The Shopkeeper's Daughter

by Lily Baxter

She was determined to succeed in business and build a life for herself and her family. The compelling new Second World War novel from the author of The Girls in Blue .
     June 1944. Eighteen-year-old Ginnie Travis works in her father's furniture shop in the suburbs of East London when the continued bombing raids and her sister's untimely pregnancy force the two girls to go and stay with their aunt in Shropshire.

     Here Ginnie falls in love with an American, Lieutenant Nick Miller, stationed nearby. But she discovers Nick has a fiancée back home and a heart-broken Ginnie ends the relationship. Then news of their father's death in an air raid reaches them. Hurrying back to London, Ginnie finds herself in sole charge of the shop.

     With the family left almost penniless and Shirley and her child to provide for, Ginnie is responsible for them all. And when the shop comes under threat, she is even more determined to make it succeed and build a life for herself and her family.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Romance, Fiction, World War II, Historical

480 pages, Paperback

First published July 4, 2013

About the author

Pseudonym for author Dilly Court.

Reviews

[Margitte]

I won't be reading or rating this book. I started, but won't finish it. Thought it was historical fiction, but it's war romance. So to be fair, no rating.

Off to another book.

[poppie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a good novel about a young girl who after her father's death, struggles hard to keep the business going despite many obstacles. There is also a bit of romance too and I felt sorry for Ginnie but being the strong and determined woman she was, everything turned out well in the end.

[Kristine · Rating 1 out of 5]

Original review can be found at http://kristineandterri.blogspot.ca/2...

I received an advanced readers copy from Avon Impulse via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

I had a lot of issues with this book. Some of them were minor but there was one major issue with the story that I just couldn't get past.

Let me start off by saying that I love historical fiction and books that take place during war time. I have read hundreds of them and perhaps that is the reason that this one didn't live up to my expectations. There are so many outstanding books about war in the genre that I have rated very high as well as one that I consider the greatest love story I have come across to date. This one is not it.

My biggest issue with this book (and it was a really big one) was the relationship between Ginnie and Nick. What relationship? There lies my issue. On one page it mentioned she had a crush on him and by the time you flip the page they were going on their one and only date and breaking up on that same date. It then went on and on throughout the entire book about how heartbroken Ginnie was and how she would never love again. What??? There was zero development or chemistry where their relationship was concerned so the reader did not get an opportunity to care about it or feel it. Honestly, I couldn't have cared less about it and thought it weakened Ginnie's character to the point that she wasn't the strong independent woman that I think she was meant to be in the story. There was more chemistry between her and Laurence and Steven for that matter. Who cared about Nick? I certainly didn't.

This leads me into another issue with the book for me. The characters for the most part were all a little weak and lacked depth. Shirley was probably one of the most annoying and unlikeable characters I have come across. I know times were different but come on. She changed who she loved almost as much as people change socks and was so incredibly selfish. Ginnie catered to her and was a strong enabler to her annoying personality which made it hard to like Ginnie.

The final thing that I will mention (although there are other things) was the extreme overuse of the word "honey." Every single American character in this book from the Army doctors to civilians said honey all the time and it drove me crazy. I get that some people are "honey/sweety" type people and I try not to take offence but every American character in this book said honey a lot. The rest of the characters did not. Was this intentional? Was it to be implied that it is an American thing? It may seem silly but it annoyed me to no end.

I hate to write an unfavourable review but I have to be completely honest. As I stated above, this is my favourite genre to read and I have read a lot from it. This book just does not compare to the many amazing books out there in the historical fiction genre.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book about a woman trying to keep her family afloat and how she kept her fathers shop opened.

[Mary Christian Payne · Rating 3 out of 5]

AN EASY READ

This book was a bit too contrived for me. I felt it was written for teenage girls. There was very little history, or detail about World War II England.

[Kathy E · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book as it was easy to follow and had a very good storyline

[Sherrill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pleasant read about the impact on the lives of the people of London when the American military arrived in their little part of the world during WW11. Ginny was a sweet girl who gave up a lot to support her family and for a while it seemed like nothing was going her way. Her sister was not that nice and I was somewhat disappointed to see she ended up OK. There was a lot of language which way typical of the times and remembrances of girls putting beet juice on their lips and drawing a line down their legs to look like the seams of nylons. Things in England were a lot worse than the USA but I still have a ration book saved from those days.

[Booklover BEV · Rating 5 out of 5]

heartwarming story that touched my heart and didnt realise this author goes by the name dilly courts who i have read loads of her books well writing story enjoyed it

[Mrs MJH Compton-Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed this story.

