The Wartime Midwives

Wartime Midwives #1

by Daisy Styles

1939.

Mary Vale, a grand and imposing Mother and Baby Home, sits on the remote Fylde coast in Lancashire. Its doors are open to unmarried women who come to hide their condition and find sanctuary.

Women from all walks of life pass through Mary Vale, from beautiful waitress Emily, whose boyfriend has vanished without trace, to young Isla, cast out by her wealthy family after her first year at university goes horribly wrong.

Awaiting them is Nurse Ada and Sister Anne who work tirelessly to aid the mothers and safely deliver the babies. But the unforgiving Matron and Head of Governors, Captain Percival, have other, more sinister, ideas.

As war looms the women at Mary Vale must pull together for the sake of themselves and their babies and Ada and Anne must help protect their patients, no matter what the cost.

Praise for Daisy Styles

'This book brought home wonderfully the vivid camaraderie wartime women shared and their immense sacrifices on the Home Front. Well done Daisy for creating characters that are real women in the best sense. Funny, scheming, loyal and witty, but about all, hardworking and proud. An absolute joy to read' Kate Thompson, bestselling author of Secrets of the Singer Girls

'Feisty young women, a country house in wartime and a scheming aristocrat - all ingredients for a cracking story with truly endearing characters' Annie Murray, bestselling author of Now The War Is Over

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, World War II

400 pages, Paperback

Published December 25, 2018

Reviews

[Eva · Rating 3 out of 5]

Author Daisy Styles was completely unfamiliar to me when the invitation to join this tour landed in my inbox. But with a historical fiction story about midwives in the early years of WWII, how could you possibly go wrong?

Mary Vale is a mother and baby home, a place of sanctuary for unmarried mothers-to-be who need to hide away their pregnancies. Women from all walks of life travel to the coast of Lancashire to have their babies in peace. So, we meet Emily, an unmarried waitress whose boyfriend has disappeared. There is also Shirley, a fifteen year old girl who needs protecting in more ways than one, and Isla whose parents kicked her out of her home the minute they discovered she was pregnant. Some of these women will return home with their babies, some will put their children up for adoption. And despite their differences, they may just find friends for life.

But not everything is as perfect as it seems at Mary Vale. Matron is not a very nice person and that’s putting it mildly. She and Sir Percival, Head of Governors, come up with quite the sinister scheme. The women at Mary Vale will need to pull together to keep their babies safe.

I must admit that I tend to like my historical fiction with a bit more depth and bite to it but there is something about these women that just pulled me in. It’s hard to imagine the days that unmarried pregnant women had to hide themselves away aren’t that far behind us and sad to see how parents valued their status above their own daughters, having no qualms but to throw them out of house and home because the shame and disgrace was too hard to handle. Even with a war looming, these women needed a safe space because as one of the characters is fond of saying : life goes on. Babies will not stop being born.

The Wartime Midwives is a heartwarming and moving story about love and friendship during the hardest of times. There are some wonderful moments between mums and their babies, but also some truly emotional ones. These characters will worm their way into your heart and you will root for them every step of the way. If you like your historical fiction a bit more on the lighter side or enjoy tv series like Call The Midwife, then this is definitely for you.

[Joanne Robertson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Daisy Styles books and I always feel like I’m coming home when I pick up her new book. I’m a relative newcomer to them and it says a lot about her style and attraction that she is the only author of this genre that I read!! I really am a huge fan and signed up to this tour even though I’m away when the post actually goes out so any shares are very much appreciated!

It’s hard to believe that it’s not particularly that long ago that young unmarried mothers were so ashamed of getting pregnant that they were shipped off (in disgrace by their families or even checking themselves in unknown to their loved owns) to give birth and have their babies adopted. It was only the very brave few who went intending to keep their baby as being a single mother then wasn’t on the same level of acceptance as it is today!! But if they went somewhere like that then I would like to think that they would have had support from people like Ada or nuns like Sister Anna. They wanted the very best for the young women who had some very stressful and life changing decisions to make. But here we also see the unscrupulous side of adoption where money seems to talk and Matron alongside the horrible Percy, head of the governing body, are definitely listening to the sound of that cash rattling rather than the young women themselves.

There were some very tender moments between mums and babies plus some rather distressing scenes for some but even so, I adored this book from the very first page. It swept me into another time and place where I gradually came to feel like I really belonged in that era, it felt that authentic to me. It captured perfectly the British Way of life captivating me throughout even though I’m glad that I do live in a world where women are now empowered to make their own choices (well, here in the UK certainly even if other countries in our “civilised” society seem to have regressed recently!!) about motherhood.

