An Orphan’s Wish

by Molly Green

War rages, but the women and children of Liverpool’s Dr Barnardo’s Home cannot give up hope.

LIVERPOOL, 1943
Yorkshire is the place Lana has always called home, but it’s now filled with painful memories of her fiancé, Dickie, who was killed at sea. When she accepts the challenging position of headmistress at a school in Liverpool, she hopes a new beginning will help to mend her broken heart.

A BATTLE TO FIGHT
Not everyone at Bingham School is happy about her arrival but Lana throws herself into the role, teaching children from the local village and the nearby Dr Barnardo’s orphanage. She thrives in her work, but soon finds herself falling for a man who she would once have considered the enemy – and is torn between what she knows is right, and taking a risk that might see her lose everything.

THE STRENGTH TO HOPE
There are children that desperately need her help, and Lana must fight for everyone’s happiness, as well as her own. But one young girl in particular shows her that there is a way through the darkness – because even when all seems lost, there is always a glimmer of hope to be found…

Genres: Historical Fiction, World War II, Fiction, Historical, Romance

411 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 29, 2018

Reviews

[Shirley Revill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read other books by Molly Green and once again she didn't disappoint. The story starts out with Lana who is deeply in love with her fiance Dickie. With war raging they plan to marry when Dickies ship docks into Liverpool but sadly this was not meant to be. Many men didn't come home from war with husband's, father's, son's and sweethearts lost. Lives where changed forever as was Lana's.

Lana knows that to help with her grieving she must continue working and find another teaching job.
She soon lands the job of temporary headteacher at a school in Liverpool. This starts a new chapter in Lana's life with helping the children at the school and also the orphanage up the road.

A story of love,loss and helping others. A truly inspirational story that will stay in my heart for a long time. Thank you to Netgalley UK, Molly Green and Avon books UK for giving me the chance to review this book. This in no way biases my opinion of this book. I can't wait to read other books in the future by Molly Green as I truly enjoyed this one so much.

[Deanne Patterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read all of the Dr. Bernardo Orphanage books by Molly Green, all excellent. This one is no exception, very moving,heartbreaking to know what the children went through before they arrived at the orphanages. There were over 60,000 children who passed through the orphanages before it closed. Dr. Bernardo was only able to take in boys before he married after he married he was able to help girls as well. They were cared for but an adult who was cared for described it as being cared for minus the love, so sad. This focuses on a young girl, Priscilla who loses both parents during a black out. She is unable to accept this tragedy and keeps telling herself they are coming back for her, that she's not an orphan. Lana is the new headmistress at the school and changes are being made for the better. She is devastated after the death of fiancee Dickie but the headmistress job is helping her heal. She takes a special interest in helping Priscilla and the child blossoms under her care. Sweet romance finds Lana but what will she do when two very different men take a deep interest in her. Will she choose the right one? This book touched my heart, fabulous!
Pub Date 29 Nov 2018
I was given a complimentary copy of this book from Avon Books UK through NetGalley. Thank you. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another beautiful story surrounding life at the Barnardo home for orphans.Lana is struggling to cope after the loss she has suffered and she applies to join up but sadly is rejected due to flat feet.So as she is a trained teacher she applies for a temporary position as Head teacher at the school in Liverpool.As she heads to her new job she is hoping it will heal her broken thoughts,and she finds it is helping as she has a lot to do.Lana is concerned about a young girl from the orphanage who has suffered and has fallen so far behind.Lana is determined to turn the little girls life around.I highly recommend this book.well worth 5*

[Judy Christiana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am sorry to write that I did not enjoy this book very much. The writing style seemed to me to be very over simplified and uninteresting. I could not get involved in the story. I pushed through it, but honestly I did not care what was happening to the characters. I kept checking what percentage I still had to read have it completed.

I admire authors so much for their imagination and perseverance, I hope my review does not upset Molly Green, the author of this book. It just was not for me.

I want to thank NetGalley.com and the publisher for allowing me to read the ARC of this book.

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

An emotional read

This is Molly Green's third book about World war two as Enghish orphanage, the stuff take and the teachers. It is an emotional book. I have come to love these children and their stories. I highly recommend this book.

