Member Reviews
Army Girls: Heartbreak and Hope is the latest terrific and warm-hearted saga by Fenella J Miller.
Signing up to the ATS was never part of Grace Sinclair’s plan, but when her parents had insisted that she marry a man she didn’t love, she had been left with no other option but to run away and join the army. With her upper class accent and refined ways, Grace struggles to fit in with all the other girls in the regiment, but just when she thinks that things cannot get any worse, dashing Squadron Group Leader Chris Holloway delivers some devastating news about her brother.
Devastated Grace confides in fellow ATS girl Ruth and the two of them soon become good friends. Grace had thought that the odds were stacked against her, but as she grows closer to Chris and begins to find comfort in her newfound friendships, she is confident that there will be brighter days ahead for her…
Fenella J Miller writes wonderful sagas perfect for curling up with and she has done it again with Army Girls: Heartbreak and Hope. Dramatic, compelling and wonderfully atmospheric, saga fans will find much to enjoy in this touching and emotional wartime tale by Fenella J Miller: Army Girls: Heartbreak and Hope.
The second in the Army Girls series follows Grace Grace meets Ruth, who she becomes best friends with. When she heads to see her brother at his base she hears distressing news, from his best friend Chris. Grace had an unhappy childhood thanks to her parents, but she was very close to her brother. She ran off and joined the ATS without her parent's permission.
I enjoyed Grace's character in this book. In the first book in the series, she rubbed people the wrong way and was a bit standoffish. This book follows her, and we learn more about her and why she might rub people the wrong way. She becomes best friends with Ruth and meets Chris, her brother's best friend, a squadron leader. It was a fun read and I enjoyed the romance but I wish there had been more of a mix between romance and her job in the ATS. This book focuses mostly on her romance with Chris. I look forward to learning more about the other girls in the ATS.
Thanks @boldwoodbooks, @netgalley, and the author of this ARC
Fenella is another of my favourites and I always love anything published, this read has been fab, wonderful storyline and brilliant characters what more can I say, highly recommend this author who will never disappoint
Without giving too much away I found this to be a fast paced, absorbing and compelling read. The story flowed really well, there were lots drama to keep my attention. The further I read with this book, the better it got and I enjoyed it more. I think the author has set the bar high here. Will look forward to the next book and hope it is as good as this one. Overall 4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is the second book of the series and it follows Grace Sinclair after finishing her training she goes off to train as a kinetheodolite operator. Struggling over the death of her beloved brother George, Grace is surprised to find out her father is dying and she goes to visit him. To her surprise he likes George’s best friend Chris and gives Grace his permission to marry just before he passes. Unbeknown to her Grace has a whole other family on her Mother’s side that she didn’t know existed. Things turn rather strange for Grace as she starts to realise that things with her Mother are different to what she imagined and her Mother had had a difficult time during her marriage to Graces Father. There is a lot going on in this book and I look forward to reading book three in this lovely series.
In the latest installment of the Army Girls series, readers follow ATS girl Grace Sinclair as she navigates her new posting and the death of her brother. The bringer of the unfortunate news is her brother George’s best friend from the RAF, Squadron Leader Chris Holloway, who starts looking out for Grace for George, but his reasons will soon shift the longer Grace and Chris get to know each other. Readers witness Grace and Chris’s relationship grow and change as time passes and the war continues, and their relationship is complex and realistic, which is something relatable and exciting. Miller’s characters are, of course, wonderful, and she captures the uncertainty and newness of new relationships, particularly ones forged in wartime while mourning, in this novel. Grace’s friendship with fellow ATS girl Ruth is also enjoyable and heartwarming, and their relationship is not merely one created during the war and their shared services. The side characters are complex, too, with fully developed and complicated backstories which are unknown to Grace, Chris, and the reader. Miller’s latest book is a strong, enjoyable, and romantic read which fans of historical romance, World War II historical fiction, and Miller’s other books will definitely enjoy.
I've loved this series and this one was just as good with lovely characters and full of descriptions of army life. I enjoy sagas and this one was no exemption. Looking forward to more from this author. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Army Girls: Heartbreak and Hope by Fenella J Miller is the second book in the Army Girls series, following Grace's journey.
Grace, who left her family to join the ATS, initially struggled to find her place. Following additional training in South Wales, she encounters Chris Holloway at the base where her brother is stationed before she heads to Clacton, her new posting. Their bond deepens after Grace receives distressing news about her brother. Could their friendship turn into something more?
