A Girls' Guide to Winning the War

by Annie Lyons

Can two young women, and one book, change the course of war . . .?

1940. Whip-smart librarian Peggy Sparks is determined to make sure that her brother Joe returns from the frontline to their London home, which they share with their beloved mother and grandmother. So when she is offered a once-in-a-lifetime job at the heart of the war effort, Peggy jumps at the prospect of making a real contribution to her country.

But when she finds herself working under the fanciful socialite Lady Marigold Cecily, Peggy discovers that those around her are more keen on dancing at the Café de Paris than on ending the war. Writing accounts of her daily life is the only thing keeping Peggy's hopes alive. But when she finds her inner-most thoughts accidentally published by the Ministry of Information, Peggy realises she needs Marigold's help to save her job, and to bring her brother home . . .

From the author of The Air Raid Book Club comes a powerful tale of unexpected friendship, community and two remarkable women who change the course of the war. Full of heart, emotion and drama, it is the perfect uplifting story for fans of Kate Thompson and Natasha Lester.

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

407 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 25, 2024

About the author

Dear Reader,
thank you for dropping by to visit my Goodreads page. I am the author of seven novels and one novella. My first book, Not Quite Perfect was a Kindle number one bestseller and my novel featuring octogenarian, Eudora Honeysett was a USA Today bestseller as well as being nominated for the RNA Contemporary Novel Award. My latest book, The Air Raid Book Club is my first historical fiction novel. It tells the story of recently-widowed bookseller, Gertie Bingham and fifteen-year-old Hedy Fischer, who are thrown together by the events of the Second World War and who form a book club to support their community through these dark times. This book is particularly special to me as I’ve spent my life around books, from trips to the library with my mum as a child to my early career as a bookseller on Charing Cross Road and then over ten years in publishing and now as a writer and creative writing teacher. If I’m not writing or reading books, I like nothing more than to lose myself for an hour (or two if I can manage it) in a library or bookshop. I love the quiet calm and the smell of books, old and new. My favourite writers are Anne Tyler, Ruth Hogan, David Nicholls, Rachel Joyce, William Boyd, Katherine Heiny and Maggie O’Farrell but I love anything which makes me laugh and cry. I try to reflect this in my own writing and for me, it begins with the characters. I work to get to know them as well as my own friends and family as I write and allow them to lead the story. My aim is to write stories which are uplifting and ultimately hopeful as these are the books I love to read. My stories feature families, friendship, grief, love, happiness, singing, loss, betrayal, forgiveness, death, hope, books, joy and plenty more besides, and they invariably include a beloved family pet! My favourite thing about being an author is when readers contact me to let me know that a book has touched them, made them laugh or just served as a companion for a while. I recently received a card all the way from New York from eighty-four-year-old Rita in praise of the story of eighty-four-year-old Eudora and that was my week made. If you would like to get in touch, you can also find me on social media (links below) where I mainly talk about books, writing, my garden and my black Labrador, Nelson.
Happy reading!
Annie x
Instagram: @annielyonsauthor
Twitter: @1AnnieLyons
Facebook: www.facebook.com/annielyonswriter
Website: www.annielyons.com

Reviews

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peggy Sparks was a content young woman, working at the library, a job she loved, as books had always been a part of her life, and helping care for her family members. Her grandmother, Emily, mother, Alice, sister-in-law Flo and the children, Nancy and Charlie all lived under the one roof; keeping in touch with Joe, Peggy's twin - and Flo's husband - who was serving in the war, was paramount. It was 1940 when Peggy was offered a job at the Ministry in London, and she knew it was an opportunity of a lifetime, where she could help with the war effort, and be instrumental in bringing Joe home.

As the years moved forward, Peggy worked hard and became friendly with Lady Marigold Cecily. When the bombing of London caused devastation and disaster, Peggy did her best to comfort, knowing there was only one way to go and that was forward. As Peggy and Marigold worked on the special books (A Girls Guide to Winning the War was one title) which were being published for the war effort, they were proud of their work, especially when Joe mentioned in one of his letters that he'd read one of the books, which had been on their sparse library shelves. But Peggy and her family despaired - when would this dreadful war end? And would Joe come home safely?

A Girls' Guide to Winning the War is another spectacular historical novel by Annie Lyons which I thoroughly enjoyed. I previously read The Air Raid Book Club and loved it, so when I saw this one, I knew I had to read it. And it didn't disappoint. Peggy is an excellent character, and after a rocky start (Peggy would agree) Marigold starred as well. Emily was a feisty woman and was loved dearly while Alice kept the home fires calm. Nancy took after her Great Gran, it was delightfully obvious, and Peggy knew she was lucky, with all the love that surrounded her. I'll be looking for more by Annie Lyons and can highly recommend this one to fans of the genre.