[Miriam Smith (A Mother’s Musings) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Picked this up for £1 on Amazon and what a bargain! Wonderful story that I enjoyed end to end, an absolute joy to read and will be seeking more books by Molly Green for sure!

[Kristina Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Orphan’s Wish is another delightful historical novel from Molly Green. It can be read alone if you have not read the other two books in this series. I thought An Orphan’s Wish was a moving story. Lana needs a fresh start after her fiancé’s death and accepts a position as temporary headteacher at the Bingham School. She makes helpful changes to the school and her grief begins to lessen. Lana encounters the residents of Dr. Bernardo’s orphanage who live at Bingham Hall. Lana enjoys spending time at the orphanage and her heart is captured by Priscilla Morgan. Priscilla begins to blossom from Lana’s care and attention. There are two men interested in Lana and they are very different from each other. One could take Lana away from the new life she has established. An Orphan’s Wish is a story of love and loss as well as helping those in need. There are wonderful characters in the story, and I like the village of Bingham. There were some interesting surprises in this heartwarming novel. The story moves along at a gentle pace which suits the story. I wish that the author had provided an epilogue because the story felt incomplete to me. An Orphan’s Wish is a touching story with a raging war, a friendly enemy, a chaotic roommate, a foundling home, a charming village, and cat named Rupert.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great read by Molly Green. This time the book is about Lana who leaves her family in Yorkshire to and take over as Headmistress at a village school just outside Liverpool. Just as Lana starts to settle in the old Headmaster is sent back from the war wounded and wanting his job back. Luckily for Lana a temporary job as a driver becomes available at the local Dr Barnardo’s orphanage which she happily takes on. The Orphanage is also in two other books by Molly. An orphan in the snow and an orphans war. If you’ve not read either of these it’s ok to read this book like a stand-alone. I’m sure though you will love the books so much you’ll want to read all three. I highly recommend this book.

[Marian Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

a very easy read

[Carol Fillmore · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a decent read, kept my interest but it was predictable: a happy ever after kind of book. It's not a book that I will remember for its brilliant insights, writing style, etc.

[Elba M · Rating 3 out of 5]

Heartwarming reading

I enjoyed reading this book but I always thought that it was not written for my age range. Is perfect for young readers that are interested in this time period. Is a very G rating book. Is not a sad book even though it takes place during the latter part of the war.

[Shirley McAllister · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love shines through

I loved this book. The characters in Molly's books are so realistic. I start reading and can't stop until I read every page. Now I can't wait for the next book so I can read about Lana and Frank's life together.

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

The third in the series involving the Dr. Barnardo orphanages established during the late 1800's but continued until the mid 1950's.
Lana was a teacher and engaged to be married to Dickie but when his ship was torpedoed during WWI and he was not one of the crew that was rescued, she was devastated. She quit her job as a teacher when her mother fell ill as she was needed to help her parents with their small grocery store. Her mother is recovering and Lana isn't sure what she is going to do, she does not want to return to her old job. Then she sees an ad in the paper for a headmistress of a school near Liverpool. She has never been a headmistress but her father encourages her to apply. When she was accepted, she moves to a small town near Liverpool and begins work. There is a Dr. Barnardo orphanage near by and several of the children attend the school she is working at. She isn't completely happy in her new role as not all the staff seem to like her. When her job comes to an end, she finds a position at the orphanage and there she meets the parent of one of the children.
Some of the characters who were introduced in the other two books in this series are in this book as well and it is nice to read what had happened to them. Not many books have been written about these orphanages even though over 60,000 children passed through these doors. An important part of history involving this period of time. Many of these children were transported to Canada and the U.S.

