Heartbreak for the Great Western Railway Girls

The Great Western Railway Girls #3

by Jane Lark

As bombs fall, hopes and dreams are shattered, and the Great Western Railway Girls rely on their friendship like never before.

When Swindon comes under attack in late 1940, the women of the Great Western Railway Works find themselves on the frontline of war, battling for Britain. Working long gruelling shifts, watching for enemy aircraft from the factory roofs, and sleeping in crowded air raid shelters.

These brave young women face fear for their men, danger and exhaustion but they still live life beyond the war – with Lily raising her brother’s child, Maggie navigating a budding romance and Catherine leading the emotional fight by keeping everyone busy, including herself…

Can they stay strong, for each other?

A page-turning story of sisterhood, sacrifice and the extraordinary strength of ordinary women.

Perfect for fans of Nancy Revell and Daisy Styles.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Womens Fiction

311 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 14, 2026

About the author

Jane is a writer of authentic, passionate and emotional Historical and New Adult Romance, and a Kindle top 25 bestselling author.

She began her first historical novel at sixteen, but a life full of adversity derailed her as she lives with the restrictions of Ankylosing Spondylitis.

When she finally completed a novel it was because she was determined not to reach forty still saying, I want to write.

Now Jane is writing a Regency series and contemporary, new adult, stories and she is thrilled to be giving her characters life in others' imaginations at last.

You might think that Jane was inspired to write by Jane Austen, especially as she lives near Bath in the United Kingdom, but you would be wrong. Jane's favourite author is Anya Seton, and the book which drew her into the bliss of falling into historical imagination was 'Katherine' a story crafted from reality.

Jane has drawn on this inspiration to discover other real-life love stories, reading memoirs and letters to capture elements of the past, and she uses them to create more realistic plots.

'Basically I love history and I am sucker for a love story. I love the feeling of falling in love; it's wonderful being able to do it time and time again in fiction.'

Jane is also a Chartered Member of the Institute of Personnel and Development in the United Kingdom, and uses this specialist understanding of people to bring her characters to life.

Reviews

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartbreak for the Great Western Railway Girls by Jane Lark is a deeply moving and beautifully written historical novel that completely captured my heart from beginning to end.

From the very first page, I was swept into the vividly depicted world of the railway girls. Jane Lark brings the setting to life with such authenticity and detail that it’s easy to feel fully immersed in the time period. The challenges, uncertainties, and quiet moments of hope are all portrayed with care, making the story feel both intimate and expansive.

The characters are absolutely the highlight of this book. Each woman feels fully realized, with her own struggles, dreams, and emotional journey. The friendships between them are incredibly powerful—supportive, layered, and full of genuine warmth. I found myself completely invested in their lives, celebrating their triumphs and feeling their heartbreak on a deep level.

The emotional depth in this story is outstanding. The heartbreak is real and impactful, but it’s balanced so beautifully with resilience, courage, and the enduring strength of human connection. The romance adds another layer of tenderness and tension, making the story even more compelling without ever overshadowing the central themes.

The pacing felt just right, allowing enough time to truly connect with the characters and their experiences while still keeping me turning the pages. Every moment felt purposeful, building toward a conclusion that was both satisfying and emotionally resonant.

Overall, Heartbreak for the Great Western Railway Girls is an unforgettable read. It’s a powerful story of love, friendship, and perseverance that will stay with me for a long time. I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves historical fiction with strong female characters and rich emotional storytelling.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

The strength and courage of women during the war stands out remarkably in Heartbreak for the Great Western Railway Girls by Jane Lark. While their men - fiancés, siblings, boyfriends and friends - were facing the worst on the front line, the women of Britain, and particularly Swindon, some 70 miles from London, were keeping the home fires burning. Working in the nearby factory, which was running for twenty four hours a day, was hard work. And watching for the continual attacks by German fighter planes, nightly, but often during the day, was frightening.

Maggie, Catherine, Violet, Lily, Naomi, Edith - all Railway Girls; all supporting one another and others in their gentle friendship circle. Heartache for each of them; tragedy along with joy and happiness. They were determined to keep one another's spirits up, and everyone felt the same. Marriages and babies; sadness and loss. Jane Lark has written an exceptional story in this 3rd of the series. I'm looking forward very much to #4. Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley & Boldwood Books for my digital ARC to read and review.

