Thoroughly enjoyed this heartwarming story set in war torn London in 1944.
Dot newly arrived from Liverpool after offering her services as a nurse ends up taking shelter in the tube during a raid.
A group of American soldiers have a wind up gramophone & are thoroughly enjoying themselves dancing.
Dot soon joins them blocking out what is happening outside.
They tell her about Rainbow Corner a social club for American soldiers & the demand for dance hostesses.
The Americans are not short of anything & they seem to have all the luxuries at their disposal.
It is there she makes many friends amongst the other girls & one close friend in particular named Lily.
She is an embassy administrator working for a colonel.
Rainbow Corner is where they go to forget the horrors of the war for a few hours.
A compelling story of love & broken hearts among the horrors of war .
Interesting read.

This moves us to the Second World War, towards the end. Early 1944. History tells us what is to come and Rainbow Corner is full of Americans. Waiting and whilst they do, having a jolly good time. The war it seems is very different for them, once you step through the doors there are no restrictions or rationing. A world away from what is outside.

Dot is a nurse who befriends Lilly, a administrator worker at the embassy for the Colonel and both become hostesses at Rainbow Corner. Their job is a break from what they do every day and to bring some cheer to the GI’s far away from home. Trouble is Rainbow Corner is full of its own intrigue and there could be a spy amongst them all. It seems Dot and Lilly are going to get in too deep.

Another interesting aspect of the Second World War and how a whole nation, which was already segregated continued to be so, far way from home. Prejudices travelled and even more so when they returned home and brought others with them.

For fans of historical fiction who like to see the details of the facts fleshed out into a story.

Set towards the end of WW2, this is the story of two young women and their interaction with American GIs at a Red Cross social club. The time period is well researched but many of the characters were poorly portrayed. I’m not a lover of this book.

Meet Me at Rainbow Corner by Celia Imrie is a delightful read based in London in 1944, when American GI's were given their own place to rest and relax, free from the restrictions of rationing; the Rainbow Corner. It's a place where people from all backgrounds come together to kick back and refresh in the darkest of era's. This includes Dot from Liverpool (a nurse) and Lily who works for the Colonel. Both are paid to become dance hostesses, to raise morale by dancing with the GI's

All is not laughter, love and lights, as stories of espionage and double-crossing arise, duplicity and broken hearts. A compelling story of life in the last months of WWII in a rare oasis in the smoke and debris of London

Beautifully written, a lovely read

Thank you to NetGalley, Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ) | Bloomsbury Publishing and Celia Imrie for this gorgeous ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

Following the lives of Dot and Lily and their friends in war torn 1944 London
It’s a heart warming, dramatic tale of crushed dreams, resilience and war brides
You’re swept up in the story as the characters of Dot and Lily are so human and believable
Thanks @celia.imrie @bloomsburybooks & @netgalley for the heart warming read

Set in 1944, we follow Lilly and Dot, two young women from very different backgrounds who find themselves sharing a room in a London hostel. Dot works as a nurse, while Lilly is employed at the Rainbow Corner Offices for the American Red Cross Club. By night, they dance with GIs at the Rainbow Café, but their lives take a dramatic turn when Dot hears rumors of possible espionage from a patient. The two friends decide to uncover the traitor, but the D-Day invasion of France complicates their mission. Amid the chaos of war, love still finds a way, and the girls eventually head to America as war brides.

I initially expected this to be a quaint, romantic war story, but I was pleasantly surprised by how wrong I was. The characters, both the women and the GIs, are richly developed, making it easy to become deeply invested in their fates. The book vividly brings the realities of World War II to life, particularly for young women caught in the midst of it all. The detailed descriptions of how GI brides were treated, especially those with small children, were especially eye-opening. It's clear the story is well-researched, making it a must-read for anyone who enjoys a gripping, historically rich narrative.

Having read this book, when I saw there was a book tour with publication I had to go.
Having listened to Celia and Fidelis talk in detail about the book, the history and how they came to write it, I had to pick it up again.
Solid story with great characters and so well researched.
I'd love to find out more about the baby blitz in Liverpool now off the back of this novel!

World war 2, London. Working as a nurse, an intelligence officer and socialising with GI's . An insight into life in London in the Blitz, how GI's were treated .An interesting romantic theme.

A charming and uplifting wartime romance, the author tells a tale of friendship, love, and resilience against the backdrop of London during World War II. It’s a heartwarming story that celebrates the human spirit during the war and brings a bygone era back to life. Worth a read.

A well researched and compelling historical fiction that talks about friendship, love, and how it was living in London at the end of WWII.
There's a lot going and I find it entertaining and well plotted.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I found the content of this book interesting, particularly because I enjoy stories set around the Second World War. I did feel however that the pace of the book was quite slow and as such felt the story was a little laboured.

Fabulous!

London 1944 and its wartime.
Lilly Deane is heading to London to take up an office based post after injuring her ankle, and can’t do her usual driving job
Dorothy Gallagher known as Dot, is also taking up a new post in London as a Red Cross nurse.
Dot and Lilly’s paths cross, and this will be a friendship that will be life changing for them and some of their fellow comrades.

Fabulous! What can I say, where to start. From the beginning to the end I was gripped with this book.
I have heard of the American GI’s from past tv programmes and written articles, but don’t know much, so I found this book a new and interesting topic for myself. Would like to read more now.
A book I certainly will remember, and I will be buying copies for Christmas presents, and I hope they will enjoy as much as I have.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Publisher for an advanced e-book copy. Opinions about the book are entirely my own.