Daisy Styles has taken women from different ways of life and in differing personal relationships as her main perspectives here and each of them brought a distinctive point of view with them. As an author, it’s her “thing” and she does it perfectly with each new book she brings out.

Heartbreaking, insightful and with a warmth of human nature that bats the scheming baddies out of the way, The Wartime Midwives is perfect for lovers of Call The Midwife. Well worth checking out if you’re a fan!

[Skyesmum · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like Daisy's writing style, it's emotive, well researched and just thoroughly lovely.

Thanks for the opportunity to read and review 😊.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the books of Daisy Styles and she always pens a good story,This book tugs at the heartstrings,the friendhips formed and the care given to help the women deliver their babies and the help they are given to move on with their lives with or without their babies.definitely a book to read to read 5*

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It's set at the start of world war two, in a maternity home. The girls find sanctuary there from their various backgrounds. Most of the girls who find themselves at Mary Vale have been abandoned by their families when their pregnancy is discovered, and most are eager to have their babies adopted so they can then get on with their lives. The home is situated in the north of England, between the lake district and the sea. The descriptions of the location and of the girls and staff at Mary Vale are wonderful, so well brought to life, so easy to imagine. I would love to read a sequel.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow what can I say, a heartwarming story of love and friendship at the start of the Second World War. Mary Vale was a mother and baby home run by Nuns. This book tells of the lives of the young girls, and women who went there to give birth. Although the came from all walks of life, and all had different experiences, they all bonded during their time there. A great read that I highly recommend

[Mabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant! This is a truly engrossing page turner of a book. It is at times an emotional rollercoaster as pregnant mums await the arrival of their babies, but all is not as it seems at Mary Vale house. As an ex midwife I found it really enjoyable and well written.

[Brid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for allowing me to read this arc.
Daisy Styles always delivers!!
A beautiful story of hardship and true friendship during the toughest of times for a group of women forced together in a home for single mothers, before, during and after they deliver their babies.
Despite the hardships, betrayal and sadness the women are mostly happy together and form true, everlasting friendship.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this Author! Another fantastic book. A heartwarming tale, a great story of how friendship and love will overcome the worst possible scenarios. Such fantastic characters, I'm going to miss them, didn't want the book to end.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book set in a Mother and Baby home during the war years. Some of the mother's are sent to the house to have their babies secretly and then to return to their lives after having a baby adopted. They are looking for support from the midwives and the other young mums. As the war takes hold the home gets ready to have mothers who are escaping the areas at risk of bombing. The women really bond well together. It was really heartwarming in places.

The management of the home are not so kind and welcoming and they have to find out what is going on behind closed doors. You are willing them to get to the bottom of the problem


I am really keen to read more by Daisy Styles

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a huge and rather embarrassing confession to make. Yes yet another one. Although I have Daisy’s other books on my ever increasing ‘To Be Read’ mountain, I haven’t actually read one yet. My Mam has read them all and she loves them. She is a wise woman. Judging by how much I enjoyed reading ‘The Wartime Midwives’, I can guarantee that her other books will not be on that mountain for very much longer. I flipping well loved, no make that adored, reading ‘The Wartime Midwives’ but more about that in a bit.
I must admit that my heart went out to all of the young ladies, who found themselves in trouble and expecting a baby. Some of the young girls went through some horrific experiences and as a result some of the girls give their babies up for adoption. It’s as if their baby is a permanent reminder of the trauma that they went through. Others of the young girls wanted to have fun before their sweethearts went overseas to fight for the Allies and the baby is the result., whereas others slept with their boyfriends, who turn out to be lying scumbags. Overall I wanted to jump inside the pages of the book to give the pregnant young women a huge hug and to reassure them that things would be ok. I was especially interested to see how the pregnant young women were treated by their parents and the wider community. Part of that is down to my own family tree. One of my Aunties had a relationship with a man she worked with and she ended up pregnant. The birth father was married and he was a man of some standing within the community. In our case, my Aunty was initially thrown out of her family home but she was eventually taken back in and she was looked after by her sisters. My Aunty was allowed to keep her baby.
Oh my word, ‘The Wartime Midwives’ certainly tugged on my heartstrings and then some. In fact the situation of the various young ladies actually made me develop a lump in my throat. I was hooked on ‘The Wartime Midwives’ from the very beginning and I just couldn’t put the book down. The book wasn’t exactly glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it came everywhere with me. I seemed to speed through the book and I was shocked to discover that I had read a third of the book when I looked up for the first time. I was enjoying the author’s writing style, the storylines and the characters so much that I noticed neither the speed with which the time was passing nor the speed with which the pages were turning. My desperation to find out how the story concluded seemed to soar with each page that I turned over. At one point the page numbers were speeding past so quickly that they became a blur.
For me, ‘The Wartime Midwives’ is superbly written. The book does what is says on the tin. The book is billed as being perfect for fans of ‘Call The Midwife’ and Donna Douglas. I honestly couldn’t agree more. I am a huge fan of the programme and Donna’s books . If there’s one thing this Ginger Book Geek likes, it’s historical fiction and ‘The Wartime Midwives’ certainly ticks the historical fiction box. The author grabs your attention from the start and she dangles enough bait to ensure that you keep on reading. I mean that in the nicest possible way. The author uses such powerful and vivid descriptions that I really did feel as though I had been transported back to Wartime Britain and back to a time when attitudes towards single mothers were a lot less enlightened than the attitudes we have today.
In short, I adored reading ‘The Wartime Midwives’ and I will definitely be recommending it to other readers. I can’t wait to read more from Daisy Styles but whilst I wait for her next book, I will definitely be reading her other books just as soon as I can. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful book, it's very easy to compare it to call the midwife. It has the same warmth and drama.

