As wedding bells ring out, joy will be found amidst the tensions of war… At RAF Fenthorpe, instrument repairer Thea is helping her sister, Pearl, plan her wedding alongside fellow WAAF and maid of honour Jenny. A misfit amongst the women on the base, though, Thea is struggling to get others onboard.
When Flight Sergeant Fitz makes a point of befriending and standing by her, sparks fly between the two. And when Fitz’s crew member, Jack, faces being stripped of his rank due to cowardice, Thea throws herself into seeking justice and support for him.
Just as she begins to be accepted by her fellow WAAFs, a shadowy figure from her past has returned and is determined to ruin not just Thea, but also Pearl’s wedding. Will Thea's reputation be marred once more? And will she face this struggle alone…?
A page-turning and feel-good Second World War saga, for fans of Johanna Bell, Daisy Styles and Kate Thompson.
Vicki Beeby writes historical fiction about the friendships and loves of service women brought together by the Second World War.
Her first job was as a civil engineer on a sewage treatment project, so things could only improve from there. Since then, she has worked as a maths teacher and education consultant before turning freelance to give herself more time to write.
In her free time, when she can drag herself away from reading, she enjoys walking and travelling to far-off places by train. She lives in Shropshire in a house that doesn’t contain nearly enough bookshelves.
This story really got my imagination going. I got glimpses into what it could have been like on an RAF base. Family stories never got me as interested in what it was like during WW2 as A Wedding for the Bomber Girls.
I finished the story feeling giddy. The story is filled with tragedy and drama. The author put many of the characters through the wringer. I couldn't wait to see what they would get into next. The story got my imagination going.
When I started reading the story everything that I read in The Girls of Bomber Command came rushing back. I became invested in the characters lives. I was hoping Pearl would make it to the alter. I would have never imagined what she would have to accomplish to be able to say "I do." It was fun tagging along with her, Jenny and Thea while they went in search of a dress. After all rationing made getting a dress almost impossible.
Pearl and Thea are still having issues. You gotta love family dynamics. Thea is maturing but there are those that just won't let it happen. Thea's issues with the other girls made for interesting reading. I could only hope things would calm down. I felt so sorry for Thea but at the same time she could be so irritating. It was her dedication to her job that completely won me over.
Thea's romance with Fitz didn't hurt either. Experiencing young love left me all warm and fuzzy. Thea may not have got along with the girls, but she was well respected along the pilots and crews. Thea had a lot going on, creating some suspense.
I wasn't sure how it would all end up. It was war, not everyone could have a happily ever after. Bomber missions had me on edge. No wonder those that flew were stressed. The danger felt so real. I would have been kissing the ground every time I could disembark.
I flew through this book, which is proof of how much I enjoyed it. The author has done her research, and manages to cram a lot of historical tidbits in a wholly fictional story. Love the dual perspective, which gives the reader the opportunity to go “on missions” as well. The publisher should really hire a new cover artist though…not only is the plane absolutely wrong, the cover art is terribly old fashioned and doesn’t do the story justice
I fell in love with the first book, The Girls of Bomber Command and rapidly grew to like Thea, Pearl and Jenny. They are a fab little trio and seeing them develop from the first book was great.
You can hop straight into this one without reading the prior but I would recommend it to get a better feel for the characters. I love these girls and was rooting for them from the get go.
This one, focusing on Thea, is finding her own feet away from Pearl, her older sister’s overbearing but loving nature. The two are beginning to reconcile their differences however Thea remains with a stubborn streak and battles asking for the help and advice she really needs. She meets Fitz, a rather dashing RAF but as she navigates uncertain waters, old faces from her past rears an ugly head..
It was a great and compelling story and one that had me flicking through the pages in frustration and excitement. It really was an excruciatingly amazing read and I can’t wait for the next one. I think Jenny has more to her story to come!
Thank you to the author and publishers for this book on NetGalley in return for my honest thoughts and review.
As usual in my reviews I won't rehash the plot - there are reviews like that out there if that is what you are looking for...
Having read the first "Bomber Girls" novel by Vicki Beeby, I was delighted to be invited to read this latest book.
This is a nice easy read, a mix of friendship, romance and history, with very believable characters.
Here we are reunited with many of the characters from the previous book, and get to know them better. There are also a number of new characters - some unpleasant! - but all well written and believable. I always enjoy the author's style - the amount of background research she puts in clearly shows in her detailed descriptions of the settings, way of life, action, social conventions at the time etc.
As usual, there are multiple plot lines running through the novel, which adds extra layers of interest to the book.
