The story is told from multiple perspectives. The characters are very strong, realistic and likeable. I enjoyed the plot and the pacing was good. This is the first book in a series

This is a lovely read with some great characters. The book is made up of chapters from different characters and they all interweave into a nice feel good story. It’s set during the Second World War and it’s lovely to see the villagers coming together to help each other and also the patients at the local hospital.

Three friends find solace in my favourite thing which is books. While the war rages on the three friends take themselves away in the books. I easily related and connected to this story and the characters. The characters are lovely and the plot is one that I really enjoyed.

A brilliant read and one I really enjoyed. The characters are loveable and varied, the plot is one that is engaging and medium paced. I found myself completely drawn into the story and enjoyed the writing style.

Set in a village during World War Two,this book follows the struggles of three very different women. Heartwarming and enjoyable.

A very good book which is the start of a series and certainly look forward to reading the next in the series.

Alice and her Father have moved to Churchwood where he has retired from being an Doctor in London. Alice is recovering from hurting her hand. She is a very friendly woman and will see good in everyone.

Kate is the only daughter to an Farmer and him and her brothers treat her like skivvy. She has no friends and the people of. Churchwood don’t like any of the family.

Naomi is the woman who seems to run the committee’s and the Vicar only seems to go along with things if she approves it. Naomi judges people before she gets to know them.

The book has certainly many characters and the writing flows and we get to know them all.

It is well written and would recommend this book.

This is the first book of a new series by Lesley Eames. We have 3 main characters, Alice, the daughter of a retired doctor who have moved into the village. Kate the only daughter of a farmer who has brothers. They all treat Kate badly. Naomi The lady of the manor.

The book begins in the early days of the war. Each chapter is dedicated one of the females. Alice previous has an injured hand from an accident we are drip fed bits about how it happened. The description of her struggles with it is very good. At present I have problems with my wrist having broken it, I am still finding it hard to use. So, this part is true to life. We learn of Naomi how she met her husband and the subsequent years. Kate how she is treated by the rest of the family just as a drudge.

Alice helps out at the nearby hospital for injured military, then she is stopped because secrets are being released.

This is a very good read and look forward to book 2 and have no hesitation in ging 5*

I do love a wartime saga, and I didn’t realise this was to be one, until I had finished and discovered that there are going to be more. In the meantime, in this first book we get to find out about the three main female characters.

Alice along with her retired doctor father has moved to Churchwood. Alice has had an accident and use of her hand is challenging, but she knows she must make an effort and do something. She finds solace in sharing her love of books, stories and reading by visiting the local hospital full of injured servicemen and reading to them or exchanging books. If this is what she can do to help the war effort she will make her small difference.

Naomi is a prominent figure in Churchwood. She is on all the committees, has followers who will do her bidding and she is the one that even the local Vicar defers to. However, Naomi is not happy and her forthright opinions can hurt people and she suddenly finds she is very lonely. She envies Alice’s youth and ability to be friend everyone regardless of status or class. Perhaps Naomi can learn from Alice?

Kate, the only female in the disliked Fletcher family is one such person that Alice befriends and Naomi distrusts. Kate works hard and is not afraid of it, but she has to put up with wearing her brothers cast off clothes and the abuse she gets from her own father. Alice gives her an outlet, books and reading, the beginnings of a friendship form and perhaps Churchwood will come to accept Kate as one of their own.

Told from the three main character’s points of view, this shows the difficulties that all women face when starting friendships, no matter how old they are. It is the start of the Second World War and that is the common ground which brings these three women and the rest of Churchwood together. The idea of sharing the love of books, reading and stories to anyone who needs that comfort is wonderful and still so relevant today. Through all of this is friendship, community and a bit of romance and the supporting characters were just as delightful to, especially keeping Naomi in her place!

A great start to series and I look forward to being back there soon and seeing what has been happening at the bookshop.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers and the author for allowing me the chance to read and review this book.

Loved everything about this book from the characters to the bookshop itself. Unfortunately war brings out the worst in some and the best in others. Lovely read and look forward to the next book in this series.

A heartwarming and compelling story about community, friendship, life during wartime. The cast of relatable and fleshed out women is interesting and I liked them.
The storytelling and plot development are well done and I thoroughly enjoyed this story.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

Thank you to NetGalley for this copy. This is a really good book, kept me entertained throughout and I would thoroughly recommend to all.