All the characters come together in the Mary Vale home for unmarried expectant mothers alongside a convent. We meet Shirley, Isla, Emily, Nancy, and Daphne who are the expectant mothers and. Midwives Sister Ada and her support worker Anne, who is a nun. Also, a lady who at the insistence of her husband has evacuated there as she is pregnant and has a small son Robin.

There are two Characters who made the hairs on my neck stand up with their lack of morals and deviousness and that bring drama and betrayal to the book namely Sir Percival, who has spent most of his money gambling and has a high maintenance and very expensive mistress in his apartment in London so is looking for a way to make a fast buck and the Matron of the home who has feelings for Sir Percival, but he is married to in her words "a sop".

This is such a lovely story and had my emotions running high throughout. It is built on courage and love but has an element of fun in it. I couldn't put it down.

[Nicola Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really did not mean to read this whole entire book in pretty much one sitting, but I couldn’t help myself. I couldn’t put the book down and I was completely enamoured with the story telling and the lives of the women at Mary Vale. I grew to love all the women that breezed through the doors of the hospital, each with their own stories to tell as well as the sisters and nurses that looked after them. It was such a beautiful story and such a joy to read.

With plenty of drama too, it kept your entertained and eagerly turning the pages with anticipation of what was going to happen next. United against a common enemy; the matron, it really made for compelling reading and I just adored the whole book.

The sense and feeling of sisterhood, friendship and love that seeped through the pages made for a lovely read and I’d recommend this book for anyone who wanted a lovely feel good story with some amazingly strong women!! I will definitely be re-reading this book in the future.

[Nicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mary vale in the beautiful Lake District is a home for unmarried mothers run by nuns. At the outbreak of ww2 several women arrive through its doors, from disgraced titled ladies to poor young girls.

As they settle into life at the home, far away from the prying eyes of disapproving 1930's citizens they discover a world of kind midwives, comradeship among the expectant mum's and Sadly, some less than savory characters with money on their mind.

This was a thoroughly entertaining book, from the pen of the lady who brought us the bomb girls books. There were lots of rather funny moments, and a few that tug at your heartstrings. I really enjoyed it, my favourite character was Daphne, she reminded me a lot of a character in another series of books I read!! Great book,highly recommend it

[Kathy E · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another book by Daisy Styles that you cannot put down. From page one. I was absolutely hooked on reading this. The story takes in the ladies in the Mary Vale home from unmarried mothers run in conjunction with a convent. The midwives in this story are Ada who was the sister on the maternity and her co-worker a nun called Sister Anne who tiresley work together to keep everything running smoothly ins the home. Then you have the characters of the unmarried mothers, Shirley, Nancy, Emily, Daphne, Isla and one married lady who leaves London because of the war and she has a son Robin who certainly livens the place up. All these ladies have their own personal stories of how the ended up in Mary Vale. Not to forget the baddies in this story the Matron and Sir Percival. I have given enough of this story away, so I recommend that you read it. I have given it 5 stars.