With thanks to NetGalley & Hachette AU for my digital ARC to read.

[Karren Sandercock · Rating 5 out of 5]

1940. Peggy Sparks is a librarian and she’s determined to make sure her twin brother Joe makes it home to Edenham, London. Peggy lives with her mum Alice, granny Emily, pregnant sister-in-law Flo and her niece Nancy. When Peggy is offered a job working at The Ministry of Information and in the Publications Department as a proof-reader, and she feels like this is her big chance.

Peggy works alongside Lady Marigold Cecily, every morning she’s late because Marigold has been out having a good time and at first Peggy doesn't know what to make of her and the other toffs in the office. Peggy feels a bit like a fish out of water, she continues writing down accounts of her days, when their accidentally published and Marigold comes to her defence and they become unlikely friends and confidantes.

The story focuses on during the war, women were taking on roles and doing jobs once done only by men, drivers, land girls and worked in factories, air raid wardens and fire watchers and they did what needed to be done and had a conscience and wanted to do their bit.

I received a copy of A Girls’ Guide to Winning the War by Annie Lyons from Headline and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. What an inspirational and enlightening story, characters make a narrative come to life and they worm their way into your heart and this one is full of delightful and realistic ones like Peggy, Alice, Emily, Flo and Nancy, Marigold, Mr. Beecher and Mrs Pyecroft, Frank and Rosa Bauman.

I adored this book and it highlights the importance of friendship, family, and resilience, comradery and sticking together, the significance of the public being informed and how it boosted morale, diplomacy and Penny going from being a shrinking wallflower to a towering oak. Five stars from me, I laughed, cheered and cried and I highly recommend A Girls’ Guide to Winning the War and Ms. Lyons previous book Air Raid Book Club.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful story, showing strength and courage during World War 2, Peggy Sparks is a librarian, living with her grandmother, Emily, mother Alice, sister in law Flo and niece Nancy and nephew Charlie and she knows how important books can be and when she gets the chance to do everything she can to get her twin brother, Joe safely home from the war she takes it and goes forth, taking up a position in The Ministry of Information, here she grows in so many ways making friends and making a difference.

She starts working under Lady Marigold Cecily, who is so very different from Peggy, but soon they are fast friends and when some of Peggy’s work is published things start to move, more books are published to help the people of Britain keep informed, but of course things don’t always run smoothly and Peggy and Marigold are up against a very male dominated workplace and world, but they never give up through heartache, pain, loss they keep pushing to get their works published to show how woman are so important to the war effort.

This is a story that involves friendship, love, strength and sheer determination to get things done, to help the men get home from the frontline and I loved it, there were tears and smiles along the way, it is witty and the characters are the best, it is a story that I highly recommend to any lover of a good historical story, it is not to be missed.

My thanks to Netalley and Hachette AU for my copy to read and review.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

London, 1940. Young & hungry Peggy Sparks is a librarian who's determined to make sure her beloved twin brother Joe makes it back home from the front. Peggy lives with her mom Alice, grandmother Emily, newly-pregnant, sister-in-law Flo and her precocious niece, little Nancy. When Peggy is offered a job working at The Ministry of Information in the Publications Department as a proof-reader, she feels she is finally achieving her goal to bring Joe home.
The problem? Peggy works alongside entitled, Lady Marigold Cecily, who arrives late each and every morning due to late night partying, and while Peggy doesn't quite know what to make of Marigold, they continue to be paired together on various projects. Not fully recognizing her role at the Ministry, she continues writing down highly detailed & personal accounts of her days, mostly for Joe, when she discovers they're accidentally published -- and they're well read & well received by the public! But, in part due to this crisis, Marigold comes to her immediate defense and the two become unlikely friends and close confidantes. Peggy soon learns Marigold's life is not near as shiny and glittery as she imagined.
This was a heartfelt and charming, wartime story focusing on the war efforts at home, rather than on the front. In so many communities across the world, and in London too, women were taking on roles and doing jobs once done only by men. Drivers, land girls, factory workers, journalists, and even air raid wardens and fire watchers each wanting to "do their bit!" This story was inspirational and I found myself falling in love with many of the side characters including Frank Bauman, Mrs. Pyecroft, Mr. Beecher, and most especially, wise Grandmother Emily. This was a story of sharing your story, about the power of words, about friendship and forgiveness and second chances, and about strength, resiliency, and heart. I really enjoyed it.
While this wasn't *quite* as big of a hit for me as "Air Raid Book Club", one of my favorites from last year, I was still delighted to see another winning WW2 story from Annie Lyons and I will be interested in what she does next!

