A New Home at the Wartime Hotel is a compelling story of women supporting women on the home front during WWII.

Kitty learns early in her marriage that her husband, Bill, isn’t reliable with money. When they inherit the family hotel, Kitty feels hopeful. However, while Bill is away fighting in the war, the bailiffs turn up and repossess most of the hotel’s furniture to pay Bill’s debts. Kitty must get creative to save the hotel.

In addition to Katie, the hotel’s owner, we are introduced to two other strong and well-written characters: Lily, who worked at the hotel as a chambermaid before the war and has a baby, and Beatrice, an unmarried woman who loses her job because of an unfair accusation. These three women join forces to save the hotel, make do in times of war, and overcome personal challenges. Each woman’s story was compelling, and the support and encouragement they offered each other was uplifting.

Each woman’s story is interesting, and we are quickly invested in their complicated lives. We cheer for these three likable and determined ladies as they form a partnership to tackle some difficult challenges on the home front. A multi-layered plot makes this an engaging and riveting read.

Thoughtful themes include women supporting women, friendship, partnership, trust, secrets, compassion, overcoming challenges, resourcefulness, determination, and managing life in wartime England.

Fans of home front WWII histfic and strong, resourceful women will find a lot to appreciate in this story. This is the first installment in a series. However, A New Home at the Wartime Hotel can be read as a stand-alone.

Thanks #NetGalley @BoldwoodBooks for a complimentary eARC of #ANewHomeAtTheWartimeHotel upon my request. All opinions are my own.

For more reviews visit my blog www.readingladies.com where this review was first published.

Maisie Thomas release of the first book in the series has characters that I know everyone will love. Kitty is married to a spendthrift, Lily 's whirlwind love and marriage is filled with heartache and Beatrice's is hoping the war will change the circumstances of her life. They start out as strangers but become family.

I love each of these characters, but I think Beatrice is my favorite. Her heart is so large and all she wants to do is be of help not only to her fellow man, but to the children who grew up just like her. I found myself rooting for all of these woman and was so glad that this book is not the end to their stories.

This is a great book to read on a rainy day, cause you can just snuggle into this story.

A New Home at the Wartime Hotel marks a brand new series by best-selling author, Maisie Thomas, and what an entrance it is!

Kitty has discovered that while her husband is giving her, their daughter and their home everything, all is not as it seems. Kitty is delighted to move the family to Dunbar’s Hotel but things take a turn for the worse. Can Kitty turn it around?

I have loved every novel by Maisie and this one is no exception. Kitty is a strong, determined woman who is willing to learn and will go far. With her new friends Lily and Beatrice, I’m sure Kitty is goi g to succeed and I'm excited to go on the journey with them.

Grab your copy today.

A New Home at the Wartime Hotel by Maisie Thomas

I loved this a start to a new series , a great addition to books on this genre.
It was the story of three women . We meet three women because of the The Dunbar hotel.
Kitty the wife of Bill , Beatrice who works there and Lily .
All of their individual stories were interesting , and I enjoyed how they were getting to know each other all whilst under the common denominator of the hotel .
Looking forward to finding out more.

- [ ] This is the first book in a brand new series by Maisie Thomas and I really enjoyed it. It didn’t take me long to settle into the story and I quickly became immersed in this book.
Set in Manchester during the 1940’s, life isn’t easy for everyone as the menfolk are away working and It’s left to the women to keep everything together back home.

The three main characters; Lily, Beatrice and Kitty were all strong women and they soon formed a very close knit friendship with each other. I really admired them all.

This was an emotional read at times and also a wonderful start to a new series . I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction saga .

I find myself drawn to WWI or WWII historical books. My mother and my maternal relatives are from England. My mother lived in England during WW II.

All the main characters are very much aware of the danger of having a bad reputation and being the source of gossip. Each woman had to face this gossip and continue on.

Kitty, Lily and Beatrice became sources of strength for each other. Their friendship was unique and beautiful to read. It is so rare to see in today's world.

I did enjoy watching Kitty taking charge and doing what she needed to do to keep her home. Survival. Her daughter and eventually her friends depended on her.

I loved it!

A New Home at the Wartime Hotel by Maisie Thomas is an inspiring and heartwarming story. We are taken back to Manchester in 1941. I found the book to be easy to read. The characters are developed and realistic. The story is told from Kitty, Lily, and Beatrice’s point of view. I liked each of the ladies as well as some of the secondary ladies (I especially liked the lady with the hat with the large plume). Each of the main characters has gone through difficulties in their lives. I felt for each one of them. While the war is terrible, it may be a time for these ladies to shine. The author described the long queues the women had to wait in at each shop to get food (you had to go to the butcher, bakery, etc.). There was no guarantee that what they wanted would be available and food rationing regulations changed often (sometimes month to month). I cannot imagine having to endure the frequent bombings. You could return from the bomb shelter to find your home a pile of rubble. This is an emotional story. What I liked most of all was the friendships that developed between the women and how they supported each other. I am eager to read the next book in the Dunbar’s Hotel series.

