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Keep the Home Fires Burning #2
A Woman's War
In the darkest days they'll find their greatest strength . . .
As enemy planes continue to bombard the North West of England, the women of Great Paxford fight harder then ever to presevere.
Pat thought she'd found true happiness, but as things change at home she finds herself questioning everything she thought she knew about her husband.
Laura's young life has been besieged by tragedy, yet a new future looms on the horizon if she can find the courage to reach for it.
Teresa has completely reshaped her life to be the perfect wife. Dinner on the table at five o'clock sharpish, each inch of the house spick and span . . . but with the arrival of a new guest, her life is thrown completely off kilter.
However, for Steph Farrow it's not the threat of what's to come, it's whether she can live with what she has done . . .
As enemy planes continue to bombard the North West of England, the women of Great Paxford fight harder then ever to presevere.
Pat thought she'd found true happiness, but as things change at home she finds herself questioning everything she thought she knew about her husband.
Laura's young life has been besieged by tragedy, yet a new future looms on the horizon if she can find the courage to reach for it.
Teresa has completely reshaped her life to be the perfect wife. Dinner on the table at five o'clock sharpish, each inch of the house spick and span . . . but with the arrival of a new guest, her life is thrown completely off kilter.
However, for Steph Farrow it's not the threat of what's to come, it's whether she can live with what she has done . . .
338 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 17, 2019
366 people are currently reading
642 people want to read
About the author
S. Block
12 books109 followersSimon Block is a Screenwriter, producer and Writer best known for his work on The Physician as a key writer. Block is also known for his work on the Julie Summers inspired ITV series Home Fires as the main writer. Block wrote the first episode of Series 1 of the show alongside Julie Summers who inspired the show with her book, however following the first episode Block became the main writer writing 10 Episodes to date. Block has also worked on popular Television shows such as Hotel Babylon being a recurring writer with his writing credits appearing Series 3 Episode 1, Series 2 Episode 8 and Series 2 Episode 2. During 2015 Block wrote three episode for the TV Series A.D. The Bible Continues writing "The Tomb Is Open", "The Body Is Gone" and "The Spirit Arrives".
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
October 27, 2019
★★★★ 4.5 stars
When I requested A WOMAN'S WAR I had no idea it was the sequel to another. I do wish Netgalley would state if a book is part of a series - sometimes they do and sometimes they don't. I guess it depends on the information received from the publisher. But it would be helpful for reviewers to know beforehand as sometimes it is difficult to pick up series midway through. Fortunately that was not the case with this wonderful book.
However, that aside. A WOMAN'S WAR can be read as a standalone or as a sequel to "Keep the Home Fires Burning" which follows on from the now ended ITV series "Home Fires" . You can easily pick up the characters and their stories either way, as they are each recalled well enough to do so.
The women of Great Paxford draw strength from each other once again in the face of their darkest days during World War 2. The year is 1940 and much has happened in their little village since war broke out just the year before. Some have lost loved ones, some are prisoners of war, some have lost their homes...while others fight inner battles that no one else knows about.
Meet Frances, Erica, Laura, Sarah, Pat, Steph, and Teresa - the women of Great Paxford. Each of them have a story to tell but some of them have secrets that they keep to themselves.
The story opens with Frances, the leader of the Women's Institute, addressing the WI ladies of the events that had recently taken place in their little village...and how it has affected each of them. Frances is a born leader but can come across a bit brusque at times though she only has the best interests of the women at heart. She speaks of the Spitfire than crashed landed, destroying the homes of the Simms and the Campbells. She speaks of the death of their local GP and the grief of the family he left behind. She speaks of the German airman shot by a farmer when discovered. Throughout all this and more, the village must come together and find the strength within each other to get through this war. No one knows how long it will go on for - it could end next week, next month or next year. However long it takes, they must stick together.
Erica Campbell is the widow of the village GP, who had recently succumbed to cancer. Her daughters Katy and Laura are also grieving. Katy is studying in Manchester (so she doesn't actually largely feature) and was recently widowed herself when her husband Jack's plane crashed during flight training.
