Meet me at Rainbow Corner is quite the whirlwind of a novel! Set during the Second World War, we meet two young war-weary women Dot and Lilly as they try to navigate their way through the war years.
Both sent to London under different circumstances, they meet as roommates and then discover Rainbow Corner, the glittering Red Cross Club of the US Army. Unlike anywhere else they have seen during those miserable war years, Rainbow Corner is eye-opening, with almost constant access to food, drink, dancing and GI's...
What follows is a rollercoaster of intrigue and espionage, mishaps and heartache...and of course, a lot of donuts!

I thought the novel was well-researched. It was fascinating to read about Rainbow Corner and the treatment the GI brides faced, particularly during the aftermath of the war.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

A good read. A well researched novel set it world war two and it focuses on Dot and Lily and their relationships with each other and the Americans and also the work they are doing to help the war effort. They become friends and have to overcome love,loss and deception as the war ends to finally find happiness and security.

I’ve enjoyed Celia Imrie’s books to date and this was no exception.

The book is set in the latter stages of WW2 in London and focuses on two English girls and their interactions particularly with American GIs. It’s a blend of historical fiction, wartime intrigue and romance, interwoven with some skill by Imrie.

Thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me to enjoy this novel as an ARC.

My heart sinks when I find a long list of characters at the front of a book. It tells me it will be confusing, and it was. Many of the characters were so thin that I found myself checking who they were.

The novel is set in a traumatic historical period, but lacks power due to the flat writing style. We are told what happens but there's little description to bring scenes to life.

Celia Imrie's "Meet Me at Rainbow Corner" is a captivating blend of historical fiction, dramatic romance, and wartime intrigue. Inspired by the real-life havens created for American troops on the WWII home front, Imrie transports us to a vibrant oasis in war-torn London – Rainbow Corner. This exclusive club, brimming with American luxuries and entertainment, provided a welcome escape for soldiers stationed abroad.

The story unfolds in two parts. The first half meticulously establishes the setting, bringing to life the bustling atmosphere of Rainbow Corner. We meet Dot and Lilly, two unforgettable women navigating the complexities of love and friendship amidst the backdrop of wartime anxieties. The second half takes a thrilling turn, exploring the aftermath of the war and a looming threat: a traitor within the Allied ranks. Imrie masterfully weaves a suspenseful chase to identify the culprit, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat.

"Meet Me at Rainbow Corner" is more than just a wartime romance. It's a testament to the enduring power of human connection, the resilience of the human spirit, and the lingering shadows cast by war. Imrie's captivating storytelling and well-developed characters make this a thoroughly entertaining and thought-provoking read.

A fascinating story about WW2 and the GI brides with the intrigue of spies thrown in as well! Well researched and easy to read.

What a rollercoaster of a story! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and was gripped by the story throughout.
Centred around Rainbow Corner, the Anerican Red Cross Headquarters during WW2, the story follows the lives of the young women who volunteer/work there. The author's research of the period shines throughout the book, and adds a reality to the whole story. The female characters are well-rounded and very believable as they deal with the challenges that war throws at them, but one of them is a traitor feeding information to the enemy! But which one is to blame.......?
This is a great book. Tge womens experiences create smaller stories centred around the main theme and this works really well. I thoroughly enjoyed this book- a recommended read for anyone interested in this period.

Oh I did like this book. As is my usual way with reviews, I will not be repeating the precise of the story here as I believe that the professionals do a better job without giving too much away. What you really need to know is whether this book is worth listening to. To summarise, this novel includes intrigue and wartime drama but it also has history and a quirky lightness to it which made reading it rather fun. Reading it on a Kindle, I am not aware of how long the book is, but it seemed quite an extended story. in which a lot happens. Not overly drawn out or dull. I felt at the end as if I had read an epic work. This book would make a fantastic TV series, which I would look forward to watching.

During World War 2, Rainbow Corner was an American Red Cross Club near Piccadilly Circus, London for use by the American troops who were in the UK. I was interested in this book as I’d never heard of the Rainbow Club, though I’ve lived in London for many years. An interesting story revolving around those who staffed and frequented the club widening out into the lives and loves of the women who became involved in different roles, both civilian and military, during the war; who was the traitor giving secrets to Germany about troops movements? A good read but lost its way a little towards the end trying to tie in all the loose ends. My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC.

