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Ambulance Girls #1
Ambulance Girls
On duty during London's Blitz...
As death and destruction fall from the skies day after day in the London Blitz, Australian ambulance driver, Lily Brennan, confronts the horror with bravery, intelligence, common sense and humour.
Although she must rely upon her colleagues to carry out her dangerous duties, Lily begins to suspect that someone at her Ambulance Station may be giving assistance to the enemy by disclosing secret information. Then her Jewish ambulance attendant and best friend, David Levy, disappears in suspicious circumstances. Aided, and sometimes hindered, by David’s school friend, a mysterious and attractive RAF pilot, Lily has to draw on all of her resources to find David but also negotiate the dangers that come from falling in love in a country far from home and in a time of war.
As death and destruction fall from the skies day after day in the London Blitz, Australian ambulance driver, Lily Brennan, confronts the horror with bravery, intelligence, common sense and humour.
Although she must rely upon her colleagues to carry out her dangerous duties, Lily begins to suspect that someone at her Ambulance Station may be giving assistance to the enemy by disclosing secret information. Then her Jewish ambulance attendant and best friend, David Levy, disappears in suspicious circumstances. Aided, and sometimes hindered, by David’s school friend, a mysterious and attractive RAF pilot, Lily has to draw on all of her resources to find David but also negotiate the dangers that come from falling in love in a country far from home and in a time of war.
354 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 9, 2017
112 people are currently reading
361 people want to read
About the author
Deborah Burrows
10 books71 followers I was born and grew up in Perth, Western Australia, and am the author of five popular novels set in the Second World War. The latest is Ambulance Girls Under Fire, which is the second of a trilogy set in the London Blitz. And my non-fiction "Nursing in Australia: The Illustrated History" will be published by the National Library of Australia in November 2018.
I am a former lawyer with a passion for history (and three history degrees to prove it!!). And although I love the clear skies, beautiful beaches and easy-going atmosphere of my home town, I also adore the dreaming spires of Oxford, UK, where I read medical history.
I now see myself as a proud citizen of both cities, but for the time being am living in Oxford (although I go to Perth as often as I can).
I use my research and legal skills to make my historical novels as accurate as possible, and my imagination to make them as entertaining as I can.
I am a former lawyer with a passion for history (and three history degrees to prove it!!). And although I love the clear skies, beautiful beaches and easy-going atmosphere of my home town, I also adore the dreaming spires of Oxford, UK, where I read medical history.
I now see myself as a proud citizen of both cities, but for the time being am living in Oxford (although I go to Perth as often as I can).
I use my research and legal skills to make my historical novels as accurate as possible, and my imagination to make them as entertaining as I can.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
March 4, 2019
I only recently came across this author when I read and thoroughly enjoyed her book A Stranger in My Street. Discovering that she had also written a series about the Ambulance Officers in London in WW2 I obviously had to try them too! I am glad I did.
Ambulance Girls is set during the London Blitz, a time when disaster was a normal way of life, bombs were falling nearly every night and many Londoners slept on the platforms of the Underground rather than in their own beds. The book follows the life of Lily Brennan, an Australian girl working as an ambulance officer during this dreadful time and having to deal with some horrific experiences.
The author has done all her research particularly about London and how it was for those people who saw the war out there. My mother was one of them, remaining in London while my father was fighting overseas, hiding under the kitchen table during a raid, walking to work every day through new piles of rubble and half demolished houses.
I really enjoyed Ambulance Girls as a well written and interesting piece of historical fiction. Now I am looking forward to the next book.
Ambulance Girls is set during the London Blitz, a time when disaster was a normal way of life, bombs were falling nearly every night and many Londoners slept on the platforms of the Underground rather than in their own beds. The book follows the life of Lily Brennan, an Australian girl working as an ambulance officer during this dreadful time and having to deal with some horrific experiences.
The author has done all her research particularly about London and how it was for those people who saw the war out there. My mother was one of them, remaining in London while my father was fighting overseas, hiding under the kitchen table during a raid, walking to work every day through new piles of rubble and half demolished houses.
I really enjoyed Ambulance Girls as a well written and interesting piece of historical fiction. Now I am looking forward to the next book.
March 16, 2019
Western Australian girl, Lily Brennan was an ambulance driver and with the London Blitz in full swing, her shifts were long, arduous and dangerous. But her courage and common sense saw her through each and every shift, although she was always exhausted when she returned to the station. Her shift partner was David Levy, a dear friend and kind, gentle help to the injured. His Jewish ancestry caused him no end of trouble, with anti-semitism rife, meaning Lily was continually defending him, and getting angry on his behalf.
But it was when David disappeared one night that Lily’s suspicions about some of her fellow workers in the station ramped up. Was there someone there who was a Nazi spy? Could that be possible given the horror that the enemy was unleashing every night? When Lily enlisted the assistance of an old school friend of David’s, now an RAF pilot, her frustration and confusion mounted. Would they find him before it was too late?
Ambulance Girls is the 1st in the Ambulance Girls series by Aussie author Deborah Burrows and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Completely engrossed from the first page until the last, it felt like I was there by Lily’s side as she maneuvered the “Monster” over the rubble and through the potholes, all the while keeping an eye on the bombers and where their next strike would land. A fascinating, intriguing and interesting look from the inside of the London Blitz, with a brave Aussie at the helm - I am looking forward to book #2 very soon. Highly recommended.
But it was when David disappeared one night that Lily’s suspicions about some of her fellow workers in the station ramped up. Was there someone there who was a Nazi spy? Could that be possible given the horror that the enemy was unleashing every night? When Lily enlisted the assistance of an old school friend of David’s, now an RAF pilot, her frustration and confusion mounted. Would they find him before it was too late?
Ambulance Girls is the 1st in the Ambulance Girls series by Aussie author Deborah Burrows and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Completely engrossed from the first page until the last, it felt like I was there by Lily’s side as she maneuvered the “Monster” over the rubble and through the potholes, all the while keeping an eye on the bombers and where their next strike would land. A fascinating, intriguing and interesting look from the inside of the London Blitz, with a brave Aussie at the helm - I am looking forward to book #2 very soon. Highly recommended.
July 25, 2018
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I am familiar with the work of author Deborah Burrows. I really loved her first novel, A Stranger in my Street, which was based in my own home city, of Perth, Western Australia, during World War II. Burrows has since entertained me with two more of her Australian wartime offerings, Taking a Chance and A Time of Secrets. Burrows stays with the war in Ambulance Girls, but she moves the action of her novel to the Blitz. Ambulance Girls is the first in a new historical saga penned by Burrows, following the interesting lives of the brave female ambulance officers during World War II.