This captivating novel will keep you hooked until the very last page! Get your hands on a copy now and don't miss out.
I really enjoyed reading this book. set in WW2 it takes us on a journey with the girls who joined up in the Army. This about their lives and events within that time, how they progressed and how they worked. Very enjoyable and I give it 5 stars.
Thanks to Netgalley, author and publisher for this ARC
Heartbreak and Hope is the second book in the Army Girls series.
It is a sweet and quick read despite being 300 pages in length.
It's easily enjoyed as a standalone but reading book one will give an insight into Grace as she features in the first book too.
Heartbreak and Hope begins quite emotionally as Grace is confronted in the early chapters with the unwelcome news of the death of her brother; the only person she feels a bond with.
This coincides with her brother's friend, Chris, being determined to fulfil the promise that he would take care of Grace in her brother's absence.
Keeping an eye on Grace soon turns to love for both parties and it isn't long before wedding bells are ringing.
There are, however, a few obstacles in their path to a HEA. Grace's maternal family appear to be a good support on the outside. Still, it doesn't take long before Grace realises that her grandfather's benevolence is fuelled by greed and that his intentions towards Grace and her mother are quite nefarious. This leads to a few tense scenes and a lot of drama.
Chris always manages to turn up at the right time and is a sweet antidote to the machinations of Grace's grandfather. There is a lot of drama surrounding her grandfather and it was very uplifting to see Grace navigating her way out of his clutches.
With a welcome little twist at the end of the story Heartbreak and Hope is a wonderfully entertaining read without dwelling for long on the harsh realities of deployment during times of war.
I adore Fenella J Miller's books and this one lived up to my expectations. Wonderful writing.
Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
I am a huge fan of Fenella and her work and have been for a while now. By no means have I caught up with everything that she has written but I am slowly making my way through her older releases whilst keeping up with her latest releases. I read the synopsis of 'Army GIrls: Heartbreak & Hope' and it certainly sounded like the sort of book I have come to expect from Fenella - an emotional story and a superb piece of historical fiction. Well it was certainly that and so much more. I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'Army GIrls: Heartbreak & Hope' but more about that in a bit.
The synopsis of 'Army Girls: Heartbreak & Hope' was enough to grab my attention and draw me in. When I first picked the book up, I only intended to read a chapter or two but I became so wrapped up in the story and in the lives of the different characters that I was still sat there reading several chapters and an hour or so later. From then on, it's safe to say that reading the book became seriously addictive and I was like an addict in constant need of my next fix. This story stayed with me whether I had the book in my hand or not - if I wasn't reading the book then I was thinking about it. If I had to put the book down for whatever reason then I would immediately look forward to being able to pick the book up again. I was blown away by the characters and by the storyline. I couldn't turn the pages of the book quickly enough as I made my way through the book. I was so wrapped up in the story that I lost all track of time and just how quickly I was getting through the book. All too quickly I reached the end of 'Army Girls: Heartbreak & Hope' and I had to say goodbye to Grace and the other Army Girls. I found 'Army Girls: Heartbreak & Hope' to be a gripping, dramatic and emotional read, which certainly kept me guessing and kept me on the edge of my seat.
'Army Girls: Heartbreak & Hope' is superbly written but then I have come to expect nothing less from Fenella J. Miller. Fenella has an easygoing writing style that draws the reader in and makes them feel as though they are part of the story. That's how I felt anyway. Fenella clearly cares about her characters and this shines through in the very vivid and realistic way in which she describes them. She makes her characters seem just as real as you and I. In fact the Army Girls ended up feeling more like friends rather than characters in a book. Fenella has clearly done an awful lot of research into the time period in which the story takes place and this makes the story seem that bit more authentic. Reading 'Army GIrls: Heartbreak & Hope' certainly took me on an emotional rollercoaster ride with all the ups and downs, twists and turns, highs and lows and so on.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'Army Girls: Heartbreak & Hope' and I would definitely recommend it to other readers. I hope to read much more of Fenella's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
Excellent book loved every page. Taken back to 1940s war, romance and adventure. A must read especially if a WW11 Fiction reader.
A thrilling historical drama fiction that I lost myself in curled up on the couch and I read it in one long sitting and after I finished reading I felt lost because I didn't want it to end. In Army Girls Heartbreak and Hope we follow Grace as she finds her place in the army while dealing with some personal family dramas. I appreciate how the author has filled the book with facts about this time in our history and it was interesting to read. I felt emotional while reading and the suprise twist really shocked me. I am so glad I was lying down at the time or I think I may have fainted. Grace is a character who I admired and she wears her heart on her sleeve as you can feel her emotions seeping through the words on the page. I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of the next Army Girls book!
