Put Out the Fires

Pearl Street #2

by Maureen Lee

The second novel in bestseller Maureen Lee's outstanding Liverpool sequence about family life during the Second World War September 1940 - the cruellest year of war for Britain's civilians as the Luftwaffe mercilessly blitz their cities. In Pearl Street, near Liverpool's docks, families struggle to cope the best they can. A nasty surprise for ever-cheerful dressmaker Brenda Mahon, and flighty Sean's love for little Alice, show how life goes on even when it appears to be falling apart. Yet while Eileen Costello tries to hide her ruined hopes of happiness with Nick, and do her best by the husband she hoped had gone for ever, Ruth Singerman returns, having escaped from Austria. Even the joy of seeing her father again cannot make up for the bitter loss of her children.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, War, British Literature, World War II

496 pages, Paperback

First published December 28, 1996

About the author

Maureen Lee was born in Bootle, England, UK, near Liverpool during the World War II. She attended Commercial College and became a shorthand typist. She married Richard, and they had three sons, now adults. The last years the marriage lives in Colchester, Essex.

During years, she published over one hundred and fifty short-stories, before published her first novel Lila in 1983. She continued published dramatic historical sagas mainly setting in Liverpool since 1994. In 2000, her novel Dancing in the Dark won the Romantic Novel of the Year Award by the Romantic Novelists' Association.

Reviews

[Shirley Revill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really loved this book. Maureen Lee really gives an insight into war time Britain. Storytelling at it's best. Highly recommended.

[Gillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book. Characters are so believable; I felt like I actually lived on Pearl Street.

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second book in this series and just as good as the first.

[Maria Niña · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story was set between 1940 to 1941. As you can imagine, people are starving, and if not dying, losing their loved ones because of the WW2. It focused with 3 women: Eileen, who is romantically having an affair with Nick but already married. Brenda the dressmaker, who adores her husband so much but everything changes when she learned about the secret her husband is keeping from him. And Ruth, 40 year old woman, who lost her husband, and her two children missing.

The three women lived in the same neighborhood. And together, they share their grief, manage to continue what was left in their lives, and survive!

It was so good to read something about history. I learned a lot of things and terminology. Aside from that, it teaches reader how to see things in a positive way even if there is air raid while you sleep.

[Divya U · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story set in difficult times of war. A story about trite things, fickle minds and daily drama. The fact that I hadn't read the prequel didn't matter at all. It was intiguing enough to make me finish it but not interesting enough to deserve positive reviews. I hated the way it ended. I understand leaving the readers in suspense but this is not the way to do it. It just made the ending so disappointing.

[Michelle Jedrzejowska · Rating 4 out of 5]

enjoyed the book for the most part was disappointed with the ending

[Donna Linton-Palmer · Rating 3 out of 5]

First time reading this British author although I have several of her books on my TBR shelves. I enjoyed this book and the glimpses it gave into how difficult life was in the Liverpool area of England during the bombings of WWII. The characters evolved and held my interest over the highs and lows of their life during the War, providing insights into why so many needed to live for the moment just to survive day by day during this time in history.

[MRS S PUSEY · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another brilliant story

I loved this story and what a wonderful family Eileen had i thought her dad was quite funny at time's going on like he did about all the politicians and the war,it was so sad when Eileen lost her son it must have been hard as well as others who lost loved ones during this but thankfully everyone seemed to be their for each other to get through the dark days.

[Daisy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this second instalment, I very much doubt I will ever find fault with this author’s work. Immediately the reader is transported back in time to wartime Liverpool. I can picture all the characters, their outfits, their houses, everything. Maureen Lee was a superb writer and there are very few others who stand alongside her for this genre. I was very saddened to hear of her passing.

[Jacquie Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book very easy to get into but once you start reading, you can't put it down.Just goes to show what happened in the war years and how families cope, would definitely recommend its well worth a read.

[karen walmsley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great 2nd part of the pearl Street trilogy and boy was it good. It felt like you were in the air raids yourself when reading it. So glad that Eileen had a happy ending after being in an awful marriage. Great book, would recommend

[Debbie Washburn Knapp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anxious to read the 3rd book. In the series

[Rowlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great read from this author. Look forward to reading more.

[Tasmin Reyonlds · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this alot more than expected!

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this, interesting read, kept my interest. This is my second Maureen Lee book and I like the author.

[Michelia · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy interesting read.

[A · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love all the different characters

[Grace O Connor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice light easy read, very enjoyable

[Abbie Hull · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good! Could not put this book down!

[Dakota ♥️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t normally choose more historical fiction but this was bought for me so I thought I’d give it a go. It took me a while to get into it, but once you know the characters you get caught up into their little lives.

“Well, women don’t take to war like men,” he said loftily.
“That’s ‘cos they’ve got more sense,”

Whether it be little Tony and his childish antics, ol’ Jacob with his witty comments, Brenda with her sarcasm or Ruth with her, somewhat jaded look at life, you get to know and love the characters until they almost become real to you.

-“if I’m going to die, I’d prefer to die in comfort”

The author does a good job of describing the surrounding situation (world war ll bombing) and makes you feel like you’re there and can feel what everyone else is feeling.

