A Baby for the Home Front Girls

The Home Front Girls #5

by Susanna Bavin

Manchester, 1942: With war raging in the skies, can the Home Front girls still find the happiness they so deserve?

When Betty and her best friend Sally discover a baby tucked in a blanket amongst the rubble at the Manchester Salvage Depot, they can barely believe their eyes. As Betty holds the baby in her arms, she feels a familiar longing stir in her chest. Might she and her husband be allowed to care for this abandoned child, and create the family they have always longed for?

Sally is shocked when she realizes she too has she’s pregnant and the two friends begin planning for the new arrival. But with her husband Andrew serving overseas, and Sally’s health a cause for concern, she must do everything she can to care for the precious life inside her.

When the grandparents of the abandoned baby are found, Betty’s heart breaks. She has grown to love this child as if she was her own, and she’ll do whatever it takes to provide a safe home for this baby. Then Sally’s health takes a dramatic turn for the worse, and an anxious night is spent waiting for news as the residents of Star House rally to support one another.

With two precious lives to fight for, the future feels more perilous than ever before. Will Betty finally become the mother she has always wanted to be? And will Sally be able to give her husband the most precious homecoming gift of all?

This fifth and final book in The Home Front Girls series is an absolutely gripping and heart-wrenching romantic saga. Perfect for fans of Pam Howes, Rosie Clarke and Vicky Beeby.

Readers love A Baby for the Home Front Girls:

‘Heart-warming… I finished it in just a few days because I never wanted to turn off my kindle! I was filled with a heart of bubbling happiness after the last page… Wonderful!’ stuck_in_the_book_loop ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Heartbreaking… A truly unputdownable and unforgettable book… Absolutely loved it. I was so sad when I realised that I had turned the last page… A smashing five-star read from me, would give it more if I could.’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Wonderful… Heart-tugging and heart-melting… I’ve loved every second of this series.’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Heartbreaking… It certainly pulled at all my heartstrings… Love… Beautiful.’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Just lovely!… What a joy it has been to journey with these girls. They have felt like my own pals!… Genuine warmth and goodwill just spill from the pages, resulting in smiles and happy tears all round!’ the.bookjunction ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Uplifting… Fills your heart with happiness, heartfelt… Unputdownable.

Genres: Historical Fiction

348 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 3, 2025

About the author

I am a saga writer, living in beautiful North Wales. Moving here was the fulfilment of a lifelong dream, but my writing is inspired by my Mancunian roots.

Reviews

[Nicola Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Baby for the Home Front Girls is the fifth and final instalment in the Home Front Girls series which follows the lives of three girls, Sally, Betty and Lorna, as they do important work at the salvage depot, repurposing items to help the war effort in many unexpected ways.

The girls are moving on with their lives, with all three of them now married and the natural next step is children. When Betty finds a newborn baby abandoned at the depot she and her husband Samuel decide they want to care for her. With this baby and Sally’s new pregnancy, babies are very much at the forefront of this book. Of course, nothing runs totally smoothly but the series ends with, if not quite happy ever afters given that the war is still raging, at least with happiness for each of the main characters.

I’m going to miss them all, including other standout characters such as Mrs Beaumont, the Star House landlady, and Deborah, Sally’s childhood friend whose own story is only just beginning. I don’t really want to let them all go but I must and I’m very happy to have had the pleasure of reading five absolutely lovely books featuring them and their wartime heroics, both when quietly going about their day to day salvage work and when called upon to help in other ways, such as assisting with rescue attempts.

Susanna Bavin writes sagas beautifully and emotively, with all the joys and sadness that life during wartime brings. I particularly liked the tiny nods to characters and locations in her other books (as Maisie Thomas) and got quite excited when Dunbars Hotel was mentioned. A Baby for the Home Front Girls is a delightful and uplifting book and I recommend it and the series as a whole to anyone who loves reading about life on the home front.