Laura is just 17 and has taken to heart her father's last almost indecipherable words to her, believing him to say that she would make a good doctor, despite her never showing an interest before now to follow her father's footsteps and study medicine. With no money to pay for university, Laura sets about cramming and studying for a scholarship into medical school. When her boyfriend Tom tells her that he has decided to become a pilot, Laura is devastated and says that she cannot step out with a flyer...not after what her sister went through. So will Tom give up his plans to become a pilot and stay with Laura? Will Laura pass her exams and be granted a scholarship?
Sarah Collingborne is Frances' sister and the wife of their local vicar, who is currently in a German prisoner of war camp. Sarah doesn't feature as largely in the story as some of the other women who have a greater part to play, but she is part of the backbone of Great Paxford and one of the few who knows the truth about Pat's marriage to her brute of a husband Bob.
Which brings us to Pat Simms. She has been married to Bob for about thirteen years and in the beginning he was an attentive romantic man which soon fell by the wayside after rings and vows were exchanged. There has been many occasions when Pat has turned up to the WI meetings or her job at the telephone exchange with bruises that she tries in vain to cover with plenty of powder. When the Spitfire crashed into their semi-detached house alongside the Campbells' semi on the other side, Pat and Bob were taken in by the kindly and former leader of the WI, Joyce Cameron. Pat soon found the benefit with living with Joyce was that Bob would control his temper whenever she was around, playing the perfect guest and husband. But Pat has another secret. One that Bob inadvertently discovered. She has a lover. A Czech soldier named Marek. They shared a few stolen moments and secreted letters to one another in the graveyard...until Bob discovered their hiding place. Now Marek has been shipped out, leaving Pat with promises of a life together should he survive the war and return. But when Bob shows a complete change, Pat begins to wonder how sincere the change is. She has seen it many times before...only to fall into a false sense of security and feel the sting of his fist before long. But Bob has shown a complete turnaround and, in a gesture of not wanting to outstay their welcome with their incredibly kind host, has decided that the time has come for he and Pat to find a home of their own again. Now that his book is selling and he has the advance for another they now have the money for a comfortable life in a bigger house. Pat cannot help but question Bob's motives or wonder what he has planned...but could this be real? Has Bob truly seen the error of his ways?
Teresa Lucas is newly married to Nick, a Wing Commander for the RAF. But there is someone who suspects Teresa's marriage isn't all it appears - Nick's best friend Annie, also a pilot recovering in hospital after crashing her plane. Teresa's secret is one that would not be understood nor accepted within their quaint little village and so she must keep it from everyone. Only Annie knows her secret...but is Annie the best person to keep that secret? And will it come between Teresa and Nick?
And then there is Steph Farrow. She is a farmer's wife and although it is a reserved occupation, Steph's husband Stan had decided to join in the fight for their country, leaving Steph to farm the land with her 16 year old son Stanley and a kind of helper, Isobel. I'm not sure I knew what Isobel's actual role was though I got the impression she was some sort of farm hand. Steph has one of the biggest secrets that soon everyone in the village will know about. And she doesn't know how she can live with it. She writes a tearful letter to her husband who soon returned and decided to leave the army and maintain his status in the reserved occupation of farmer. But when her son Stanley tells her his news, Steph collapses in shock...and it is then an even greater concern comes to the surface which promises to change all their lives forever.
There is so much packed into this heartfelt tale with a difference and yet there is still so much more to discover. I loved reading about the lives of each of these women and their families and though it did take a little to gain momentum in the beginning, once it did I did not want to put it down. When I finished A WOMAN'S WAR I felt as if I had left Great Paxford and found myself missing the women and their own private struggles.
Although A WOMAN'S WAR wraps all the stories of each character that readers/fans were a part of throughout the the TV series and both books, I still hope the story continues as there is room for expansion on those that we have left behind in this book. I would love to see where the war and their stories take them next.
I thoroughly recommend A WOMAN'S WAR for fans who enjoy WW2 historical fiction, and those who had followed the TV series and the book that followed.
I would like to thank #SimonBlock, #NetGalley and #BonnierZaffre for an ARC of #AWomansWar in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
When I requested A WOMAN'S WAR I had no idea it was the sequel to another. I do wish Netgalley would state if a book is part of a series - sometimes they do and sometimes they don't. I guess it depends on the information received from the publisher. But it would be helpful for reviewers to know beforehand as sometimes it is difficult to pick up series midway through. Fortunately that was not the case with this wonderful book.