All in all an enjoyable read :)

[Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picking up basically where Lights out Liverpool left off, Put out the Fires takes place during the darkest and most destructive period of the war. At the beginning of the book there is a short quote from a book about the war stating that Liverpool and Bootle were among the hardest hit cities during the war and possibly suffered the most deaths in Britain and believe me this book doesn't hold back. It is the rawest most real account I have read at least in terms of fictional stories of the blitz and it's affect on ordinary citizens. Until I started reading books by Maureen Lee and other authors from Northern England I always when I heard about the blitz I always automatically thought of London or even Coventry, but no more.
The story continues the saga of the people of Pearl Street, where people don't have much but they all look out for each other. Some of the characters from the previous book are gone, but the story still revolves mainly around Eileen Costello, now dealing with the return of her abusive husband, who everyone considers to be a war hero. I felt Eileen's storyline had so much potential. It was one of the most gripping and compelling plots I have read and once again I found myself in tears reading a fictional story. However just when my hopes for Eileen rose again that she would go from abused wife to strong female lead character, a woman serving her country, instead her story went the other way and it kind of bugged me enough for me to give this book four instead of five stars. Nick went from being all right to being one of the least liked characters for me in the book. A new addition to Pearl Street is Ruth Singerman, daughter of the elderly Jacob. I really enjoyed Ruth and loved how she grew and evolved throughout the story, she was very believable and even when she wasn't at her best you could understand her motivations. Though not new to the series dress maker Brenda takes on a bigger role in this story as an unexpected surprise comes into her life and throws her world into chaos. I have to admit despite the disappointing turn Eileen's story took I truly enjoy Pearl Street and the people who live on it. Despite being works of fiction they feel like real people, as though they are my actual friends and neighbours and I can even see some people from my own neighbourhood reflected in some of the characters. Maureen Lee does an outstanding job of portraying life in Liverpool during the blitz, the fear, the terror, the exhaustion, the desperation and worry, you truly feel you are right beside these people as they learn of the tragic deaths of friends and loved ones or that their home is no longer standing and they've lost everything. You feel their weariness, but also the fighting spirit that made them get up and go to work the day after their city was nearly flattened. Though not always an easy book to read as I went through a roller coaster of emotions from tears of sadness, to laughing my head off listening to Eileen and Sheila bicker with each other, I found it tough to put it down. I want to read the next two books right away, but a part of me would rather take my time as I'm not ready to leave Pearl Street anytime soon.

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Maureen Lee at her very best. This book is part of the Pearl Street series, I have read the first one but it must be about two years ago now and I couldn't remember much, some of the names seemed familiar but that was all, I feel as if you don't have to have read the first book (Lights out Liverpool) as the author doesn't assume that the reader is aware of the characters backgrounds as some do.
The story is a real family saga set during world war two and set in Bootle, near the great docks of Liverpool. The area was bombed relentlessly and this story shows the great spirit of those living through that time. This book is full of gritty reality, it doesn't gloss over the gory bits, in fact characters central to the story are killed in bombing raids, others loose their home while others are separated from loved ones.
This is the best book I've read in a while, I just couldn't wait to keep picking it up. The ending was slightly disappointing but only because I didn't want to stop reading about these wonderful characters. Will be reading the next in the series 'Through the Storm' soon.

[Sharon Reeves · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not wait to get my hands on the 2nd book in the Pearl Street series, and as always I was not disappointed. There are not many novels that can have me in tears, but this was one that did. The emotion that you feel from the way the book is written is amazing. Again the descriptions of living through the war, and they way people stuck together and really helped each other, really struck a cord with me. I found myself at various times during the day, "could I have coped living through the war the way people did back then?" A fantastic follow on to 'Lights out Liverpool'. Highy recommended.

[Jo · Rating 2 out of 5]

I usually enjoy Maureen Lee's sagas set in Liverpool and find her books a gentle, undemanding read. However, I didn't particularly enjoy this one. There were a few things that really didn't add up. For example, when Eileen joined the Land Army. It was as if Maureen skewered the plot to fit in a favourite piece of research. There were several loose ends and Eileen seemed to get over the death of her son far too easily. I read to the end, but it was hard-going at times.

[Rachelle Seymore · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went back in time to the Second World War, which is incidentally my focus at present. What an amazing book. The author's characters are well described and their lives in Pearl Street are excellently told. The war became a reality and I traveled with the characters through their loves and losses and understand better how they coped with the war. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone interested in this time period and also to get an understanding of the Liverpudlians.

[Alison Gray]

The Pearl Street trilogy is a really good read. I didnt want it to end. I never trully realised or appreciated just how terrible it must have been living through a 6 year war. It made me thankful for all those who lost their lives to keep this a free country and a little sad at what the country they fought so hard to keep 'free' has become!!

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me quite a while to read this book, but i think the only reason for that was because it was a real book and not my e- reader, i seem to read faster with that. this book was very good and i really enjoyed it although i found the ending was a bit flat,i will just have to use my imagination..but otherwise a very good read.

[Carole · Rating 4 out of 5]

the second of the Pearls street series.
The saga of families in warn torn Liverpool
A well written enjoyable book

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like meeting old friends having read Lights our Liverpool. An enjoyable read.

[Suzi Johnstone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great well written book, an insight what it must have been like to live through a war, complete page turner, and sadness and happiness throughout.