[Sharon Shre · Rating 3 out of 5]

Title – An Orphan’s Wish
Author – Molly Green
Genre : Historical Fiction
Lana Ashwin met Dickie from the Navy, a dark-haired and handsome guy. When the war started, they feared separation and secretly got engaged. Dickie gave his grandma’s ring as a token of love, and she wore it around her neck. They planned to inform their parents after his arrival. She waited eagerly for his ship to return to Liverpool, unfortunately, it never. It was blown up by the Germans, and she never saw him again.
As the story paces, Lana finds a temporary Headmistress job in Bingham, near Liverpool. Her work kept her occupied with less haunted thoughts of Dickie. Meeting the children of Dr. Bernardo’s orphanage made her realize that she is not the only victim of the war. She developed an instant liking towards Priscilla Morgan, who lost her parents in a car accident and still awaiting their arrival. Both have suffered the loss differently, and recuperating is essential for new hope and beginning.
An Orphan’s Wish is a moving story of love and loss, war and pain, the hardship on the family, and a broader spectrum of humanity. The author has brilliantly narrated the character of Priscilla, an insecure child, on losing everything and detached from all. But Lana's fondness towards her drastically changes her perspective, and she blooms. As the story progress, characters are well built. The cover and the title are very aesthetically done and apt for the subject. A thick book of 422 pages is an emotional story that will pull your heartstrings and it lingered in me for long.
Looking forward to reading more of Green Molly’s Collection.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Orphan’s Wish is by Molly Green. This book takes place during World War I south of Liverpool. Bingham Hall is where Dr. Carl Barnard has set up his orphanage. Generally, the children from the orphanage did not attend the local school; but this year a few of them did.
Lana Ashwin wanted to do something for the war effort; but she was needed to help her father run his grocery store. She also needed to be near to be able to see Dickie when his ship made homeport. They were secretly engaged and when his ship came in, they would tell their folks and everyone and then get married. However, her dreams came to an end with the telegram telling her of Dickie’s death. Now she really needed to get away. She answered an advertisement for a head mistress of a school. Never dreaming she would be hired, she applied. However, they didn’t need her. A few days later, she got a call that she was needed if she would take it temporarily. So, Lana headed for Bingham to be Head mistress of the school. The book tells of her adventures being headmistress and dealing with children like Priscilla whose parents died and she refused to accept it or Peter whose Father was German.
The book is cute and it is emotional as well. It is well worth reading.

[Bethany Swafford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lana Ashwin has lost her fiance to the war. Though she longs to help with the war effort, she is unable to qualify and she finds herself teaching once again. Two orphans of war catch her attention and as she tries to help them both, she finds love just around the corner.

Lana's heartbreak and feelings at the beginning of the story are exactly as I would imagine them to be. She hates the Germans for killing her fiance. She wants to help the war effort and is reluctant to return the work she'd done before. As first a headmistress of a school and then a teacher in an orphanage, she meets several new friends and children who change her thinking.

There is a bit of a love triangle, which I found tiresome. On the one hand, there is Carl, a German who chose to help the Allies. On the other hand, there is Frank, a light-hearted local vet. Lana develops feelings for them both but goes back and forth on what she thinks of each man.

I found this to be a heartwarming story of World War Two, and I would recommend it to any reader fond of the time period. I received a free copy from NetGalley for reviewing purposes.

[Patsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The teachers and children at Dr. Barnardo's Home for orphans in Liverpool all were hoping that World War II would end soon but the war rages on. This is a story about Lana, a young teacher that lost her husband in the war. She finds a temporary job at the orphanage, when that plays out she gets a job at Bingham School for young children.

This is a story about love, bravery, caring for others, regardless of the task, an inspirational story that pulls at your heartstrings. This revealed the reality of the hardships that the war had on individuals, children and families. Also, how much people had to give up but at the same time how it brought people closer together. This was a very engaging story with strong character while telling an excellent story of World War II.

[Lois Clarke · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a bit long in my opinion, and, I started to lose interest about three quarters into the book. The story line was ok, but, a bit fluffy. The author has written a few more books about the orphanage, however, I doubt that I will read them.
Chapter six: Lana, in the classroom, refers to a student twice as Jennifer, then a couple of short sentences later, calls her Josephine. I really cannot imagine that a proof reader would not pick up on this small error.
This is the second book that I have read featuring Dr Barnardo’s orphanage. The other book was The Forgotten Home Child by Genevieve Graham, however, the orphanage treated the children very cruelly in this book.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Molly Green writes a lot of books and this is my first book . I liked it and the storyline was great as Was is happening In and around England by the Germans yet this book is Not about war . It’s about an orphanage and a woman’s journey through her grief of her fiancé Dickie who was killed at sea by the Germans . She moves to a new town as she teaches and does a lot of self discovery of her self while helping an orphan girl and falling in love with a German . It’s not my type of writing as I found it rather dull in places and perhaps “wordy” and could have been a bit shorter . But overall good wholesome story.