Lily Brennan has come a long way from home (Western Australia) to serve in the ambulance service in London, in the year 1939. This former school teacher and nanny is a young lady who is devoted to her new role. She isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty, or face the tough tasks that are put in front of her. Supporting Lily is her good friend, fellow ambulance attendant David Levy. When David, an educated young Jewish man is subjected to racist remarks, he disappears soon after – in strange circumstances. Lily is determined to find her loyal friend, but she too encounters racism, a hostile world and deliberate cover ups. When David’s friend Jim, an RAF pilot, comes on board to help in the search for David, Lily finds she is deeply attracted to him. Lily’s life suddenly becomes dangerous, as she indulges in a romance while the country she is serving in is under great threat.
Ambulance Girls is the fourth book I have read by Australian novelist Deborah Burrows. It represents the first book in a new historical saga series. I thoroughly enjoyed this war time saga.
Ambulance Girls demonstrates the author’s detailed knowledge of London. Although I lived outside of London for many years, I was introduced to sections I was unaware of through reading Ambulance Girls. Burrows has obviously undertaken a great deal of research in her approach to her location. I felt like I had a firm grasp on the streets and locales in London, all thanks to Deborah Burrows.
I was surprised to glean an interesting snippet of period detail from Ambulance Girls. I have read a lot of literature on the Holocaust and the treatment of the Jewish population in Europe during World War II. I have never before read about the Jewish people based in London. The character of David, Lily’s right hand man and fellow ambulance attendant, allows the reader gain a glimpse into the life of a Jewish person working in London during the World War II. I was saddened to read of the verbal abuse and discrimination that Jewish people such as David were unfortunately subjected to. It was quite upsetting. Burrows handles the disappearance of Lily’s Jewish friend David very well. There was enough intrigue in this section of the storyline to keep me invested in the book until the end.
Burrows displays excellent characterisation in Ambulance Girls. Lily, the strong heroine of the tale, was a delight to read about. She is unafraid, resourceful, loyal, feisty and a free spirit. I appreciated the beauty of the friendship between Lily and David. The dialogue that bounces off these characters was a joy to read. Supporting the very bright character of Lily are the fellow ambulance service attendants and young women Lily works alongside. I do hope we get to see more from these characters in future issues of this series. The introduction of David’s school friend Jim to the mix, adds a great line of romance to the story. The romance does not overshadow the narrative action at all. It adds a pleasant layer to this tale. Burrows is much more focussed on showing us how women were capable of doing the work of a man during the war. She also explores the new options that were beginning to arise at this time for women. This new found freedom allowed young women like Lily to make informed and easier choices in the love, romance and sex department during the war. This was a thought provoking section of the novel.
Ambulance Girls follows a rocky road of war, mystery, love and racism during one of the most perilous chapter’s in our world history. Told through the eyes of an enigmatic female, with a unique outsider’s perspective on a war that is raging through a country she has chosen to serve, this book offers a fantastic account of London’s Blitz period. I’m pleased to see a second addition to this fantastic series of books has been released. I look forward to another wartime saga on the integral work of the Ambulance Girls during World War II.
I am familiar with the work of author Deborah Burrows. I really loved her first novel, A Stranger in my Street, which was based in my own home city, of Perth, Western Australia, during World War II. Burrows has since entertained me with two more of her Australian wartime offerings, Taking a Chance and A Time of Secrets. Burrows stays with the war in Ambulance Girls, but she moves the action of her novel to the Blitz. Ambulance Girls is the first in a new historical saga penned by Burrows, following the interesting lives of the brave female ambulance officers during World War II.
Lily Brennan has come a long way from home (Western Australia) to serve in the ambulance service in London, in the year 1939. This former school teacher and nanny is a young lady who is devoted to her new role. She isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty, or face the tough tasks that are put in front of her. Supporting Lily is her good friend, fellow ambulance attendant David Levy. When David, an educated young Jewish man is subjected to racist remarks, he disappears soon after – in strange circumstances. Lily is determined to find her loyal friend, but she too encounters racism, a hostile world and deliberate cover ups. When David’s friend Jim, an RAF pilot, comes on board to help in the search for David, Lily finds she is deeply attracted to him. Lily’s life suddenly becomes dangerous, as she indulges in a romance while the country she is serving in is under great threat.
Ambulance Girls is the fourth book I have read by Australian novelist Deborah Burrows. It represents the first book in a new historical saga series. I thoroughly enjoyed this war time saga.
Ambulance Girls demonstrates the author’s detailed knowledge of London. Although I lived outside of London for many years, I was introduced to sections I was unaware of through reading Ambulance Girls. Burrows has obviously undertaken a great deal of research in her approach to her location. I felt like I had a firm grasp on the streets and locales in London, all thanks to Deborah Burrows.
I was surprised to glean an interesting snippet of period detail from Ambulance Girls. I have read a lot of literature on the Holocaust and the treatment of the Jewish population in Europe during World War II. I have never before read about the Jewish people based in London. The character of David, Lily’s right hand man and fellow ambulance attendant, allows the reader gain a glimpse into the life of a Jewish person working in London during the World War II. I was saddened to read of the verbal abuse and discrimination that Jewish people such as David were unfortunately subjected to. It was quite upsetting. Burrows handles the disappearance of Lily’s Jewish friend David very well. There was enough intrigue in this section of the storyline to keep me invested in the book until the end.
Burrows displays excellent characterisation in Ambulance Girls. Lily, the strong heroine of the tale, was a delight to read about. She is unafraid, resourceful, loyal, feisty and a free spirit. I appreciated the beauty of the friendship between Lily and David. The dialogue that bounces off these characters was a joy to read. Supporting the very bright character of Lily are the fellow ambulance service attendants and young women Lily works alongside. I do hope we get to see more from these characters in future issues of this series. The introduction of David’s school friend Jim to the mix, adds a great line of romance to the story. The romance does not overshadow the narrative action at all. It adds a pleasant layer to this tale. Burrows is much more focussed on showing us how women were capable of doing the work of a man during the war. She also explores the new options that were beginning to arise at this time for women. This new found freedom allowed young women like Lily to make informed and easier choices in the love, romance and sex department during the war. This was a thought provoking section of the novel.
Ambulance Girls follows a rocky road of war, mystery, love and racism during one of the most perilous chapter’s in our world history. Told through the eyes of an enigmatic female, with a unique outsider’s perspective on a war that is raging through a country she has chosen to serve, this book offers a fantastic account of London’s Blitz period. I’m pleased to see a second addition to this fantastic series of books has been released. I look forward to another wartime saga on the integral work of the Ambulance Girls during World War II.
June 8, 2017
For someone claustrophobic, the thought of going into the dark ruins of a bombed house would be enough to freak them right out. But Lily Brennan, an ambulance officer, finds herself in just such a dilemma in war torn London. Her partner David Cannot fit through the opening to save two young children. Lily is the children’s only hope. As far as Lily is concerned she has no choice. She simply has to put her own fears aside. That one action tells you a lot about this plucky and determined West Australian young woman. She faces situations head on, with innate bravery and common sense. She is a very likable and down to earth character who gets annoyed with those in the ambulance service office who discriminate against others, especially when that person is David Levy, her Jewish partner. When David disappear in suspicious circumstances, Lily is not prepared to let it go at that. She has her ideas of who could be responsible and is determined to find out what happened. But nothing prepares her for what she finds.
