In this fifth outing to London's East End we meet again with the indomitable Brogan family who have featured so strongly in the previous books. In A Ration Book Daughter we follow the story of Cathy Wheeler who lives with her small son, Peter, and her domineering mother-in-law, whilst her husband, Stanley, is on active duty overseas. When Cathy receives the dreaded telegram informing her that Stanley is missing in action, rather than be sad, Cathy lives in hope of finally being rid of her violent and aggressive husband.

We follow Cathy as she tries to keep both herself and her son safe from the increased threat of the bombs which drop constantly on the East End, and rather than take shelter with her nasty mother in law, Cathy prefers to spend her nights with her Brogan family in the shelters beneath a London tube station. When Cathy comes into contact with Sergeant Archie McIntosh who is part of a bomb disposal unit based in the East End there is a pull of attraction between them and it is this bureoning relationship which features so strongly in the story.

What then follows is a lovely story which bears all the hallmarks of this authors passion for bringing the history of the East End to life. With meticulous research and genuine delight in recreating the lives of this stalwart generation the author gives us a story which is alive with warmth and compassion and filled with characters who, with each successive story, just get stronger and stronger and who find a place in your heart.

A Ration Book Daughter continues the series is grand style. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading Cathy's story and desperately wanted her to find her happy ever after ending. Archie McIntosh is a welcome addition to the story and I found his story both poignant and uplifting in equal measure. The Brogan's are, of course, as wonderful as ever, particularly Queenie, the matriarch of the family who continues to rule the roost with her own inimitable brand of stern common sense.

It's worth saying that whilst A Ration Book Daughter may be read as a standalone story, it would be advisable to enjoy this series from the beginning in book #1.

What can I say, yet another great read. I have throughly enjoyed this ration book series. This is book 5 in the series and although we catch up with all the Brogan’s this book follows Cathy Wheeler nee Brogan as she try’s to get through the war living with her vile mother in law Violet while her abusive nazi loving husband Stan is away at war. I look forward to the next book in the series with bittersweet emotions as this will be end of the series. A well deserved five stars from me.

I always enjoy reading books in the Ration Book series because of the authentic settings, historical detail and believable characters. The simple plot allows this character-driven story to draw the reader into London during World War two, making it an immersive reading experience.

This story follows Cathy, a young mother, married to an abusive and bigoted man currently fighting in North Africa. The story reads fine as a standalone, but the series is engaging, and it's best to read all the books in the series.

This is a story of forbidden love and making the best of your life. Cathy is a courageous and likeable character, as is Archie, her new lodger, and the reader empathises with them. Realistically paced and well-researched. It's easy to visualise the setting. It incorporates serious issues but manages to keep the story entertaining.

I received a copy of this book from Atlantic Books - Corvus via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

A Ration Book Daughter is about Cathy Brogan a young woman living in London, with her young son Peter, during the Blitz. Her violent husband has been declared missing in action and she is counting down the days until she is declared a widow and can officially be free of him.

This is the 5th in the Ration Book series about the every day lives of the Brogan family as they deal with everything that's thrown at them, against the backdrop of the blitz.

Unfortunately, having read the previous books, although I was looking forward to this one, I found it quite dull and repetitive in comparison to the others. I felt the writing was overly descriptive, it lack the emotion to pull me into the life of Cathy and Peter, and I found myself wishing it would hurry up and end.

Maybe, having read the others I was comparing it unfavourably, or maybe just a change of families dealing with the Blitz would have been a refreshing change for me, sorry if this is not a popular review, but its just my honest opinion.

This is the first book I have read by this author so the first one of a long series by the sounds of it. However that didn't appear evident. At no point did I feel I was missing something. It was a lovely easy read with Cathy a very strong character. I loved the descriptions of her family especially her gran Queenie. The horrible mother in law was great characterisation. Archie was another strong character. Because he was half caste and its a book set in wartime there was a lot of racial elements but they didn't affect Archie. A lovely book about love, loss and new beginnings, its not exciting enough to get your pulse racing but hey nothing wrong with that

I absolutely loved revisiting the wonderful Brogan family, this time we spent most of the story with Cathy and her young son Peter.

Cathy is continuing to cope the best she can with a demanding and quite frankly horrid mother in law, she is a character that you take an instant dislike too and it makes you root for Cathy even more during the story.

These stories are so vivid you can literally picture the bomb disposal team trying to safely diffuse the unexploded bombs that are falling around London. I found the more I read about Cathy and her life the more I wanted to keep reading to see if she would ever find a way to shed her violent husband and evil mother in law.

A superb addition to this saga with Queenie once again providing her wisdom and insight on these wonderful pages. I am so excited to hear there will be one more book but will be disappointed when I reach the end of my journey with the Brogan family.

I received this as an ARC from Netgalley anad the publisher in return for an honest review. This is the first book by this author that I have read and I am delighted to discover her. The cover photo makes it look as if this is going to be one of these cosy realisations of the past, but not at all. This is grotty, emotional and absorbing and the author does not pull back from examining uncomfortable issues such as abuse, racism, peer pressure, bullying, poverty, etc.