Oh my goodness what a brilliant book and a wonderful start of a series.

Kitty is married to Bill but unfortunately he does not know how to not spend money and he has inherited the Dunbar Hotel he is away helping in the War when the bailiffs take all the furniture from the hotel. She decides to turn the hotel into a storage facility for the people who have lost their homes. Lily is married to Daniel she is expecting a baby and he is away in the Merchant Navy he is upper class while she is working class and through tragic circumstances she ends up living with Lily and her daughter Abbie. Beatrice works for the corporation where she sees the poverty of all the people she wants to help people, she ends up living in the Dunbar Hotel as well.

The book ebbed and flowed it was happy and sad in places. I really liked all three woman and they all worked well together their characters clicked.

The book was well written and interesting.

I would recommend this book and look forward to reading the next book in the series.

I'm reviewing this via NetGalley as part of a tour with Rachel's Random Resources.

I found it heartwarming to follow all of the characters in this WWII saga.

Kitty and her husband Bill own the Dunbar Hotel, but have struggled with debts since their teenage daughter, Abbie, was born.

Lily returns to Dunbar as an expectant mother. She met her husband, Daniel, when she worked as a chambermaid before the war began. With her husband away at sea, Lily doesn't know who to rely on for support.

I felt that Kitty was a strong and determined character, which I admired. Abbie was a great character too; she seemed kindhearted and intelligent. I felt the character with the most growth and development was Beatrice, who seemed to struggle finding her place at the beginning.

I enjoyed the old-fashioned values of the book, and how all of the characters supported one another through their struggles. This book both made me smile and tugged at my heartstrings.

Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel's Random Resources, Boldwood Books, and to the author, for the opportunity to read and review this.

Kitty learned early on in her marriage that her husband, Bill Dunbar, isn't reliable with money. So when they inherit the Dunbar family hotel at the start of the war, they are hopeful that their financial worries are over.... until the bailiffs turn up!

Lily worked as a chamber maid at Dunbar's before the war. She met Daniel there, but their relationship was complicated by class differences and the disapproval of Daniel's mother. Now Lily is pregnant - and Daniel is away at sea, she's all alone. When tragedy strikes, will Kitty and Dunbar's come to her rescue?

Beatrice is in her forties, unmarried and working in a job that exposes her to the harsh realities of poverty and sacrifice. She wonders if the war would give her the opportunity to change lives for the better - including her own. But when she's accused of a crime she didn't commit, the future looks bleak.

This is the first book in a new series that's set in Manchester around WWII.We meet Kitty, Lily and Beatrice and their struggles to survive in a man's world. This is quite an emotional read. The women are strong characters. The three women are drawn together and form a strong bond. I'm looking forward to reading the next book.

Published 27th March 2025

I would like to thank #NetGalley Boldwoodbooks and the author #MaisieThomas for my ARC of #ANewHomeAtTheWartimeHotel in exchange for an honest review.

The story begins in Manchester in 1928, where our main character Kitty Dunbar has become a mother to baby Abigail. We meet Kitty’s husband Bill and her older sister Naomi.
The action then moves on to January 1941, thirteen years later, during World War II. Kitty, Bill and Abbie (12) are still in Manchester. Bill is now going to inherit the Dunbar Hotel. However, his rash overspending is going to have consequences for his whole family.
The other main characters in the novel are Beatrice and Lily. Beatrice is a spinster in her forties who delivers incontinence pads on her bike. But her caring nature means she wishes she could do more, especially for the children that can’t go to school because they have to be young carers.
Lily worked at Dunbar’s hotel as a chambermaid, which is where she met Daniel. His mother doesn’t approve of her because of the class difference. Lily is now pregnant and married (in that order) and Daniel is away in the Navy.
Events bring Beatrice and Lily to Dunbar’s and along with Kitty and Abbie, they become firm friends and look out for one another, while trying to help others struggling in the War and dealing with their own personal issues. The wonderful Fay Brewer is another great character – a list of strong women all trying their best in trying circumstances.
The WWII background is described authentically and I enjoyed the details and reading about the long queues for food, rationing and the Anderson shelters, but the emphasis of the novel is definitely on the brilliant women at home dealing with all their issues.
This is the start of an exciting new series and I look forward to catching up with all the characters in the next book.

What a super start to a new series - it would be possible to think that this was just another book of historical fiction set in WW2 - but it’s so much more than this.
It was the story of three women - all of whom had separate back stories - who were brought together by The Dunbar hotel.
Kitty -the wife of Bill Dunbar took over the hotel when she ‘inadvertently’ arranged for her husband to receive his call-up to avoid his spendthrift ways. Did she succeed? - maybe there is obviously more to come on this - but along the way she suffers bailiff humiliation and the finding of herself.
Beatrice - a rather sad character that is down trodden in a job she doesn’t like until a turn of fate and an accusation - allows her to begin a job that fits her far better - again scope for more to come
And Lily - she was the character I wanted to shake - more so after her husband Daniel told of his experiences. Lily had suffered a heartbreaking event but so had Daniel - even if he was away as a Merchant Navy sailor.