This is a great historical novel. Setting and characters are well portrayed. Lily is a great character, strong and yet kind. It was nice to have some of our Aussie colloquialisms included. The story incorporates mystery and that mystery is well done. I just had to keep reading to find out what happened. The closer it got the end the faster I was turning the pages. It also includes romance. But can that romance survive the seemingly insurmountable differences? The story looks at the class systems in England, but also those that existed in Australia. This is the third book I have read by Deborah Burrows and this is my favourite.
This is a great historical novel. Setting and characters are well portrayed. Lily is a great character, strong and yet kind. It was nice to have some of our Aussie colloquialisms included. The story incorporates mystery and that mystery is well done. I just had to keep reading to find out what happened. The closer it got the end the faster I was turning the pages. It also includes romance. But can that romance survive the seemingly insurmountable differences? The story looks at the class systems in England, but also those that existed in Australia. This is the third book I have read by Deborah Burrows and this is my favourite.
January 15, 2020
Not a book that I would normally pick up but one I quite enjoyed. The book is set in London during the WWII blitz. For me this was a new explanation of 'the blitz' that really portrayed just how badly London was hit during this terrible time and how realistic the fear of invasion by Germany was.
The central character is Lily Brennan, who is a West Australian woman working for the Ambulance Service in London. The station she works at uses an eclectic mixture of volunteers and emphasises how class and religion continued to divide people even during this catastrophic period.
I can highly recommend this book, it has a great plot and a lot of history that is very easy to read.
The central character is Lily Brennan, who is a West Australian woman working for the Ambulance Service in London. The station she works at uses an eclectic mixture of volunteers and emphasises how class and religion continued to divide people even during this catastrophic period.
I can highly recommend this book, it has a great plot and a lot of history that is very easy to read.
Read
April 5, 2017It's my book. I inadvertently pressed one star (I don't usually rate my own books), and now it seems to be stuck forever as an indication of my own stupidity. So I've upped it to 5 stars, because, well, I think it's pretty good and I hope that you agree.
March 25, 2019
Lily Brennan, an Australian working in Europe at the time of Hitler's rise to power relocates to London where she joins the Ambulance Brigade when Hitler starts his English bombing campaign. The read draws from history in a mediocre fashion but is mainly based on the everyday life of Lily and of some of the personalities she finds herself associated with. Her partner during this time of the Blitz is Jewish and the read reveals the sad anti-Semitic attitudes of many of the English. For some readers this may come as a surprise, given the murderous acts to the Jews by Hitler during this time and it is further difficult to understand the English thinking when it was such a long time since during the reign of King Edward 1, 1290 when all Jews were expelled from England, until the Middle Ages. Lily also experiences the different class distinctions and snobbery so apparent in English lives for which makes her uncomfortable and her reactive manner confirms her sense of inadequacy. Lily is introduced to a pilot Jim who after being wounded is grounded. Initially Lily is not interested in him, particularly as she has already experienced the death of a man she loved in this war. Further, after it's revealed that he has a title, her lack of self worth is heightened, however Jim is not put off. Her partner Levy disappears causing her great angst which is not quelled even on the discovery of his body. Generally the book is rather mundane and some readers of Historical Fiction where the story is created around historical facts rather than the main character relating in the first person, may have their interest tested.
January 22, 2022
Ambulance Girls (Ambulance Girls #1) by Deborah Burrows
Synopsis /
As death and destruction fall from the skies day after day in the London Blitz, Australian ambulance driver, Lily Brennan, confronts the horror with bravery, intelligence, common sense and humour.
Although she must rely upon her colleagues to carry out her dangerous duties, Lily begins to suspect that someone at her Ambulance Station may be giving assistance to the enemy by disclosing secret information. Then her Jewish ambulance attendant and best friend, David Levy, disappears in suspicious circumstances. Aided, and sometimes hindered, by David’s school friend, a mysterious and attractive RAF pilot, Lily has to draw on all of her resources to find David but also negotiate the dangers that come from falling in love in a country far from home and in a time of war.
My Thoughts /
Ambulance Girls written by Australian author, Deborah Burrows is Book #1 of three novels. Each story set in England during the heart of the London Blitz follows the lives of the brave female ambulance officers during World War II.
Let's learn things:
“WA Girl is ARP Heroine” declared the Perth Daily News on 14 May 1941. Perth girl Stella O’Keefe had become the first Australian A.R.P. [Air Raid Precautions] worker in Britain to be presented to the Queen for outstanding bravery in the London Blitz.
In November 1940 Stella had climbed to the top of a bombed block of flats to rescue a brigadier, his wife and child. The building’s stairways, corridors, and walls had collapsed and the family was trapped on the ninth floor. It was in the middle of the blackout. Nothing daunted, Stella “coerced” a man with a torch into assisting her and they made the climb in pitch darkness. From the sixth floor upwards they were forced to crawl. At the top she shouted, “Is there anyone there?” and the brigadier (with typical British understatement) answered, “We are all right but slightly hemmed in with masonry.” Actually they were in the only portion of the top storey that remained, and were surrounded by the fallen roof and walls. Stella and her coerced male helped them to descend, assisting them “across yawning gaps” to safety.
Stella was quoted as saying:
“Other girls at my station have done stickier jobs than this rescue. I am the only driver who so far has not crashed an ambulance into a bomb crater while going to hospital with wounded in the darkened streets. Many times bombs have been so close that I saw the explosion and disintegration of buildings, but the pressure of the job is so intense that there is no time for fear.”
And with that, the story of Lily Brennan, a young wisp of a girl with a core of steel who worked as an ambulance driver in London during the Second World War unfolds……
School Teacher, Lily Brennan finds herself in London at the outbreak of World War II and rather than return home to Western Australia, she signs up with the Ambulance Service as a driver, working through the Blitz. Lily isn't afraid to get her hands dirty, or, face the tough tasks that are put in front of her. She works her shifts with her partner, Ambulance Attendant, David Levy. David and Lily have a good working partnership and have become fast friends. However, although highly educated, David is Jewish, and is the subject of many racist remarks.
Looking at Levy, seeing his face drawn and his body drooping with exhaustion, the old anger surfaced at the injustice of those who had never bothered to try to get to know him, but were willing to judge him anyway. It was anathema to me to think of condemning someone for what they were rather than who they were.
When David disappears in strange circumstances, Lily is determined to find her loyal friend, but she too encounters racism, a hostile world and deliberate cover ups.
Ambulance Girls is jam packed and full of fascinating historical detail and it quickly becomes obvious that Burrows has done her research well.
