A heartwarming tale of Land Girls. The first of a new series and one of which I am looking forward to continuing. Friendship, love, family and war.

Foxden Acres is the first book in the Sisters of Wartime England series from author Madalyn Morgan.
To start with the things I enjoyed about the book, I liked the chapters set during Bess’ time in London, particularly the exploration of her life living in the boarding house. The relationship between all of the lodgers and their landlady was lovely and had the potential to be a great book within itself. I also really enjoyed any chapters featuring Natalie and Anton Goldman who were fantastic characters with big hearts. The way they looked after Bess in her time of need, despite her being a complete stranger, was fantastic and the exploration of their lives as European Jewish refugees rebuilding their lives in London was really interesting. The focus on the 1930s theatre industry and the running of a popular London theatre was also interesting.
I did also think that the focus on the land girls and their contribution to the war effort was well explored, despite being a little slow-paced at times. Seeing them set up a hospital for soldiers recovering from Dunkirk was really interesting also as was the exploration of Bess’ brother Tom’s PTSD.
Unfortunately, the narrative had significant shortcomings, particularly surrounding the amount of depth aspects of the story were explored in. Chapters frequently ended very abruptly leaving things unanswered and the narrative repeatedly jumped forward in time resulting in significant events within the plot not being explored at all. We also had examples of characters being mentioned in passing, so appearing rather insignificant, then suddenly appearing to take on an important role in the story.
Bess and James’ romance was also incredibly difficult to root for, despite it being at the centre of the narrative. Firstly, for the majority of the book there really isn’t this deep love story at all and it’s merely the teenage fantasies of a young girl pining for a man who is already in a relationship. And then when we do see a spark between them there is constant miscommunication which gets incredibly tedious. We do eventually see them confess feelings and start to pursue a relationship but, as Bess thinks James is engaged she is actually conducting what she believes is an affair with the fiancé of a close friend. This felt completely out of character, even if she had been hopelessly pining for the man for the majority of the story, so I just couldn’t root for their relationship.
All of this aside however, my primary issue with the book was the use of the rape scene which did not feel well placed within the narrative whatsoever. I assumed when it happened that it would play some later role in the story, such as through an exploration of the lasting trauma Bess has as a result but this just wasn’t the case. Aside from a very brief exploration of the days following her assault, Bess very much carries on as normal and it’s not really mentioned again until she’s starting a sexual relationship with James. I wondered in this moment if we’d get the powerful exploration of Bess’ trauma that I really wanted from the book but she practically just shrugs it off like it was nothing. This was really disappointing and left an incredibly sour taste in my mouth for the rest of the book. I think as an author if you are going to chose to feature a rape or sexual assault scene within your narrative you have a responsibility to portray it properly and with due concern to the lasting trauma an event like that can have. Foxden Acres really did not do that and I personally think that if you’re not going to portray topics like this properly then the plotline should have therefore been removed from the narrative altogether.
Overall, I was regrettably really disappointed with this novel. Whilst it did have some strengths, and could be of interest to anyone with an interest in the history of land girls, the significant weaknesses mean that it is a 2* read for me.

⭐️⭐️/5

I have posted an extended review on my blog www.yourschloe.co.uk and the post is linked.

After a carefree childhood growing up on the Foxden estate where her father is head groom to Lord Foxden, Bess Dudley is pursuing her dream of becoming a teacher when World War II breaks out. When her school is closed after London children are relocated to protect them from the bombing, her brother Tom’s boyhood friend (and her secret crush,) heir to the estate James Foxden, asks her to return to the country and manage turning the Foxden pastures into arable land. With the help of other Land Girls, Bess takes on this task along with helping out at the rehabilitation hospital also set up at Foxden. More than class keeps her from acknowledging her feelings for James; an attack by an acquaintance in London had left her feeling like “damaged goods” and her growing friendship with Annabel Hadleigh, who helps manage the hospital and is a woman of the “correct” background the Foxdens hope will marry their son, impels her to step away. But one’s emotions are as uncontrollable as the war, and the outcome for James, Tom, Annabel and Bess may be far different than what they imagine. A lush re-creation of the world of the early 1940’s and the changes forced on its society by the war.

A do love historical fiction!
A story of friendship, family and love, very enjoyable and. Book I didn’t want to put down or end.