[Leona · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the fifth and final book in the fabulous Home Front Girls series. From the very first book I was hugely invested in these women and the work they did on the home front. I can’t believe we are now onto book number five and like all the previous books this one was another wonderful read. It was so nice to be back with Sally, Betty , Lorna and all the other great characters we had met in the previous books. This is such a lovely read with plenty going on with all the ladies as they do their best to carry on in difficult times . The ending was just perfect and tied up the series nicely although I am sad it has come to an end but I have no doubt Susanna Bavin will have more great books for me to read soon.

[Helen H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just lovely!
A Baby for the Home Front Girls is the fifth and final book in this series; and what a joy it has been to journey with these girls. They have felt like my own pals! I will miss them but I’m so glad the series has finished with much-deserved happy endings for each of them.

As with the other books in the series, A Baby for the Home Front Girls is meticulously researched and highly informative. I have learned so much about wartime work on the home front, particularly salvage. This story skilfully portrays the ways in which everything was in short supply during wartime and how it was essential to ‘make do and mend.’

The power of community is strongly conveyed across the story. Despite the war impacting so many aspects of their lives including relationships, work and domestic arrangements, every character strives to do their bit, to the best of their ability and with a willingness to always help others.

Evident throughout the entire story, is just how much Sally, Betty and Lorna uplift each other during the worries and struggles; and rejoice together during the happy and triumphant moments. Their friendship overflows with kindness, common sense and good humour. Something I found very relatable and perhaps reassuring, was that even in 1942 these women were feeling that ‘Mum-guilt’ - finding the right balance between work and motherhood.

I highly recommend A Baby for the Home Front Girls because genuine warmth and goodwill just spills from the pages, resulting in smiles and happy tears all round!

Thank you to Bookouture for an advance digital copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Emma Crowley · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Baby for the Homefront Girls is the fifth and final instalment in the Homefront Girls series by Susanna Bavin. It’s sad to see this series coming to an end as it has been really enjoyable and seen as it ends at the tail end of 1942 and the war was still raging on I did think we would get to read more about the girls. But all good things must come to an end and the way everything was wrapped up was perfect and apt for each of the various scenarios some of which had been ongoing since book one. What I have loved about this series is that it’s written in such and conversational and easy to read style that draws you in right from the get go. You soon come to care about the characters and although each book is not intense nor overly packed full of endless drama and twists and turns but just enough to keep you guessing, it really doesn’t matter. Instead we are given an insight into the lives of women and family during the war and how they coped with everything that was thrown at them and did so with grace, dignity and comradeship which saw them through the toughest years of their lives.

Old favourite characters that have been with us since book one are still here and continuing to share their stories but also over the course of the books new people have featured and that’s what has kept things fresh and enticing readers to come back for more. This new story picks up more or less from where the previous left off but it starts with an exciting event which sets the tone for the remainder of the book. Betty, is happily married to bookshop owner, Samuel. He is the most sweetest of men and they make the most perfect couple. He is unable to fight in the war but does his bit on the homefront. Theirs was a love that felt real, genuine and longlasting. They stood by each other through thick and thin. Samuel could be serious but he had such an unassuming manner and was steadfast and dependable. His kindness, consideration and generosity shone from his every thought, action, word and deed.

None more so than when Betty finishes fire watching one evening with Sally and hears a nose amongst the salvage stored at the depot. A newborn baby is discovered all wrapped up and from the moment Betty catches sight of her heart is smitten. They name the baby Bessie and although all the girls really come to care for the baby as does Mrs Beaumont of Star House where the majority of the girls reside, the baby needs to go to the foundling hospital. Betty and Samuel are determined that they will adopt baby Bessie but without saying much more there are many obstacles strewn across the path to happiness which are sent to challenge them. I loved how this plot showed the adoption process during World War Two but also conveyed to the reader how special both Betty and Samuel are and what wonderful support they had from all their friends and family.