Finally, I fluffed up my curls and placed my green felt hat at a rakish angle, then shrugged on my raincoat, which I firmly buttoned and belted for protection against not only rain but also the brick dust that had whirled constantly in London's air since the raids began. I slung my gas mask over my shoulder and headed for the door.
There were a large number of characters in this book that we get to know well. Some likeable. Some despicable. But all of them interesting. The author explores many themes during the writing of this story - war, love, prejudice, classism, feminism and, mystery - all while the bombs are falling and the shrapnel flying.
A definite good start to this trilogy.
Synopsis /
As death and destruction fall from the skies day after day in the London Blitz, Australian ambulance driver, Lily Brennan, confronts the horror with bravery, intelligence, common sense and humour.
Although she must rely upon her colleagues to carry out her dangerous duties, Lily begins to suspect that someone at her Ambulance Station may be giving assistance to the enemy by disclosing secret information. Then her Jewish ambulance attendant and best friend, David Levy, disappears in suspicious circumstances. Aided, and sometimes hindered, by David’s school friend, a mysterious and attractive RAF pilot, Lily has to draw on all of her resources to find David but also negotiate the dangers that come from falling in love in a country far from home and in a time of war.
My Thoughts /
Ambulance Girls written by Australian author, Deborah Burrows is Book #1 of three novels. Each story set in England during the heart of the London Blitz follows the lives of the brave female ambulance officers during World War II.
Let's learn things:
“WA Girl is ARP Heroine” declared the Perth Daily News on 14 May 1941. Perth girl Stella O’Keefe had become the first Australian A.R.P. [Air Raid Precautions] worker in Britain to be presented to the Queen for outstanding bravery in the London Blitz.
In November 1940 Stella had climbed to the top of a bombed block of flats to rescue a brigadier, his wife and child. The building’s stairways, corridors, and walls had collapsed and the family was trapped on the ninth floor. It was in the middle of the blackout. Nothing daunted, Stella “coerced” a man with a torch into assisting her and they made the climb in pitch darkness. From the sixth floor upwards they were forced to crawl. At the top she shouted, “Is there anyone there?” and the brigadier (with typical British understatement) answered, “We are all right but slightly hemmed in with masonry.” Actually they were in the only portion of the top storey that remained, and were surrounded by the fallen roof and walls. Stella and her coerced male helped them to descend, assisting them “across yawning gaps” to safety.
Stella was quoted as saying:
“Other girls at my station have done stickier jobs than this rescue. I am the only driver who so far has not crashed an ambulance into a bomb crater while going to hospital with wounded in the darkened streets. Many times bombs have been so close that I saw the explosion and disintegration of buildings, but the pressure of the job is so intense that there is no time for fear.”
And with that, the story of Lily Brennan, a young wisp of a girl with a core of steel who worked as an ambulance driver in London during the Second World War unfolds……
School Teacher, Lily Brennan finds herself in London at the outbreak of World War II and rather than return home to Western Australia, she signs up with the Ambulance Service as a driver, working through the Blitz. Lily isn't afraid to get her hands dirty, or, face the tough tasks that are put in front of her. She works her shifts with her partner, Ambulance Attendant, David Levy. David and Lily have a good working partnership and have become fast friends. However, although highly educated, David is Jewish, and is the subject of many racist remarks.
Looking at Levy, seeing his face drawn and his body drooping with exhaustion, the old anger surfaced at the injustice of those who had never bothered to try to get to know him, but were willing to judge him anyway. It was anathema to me to think of condemning someone for what they were rather than who they were.
When David disappears in strange circumstances, Lily is determined to find her loyal friend, but she too encounters racism, a hostile world and deliberate cover ups.
Ambulance Girls is jam packed and full of fascinating historical detail and it quickly becomes obvious that Burrows has done her research well.
Finally, I fluffed up my curls and placed my green felt hat at a rakish angle, then shrugged on my raincoat, which I firmly buttoned and belted for protection against not only rain but also the brick dust that had whirled constantly in London's air since the raids began. I slung my gas mask over my shoulder and headed for the door.
There were a large number of characters in this book that we get to know well. Some likeable. Some despicable. But all of them interesting. The author explores many themes during the writing of this story - war, love, prejudice, classism, feminism and, mystery - all while the bombs are falling and the shrapnel flying.
A definite good start to this trilogy.
June 21, 2018
Enjoyed this one. There were a couple of times when the main character's insecurities bothered me a bit but otherwise it was a very interesting glimpse into the life of an ambulance officer in the London Blitz.
http://www.theintrepidreader.com/2018...
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January 13, 2020
** I am reviewing the audio version of this book.**
This story had me hooked from the beginning. I think the sceen with the children was probably my most memorable moment. This book was very hard to put down.
I hope the other 2 books in this series so far become available on audible soon.
I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
There were quite a few surprises along the way. Let's just say, that Lilly wasn't much of a slooth, but then I can see why she reached the conclusions she did.
I lloved the characters and felt every victory and tragedy.
The narration was wonderful. Penelope did a very good Australian accent throughout. She also gave the characters distinct voices.
I am not sure what else to say. You reeally need to read this book in order to get a feel for it.
Of course, I am highly recommending this book.
This story had me hooked from the beginning. I think the sceen with the children was probably my most memorable moment. This book was very hard to put down.
I hope the other 2 books in this series so far become available on audible soon.
I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
There were quite a few surprises along the way. Let's just say, that Lilly wasn't much of a slooth, but then I can see why she reached the conclusions she did.
I lloved the characters and felt every victory and tragedy.
The narration was wonderful. Penelope did a very good Australian accent throughout. She also gave the characters distinct voices.
I am not sure what else to say. You reeally need to read this book in order to get a feel for it.
Of course, I am highly recommending this book.
March 18, 2019
Well-researched story of an ambulance crew during the second world war. Painful references of anti-semitism although the main character also disagrees with them, they still feel like needles in my heart. But a very well written story and I shall be looking to read the sequels.
March 22, 2017
Ever since I fell completely in adoration of Deborrah Burrows' last book, A Time of Secrets a couple of years ago, I’ve been waiting for another book. And while I was waiting, I kinda stalk her on Goodreads and twitter so I knew she’s been traipsing (sorry, researching) all over London when living there. I greeted the cover reveal of Ambulance Girls with a squeal of excitement and I think my heart might have stopped for mo when I received a copy in the mail.
Firstly, I do love this cover and I really like war historical fiction especially when this particular book’s main character was inspired by a real life historical Aussie woman serving in the London Auxiliary Ambulance Station during the Blitz. There were a lot of things I learnt from this novel about women during the Blitz. I guess there have been quite a number of books or even documentaries but the way it was written here made it all the more real to me. It was obvious that a lot of research was done in the writing of this novel and not just about the women or the Blitz as novel itself feels like veritable literary tour of London.