Having read Celia Imrie's previous titles, I looked forward to the opportunity to read this latest book from her.
Am afraid to say although it was well written, the subject was a little too historical for me, so was a little disappointed. That said, I am sure other readers will love it.

What a beautifully written war time novel which has been meticulously researched and written with great care and passion for the era. Set during WW2 and based in London we are treated to an interesting and exciting novel by author and actress Celtic Imrie.

Focusing on British women who fall in and out of love, mainly with American soldiers and the hub of their wartime entertainment, Rainbow Corner, we meet two in particular that the book introduces us to, Dot and Lilly. We see both fall in and out of love with varying degrees of success and how they and their friends uncover treachery and suspect that one of their number is a Nazi spy.

The story is full of great characters and the detail looks to have been very thoroughly researched, with references to people, places and events. I also enjoyed the section at the end with more information about Rainbow Corner and what actually happened there during WW2, including famous faces that went there and visited the American soldiers and the British who worked and played there.

I would definitely recommend this to those who enjoy a book based in this era. It is a great read, a story of love and loss together with the need to expose someone within the group who is betraying them. I particularly enjoyed the two very strong lead characters who while being strong were also vulnerable, showing a rounded character and the grit that must have been needed while supporting the war effort and trying to maintain a relationship during that time.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Set towards the end of WW2, this is the story of two young women and their interaction with American GIs at a Red Cross social club. The time period is well researched but many of the characters were poorly sketched. I have read Celia Imries other novels and enjoyed them, but I was slightly disappointed I this one.

A light historical read set during the Second World War. America has, belatedly, joined in the War and sent over troops to the UK ready for the invasion. Their local refuge is the Rainbow Corner, a small slice of America with no rationing and home comforts.

Dot is a nurse who is lonely and hears that the Club will take personable young women as 'hostesses' to dance with the GIs. There she makes friends, including Lilly who has been transferred to the office after badly spraining her ankle, which meant she could no longer do her usual driving job.

The author used a researcher to provide background to the story, but occasionally one felt she had unearthed 'interesting facts' that just had to be shoehorned into the story. Some of the characters felt quite stereotypical and one dimensional and it was hard to relate to them. However the plot was interesting and I enjoyed reading it; offering a slant on GI brides that I hadn't really appreciated - for example how strongly the Americans really didn't want these women to come over to their husbands once war was over.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing PLC for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rainbow Corner is an establishment in London, especially for the use of American GIs. It provides entertainment, and most importantly, does not have rationing - there is Coca Cola and doughnuts galore! Dot and Lilly, two British women from totally different backgrounds, find themselves working at Rainbow Corner, when it becomes apparent that there is a spy employed there - the women become embroiled in life at Rainbow Corner, and romance and danger abound.

It was interesting to read about how the British brides of US forces were treated, there was lots of information included that I had no idea about. The book is very well researched, engagingly written and interesting. A great read

This was an engaging and interesting read. It was a well written and very well researched book. I do appreciate when the background for a book has been well researched. The two main female characters, Dot and Lilly, are from two completely different classes but they become friends. There are lots of interesting secondary characters that have a part to play. This starts in 1944 towards the end of the war and follows the lives and loves of those involved. Rainbow Corner was the place reserved for G.I.s in Britain, where there were activities for them to do and importantly no rationing of food! There is traitor there and I thought I had it all worked out but I was wrong! There is romance and danger and I thought the way the war brides were treated was informative. I found this to be a fascinating read and is one of those books that will stay with me for a long time. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is the first novel by this author that I've read - but it won't be the last.

In 1944, the country is tired and battle worn as Dot Gallagher arrives from Liverpool to the capital to continue nursing. On her way across the city, she gets caught up in yet another air rad and heads for the shelter along with everyone else. As a group of GI's start dancing to a wind-up gramophone, she finds herself pulled in and learns of a place called Rainbow Corner, a social club for US tropps which is always on the lookout for young women who know how to dance. As Dot settles down to work, she finds herself also being a dance hostess in this little corner of the US on British soil - where none of the constraints of war exist and life is so very different from the day to day struggle that the British people endure. As she makes new friends, we find ourselves caught up in their lives both during and after the war . . .

Having been born more that a decade after the end of WWII, it is a period which fascinates me and I've read a lot of fiction novels set during that period. I always love when I learn something I didn't know before, and this book is packed with such information - as I found out from the author's note at the end. This is such a well written story with a lot going on between the pages and I just couldn't put it down. I learned such a lot about things I never suspected and reached the end with a feeling of satisfaction. I'm very happy to recommend this one, and give it a full house of glowing stars!

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley; this is - as always - my honest, original and unbiased review.

One of the best books I’ve ever read (I’ve read 1,000 in last 3 years). It captivated me from start to finish, with it’s moving & enlightening blend of historical fiction, dramatic romance & wartime intrigue. Meet Me at Rainbow Corner tells the stories of Dot, a nurse from Liverpool, & Lilly, an upper class woman from the Home Counties, in tandem throughout the latter years of WWII.
It’s a fascinating look at the American GIs in London & the famous American Red Cross Rainbow Corner. Lilly works in the offices by day, & shares a room in a hostel with Dot. Evenings are spent dancing with the GIs at the social club at Rainbow Corner. Dot learns of a possible traitor at Rainbow Corner from a dying patient. These two women & their friends are feisty & determined. Their story continues after the war with the GI Brides finally making the journey to America.
Don’t forget to read Fidelis Morgan’s informative true account.
Thoroughly enjoyable. Highly recommend.