[Penny Fernandes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to say that the book really had me guessing where the title played in till the very end and I loved it! An Orphan's Wish by Molly Green is a heart wrenching tale of how World War II affected not just soldiers and countries but families. It talks about loss and sorry but more importantly how important it was to move on. It made me laugh and it made me cry and sometimes it just made me smile. I think the range of emotions that Molly Green takes you through is one of the hallmarks of what makes this book so good.

[Gemma Deary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not my usual genre but I certainly loved every minute of this book. Lana is devestated by the loss of her fiance during the war and vowed to hate every single German for ever. A vacancy for a headmistress in Liverpool comes up and Lana snatches the opportunity to start living her life again, she quickly develops a bond with a little girl that sadly can't accept that she is now an orphan and her parents won't be coming back for her.
A wonderful, touching love story that will stay with me for a long time, 5 * for me

[BookReviews21T · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is really good for readers who want to learn more about the emotions of distant relationships and the struggle and fall of losing family because of war. It is an amazing book for anybody who feels confused between doing what they want and what they should do.
An Orphan's Wish shows hope even in the darkest of times.
The book is very well structured and the vocabulary used definitely broadens the mind and knowledge. This book is definitely a good read and I would highly recommend it.

[Christine Goodnough · Rating 5 out of 5]

An intriguing story set in the WWII years. Having lost her finance tot a German torpedo, Lana despises all Germans. After a few months of depression she applies for the position of head mistress in a school near Liverpool, and becomes involved with a young girl who's an orphan at one of Bernardo's homes. As she get more involved with this orphanage, she meets a tall, very handsome German, now working for British intelligence and she has to rethink her attitude.

The story is realistic, well researched and plays out very nicely. I thoroughly enjoyed it and was glad for the way it ended.

[Kathleen Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lana has to move on after the loss of her fiancé who was killed at sea. She opts to change scenes entirely and takes a job at the Bingham School and volunteers at Dr. Barnardo's orphanage. This is heartwarming stuff, set in WWII and filled with both struggle and hope. There's also some romance which adds tension to the tale. It's a quick read, no surprises really, but still one that smooths the edges. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. For fans of historical fiction.

[Phyllis · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Awesome WWII Historical Noble

I thoroughly enjoyed this fictional novel. The characters were interesting with their wide range of temperaments. The author cleverly designed their development as they adapted to their ever changing situations. I read in bed at night on my Kindle and read too far into the night as I was often telling myself, "just one more chapter"! I highly recommend this book.

[Emma Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

A 5 star rating for a book based in the second world war about two people accepting loss of loved ones. One is a teacher and the other is a pupil at a local school struggling to come to terms with the death of her parents. Through understanding they share a common bond. A thoroughly enjoyable read about the Dr Barnardo's Children's Homes and the school.

[Connie J Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

War Story

War, add in an orphanage, headmistress and gallons of hot tea.
Rationing of gas and sugar, eggs... so many children in need.
Lana is a modern woman, grieving for her fiancé killed by the Nazi's.
This story has emotions that slide off the page into your heart.
#PICKTHISBOOK
#READTHISSERIES

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this the 3rd and last in the Orphan's series. I like Molly Green's style if a touch prudish in her descriptions, but that is ok, as I guess many like that. Plus it could be the time period.
The characters are interesting and I looked forward to each time when I went to bed to settle in for a few more chapters.

[Dr. Walter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surprisingly warm and funny book about orphans and carers finding love and happiness in WW2

First book by this author. She did a marvelous job of making you want to keep reading about all the trials and tribulations of love, war, orphan-hood and angst of young women caring for orphans.