The novel opens with Lily on duty and having to face one of her fears of enclosed spaces. It was a great start to the novel and you’d easily fall in love with Lily. Her other fears though were not as easily conquered… Aside from her courage, empathy, and her wish to do well unto others, she’s also got a great sense of humour. Maybe that’s her Aussie flavoured humour that coloured her interactions with her friends and gave the book a reminiscent air. We follow Lily through her struggles with daily life during the Blitz; the grief of losing a friend and the joy of falling in love. There were some shaky moments where I thought things were just not going to be right with this book but thankfully, all was made quite well! I had to give the book a bit of a hug from relief and an affectionate pat when I finished reading for I was well & truly shaken.
There were a number of characters both likeable and despicable in this book and the variety and dynamics between these characters were really quite interesting. The book is told from Lily’s perspective only so in a way, we miss out on a lot about the other characters as only a few were well developed. However, as this is the first book of a trilogy, I do believe we will get to know some of the others quite well later on (and I look forward to this!). What you cannot mistake in this novel is the author’s views on anti-semitism (ignorant) and Hitler (evil); she’s loud and clear on that front. Hear! Hear! These things can never be stated enough and whilst Hitler is gone, there are still those like him & share his views.
If you loved the show, Call the Midwife, or the books that inspired it, you would love Ambulance Girls. Lily Brennan may not be English but she’s as brave as those midwives in facing uncertainties & adversities of the time. And I dare say that her Australian personality shone through especially against the foil of English reserved façade.
Thanks to Penguin Books Australia for copy of book in exchange of honest review
Firstly, I do love this cover and I really like war historical fiction especially when this particular book’s main character was inspired by a real life historical Aussie woman serving in the London Auxiliary Ambulance Station during the Blitz. There were a lot of things I learnt from this novel about women during the Blitz. I guess there have been quite a number of books or even documentaries but the way it was written here made it all the more real to me. It was obvious that a lot of research was done in the writing of this novel and not just about the women or the Blitz as novel itself feels like veritable literary tour of London.
The novel opens with Lily on duty and having to face one of her fears of enclosed spaces. It was a great start to the novel and you’d easily fall in love with Lily. Her other fears though were not as easily conquered… Aside from her courage, empathy, and her wish to do well unto others, she’s also got a great sense of humour. Maybe that’s her Aussie flavoured humour that coloured her interactions with her friends and gave the book a reminiscent air. We follow Lily through her struggles with daily life during the Blitz; the grief of losing a friend and the joy of falling in love. There were some shaky moments where I thought things were just not going to be right with this book but thankfully, all was made quite well! I had to give the book a bit of a hug from relief and an affectionate pat when I finished reading for I was well & truly shaken.
There were a number of characters both likeable and despicable in this book and the variety and dynamics between these characters were really quite interesting. The book is told from Lily’s perspective only so in a way, we miss out on a lot about the other characters as only a few were well developed. However, as this is the first book of a trilogy, I do believe we will get to know some of the others quite well later on (and I look forward to this!). What you cannot mistake in this novel is the author’s views on anti-semitism (ignorant) and Hitler (evil); she’s loud and clear on that front. Hear! Hear! These things can never be stated enough and whilst Hitler is gone, there are still those like him & share his views.
If you loved the show, Call the Midwife, or the books that inspired it, you would love Ambulance Girls. Lily Brennan may not be English but she’s as brave as those midwives in facing uncertainties & adversities of the time. And I dare say that her Australian personality shone through especially against the foil of English reserved façade.
Thanks to Penguin Books Australia for copy of book in exchange of honest review
April 5, 2017
This past weekend, I devoured WA author Deborah Burrows's latest book in a couple of sittings. It was delightful to escape into the version of World War Two London that this talented author had created, and follow alongside the eponymous Ambulance Girl of the title. Lily Brennan, a young Australian teacher, has being travelling-- working as a governess in Europe for a wealthy family, learning languages-- but when the Blitz begins, she is a member of the Ambulance service and her job is to go out onto the streets and help those trapped or wounded when the bombs fall. When we first meet Lily, she is crawling through the remains of a bombed out house in order to rescue two children who have been left stranded inside. We quickly learn that Lily is tenacious and a woman of great moral integrity. Lily's partner is David Levy, a young Jewish man whose background causes some unrest among his fellow ambulance station workers. Anti-Semitism is rife, as is an underlying class-based elitism that Lily finds upsetting and outdated. When David doesn't show up for work one day, Lily thinks for certain that something has happened to him-- and that it was no accident.
This was a quick read, and light-hearted, but unlike many books that may be considered similar, it didn't rely on easy coincidences or deus ex machina to advance its plot. The mystery at the heart of the novel was extremely well thought-out and Lily Brennan was a great character to follow along with. Her outsider status as an Australian in Britain provided a lens through which to critique the London attitudes of the time, providing a much more balanced view of Londoners during the Blitz than that which has become so stiflingly common. As for the love story in this book-- well, there had to be one, didn't there! And when a character is as lovely as Lily, you absolutely want her to get her man.
A fabulous weekend read, four out of five stars.
This review was originally posted at www.emilypaull.com
This was a quick read, and light-hearted, but unlike many books that may be considered similar, it didn't rely on easy coincidences or deus ex machina to advance its plot. The mystery at the heart of the novel was extremely well thought-out and Lily Brennan was a great character to follow along with. Her outsider status as an Australian in Britain provided a lens through which to critique the London attitudes of the time, providing a much more balanced view of Londoners during the Blitz than that which has become so stiflingly common. As for the love story in this book-- well, there had to be one, didn't there! And when a character is as lovely as Lily, you absolutely want her to get her man.
A fabulous weekend read, four out of five stars.
This review was originally posted at www.emilypaull.com
February 18, 2018
I LOVE this book!
Being an Australian paramedic for a large Ambulance service myself, I relate so well to Lily - it helps that we are currently the same age also. The entire story resonates with me as - although it's definitely not the Blitz - I am constantly thrown into unpredictable situations within my day job and the absolute need to help whoever we can is a characteristic of every paramedic or ambulance officer (we hate being called ambulance drivers these days) I know. Lily encapsulates this trait so well, along with integrity, bravery and intelligence which makes her a wonderful protagonist. I can only imagine the horror these wonderful people voluntarily exposed themselves to during the wartime.
Thank you, Deborah for writing about the work of the ambulance service with poise and tact as, I know for myself, we take a lot of pride in the history of our services... Your description of being asleep on your feet after a long night shift is extremely accurate also - shift workers everywhere will agree with you.
This novel is elegantly written, with oh so many perfect literary references that has created for me a new list of "to read" as well as making the characters even easier to like as they love the same authors and poets as I do.
I am so excited to find that there is another novel for me to hunt down (and painfully wait to be delivered to middle-of-nowhere Australia). If it is anything like this emotional roller-coaster of a novel, then I will have read it cover to cover the same day it arrives.