[Bec · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set during World War II the story follows Peggy as she sets out to assist in the war effort through the publication and writing of pamphlets aimed to keep up morale at home in Britain. Throughout the story Peggy grows in determination and courage as she works alongside the others at the ministry developing the pamphlets/books. The side characters of Lady Marigold, Peggy’s mum, grandmother and niece Nancy are just as loveable and well developed as our protagonist. This is an enjoyable heartwarming read that tugged on the heart strings, this isn’t just a story about life in wartime, but a story about the connection and strength that comes from family.
Thankyou to NetGalley for an advance copy of the book in exchange for review

[Helen - Great Reads & Tea Leaves · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5*

A Girls' Guide to Winning the War is a story of the love of family, female friendships and the power of the written word. Set during World War II readers will follow Peggy as she contributes to the war effort through the publication and writing of pamphlets and books to keep up morale on the homefront.

‘The war has offered a great opportunity to us and we would have been fools not to take it.’

Overall this is a lovely, heartwarming read about women on the home front in London and how families coped with bombings, rationing, taking on new roles and the importance of letters from loved ones at the front. The friendship between Peggy and Marigold highlights class differences and how friendship knows no bounds.

‘Words have power, and yours have more power than most.’

This is a nice, charming story about the power of love from family and friends during challenging times. Lovers of historical fiction, particularly the changing roles of women during WWII will be most interested in this book.






This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

[Stewart Cotterill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Given to me as part of the present where you give a publisher the type of books that you enjoy (in this case historical fiction) and then they send you their choices based on it.

Set in wartime London this book features a female dominated list of characters, which is unusual in a book set in WW2. They are strong female characters which was interesting to me as despite trying to read more books written by female authors I still don’t read enough of them.

The story is well crafted and the plot is utterly believable. So very interesting and enjoyable.

[Deb · Rating 1 out of 5]

This author knows less than nothing about British social history. Total waste of time.

[Les · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first book from this author. I loved every page of it.

No spoiler alerts but the main character Peggy, was someone I would want on my side if ever an injustice had occurred. To see her grow into a strong, determined female, was heart warming. The book flowed well and I found myself just wanting to get back to read it. I do like stories set during WW2 and this was one of those that I would encourage others to read. Well explained and thought out. I love love, loved it.

NetGalley provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review

https://netgalley-assets.s3.amazonaws...

[Maggie Boyd · Rating 2 out of 5]

The year is 1940. Twenty-nine-year-old Peggy Sparks is a librarian. Her twin brother Joe is deployed in the war, and Peggy is at home with her mother (Alice), grandmother (Emily), sister-in-law Flo, and young niece (Nancy) and nephew (Charlie). Peggy writes a Mass Observation Diary, and like everyone else, works hard at keeping the home fires burning and doing her bit. Sir James Miles, a family friend made during the last war, informs her that it is her diary work that has captured the attention of the powers that be, and led them to extend an invitation for her to join the Ministry of Information Publications Department. Peggy springs at the chance, determined to do all in her power to aid the war effort and bring Joe home to his family.

She is not impressed with her fellow employees, apart from Mr. Beecher, her direct supervisor. Cyril Sheldrake is cranky and overbearing. And Lady Marigold Cecily is worthless - endlessly late and accomplishing nothing but batting her eyelashes and making the men swoon when she is there. Then the two women find themselves forced to work together on a project. It's a success, and before long, their partnership becomes a strong bond of friendship.

Frank and Rosa Bauman run the printers where many of the publications are produced. Frank, as a German Jew, has found himself an outcast in two countries. In Germany, his Jewishness makes him a target for the Reich. In England, his German upbringing casts him as the perpetual outsider, at best an enemy national seeking safety and at worst, a spy. Initially, Peggy finds working with Frank impossible, but as she gets to know him and learns of his struggles, she finds herself deeply attracted to the handsome but troubled man.

The author takes an everything-and-the-kitchen-sink approach in her writing. The novel explores classism, racism, LGBTQ+ themes, mother-daughter relationships, romance, etc., etc., etc. The problem was that nothing was addressed well. Especially egregious was Frank's Jewishness being treated as wallpaper. He and Peggy find absolutely no differences between them, even though they were raised in two different religions and two different countries. Frank had left much of his family behind in Germany, but if he was concerned with what happened to them or even genuinely bothered by the horrors that occurred in his homeland, we never see that. Rationing never seems to mean empty stomachs, and people die in the bombings with no talk of moving to the country, etc. taking place. The title also rankled a bit. Neither Marigold nor Peggy is a girl; both are in their thirties for much of the novel.

