The Gunner Girls - Evie's Story by Sylvia Broady is a deeply emotional and poignant wartime novel that explores themes of love, loss, and the unbreakable bonds of friendship. Set in 1942, it follows Evie Sinclair, a determined young woman who joins the Ack Ack Gunner Girls to defend Britain during WWII. Alongside her new friends, Lily and Gloria, she faces grueling training, unexpected romance, and heartbreaking tragedy. When Evie is forced to return home after a devastating loss, she must navigate the harsh realities of being an unmarried mother in wartime Britain. With strong, resilient characters and a moving story, this book beautifully captures the struggles and strength of women during the war, leaving readers both heartbroken and uplifted.

this is the latest in the gunner girl series by Sylvia Broady. it's an emotional read but very well written.

A hard to read but wonderful book. Trigger for anyone single and pregnant but wonderfully written and realistic in this war romance story.

I loved this book - it felt like it was written in a slightly more 'modern' way than some books that are set in the period of World War 2 but that made it very interesting.
The story was very emotional and one that had a good pace. I enjoyed it and can't wait to read more from this author.

In the latest Gunner Girls book, readers follow Evie, who left Yorkshire to become an Ack Ack Gunner Girl, on her service tour during World War II. Readers meet Gloria and Lily in the Ack Ack program, and she also meets RAF pilot Matt and falls in love. Engagement, however, comes with consequences, and Evie finds herself pregnant and unmarried, creating a whole new set of issues with her commanding officer and her parents. Evie, lacking a support system and an income, must find her way through life with her child during the war and after. Broady brings some complex historical issues to life in this book, such as the situation of unwed mothers in the mid-twentieth century and particularly in wartime, while also shedding light on ways that single mothers made their way in the world during the war and in the postwar period. Broady’s characters are complex and unique, and the female friendships in this novel are really something to enjoy, as they stand by each other as the world changes around them. Broady’s novel is fascinating, enjoyable, and mostly lighthearted, and her characters, the heart of the story, go on some challenging and rewarding journeys in this charming historical fiction novel.

A lovely read couldnt put it down had the emotions up and down and it would be lovely to have a follow up to this book definately a must read 5 stars

This is the story of young Evie Sinclair, who wanted to do her bit for the war effort, she has just turned eighteen and leaves her Island home in Yorkshire to joins the ACK, ACK gunner girls, she meets up with two more young woman Lily and Gloria on the train and a friendship is formed.

The girls are thoroughly enjoying their the work they are doing although dangerous most times they all work hard and at local dance Evie meets RAF pilot Matt Goodwin, they soon are as close as can be, and on a visit home at Christmas Matt proposes, Evie says yes but after the war, they continue to meet as often as possible and the passion grows.

When Evie loses Matt and then finds herself pregnant and her mother sends her away, Evie is determined to keep her baby, but in these times that is not an easy task and Evie works hard to do so and then over time is more determined than ever to help other single un-wed mothers.
Will Evie succeed in her quest and will she find love and happiness after all she has been through and what of Lily and Gloria?

This is a lovely story, a little slow at times but it brings to life what is was like for unmarried mothers during the war years and is one that I would recommend to any reader who enjoys war time stories.

My thanks to the publisher Joffe Books and Netgalley for my digital copy to read and review

A very good read, the author has obviously reaserched the era and subject well. The love interest wasn't for me unfortunately and that is why I have marked it at 4*

The premise of the story caught my attention because I've been a fan of books with similar situations. Unfortunately, it fell flat for me.

I found the writing in the book to be very simplistic with a lot of telling and barely any showing. Evie jumped from one scene/situation to another with every new paragraph, making it that it was hard to get a connection with/care about the characters. We barely see any of her relationship with Matt and I just wasn't invested.

I found the dialogue to be very unnatural and it seemed to act as a way to just give information about the characters or the history.

The pregnancy timeline didn't add up with the time she was with the father to when the baby was born. Also, I very much doubt she'd be able to hide it for as long as she did. Evie is described as seven and a half stone - 105lbs. Yet she was able to hide her pregnancy from the army until her eighth/ninth month.

Thanks NetGalley and Joffe for the opportunity to read and review an ARC.

The Gunner Girls - Evie’s story is my first book by Sylvia Broady and what a book to start with. Although it did fall flat in parts, I found it had me captivated, I wanted/needed to know how this young naïve woman was going to find the courage to take on the world when it looked down on unmarried women so much. Evie’s growth was a heartwarming story her courage, determination, devotedness, friendship, love and loss made it unputdownable. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in this series.

I would like to thank Joffe 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.

#THEGUNNERGIRLSEVIESSTORY #NetGalley.