Being an Australian paramedic for a large Ambulance service myself, I relate so well to Lily - it helps that we are currently the same age also. The entire story resonates with me as - although it's definitely not the Blitz - I am constantly thrown into unpredictable situations within my day job and the absolute need to help whoever we can is a characteristic of every paramedic or ambulance officer (we hate being called ambulance drivers these days) I know. Lily encapsulates this trait so well, along with integrity, bravery and intelligence which makes her a wonderful protagonist. I can only imagine the horror these wonderful people voluntarily exposed themselves to during the wartime.
Thank you, Deborah for writing about the work of the ambulance service with poise and tact as, I know for myself, we take a lot of pride in the history of our services... Your description of being asleep on your feet after a long night shift is extremely accurate also - shift workers everywhere will agree with you.
This novel is elegantly written, with oh so many perfect literary references that has created for me a new list of "to read" as well as making the characters even easier to like as they love the same authors and poets as I do.
I am so excited to find that there is another novel for me to hunt down (and painfully wait to be delivered to middle-of-nowhere Australia). If it is anything like this emotional roller-coaster of a novel, then I will have read it cover to cover the same day it arrives.
August 28, 2020
4 stars for the excellent historical detail. This is the most vivid depiction of the London blitz I've read. However, the plot was a bit meandering and I didn't really connect with the characters. Still I'm glad I read it.
April 3, 2017
Had the pleasure of meeting the gorgeous and down to earth Deborah Burrows! Give her a try.. even though she will break your heart!!
September 7, 2024
Thoroughly enjoyable holiday read. Found it in a bookshelf in Bali at Sanur Beach, looked easy and interesting. It was! Some interesting facts woven in re the Blitzkrieg and what London really suffered…as well as Englands attitude to the Jews….quite incredible! Whilst fighting Nazism on one hand, the other could have been betraying Englands war effort due to their hatred of Jews.
August 6, 2017
This was a disappointment to me as I was looking forward to it. There was no heart or soul in this book for me.
February 22, 2017
I do love Deborah Burrows' strong female heroines, we all know that she writes them so brilliantly, but Lily Brennan stole a little more of my heart than usual. Lily is a sharp-witted, courageous, roll-your-sleeves-up-and-get-the-job-done Australian woman who is as kind as she is tough. When faced with standing on the front line of the horrific London Blitz, Lily confronts the challenge in a typically Australian fashion: with humility, strength, courage, and a mighty fine helping of smarts.
There is a romance inside Lily's story however it isn't an easy one (in that there is also much heartbreak) and in typical Lily fashion it is one that she works hard to achieve.
Burrows has presented a thoroughly researched novel which is balanced perfectly against the strong characterisation of Lily, the endearing story of courage in adversity, and the belief in good triumphing. A brilliant read.
There is a romance inside Lily's story however it isn't an easy one (in that there is also much heartbreak) and in typical Lily fashion it is one that she works hard to achieve.
Burrows has presented a thoroughly researched novel which is balanced perfectly against the strong characterisation of Lily, the endearing story of courage in adversity, and the belief in good triumphing. A brilliant read.
July 26, 2017
Disappointingly average story.
December 27, 2019
Deborah Burrows manages to find the perfect recipe for he novels. The exact measure of romance, intrigue, thrill, history, and the completely unexpected make for wonderful reading.
Ambulance Girls (#1) was the perfect book to read at a time coinciding with ANZAC Day. Lily Brennan is a young Western Australian outback teacher, who finds herself driving an ambulance in London during the Blitz of WWII.
Lily faces the many dangers of wartime life, as well as class differences, feeling homesick and the mystery disappearance of a work colleague.
Will Lily find what she is looking for in war-torn London? Or will she succumb to the perils of war?
Ambulance Girls (#1) was the perfect book to read at a time coinciding with ANZAC Day. Lily Brennan is a young Western Australian outback teacher, who finds herself driving an ambulance in London during the Blitz of WWII.
Lily faces the many dangers of wartime life, as well as class differences, feeling homesick and the mystery disappearance of a work colleague.
Will Lily find what she is looking for in war-torn London? Or will she succumb to the perils of war?
January 21, 2018
Thanks to Goodreads friend Hilary Kelly for rating this book--which is why I knew it existed.
This is no thin romance set in a weakly drawn past, rather it's serious historical fiction about life in London during the Blitz, specifically October 1940 into early 1941. And you get this harrowing experience from so many perspectives, from rescuing children from collapsed buildings to the devastating impact of the softly dropped parachute bomb, resembling a handkerchief "dropped by a giant."
Four big lessons:
1. The Blitz was almost beyond comprehension. One event—say a house bombed one night or a family of four taking a direct hit in a backyard shelter—and, today, people would be all over it for weeks. Yet such an event then would be but one, and a minor one, on one of MANY nights.
2. Many people didn’t bother to go to the shelters. And, actually, were not that much less safe given that the real danger was a direct hit and that would kill you even if you were in a shelter.
3. We Americans look at our WWII history and sympathize over the rationing and losses in this country but it was nothing compared to the suffering in Great Britain and Europe. When this book takes place, for example, Americans were contentedly going about their lives and would not be a part of the war for almost an entire year.
4. There was intense racism of the Jewish race in England! The average British person may not have liked Jewish people any more than the average German!
A great companion to this book is the "Women's War", "Blitz" and "Home Front" Replica Packs produced by the Memorabilia Pack Company in Scotland.
The "Women's War" Pack has the descriptive flyers/booklets--used at the time--to encourage women to join the various women's services. But which to choose? Well the character Celia gives us some of the thinking at the time:
First off, your right to choose was not absolute. You had to apply--and could get turned down. Further, if you did not find a service on your own, you were at risk of being conscripted into one.
For the overall feeling about the various services of, at least, Celia after she has been turned down by the Wrens [Navy]:
"The women I know in the ATS [Army] all seem to hate their duties and I can't bear the uniform of the WAAFS [Air Force.]I'm better off remaining in the Ambulance Service. Otherwise they may conscript me into the Land Army out of spite." p. 277
The author also does some great describing/illustrating of the British upper crust's attitude towards emotions (see pages 248-250)
Upper crust Celia and Lily Brennan are talking, in part about upper crust Jim, Lily's beau:
Celia: "You are abominably middle class...I was taught that emotions were rarely discussed and were secondary always to manners."...
Lily: "What does that even mean?...
Celia: "That it is regrettably gauche to be annoyed at anything, and particularly to SHOW annoyance to anyone. I wish you'd learn that."...
Apparently it is also gauche to show being afraid, miserable or even happy.
Celia on Jim: "You're not suitable for him, and he's not suitable for you."...
Lily: "So Jim must choose a SUITABLE woman...One who's trapped by her social obligations in a no-man's-land where nothing and nobody can reach her."..."What about love, are you not allowed to show that either?" Apparently not.
