Another excellent book in this series set in my original home city. Spoke to my mum about reading this - she was born in Sheffield in 1945. Her dad worked in the steelworks as a finisher during the war. Her parents had described watching the bombs fall on the city centre - they lived north of the city centre.

I love how the characters are developing in this series and I hope there will be more books. There are moments of joy and moments of grief, as the characters continue to live their normal family lives against the backdrop of war. Love how the facts and the fiction are blended together to remind us what the people of Sheffield experienced.

I always wait in anticipation for the amazing steel girls books to be released. Reading each book of the ladies’ lives is like going to a sweet shop.
The relationships of the friends and their families are heartwarming amidst brutal, worrying times who rally together. The harsh reality and consequence of war is addressed well when the friends Face their challenges. One heartbreaking consequence is the alcoholism faced by Hattie’s father who has been left mentally damaged from the 1st World War. His family pay the price for this.
It’s excitement for Hattie who is to marry John whilst he is on a 48 hour leave from duty. The day gives everyone a chance to focus on something positive.
The war is on their doorstep now though and Sheffield is on the receiving end of bombs that the Germans are dropping. As times become darker, will everyone get to see the light at the end of the tunnel?
Many thanks to Netgalley and Michelle Rawlins for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Absolutely love this series, once I started reading I couldn’t put down, This is book 5 in the series and I just love all the characters, they feel like old friends.

Great read by a fabulous author Michelle Rawlings

This was such an amazing book I love the steel girls series I want to read more about them and what’s happening, once you start it’s hard to put down. 5 star I love it,

Another amazing book in this series. Visiting familiar characters Patty whoever changes, Betty, Daisy, Nancy and Hattie who is still struggling with problems in her home life. The wonderful canteen ladies Dolly who has a heart of gold and Josie who is fighting back to fitness after a scare the previous year.
The bombings are moving closer to Sheffield, bringing danger closer as it is the factories that are the main targets. Sadly the bombs wreak havoc not only on the factories but the local families too. It is this difficult time in Sheffield’s history that is described so sensitively, giving a great sense of the resilience and camaraderie of communities in those situations. It makes you question would people be as strong today.
My favourite character was Ivy, nothing is too much bother for her, will there be a surprise in store!
My least favourite had to be Vinny,that said he was well described.
Would it be greedy to hope for another book?

1940 the blitz Sheffield,
Patty and Hattie looking at wedding gowns, Hatties fiancé John is getting g a forty eight hour leave and the licence is in place ready.
Everyone is rallying around to make this a special day for Mr and Mrs Harrison. vickers steelworks is kept very busy during war times.
Once again this author has studied her research down to perfection for this book loved reading every chapter.
Big 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book before publication in Nov 24.

Lovely story of friendship, alcoholic husbands/fathers and hardship from the homefront during the second world war. I haven't read the other books in the series so was not as familiar with all characters back stories but was able to follow this book as a stand alone. Women during these times were hard as 'Steel'! I will go back and read the other books now. Great writing and found hard to put the book down.

This is a real story of a community in the war, the backdrop of the men being away, the husbands, fathers and fiancés out of the picture leaving the women and children behind to keep life going is very well told. The day to day issues and events being home how tough life was in the 1940s and what some people had to put up with. The drunken husband and father who rules over the home, drinking the rent money and using violence to enforce his way is a cruel window into a life. The fear of bombs dropping and the time spent in shelters, to then have an alarm go off and to need to rush off to start a shift in a factory was reality. A well told tale, with some memorable and admirable characters.

This book gives an insight in to what happened during World War 2 in other parts of the country. So may stories are told about how London was affected but not many are about other big cities. It was also good to read about how the women of the country stepped up to do the jobs the men had left behind.
This story is centred around a steel works in Sheffield and tells the story of a group of friends who probably wouldn't be friends if it wasn't for the war.
I enjoyed getting to know the characters. Take Patty, a naïve young girl who gradually during the course of the book has to grow up quickly. Hattie, who still got up everyday to go to the steel works despite what was happening at home with her Dad. Betty, always trying to please and help whenever she could. Although I am a bit confused as to why she was living with Ivy unless I missed the explanation. I know her mum died but she had a Dad and a Brother because they visited at Christmas.
I hadn't read any of this authors book before and I also didn't realise there were more books in this series. So I will definitely be looking out for them.

One thing I will say is there was a lot of typos in this book, missing words so sentences didn't make sense. At one point Archie became Alfie and at another it said Daisy hugged her girls tight when it should of been Josie hugged her girls tight.

Overall a good read that had me smiling and then almost wanting to cry all at the same time.

This was a tremendously good read. It was a story of love and friendship at the most difficult times. Hattie, Betty and Archie just some of the wonderful characters who showed such courage and hope for the future. Sad at times but also was a tale of such good friendship and support for each other. It was beautifully written about brave people who stepped up to the plate at very difficult times.

Read and reviewed in exchange for a free copy from NetGalley. It took a long time to get into this book. There were too many characters for me to keep track of (although this may be because I haven't read the previous books, I didn't feel not reading them had set me back in terms of the plot). However, Rawlins recreated the tension of the blitz well, and her writing exploring bereavement and domestic abuse was engaging and emotive.

Great to catch up with all the girls in this series Happiness and sorrow go hand in hand in this historical drama A great read.

This is book 5 in the steel girls series by Michelle Rawlins. I love this series. it's made more special as it's based in Sheffield and the areas portrayed in the book and characters really resonate with me.
Another excellent addition this series.

Another fantastic title in the series. Being Yorkshire born and bred and having links with Sheffield this set of books was always going to appeal to me. Reading about how Sheffield was heavily bombed and the casualties suffered really brings it home to you that the war was on your doorstep. There is lots of sadness in the title and I admit to shedding a tear! The book leaves many questions unanswered and I already crave the next title being released!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers and of course the author for allowing me to read this Arc copy.

Highly recommend the series.

Firstly thank you Netgalley for this Arc

What a brilliant fifth book in this series love family saga based in the war this is definitely one for you

Can’t wait to read more

I could not read this book fast enough! The Steel Girl series has honestly been stellar since the start and I eagerly await every new instalment. They make for such good reading and I’ve grown so attached to the characters!

We rejoin Hattie, Betty, Daisy and Nancy and this time, they have the Blitz to contend with. That and navigating relationships, alcoholic husbands and fathers, the fall out from the war and working to supply to steel demands - they have an awful lot to overcome. But watching them support each other every step of the way was so heartwarming and I’ve grown to love these group of strong women! Man, I’m rooting so hard for Hattie and Diane I’m on the verge of pulling a muscle!!

It’s wonderfully fast paced and easy to get into. I was sucked into the ‘just one more chapter’ trap and I was half way through the book before I even knew it. And then I’d finished the book before I knew it!

Always left wanting more, I can’t wait to rejoin these girls further on in their stories.