I picked this book on spec based on the author, and because I do enjoy historical fiction, and I am so glad I did. Informative, though provoking, very authentic and the story stayed with me long after I finished it.

The story follows Dot and Lilly, who meet when sharing digs and become firm friends. Dot is a nurse, whose work takes her from the UK to working abroad under traumatic conditions. Lilly works in Rainbow Corner in an office as she cannot drive due to an injury. Both of them volunteer as hostesses at Rainbow Corner, an American club in the UK which is a little bit of America for the American soldiers. It’s the only place in London where there is no rationing, and there are doughnuts aplenty, and their job is to keep the GIs entertained. However, it soon becomes apparent that someone is selling secrets to the Nazis, and Dot and Lilly and their friends are trying to find out who. Throw in various good looking young men who catch the girls’ eyes, and some truly terrifying trips into enemy territory, and you have a truly excellent and exciting story.

This book has been so well researched, you can’t help but learn a lot whilst you are totally enthralled in this riveting story
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6585477882
https://maddybooksblog.blogspot.com/2024/07/meet-me-at-rainbow-corner-by-celia.html

The story starts in the early part of 1944 when Dot, a war-time nurse, arrives from Liverpool to work in London. She is to share a room with Lily who, after a minor accident, is assigned to work in at Rainbow Corner, the American Red Cross club close to Piccadilly Circus. Dot becomes a hostess there in the evenings and after a rocky start, the two women become good friends. There are a good group of people there, but both women are aware that there is a traitor in their midst. Over the course of the next year their lives change dramatically, Dot signs up for service on the boats and Lily finds herself on active service.
A very readable, interesting book. Celia Imrie has mixed fiction with fact very well and the result is great.

It’s always good to learn something new and even better when it is wrapped up in a fictional story. Previously I had no idea that a place like the Rainbow Corner had existed during the war, or the plight of the GI brides.
This story was a mixture of genres, romantic, historic and mystery, with lots of twists and turns along the way.
I became absorbed reading about the final years of the Second World War and the conditions endured by the civilians and troops. The cast of characters was quite large and a couple of times I had to stop and think where a particular character fitted in.
This was an entertaining story with extra information at the end. Recommended.

Deeply moving and enlightening. A very different slant on historical wartime fiction. Atmospheric and enticing with each page.
Dot has come down to London from Liverpool as a nurse to work with the war effort and the British Red Cross.
Lilly is fresh out of boarding school and the Home Counties, straight into the misery of the first few years of the Second World War.
When they both find themselves billeted to Rainbow Corner near Piccadilly in London, experiencing all the horror hope and love within their separate roles, and from completely different backgrounds, yet they find a bond where their paths keep crossing, and in their empathy and views.
Well written and researched, easy to visualise and a fascinating depiction of events leading up to D-Day and beyond.
Absorbing, interesting and a thoroughly good read.
I really enjoyed this account, which came with a few surprises and unexpected twists.
Thank you NetGalley and Bloomsbury for the opportunity to read early.
Hugely enjoyed and recommended.

Meet Me at Rainbow Corner by Celia Imrie is a beautifully crafted historical novel that transports readers to the heart of wartime London in 1944. The novel is rich with historical detail, immersing readers in the unique atmosphere of Rainbow Corner.

The mystery element is thought-provoking and kept me guessing until nearly the end. The fickleness of some characters' emotions can be a bit maddening, but it’s a reminder of the desperate and vivid feelings during wartime, where each day might be your last and death is so commonplace, when each day could be your last. The commentary on contemporary social issues is seamlessly interwoven with the story, providing a thoughtful reflection on the era.

Meet Me at Rainbow Corner is a well-researched book that offers not just a captivating story but also a rich historical context. The blend of love, friendship, and wartime challenges makes for an engaging and memorable read. I look forward to rereading it to uncover any clues I might have missed the first time around.