That’s a strong theme that runs throughout the book, that of friends, family, love, togetherness, support and comradeship through the darkest and most desperate of times. Working in the salvage depot brought the girls together it. Without it they would never have meet each other and forged such bonds. Sally, Betty, Lorna and now Deborah all have individual stories to share but it’s how they come together and the way the story is written that make things special and keeps you turning the pages. Poor Sally is going through a rough time with husband Andrew away fighting in North Africa and now having to deal with something which should bring much pleasure yet there is the potential for sadness. I admired her stoicism and that she didn’t give up but did what needed to be done. It wasn’t easy having to relinquish some things and pass the baton over so to speak but she was brave and did what needed to be done. I just had my fingers crossed for a positive outcome. Even when Mrs Lockwood was trying to muscle in on things again in relation to the salvage depot, I loved how the girls had grown and matured and now had more confidence to assert both their confidence and opinions where as in the early days of the war and working outside of the home this would have been virtually impossible. The role of women in the home and how it expanded to the workplace was explored deftly throughout and the importance of salvage highlighted too. Who would have thought a somewhat boring topic could have been made interesting, but the author did it here.

It was brilliant to see Deborah having more of a spotlight shone on her. I felt she had featured on the periphery up until now and I couldn’t warm to her. Here, I felt the reader got to know her much better and she became a part of the gang as had a room in Star House and could engage more with the girls. The trials and tribulations of her love life featured heavily but it all added to my overall enjoyment of the story. She starts to know her own mind and won’t take things lying down.I think people felt that she was a bit of a walk over and that she never really pushed herself in her job in the food ministry and that meant she wasn’t up for much else. But she underwent a transformation throughout the book and I really warmed to her.She started to come into her own and find her voice both on a personal and professional level. Romance comes calling for her but can she make a go of things or will there be more sent to make her doubt herself and what the heart is saying?

All in all, A Baby for the Homefront Girls, was a lovely read and a fitting conclusion to the series. The strong sense of working together to get things done, the female camaraderie and bonds that were established and the sisterhood that develops were brilliant. The numerous themes and emotions that were explored were done so in a real and genuine way which make for a heartwarming read that is perfect for those who love wartime family sagas.

[Heather Copping · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book five in the Home Front Girls series, a historical saga set during WW2.
It's January 1942 and the girls are still
doing their fire watch duties, one night Betty and Sally find an abandoned baby, they take it back to their landlady Mrs Beaumont who quickly made a makeshift cot for it. Betty and Samuel, who are relatively newly weds would like nothing more than to adopt the baby girl, momentarily named Bessie Beech, but first they have a long and drawn out process to go through, not an easy task at any time but in the midst of war a certain amount of urgency is required. With a prolonged amount of snowfall also at this time of year, it makes doing everyday tasks so much more difficult. When the snow eventually thawed out the buildings that used to be there were just piles of rubble and there were big craters in the road and the change in the rationing system meaning they got less clothing coupons as well as food coupons this didn't do much for moral amongst the girls and their work colleagues. But one thing that has made Deborah happy is that she has at last been asked out by Patrick Timms who is with the police in Stretford and they had recently met at an unexploded bomb incident although at first he thought she was a man and threw a bucket of water over her, not a good way to start a relationship. But will it last? Sally meanwhile has a heartbreaking few weeks while giving her time to think over things, while Betty and Samuel also have some hard days ahead.

Through both happy and sad times these girls stick together, they have a great friendship and enthusiasm both for their work and social life. A truly unputdownable and unforgettable book as the whole of this series is too, absolutely loved it. I was so sad when I realised that I had turned the last page, I really enjoyed reading about the girls who boarded at Star House and would love to read about them some more, hopefully fingers crossed there is another book.

Although part of a great series it can be easily read as a stand-alone book but if you want to read about the background stories of the characters then I would certainly recommend reading the previous books in this series. A smashing five-star read from me, would give it more if I could.