All of Celia Imrie's novels are very different and this one is about the latter stages of WW2, and in particular the involvement of the Americans.

Lilly and Dot are two English girls from very different backgrounds who both end up at Rainbow Corner, a sort of US Forces mega club in central London. Although a lot of the action in the first part of the book is set in and around Rainbow Corner, the last section focuses on the GI brides. This is a part of history of which many, including myself, may not be aware.

This is a complex story and although some bits seem far-fetched it turns out that they are based on fact. There are some great characters, who you will be rooting for, and others that you will want to kill yourself.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for the opportunity to review this book.

Very entertaining & historically interesting.***************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Huge thanks to the author and publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC, in exchange for an honest review. Meet Me at Rainbow Corner by Celia Imrie is fantastic. It’s a richly written, gripping read that I was really captivated by. There was so much detail and heart put into the characters, so much I didn’t personally, know. This is a wonderful read.

I love a book set in WW2 and this did not disappoint. I hadn't read much about the GIs war and was interesting to see how the set up one as effectively a little bit of America was in the heart of London. I loved the interaction between them and the British and how the women were bowled over by the new shiny GIs.

A tale of lies and intrigue are always good and you were kept guessing as to who had done the deed.

A great read.

This book is set in WW2 and follows the stories of Dot and Lilly, 2 young girls from very different backgrounds who end up becoming great friends. I don’t usually read historical fiction, but this tale contains so much fascinating information from the Second World War that it makes me desperate to find out more about this period. I really loved it….a great read!

I have never read any of Celia Imrie’s books before however, the synopsis for was Meet Me at Rainbow Corner, piqued my interest as I love a book set in WWII, especially those with strong female characters. I had also never heard of Rainbow Corner before. Turns out, when it was closed after the war, the building was sold for development and is now an office block with nothing on the outside to indicate the important role it had in the war. This was a really captivating historical novel with a well-crafted plot! Really worth a read!

I was intrigued by the first page, which was good as I did find the the first part of the book slow to begin with. It was good though in setting the scenes and introducing the characters. The story did pick up a pace and i found myself trying to guess secrets of the Otis, Violet and June plus Office Ferguson! I became very invested in the storyline and was rooting for Dot and Lilly. I love the idea of Rainbow Corner and I was surprised to learn by reading the end notes that this was a real place. The historical timeline was a gift too. I enjoyed reading this book and learnt things along the way about GI's, war brides, and the start of MI5! If you like a 2nd world war intrigue with women at the fore then this is a book for you. Thank you Netgalley.

This novel was fantastic, I have never read any of Celia imrie’s novel so I was very intrigued, and meet me at rainbow corner didn’t disappoint. A fantastic historical novel that is engaging and well plotted. I am keen to read the authors previous work now

This is the second book I've read by Celia Imrie and it was, again, very well researched. Set during WW2 and mainly concentrated in London on the GIs who were drafted to come over to help with the war effort and the girls who were involved with them on various levels including romantically. There is a very informative reference section at the end and background to some of the scenarios included in the novel. There was lots of secrecy, as could be expected in a wartime situation and the reader is pulled in to guessing who might be the Nazi mole in the GI club, Rainbow Corner. I must admit I didn't really enjoy near the end, without giving anything away, I found there was a bit too much drama especially with everything that had happened before.

Two girls' adventures with GIs in war-torn London. Lilly and Dot meet when they start work in the evenings at Rainbow Corner, dancing and flirting with the American servicemen who go there to enjoy themselves. They begin to realise that they have a mole who is passing on secrets to Nazi sympathisers. I really enjoyed the historical facts at the end. A good read.

I found this novel somewhat confusing to follow with the number of characters and the jumping between Lilly and Dot’s stories, the main players, in the same chapters. It’s a work of fiction but based on fact and real locations in Britain at the time of WW2. Friendships develop between the group of ladies who work at Rainbow Corner, the American Red Cross Servicemen’s Club, one of London establishments frequented by American GIs. Lilly and Dot build personal relationships with the Americans and finally track down the spies amongst their circle of friends. The best part of the book was the historical facts included at the end of the story, which were interesting, revealing and made excellent reading.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers Bloomsbury for this advance copy.