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set during WWII, “Heartbreak for the Great Western Railway Girls” follows the lives of a brave group of girls, as their home town of Swindon comes under attack from the Luftwaffe in late 1940.

As they find themselves on the frontline of war, the girls are juggling long gruelling shifts in a bomb building factory, taking their turn watching for enemy aircraft on the factory roof at night, and snatching sleep whenever they can, often in crowded air raid shelters. In addition, they’re having to eke out what little food there is, as rationing makes life even more difficult.

On top of all this, some of them have the added worry of their menfolk away at war, while others struggle with relationships with the men exempt from military service.

This is a terrific portrayal of a group of girls banding together against all the odds.
The shortage of food, the air raids, the long and exhausting shifts in the factory, the worry about their men fighting a war in distant places, problems with the men not fighting a war, and yet, they still have the capacity to laugh at their predicament at times.

I hadn’t read the previous books in the series, and although I didn’t find it a problem, I feel I’ve definitely missed out on some great storylines. Recommended.

*My thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review*

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartbreak for the Great Western Railway Girls is another page-turner in this World War II series. There is plenty of "heartbreak" in store for the girls. Every calamity you can think of is in these pages, some war-related and some not. I love this series because it reminds us that even during a war, life holds challenges for us all. There are still serious health issues, financial problems, and family dynamics to deal with, even if there is a war on. Imagine having to spend hours crammed into an air-raid shelter if you have claustrophobia...that's Maggie's problem now. Or, what can you do if a sexual predator is a foreman, knowing that any young woman's word against his is pointless? Our girls face this and more while working their shifts in the factory building bombs for Spitfires, caring for their families, and pulling extra duty to watch for German bombers from rooftops. There are some major surprises in this book, and a spectacular cliffhanger at the very end. I suggest you find a quiet spot so you can read without interruption, and you'll need tissues. I loved this one.

My thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read the ARC. This review and all opinions are entirely my own.

[Angela Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book 3 in the series and carries with the story of the friends, their loves losses and WW2.

This is centred around the factory in Swindon that makes GWR trains but has been repurposed in wartime to make munitions for the Army. This means that Swindon is in line for attacks from the Germans. This means that the factory workers need to be fire watchers, watchers for the aircraft coming in so as little time as possible is lost for munitions manufacture and to allow the workers to get to the shelters. Just in case.

Violet and Catherine suffer personal heartbreak, Maggie marries Ron but not for love by[ut convenience really while he hides what has become an obvious secret. Lilly is rearing Arty and then gives birth to Paulette, and Naomi marries Asher who has secrets of his own it seems.

The book is so well researched and descriptive of Swindon, I lived there in the late 80s when newly married and knew some of the areas.

Personally I could have done with a recap of the characters relationships with each other and how they came to be friends - and for that reason I found it a bit frenetic at times and sometimes slightly confusing.

But don’t that that put you off - I certainly am waiting for the next instalment due later in the year.

[Louise Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Great Western Railway Girls #3

When Swindon came under attack in late 1940, the women of the Great Western Railway Works found themselves on the frontline of war, battling for Britain. Working long gruelling shifts, watching for every aircraft from the factory roofs, and sleeping in crowded air raid shelters. These brave young women face fear for their men, danger, and exhaustion, but they still live beyond the war - with Lily raising her brother's child, Maggie navigating a budding romance and Catherine leading an emotional fight by keeping everyone busy, including herself. Can they stay strong for each other?

Set during WWII. This story has shown us the hardships of living through a war. With money worries and health issues at its core. This is an emotional read. I liked reading how these women helped the war effort and how the friends they made will last for the rest of their lives.

Published 14th April 2026

I would like to thank #NetGalley #BoldwoodBooks and the author #JaneLark for my ARC of #HeartbreakForTheWesternRailwayGirls in exchange for an honest review.