#Netgalley
#Bookouture
#SusannaBavin
#ABabyForTheHomeFrontGirls
#WW2saga

[Karen Mace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very sad to be saying goodbye to these characters as they've been an utter delight to read about. Each book brought you closer to all the different characters and the problems facing families during the War, so it's going to be a wrench not hearing more from them in the future!

Set in Manchester in 1942, life is still hard as ever but life has to continue and there's always new challenges facing the women, none more so than when Betty and Sally find a baby in the rubble of a building so their concern is to do what's best for the little infant. It really consumes Betty as she'd love a baby with husband Samuel so the story follows their journey to offer the baby a loving family.

And Sally finds herself pregnant too, but having to face the pregnancy alone with her husband working away, and she's facing some health battles too so it's a a pretty concerning time for her too. But their committment to carry on working and doing the right thing never ceases so it's hard not to admire these women.

It's been a real treat to follow the highs and lows of these women during these years and it's been a real emotional rollercoaster along the way! A wonderful series for those who love to read about challenging times and admirable female characters, who are living through extraordinary times.

[Lily · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the fifth book in this cozy and emotional World War II historical fiction series, readers follow Betty and Sally as they take in an abandoned baby found at the Manchester Salvage Depot. Betty hopes that she and her husband can adopt the baby, and Sally is shocked to discover that she is pregnant, but her husband’s absence overseas and her own health issues mean this is a risky situation. Betty’s hopes to adopt the baby are dashed when the grandparents resurface around the time Sally’s health takes a turn, and the two women must band together to keep their hopes for a happy ending and a family alive. Cozy, emotional, and moving, fans of the series will love the latest installment and the new challenges ahead of Betty and Sally. The characters are the absolute stars of the novel, and their friendship and relationships continue to add depth to their characters. All of the historical details really pull readers into the story, and the new conflicts and characters introduce new emotions and obstacles for them to deal with. Brilliantly written and moving, World War II historical fiction fans of similar titles will love this new book from Susanna Bavin.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the advance copy.

[Dee Groocock · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s winter 1942, and Sally still lives in Star House, Manchester.

At the salvage depot, Sally and Betty find a newborn baby that has been abandoned. They take the baby girl back to Star House and call the authorities. Due to the weather, the baby stays with them until the baby can be taken away.

Betty and her husband, Samuel, want to adopt the baby. All goes well until the baby’s grandparents wish to take the child on. Will Betty and Samuel’s wish to keep the baby come true?

With Sally’s health causing concern, Lorna takes over running the salvage depot. Sally has a lot on her plate, especially with her husband, Andrew, being away fighting for his country.

Lorna finds it hard coming back to Manchester without her husband, George, by her side, but she loves being back with her friends.

It was lovely to be back with all the great characters in this series. This has been a wonderful series, where I have come to know each character well & enjoyed reading how they have all coped with life during World War 2.

The books ooze with that great fighting spirit of the British, where they all carried on and did what needed to be done. Where everyone had to make do with what they had and came up with amazing ideas to make life simple and easy for themselves.

The stories have been well-written, and each book shows the amount of research that must have been done.

I shall miss this series and the characters.

I was given a copy of this book by the publisher.

[Angela Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the 5th and final instalment in the series and rounded off brilliantly.

Once again we got to meet Sally, Betty and Lorna - all married now and all wanting to start families though Sally is still badly affected by her earlier miscarriage.

After a fire watching duty Betty finds a newborn in the salvage yard - I did feel that this bit and the bits that followed were a little bit far fetched - but who knows what went on in WW2 when everything was topsy turvey.
Betty and her husband Samuel want to adopt the little one who was given such a cute name but there are hurdles to be overcome and overbearing grandparents to convince the powers that be that the baby should be theirs - did they succeed? …………

This was again well written and one felt that you wanted to read another little bit to find out what happens. Husbands return from North Africa, Lorna is recalled from London when Sally's pregnancy causes issues and eventually, is reunited with George.