Lily, thinking: "I could not imagine anything more horrible than to be always hiding what you felt beneath a veneer of civility. Because I knew that Celia's cool poise was only a veneer; the emotions she was holding in check so masterfully swirled around us. They must be choking her, I thought."
Lily suggests that the upper classes hold back showing emotions because servants are always around.
Celia: "That's not why we live that way...We prefer it. It simplifies things. And there is nothing quite so elegant as discretion... it's how polite society works...[how its done:] one simply pretends that any unpleasantness is not occurring and conceals all untoward emotions behind [a phony brilliance.] Silliness --of the juvenile kind--is perfectly acceptable, even welcomed but one must at all costs avoid intimacy in important dealings, social AND personal."
Lily: "It must involve a lot of lying."
Celia: "That's one word for it."
This is no thin romance set in a weakly drawn past, rather it's serious historical fiction about life in London during the Blitz, specifically October 1940 into early 1941. And you get this harrowing experience from so many perspectives, from rescuing children from collapsed buildings to the devastating impact of the softly dropped parachute bomb, resembling a handkerchief "dropped by a giant."
Four big lessons:
1. The Blitz was almost beyond comprehension. One event—say a house bombed one night or a family of four taking a direct hit in a backyard shelter—and, today, people would be all over it for weeks. Yet such an event then would be but one, and a minor one, on one of MANY nights.
2. Many people didn’t bother to go to the shelters. And, actually, were not that much less safe given that the real danger was a direct hit and that would kill you even if you were in a shelter.
3. We Americans look at our WWII history and sympathize over the rationing and losses in this country but it was nothing compared to the suffering in Great Britain and Europe. When this book takes place, for example, Americans were contentedly going about their lives and would not be a part of the war for almost an entire year.
4. There was intense racism of the Jewish race in England! The average British person may not have liked Jewish people any more than the average German!
A great companion to this book is the "Women's War", "Blitz" and "Home Front" Replica Packs produced by the Memorabilia Pack Company in Scotland.
The "Women's War" Pack has the descriptive flyers/booklets--used at the time--to encourage women to join the various women's services. But which to choose? Well the character Celia gives us some of the thinking at the time:
First off, your right to choose was not absolute. You had to apply--and could get turned down. Further, if you did not find a service on your own, you were at risk of being conscripted into one.
For the overall feeling about the various services of, at least, Celia after she has been turned down by the Wrens [Navy]:
"The women I know in the ATS [Army] all seem to hate their duties and I can't bear the uniform of the WAAFS [Air Force.]I'm better off remaining in the Ambulance Service. Otherwise they may conscript me into the Land Army out of spite." p. 277
The author also does some great describing/illustrating of the British upper crust's attitude towards emotions (see pages 248-250)
Upper crust Celia and Lily Brennan are talking, in part about upper crust Jim, Lily's beau:
Celia: "You are abominably middle class...I was taught that emotions were rarely discussed and were secondary always to manners."...
Lily: "What does that even mean?...
Celia: "That it is regrettably gauche to be annoyed at anything, and particularly to SHOW annoyance to anyone. I wish you'd learn that."...
Apparently it is also gauche to show being afraid, miserable or even happy.
Celia on Jim: "You're not suitable for him, and he's not suitable for you."...
Lily: "So Jim must choose a SUITABLE woman...One who's trapped by her social obligations in a no-man's-land where nothing and nobody can reach her."..."What about love, are you not allowed to show that either?" Apparently not.
Lily, thinking: "I could not imagine anything more horrible than to be always hiding what you felt beneath a veneer of civility. Because I knew that Celia's cool poise was only a veneer; the emotions she was holding in check so masterfully swirled around us. They must be choking her, I thought."
Lily suggests that the upper classes hold back showing emotions because servants are always around.
Celia: "That's not why we live that way...We prefer it. It simplifies things. And there is nothing quite so elegant as discretion... it's how polite society works...[how its done:] one simply pretends that any unpleasantness is not occurring and conceals all untoward emotions behind [a phony brilliance.] Silliness --of the juvenile kind--is perfectly acceptable, even welcomed but one must at all costs avoid intimacy in important dealings, social AND personal."
Lily: "It must involve a lot of lying."
Celia: "That's one word for it."
August 15, 2021
On duty during London's Blitz...As death and destruction fall from the skies day after day in the London Blitz, Australian ambulance driver Lily Brennan confronts the horror with bravery, intelligence, common sense and humour.Although she must rely upon her colleagues to carry out her dangerous duties, Lily begins to suspect that someone at her Ambulance Station may be giving assistance to the enemy by disclosing secret information. Then her best friend, Jewish ambulance attendant David Levy, disappears in suspicious circumstances. Aided – and sometimes hindered – by David’s school friend, a mysterious and attractive RAF pilot, Lily has to draw on all of her resources to find David, and negotiate the dangers that come from falling in love in a country far from home in a time of war…A white Russian émigré was a Russian subject who emigrated from the territory of former Imperial Russia in the wake of the Russian Revolution (1917) and Russian Civil War (1917–1923), and who was in opposition to the revolutionary (Red Communist) Russian political climate. Many white Russian émigrés participated in the White movement or supported it, although the term is often broadly applied to anyone who may have left the country due to the change in regimes.They spanned all classes and included military soldiers and officers, Cossacks, intellectuals of various professions,dispossessed businessmen and landowners, as well as officials of the Russian Imperial government and of various anti-Bolshevik governments of the Russian Civil War period.They were not only ethnic Russians but belonged to other ethnic groups as well.In a 1940 speech to the House of Commons, Winston Churchill reassured MPs that "Parliament has given us the powers to put down Fifth Column activities with a strong hand."A fifth column is any group of people who undermine a larger group from within, usually in favour of an enemy group or nation.Ambulance Unit personnel often had to work without the usual comforts of heat and running water, or the basic safety from bomb shells and sufficient rest between shifts."The nights with the wounded, the days with the dead”.
January 27, 2022
Book 6: Ambulance Girls
This was a really well-researched book set during the horrendous Blitz in London, in the middle of WWII. The detail was really interesting, and I found out a lot about the different bombs, enemy and Allied planes - and how sneaky and relentless this seemingly never-ending 💣 💣 💣 rain was. I didn’t realise that Hitler’s singular focus on bombing London - the largest city in the world at that time - meant that the regional airfields and RAF had a better chance of defending and responding because they weren’t under direct attack. The whole year in which this books takes place is exhausting, but the narrative pulls you through, chapter by chapter.
Despite the fear, devastation, deaths and misery there is also joy and light, and some much needed and heartfelt romance. I also liked the unlikely friendships, and the new relationships and friendships which emerged and turned the British upper class on its head after the war.
The main protagonist is Lily, a gutsy, tiny primary school teacher from Perth who is an excellent ambulance driver. I wish we’d spent even more time with her and the people she encounters, but the history and what happened also needs its space to make sure we’re fully immersed in this story.
