My heart broke for the poor children and I felt hope that they would be happy again one day! The writing is beautiful and descriptive.

I thought this book was excellent and was interesting to read about the orphans.

Charlotte ends up with her Aunt & Uncle in a village after her Mother dies. Charlotte gets friendly with a French soldier Emile, but then he goes away back to France to fight will she see him again. Charlotte ends up working looking after the French children that were found with no families.

I really enjoyed the characters and found that I could not put the book down.

It is a well written book.

Would recommend it.

Orphans of War is a heart-breaking World War Two saga perfect for fans of Rosie Goodwin and Valerie Wood.

It’s 1941 and Charlotte’s world has been smashed into a million tiny pieces. As bombs fell down mercilessly on Kingston Upon Hull, a direct hit destroyed her mother’s haberdashery shop – and killed her outright. Charlotte is distraught and beside herself with grief and sorrow. All alone in the world, Charlotte doesn’t know where she belongs anymore – until her Aunt Hilda – whom she’s never met before – comes forward and offers her a home in the sleepy Yorkshire village of Mornington. Charlotte thought that she was going to find somewhere she belongs in Yorkshire, but her aunt makes her resentment for her painfully clear. What is the reason behind her aunt’s coldness? Why is she so curt and disdainful towards her? Any why did her mother never reveal that she had a sister?

When a group of French orphans are brought to the village to live in the big house, Charlotte finds a new purpose in life when she puts herself forward to help look after them. Through her volunteer work, Charlotte meets Emile, a handsome young officer whom she is immediately drawn to. But before the two of them can hope to have a future together, Charlotte and Emile must confront dark family secrets that are preventing them both from taking a chance on love and on building a life together.

Can Charlotte and Emile ever be free of the past? Will they find the courage to fight for their love? Or is their relationship doomed?

Readers who enjoy gritty, emotional and captivating historical sagas are going to be completely gripped by Sylvia Broady’s latest, Orphans of War. Beautifully atmospheric and full of drama, intrigue and emotion, this romantic and involving historical saga is written straight from the heart and will hold readers in thrall as they find themselves completely caught up in this powerful tale of family ties, past secrets and old ghosts.

Gutsy, compelling and engrossing, Sylvia Broady’s Orphans of War is saga writing at its best.

An absolutely heartbreaking and uplifting wartime story of hardship and hope.
This book was sent to me electronically by Netgalley for review. Thanks to the publisher for the copy. What a gorgeous book! The author has a great gift for characterisation - nuanced, interesting, believable people but created with a charming lightness of touch. Thanks to a great author we have warmth, wisdom and emotional intelligence, this book was a huge pleasure to read!

Nice wartime story, Charlotte has to go live with her aunt when she is orphaned.

The story is very graphic, but Charlotte is a likeable character who wants to help some other orphans who arrive from war torn France.

Great story

ORPHAN'S OF WAR by Sylvia Broady.
Kingston Upon Hull, 1941.
Sixteen-year-old Charlotte Kirby believes she’s all alone in the world when her mother is killed in a bombing raid. But then a mysterious aunt comes forward — an aunt Charlotte never knew she had — and offers her a home in the small Yorkshire village where she and her husband George run the local pub.
Charlotte finds it hard to adjust to rural life. She doesn’t mind helping out in the pub, but she can’t understand why her Aunt Hilda seems to resent her so. Nor why her mother never told her she had a sister.
She wants to do her bit for the war effort — but the war doesn’t seem to have reached their sleepy little village.
Everything changes when a group of French orphans are brought to live in the big house. Charlotte volunteers to help look after them — and finds a new purpose in life.
Then a band of Free French soldiers is billeted in the village, including a handsome young officer with the deepest brown eyes . . . But Emile has a tragedy in his past — and Charlotte must uncover both his and her own family’s secrets if she and Emile are to have a chance of happiness.
Really good read. Great story and characters. 4*.

Great historical fiction about WW2!
Teenage Charlotte lost her mum and everything else in the Blitz. Now, she has the chance to help some other children; a group of orphans from who made the perilous journey from occupied France, with the help of kind strangers. Charlotte can relate to these lost children, and wants nothing more than to help them move on from the horrors they’ve experienced. To help them be children again, not terrified little souls…
This is definitely a book for adults. The description of the massacre in the town of Oradour is graphic, and heart-breaking, and there are some other very mature scenes depicted.
A must-read for fans of WW2 historical fiction.
*I received a digital copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.*

Just beautiful! Even with some sad bits that bring tears to the eyes I would still describe this book as beautiful.
Young Charlotte is heartbroken when she has to live with and aunt she never even knew existed after her life as she knew it is destroyed as is her home town of Hull. This gives her a good understanding of how to look after young orphans from Paris who are sent to live at Mornington House in Driffield where her Aunt runs the local pub “The Travellers Rest”
I loved that the characters were so believable and I felt part of their lives while reading this.
It’s the first book I’ve read by Sylvia and intend to look for others.

