The brand new heartwarming instalment in the Cornish Girls series perfect for fans of Ginny Bell and Elaine Everest
Recently widowed, Sheila is determined to run the Porthcurno shop on her own, despite family opposition. Seeing villagers facing hard times, she’s desperate to help but not sure where to even start.
When her soldier beau breaks off their engagement to marry someone else, Land Girl Selina is devastated. Will going to the aid of her struggling sister restore her faith in human nature?
Fellow Land Girl Joan has always preferred books over boys. Yet when she meets Arthur, recently back from France and a damaged soul, she feels a connection. But Joan’s friends warn her off him. Can she ignore the promptings of her heart?
The fighting has stopped, but the Cornish Girls still face heartbreaking decisions – will they make the right choices?
Born in Ilford, Essex, author Betty Walker lives in Cornwall with her family, where she enjoys gardening and coastal walks. She loves discovering curious historical facts, and devotes much time to investigating her family tree. Her Cornish Girls sagas, set in World War II Cornwall, are now a popular paperback series.
Betty also writes under other names! She writes atmospheric thrillers as Jane Holland, light-hearted romances as Beth Good, and Tudor historicals as Victoria Lamb.
Porthcurno, England. Sheila Newton's husband Arnold died six months ago, she’s been staying at the farm owned by her son-in-law George and daughter Violet. Arnie ran the only shop in the village, Sheila’s considering about re-opening it and Violet thinks it’s a bad idea. George is busy and he and the land girls are still are still playing a vital role in providing much needed food. Violet is juggling chasing a toddler, cleaning and cooking for everyone and she relies on her mum's help. The war might be over, but food, clothing and footwear is still rationed and British people are still having to mend and make do. Sheila discovers many of the villagers are facing hard times, and a war widow’s pension simply isn’t enough to survive on and one family is in dire straits.
Selina is waiting for her fiancé to return home, not all the men serving overseas have been demobbed and she’s devastated when he writes and calls off the wedding. Violet gives Selina some good advice and that’s to reach out to her sister Bella and she hasn’t spoken to her in years. Caroline and Selina are the two of the original workers, they have two new land girls helping on the farm, Joan and Tilly. One day while repairing a fence Joan meets a young man called Arthur Green, she’s wary of men, he doesn’t make her feel uncomfortable and they have similar interests. Both enjoy art and books and Joan uncovers Arthur’s secret and since returning from France he’s suffering from bad dreams and nervous episodes and people don’t understand.
I received a copy of A New Hope for the Cornish Girls from Avon Books UK and NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. I have read and enjoyed the previous six books in the wartime series by Betty Walker and this narrative is told from Sheila and Selina’s, Joan and Arthur's points of view.
With a strong emphasis on how the war might be over and everything isn’t going to be back to normal in England for some time and it many never be the same again. Men are struggling to fit back into everyday life, and accepting what they had to do to during combat and to survive. Widows and the elderly are stuck in grim financial situations and sadly so many children have lost parents and are orphans. I enjoy reading engaging and historically accurate fiction, and Ms. Walker achieves this once again and she’s a consistent author.
Full of descriptions of life in post-World War Two England in 1946, and the beautiful scenery in Cornwall, the farm and animals, and Bodmin Moor. I’m looking forward to book eight in The Cornish Girls Series and finding out what happens to the familiar and new characters, the possibility of post war weddings and a baby boom and how they go about helping those in need and five stars from me.
The war might have ended but our beloved Cornish girls must continue to show strength in the face of adverse and trying times. I’ve grown soo attached to these girls and all of the characters that every book feels like a gift :’).
We meet some new friends, revisit old ones and rejoin the stories of those we’ve come to know over the last few books. I’m so addicted, they’re just so lovely and easy to read. They never fail to capture me and I always without fail, fall into the ‘one more chapter’ trap.
The war has seen them deal with many challenges and now, even though they have won the war, rationing is still very much in full force, the country is coming to grips with its losses and many men are still overseas - it’s not over yet.
The farm is busy as ever with its land girls busy providing food for the nation and bringing up a family, keeping relationships and friendships are all being tested. It all makes for such beautiful, heartfelt and inspiring reading. It’s another great one in a reliably awesome wartime series!