However, that aside. A WOMAN'S WAR can be read as a standalone or as a sequel to "Keep the Home Fires Burning" which follows on from the now ended ITV series "Home Fires" . You can easily pick up the characters and their stories either way, as they are each recalled well enough to do so.
The women of Great Paxford draw strength from each other once again in the face of their darkest days during World War 2. The year is 1940 and much has happened in their little village since war broke out just the year before. Some have lost loved ones, some are prisoners of war, some have lost their homes...while others fight inner battles that no one else knows about.
Meet Frances, Erica, Laura, Sarah, Pat, Steph, and Teresa - the women of Great Paxford. Each of them have a story to tell but some of them have secrets that they keep to themselves.
The story opens with Frances, the leader of the Women's Institute, addressing the WI ladies of the events that had recently taken place in their little village...and how it has affected each of them. Frances is a born leader but can come across a bit brusque at times though she only has the best interests of the women at heart. She speaks of the Spitfire than crashed landed, destroying the homes of the Simms and the Campbells. She speaks of the death of their local GP and the grief of the family he left behind. She speaks of the German airman shot by a farmer when discovered. Throughout all this and more, the village must come together and find the strength within each other to get through this war. No one knows how long it will go on for - it could end next week, next month or next year. However long it takes, they must stick together.
Erica Campbell is the widow of the village GP, who had recently succumbed to cancer. Her daughters Katy and Laura are also grieving. Katy is studying in Manchester (so she doesn't actually largely feature) and was recently widowed herself when her husband Jack's plane crashed during flight training.
Laura is just 17 and has taken to heart her father's last almost indecipherable words to her, believing him to say that she would make a good doctor, despite her never showing an interest before now to follow her father's footsteps and study medicine. With no money to pay for university, Laura sets about cramming and studying for a scholarship into medical school. When her boyfriend Tom tells her that he has decided to become a pilot, Laura is devastated and says that she cannot step out with a flyer...not after what her sister went through. So will Tom give up his plans to become a pilot and stay with Laura? Will Laura pass her exams and be granted a scholarship?
Sarah Collingborne is Frances' sister and the wife of their local vicar, who is currently in a German prisoner of war camp. Sarah doesn't feature as largely in the story as some of the other women who have a greater part to play, but she is part of the backbone of Great Paxford and one of the few who knows the truth about Pat's marriage to her brute of a husband Bob.
Which brings us to Pat Simms. She has been married to Bob for about thirteen years and in the beginning he was an attentive romantic man which soon fell by the wayside after rings and vows were exchanged. There has been many occasions when Pat has turned up to the WI meetings or her job at the telephone exchange with bruises that she tries in vain to cover with plenty of powder. When the Spitfire crashed into their semi-detached house alongside the Campbells' semi on the other side, Pat and Bob were taken in by the kindly and former leader of the WI, Joyce Cameron. Pat soon found the benefit with living with Joyce was that Bob would control his temper whenever she was around, playing the perfect guest and husband. But Pat has another secret. One that Bob inadvertently discovered. She has a lover. A Czech soldier named Marek. They shared a few stolen moments and secreted letters to one another in the graveyard...until Bob discovered their hiding place. Now Marek has been shipped out, leaving Pat with promises of a life together should he survive the war and return. But when Bob shows a complete change, Pat begins to wonder how sincere the change is. She has seen it many times before...only to fall into a false sense of security and feel the sting of his fist before long. But Bob has shown a complete turnaround and, in a gesture of not wanting to outstay their welcome with their incredibly kind host, has decided that the time has come for he and Pat to find a home of their own again. Now that his book is selling and he has the advance for another they now have the money for a comfortable life in a bigger house. Pat cannot help but question Bob's motives or wonder what he has planned...but could this be real? Has Bob truly seen the error of his ways?
Teresa Lucas is newly married to Nick, a Wing Commander for the RAF. But there is someone who suspects Teresa's marriage isn't all it appears - Nick's best friend Annie, also a pilot recovering in hospital after crashing her plane. Teresa's secret is one that would not be understood nor accepted within their quaint little village and so she must keep it from everyone. Only Annie knows her secret...but is Annie the best person to keep that secret? And will it come between Teresa and Nick?
