"Fire and Fury for the Tobacco Girls" by Lizzie Lane is a poignant and evocative portrayal of life in Bristol during the tumultuous year of 1941. As war rages on, the Tobacco Girls, led by Maisie Miles and Bridget Milligan, are determined to contribute to the war effort. The novel weaves together the personal struggles and sacrifices of the characters against the backdrop of a nation at war.

Lane skillfully captures the atmosphere of wartime Bristol, depicting the challenges faced by the characters on the home front. The decision of Maisie and Bridget to become voluntary ambulance drivers adds depth to their characters, highlighting their determination and resilience in the face of adversity. The author brings to life the frequent air raids, creating a sense of urgency and fear that permeates the narrative.

The introduction of new junior employees, along with the challenges they bring, adds a layer of realism to the workplace dynamics. The character development is well-executed, allowing readers to connect with the struggles and triumphs of each Tobacco Girl. Bridget's internal conflict between family loyalty and her love for American tobacco tycoon Lyndon O'Neill III adds a compelling emotional dimension to the story.

Phyllis Harvey's decision to join the WAAF and serve overseas provides a unique perspective on the war. Lane skillfully contrasts the initial envy of Phyllis's friends with the harsh reality of her experiences on the island of Malta. The portrayal of extreme food shortages, daily air raids, and the constant fear of the unknown paints a vivid picture of the challenges faced by those who served in wartime.

The novel adeptly explores themes of sacrifice, friendship, and the uncertainty of the future during wartime. Lane's storytelling captures the resilience and spirit of the characters as they navigate the harsh realities of war. "Fire and Fury for the Tobacco Girls" is a compelling historical fiction novel that transports readers to a pivotal moment in history, offering a glimpse into the lives of ordinary individuals facing extraordinary circumstances. This poignant tale earns a solid four stars for its emotional depth, historical authenticity, and engaging storytelling.

This book is set in London during the blitz. It is written well and the characters are delightful. It is interesting but also very sad. A

Excellent book which I thoroughly enjoyed. Can’t wait to read more in this series

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced read copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

Another very good read in the Tobacco girls series by Lizzie Lane. I enjoyed reading this one as much as the previous two.

As the clouds of war grow bleaker both at home and abroad, the Tobacco Girls are determined to do their bit for King and Country. To that end Maisie Miles and Bridget Milligan become voluntary ambulance drivers.

Another good wartime story of ordinary people and how life changed for them .Can’t wait for the last book in the series to come out.

Wow what a book. I am still sat thinking about this book even though I finished it a few days ago. I cannot write a review to do this book justice. I was hooked from the first page. The writing is superb and enthralling and overall, I just loved this book.

Lizzie Lane’s Tobacco girls are back for another dramatic, emotional and immersive installment that will have readers reaching for their tissues.

In 1941, the war continues to rage on sparing no prisoners and causing untold damage, heartache and despair. The Tobacco girls cannot sit idly by while Britain tries its utmost to beat Hitler, so they vow to do their bit for their country. Rolling up their sleeves and getting stuck in has never been a problem for the Tobacco girls and they take to their new duties like ducks to water. Becoming voluntary ambulance drivers is hard work, but Maisie and Bridget refuse to be deterred – despite of all the drama and turmoil going on in their personal lives.

Maisie not only has the air raids to cope with, but three junior employees are testing her patience with each passing day. On the other hand, Bridget is torn between duty to her family and her love for American tobacco tycoon Lyndon O’Neill III, whom she’s fallen head over heels in love with. Phyllis Harvey has joined the WAAFs and is desperate for her first posting abroad. She cannot wait to leave her troubled past behind, but has she bitten off more than she chew? Her posting to Malta looks set to be idyllic, but far from sandy beaches and blue skies, Phyllis has to cope with food shortages, air raids and constant fear.

The coming months will be testing and challenging for the Tobacco girls. Will they rise above all the obstacles standing in their way? Or will they be overwhelmed by terror, loss and despair?

Lizzie Lane’s Fire and Fury for the Tobacco Girls is such a treat for saga fans. Gritty, emotional and so moving it will bring many a tear to readers’ eyes, Fire and Fury for the Tobacco Girls is a tale of courage, hope and resilience that tugs at the heartstrings. Written with flair, style and sensitivity, Fire and Fury for the Tobacco Girls brings the wartime years to vivid life and readers cannot help but be drawn into the lives of Maisie, Bridget and Phyllis.

Perfect for Nancy Revell and Elaine Everest fans, Lizzie Lane’s Fire and Fury for the Tobacco Girls is a superb saga ideal for curling up with on a cold autumn afternoon.