She doesn't shy away from depicting the harsh realities of the times including the dreadfully racist attitudes which existed (thankfully not among everyone) at that time. It is above all a story of strength, enduarance and love and hope. Wonderful story and very well written.

Yet again another of the series that had all the main characters though concentrated on Cathy this time of course , brilliant story line , such strong characters, totally absorbing to the extent I read too late many nights , can’t wait to see what happens next , Never been disappointed at any of Jean Fullerton’s books , amazing writer , down to earth , tells it how it was , absolutely adore them , please keep them coming

Jean Fullerton writes family sagas that take you right into the lives of those living, working and surviving during some of the most pivotal moments in history. The Ration Book series takes you to life during WWII and the author's words have kept me fascinated and gripped throughout the series. Although each book can be read as a standalone story I would highly recommend reading all the books in order to fully appreciate the characters' history, setting and follow their progressing as the war rages on.

A Ration Book Daughter is Book 5 in the series and focuses on Cathy's story of survival of a marriage she went into blindly and is now suffering physically and emotionally the torment her husband has caused. However, as Stanley is now overseas with the war effort she has a slight respite but still suffers the malicious spite from her mother-in-law but the love of her young son, Peter, keeps her going.

Life is very busy for young mum Cathy volunteering with the WVS and looking after Peter, she's also making time to learn a new skill to help her gain employment. All this juggling and ensuring Peter and the rest of her family are bedded down at the shelter each night.

Cathy meets by chance a young Serjeant from the Bomb Disposal Unit and a friendship soon blossoms. Cathy soon realises there may be another chance of happiness for her but life is full of many complications.

With the daily uncertainty of war landscapes are shifting and lives will never be the same but there's a spirit with people of making do and keeping calm and carry on.

A Ration Book Daughter held me captive with the storyline at times gripping me with fear and at others I was lost with a tale of love fighting it's way through turmoil.

Atmospheric, humbling, captivating and gripping.

Another wonderful book in this series from Jean Fullerton. I’ve loved them all so far and am pleased to learn that there is going to be one more in this series. It’s a shame that it’s going to be the final one as I’ve grown very fond as these characters and will be sorry to see them go. This book continues on from the previous one and does include a couple of true stories from the war years which makes it more interesting. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Atlantic Books and Jean Fullerton for my copy. I have loved the whole Ration Book series and this latest addition was no exception. These books are just wonderful - lovely storylines, fabulous characters that develop over time, and very well researched historical background details. I love returning to each one and revisiting the Brogan family. If you enjoy historical fiction the Ration Book series is a must-read.

Oh another Ration heartfelt Book from the Brogan family Book Five.
1942 London East End, and Cathy Wheeler is now with the Women's Voluntary Service helping out with the war effects, her little Boy Peter is in nursery, and her violent husband Stanley is in north Africa, Cathy is living with her mother in law Violet, and she's far from an easy woman to live with, then they get told that Stanley is now missing in action, and Cathy prays if he doesn't turn up in the next six months on a POW list she will be free of him and classed as a widow, his mother knows he will come home and won't let Cathy forget it.
Sergeant Archie McIntosh works on the bomb disposal a widower with a daughter he bumps into Cathy and their path's keep crossing and he becomes her lodger, all the Brogan family stick together and as you read you feel you are along side them all. I love all the ration books, they certainly touch your heart.
As another book from the Brogan Family comes to a close and the war continues I hope we find victory in the next instalment that I so look forward to see how the story will unfold.
well worth my rating's and more the author has touch me once again.

This book is a further instalment of the Ration Book series.
Cathy's husband is missing in action and Cathy sees her escape from her abusive marriage imminent.
In order to support herself, she takes in a lodger Sergeant Archie McIntosh and Cathy's life takes some turns that give her hope for the life she dreamed of.
This book is just as good as the others in this series and Jean Fullerton is clearly Queen of the East End of World War Two.
The story is compulsive reading and the characters are delightfully illustrated.
Highly recommended to fans of historical fiction.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley in allowing me to read in return for a review.

As they say, this is a real page-turner! I have loved every single one of the books in the East End Ration series and this latest episode is just as brilliant! As all the other books it can be read as a standalone but you'll be wanting to read more about the Brogan family ( that's what happened to me after reading A Ration Book Childhood a couple of years ago ). Jean Fullerton's writing style is sublime, the story is gripping, filled with suspense until the very last page. I was compelled to read chapter after chapter until the small hours as you can't simply put the book down. Wartime East End London provides a dramatic background where larger-than-life characters provide endless entertainment ( and apprehension, turmoil, excitement and every sentiment in between. That Violet! You'd want to smack her yourself ).
In other words, an excellent story, that I can heartily recommend.
With many thanks to Corvus, Atlantic Books, the author and Netgalley for an early copy.
#ARationBookDaughter #NetGalley