[Trudy Dowling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magnificent!!! Action Packed! Dramatic! Tragic!!! I shed so many tears throughout the story. The struggles, the shocks, the horrors grabbed me and refused to let go. I became so invested in the characters and what they experienced. Yes, the story is historical fiction, but it felt so real. Is this what my relatives refused to talk about? Did my mum and her family experience just a bit of what these girls dealt with? I get it now. I would have a hard time reliving it as well.

LIfe is getting harder in Swindon. The enemy is flying over their town more and more. It is just a matter of time before bombs drop. The girls aren't just building bombs, they must now take watch on the roof of the factory watching for planes.

Love and loss fill the pages. Husbands are going to war. Brothers are now POWs. Fiancees can't accept what they have seen and done. Jane Lark's words brought so much understanding to the emotions, the hopes and dreams of those during the war.

Her words illustrated how life continued. Bad people didn't become good just because England needed them to protect the people and the country. Desperation made for poor decisions. Desperation could also bring people together creating new families and new support systems. My heart grew with the generousity of those opening their hearts and homes to those in need.

The war is far from over. Lives are being created. Lives are being lost. I can't wait to see what happens next for the GWR girls in the next book.

[Rustic_Reads_ Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set during WWII, this story follows a group of women working on the Great Western Railway as they navigate love, loss, and the realities of wartime life. With emotions running high and the future uncertain, their friendships become their biggest source of strength.

This one really got me in my feels 🥺 I love a good wartime saga, but this felt especially emotional because of how real the characters were. I could really feel the uncertainty and heartbreak they’re going through, and it just makes me root for them even more.

Even though this sits within an ongoing series, I read it as a standalone and still felt completely connected to the characters, which I really appreciated. It actually made me want to go back and read the earlier books to get even more of their stories.

The friendships were probably my favourite part – there’s something so comforting about women supporting each other through such difficult times, and it never felt forced or overdone.

It’s definitely more of a slow, emotional read rather than fast-paced, but that’s what made it so immersive for me. I found myself really invested in their lives and didn’t want to leave them behind by the end.

[Leona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book three in the Great Western Railway Girls series. Yet again I was pulled right into this book from the very beginning. It was good to be back with the characters from the previous book and catch up with them all. I’ve said this before but when I read this series I actually feel I’m there in the moment with the girls and their families. There’s a lot going on for everyone and the bravery and strength of the women during these difficult times is inspiring to read. It’s an emotional read at times, Catherine is still struggling with her loss due to a work accident but she is determined to carry on working in spite of her impairment . Lily , Dot and Maggie also have their own problems but again they are all there for each other in these tough times. Whilst this is an easy read it was certainly one that held my interest from the first page until the last. The ending left me open mouthed and I can’t wait to read the fourth book to find out more about it.

[Katie Awdas · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a while to get back into the series and remember who everyone was and what had happened previously. I do think in series like this a refresher chapter at the start of the book is a good idea.

Once into the story I thoroughly enjoyed it. The descriptions of the wartime bombing were detailed and came across as very life like. I was pleased there was happiness for some of the characters although did feel for others who continually seem to suffer heartbreak. I can see where the storyline with Maggie and her husband is going and truly feel for her. Catherine and Charles' storyline is tragic especially how Charles felt he had to deal with his emotions.

I very much look forward to the next in the series.

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

[AnnMarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although the third book in the series, this can be read as a standalone story.

It is a riveting, emotional read which highlights life in Swindon in late 1940 during WW2. We learn more about the firm friendship shared by Lilly, Violet, Maggie, Catherine, Naomi, Dot and Edith. We learn about their trials and tribulations in relationships and, of course, how the war affects their lives.

I will admit to shedding a few tears, but also having happy smiles throughout the book. Most of all, I felt very emotional knowing that although these were fictional characters, WW2 did happen and did affect people as it did these characters.

This is a wonderful series, and I very much look forward to reading the next books.

[Leanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bombs are falling as everyone takes shelter and it is getting harder to stay positive. The girls are working hard and with this and the war plus there personal lives it is becoming gruelling and taxing. The author has written from the timeline spotlessly and created a entertaining and enjoyable read. Although the atmosphere isn't the best the characters make the story fantastic. Lily, Maggie and Catherine are lovely women who you want in your corner. I appreciate the opportunity to catch up on what is happening with them as the terrifying war continues to ramp up.