I understand this is a series of tales about gunner girls during the war. I found this book to be simplistic in writing style best suited for middle grade readers but for the intimate contact which would be inappropriate for the grade. I didn't complete the book.

Could not put this book down.It is the story of Evie Sinclair who joins the Ack- Ack girls but becomes pregnant and suffer's the times of being an unmarried mother.I Look forward to the next book in the series..Would recommend this book to read.Thank you Bet that and Hodge Books.

Simplistic book about WWII era English women who have babies out of wedlock. The first few chapters dealt with the women's contributions and role as "ack-ack" gunners; then that was largely abandoned as the war ended and single-motherhood became the focus. The main character gets pregnant and isn't quite sure who the father is - in a grief-fueled-bout of complete mindlessness, Evie sleeps with her boyfriend's best friend somehow imaging/thinking it's her dead boyfriend (?). That's the set up for her dilemma of the "unknown parentage" of the baby James who sleeps on cue, fusses only when he's teething, and is bathed approximately every three pages in the book.
Her kindly father is dying and her mean mother doesn't seem to care for Evie during normal times; throw in the illegitimate pregnancy and it's off to the Mother & Baby Home for Evie. She lives at the home and gets away with her baby before the home can adopt it out without her consent. Thus follows a series of perfect happenings which culminate in Evie and the boyfriend's best-friend-lover being randomly reunited & marrying in her hometown where she is running her own Mother & Baby Home using an inheritance from her now-deceased parents.
I finished the book but will not likely seek out others by this author.

Evie's journey, from her country loving beginning to the challenges she faced as a single mother were written realistically.
I loved Evie's determination and resilience throughout the book and I admired her a lot.
I loved reading her character development as the story went on.
The story was very emotional in parts making me feel awful for Evie.
Not only was this a love story, but it was written of a tale of female empowerment and independence.
I'll be for sure looking out for more of Sylvias books.

An interesting wartime story that highlights the many difficulties of the times. I found, while interesting, the story a bit disjointed. The first part with the ack-ack girls had me excited to read about a different perspective of women in the war. I thought the book would highlight their role a bit more. And then the second half just felt like a different story. I really enjoyed it. It was interesting to hear how Evie lived her new life and developed into the person she was. The second half could have been an entire story itself. Overall I enjoyed the writing. And would try another book in the series.

Thank you for the early copy and my honest feedback.

A wonderful story of love and loss and also about the Ack-Ack Gunner girls.

Evie wants more than staying with her parents and wants to help in the war effort so she joins up to become a Ack-Ack Gunner. She meets Lilly & Gloria on the train to the training camp and they become friends. Evie meets Matt and they fall in love.

I enjoyed the book and was well written I liked the characters and they were strong woman.

Would recommend the book.

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

This book was very definitely a book of two halves - and in that way was a disappointment for me.
I would have loved more than 47% given to the Ack- Ack girls - I would have liked to have known more about their work, training and life in the Army - but having said that I did enjoy it.
The second half centred on the main character - Evie - and her life after the War and her loss and tragedy. In some ways it was predictable but then again it was heartwarming in her decisions and how she saw the way her life would move forward.
It was well written and well researched - but for me, I felt slightly cheated and that the title of the book was a slight misnomer.

That won't stop me reading more in the series if they appear.

A great read for those that like WW2 historical fiction

What a welcome start to a new series from this author.
Ack-Ack the gunner girls book one.
And we start with Evie Sinclair's story that is so emotional and gripping.
1942 and Evie is excited to be heading away from home to Durham on the train meeting up with Lily Grainger and Gloria Russell and they all have a hard programme ahead of them.
Meeting RAF pilot Matt Goodwin Evie is swept off her feet not knowing her future will leave her a penniless unmarried mother.
The book takes up to 1947 after the war ends and what a roller coaster ride and struggle Evie has had.
I loved reading this book and now eagerly await book two.

Fantastic ww2 saga and Sylvia Broady at her best. Loved this book.
The gunner girls starts with Evie’s story. She becomes a gunner girl much to the horror of her mother but her father a ww1 general understands her need to do her bit. As she travels to her training she meets Lily and Gloria. The book concentrates on Evie’s journey through the war and the years after, she suffers heartache rejection and ends up on a path she no longer recognises.
Hoping this series continues with the story of the other girls, look forward to reading them.
Highly recommended read

A beautiful historical novel that's realistically heartbreaking and uplifting at the same time. The first part of the book focuses on women in the UK during WWII and the rest of the novel is an excellent portrayal of life of single mothers and their babies during the 1940s. The beginning is a slower pace, but the story quickly picks up when Evie, the MC, realizes she is pregnant. A lighthearted ode to enduring and struggling unwed mothers and the happily ever after that all deserve. Thoughtful historical women's fiction.

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