Orphans of War was a touching story about french children that were rescued in France and taken to a manor house in Yorkshire to live out the war in safety. Charlotte had ended up in the area after a bomb landed on her mom's store in Hull leaving Charlotte an orphan. She was taken, by an aunt she didn't even know to another town.

The author gives glimpses into the struggles of villagers in Northern England. Money is tight. Goods are lacking. The young men are gone off to war. What made this story unique for me was the Free French Soldiers that were billeted there. I honestly forgot about them training in England in preparation to win back their home.

Orphans of war has a budding romance between Charlotte and Emile, one of the frenchmen. She gives the reader a glimpse into the language barriers, the acceptance of villagers, war through Emile's eyes and Charlotte's struggles with lack of communication.

Thanks to the author, I learned more about the orphans and those that helped to save them. I was inspired to research many different WW2 historical situations, the need to learn more seems to grow with each chapter. If it wasn't for her and other authors I am afraid I would have remained clueless to so many of the dedicated people during World War 2. Our textbooks did them a disservice by teaching us very little.

Please grab this book and escape to WW2 in the safety of you warm home. Because of those that fought for our freedom we have homes to enjoy.

Thank you for the chance to read this ARC in return for my honest opinion.

I had not read this author before and have to admit to finding the book very predictable and not a particularly pleasant read.
It seemed to jump about and have no real flow.

The main female character seemed to have lost her morals which I would have thought was surprising in the the times the book was set.

Sorry this wasn’t not for me .

Avery enjoyable book with a good story and characters that bring it to life I really enjoyed this book and others will to.5*

This was a great read, sad that these things happened during WW2. The story of these orphans was in kind a true story but it made for a good read. I spent most of last night reading this as I had become so engrossed with it. This type of life was happening around the world and this is just a small part of what was happening in our own country. Well worth far more than 5 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this ARC

Orphans of War by Sylvia Broady was a bit of a disappointment for me. I usually enjoy historical fiction novels that are written about this time period but Orphans of War lacked any real substance. The thing I love most about reading a new historical fiction novel is learning some new information that I was not previously aware of. That was what this book lacked. The characters were well developed and the storyline was good but not enlightening.

Charlotte and her mother, Martha, lived in Kingston Upon Hull during The Blitz. They were on the way to a bomb shelter when her mother realized she had left her pocketbook that contained all her papers in their home. Charlotte’s mother went to retrieve it when a German plane made a direct hit on the building she had entered. Martha did not survive the hit. The building was completely destroyed. Charlotte was in the shelter when she heard the bomb. She was inconsolable. It had only been her and her mother. Charlotte’s father had died years ago. The bomb had destroyed their home and place of business. Charlotte remained in Hull long enough to bury her mother. Then Charlotte was sent to live with her Aunt Hilda, her mother’s sister. Charlotte had no recollection of her mother ever mentioning that she had a sister. Charlotte boarded a train to Mornington, a small village in Yorkshire. Charlotte was all of sixteen years of age when her world as she knew it fell apart.

Hilda and George Bilton, almost complete strangers to Charlotte, took her in when she had no one else. They owned a local pub. They showed no compassion or empathy towards Charlotte. Her Aunt Hilda barely spoke two words to Charlotte. There were no hugs or words of sympathy. Charlotte was told she would have to earn her keep by helping out at the pub. She was assigned certain chores to do and was expected to serve the customers at the pub and help clean up when the customers left the pub. Charlotte sensed that her aunt almost resented that Charlotte was there. It was not what Charlotte bargained for but she had nowhere else to go.

Charlotte got to know some of the local residents in Mornington and learned from them that a group of twenty French orphans were coming to Mornington to live. There was a huge abandoned house that would house them. She learned that volunteers were needed to prepare the house and take care of the orphans. Charlotte wanted to do her part for the war effort so she volunteered. At first she balanced her time between volunteering and working at the pub. Eventually, Charlotte got up the courage and told her aunt and uncle she would no longer live with them or work at the pub. Charlotte secured a place to stay at the home where the children resided. At about that time, Free French soldiers arrived in Mornington and billeted in the village while they trained. Charlotte met Emile and there was an instant connection. Emile was charismatic and quite handsome but he had secrets. Charlotte’s life began to revolve around the French orphan children and Emile. She found she had a purpose in life once again.