Interesting, well researched story based on the end of WW2. Loved the characters and loved how the story progressed. Lots of interesting facts I didn't realise. Thank you netgalley for the advanced copy

A tale of the bonds of friendship, of love and loss in WWII. Meet me at Rainbow Corner tells the story of Lilly and Dot who find themselves working at the Rainbow Corner American Red Cross Club. In 1944 it was effectively an American Embassy where rationing no longer existed, where you could dance with GIs and eat unlimited donuts and bacon.
Dot, has been brought from her family home in Liverpool to London to work as a Red Cross Nurse. Lilly a Corporal from the ATS (Auxiliary Territorial Service) is used to being involved in the war effort driving around the countryside in Surrey, but recovering from an ankle injury she has been posted to an office in Rainbow Corner.
While sharing a room they make friends, before the war separates them to help the war effort in different ways. What follows includes love, death, betrayal, and a new life in America for the War Brides.
There were so many characters I did find myself getting lost at times. The story switching between Lilly and Dot kept the pace and kept you reading, but did at times mean I had to read back to find who’s storyline I was following. While I found it slow to get into it, I couldn’t stop reading towards the end to find out who the mole in Rainbow Corner was. Make sure you read to the end to learn the history and truth of Rainbow Corner from Fidelis Morgan, the historical researcher on the book.
With thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book, I read it in one sitting. Fantastic characters with a great storyline the research that has gone into this book certainly shows. Looking forward to reading more by this Author.

This is the latest from actor and novelist Celia Imrie, a well researched immersion into a fascinating aspect of WW2, a piece of the US, social club Rainbow Corner for American GIs, with its dancehall to lift spirits, in which there was no such thing as rationing, with its donuts and plentiful food. It is London, 1944, with its constant air raids, Dot Gallagher is a nurse and new arrival from Liverpool, finds herself living at a Red Cross hostel, sharing with Lilly Deane, a woman from a distinctly different social class from her, but who bond. A badly injured patient, Joe, tells Dot there are traitors operating from Rainbow Corner, but as he dies, Dot wonders if he was possibly hallucinating.

Dot finds herself becoming a volunteer hostess at Rainbow Corner in the evenings, enjoying the joy of the jitterbug and other dances, the wonderful food, and the company of GIs. She is feeling homesick and missing her parents and Billy, who she is expecting to marry. However, the bleakness and intensity of war, is changing people, surrounded by fear, danger, death, PTSD, and serious injuries, there is no guarantee of survival. It can foster an independence and volatility, to live for now, that challenges existing relationships, with many British soldiers resenting the GIs, 'overpaid, over sexed and over here', as many women get involved with GIs, getting married, engaged, and having children.

We follow Dot and Lilly, the women around them, their war experiences, and the post-war conditions in crossing the Atlantic and joining their partners in the US. With the fight against Nazism, the hypocrisy of segregation in the US is highlighted with the plight of Earl and Pearl, and the end of the war does not mean the ideology disappears into thin air. This is a wonderful piece of intriguing historical fiction that I found eye opening and informative, huge numbers of British women got involved with GIs with their access to nylons, gum, and more. I think this will appeal to a wide range of readers and I would particularly encourage the reading of Imrie's notes at the end. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

Meet me at rainbow corner follows two young ladies Dot and Lilly who both try to navigate life during the Second World War at rainbow corner, a mysterious American club for GIS in central London.
It had all the prefix to being a heartwarming and emotional story about the resilience of women during wartime but to me it was sadly just flat, unbelievable and u predictable.
It was such a shame as I loved this authors prior work which led me to persevere even though half way through I became very disinterested and could tell where it was going. Sadly the only bits that were unpredictable were also the bits that were completely unbelievable for me.
If you’re after a cosy comfy read then this might be for you but I think I went into it expecting more.

Set towards the latter part of WW2.
The characters are just wonderful - Dot a nurse from Liverpool and Lilly from a rather different background end up sharing a room in a hostel in London, They both visit the American Red Cross Club, Rainbow Corner, where the American troops spend their time dancing with the English girls. There is no rationing here, donuts and all sorts available. The girls become friends and we follow their ups and downs. Dot becomes convinced that there is a spy amongst them at Rainbow Corner, and we follow their adventures leading to the discovery eventually of the spy.
I was fascinated to learn of the way in which the English brides were treated prior to their trip to meet their husbands again, in America. Not as welcoming as I'd expected.
I always enjoy historical fiction and this novel was most enjoyable. Highly recommend.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC.

I've read all of Celia Imrie's books and over time her writing and storylines have evolved from light holiday reads to books that shine a light on lesser known parts of recent history. This latest book explores a part of World War 2 history that many of us will be aware of - US troops based in the UK for the duration of the war - but focusses on a US forces club based in London. There is romance, spying, betrayal and much more.

This was an enjoyable and illuminating read based on real events - make sure you read to the end to leanr a bit more about the real stories and events that were the inspiration for this novel.