[Stef · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the second of Lily Baxter's books that I read. I had high hopes after I surprisingly enjoyed the other (romance not really being my thing, I need more to a story). This book had the romance and then Ginnie's whole shop saga. I found the whole shop saga pretty dull. I think there could have been more excitement with her hospital work and that maybe the author should have kept Nick round a bit longer to develop that relationship because I felt Ginnie being upset over him was not justified. They'd only known each other five minutes and yes he had his dilemma, but still. I also didn't quite connect to Ginnie when she decided to stay on at his house, even though everyone told her it was a mistake, I think I would have asked to stay with someone else if the funds were not available for her to get a hotel. Then when Nick comes to England to win her back, it was all a bit unbelievable. I think it needed more chapters dedicated to it for me to support this part of the story more. Her sister was a good character and the Aunt. It wasn't what I expected, although well written and easy to follow. I didn't feel the need to abandon it, but I was hoping for more excitement.

[Tanushree Sukumar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a flowy nature to it. The characters are filled with rich personalities and not once they've been brought out of their nature. There is not much detail on the war, which makes sense as mentioned on the cover of the book 'Does family have to come first at the time of war?'. Women become the main characters and the story revolves around them. I found it fascinating that despite there being instances where the woman characters were shamed based on their gender, the story manages to give a different perspective on women and their hardships.

Ginnie is a strong character that I admired from the beginning. On the whole, this was a good and easy read. The language was simple, but that doesn't mean it's not a great story. I loved reading it as it had mundane problems and needs to address. I would recommend 'Barra Creek' by Di Morrissey to the ones that loved this book.

[Roz Radmore · Rating 4 out of 5]

As world war two is drawing to a close Ginnie and her sister Shirley are sent to live with their aunt in Shropshire . Shirley is in deep disgrace for she is unmarried and pregnant . While there there they get the sad news that their father has died and it will be left up to Ginnie to keep the family afloat . She will have to run the families shop . She doesn't know it yet but an enemy is waiting , hoping to snatch everything they have worked for
An interesting tale full of intrigue which kept me interested till the end .

[MRS S PUSEY · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good story

I loved the characters in this story Ginnie was lovely person very strong will and determined to look after her family after their fathers death,she had good ideas for the shop which help her to achieve what she wanted to working hard and long hour's.Her sister was a bit of a fly by night with the men in her life it was sad though when she lost all of them so quick.Aunt Avril was a lovely lady and the love of Ginnies life who i she'd lost but thankfully everything turned out happy,Mr Mallory got his cumupence.Great story Lily.

[LESLEY HEDISON · Rating 3 out of 5]

Couldn't wait to finish

This book took me a long time to read as I found it boring, syrupy and dragged out.
The only reason I got to the end of this boring book was by flicking through pages.
Yet another Enid Blyton famous five ride again.

[Tiffany Johnstone · Rating 5 out of 5]

What always impresses me with books like these is that the characters have a get-one-with-it attitude, especially at a very young age. Obviously people died in war and people had to step up and grow up and provide for their family. A wonderful Story of resilience.

[s j storey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy reading.

Enjoyed this book.

Well written Light feel good ending. Perfect holiday read

Recommend suitable for all ages

Looking forward to reading more of her books

[norah waite · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adversity

Great story about a family and the war ,about how hard life was and folks endurance to get on with life and do their duty to family and friends loved it

[marilyn kemp · Rating 5 out of 5]

1at class

I really like d this book so much that I have bought another six by the same author ! Terrific

[Brenda Skerratt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good book, took a while to get into it but once in amazing story.

[Evelien · Rating 2 out of 5]

Entertaining read, not many surprises. Just not a wartime novel as I thought because it mostly plays after the war..

[Mue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy reading which I enjoyed during 'lockdown' Would've loved more description on trips into Shrewsbury where I was educated in the 1950s a few years later than this book was set.

[Jacqueline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the book - I wish it was 200 pages longer....

[Rebecca Airey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant book. Lily Baxters writing is so easy and enjoyable

[sky .⋆♱⃓ · Rating 5 out of 5]

every one of her books is good!!

[Faye Oliver · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story perfectly captures the heartbreak and tragedy of war, as well as the love, hope, and determination of the protagonist, with fascinating historical detail.

A very enjoyable read!

[Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like all books by Lily Baxter I found this to be a wonderful engaging story. The pages flew by as did the time and I was finished reading before I knew it. This book takes place in the closing months of the war and afterward. Though the blitz is over there are still dangers lurking in the skies namely V-1's and V-2's that cause horrific damage to cities already devastated by the blitz. In this story we meet the Travis family, father the owner of a successful furniture shop, mother stays at home and cares for her family, older daughter Shirley with the reputation of a party girl and Ginnie the serious younger daughter who helps her father. Shirley gets pregnant and the girls are shipped off to the country where they both fall in love with American doctors from a nearby hospital. Both relationships are doomed. Their father is killed in V-2 attack and the girls return home, Ginnie to run the family's story determined to make her family proud. Ginnie is a very likeable enduring character. She is very strong and stubborn and doesn't shy away from anything, far from the damsel in distress type and with grit and determination she begins to modernize the shop. Shirley marries the man who could be the father of her baby son, though his family is dead set against it. This is where the story really begins to take off. So incensed are Shirley's new in laws about the marriage they soon begin to think of ways to get back at the Travis family who they see as having ruined them by stealing their son away. During this, Ginnie attempts to rekindle her doomed war time romance and fails. Ginnie vows to live for her business and to make it into a successful department store like Selfridges. To ensure that her family will never go hungry, or be tossed onto the street. But Shirley's in laws are determined to destroy the Travis family and everything that they worked for forcing Ginnie into the fight for her family's very survival. The book jacket does very little to give an outline to the whole story, most of it takes place after the war is over and frankly the love story is secondary, and I have to say that while the whole story was very well written and enjoyable, the ending felt kind of thrown together. After rooting for and getting to know Ginnie throughout the book I just find it hard to believe she would've put aside all her fears about falling in love with that particular character and rushed into his arms as she did all forgiven with a snap of the fingers. But who knows? While I loved Ginnie I have to say that I think Shirley was my favourite character of all. So well written, one minute you hated her or felt annoyed by her and the next she would say or do something and you would see why Ginnie and everyone else loved her so much. So except for one minor complaint about the ending and it is minor, I truly enjoyed this book, found it difficult to put down and look forward to reading more from this author.

[Gaele]

By all accounts – this is a title I should have loved: the synopsis of a WWII era story told from the POV of a young woman in England doing her all to survive and bring her family through unscathed had plenty of promise.

I love my historic romances, and have truly enjoyed the several titles I have read dealing with WWI and WWII Europe, with perspectives imagined and real throughout the conflicts. I had hoped that Lily Baxter would create a character that, despite her relocation to the countryside for safety would have more to say about her own destiny.

Sadly, what emerged was a writer getting in the way of her story: to everyone’s detriment. Too much tell, little show, overuse of clichés and a wholly passive voice with little character development had me unconvinced and uninterested in the story early on. But I kept reading, hoping that Ginnie would start to be more proactive rather than wholly reactive, lacking in any real evidence of determination. It was harder still to believe the relationship as her passivity made her as appealing as milquetoast, with few to little traits to engender emotional reactions: good or bad.

Truly, this was not the book for me, and I gave up at about 70% with no significant events encouraging me to read on. I’m usually not one to not complete a book, but it was impossible to not want to question choices of word use, red-pen the multitude of clichés and highlight large swathes of text with a SHOW not tell note. Frustrated and more than a bit disappointed, I put the title aside without finishing or rating.

The author, however, shows some promise in her ability to describe a scene and build the visual imagery, I just felt the disconnect between the author and character that left the development of them in the realm of “this is the character and she has this, this and that trait’, rather than proving her traits and giving a more emotionally available active character rather than the reactive one that is here.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher for purpose of honest review for The Jeep Diva. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars (Below Average). This story premise had a lot of potential, but the writing left much to be desired. The author's voice was shallow, telling and passive, with frequent use of cliches; the characters were undeveloped and unrelatable; and the action of the story was driven solely by the heroine reacting to external events or obstacles caused by others. Just technically not an enjoyable read.

[Mel Jenney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book. It was an interesting read, and I really like the realistic historical world that the characters were in. I loved Avril, she was such a breeze of fresh air that never failed to make me laugh. I think that towards the end, the plot was good, but with regards to her romantic life, I feel like it was obviously held back in order to be the ending. Still, overall it was a great book and Lily Baxter's writing was excellent. A good book to try if you're new to historical fiction.

[Joanna Warrens · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a ww2 homefront British novel. I have read other books by the author and enjoyed them. Ginnie is a wonderful character. She is strong and takes care of her family after her father dies despite being very young. She is one of those people who is remarkable but doesn't know it. I loved her strength!