[Barbara Baer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m putting this review under spoilers because everything I disliked about this book is pretty much a spoiler. It’s sad because this book had a chance to be a four star book. Overall, it started off really well. I loved their little working middle class family and the way they operated with British perseverance and support for each other. I thought there was probably a fair amount of accuracy in the way the different classes of people treated each other, and life at the ministry was interesting.

It took a big wrong turn though when Frank appeared. The first problem is his personality. He is both angry and rude, but suddenly Peggy doesn’t care about that (when she certainly did the chapter before) because she’s fallen in love with his looks. And of course, he treats her well after treating her so poorly earlier in the book yet there’s no explanation for that. Secondly, his Judaism is dismissed to nothing more than a plot line. He doesn’t practice his faith, celebrates Christmas with Peggy, intermarries without a second thought, and never mentions or worries about his family in Germany again even though they were likely to be murdered in concentration camps. His sister, Rosa, meanwhile, pairs up happily with Marigold and travels in 1946 to Paris sending back pictures of them both enjoying themselves. No mention that her family was completely destroyed and that the Jews in Paris were decimated as well. Nothing I hate more than somebody’s religion and ethnicity being reduced to nothing more than a throwaway plot point.

Another thing I disliked was the seemingly amazing tolerance that the main characters had for homosexuality. That did not seem accurate at all for the time. Definitely a 21st-century attitude.

Lastly, there was zero reason to kill off Emily and Albert. I think they did so just because the author thought that they were required to have more deaths, and the ones that happened early on weren’t enough. Both deaths seemed forced.

[Gabi Coatsworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been wary of WW2 novels lately because they seem to contain errors that a little fact-checking could have fixed. But this one covered an activity I knew little to nothing about, so I was fascinated by the details of the way propaganda was produced and used during the war. I liked the characters too, and the plot kept me turning the pages

[Leisa Back Porch Pages · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! I want to be friends with Peggy.

[Paula Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve given this 5 stars because:
I expected it to be a cliched storyline and it was anything but.
It was the usual trope of women relying heavily on men: it wasn’t that and showed how resilient women had to be.
I thought it would be an easy read, which it was, but was full of feeling and depth that I certainly didn’t expect.
A wonderful read.

[Liz Fenwick]

I picked this up and didn’t put it down. I is a joyous read that made me cry, made me laugh and made me say ‘you go girl’. I loved it.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so happy to get an ARC of this book from Net Galley. Annie Lyons writes such great stories, and this one was right up my WWII set in England historical fiction alley. This is the story of Peggy Sparks, her family, the family she creates at work and how they make it through the war. Peggy lives with her grandmother, her mother (her father was killed in WWI), her sister-in-law (also her best friend from childhood), her niece and nephew. Her twin brother, Joe is off fighting the war in Africa. Peggy is given the opportunity to work in the Ministry of Information. The main objective is to write pamphlets (books) starting out with various branches of the military, but leading to the war ‘at home’. One of the objectives is to share this information with the U.S. in order to get them involved in winning the war. There are quite a few characters in her office which makes the story very entertaining., while keeping the mood and struggles of the time. I think my favorite thing about Annie Lyons books is the way a tight community (family) is formed throughout the story, and they always include strong female characters both young and old. Peggy gains the respect of both her family and colleagues by the work she does. Did I mention there are libraries? This book will be out July 25th, and I highly recommend it!

[Nicola Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Annie Lyon’s writes amazing historical fiction so I can never pass them by when I see a new one is released! And this one, coupled with the name and the cover, had no problem drawing me in. Just reading the Prologue I knew it was going to be another winner.

It was so endearing and the characters were very easy to love. And I also never thought Lady Marigold would rapidly become a favourite!

Peg finds herself landing a job in the Ministry of Information and she wants nothing more than to bring about the end the war and bring her twin brother, Joe, home. And if that’s proofreading leaflets and keeping the nations morale in good spirits, then so be it! It was great to see her expand in her role, make new friendships and do her bit for the war effort.

Following Peg and her work days, and getting to know her lovely family, Alice, Nancy, Emily and Flo was so nice to read and it was impossible not to feel homely with this lovely book.

The whole story was great and it was as amazing as I thought it would be. So many emotions, fabulous writing and a thoroughly enjoyable read.

Thank you to the author and publisher for this book on NetGalley in return for my honest thoughts and review.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was honestly just a lovely read. It was heartwarming, but also pulled on the heart strings.

When Peggy's brother Joe heads off into WW2 leaving his wife and children with his mother, grandmother and sister - all they want is for Joe to come back home safely. This historical fiction sucks you right into the centre of London at the start of WW2, and takes you through Peggy's daily life through to the end of the war. From Peggy's new job, making friendships with the likes of Miss Lady Marigold (always ready to have fun), to reading books to her neice Nancy - you'll feel that you know these people yourself. Peggy's push for her new job and everything that she does is to bring her brother job and help end the war - she might not seem instrumental but that doesn't mean she isn't helping.