Thank you netgalley and publishers for arc
I absolutely loved this book I enjoyed every page of it it was a joy to read
It follows the story of a number of young women through the war years but predominantly Dot who is from Liverpool and a nurse and Lilly who is from Sussex and was a driver but sprained her ankle and is sent to do paperwork at Rainbow Corner
They end up becoming friends through Rainbow Corner which is a Red Cross station for USA service men/women but any services can use if they have a pass
They have no rationing inside so food is available like donuts and coffee and they have dances to keep morale high and that’s where most of the group of girls meet. They are also told to keep eyes and ears open for spy’s and Dot was passed info on her first shift by a soldier as he was dying but isn’t sure who to tell, she eventually tells the boss at rainbow corner Mrs Ferguson but she didn’t seem impressed
Dot then ends up going on a ship for 2 weeks and working away until homesickness sends her back but London is a hard place to be there are new bombs going off silent ones they are so scary
But soon Dot realises you can’t trust people you think you can
Lilly meanwhile is having a boring time until they ask is her ankle healed when she replies yes she is told she needs to go home new orders will be sent she has no idea what is going on
She is about to go on the most dangerous drive of her life
Dot and Lilly will they survive the war?

It's 1944 and Lilly and Dot, two girls from very different upbringings find themselves sharing a room in a hostel in London. Dot is working as a nurse and Lilly in the Rainbow Corner Offices for the American Red Cross Club. At night they spend time at the Rainbow Cafe dancing with the GIs. Dot gets to hear of possible espionage in Rainbow Corner from a patient and they decide to help uncover the traitor. However, D day and the invasion of France gets in the way. Despite all this going on the girls and their friends find time for love and eventually find themselves on the way to America as war brides.
I initially thought this was going to be a nice, twee if topical war story with some romance thrown in. How wrong was I! The characters of all the women and the GIs are fully formed. One quickly becomes invested in what happens to each of them. I was always aware of the dates and important times around battles of WW2 but this book really brought it to life. Showing what it must have been like to be in the thick of things especially for young women. I particularly enjoyed the detailed descriptions of how the GI brides were treated. They were so clear and detailed. It must have been a nightmare especially for those women with small children. Very well researched. A definite must read for anyone who likes a good story to get their teeth into.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

I do enjoy reading wartime fiction and this, the story of some of the women who worked with American servicemen in London during the 2nd World War was just my sort of book. Using the setting of the real Rainbow Corner which was the recreational base of GI’s during the 1940’s, it tells the story of Dot and Lily and their lives and loves as they work there way through towards the end of the war.
There is a mystery theme that runs through the book and it holds the interest until the end . I could empathise with the characters, they were well written and interesting. The research had been done well and it really highlighted the differences between the rationing that Britain was going through and the excesses that the American troops had available to them.
A lovely book which I really enjoyed reading.

I really loved this book it was such a lovely story. Set during WW2 in 1944, it was so interesting and I really got in involved with the story. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

This is the story of some of the British women who worked with American service men at the American welfare base, Rainbow Corner at Piccadiily Circus during the 2nd World War.

I have read one of Celia's book before, which I didn't really enjoy it, so didn't have high expectations for this one - particularly as war fiction isn't really my things - but thought I'd keep an open mind. To my surprise, I enjoyed it! It was well written - I note that she had help with the historical details. The mystery that ran through the novel was really well paced, and a twist towards the end was actually really surprised me. All in all, a really good read.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. This was a nice easy feel good read with a great storyline and great characters. would recommend.

Many books have been written about WW2 from scholarly non-fiction to easy reading love stories. This is an extremely well researched story where fictional characters are interwoven with real historical events. Lily and Dot, the main characters, have various struggles as the war grinds on. This is contrasted with the world of plenty found in the US troops club at Rainbow Corner. There’s also betrayal of all kinds to go with the doughnuts and nylons. Two completely different young women learn to deal with traditional problems of love and life and a set of new challenges brought about by war. The later years of the war don’t receive much attention as the earlier years and D-day is usually told from the soldiers point of view not the home front. The post war treatment of the GI brides was a complete revelation. All in all, an excellent eye opener of a book which I hugely enjoyed and highly recommend.

A well researched novel set towards the end world war two. Rainbow Corner was a real establishment for GI's over in the UK to help with the war effort. Friendships, intrigue and espionage are at the heart of this novel, culminating in how the English brides managed to get to America to be with their husbands.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for the advance copy of this book.