal and professional lives.

The railway girls always stick together and even though they are all assigned to different roles within the railway company I love how they find the time to meet each other at the buffet whenever they can. They know meeting and talking through their day and any problems or issues they have is the way to make the best of the situation they find themselves in with war continuously raging on. But at the same time they are working in a male dominated world where still the remaining men not away fighting think a woman’s place is best in the home. Dot certainly experiences this both at home and at work but she is an incredible woman fighting against the tide determined to keep everyone happy but is she forgetting her own peace and at happiness in the process of doing so?

There is no question that Dot is the stand out character so far in this series. She is almost like the leader/mother figure of the group but she does this in the most quiet and unassuming way. She shows that life needs to carry on as normal and to do this with dignity and determination. She is tenacious, brave and intuitive and as well as trying to do her bit for the war effort she tries to keep her family life well balanced too. I despise her husband and her two daughters-in-law as I think they view her as a door mat that they can walk all over but she is slowly showing her worth and all the railway girls can see how capable she is. Her storyline in this book was brilliant. Not much can be said or else it would be given away but I loved how she put on her investigative hat alongside fellow railway worker Mr. Thirkle in order to solve a mystery. This led to lots of other little subplots regarding Dot. At one point I didn’t like the way she was being treated because of perceived viewpoints that were probably wrong. One scene in particular showed just how important Dot is to everything and everyone and when her bravery is tested it certainly makes one male in particular realise that females working on the railways are definitely a necessity and they their place is well and truly earned.

Mabel’s story was a dominant one in book one whereas here I thought she took more of a backseat. I don’t think the issues and guilt she had then are fully resolved but love seems to have come her way in the form of Harry Knatchbull who is in the RAF. I didn’t like what happened between them and I thought Mabel was too forgiving when she heard certain things. Is this exposing her vulnerability and the fact that she is not over what happened in the past that she is so ready to forgive and forget that easily? I sense there is a lot more to come for Mabel and that her past will reveal even more of itself in future books.

As for Joan, in this book she has been the most divisive of characters for me. Tragedy befalls her and her family life is torn apart. Her Gran, that herself and her sister live with, just goes from bad to worse in terms of bitterness, resentment and just overall nasty personality. I can’t understand how Joan puts up with so much. Although a lot becomes clear in the last quarter or so of the book which makes her reassess everything she has known and stood for and which in turn makes her question what her next steps should be in her personal life. But prior to this I really took a turn against Joan, I just couldn’t fathom no matter what her heart was telling her, the actions she took. She was reckless and it was like a betrayal, I expected her to be upstanding and loyal. Instead it was like she really threw caution to the wind and in a really bad way. She couldn’t confide in the other women because she knew what she was doing was wrong. Surely that should have told her that what she was doing was totally and utterly wrong. I hate saying that I disliked a character that is central to the book but that’s how I felt about her in this book. I was just desperately hoping that she would redeem herself and ultimately make the correct long term decision.

Secrets of the Railway Girls was an eventful read but I did think towards the end that a lot of the events were left too late and featured in the last quarter instead of perhaps being more spread out throughout the book. Everything kind of came tumbling together at once and yes it only served to make me turn the pages even quicker to see what was happening but still not saving some of the bigger resolutions/reveals for the last minute may have been more beneficial. But this is a minor gripe on my part but I will say something that I found very frustrating throughout and I wonder did other readers feel the same was the jumping from character to character within chapters and pages. I was caught up reading about Joan perhaps and then there was a slight gap on a page which made me presume the next paragraph would feature Joan maybe in a different setting. This wasn’t the case instead we jumped to someone else and to be honest I found this very confusing. A little image between paragraphs showing a character change or even to put the characters name in would have been brilliant especially as when the jump came it always ended at a point where I was keen to know what happened next to a character and instead something and someone totally different was featured.

But overall I really enjoyed my return visit to the Railway Girls as they continue to show that everyone has to try and cope with the lot they are presented with. That there is no choice, bad things do happen and it’s the way you deal with them that’s important. The girls refuse to fall down and crumble during wartime and I look forward to seeing how will they will tackle what life and the war throws at them next when they return in The Railway Girls in Love.

Re-joining the girls to find out how they are doing after starting their new lives as railway girls.Dot loves her job and feels that she is now doing her bit for the war effort.While Mable has found a home and her relationship is going so well but the christmas blitz rips apart everything she holds dear and she will need her friends help to move forward.I love this series as it's so different from other's of this genre.Well done to Maisie Thomas 5*

Book Two from this wonderful author.
War is raging with a big bang.
Manchester November 1940.
Dot and Reg and their expanded family are hoping the war will end soon and they can have their two son's Archie and Harry home.
Joan and Boyfriend Bob a Station porter and a signal man.
And dear Mabel a country girl and sweetheart Harry, Mabel is lodging with Mrs Grayson.
The LMS Railway, The Railway Girl's.
The train's play an essential part during the war it couldn't be won without them.
Manchester is quaking beneath the ferocity of falling explosives, but it doesn't stop Mabel Bradshaw and the girl's, the war has to be won.
Mabel has grown to be my favourite character in this book, especially during the Christmas Blitz and the rescues. what a horrendous time for the town.
What a story, What a book, I was so hooked reading, The character's come to life in this book as you read. I loved every moment. its definitely a book to recommend with other reader's.
i enjoyed the first, and this second book was just spot on with great research entailed.

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

The story is set in Manchester in November 1940. As the war continues and there’s secrets that will harm the railway girls, but through this they will discover what friendship really is.

Dot, for her, her job on the railways is everything. The sending of parcels around the country, which gives her pride in that she feels that she is doing her bit for the war effort. I’m amidst all this there’s a growing friendship that causes problems when home and work collide.

Then there’s Joan, she loves her boyfriend Bob dearly. When tragedy strikes, she’s finds her heart torn apart. She’s having to make a decision that she feels could hurt those she loves most.

Her friend, Mabel , whose finally found a place to call home, her relationship also seems to be going from strength to strength.

But the relentless bombing in the Christmas blitz, is now about to destroy everything that she holds dear. She’s going to need her friends’ help, courage and generosity now more than ever.

The three women who have come together by their work on Manchester’s railways, They find that through the support and encouragement of each other, they are able to get through even the most challenging of times.

Recommend it.