A great read - could be read as a stand-alone but I recommend the whole series. Shame there will be no more

[Julie Lence · Rating 5 out of 5]

Without giving anything away, I enjoyed this 5th and final installment (cue the sniffles...) of the Home Front Girls. Betty and Sally are each facing dilemmas regarding babies, both of which kept me on edge till the very end. Lorna is separated from her hubby as she returns to the Salvage Depot to temporarily take over as manager (Spoiler alert: loved her mother-in-law stepping in to help!!) Deborah (though not a newbie to the series) had more time to shine in this installment. I completely enjoyed her romantic arc. I also enjoyed more time on the pages with Betty, Sally, Lorna and Deborah's families, and getting to know Louise.

Though I wish it wasn't so, Ms. Bavin did a fantastic job bringing the series to an end. Each of the girls' stories came full circle and left me feeling certain they all remained close friends after the war. My only complaint is not meeting Dulcie. Always in the back of my mind, I often wondered about her. Maybe Ms. Bavin will give Dulcie her own story at a future date. Once can only hope...

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

📆 single timeline.
👀 multi POV, 3rd person
🐢 -🐇 slow-paced

What a perfect ending to a wonderful series. It was lovely to be with the "Home Front Girls" through all their highs and lows, I feel like they have become friends of mine.

'A Baby for the Home Front Girls' took me on a real rollercoaster of emotion. I cried tears of sadness and intense joy whilst reading. The characters are all so wonderful, and all have their flaws, just like in real life.

I especially loved the polite euphemisms for "pregnant" that were used at the time, I think "in an interesting condition" was my favourite. I also found the thoughts and ideas around adoption and so called "fqllen women" really interesting. I'm glad attitudes have changed in that respect.

If you're looking for a nice, easy to read, heartwarming (with moments of heartbreak) series to snuggle up with as we enter the colder months, then you won't go far wrong with The Home Front Girls.

[Nicola Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know, when you just read a book that makes your heart absolutely burst?! But in the best way possible?! Yeah. That happened.

It was so bittersweet finishing this series with all the Star House girls and having seen them come so far since the first book, was just ugh, so so lovely and heartwarming to read.

It’s been so easy to grow close to these characters and picking up this book and getting back into the series again was no hardship at all. Putting it down was though… I think I finished it in just a few days because I never wanted to turn off my kindle!

I was filled with a heart of bubbling happiness after the last page and I already want to go back and start again from the first book. Such a wonderful series it has been!

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

[Sue Garland · Rating 5 out of 5]

A BABY FOR THE HOME FRONT GIRLS is the fifth novel in the Home Front Girls series by SUSANNA BAVIN, but it can easily stand alone. As is the case with each of these books, we get a real feel for the friendship and cameraderie amongst these courageous young women, who are doing all they can for the British war effort. The horrors of war and the chances of losing a loved one are very real, but these young women and their young men, some of whom have not been chosen for the army for various reasons, are the unsung heroes of WW11.
When Betty finds a foundling, a tiny baby girl, in the salvage depot yard, she and her husband are desperate to adopt her and give her a loving home……
I am not going to tell you any more for fear of spoiling thngs for you.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bookouture. The opinions in this review are cmpletely my own.

[Luanne Ollivier · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Baby for the Home Front Girls is the fifth and final book in Susanna Bavin's wonderful series. You could read this as a stand alone as well.

Manchester. 1942.

Sitting down with one of Bavis’s books feels like getting caught up with your friends. A core group have been in every book and some come and some go. But each one has their own story to tell. In this book, a blanket is found on the steps of a building. With a small infant inside….

The war is still raging and again Bavis details the bombings the crashes and so much more. The war is a character on its own.

I’m fascinated by how women made something last a little longer, come up with recipes to fit what they do have to eat and amongst all this, they have fun. Keep Calm and Carry On.