I do like this series of books and Lizzie Lane takes us again on a wonderful journey with Maisie, Bridget and Phyllis, showing us different sides again to the war and also introducing new characters like Carole to bring more depth to the story and to take us in all directions, showing us the war in all its different guises - home and away. Phyllis is now serving overseas so we are now seeing the war through the services while Maisie and Bridget carry on at the factory. Even though there are books before this one in the series, it can be read before the others as the recaps are enough to let you know what is going on, but they wouldn't spoil the story to read 'catch up'. Can't wait for the next instalment as lots of threads to finish! I was left at the end of the book hanging!!

This was such a easy read, I was hooked within the first chapter. I also loved the fact that when I reading this, I was imagining their Bristol accent. Love it.
I really like Maisie, she’s fierce and feisty. But she also has a gentle side, full of empathy, lovely character.
Great book.

First, put your hands together for my cover of the year! I mean wow!
I'm afraid I'm reading this series out of order, but I am reading it and very happy I've found it! In Maisie, Phyllis and Bridget, there's as terrific and well-written central cast as you could wish for. Right, where's the next?
My thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood for the reading copy.

Fire and Fury for the Tobacco Girls is a WW2 historical fiction novel.

This is the third book in the Tobacco Girls series, however I haven't read the previous two so it can be read as a stand alone.

The main characters are all strong, feisty females which I always love! The three women are all doing their part for the war effort, Bridget and Maisie are volunteering as ambulance drivers and Phyllis has volunteered for the WAAF and is posted overseas. Their voluntary work brings added tension to an already stressful time for them all. Despite being separated they all support each other through thick and thin. I really enjoyed reading the groups friendship and love the bond they have with each other.

The story is well written, informative of the times and really transports you to the place and era.

One thing I enjoyed about the book is that even though they are all living through the war, "normal" things are also happening. Work irritations, relationships and past demons impact all the women.

The novel is filled with grit and dermination, friendship, drama and elements of humour.

Wartime drama set in Bristol in 1941. Our main chunk work in a tobacco factory are determined to do their bit for the war and we follow their lives and lives with interest. An enjoyable read.

Lizzie Lane is back again with the newest installment in the Tobacco Girls series. Fire and Fury for the Tobacco Girls have the girls right in the midst of WWII. Watching the familiar characters live through the realities of war was fascinating.

Bridgette and Maisie are still plugging away at the tobacco factory. Phyllis is off living her dream of freedom from the Harvey’s. Maisie received a slight promotion and now has charge of three new girls to the line. But, Maisie has to watch her back with Carole and Pauline. One is full of trouble, and the other is nothing but a hanger-on willing to make trouble to gain favor. Eddie, the slick gangster, is back and looking to cause more heartache for Maisie. Unfortunately, involving Carole. Will these girls make it through with their lives, or will the tables turn on them in the end?

When I reviewed Dark Days for the Tobacco Girls, I disliked Bridgette and Phyllis. I still find Bridgette condescending, but now she also seems like a spoiled brat. No matter how hard I try, I can’t like her. However, Phyllis has become a different person. She is caring, kind, and she works hard. Phyllis isn’t allowing her heart to sway for every man who shows her attention. It seems as though she has grown up in her time with the WAAF. Maisie is the same old Maisie. I still love her to pieces, and I want nothing more for her than to find her place in the world. I hope it will be with Sid.

The newcomers, Carole, Pauline, and Jane, add a bit of flavor to the mix. Carole lives a troubled life yet presents a cocky exterior. She lives a fine line between wanting to be a grown-up and still being a 14-year-old kid. Pauline means nothing to me as she is just a foil for Carole’s antics. Jane, though, is sweet and intelligent. I enjoyed getting to know Jane. I also think I could come to like Carole after the chip falls off her shoulder.

I admit that I found this book a little boring. The action scenes that surround the warlike atmosphere are wonderful. I enjoyed reading those scenes, but the other parts were predictable and dull. I keep waiting for something drastic to happen between Lyndon and Bridgette. But, aside from her spoiled nature, they offer very little in the way of entertainment. I also miss Maisie’s grandmother, Grace. She was a hoot in the last book, but she didn’t have much to do in this one.

The Malta setting makes me want to visit. It sounds like a gorgeous place. Though, the description of the war conditions tells a big story about the island. I loved learning about the ancient ramparts that are now a barrier to the Italians. The catacombs were a bit spooky. Though, I can understand wanting to be underground while the bombs fell. Being above ground where everything was turning to rubble would be terrifying.