This is the first Madalyn Morgan book I’ve read, I look forward to more

Foxden Acres is a story based during World War Two and surrounds the lives of ordinary people who have ambitions in life that are ripped apart by the horrors of war.
It is a story of the people that are left behind like the mothers , lovers and elderly and their efforts to keep the country fed by turning all land available over to growing food.
As with all war stories there moments of happiness followed by tragedy.
A great read can’t recommend it enough

A heartwarming tale set in WWII England, showing the traumas of war and how women stepped up to the plate, to organise the land and become Land Girls.
Believable characters and it was well written.
First in a series and it held my interest enough to seek out the 2nd book in the series.
Thanks @ArtScribblerDJ @stormpublishing & @netgalley for the eARC

This was such a lovely story. Bess Dudley has a good life. Her father is second groom at the Foxden Acres estate, where her family have their own little cottage. Bess, the eldest of the Dudley sisters, is training in London to be a teacher, staying during term-time with what's become her second family - her landlady and fellow guests, Molly and Miss Armstrong. Home for Christmas, she encounters James Foxden, whom she's loved since childhood. He is clearly interested in her, and Bess dreams of a life with him when she's finished her training.
But war is declared, and everything changes. Bess completes her training but finds London is no longer safe. Her brother Tom is sent to fight, and so is James. Bess is devastated to be separated from him, but realises he's not hers anyway, as she hears news that he's engaged to wealthy and aristocratic Annabel Hadleigh.
When James asks her to return to Foxden Acres and help turn the estate into arable land for the war effort, Bess heads home and takes charge of the new land girls. Her unlikely friendship with Annabel grows, but her love for James doesn't diminish. By the end of the war, just who will he choose?
This book covers the entire length of the war, so clearly some bits are skipped over quite quickly. However, there are several key scenes that really tug at the heartstrings, and the reader can't help but feel for Bess who has more than her fair share of trouble and pain to deal with.
It's an interesting look at life in wartime Britain, and how it affected everyone, regardless of gender, race, or class. It was good to meet the Jewish family, the Goldmans, and get a little glimpse into what war meant for them, particularly as Natalie is German.
Family relationships, friendships, and romantic relationships are explored in this book, and the characters are likeable and realistic, which kept me invested in the story. I really enjoyed it, and I'm glad to see there are many more books in this series, as I'd like to know what happens next and learn more about other members of the Dudley family.

Foxden Acres by Madalyn Morgan tells the story of so many families during WWII. Although the book didn't end as I would have hoped, it was a good representation of the love, loss, and breaking down of classes as a result of the war. It was evident much research went into the book.

Except for a couple events in the book that were 'detailed', this is a great read.

A copy was provided for my review but all opinions are my own.

I absolutely loved this book! It is so beautifully and sensitively written, with very likeable, engaging characters. I was quickly immersed in their lives, and in the story of Foxden Acres. The writing flows seamlessly, and as the dark spectre of WWII hangs over the country, the lives of everyone are changed irrevocably. I loved the camaraderie and the friendships forged in the most difficult of times, across nations and across religions. The depiction of hope, love, longing and of course grief had me captivated. The relationship between the main characters captured me, and held my interest beautifully. This was my first visit to Foxden, but will definitely not be my last!
Congratulations Madalyn, this is a winner, and I highly recommend this lovely story.

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

I had not read any books by this author before - I have now realised that this is the first part of a series about the Dudley Sisters which had been published before - and that there are more books in the series - some of which already have me intrigued.

This is the story of Bess who having trained as a teacher goes back to Foxden at the start of WW2 in order to organise the land and the Land Girls.

It is well researched - and well written. The prose is descriptive and it is possible to imagine oneself there.

Like many books of this genre there are parts that maybe were not entirely necessary but add to the story and why Bess acts and feels as she does.
The epilogue was in its way sad - but tied the story up well
In some ways Bess deserved some love in her life having lost her beloved in the War - and Frank had been a beau in her younger days - he, too damaged by War, was also looking for someone to love and be loved.

All in all an enjoyable read - yes perhaps predictable of the genre - but nevertheless kept me interested to the end
It deserves it's 5 stars

In some ways an interesting read on a social/historical level, hence a 3*. Romance plays an essential role, building up to a rather unsatisfactory conclusion which left me wondering about the plot. What really annoyed me is a rape taking place, again leaving me wondering at its implications for the novel. For me, this scene was absolutely unnecessary to the storyline and the plot. Overall, an easy read with predictable characters and outcome.
I received a complimentary ARC of this novel from NetGalley and I am leaving voluntarily an honest review.

First I want to say that this is a perfect length for a book, not too long, not to short which makes it easy to read and keeps me in the story without boring me.