I felt this book had great commentary on being a woman during this time, but also showed how one can rise through the ranks and really push the patriachial system into one that supports women.

I felt it also had some incredible insight into how war times change a person, a family and even a city. It seemed to hit a little stronger with the current state of the middle east and how people might be feeling there.

My favourite quote from this book was "Words have power, and yours have more power than most"
There are a few other quotes that I love from this book, that mainly have to do with words having power, and that really resonates with me. Whether it's what you're saying, or what you're reading or hearing - words do have power, they have an impact, they can make a change.

[mreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Compared to "The Air Raid Book Club", this felt a bit slower in terms of plot and had less going on but, as always, the writing was great and the characters were the best part of the book (it was great to see Margery make a small appearance as well!)

I do think it would have been useful to have dates at the beginning of each chapter, as I sometimes did not realise how much time had passed and was surprised when it was mentioned that it had been months or even years. Similarly, I was often unsure how old the characters were, so I find that the timeline could have been more clear.

Nevertheless, I am loving these stories from Annie Lyons about books and ordinary lives during the war, and I would love a sequel to read more about what happens to the characters after the war. It was bittersweet that they all went their seprate ways, so I hope to see them meet again. Also, I think Marigold and Mrs. Pycroft both deserve their own books!

[Margaret · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an entertaining read, and the pages turned themselves easily enough. It's about how clever, bookish but working class Peggy, and her titled side-kick Marigold become the darlings of the Ministry of Information with their writing and photographic skills, producing heart-warming books about aspects of the war as experienced by ordinary peple, whether serving in the forces or on the home front. Although I enjoyed it, I found the characterisation a bit stereotypical. Warm, loving working class family. Formal, buttoned up, emotionless public school types. Everyone however, if you look hard enough, has a Heart of Gold. A book to curl up with and race through on a foggy winter evening.

[Danielle Moore · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this, I really did. But it was just so boring. I wasn’t sure how to convey it best until I came here to write this review and I saw the button that I can press to say if there are spoilers. And I realised, that’s it. There are no spoilers because nothing interesting happens. There’s no intensity, no passion, no wow factor. And you might say, well yes, it’s about war. But even that was conveyed “underwhelmingly”. I felt like I was stuck in a stereotypical image of what boring people think 1940’s Britain looks like. Not one character was interesting, believable, likeable or had any depth beyond drinking tea and being polite. I struggled from start to finish. Hence why it took me 3 months to read.

[Szustalke · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sweet, little story that will melt your heart if you are in the mood for something syrupy and not too deep. For a while I thought it was just 'correct'- well defined characters, good pacing, good structure- all the things the author surely learnt through years of working in the industry. Yet, at some point I realized I am rooting for Joe to come back from war and for Peggie to show the patronising little men she can be bossy too. It is naive a lot of the time but it brings a sense of mental comfort that sometimes you yearn for. If that's the mood you are in, go grab it and enjoy it with loads of tea. Jolly good as you British say.

[Mairead Hearne (swirlandthread.com) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Girls’ Guide To Winning the War by Annie Lyons publishes in paperback today January 16th with Headline Review and is described as ‘the most heartwarming, uplifting novel of courage and friendship in WW2 – a powerful tale of unexpected friendship, community and two remarkable women who change the course of the war’.

Peggy Sparks, a librarian, has spent the best part of her life escaping between the pages of a book but when an unexpected opportunity comes her way, she finds herself working at the Ministry of Information in central London. Peggy has a twin brother Joe who is overseas in the army and as the war wages on, Peggy’s concern grows daily that he may not make it back. She lives with her mother, grandmother, sister-in-law and niece and they all look forward with trepidation to Joe’s letters home. Although censored these letters provide solace to all the women but as the bombs begin to drop on the city, Peggy is conscious that she needs to do more.

The Ministry of Information was established by the Government to look after all the publicity and propaganda that was dispatched across the globe during the Second World War. There were many who were dismissive of it, but its role proved vital over the course of the war.

The Ministry of Information (MoI) was established by the British government at the outbreak of the Second World War. It was responsible for issuing ‘National Propaganda’ at home and abroad, as well as censoring information deemed to be of military value. Using all available modes of communication, the MoI issued pamphlets and posters to local authorities, issued guidance to the press, published books and illustrated magazines, ran thousands of public meetings, curated exhibitions, produced films, organised radio broadcasts, and undertook pioneering social surveys. This was government communication on unprecedented scale.
– A History of the Ministry of Information, 1939-46

On her first day Peggy found the sheer scale of the operation quite daunting. She was unconvinced that she could be of any benefit but as the war intensified and the city of London witnessed some horrendous tragedies, Peggy began to understand the importance of their role. From working-class stock, Peggy was all too aware that she did not have the wealth nor education of some of her work associates but Peggy had plenty of knowledge and her ideas were soon recognised as being worth listening to.