[Dawn Lawrence Read_with_Lola · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really love this series, Jane Lark has the nack of telling a serious story sensitively, she gets the point across but also adds some light moments which is fun during a WW2 novel. I enjoy following the girls lives, I feel sad for Catherine but it’s lovely how the friends band together and support each other. I read this quickly because it was a hard one to put down. Totally recommend this series! Very deserving of 5 stars, it’s a great read.

[Kelsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartbreak for the Great Western Railroad Girls by Jane Lark
5/5 stars
This is my first time reading Jane Lark and it will definitely not be my last. I was surprised at how much I loved and cried at the story. Once I started reading, I just couldn’t put it down! I stayed up till 3am just to see how the story ended. The girls banding together in a time of such heartbreak really shows us how friendship is sacred.
Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to be an ARC reader!

[Stephanie Hickman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC. When I requested this book, I did not realize this was the 3rd in a series. I read the first two. I enjoyed them immensely. I fell in love with the GWR girls and the town. I am glad to have a small peak at how women stepped in to help win the war against the Nazis. The friendships that were made due to unrelenting circumstances were amazing.

[Jane Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another chapter in the Great Western Railway Girls' lives and the horrors of war are on their doorstep now. It is an evocative story with relatable characters that bring the era of war on the Home Front to life. The details make it authentic, and the immersive storytelling draws you into WW2 England. It's heartbreaking and heartwarming and worth reading.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

[Sue Rouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

The next book in the Great Western Railway girls series. Always best to read in order as then you can understand the relationship between the girls, the GWR and their families. Set in 1940-1 and it follows the working relationship and family relationship between friends who work and live in the GWR village. Fantastic writing and loveable characters. Thanks to Jane Lark and Boldwood publishers.

[Renee Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story with family and friends dealing with the hardships of WWII and the rationing of food and living by the Great Western Railway.
It was an interesting read and I enjoyed it even though it was about hard times.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Boldwood and leaving a review by my own accord.

[Kacey/Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

While bombs are falling the ladies working on the railway are finding life’s friendships to bring them through this war. This story shows you how things go and life lives through the war. Highly recommend.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 3 of 3 - This WWII saga is good. More than good. It is well researched with lovable characters. I suggest reading the books in order. Highly recommended.

[TF · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't wait for the latest installment in this series and it did not disappoint! The author wasn't joking with the title, there is so much heartbreak in this story you definitely need to have the tissues handy when reading it!
The war is much much closer to home now for Catherine, Naomi, Maggie, Violet and Lily as the blitz has begun, with as many nights spent in air raid shelters as at home. Bombs are landing closer to the factory and rations are getting scarcer and yet life must be lived!
I don't want to spoil the story but be aware the book does explore themes of loss, rape and ptsd and the impact of these events. Most importantly, this story highlights and exemplifies the power of friendship and familial bonds while dealing with the practicalities of war. An absolute page turner which has ended on a cliff hanger, book 4 can't come soon enough!

Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the review copy.

#HeartbreakForTheGreatWesternRailwayGirls
#NetGalley

[Emma Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

💚 Blurb-
As bombs fall, hopes and dreams are shattered, and the Great Western Railway Girls rely on their friendship like never before.
When Swindon comes under attack in late 1940, the women of the Great Western Railway Works find themselves on the frontline of war, battling for Britain. Working long gruelling shifts, watching for enemy aircraft from the factory roofs, and sleeping in crowded air raid shelters.
These brave young women face fear for their men, danger and exhaustion but they still live life beyond the war – with Lily raising her brother’s child, Maggie navigating a budding romance and Catherine leading the emotional fight by keeping everyone busy, including herself…
Can they stay strong, for each other?
💜 Review -
This was the first book that I have read by the author and I will definitely be reading more by them. From the very first page I was hooked and I kept reading until the end as I wanted to know what happened. The story was brilliantly written and a very interesting and entertaining read. I loved all the characters in the story and the attention to detail for the time period was spot on. Overall, a brilliant novel that I highly recommend to other readers.
💝 Thank you to Rachel's Random Resources, the author Jane Lark and Boldwood Books for my arc ebook copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.