An Army of Smiles

by Grace Thompson

Three girls go to war and find true friendshipEthel runs away from a violent father, a man so fierce he beat her fiancé senseless. Gorgeous Kate leaves her doting parents and their grocery store. Shy and sheltered Rosie, who has grown up with her grandmother, decides to escape her sleepy home town.

All three join the NAAFI, determined to do their bit against Hitler. Through the travails of war they become each other's new family. Through desperate love affairs, charming pilots, unplanned pregnancies and postings around war-torn Europe, they resolve to stick together. But will the war tear them apart?

And when the fighting draws to an end they realise the world – and their lives – can never be the same again...

A spellbinding standalone Second World War saga from Grace Thompson.

314 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 1, 2003

About the author

Grace Thompson is a Welsh author of saga and romance novels. She is the author of numerous series, including the Valley series, the Pendragon Island series, and the Badgers Brook series. She published her 42nd novel shortly after celebrating her 80th birthday, and continues to live in South Wales. Grace typically spends her mornings writing and afternoons walking the cliffs and beaches of Mumbles and Gower.

Reviews

[Clare O'Beara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an enjoyable wartime account of women making a difference to the war effort and the lives of many others. The sad background shows one young woman being hassled by her violent father who rules the household. Understandably she decides to join the NAAFI, but her fear means she leaves no way for her family to contact her. Another girl just wants to get out from under the family thumb and be her own woman.
The work of the NAAFI (the initials stand for Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes) on air bases is hard with cold weather, basic accommodation and few luxuries. Those who can't cook, learn to cook. The bases are targets for bombing and strafing.
The women are expected to flirt and even be available as girlfriends but in the double standards, are not accepted by all if they sleep with men and would have to leave if pregnant. And some of the men won't survive.
We follow three friends from early in the war, to serving overseas, right to the end of the war. There was no way to leave the service. And after the war, their lives having been on hold, what to do next? Excellent research and detail, and we see how other workers, like Land Girls, supplied the endless sacks of potatoes.

I read a paperback version. This is an unbiased review.

[MRS G F GRANT · Rating 1 out of 5]

A Tale of Three Girls

The war was glossed over to the point it should not have been included. The tale of the three girls lives were so very lightly told with no real depth or realism. This could have been a good story if better told and some real use of geography and towns to add background. A poor read.😩

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

And tears...laughter..

Again Grace Thompson weaves a tale..that's hard to lay down..The lives of 3 so different people Ethel..Rosie and Kate .Through the turmoil of Life Love .Hate Sorrow..Not to mention WWII and that that entails!

[Psammead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written, you really get to know life in the NAFI during the war.
I can recommend this one.