And then there is Steph Farrow. She is a farmer's wife and although it is a reserved occupation, Steph's husband Stan had decided to join in the fight for their country, leaving Steph to farm the land with her 16 year old son Stanley and a kind of helper, Isobel. I'm not sure I knew what Isobel's actual role was though I got the impression she was some sort of farm hand. Steph has one of the biggest secrets that soon everyone in the village will know about. And she doesn't know how she can live with it. She writes a tearful letter to her husband who soon returned and decided to leave the army and maintain his status in the reserved occupation of farmer. But when her son Stanley tells her his news, Steph collapses in shock...and it is then an even greater concern comes to the surface which promises to change all their lives forever.
There is so much packed into this heartfelt tale with a difference and yet there is still so much more to discover. I loved reading about the lives of each of these women and their families and though it did take a little to gain momentum in the beginning, once it did I did not want to put it down. When I finished A WOMAN'S WAR I felt as if I had left Great Paxford and found myself missing the women and their own private struggles.
Although A WOMAN'S WAR wraps all the stories of each character that readers/fans were a part of throughout the the TV series and both books, I still hope the story continues as there is room for expansion on those that we have left behind in this book. I would love to see where the war and their stories take them next.
I thoroughly recommend A WOMAN'S WAR for fans who enjoy WW2 historical fiction, and those who had followed the TV series and the book that followed.
I would like to thank #SimonBlock, #NetGalley and #BonnierZaffre for an ARC of #AWomansWar in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
November 28, 2019
3.5 stars. I enjoyed this, as I did the Home Fires TV show and the first book in the series (what would have been season 3 of the TV show), but it wasn't as strong as the other three. It felt a little like the author wasn't sure where to go with the characters' stories and sputtered a bit.
Still, I loved hearing more about Pat, Laura, Frances, Steph, etc. and will continue to think about them as real people.
Still, I loved hearing more about Pat, Laura, Frances, Steph, etc. and will continue to think about them as real people.
August 20, 2023
This follows on from the first one and is so good. War is still raging across Europe and the residents are still battling with bombs dropping. A great follow on and I'm looking forward to reading the next one.
October 25, 2019
Oh my goodness I absolutely adore these Wonder characters so I really don’t want it to end thus!
Please continue to write about what happens to them all as the war continues to implode into their lives!
Please continue to write about what happens to them all as the war continues to implode into their lives!
April 21, 2020
I can't get enough of this series of books. They are uplifting, emotional, caring and just full of good old fashioned values that we need at the moment.
Yes it was set around Christmas, but some days you just need a lovely easy to read book that you can sink into.
Perfect.
Yes it was set around Christmas, but some days you just need a lovely easy to read book that you can sink into.
Perfect.
November 22, 2019
Nice to be able to finish the story that was cancelled on the tv.
December 7, 2020
I didn't like it quite as much as the first one. I felt like there were a lot of really repetitive chapters and scenes (for example, the Theresa agonizing over her feelings for Annie all the dang time).
May 16, 2020
This book picks up where we left off in fall of 1940 through Christmas 1940. Steph is dealing with the aftermath of killing a German pilot and all that taking a life actually means. No one really understands. Teresa, recently married to Wing Commander Nick Lucas, is trying hard to please him and be the perfect wife. It's difficult when she doesn't really understand all he's going through at work and she's so lonely all day long. If only she still had a job... if only Connie hadn't left... if only she weren't so attracted to Annie, lying injured in a hospital bed. Pat is trying to make it through the best she can while she waits for her lover Marek to return. When Bob decides to turn over a new lead, Pat is wary and suspicious. The Campbell women are still reeling from the death of their beloved husband and father. Laura, always a Daddy's girl, lost her way. Something he may have said to her prompts her to reevaluate her life and decide on a course for the future. It will be difficult but she's certain she can do it... maybe... if that's even what her dad meant. Christmas provides her with an opportunity to show the Greater Paxford WI that she can be an effective leader and when a crisis comes to one of her friends, she's ready and prepared for her future.