Peggy frequently left reports on her superiors desk but one of these documents ended up in the wrong tray and was accidentally published and distributed before she was aware of the error. Her horror at what this could mean resulted in Peggy turning to the one person she never expected to seek assistance from, her colleague Lady Marigold Cecily. Marigold was a London socialite, who partied all night and seemed to have very little concern or awareness that a war was in full flow. She drank gin fizz cocktails at the Café de Paris and danced into the dawn. But Marigold had her own story to tell and as the friendship between the two blossomed, secrets were slowly revealed. Together Marigold and Peggy experience highs and lows, but they also build a strong connection as they fight their own fight and that of the community at large.

Annie Lyons describes A Girls’ Guide To Winning the War (and her previous novel The Air Raid Book Club) as ‘a story which pays homage to books, reading and the written word‘. Establishing her main character, Peggy Sparks, as a librarian adds a wonderful dimension to the novel, one that will certainly appeal to all the bookworms out there! Character development, relationship building and personal growth all feature very strongly throughout the novel as the chapters unfold which really carry the reader along on what feels almost like a personal journey. Peggy Sparks and all the personalities in this tale come alive through the vivid descriptions and the dialogue used throughout. There is a very warm and inspiring feeling to this novel, one that leaves the reader buoyed up and encouraged to possibly make changes in their own lives.

With strong female characters, A Girls’ Guide To Winning the War is a charismatic and heartfelt novel. It highlights the important role that women played during those frightful years and these women are developed as fully realized individuals, each with their own distinct voice, all courageous and all resilient. Annie Lyons has written a vibrant, engaging and insightful story, one I highly recommend to all wartime saga and historical fiction readers.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

“This wasn’t an unusual story. In fact, it was the story of millions of women living through the war along the length and breadth of the country… This was about women fighting and surviving , not on the battlefields but in their own back yards.”


Heartwarming, compelling and uplifting, A Girl’s Guide To War is a glorious tale of courage, strength, friendship, and family. Of finding light in the darkest times. And of the power of books.


London, 1940. Librarian Peggy Sparks lives with her mum, Alice, grandmother, Emily, pregnant sister-in-law, Flo, and young niece, Nancy. Her twin brother, Joe, is serving on the frontline and she is determined to see that he returns home safely. So, when she is offered a job as a proof-reader at The Ministry of Information, she jumps at the chance, recognising this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to not only make a contribution to her country, but fulfil her promise to bring Joe home. It is there she meets Lady Marigold Cecily, a workshy aristocrat. But the pair slowly become friends before working together to publish books that are a vital part of the war effort. 


As a bookworm who loves reading historical fiction set in World War II this book was made for me. From its opening line I knew I’d found a book and character I’d street and from its opening lines I knew I’d found a book and character I’d love. Annie Lyons shows us the realities of war through the eyes of women and has filled the book with strong female characters of all ages, their bonds of community strengthened by the struggles and heartache of war. Their bravery is evident in the small things they do while living their lives each day. It is humbling, honest and raw, but also written with deep compassion and sensitivity and I was glued to the pages.


Peggy Sparks is a fantastic protagonist. Smart, determined and kind, I felt an immediate connection to this family-orientated, lifelong bookworm. When we meet her, Peggy is keeping a written account of how the war affects her daily life but her job at the Ministry offers the chance to do this, and more, on a greater scale. It is at the Ministry she meets Lady Marigold, and the pair could not be more different. Peggy is a homebody and hard worker, while Marigold is always late and prefers nights out at the Cafe de Paris. But the pair slowly form a friendship and work together to create and publish books that are an important part of the Ministry’s war effort. I loved their friendship and how they taught each other so much about life from another perspective. Central to the story is the close relationship between Peggy and her family. They may not have a lot financially, but they have things that money can’t buy, such as love and togetherness, and the bond between them radiates from the pages. I loved reading their scenes together and had a real soft spot for little Nancy who is a real firecracker that often dropped pearls of wisdom. Another brilliant character was Emily, Peggy’s grandmother and matriarch of the family. I loved this no-nonsense woman and she often had me laughing with her quips. Peggy’s twin brother may have been away at war but he is made flesh and blood through the letters he writes to Peggy. I thought this was a clever way to make him real while also displaying the power of writing. 