Army Girls: Heartbreak and Hope by Fenella J Miller is the second of a series about Grace, who has joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service as women were barred from joining the army. She has finished her basic training where she began as a snobby daughter of nobility, but was quickly brought to size and decided she would be a better person now. On the train to her new training she met Ruth, who was to be her good friend for the weeks they were together. They decided to visit her brother, George, who was a pilot and stationed nearby. His Squadron Leader, Christopher Holloway was just reading the last letter sent to his best friend by his sister, stating that she was coming to visit. He had some terrible news to relay: George had been shot down. They saw his plane go down in flames so there was little hope he was still alive. He was still recovering from this news and now he had to give it to Grace. He left word at the gate to bring her directly to him, they did, and when she saw his face, she knew, and promptly fainted. Thus began this part of her journey which included death, love, marriage, a greedy grandfather, and so much more.
Grace is a good character. She came from a father who didn’t care for her at all: she was a girl; and a mother who was bedridden and incoherent most of the time. She came from wealth and ran away to join the ATS without telling anyone. She dreaded her father finding out. Chris had much the same upbringing but was bright, ambitious, and caring. George had felt they were perfect for one another, but Grace had so much loss from which to recover. George was all she’d had and Chris was determined to be her friend. It was a jolly good story that kept up a frantic pace, things happen so quickly in war. The characters are worth getting to know, even the ones who pop up from the past. The home front in WWII in England is an interesting place, and women in the service is one of the things most interesting. Can’t wait for the next book in the series. Thanks, Ms Miller
I was invited to read Army Girls: Heartbreak and Hope by Boldwood Books. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #BoldwoodBooks #FenellaJMiller #ArmyGirlsHeartbreadAndHope
I absolutely love reading historical fiction and have my mother to thank for my love of them - she would always forward her books onto me when she'd finished them.
Heartbreak and Hope is the second in the Army Girls series, which you could read as a standalone, or you could go back to the beginning so as not to miss out!
When we first met Grace she had just joined the ATS...this is her story. I found her to be more of a likeable character in this book as she seemed to have lost some of her 'entitlement' and was becoming a nicer version of herself. I became
emotionally invested into her character and her pain became my pain.
That's what I love about wartime fiction, there's a great sense of cameraderie and everyone rallies together in times of need.
Highly enjoyable, entertaining and definitely a series to recommend.
I have only read one other Fenella J Miller story before also set in the war and in the middle of a series. I thought it was quite good and was eager to read this one as well.
As far as the storyline goes, it was very sweet with some drama in the middle and a happy ending.
Unfortunately for me, it fell flat on a few points. We hardly ever saw what being an ATS girl was like and her work was largely glossed over. The whole pace of the book went from action to conversation to action and never once slowed down to describe anything or take the atmosphere or surroundings into account. It was more like a fairytale set during the war years as everything magically fell into place for the couple at every turn. I guessed the ending at the beginning and the whole pace of the book was rushed including the very abrupt ending.
I thank Netgalley and the author and publisher for a temporary copy in exchange for an honest review.
The Army Girls Heartbreak and Hope is the second book in the series. We return to England during WW2, this time we follow the story of Grace Sinclair, A wealthy aristocrat family running away from her parents and a forced marriage. Grace discovers the loss of her brother, rom his best friend who has promised to look out for her. It was interesting to learn about Grace being a Kinetheodolite and what it was I had not heard about it before. Such a good read with great jargon, great romance and good friendships. I look forward to reading the next instalment.
I would like to thank Boldwood Books, NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this complimentary copy for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
#ArmyGirlsHeartbreakandHope #NetGalley
This is another book in the Army Girl's series by Fenella J.Milker. This is the story of Grace who left home to join the ATS to get away from her parents.There are tears and laughter along the the way but a great read.Thank you Negalkey and Boldwood Books.
Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.
I enjoyed reading the first book in this series and was looking forward to this one.
It’s the story of Grace, who joined the ATS so that she didn’t have to do as her family wanted.
She finds it hard to make friend sue to her upbringing.
She receives news from Squadron Leader Chris Holloway that her brother, the only person in the family that got on with, is missing, presumed dead.
The story has twists along the way as we read how Grace changes her way of thinking and her life leads in a different way to what she expected.
The story had lovely characters, along with drama and romance.
I highly recommend this book.