I’m sad that the series is ending, but I’m looking forward to Bavis’s next series.

[Katie Awdas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely devastated to read that this was the last in the series. I feel there are so many unanswered questions and that the series could continue. I would have liked to have had some details of Andrew's time in Africa. How did Louise fair in her new role? Who else went to work at the Salvage yard? What did happen to the yard after the end of the war?

It is once again another great read with lots of twists and turns. I felt the picture on the front cover was misleading as it only showed one baby which kept me guessing whose it would be!

I will miss the characters and the great writing from Susanna.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers and author for allowing me to read and review an Arc copy of the title.

[Booklover BEV · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very uplifting emotional historical WW2 saga. Book five.
Manchester 1942.
Home front girls salvage depot Chorlton-Cum-Hardy, Betty and Sally find a very tiny abandoned newborn baby, and Betty and Samuel are allowed to care for her.
Sally's ill health takes a turn with a unexpected pregnancy, with her husband Andrew serving overseas she has to take things easy.
Both these girls yearn to have a family of their own.
Heartbreaking read as we are taking through adoption and childbirth of two long for babies.
It certainly pulled at all my heartstrings, this series just keeps getting better and better with all the welknown characters that you just love reading.
For Mrs Beaumont Star House and all the residents still on hand, the girls get through the war best they can.
Beautiful.

[Jacqui · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 5th and final installment in the Home Front Girl series. Betty, Lorna, and Sally are all happily married, living in Manchester during WWII. Sally and Betty are still working at the salvage depot, and Lorna is living in London with her new husband. When Sally and Betty are on fire duty, someone leaves a baby behind. Betty feels that this might be her chance to be a mother. Sally is pregnant again with high blood pressure. When she's on bedrest, Lorna is called back to the Salvage Yard

This one follows the lives and loves of the girls on the Home Front. Sally's friend Deborah has moved into the Star House. It has:

- the role of women and war work during WWII
- the adoption process during WWII
- romance
- pregnancy
- friendship
- the English class system
- the importance of salvage during WWII
- life in England during WWII

I've really enjoyed this series about the girls working on the Home Front in England during WWII. I've loved the girls and following their lives, loves, and family drama during WWII.

Thanks @bookouture, @netgalley, and the author for this arc.

[Dawn Lawrence Read_with_Lola · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this last instalment in The Home Front Girls series, it’s been great to follow their lives through the series and this final book wrapped everything up nicely. WW2 is still going on and when the husbands are away fighting the home front girls work together and support each other to make war time a bit more bearable. This story is about friendship, family, love and courage. I liked that it was true to life in that the work described in the book actually took place during the war, such as the salvage depot. It gives a bit of insight into how life would have been. Really enjoyed this book, can’t wait to see if a new series is coming out! Highly recommended it was a fun read.

[Emma Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing way to end the series just as good as the other books.

I really enjoyed the ups and downs of the woman what happened to them all. The book certainly kept me wanting to read on to find out what happens. The book had nice surprises in it and was exciting to see what happens.

I am sad that is the end of the series would have been nice to see what happens to them after the War. The woman are strong characters and try to work round things without upsetting the rest.

It was a magnificent series.

Would recommend this book.

[Les · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely fitting way to conclude this series of books detailing life at the Salvage Depot for Sally and her friends, but not without a few hiccups along the way. Really easy to read and I couldn’t wait to see what was around the corner.

[val hogan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Feel Good Book

Really enjoyed the kindness of the characters in this book. I have red all the books in this series and enjoyed them all. I would recommend to anyone as a good book to make you smile. Also I felt I'd learned a bit about how people worked together in the war.

[Kathy E · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply love this series all very enjoyable reads.

[Pat Langhelt · Rating 5 out of 5]

The final book in this series, it didn't disappoint I loved it

[Anne Salfrais]

A great series

This one had me transfixed and I could barely wait to turn the page. A great read by a fantastic writer.