Books are an integral part of this story and both they and the written word are woven into every facet of the story. All book lovers know the power, magic and joy of books, but it felt extra special seeing the power they had during the war not only as a tool for information, but also in boosting morale. I enjoyed reading about the pamphlets and books that were published by the Ministry during the war and how they were seen as a vital way of boosting morale. It was fascinating to read about the publishing process and I enjoyed learning through historical fiction once again. Despite knowing quite a lot about this era I had somehow never considered or come across paper rationing so I enjoyed learning more about that and the difficulties faced by the publishing industry at the time. I also enjoyed reliving the connection we get through letters, a format that isn’t often used in today’s age but was vital at a time when there was no other way of communicating with loved ones serving on the frontline.


Delightful, moving and hopeful, this is a must-read for book lovers and fans of historical fiction.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an absolutely glorious book that I devoured in just a couple of sittings. If you are a fan of historical fiction with fascinating insight into the world of the Government during the war, featuring some incredibly strong female characters, and showcasing a love of books, then this really is for you.

Peggy Sparks lives in London with four generations of her family in one house. She works as a librarian and is currently taking part in the Mass Observation Project, where she writes about her daily life during the war. Her twin brother Joe is away overseas fighting, he is much missed, but their regular letters, always signed off by Joe with 'we will meet again', keep her spirits up.

When Peggy's writing is noticed by those in high places, she is offered a job at The Ministry of Information as a proofreader. Although hesitant at first, Peggy takes the job and this is when her life changes so much.

The contrast between Peggy's life, her home and her family and most of the other employees at the Ministry is beautifully created. We see how those with money and power deal with war time restrictions, compared to those people with a low income who live in poor housing. When Peggy meets colleague Lady Marigold Cecily for the first time, she is not impressed. Marigold appears flippant and entitled, always late, always out for lunch and appearing to have no real idea of how the war is affecting most people.

As Peggy becomes more comfortable in her role, she really finds her voice. Her talent for writing is utilised by the Ministry, even if she isn't credited as the actual author. She and Marigold become closer, in fact, Marigold becomes a dear friend to her and her family, they help each other out, using their own experiences to solve problems.

It is war time though and there are many tragedies and lots of heartbreak along the way for Peggy, her family and the team at the Ministry. There are men who often stand in the way of progression, there are men who stand up for the women, and their is one special person who becomes very important to Peggy.

This is a wonderful book, dealing with friendships and resilience with the overarching theme of books and the absolute power of words. Packed with characters who are colourful and perfectly created, I loved every page of it. Highly recommended.

[Shreedevi Gurumurty · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Ministry of Information(MOI) produced films,organised radio broadcasts,curated exhibitions and issued various posters.The MOI agreed that a publication entitled Why Britain is at War should be one of its first pieces of publicity.Books and pamphlets would ensure that official messages had an enduring impact.Unlike films, radio broadcasts, exhibitions, and posters, such outputs were designed to last.This required huge print-runs to satisfy demand, and a sensitive approach designed to appeal to audiences of all ages and tastes.The MOI’s earliest publishing efforts were hindered by the atmosphere of confusion which surrounded the department during 1939-40.They initally exerted influence on commercial publishers and the inserted leaflets into certain titles.When they tried explaining why Britain was at war by combining Foreign Office telegrams, documents abridged from the official ‘Blue Book’, and extracts from the final report of Britain’s ambassador to Nazi Germany became embroiled in an inter-departmental copyright dispute.These experiments encouraged an increasingly professional approach to publishing.The first success came in March 1940 when the MOI published a 36-page pamphlet entitled The War at Sea under the auspices of the Continental Publishers ‘Picturefacts’ imprint. Initially this illustrated pamphlet would be freely distributed among British merchant seamen,but it was translated into French by Continental and successfully marketed across Europe and the Middle East. This success replicated a year later when the MOI revised an Air Ministry pamphlet called The Battle of Britain in March 1941.The Battle of Britain became the first in a series of large-format paperback books commissioned by government departments and published by the MOI.These ‘Official War Books’ set out to ‘tell the British war story.'By 1943, such books had sold over 20 million copies, and individual titles sold over a million.Market research conducted by the Ministry’s Wartime Social Survey unit estimated that almost 60% of the public had seen one or more titles.Over 4 years,the MOI established itself as one of the most successful publishers in the world.

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Girl's Guide To Winning The War
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Another cracking book from Annie Lyons, absolutely love her writting style, story telling and evolving characters 😀

Delving into this book you will instantly feel drawn in and the need to keep reading will grip you from page one 📚

We get to meet Peggy who lives with her family, Grandma Emily, Mother Alice, Daughter In Law Flo along with the wee ones Nancy and Charlie on the south side of London during the second world war... her twin brother Joe is serving his country somewhere in the desert but none of the family no where he is, letters are sent and received but no information is ever passed on.