This book was tough to read because of the emotional drama and the knowledge that the war is only beginning. My heart went out to Steph. I totally understand how she's feeling. I think if I had been in the same situation and done the same thing, I would feel the same way. She's suffering guilt and trauma. I feel so horrible for her because no one understands. Everyone thinks she's a hero. I like how kind and empathetic her friends in the WI are. I thought if Adam were around, she would do well talking to him but Sarah is there and a friend. She's the next best thing. While Frances has never been the most empathetic person, she rises to the occasion to help her friend - not by being her usual commanding self but by getting those who can give Steph the love she needs to help. I think Simon Block may have forgotten Stan's insane fear of a German invasion and teaching his wife and son how to kill a German. In his mind, the only good German military man is a dead one. He doesn't really understand what his wife is going through but he comes across as more kind and sympathetic than I expected given how he was when we last saw him. He's trying to be be a good husband. The revelations about Steph at the end surprised me yet didn't. At the time I wondered. Gosh I just don't know what will happen to her from there.
Teresa's story is the most interesting to me. She's struggling so hard and I know her story is the one that can't have a happy ending. Love is complicated. She loves Nick and is trying to please him but she's really attracted to Annie. I think Annie is not right for Teresa. She doesn't understand Teresa's feelings and her struggle to be "normal." Annie comes from a different background, she's fearless and open. Annie eggs Teresa on with advice I completely don't agree with. Teresa is Catholic which complicates matters a lot and she loves Greater Paxford and her life there. Yet she knows in Greater Paxford she can't be herself. Teresa longs to please Nick and be a good wife. I think they're just playing house. Nick doesn't know Teresa's secret and he seems amused by her attempts to please him. He's still kind but he's also a bit sharp because his wife just can't understand what's in his head regarding his job. Teresa's story is just so heartbreaking. I don't like the cop out conclusion though.
Pat. Oh Pat! Bob is a classic abuser. Pat is wary and right to be wary. I can see he is trying to alienate her from her friends and her life in Greater Paxford. He thinks he can better control he that way. He doesn't quite realize the evolution that's gone on in her head. He doesn't understand why she's attracted to Marek. Marek truly loves and cares about Pat and her happiness. Bob only cares about himself and wanting his life to fit the vision he has of a perfect life. He never once thinks of what Pat wants or needs even when he's being kind and considerate. The ending completely shocked me. I gasped and couldn't believe what followed! I need to know what happens now!
Laura never interested me that much. She seemed immature and jealous of her older sister, hence the affair with Commander Barrows. Her father's death really affected her deeply and made her grow up fast. Sadly, the war has only made her mature even faster. Both the traumatic events have combined to give Laura the impetus to do something with her life. I was skeptical at first but by the end, I supported her goal 100%. I think she's such a determined young woman that she'll do fine. She's also spent time with the women of the WI who supported her during her scandal. They have taught her how to hold your head up and carry on in a man's world. Go Laura!
Frances is on the periphery here. She seems to have grown closer to Noah but still doesn't understand children. Claire and Spencer are mentioned once. I want to know whether he's changed his mind about enlisting. Jenny disappeared from the story. Joyce is mentioned a lot because Pat and Bob are living with her. Dear Joyce is single-minded and oblivious to any difficulties outside her own world. She's more naive than Frances! Erica is heartbroken and struggling to get by without her Will. This is one of the saddest stories I've ever read. He was such a wonderful husband, father and doctor- in that order. They were sweethearts barely out of childhood when they married. How will she live the rest of her life without him? Sarah is missing Adam a lot but still able to sometimes focus on her friends. I think she would make an excellent counselor. Who better to turn to with problems than the vicar's wife? Alison is insisting that her new friend John from Liverpool is just a friend. It has nothing to do with his skin color or background. She's devoted to the memory of George. I don't think it was nice of Teresa to tease her but I want Alison to find happiness. She always seemed so lonely and sad to me.
The new doctor, Dr. Rosen, seems to be adjusting to life in Greater Paxford. She's still not much of a people person but she's learning. I rather like her and identify with her.