I’ve read a few wartime saga’s, over recent years, and this is definitely as wonderful addition to that library. Having been brought up by parents whose childhoods were spent in the war years, I have watched a number of war related drama series, my favourite was Danger UXB! It was a real treat to find that the bomb disposal squad featured heavily in this story.
Cathy is very much a likeable character, her commitment to her son and family is joyous. I found it hard to discover that her marriage was both loveless and violent. Her Mother in Law, Violet Wheeler is equally as vile as her son, a bully of the worst kind. Obsessed with keeping up appearances, Violet takes every opportunity to paint Cathy as a terrible wife and mother.
Archie’s character is lovely, a talented artist with a scarred heart. To be so far away from family, having lost a spouse, was commonplace and yet seemingly impossible to handle.
One of the harder parts about reading historical fiction, is accepting how different tolerances used to be. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to racism, in any form. Reading the comments, which I know are factual and of a time, wasn’t easy.
The details around the bomb disposal were tense and it was impossible to guess what the outcome of the various threats would be. It goes without saying that not all wartime stories can have happy endings. I was thrilled to discover that this is part of a series, and I will be looking for the others over the coming months.
I found myself hoping that Violet would get her just desserts, that she may be on the receiving end of the type of bigotry she dished out. As I said, not all stories have the happy ending that we hope for, but sometimes…

Thank you for a digital proof copy to read and review for the blog tour.

Full review to follow on the blog tour but I thoroughly enjoyed my third visit to the Brogan family. This was probably my favourite of the three I've read. Great characters and stories, also a reminder about how difficult life must have been, sleeping in underground shelters and not knowing if you would have a home to go to next day.

I love this series. It ticks all my boxes! A Ration Book Daughter is book 5 in the Ration Book series about the every day lives of the Brogan family as they deal with everything that's thrown at them, against the backdrop of the blitz.

This story focuses on Cathy Brogan. She is married to Stanley Wheeler, a truly bad lot, and has a young son, Peter, to him. Stanley is overseas fighting for King and country, leaving Cathy and Peter living with his mother, the mean and spiteful Violet Wheeler. When news reaches Cathy that her husband is missing in action, she begins to count the days for when she will be completely free of him.

In a bid to undermine Cathy, Violet ensures that Cathy does not have enough money to pay the rent and feed them all. To make ends meet, Cathy decides to take in a lodger. The idea of a lodger is repellent to Violet, and she is further incensed when Cathy's lodger, Archie, moves in.

My blood boiled as I read about how Violet was treating Cathy, and the malicious lies she was spreading about her daughter-in-law. Cathy deals with the whole situation with a calm dignity with only her family and Archie to support her.

A Ration Book Daughter tells of the growing attraction between Cathy and Archie. Whilst Archie is already a widower, Cathy is still a married woman, counting the days until Stanley Wheeler is officially declared dead and she is free to remarry.

Although Queenie Brogan, Cathy's gran, only has a small part in this story, she is still my favourite character. We learn a bit more about her younger self, her husband, and Jeremiah's father. But I especially love her moments of clairvoyance; particularly when she tells Violet Wheeler something that should bring the vindictive woman great happiness, but delivers the information more like a curse. I do love a bit of retribution!

The Ration Book series is filled with historical facts which I find adds to my enjoyment of the stories. In this book, we find Cathy and Ida caught up in Bethnal Green Tube Disaster of 1943, and learn about the dangerous work of the Royal Engineers Bomb Disposal Unit.

A Ration Book Daughter is another well-researched story, which can be read as a standalone. However, I would definitely recommend reading all the earlier books in this series before reading this one, to really appreciate the Brogan family and the times in which they lived.

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

It seems that a Blitz can dampen a mother’s love..
A happy bride was Cathy when Britain went to war with Germany,three years ago. But her dreams were turned to ashes, when Stanley, her violent husband, became invoked with the fascist black-shirts. Knowing that when’s he’s away fighting, she has only peace for a short time. For her, divorce is out of the question. So she’s got to stay strong, for her little boy Peter.

So, receiving a telegram, to notify her that her husband is missing in action, she’s finally got done hope, shes got to wait six months, after which she will be legally a widow.

But, until that time, she’s still got to keep her don fed and safe, in order to do thus, she puts up an advert for a lodger. It’s Sergeant Archie McIntosh of the Royal Engineers' Bomb Disposal Squad who turns up. A kind and thoughtful person and they are attracted to each other.

As there’s still no news of Stanley and the war still going on, can Cathy have the love she deserves?

This book had me gripped from start to finish. This was a new author to me and read due to the description and my love of historical fiction. My favourite books to read are those women left behind during the war so fitted perfectly. This book is so beautifully written and the detail meant I could really picture every part of it meaning I just constantly had to know what happened next. A story of heartache, sadness, love, fear and happiness all in one. Thankyou for writing this beautiful book. I shall look out for more.

I absolutely adore books set around this time period. I have read a few of the 'ration book' series and have loved them all. When I saw this book I jumped atthe chance to read it. This story is centered around Cathy Wheeler. I loved Cathy and was immediately drawn to her and so wanted her to have her "happily ever after'.

You can read this as a standalone but if you are a fan of this genre you will want to read them all because they just get better and better. I was sad when the book ended, I was left wanting more.