I am pleased to award Fire and Fury for the Tobacco Girls 4 out of 5 stars. The story is enjoyable, though I still suggest reading the series from the beginning. It isn’t necessary, but I think you will enjoy this book more with the background from the first two.

'Fire and Fury for the Tobacco Girls' by Lizzie Lane is the third book in the 'Tobacco Girls' series. A book that can be read as a standalone but I generally say if you like getting really into a book and knowing what's gone on previously, read the first two.
This time,we see Maisie and Bridget determined to help the war effort and to that end they become voluntary ambulance drivers. Phyllis has signed up and joined the WAAF to escape the traumatic events she has experienced. She is posted abroad so now away from her friends but also away from everything else. This shows us the different side to the war.
Another great addition to the Tobacco Girls series. This story shows us how hard the women worked for the War effort. We see Maisie and Bridget working tirelessly, their paid job and their voluntary roles overtake their life's, but we see the camaraderie still shone through along with their grit and determination.
As always I love going back to these women. The way Lizzie Lane writes these books it makes me feel like I am back among friends. All the characters are back in this book, even ones that aren't that savoury and we see the addition of some new ones too. I love a historical saga and learning new things I didn't know before. The situation in Malta was one and that was an eye opener for me.
We do see the desperation of war for these women but we also see the laughs they have between them all. This brings a lighter tone and I also had a laugh with them as well.
A series that shows how the things that we take for granted-basic things such as food where put on rations and how they had to really make do and mend. I don't know how society of today would react...
I whizzed through 'Fire and Fury for the Tobacco Girls', before I knew it I had finished the last page and was back in 2021. Now to wait for the fourth book for my next instalment of World War 2 with the Tobacco Girls, that's not going to be easy.
Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and Boldwood Books for my copy of the books.

Really enjoyed catching up with the three M’s again. I was really getting into the latest instalment but I was quite surprised at the abrupt ending. I look forward to catching up with them all again in March next year with Heaven and Hell for the Tobacco Girls.

Fire and Fury for the Tobacco Girls is the third book in this series set in WWII. Set in 1941, our heroines are doing their part to help the War Effort. Bridget and Maisie are still at the Tobacco factory in Bristol, where sadly there is less and less tobacco to work with, thanks to the attacks on the ships transporting goods. The bombings in the major cities encourage Bridget and Maisie to learn First Aid and to become ambulance drivers. Phyllis, believing herself to be a widow, has joined the WAAFs. She is sent to someplace where she can do the most good for the War Effort, but despite her cheerful letters home, she is in a dangerous War Zone. When her friends send her news about her late husband, she has a decision to make.
Bridget had earlier met a rich American whose family grows tobacco. Even though she loves him, can she leave England for him? and finally...Maisie has become a supervisor and has a young woman (Carole) working for her who reminds her so much of herself. Carole falls into the sights of nefarious criminal overlord Eddie Bridgeman.
I enjoyed the various story lines, although I must admit that I found transitions from one to another to be choppy at times. Perfect for those who loved The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I received the ARC of this book at no charge from Netgalley and the author, Lizzie Lane, but as always, all opinions are my own.

Set in 1940s wartime Bristol, the reader dips into the lives of three young women. This is the third book in the series and though I have yet to read the first, 'The Tobacco Girls', I did read the second, 'Dark Days for the Tobacco Girls' and I hugely enjoyed this story, Fire and Fury for the Tobacco Girls. Lizzie Lane includes occasional reminders here and there as to what happened to the young women previously, so this works as an individual novel. The women are Bridget Milligan, Maisie Miles and Phyllis Harvey (née Mason), known as the Three Ms. Bridget and Maisie are working at the W. D. & H. O. Wills tobacco factory and are volunteer ambulance drivers whilst married Phyllis has joined the WAAF and is posted overseas.

In Fire and Fury for the Tobacco Girls, there's a new girl at the factory; fourteen-year-old Carole accompanies Maisie so she takes her under her wing. The other newbies are Jane and Pauline. Readers get to see the effects of the horrors of war through the author's terrifically evocative writing. There are dashes of delight scattered throughout the tale as well, in terms of treasured friendship, support and love. An atmospheric, heartwarming read with a tantalising ending, I now find myself desperate to catch up with book one as well as wondering what's in store for the Three Ms in the fourth instalment.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel at my request from Boldwood Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

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Niki Preston, Book Reviewer, Writer, AKA The Two Fingered Gardener
Professional Book Reviewer, Writer and Product Tester
Book Review “Fire and Fury For The Tobacco Girls” By Lizzie Lane
OCTOBER 5, 2021 ~ NIKIPRESTON ~ EDIT

