The Ferry Girls

Ferry Girls #1

by Rosie Archer

A heartwarming saga of secrets, friendships and wartime spirit at the height of World War 2. For fans of Daisy Styles, Sheila Newberry and Lyn Andrews

A young German girl finds friendship, camaraderie and even love while working on Hampshire's south coast ferries - but will her new friends desert her if her nationality comes to light?

'A gripping story packed with darkness and light, love and friendship, greed and betrayal' Lancashire Evening Post on The Factory Girls

Vee Smith is 22 when she starts work on Gosport's ferries, taking a job left vacant by the men gone off to war. She soon makes friends with the other women workers, and together they enjoy nights out dancing in Gosport - keeping their spirits up despite the hard work, rationing and heavy bombing. Vee even feels herself falling for Sam, the skipper of the ferry and her unhappily married boss.

But Vee has a secret: her real name is Violetta Schmidt, and she is half-German. If her true nationality is discovered, she and her mother could find themselves interned as enemy aliens - if their German-hating neighbours, or worse, Eddie, the man Vee ran away from after he got her false papers, don't hurt them first.

Will Vee be able to keep her secret safe, and find some peace with Sam and her friends even in the midst of war?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Audiobook, Fiction

384 pages, Paperback

Published November 28, 2017

Reviews

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice easy read. Very enjoyable. Learning about the work women did on the Ferry was very interesting. There are one or two things that annoyed me. Sammy, who was in all essence, a bad dude, is just welcomed into May's house and he's suddenly one of the family. I don't think I would have been that forgiving after the way he had treated her daughter. Things are neatly tied up at the end, as you'd expect, but a bit too neatly.
Still, these are only small niggles. It's well worth a read.

[Tracey]

A very sweet, easy to read and engaging story. It was a bit predictable but still enjoyable. I like that although it was set during world war two, if felt different as it focused on the difficulties of English people who had a German heritage. The main character was Vee, I found her extremely likeable and wanted an happy ending for her.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first started this book I wondered if I was going to be able to finish it because I wasn’t loving it from the first page...I’m glad I stuck with it though because after the first few chapters I was hooked and I loved this book. Can’t wait to read more by this author

[Chelsea Pinkard · Rating 4 out of 5]

A charming and heartwarming, if rather predictable and melodramatic, read with just a little bit of boatiness sprinkled throughout! ⚓️

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy read pretty wishy-washy

[Emma Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's good to hear a book that explores German heritage during the 2nd world war and what they suffered because the fact they were the enemy and what people would do to protect their identity. This book spoke on many levels it spoke on love in many forms, courage during hard times and true friendship

[Kathy E · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another easy read book from Rosie Archer. You can get into the book and enjoy the characters and their ups and downs through WW2 on the South East coast and how the ferries remained working throughout.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Ferry Girls is a fabulous book detailng war work on the ferry's,to meet the women who worked so hard on the home front is so entertaining.I must admit i do love Rosie Archers books and this one is well worth 5*.

[Anna Doyle · Rating 2 out of 5]

While this book was labelled as historical fiction, I think it should have been in the romance category: you know, girl meets unavailable boy, a villain, etc., etc. Anyway, not enough history from my point of view.

[michelle reilly · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely book

Great book by Rosie Archer. Easy for read and very enjoyable. Lovely storyline, and the characters appearing so real. I really enjoyed reading it.

[Trudie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent story from Rosie again! easy to read and very likeable characters from the start. I really hope this is the start of a new series of "Ferry girls" books

[Mary Geraghty · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely read

Very descriptive, can't wait to read more. I love reading a book that you don't want the story to end. ,,😊

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved this story, a must read.

[Janet Hargreaves · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was very enjoyable it was hard to put down once started.


I enjoyed all the characters especially Vee and Jack. I am very glad the law was change....A very good story.

[L D Brackstone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

I lived in Gospor t for a while and the author really brought the place alive for me, I loved the ferry. A really heart warming story about the people.

[Annette O'grady · Rating 5 out of 5]

a very good read and very interesting

[diandmoedwardsgmail.com · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ferry girls

Lovely story couldn't put it down once I started to read it. Would recommend it to anyone who likes wartime romances

[Mrs.Su.Flower · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn't put it down,enjoyed every page.

Brilliant book ,felt like you were there.Really enjoyed it.would recommend it .It really made you realise what they went through in WW2.

[Yvonne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting story. And so very true how people who were any way German were treated

[Carrie Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was good a pleasant read.

[Liz Gibson]

Not as good as the munitions girls

[Julie Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fabulous read

[Pauline Deacon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely story , good read

[Wendy McManus · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice easy read...

[Suzie Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love an easy read, this one was fantastic. Read over the weekend, loved the historical side, that it was local and that they all had a positive ending.

[Great Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my all time easy reads! I love the way its written, entwining romance with adventure and history. The story is heart-warming, feel-good and fast paced. Perfect for a weekend of reading.

[Anagha Jadhav · Rating 4 out of 5]

A feel good kinda story which ends with a happy note and somewhat easy to guess. Happy to read how courageously the women joined workforce in the absence of male counterparts during world war!