I'm looking forward to reading more of Vicki's novels, and suspect (and hope!) that there will be more stories in the "Bomber Girls" series.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC. All opinions my own.
This second book in the Bomber Girls series is just as good as the first, in fact, even better! I was longing to see Thea sort her life out and find love, and Fitz was the perfect man for her and to help her do this. It was so interesting to read about how brides could hire wedding dresses during rationing and especially good to see film studios could help brides achieve their perfect wedding day. The problems Jack experienced were often treat as cowardice but in this book they were great more sympathetically I am pleased to say. Pearl and Greg got their perfect wedding and I hope there will be a third book in this series following the lives of Thea, Fitz and Jenny. The mention at the end of the book that Dee Dee knew Thomas Haughton in her younger days, is also an area for further exploration. Praise for Vicki Beeby, another excellent book and may more wartime books follow.
I relished being back with Vicki Beeby’s Bomber Girls. Reading this book was like re-joining old friends and I loved the ups and downs and ins and outs of the story.
Pearl, Thea and Jenny definitely go through the emotional ringer in this book and it brought home some realities about what life must have actually been like in the war, even planning a wedding or getting a wedding dress was not straightforward. The bomber crews must have had terrible anxieties and flashbacks and felt such relief when they had completed the required number of missions.
Vicki Beeby has such a lovely way of writing that reading is effortless and flowing. I will admit to not wanting to stop at the end of the chapters and to often sneaking off to read when I should have been doing other things. Can’t wait for the next one.
Thank you @netgalley and @canelo_co for the eARC of A Wedding for the Bomber Girls by @vickibeebyauthor in exchange for an honest review.
📖📖 Book Review 📖📖 It can be difficult to remember that even throughout hardships and war, life moves forward. A Wedding for the Bomber Girls is a heartbreakingly beautiful reminder of hope for the future amidst the turmoil of World War II. Even in the 1940’s, the often dichotomous nature of sisters is brought to light, Pearl is the sister basking in her upcoming nuptials as Thea seems to throw curveballs all along the way. An absolutely wonderfully written trio back in time!
Review is posted on Goodreads and will be on Instagram ahead of the publication date!
4.5 stars for this charming follow-up in the Bomber Girls series. It was fun to get Thea's perspective after having read Pearl's. While the novel has its implausible and frustrating moments, it is a feel-good novel that is well-written and well-researched. I especially enjoyed seeing Thea's growth as a character - and Pearl's! - as they grew closer as sisters. Beeby also draws attention to the mental health of WAAFers and bomber pilots. This was a thoughtful and enjoyable read.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the free eARC. I post this review with my honest opinions. This review is cross-posted on Goodreads, and will be posted on Amazon and Instagram upon the book's publication.
I could not put this book down. I binged this book and the first in 3 days. I am totally invested in the characters lives. I was certainly on the edge of my seat through the missions and my heart was breaking waiting to hear if they made it back safely. Iwasn’t that impressed with the chapters about Billy at first, however in the end it all made sense. All in all I love these books and I’m devastated I have to wait until October for book 3.
I really enjoyed the 2nd book in the series can't wait for the 3rd I did enjoy the twist with Thea & the person from the past in what was happening Can't say more if i did it would have spoiler in it Will wait for the next book which I know that Pearl's husband Greg crashes as that is in the write up so not giving anything away So you know that Pearl & Greg do get married in this but as ever wedding plans are not straight forward & must have been even worst during the war
I really enjoy getting glimpses into life during WW2, the hardships and trials that people, women especially, had to face in order to survive day to day.
This story showcases the fact that life does indeed go on, even during a war.
Loved it....historical fiction is my reading preference and this was another "hard to put down" story from Vicki Beeby. Great insight how it was during the wars, the terror, hardship, losing loved ones, etc. And no country has learned from it.
A great story about Thea Pearl and Jenny has made me think about my mum, who was a WAAF. I read this in one session it brings it all to life what the girls went through.
Pearl having joined the WAAF to do ‘her bit’ finds herself running a newspaper which is helping morale at the bases as well as planning her own wedding. With some help from her maid of honour, Jenny and Pear’s sister Thea, they are going to make this the best wedding in wartime.
However it seems that it isn’t just the war against them, a figure from Thea’s past returns and makes trouble. Her friendship with Fitz seems to be a problem for some and all of this combined is going to threaten her sisters wedding. Surely Thea can make amends and make sure everything goes to plan.
This book really took me into the Bomber Command on the ground as well as in the air, of course the book is dominated by strong female characters, but there support to the men that risked their lives is clear amongst the pages.
I look forward to reading the next in the series and will certainly recommend this author for fans of historical sagas.