This was well written and well researched - the author has her own style whatever name she writes under - I wonder if she needs all the nom-de-plumes?

I really enjoyed this book with its different scope on life in WW2 and look forward to the next instalment - hopefully this will follow all three ladies and not focus on just one of them.


Deserves its 5 stars

This is a new series set during World War Two. We meet three different characters who are all strong in their own way trying to make the best of difficult situations. Kitty Dunbar ends up taking over Dunbars Hotel struggling against her husband and his spending leaving lots of debt behind as he’s called to help with the war. Beatrice is a hard working spinster who finds herself in a terrible position which leaves her struggling to cope. Then there is Lily a young pregnant newlywed whose husband is off with the merchant navy and a mother in law she doesn’t get on with. These three strong women find themselves crossing paths with each other and before they know it they are the best of unlikely friends helping each other out. I look forward to reading more of this series in the future

What a joy to read this first book in a brand new series! A New Home at the Wartime Hotel is a delightful offering of friendship, determination and resilience in the midst of civilian wartime.

The story is rich in detail - both the author’s knowledge of her hometown of Manchester’s suburbs and her research into ‘war work’.

The ‘down to earth’ characters are what make this story such a gem. Their dialogue is witty; their personal circumstances bring many plot twists and strong emotions; and observing the friendship flourish between Kitty, Lily and Beatrice is truly heartwarming.

I highly recommend this enjoyable and engaging story - I can’t wait to see what happens next in book two. I know this is going to be another wonderful series from Maisie Thomas.

Thank you to the publisher, Boldwood Books, for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This story is set around 3 women and take place during WW2, enjoyed learning all about them and how there lives entwine

This book is the first in a new series and I am looking forward to the next

“A New Home at the War Front Hotel” is the first book in a new series by Maisie Thomas. This story follows three women as they cope with WWII on the home front in England. Kitty, married to Bill and mother of Abigail, finds herself coping with a husband who spends money like it’s water - but worse than that takes out “never never” loans (look it up online). Beatrice is a single woman who works for an agency that drops off adult diapers, but Beatrice has a heart of gold. Lily finds herself newly married and pregnant. What brings these women together is Dunbar Hotel. What I liked about this book was how women everywhere coped with the men not being home. Women doing things thanks to doors being open to them was highly stressed and I liked how resourceful the women were too. What I didn’t like was that this book started off for about six chapters focusing on one character, then bounced to another feeling like it was out of the blue. The key information from the first six chapters were repeated in subsequent chapters, so that was a bit curious. I also really like learning things from historical fiction books and I cannot say that I really learned anything new from this book. I think if you like stories with a background of WWII, set in England, with strong women characters, this might be a book to pick up.

This is the first book in the Dunbar series.Kitty is married to Billy Dunbar who is always buying things on credit which is not Kitty’s way of doing things.Kitty doesn’t get on with Billy’s mum so doesn’t get any help from her.Lily works at Dunbar Hotel and is married to seaman Daniel,she also doesn’t get on with her mother in law as she thinks her son he’s married below them.Beatrice works for the corporation delivering.Beatrice wishes she could help the poor children in the area..The lives of these three women all come together .Can Kitty change her life around with the help of Lily and can Kitty help Beatrice . Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood Books

This is set during WWII and follows a number of women in their day to day lives.

Kitty is the first we get to know. She is a strong and resilient character but I couldn't help feel sorry for her. Her marriage is clearly a source of much disappointment. Despite this, she soldiers on and does her best to bring up Abbie and serve her community. I like her business sense and she shows initiative at a time when the future was clearly unknown and a little bleak.

Lily is a sad character too. Down on her look but determined to help where she can. She feels a victim of circumstance and is another woman let down by someone she loved. She isn't afraid to ask for help or muck in though so you can't help but admire her spirit!!

Beatrice is out third, female main character and she's a little different to the other two. She's still down on her luck but she has initiative and integrity and I like her determination.

The three work well together and there's a great relationship between them all. The book is sad at times but there's also some lovely moments.

I'd heard of Maisie Thomas but had never read any of her books. I wish I had! This was a wonderful story of friendship, heartbreak and pure determination. The 3 main characters each had their own story but came together lovely. I can't wait to read more of this series, Thanks to Netgalley and Boldworld books for letting me read

This was a sweet story of three women from different backgrounds who became friends in London during WW2. I like that the stories were told from the women's perspectives and I learned more about how life was for women during that time period. I didn't care for the extensive use of collquialisms outside of the characters' dialogue, nor the repetitiveness. One of the characters had a problem buying more than he could afford on credit, and that was repeated more than necessary. It made me wonder why the author made the abrupt 13 year jump in the early part of the book. At first I thought it was to get the point across about the debts, but as that was repeated later, I wasn't sure.
It was a solid story about friendship and perseverance during difficult times.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.