Thank you to the author and publisher for this book on NetGalley in return for my honest thoughts and review.
This book takes place in Cornwall set in 1946 just after the war when rationing is still at an all time high. In this book of the series, Sylvie's husband has passed away six months ago and she decides to run the corner shop. Selina goes to help her dying sister with the children in Dartmoor leaving Caroline behind as one of the four original land girls. Joan meets a soldier back from war who has PTSD although undiagnosed in those days. This book is about friendships, love moving in mysterious ways and trust and honesty between friends. It shows how the communities worked together to help one another to reach their dreams. It is heartwarming albeit sad in places, especially the way that Arthur, Joan's boyfriend was treated because of his issues with what he saw in France. Betty Walker is a talented author who can make you feel as if you are in Cornwall living the lives of these girls. I loved the character depth, the scenery and the atmosphere that Walker gives to the book and the reader. I admit I found this one on Netgalley and haven't read the rest or earlier books in the series, nonetheless you can easily read this as a standalone book. But now I'd like to go back to book1 to catch up. Definitely a book to cozy up with if you enjoy the era and genre which of course I do. Kerry Kennedy Author
Another wonderful book that continues the series of the Cornish Girls and the book is just a brilliant as the other books. Who doesn’t feel every time you know another book is coming from this brilliant author.
Shirley is slowly getting over Arnie’s death and decides to open the shop he runs again. Joan who does not like to cause trouble meets Arthur who she has been warned off as he has come back from the War with shell shock. Selina ends up leaving the Land Girls to help her sister look after her children which we see where Selina seems to have grown up and is no longer as selfish as she was.
I enjoyed the book and thought it was a brilliant way to learn what becomes of them all and the characters seem to get more and more stronger and feel they all work well together and you just want to read on.
I just love this series. Set in Cornwall, Porthcurno, with the wonderful Minack Theatre near by. If you have never been there, please try to go next time you are down that way, but not in the height of summer,. We follow the land girls, still working on the farm, but when Selina receives news her sister is ill and needs her she has to leave, which leaves Joan, Tilly and Caroline to shoulder the work. Joan meets a young man who manages to rescue a lamb which had fallen part way down the cliff but the farmer Joe and his wife Violet are not happy with the relationship and try hard to dissuade Joan from continuing with it. I am already looking forward to the next book in the series.
This is the latest in the Cornish Girl series. It works as a standalone, however I would advise reading the previous books before this to gain an insight of the back story of the characters.
War is over, but life is far from back to normal - food and clothing is still rationed, life is still tough. The story focuses on recently widowed Sheila, who is considering reopening deceased husband Arnold's shop, and on two land girls, Selina and Joan. Can all three women do what makes them happy?
A lovely addition to the series - they are such a feel good set of books, they are a must read for me. I love the style of writing and the descriptions, and it is always lovely to revisit old favourite characters.
A follow-on title from this enjoyable series. This title is set after the war has ended and as someone who enjoy the wartime storyline it wasn't quite as an enjoyable read. I missed the excitement of the previous titles in the series. That said it was an easy read with some twists and turns to keep the reader engaged.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publishing team and author for allowing me to review an Arc copy.
It was great to catch up with the characters from the other Cornish Girls books but also good to read about the new ones. I've learned a lot about the hardships people had to endure during and after the war but also find it uplifting to think about how they pulled together to help each other. It's always good to read a book where the characters find happiness and I can't wait to read the next book in this series. I hope it won't be too long in coming.
Another instalment in the Cornish Girls sage. This one includes all the characters we have met so far in the other books but has more focus on the Land Girls Joan, Lilly Selina and Caroline. A wonderful read as it was so good to catch up with characters that have become friends. Thanks to Betty Walker and her publisher.
Another lovely story in the Saga of the Cornish Girls. It all feels so real and it is easy to feel involved. Really good characters and a story line that drags you in. Can't wait for the next one.
Such a lovely storyline and so pleasant to reunite with past characters and also meet new ones. I shall continue to read the next tales of the Cornish girls