SYNOPSIS~BOOK BLURB

Fire and Fury for the Tobacco Girls

As war rages, everyone has to do their bit…
Bristol 1941
As the clouds of war grow bleaker both at home and abroad, the Tobacco Girls are determined to do their bit for King and Country. To that end Maisie Miles and Bridget Milligan become voluntary ambulance drivers.
As well as coping with the frequent air raids, Maisie is kept on her toes with three new junior employees one of whom is particularly testing.
Bridget’s heart becomes torn between family loyalty and American tobacco tycoon Lyndon O’Neill III, the man she loves.
Meanwhile Phyllis Harvey has joined the WAAF, opting to serve overseas whilst trying to escape her past. Her letters home are upbeat and her friends are initially envious of descriptions of sunshine and blue sea. The truth she hides is that life on the island of Malta is fraught with extreme food shortages, daily air raids and the fear that tomorrow might never come.
The future appears far less certain as the reality of war bites into The Tobacco Girls’ lives.
REVIEW BY NIKI PRESTON~5 STARS

Fire and Fury for The Tobacco Girls is a totally gripping and highly emotional read. One of the best war time based novels that I have read. I particularly enjoy WW2 stories with strong female protagonists and this book has them in spades. There is no nonsense Maisie, who is admired by her friends for her forthright attitude that quite often gets her into trouble. Phyllis Harvey, who desperately wants to escape a life with her in laws after her ill chosen husband is presumed dead. Then there’s Bridget ever the romantic who can’t believe her luck with her rich American boyfriend.

The brutality of war gets brought home to Maisie and Bridget as they train to become ambulance drivers during the air raids over the city of Bristol. Doing there bit for the war effort brings them face to face with gruesome situations and even the death of friends they work with in the tobacco factory. Phyllis who has joined the WAAF to escape her life of, what she thinks will become drudgery has been sent to Malta and endures horrific bombings and food shortages. She writes happy, life is great letters back to her two best friends so that they won’t worry about her. These girls are all strong willed in their own ways and rely on each others happiness more than they seem to realise. An escape perhaps from the horrors of war.

Although this is the third book in a series, it works equally well as a stand alone book. You get to know the characters thoroughly and I didn’t feel I had missed out on anything by not reading the first two. However I am going to go back and read them now. The book ends on a bit of a cliff hanger, yet I didn’t feel there were any loose ends. The ending definitely leaves you wanting more and I for one can not wait to get my hands on the next instalment of The Tobacco Girls.

Purchase Link – https://amzn.to/3h2JrSZ

Author Bio – Lizzie Lane is the author of over 50 books, a number of which have been bestsellers. She was born and bred in Bristol where many of her family worked in the cigarette and cigar factories. This has inspired her new saga series for Boldwood The Tobacco Girls.


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It was so wonderful to be back with the Tobacco Girls again!

Being back with these characters is like being back with old friends, and I found it so easy to slip straight back into the story.

There is a lot going on for the girls in this book. War has really begun to bite, and the girls are keen to do their bit. Masie and Bridget are on a steep learning curve as they volunteer to be ambulance drivers, and they have to go some difficult scenes.

Phyllis has volunteered and is sent abroad, and I found her time in Malta to be particularly fascinating. I also thought it was very interesting to see her correspondence home, where she downplays the dangers, and everyone is slightly envious of her being in the sunshine.

There are a few dodgy characters up to their old tricks, as always, and things are not easy or straightforward for anyone.

A completely captivating and compelling read that transported me back in time, I just loved the authentic feel of this book, and the fact that it’s so readable and enjoyable. Can be read as a standalone, but I’d really recommend treating yourself to the whole series.

Fire and Fury for the Tobacco Girls continues from where Dark Days for the Tobacco Girls ends, I would recommend reading the books in order... starting from the first book, The Tobacco Girls...
Fire and Fury for the Tobacco Girls is a detailed story that is well thought out and easy to follow. The plot holds the reader's attention from the first page!
I like how Lane has transported the reader to the chaos of WW2 through the use of research and description...
The character development of Fire and Fury for the Tobacco Girls is good. The characters are interesting and relatable. The reader is reunited with their favourite characters and introduced to some new faces...
I would recommend reading Fire and Fury for the Tobacco Girls to lovers of Historical Fiction, Family Sagas and Women's Fiction, as it is a compelling and informative story that follows strong individuals and the community of Bristol as they come together in the face of dire straits and aid each other...