[Roz Radmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another exciting and gripping tale from this popular author of wartime stories .
Mary Vale is a large , imposing house on the edge of Morecambe Bay in Lancashire . It is a Mother and Baby Home . Open to unmarried mothers who come seeking help and sanctuary .
Set in 1939 just before the outbreak of war this was a period where being pregnant outside of marriage was something shameful and to be feared .
Many women from all walks of life pass through the doors of Mary Vale , most just want to give their babies up for adoption . The nurses and nuns who run the home only want the best for the residents . However the Matron and the Governor have ideas to make themselves rich at the cost of the unwanted babies . Will their plans be discovered ?

[Nia Parry · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book but found it a bit far fetched, such as walking for over 30 miles with a baby in the middle of winter? Surely it would’ve been easier to pop to the town’s police station? But that may just be me being without an exciting imagination and too realistic for my own good. Also, as the title mentions the war I was hoping for a better insight to how it would’ve affected midwives than what it actually did. As the home was in the countryside it doesn’t seem to have any effect apart from the lady who was evacuated from London. I feel that this novel would’ve been more successful had it been set before the war and no mention of it - the storyline is strong enough without the need for it.

[Lisbeth Zabihi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oplæser: Helen Lloyd - hende er jeg rigtig tilfreds med. God oplæsning.

Historien foregår på et kloster hvor unge ugifte kvinder kan komme for at føde deres - i de fleste tilfælde - uønskede børn. Meget kærlighed udspinder sig inden for væggene af klostret. Mellem de unge vordende mødre, mellem søstrene der driver stedet og mellem mor og barn. Oftest skal børnene bortadopteres. Enkelte gange kæmper de unge mødre sig til at kunne beholde barnet. Men ikke alt er som det skal være.... jo jo - spænding er der også plads til. Dejlig lytning. Vil helt sikkert kaste mig over flere bøger af samme forfatter.

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a good story telling of the Mary Vale- a mother & baby home in the North of England. As England moves towards war many young women come there to hide away from shame & to have their babies.

In spite of the hideous Matron, the girls are supported by each other & by Nursing sister Ada & religious & nursing Sister Anne.

I have read previous books by Daisy Styles & she always captures the time & place of the action as well as creating characters that the reader cares about.

Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

[Peter Young · Rating 3 out of 5]

A new Author to me and not exactly the boys war story that I might have chosen to read in the past. However it was a random gift so I gave it a go. At first I was disappointed and I still think that the characters were a bit shallow - either goody two shoes or evil through and through. Nevertheless the story got going and that kept me engaged to the end. I have given it to a friend who was adopted so he might get some insight into the attitudes of a different age by which his natural mother was forced to give him up.

[Lucy Dunphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic read. I would really recommend this to anybody who is a fan of Call the Midwife. Such a heart warming story of friendship and love during uncertain times of war. The stories of each of the characters kept me interested and seeing how they evolved throughout the book. Matron and Sir Percival are two of the most despicable characters I've ever come across. I will definitely be checking out more books by Daisy Styles in the future as I am more than impressed with this one.

[Bri C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely rich story set against a mother and baby home in world war 2. A mixture of women brought together from such different backgrounds united by pregnancy and impeding births. There are the professional caring midwives to look after them, however the management of the house is as corrupt as it could be. Easy to read, satisfying ending.

[mois reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Midwives

This was a fantastic book from page 1 I was drawn in I loved the way the women stuck together the nuns as well as the priest they made Mary veil a great place to stay. 5 STARS.

[amy hartley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Evil intent clips down the echoing corridors which should be filled with joy, it more often tinged with sadness. At a difficult time in these girls lives the nursing sister and the nuns makes every day a little better unroll terror fills the halls. A mist read. Couldn't put it down.

[Trudie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 2nd Daisy Styles book I have read and I have really enjoyed it. Its sad to think that girls had to go to these places to be hidden away. Tense in places and incredibly sad but heartwarming. Highly recommended

[Sarah Truckell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not usually my kind of book but there was more to this than I expected. Lovely warm characters that you wanted to befriend and wish well. But also a twist that I hadn’t anticipated. I do like a happy ending

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trigger Warning: discussion of infant death and suicide on the book not the review










This book was a very good read although should have come with a trigger warning. It was far fetched in some places like walking across the lake district but was on the whole an excellent read

[Beth Newell · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Wartime Midwives" by Daisy Styles is a really good book. The book had reminded me of "Call the Midwife" series. Ms. Styles always provides the reader with rich characters and a good setting. Can't wait to read / listen to the other books in the series.

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A different story to the Bomb girls series. A good read.

[Annette O'grady · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book was definitely a very enjoyable book did not take me long as i could not book this book down