As with the first book, this book is mostly told with long passages of what's happening and character's thoughts. That's OK because we know it was originally a script for a TV show. I'm reading this just to know what happens to the characters. It's not great literature. Simon Block isn't a novelist. Don't read this as a novel, read it as a companion to the TV series.I miss these ladies and really want to know what happens next and what happens at the end of the war?
content:
Mild violence
mentions of wartime violence/deaths
romance
This book was tough to read because of the emotional drama and the knowledge that the war is only beginning. My heart went out to Steph. I totally understand how she's feeling. I think if I had been in the same situation and done the same thing, I would feel the same way. She's suffering guilt and trauma. I feel so horrible for her because no one understands. Everyone thinks she's a hero. I like how kind and empathetic her friends in the WI are. I thought if Adam were around, she would do well talking to him but Sarah is there and a friend. She's the next best thing. While Frances has never been the most empathetic person, she rises to the occasion to help her friend - not by being her usual commanding self but by getting those who can give Steph the love she needs to help. I think Simon Block may have forgotten Stan's insane fear of a German invasion and teaching his wife and son how to kill a German. In his mind, the only good German military man is a dead one. He doesn't really understand what his wife is going through but he comes across as more kind and sympathetic than I expected given how he was when we last saw him. He's trying to be be a good husband. The revelations about Steph at the end surprised me yet didn't. At the time I wondered. Gosh I just don't know what will happen to her from there.
Teresa's story is the most interesting to me. She's struggling so hard and I know her story is the one that can't have a happy ending. Love is complicated. She loves Nick and is trying to please him but she's really attracted to Annie. I think Annie is not right for Teresa. She doesn't understand Teresa's feelings and her struggle to be "normal." Annie comes from a different background, she's fearless and open. Annie eggs Teresa on with advice I completely don't agree with. Teresa is Catholic which complicates matters a lot and she loves Greater Paxford and her life there. Yet she knows in Greater Paxford she can't be herself. Teresa longs to please Nick and be a good wife. I think they're just playing house. Nick doesn't know Teresa's secret and he seems amused by her attempts to please him. He's still kind but he's also a bit sharp because his wife just can't understand what's in his head regarding his job. Teresa's story is just so heartbreaking. I don't like the cop out conclusion though.
Pat. Oh Pat! Bob is a classic abuser. Pat is wary and right to be wary. I can see he is trying to alienate her from her friends and her life in Greater Paxford. He thinks he can better control he that way. He doesn't quite realize the evolution that's gone on in her head. He doesn't understand why she's attracted to Marek. Marek truly loves and cares about Pat and her happiness. Bob only cares about himself and wanting his life to fit the vision he has of a perfect life. He never once thinks of what Pat wants or needs even when he's being kind and considerate. The ending completely shocked me. I gasped and couldn't believe what followed! I need to know what happens now!
Laura never interested me that much. She seemed immature and jealous of her older sister, hence the affair with Commander Barrows. Her father's death really affected her deeply and made her grow up fast. Sadly, the war has only made her mature even faster. Both the traumatic events have combined to give Laura the impetus to do something with her life. I was skeptical at first but by the end, I supported her goal 100%. I think she's such a determined young woman that she'll do fine. She's also spent time with the women of the WI who supported her during her scandal. They have taught her how to hold your head up and carry on in a man's world. Go Laura!
Frances is on the periphery here. She seems to have grown closer to Noah but still doesn't understand children. Claire and Spencer are mentioned once. I want to know whether he's changed his mind about enlisting. Jenny disappeared from the story. Joyce is mentioned a lot because Pat and Bob are living with her. Dear Joyce is single-minded and oblivious to any difficulties outside her own world. She's more naive than Frances! Erica is heartbroken and struggling to get by without her Will. This is one of the saddest stories I've ever read. He was such a wonderful husband, father and doctor- in that order. They were sweethearts barely out of childhood when they married. How will she live the rest of her life without him? Sarah is missing Adam a lot but still able to sometimes focus on her friends. I think she would make an excellent counselor. Who better to turn to with problems than the vicar's wife? Alison is insisting that her new friend John from Liverpool is just a friend. It has nothing to do with his skin color or background. She's devoted to the memory of George. I don't think it was nice of Teresa to tease her but I want Alison to find happiness. She always seemed so lonely and sad to me.
The new doctor, Dr. Rosen, seems to be adjusting to life in Greater Paxford. She's still not much of a people person but she's learning. I rather like her and identify with her.