Like I said: well-researched, and also well written. I love finding out more about how ordinary women from all walks of life did both small and huge things to make a difference in the war effort. Every little bit counted! I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
9.5/10
This was a really well-researched book set during the horrendous Blitz in London, in the middle of WWII. The detail was really interesting, and I found out a lot about the different bombs, enemy and Allied planes - and how sneaky and relentless this seemingly never-ending 💣 💣 💣 rain was. I didn’t realise that Hitler’s singular focus on bombing London - the largest city in the world at that time - meant that the regional airfields and RAF had a better chance of defending and responding because they weren’t under direct attack. The whole year in which this books takes place is exhausting, but the narrative pulls you through, chapter by chapter.
Despite the fear, devastation, deaths and misery there is also joy and light, and some much needed and heartfelt romance. I also liked the unlikely friendships, and the new relationships and friendships which emerged and turned the British upper class on its head after the war.
The main protagonist is Lily, a gutsy, tiny primary school teacher from Perth who is an excellent ambulance driver. I wish we’d spent even more time with her and the people she encounters, but the history and what happened also needs its space to make sure we’re fully immersed in this story.
Like I said: well-researched, and also well written. I love finding out more about how ordinary women from all walks of life did both small and huge things to make a difference in the war effort. Every little bit counted! I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
9.5/10
November 19, 2023
the author obviously did a lot of research on the time period and the daily life of people in london in the 40s. it’s extremely vivid, very descriptive and sincere but so repetitive.
i enjoyed the little tidbits of what life was like and i enjoyed the dialogue which felt appropriate for the time period. i like lily and her bravery but she was also quite bland. she also had the weirdest outburst like when she listened to her coworker ramble on about her political views and didn’t say a word but called celia a bitch after she asked a question (that could so easily be taken out of context) about david.
speaking of david, killing him off was such a bad choice. he’s the heart of the story. the potential was truly wasted.
especially bc jim was pretty much irrelevant. i didn’t buy the love story between him and lily. he’s always annoyed when she talks, he dismissed her all the time (about the whole spy thing he was kind of right but he’s just so dry and unemotional ly invested) he likes music and good food… okay and? like that’s it. we don’t get to see a side of him that moves us or lily. how did she go from “idc about him” to “omg jim!” in three pages??
the ending was uninspired, i was glad we were reaching the end. it’s way too long considering nothing really happens
i enjoyed the little tidbits of what life was like and i enjoyed the dialogue which felt appropriate for the time period. i like lily and her bravery but she was also quite bland. she also had the weirdest outburst like when she listened to her coworker ramble on about her political views and didn’t say a word but called celia a bitch after she asked a question (that could so easily be taken out of context) about david.
speaking of david, killing him off was such a bad choice. he’s the heart of the story. the potential was truly wasted.
especially bc jim was pretty much irrelevant. i didn’t buy the love story between him and lily. he’s always annoyed when she talks, he dismissed her all the time (about the whole spy thing he was kind of right but he’s just so dry and unemotional ly invested) he likes music and good food… okay and? like that’s it. we don’t get to see a side of him that moves us or lily. how did she go from “idc about him” to “omg jim!” in three pages??
the ending was uninspired, i was glad we were reaching the end. it’s way too long considering nothing really happens
November 13, 2022
I really like these tales of women during WWII. Lily Brennan is an Australian abroad, driving an ambulance in London during the Blitz. The situation is almost unimaginable for me, but all these ordinary women were so brave & strong when took over from their menfolk with little or no training.
Lily has those qualities, & is curious, tenacious & loyal; she is also irritating, defensive & seems much younger than her 25 years, although it is true that people remained naive longer back then. She is astonished by the anti-Semitism displayed by some of her colleagues in the ambulance service & suspects foul play when her friend David Levy disappears without word. Lily is a decent girl but not particularly bright & it annoyed me that she put herself & others at risk because she thought she new better - but it is definitely oh-so-human.
A very enjoyable tale, with romance provided by the delectable RAF pilot, Ivan "Jim" Vassilikov.
Lily has those qualities, & is curious, tenacious & loyal; she is also irritating, defensive & seems much younger than her 25 years, although it is true that people remained naive longer back then. She is astonished by the anti-Semitism displayed by some of her colleagues in the ambulance service & suspects foul play when her friend David Levy disappears without word. Lily is a decent girl but not particularly bright & it annoyed me that she put herself & others at risk because she thought she new better - but it is definitely oh-so-human.
A very enjoyable tale, with romance provided by the delectable RAF pilot, Ivan "Jim" Vassilikov.
September 24, 2017
Ambulance Girls written by Deborah Burrows is one excellent read which had me gripped from the first page when we meet the young Australian named Lily Brennan. We first meet her in the thick of the action as she climbs into a bombed home to save two children. This immediately showed me a character who had strength when it came to bravery.
The story was addictive as it showed me the bravery of the ambulance service through the Second World War especially during the Blitz. This book had it all from romance straight through to espionage and for that reason alone I am happy to recommend to anyone who loves to read Historical fiction which has historical facts weaved through.
Ambulance Girls written by Deborah Burrows is a fantastic read which I am happy to recommend as an excellent read which will take you on a journey like no other book I have read based on this era of history.
The story was addictive as it showed me the bravery of the ambulance service through the Second World War especially during the Blitz. This book had it all from romance straight through to espionage and for that reason alone I am happy to recommend to anyone who loves to read Historical fiction which has historical facts weaved through.
Ambulance Girls written by Deborah Burrows is a fantastic read which I am happy to recommend as an excellent read which will take you on a journey like no other book I have read based on this era of history.
June 2, 2025
I started this book thinking it was quite boring and took a while to get going , but from like 1/3 of the way in it started to become really interesting. Highlights the anti- semitism in England during WW2 and how it was very much still present. Lily Brennan is an ambulance driver who is partnered with David Levy, and when he sudden goes missing , lily fears the worst. As she falls in love with one of Levy’s friends she discovers more about who she works with that she thought ( with some of them being part of intelligence and others anti British). An interest story about classism , and the horrors of war for ‘outsiders’ especially those from Eastern countries. I particularly liked that one of the characters sisters was married to a Markham and so mentioned my family 3/5
July 26, 2017
'Ambulance Girls' by Deborah Burrows gets 4 stars for its meticulous depiction of war-torn London during the Blitz of 1940. Underpinned by impeccable research, the story centred on an Australian girl and her role as an ambulance driver. Yes, there's a romance, but it's not over sentimentalised, and all the other characters are realistic and down to earth. Issues of anti-semitism, the British class structure, and the effect on Londoners of the incessant bombing by the Germans of their city are all dealt with in this stirring novel that brings to life all the horror, despair, deaths, bravery and stoicism brought on by this moment in history.
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