A book based on the the life, times and tribulations of the war. A great feel good read. A book to definitely curl up on the sofa with.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this heart warming book

when alice lovell and her retired father moved to churchwood to enjoy his retirement years it was to find village life different from what they knew

all alice wanted and needed was to see a friendly face in the village but she was aware of a certain element of gossip and with an injured hand she was more susceptible to the hows and whys of what had happened and she just wasnt feeling the need to be the cannon fodder for their mindless gossip

but it was the meeting with kate that was to turn her life around....

kate an outcast from the village who also badly needed a friend and a family life that was unbearable

and naomi the so called matriarch of the village, who ran and organised the village for every event going

these 3 woman were about to meet and how their lives were going to change

wow i was drawn into this book right from the first page, and was kept glued by every event that these women went through and i felt for everyone, but it was the message of friendship that came through and knowing how women work it was interesting to see how this author dealt with each and every character

i cant wait for the next book in this series to find out what happens next with this brilliant bunch of characters as i am sure there are many adventures yet to be had and i for one hope jane sorts out her family....what a character she is, well they all are

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and Lesley Eames for the chance to read this ARC,

This was a book that provided a feel-good factor. It showed how different women in the village could overcome their differences and become if not friends then engender a feeling of community.

Each of the ladies had their own demons which were explored carefully. I had wished to know how Alice had damaged her hand and wondered if we would ever find out but we did but very late in the book.

Interspersed with the lives of the village ladies were the soldiers convalescing nearby.

I love WW2 fiction so this was always going to appeal to me and I can't wait for the next book to come along (whilst secretly hoping for a better life for Kate)

Thank you again

I received this ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

WW2 sagas are one of my favourite things to read so I settled down to read this on a lazy Sunday while I waited for Sunday dinner to cook and let my self be transported to a lovely village called Churchwood.

This story follows Alice, Kate & Naomi, they all have troubles and problems that they are keeping private behind closed doors even though they should open up and share how they feel.

This was a wonderful read that I thoroughly enjoyed, especially because books brought everyone together as they always do in real life as books are just magical.

I can’t wait to get back to Churchwood and find out what happens next for everyone.

A book about the trials and tribulations faced by the women in Churchwood during WWII.
A real feel good wartime novel. I read the whole book on a bleak day wrapped up nice and cosy. That seems to fit the vibe of the book.
Lovely introduction to an array of characters from posh Naomi to farmer Kate.
Look forward to book two.

With three main characters, a bookshop, along with the WW2 raging, what could be a better type of book to read.. I enjoyed reading this and hope that this continues to be a great series. 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this ARC

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

This book is the first in a new WWII series.

It’s set within a community and friendship. Alice has moved to the village of Church Wood, she has hurt her hand. She makes friends with other characters as well as Noami.

The story was a lovely read of life, love and hope. I look forward to reading more about the characters and what happens next in their lives.

I recommend this book.

I’m always a sucker for a bookshop or Library story, and this novel combined both. Just as a FYI it is the start of a series about the village, and I am really looking forward to reading Kate’s story. And just wonder what will happen with Naomi and her husband.
So, I guess I really did enjoy this cosy village story set at the very beginning of WW2. The main character is really Alice who has moved with her father, a retired doctor to the village. He intends to read his history books – mainly about medicine in the early civilisations it appears, and she is keeping house for him as she is still recovering from a bad hand injury, which means she has difficulty using one hand, and thus can’t hold down a job. Rather bored, she tries to think of what she can do and discovers that she could volunteer at the local hospital to run a mini library and read to the patients.
Various interesting items ensue including the real start of the war and the discovery of a spy.
This is a really nice read that doesn’t try to stretch the memory or brain matter. Of course I knew who the spy was immediately it was mentioned there was one but this didn’t hinder my enjoyment as there were plenty of other plot lines to follow

The Wartime Bookshop is a fairly entertaining read set in a small village in WW2. As usual there's one rich bossy female who runs the place and people seem to be afraid to go against her wishes. This makes life very difficult for newcomers to the place. Alice Lovell has had to move to Churchwood with her widowed father after he had retired as a doctor. She's having difficulty settling down and is nursing a damaged hand which means she isn't able to do much to help with the war effort. There's romance - eventually, but also a historical medical inaccuracy which I found annoying.
I was sent a digital copy of the book for review via Netgalley. Thank you.