As with the first book, this book is mostly told with long passages of what's happening and character's thoughts. That's OK because we know it was originally a script for a TV show. I'm reading this just to know what happens to the characters. It's not great literature. Simon Block isn't a novelist. Don't read this as a novel, read it as a companion to the TV series.I miss these ladies and really want to know what happens next and what happens at the end of the war?
content:
Mild violence
mentions of wartime violence/deaths
romance
October 27, 2019
This was a great read and even if you weren’t aware of the TV show (Home Fires) or the last book (which was a collected edition of the ebooks which continued on from Series 2 of the TV show) then you could still read this one and understand the characters and their stories as it is recapped very well. This book sees most, if not all, of the current storylines finishing which means if there are no more books (let’s hope that’s not the case) then at least there’s no cliffhangers but if it does continue then there’s room for a whole new bunch of stories.
I adore the ladies of Great Paxford (especially Teresa and Annie) and I don’t want my journey with them to end with this book.
I adore the ladies of Great Paxford (especially Teresa and Annie) and I don’t want my journey with them to end with this book.
November 8, 2019
I loved watching the TV series and was very disappointed with the short-sighted decision of ITV to discontinue the show after two series.
I have enjoyed the continuation of the series in the books and hope Simon continues writing more of them
I have enjoyed the continuation of the series in the books and hope Simon continues writing more of them
August 10, 2021
This was my first book joining this series so I had a little catching up to do with the characters as I didn’t realise it was a sequel! But I didn’t feel at a disadvantage at all and I quickly got into the swing of things with who the characters were.
It’s a very immersive book and one that leaves you rooting for the characters. Plenty of drama, entertaining and a great read overall. There was plenty of characters to follow, all with great storylines which left you hooked and wanting to read more.
I will definitely have to read the next one now to see how things develop!
It’s a very immersive book and one that leaves you rooting for the characters. Plenty of drama, entertaining and a great read overall. There was plenty of characters to follow, all with great storylines which left you hooked and wanting to read more.
I will definitely have to read the next one now to see how things develop!
January 9, 2020
I watched the 2 seasons of Home Fires on TV and was disappointed to hear it wasn't renewed. I then found the first book which was written to be season 3 of the series. This book is the 4th season.
I liked how I could see each character in my mind as I saw them on TV. It was fun reading how each person was affected by WWII and how they handled it. This book didn't have a cliffhanger like the TV show did or the first book. It did end with some unanswered questions. I am hoping another book will follow soon.
I liked how I could see each character in my mind as I saw them on TV. It was fun reading how each person was affected by WWII and how they handled it. This book didn't have a cliffhanger like the TV show did or the first book. It did end with some unanswered questions. I am hoping another book will follow soon.
October 27, 2019
LOVE this entire series, as well as the PBS show! Great setting, interesting time in history & great characters- Please keep the story going!
August 27, 2020
Repeated story, do not buy
October 25, 2019
I want more!
October 22, 2019
Nice read if you want something undemanding and find details of World War 2, interspersed with women's domestic lives, interesting.
January 2, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved the TV series and could not believe it when they did not renew. What a cliff hanger that was!! So I was glad to read the follow up book and now this one. I won't write a spoiler, but believe me I was VERY happy at the end. Thanks, Simon Block for a very engaging read.
January 3, 2020
A satisfying entry in the series
I thoroughly enjoyed this latest installment from the Home Fires series. Here’s hoping more books will follow! I also appreciated this being a single volume, not parsed out into four like “book 1” was.
I thoroughly enjoyed this latest installment from the Home Fires series. Here’s hoping more books will follow! I also appreciated this being a single volume, not parsed out into four like “book 1” was.
January 1, 2020
If you are a fan of the PBS series "Home Fires," you will welcome this continuation of the story of the women of Greater Paxton Women's Institute. Just as the last novel concentrated on a few characters, this novel features Steph Farrow, Pat Simms, Teresa Lucas, and Laura Campbell. Enough loose ends are left to give the reader hope for another novel to continue the story of these brave women.
May 31, 2024
Glad to know the fates of the Great Paxford people. Sad the show was cancelled
December 27, 2019
Worth the wait although my faith in that did teeter a bit in the middle of the book. I wont say what that was ,as don't want to post any spoilers! The ending was a partial ending but not of the series. In my opinion the series should continue through each year of the war.However, I sense that depends on the sales of the books and Simon's desire to continue with them.
