Young Arthur is just a boy of nearly six and sent off to Canada after his father died following a terrible accident on the docks, his mum has told him that there was an explosion when they had been loading ammunition onto a boat. Then a lady had come from the council and he was taken away, first to an Orphanage then onto a house and attached shop and he was told that his mum had died and was now in heaven with his dad. But things didn't work out in Canada and after two years his "new mum" was evicted from her house and shop and before long Arthur is on his way back to England packing everything they owned into big tea chests and only taking a small suitcase each. Arthur was worried that they might be attacked on the journey over but Emily told him it would be fine and they would soon be living in Hastings, a seaside town in Sussex. They make the journey over safely and arrive in Hastings to find her Aunt in hospital after suffering a burst appendix. They help out at the fish and chips shop, but things don't go as planned and Emily is left with sorting out her aunt's effects and more money worries. Arthur certainly needs someone to love and love him back, but in the middle of WW2 are there enough arms to go around, and give him the hugs he so deserves.

This is a lovely historical fiction story, with plenty of emotion and drama, it is set in both Canada and England, and you just can't help but care about Arthur and how he will get by during the dark days of WW2.
I was captivated by this story from the very beginning and couldn't put it down.
A five-star read from me.

#HarperCollinsPublishers
#AnOrphan'sStory
#Netgalley

This is the story of Arthur who along with other children is sent to Canada at the beginning of World War 2.Going to Canada doesn’t make things any easier for Arthur as the family he is adopted by is not what it seems and he ends up coming back to England.After a while he is left on his own.Will life get better for him only time will tell.Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins.

Brilliant sequel or a stand alone read.
Arthur is reeling from losing his real parents, and I’d stent to Canada for adoption away from the ww2 bombing of Britain.
He faces an unknown world but is soon feeling happy and secure with new mum Emma. But when things take an unexpected turn he finds himself back in England alone, frightened and vulnerable .
Fantastic read highly recommended read.

A heart warming story about a young boy trying to find his place in the world.

Arthur is sent off to Canada during WW2 after the death of his father. We follow his journey as he navigates his new life and experiences further twists a long the way.

Poor Arthur sure does go through a lot! This is the first book l've read by Cathy Sharp and she kept me gripped from the very start. I needed to know what happened to Arthur and this kept me turning the pages.

We come across the stories of a number of different couples, all linked to Arthur in some way in the present or future. One of these couples is Rose Parker and Harry Smith. The novel is split between the point of view of Arthur and Rose. At first, I found it a bit jarring to be taken away from the main story of Arthur, but I really started to enjoy the segments including Rose and Harry and looked forward to seeing their chapters.

The motivations of the characters really drove the story forward. They were all well thought out with fleshed out back stories and I was interested in reading about each one of them.

I really enjoyed the book overall. I will definitely keep an eye out for more from Cathy Sharp in the future and would recommend this to anyone interested in historical dramas.

It’s was lovely to catch up with Arthur's story from his original journey to Canada on the ship that took him and his new friends Julie and Beth.
The story follows Arthur with his new family and the decisions made that see Arthur and his adoptive mum going back to England., and the struggles they have when the get there. When a terrible accident happens Arthur feels deserted and scared.
Such a lovely read and looking forward to the next catch up with these amazing children .
My thanks as always to NetGalley and to Publisher HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction | HarperCollins for the early read.

Amazing storyline with a good cast of characters, could not put the book down had to keep reading to find out what happened in the end, 10/10

Loved loved loved this book! Was so heartwarming and fell in love with everyone especially Arthur’! A fabulous read.

Arthur Henderson shipped out to Canada from the orphanage in London
The year is 1943 and he is adopted by Ken and Emily but after Ken joins up to fight in the war Emily finds she is left with debts so sails back with Arthur to England will she leave so he is alone again?
This book is full of the hardship and loss of a little boy that brings tears to your eyes reading, very moving, emotional read. You will just want to take Arthur into your arms and give him the life he deserves.
Absolutely lovely.

A sweet and heart warming story that’s hard to put down even after it’s finished. I want more! I loved Arthur and longed to jump through the pages and give him a hug.

What a beautiful story! When Arthur is placed with Ken & Emily Henderson he is still suffering from his father’s death and the long boat journey from London to Canada, when suddenly his life is thrown into disarray ! This begins a whole new journey for the boy, where he will encounter dishonesty, kindness, evil and familiar faces. The strongest thing that comes across is Arthur’s vulnerability and lack of self belief, he is so sad it will break your heart. Arthur will stay in your mind long after the book ends. Recommend.

I loved that there were familiar characters through the book. I had a few favourites , Rose was a woman with a big heart, Miss Vee kind, Harry loving and caring. Least favourite, most definitely Reg.