Orphans of War by Sylvia Broady was her debut novel. Although it was not my favorite historical fiction novel, I did enjoy the storytelling. I was invested enough to want to know what would become of the orphan children at the end of the war, learn the outcome of Charlotte’s and Emile’s relationship and find out if Emile would trust Charlotte enough to reveal his secrets to her. Orphans of War was about family, hardships, trust, friendships, hope and a desire to help those less fortunate than others. I would recommend Orphans of War if you are looking for more of a romance story rather than a story rich with historical details. I will definitely give Sylvia Broady another chance. I look forward to seeing what she writes next. Orphans of War is set to publish on November 14, 2022.

Thank you to Joffe Books for allowing me to read this ARC of Orphans of War by Sylvia Broady through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Historical Fiction Novel 1941 Kingston upon Hull
Charlotte Kirby has lost her mother Martha in a big air raid at only sixteen years old she is sent to live with her aunt Hilda Bilton she didn't even know her mam had a sister. In the village of Mornington, she runs the travellers rest inn along with her husband George she's a woman of few words and a stiff manner, poor Charlotte has nowhere else to go.
Not having any intentions of been their skivvy she takes on war work in Mornington house looking after orphans of war children, with no future ahead, she gives them an education for future employment. and also the important thing they do need and that is love.
Romance is also in the air for her as she meets french man Emile Delmas but he is soon posted on and his daughter Juliette comes over into her care from France till the end of the war.
This book takes us through the war years such an inspirational and truly heart breaker to read that leaves a big lump in your throat, dear god I was choked reading the chapters my emotions showed right till the end and this to me shows an excellent good read. 10/10 if I could 5 big stars.

A different sort of Homefront story that covers a lot of territory within a small space. Charlotte finds herself in Yorkshire, helping to run her aunt's pub, when her mother is killed. Then 20 French orphans arrive in the village as well as Free French fighters. Charlotte falls head over heels for Emile but the war is lurking. This isn't the strongest novel in the genre but it's got some bright spots. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Romantic story set in England during WWII. Life in a small village where 20 french orphans are sent during the war. Light read that follows the villagers up to the end of the war.

This book is a rollercoaster of emotions. It is a beautifully written story that really pulled at the heartstrings. I thought the authors attention to the historical detailing really brought this period of history to life and the characters came across as very real in the telling.

This book will certainly appeal to lovers of quality historical fiction, especially if you enjoy novels written by Catherine Cookson. This book is certainly a novel that I can see myself reading again and again.

*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley for review consideration.

A story of a Charlotte who lost everything in the blitz and ended living with her unknown uncle and aunt in Yorkshire where she was expected to help run their pub. There are bits about why she had been unaware of her mother's sister but insufficient to understand really; then a group of French orphans arrive, not sure why they've been sent to the local "big house" as that is practically derelict. Probably because the owner 'rescues' children having lost her own daughter under tragic circumstances and, as a result, her husband. Next some Free French airmen arrive to do some training, including Emile, a widower with young daughter. It's obvious what the ending is going to be but that wouldn't matter if there was more description and detail to the various threads. Time also passes rather quickly from Charlotte being 16 at the start and then happily sleeping with Emile at 19 or 20 - frequently and without any apparent thought about possible "consequences". Odd for the period even during the war when emotions did take precedence at times. Overall the story lines had potential but I feel that they lost out through lack of character definition, contextual description and perhaps research about the period. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

As a massive fan of historical fiction focused on Britain during WWII, I was excited for this debut effort. Unfortunately it fell completely flat for me - perhaps my expectations are higher than most because I've read so much great work in this sub-genre.

The story jumped around too much to establish any real flow. It also lacked focus and would have benefited from a more condensed time scale. The historical research just wasn't there - I didn't learn anything new - and there was no real attempt to educate the reader.

A unique title would have been helpful to differentiate this book from several others with the same title and subject matter - but I think even the lazy title serves to illustrate how little effort was made here.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC.

I found this very hard to get into, I love books of this genre but this one just didn’t hit the spot for me, it just didn’t flow properly jumping from one story to another, at times I found it really hard to follow, I’m glad I finished it but it isn’t one I’d read again.