Taking a job at the Ministry of Information in central London changes life for Peggy like she doesn't believe......

In walks Marigold who happens to work in the same office as Peggy. Marigold is elegant, attractive and comes from a family who are extremely well off!

A friendship is forged between the girls through writting and photography 📸 Getting to write books about the war is an honour and makes them feel they are both helping to bring the troops home, however neither of them are allowed to own up to the writting as females so therefore use male names.... apparently writting as males sells more books? 🤔

Marigold suffers a terrible lose one evening which plummets her into a dark spiral... Peggy and her family set out to help heal her... Marigold has never had the love of a family which is something she always wanted, staying at Peggy's is a real treat for her.

When Peggy later suffers a horrible lose Marigold is there to help heal her returning the favour... Peggy doesn't want help, doesn't want to work anymore and just wants to be with her family in her family home.... can her work colleagues and family talk her round to go back to work and write one last war effort book?

Whilst I was reading this book I happen to also be watching a programme called Foyles War which is also based in the second world war - it definitely helped to piece the story together for me!

This is truly a beautiful story about friendship, family, love, lose and endurance to carry on.... Peggy and Marigold are women to be proud of ❤️

[Jennyfer · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1940, Librarian Peggy Sparks commences a job in the Ministry of Information, with the goal of trying to end the war and bring her brother home. In Publications, she soon rubs shoulders with a diverse cast of characters including socialite Lady Marigold Cecily, the abrasive Mr Sheldrake, mysterious Mrs Pyecroft, sexist Mr Longforth and the quiet champion Mr Beecher and many more. Weathering air raids and and enormous egos and everything in between, Peggy soon rises through the ranks from copyeditor to ghostwriter, writing publications the help the war effort and standing up against the injustices she encounters as a woman in a man's world.

This was a delightful heartwarming story of women in the second world war, shining a light on many different women from many different backgrounds in both Peggy's own story and the people she interviews in her work. We have the plucky Peggy, all earnest enthusiasm; we have her mother, Alice - warm and gentle and grieving a husband lost to war; we Peggy's no-nonsense Gran, Emily, all bluster and vigour; the poor rich girl, Lady Marigold, hiding emotional wounds under silk and smiles; we have Rosa Baumann - German Jew businesswoman; and many many more. Each of these women show grit, determination and a ruggedness that is overlooked by their male counterparts, and they fight harassment, sexism, classism, anti-Semitism, racism, and homophobia, all while striving to keep the home fires burning for their loved ones overseas.

This book, too, shines a light on the "great" men in Britain while the young soldiers are at the front, and the gross inequalities of the time.

Despite, or perhaps because of all that, this was a charming cosy read, a tale of pluck and grit and determination; a tale of love and hope.

I recieved an ARC copy of this book from NetGalley. I also purchased the audiobook version from Audible, narrated by Annie Lyons. Ms Lyons did a wonderful job, especially with the different accents and ages of the characters in the book, bringing an extra layer of warmth and live to an already vibrant book.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fans of Dear Mrs Bird and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society will love the latest wartime novel from Annie Lyons – A Girls’ Guide to Winning the War.

1940 and librarian Peggy is desperately worried about her brother Joe. Peggy would love nothing more than to have her brother back with the family and in the house they share with their mother and grandmother. Refusing to let Hitler win, Peggy is determined to do whatever it takes to help the war effort and to ensure her brother’s return, so when she gets the perfect job, she jumps at the chance to make a real contribution to her country. However, as she begins to settle in at her new place of employment, she discovers that her colleagues aren’t all as concerned about doing their bit…

Working under the grandiose socialite Lady Marigold Cecily, Peggy is taken aback by the fact that those around her are more concerned with tripping the light fantastic at the Cafe de Paris than with helping to end this cruel conflict. The only thing keeping her going is writing daily accounts of her life. However, far from keeping her spirits up, her writing might just end up getting her – and her brother – into a whole lot of trouble when the Ministry of Information inadvertently publishes her innermost thoughts!

What’s Peggy going to do now? Has she just put her brother in even more danger? Or will help end up coming from a most unlikely source?

It’s impossible not to fall in love with this gorgeous historical novel by Annie Lyons, A Girls’ Guide to Winning the War. Written with style, gusto and charm by the bucketful, this wonderful wartime tale skillfully balances humour and pathos and is full of nuanced characters readers will immediately take to their hearts.

A lovely read that perfectly captures the courage, bravery and resilience of wartime England, A Girls’ Guide to Winning the War by Annie Lyons is a highly enjoyable historical novel readers will want to tell everyone they know about!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.