I enjoyed hearing more about the characters we have come to care for, and I congratulate Simon on his ability to write believable women. Steph's story, Theresa's story, Sarah's story, Pat's story among others all need to continue.
I enjoyed hearing more about the characters we have come to care for, and I congratulate Simon on his ability to write believable women. Steph's story, Theresa's story, Sarah's story, Pat's story among others all need to continue.
December 17, 2019
Book 2 continues the lives of the women of Greater Paxton that we met in the TV drama Home Fires.
December 9, 2019
Always good to go back
Another great follow on to the home fires TV series. There are so many characters established from the show and previous book that it can feel like some characters barely got a mention, but overall still a lovely read
Another great follow on to the home fires TV series. There are so many characters established from the show and previous book that it can feel like some characters barely got a mention, but overall still a lovely read
October 27, 2019
Another chapter on the lives of the members of the Women's Institute, Great Paxford Chapter, during the first year of World War II in England. All the women we met during the television series of "Home Fires" are here.
A great read. A wonderful follow-up to the first novel. The author has successfully transferred from screenwriter to novelist, and the reader has the benefit of knowing these women, their circumstances and what Great Paxford and the surrounding countryside look like, due to the cancelled series.
But it it s not necessary to view the cancelled television series, as the books are complete enough to stand alone.
The narrative is at turns funny, loving, heartbreaking and stressful. The characters come through it all with the strong support they freely give to and receive from each other.
I have finished the book all too quickly, and now must wait until the next novel to reconnect with fictional characters I now consider friends.
A great read. A wonderful follow-up to the first novel. The author has successfully transferred from screenwriter to novelist, and the reader has the benefit of knowing these women, their circumstances and what Great Paxford and the surrounding countryside look like, due to the cancelled series.
But it it s not necessary to view the cancelled television series, as the books are complete enough to stand alone.
The narrative is at turns funny, loving, heartbreaking and stressful. The characters come through it all with the strong support they freely give to and receive from each other.
I have finished the book all too quickly, and now must wait until the next novel to reconnect with fictional characters I now consider friends.
January 12, 2020
I was disappointed with the second book in the Home Fires novel sequence. The two season series was excellent, the first book, written to appease angry fans when the series was cancelled mid-story, was very good, and this novel was good. I had a hard time believing Steph's guilt about killing the German soldier; in the time of the London blitz, and the Liverpool bombardment, it is not believable that an unworldly farm woman would have such a humanist perspective. Yes, there were conscientious objectors (Spencer, the mailman was one), but I felt that a more modern anti-war perspective was laid over the storyline. I also thought Teresa and Annie's attraction in the face of her marriage to Nick, worked out a little more easily than is realistic for the times. But the ending, oh the ending....it was worth everything to read about Pat and Bob!!! No spoiler alerts here, except to say Home Fire fans will enjoy the last few pages almost as much as the series itself.
November 12, 2019
Having watched the series on Amazon, I had to find out what happened to the citizens of this British Village. Thank goodness after the cliffhanger ending and then cancellation, the series writer followed up with a book, Keep the Home Fires Burning. Excellent book and I still wanted more. We now have book 2. It's just as wonderful as the series and first book. I've grown so close to these people. Their struggles to maintain normalcy during the Blitz show their strength and why England couldn't be defeated. I highly recommend the series and both books. After the last chapter of book 2, I hope there will be a 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th...
May 20, 2020
If the author would just continue writing these books, I'd be happy to continue reading them! I'm so invested in Great Paxford and the WI, so much so that Frances, Sarah, Erica, Pat, Steph and Theresa have become like long-time friends. Their fortitude, wisdom and perseverance shine through the dark days and nights as their beloved village continues to take hits, direct and otherwise, from the increasingly dangerous war efforts. Heartwarming in the face of tragedy, hope struggling to grow alongside hopelessness, this is a beautifully written book and I will miss the characters and all of Great Paxford.
November 21, 2019
Well worth the wait, I enjoyed it all. If the author wants to do a post war on Great Paxton I’m sure that will be a wonderful post script, however, I loved the whole series book plus the dvd’s. I was right in there again with the WI ladies and happy with the ending.
November 21, 2019
Loved it and need another book to continue the story
November 5, 2019
love this series and can hardly wait for the next installment to come out. Wish they would not have canceled the TV series but glad they are doing the story in books now.
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