So having said that this is the story of Bess Dudley and war, love and friendship and of course life in tough times. It is easy to read and flows well. I love Bess's story and could relate to her. The characters including Bess are perfect for this story.

A fairly cosy style historical fiction, not quite a saga but a quick, easy and heartfelt read. I enjoyed it and look forward to seeing what comes next in this series.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book. I would give it 3 1/2 stars.

An enjoyable and interesting WWII novel in which the main character, Bess Dudley, undergoes a journey of personal growth. At the start of the book she has worked hard to become a teacher but the war spoils her plans and she comes to use her organisational and leadership skills in a very different role.
The parts of the book I enjoyed most were the scenes with the family and friends, which had the ring of truth about them. The first half of the book had me enthralled, but I felt less engaged in the second half.
The romance felt like an adolescent crush for most of the book. Given Bess’s usual strength of character and resolve, which helped her get through a series of traumatic events, I wasn’t convinced that she would have betrayed her friend Annabel in the way she believed she had. Also, having seen her friend Molly suffer due to having an illegitimate child I can’t help thinking Bess might have feared pregnancy outside of marriage herself, and that this might have given her pause for thought before sleeping with James. I can accept that young people take more risks in wartime, but for me this was a little out of character. I would have liked the romance to have been better developed, but in fairness this isn't primarily a romantic story.
The scene in the library was sweet and brought things full circle, which I liked - but then the ending left me disappointed. Frank had been such an unimportant character that I would have liked to sense Bess having some kind of feelings for him, or to see them growing close, sooner in the book. I would probably even have preferred it if Bess hadn't settled for Frank. I liked the way the epilogue left me guessing as to whether the child was Bess's or Annabel's, and I found the scene in which the little girl didn't recognise her father very touching.
I also wanted to know more about what happened to the Goldmans, who had played such an important part early in the story. I would have liked to find out if they or their nanny encountered any prejudice, and how this affected them. They had such potential as characters and yet this wasn’t explored as much as I felt could have been done. Maybe they will appear in the sequel with the actress sister - I hope so.
The book felt well researched and I felt that the rape scene was convincing as well as its effect on Bess in making her feel less self-confident and more wary of men. I also found the Land Girls storyline interesting. There were lots of nostalgic details in the storytelling which gave it a strong sense of the period.
I would definitely read the next books in this series and recommend the book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction about WWII. Thank you to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC which I received in exchange for an honest review.

Foxden Acres is a beautiful story about love, loss, grief, perseverance and hope. In 1939 England, Bess is the daughter of a groom at beautiful country home Foxden. She has proudly earned her teaching certificate and is about to embark on the next adventure in her life. However, war changes everything. Bess trains to become a land girl and amongst other duties milks cows. As a farm girl myself who milked cows as a teenager, the farming aspect of the story is very relatable and fascinating. But you needn't have a farming background to get a lot out of this book. There is romance, too. Bess is smitten with James Foxden, her brother's friend, but he is the love of another. Not only does the war destroy infrastructure, livelihoods, homes and food availability but death is a constant and grim reality.

My favourite aspect of Foxden Acres is the land girl slant. Farm work was crucial for the war effort, a fact which is often overlooked. Women learned new skills and worked hard. Unlike other jobs the women were paid by the farmers and some were ill treated, yet others were treated like family. I like the historical details which add a layer of realism. Young and flighty Bess evolves and matures throughout. The author also includes glimpses into the relationship between Bess and her brother.

Historical Fiction fans who enjoy bits of romance in their stories ought to read this.

My sincere thank you to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an early digital copy of this lovely novel.

Foxden acres I really liked this book.
It was first a love story that turned in to the story of how the estate houses had to turn their land into farm land for the war. It was a different side to where the land girls worked. And y but it still was mainly a love story.
It was so sad at the end. I wish it was happier but not everyone who was in love came home which isn't normally mentioned. In the books like this normally the main characters live happily ever after I really like that this was more true to how it was for millions of sweetheats.

Foxden Acres is about Bess the daughter of the man that takes care of the horses for the wealthy Foxden family. Bess becomes a teacher but the war starts. Bess is offered a position to return home to be over the Land Girls that will help turn Foxden Acres into a crop farm. Bess is also in love with the heir to Foxden Acres James. I didn't care much for this book because it didn't have enough of anything... Didn't have enough romance, didn't have enough experiences cultivating the farm, didn't have enough information about any of the characters...just wasn't enough for me. The story was fine and some part entertaining but because it didn't have enough of anything, I found it all to be unrealistic. I spent a lot of time rolling my eyes at the end.