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April Grove, a Street at War #3
Keep Smiling Through
Following on from Goodbye Sweetheart and The Girls They Left Behind, this third novel in the author's sequence about working class family life during World War 2 takes the story through 1941-1943.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
13 people are currently reading
86 people want to read
About the author
Lilian Harry
65 books70 followersaka Donna Baker, Nicola West
Donna Thomson was born in Gosport, near Portsmouth Harbour, England, UK. Growing up during the terrifying years of the Blitz in a two-up, two-down terraced house, the youngest of four, she aspired to be a writer from an early age.
As a young woman she worked in the Civil Service and moved to Devon to be near her sailor husband. They had a son and a daughter. When the marriage ended, she and her two children moved to the Midlands, where she happily married again to her second husband. After living in the Lake District for twelve years, she finally moved back to Devon, and now lives in a village on the edge of Dartmoor. She lost her son Philip in 2008, and has two grandchildren. A keen walker and animal-lover, she now has a dog and three ginger cats to keep her busy, along with a wide range of hobbies she enjoys.
She started signing her romance novels as Donna Baker and Nicola West, now she also writes as Lilian Harry (inspired by the first names of her grandparents). Among her works are historical novels, romances and even two books giving advice on how to write short stories and novels.
Donna Thomson was born in Gosport, near Portsmouth Harbour, England, UK. Growing up during the terrifying years of the Blitz in a two-up, two-down terraced house, the youngest of four, she aspired to be a writer from an early age.
As a young woman she worked in the Civil Service and moved to Devon to be near her sailor husband. They had a son and a daughter. When the marriage ended, she and her two children moved to the Midlands, where she happily married again to her second husband. After living in the Lake District for twelve years, she finally moved back to Devon, and now lives in a village on the edge of Dartmoor. She lost her son Philip in 2008, and has two grandchildren. A keen walker and animal-lover, she now has a dog and three ginger cats to keep her busy, along with a wide range of hobbies she enjoys.
She started signing her romance novels as Donna Baker and Nicola West, now she also writes as Lilian Harry (inspired by the first names of her grandparents). Among her works are historical novels, romances and even two books giving advice on how to write short stories and novels.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 22, 2018
Although I read this book some time ago the story has stayed with me. Lillian Harry has given me some great enjoyment over the years. Storytelling at it's best.
July 9, 2024
I’m enjoying this series! The families in April Grove are not always calm as WW2 continues, but they are very determined to survive and “ carry on”.
Moving on to book #4, “ Moonlight and Lovesongs”.
Moving on to book #4, “ Moonlight and Lovesongs”.
December 17, 2017
Loved this book and thought it was really good story. Hard to put down. Recommended.
May 20, 2022
VERY GOOD, , THIS SET OF BOOKS STARTED MY ww2 fiction love addiction.
Iv always been extremley interested in ww2 so when i found Lillians harrys books I was thrilled.
never had known an author to write about ww2 in fiction books.
read these books in my teens and was totally hooked, have read this series about 3 times.... now need to buy on kindle.
Iv always been extremley interested in ww2 so when i found Lillians harrys books I was thrilled.
never had known an author to write about ww2 in fiction books.
read these books in my teens and was totally hooked, have read this series about 3 times.... now need to buy on kindle.
May 16, 2023
I'm glad the storyline with Micky has finally come to an end - it was my least favourite. That being said, Carol's added POV was interesting and I feel so bad for her - her mother is such a witch! I really hope we see Ethel get hers in the next book!
Although it kept me on my toes, this book wasn't heartbreaking like the last one.
Although it kept me on my toes, this book wasn't heartbreaking like the last one.
December 17, 2024
Similar to her #1 and #2 novels in the series, the plot was pretty thin (nonexistent?) and the characters mostly stereotypical, but I enjoyed it anyway and finished it.
March 10, 2015
A great wartime saga telling the tales and experiences of numerous characters and families as they live through the war, some are so sad and there are little moments of joy and happiness. There are Jess and Frank Budd who have some of their children evacuated to the country along with two other little girls Stella and Muriel who essentially end up as orphans. Annie and Ted have a lot going on with their elderly mother and a father declining into senile dementure as well as Annie having to cope with Ted's post traumatic stress after the evacuation of Dunkirk.
Tim and Keith are living with Mr. Beckitt in the countryside, then there is Micky Baxter the local troublemaker, his feisty mother Nancy and Granny Kinch and Ethel Glaister and her daughter Carol who gets into trouble with a sailor and who is friends with the local newsagents daughter Joy who have their own troubles as her father has been a prisoner of war and like Ted is struggling to return to civilian life.
Heartbreaks, tragedies and worries abound but all the characters believe in a light at the end of the tunnel and all they need to do is "Keep smiling through."
Wonderful storytelling and I found it hard to put down, told with a wealth of detail and a host of believable characters this is a must for fans of wartime tales.
Tim and Keith are living with Mr. Beckitt in the countryside, then there is Micky Baxter the local troublemaker, his feisty mother Nancy and Granny Kinch and Ethel Glaister and her daughter Carol who gets into trouble with a sailor and who is friends with the local newsagents daughter Joy who have their own troubles as her father has been a prisoner of war and like Ted is struggling to return to civilian life.
Heartbreaks, tragedies and worries abound but all the characters believe in a light at the end of the tunnel and all they need to do is "Keep smiling through."
Wonderful storytelling and I found it hard to put down, told with a wealth of detail and a host of believable characters this is a must for fans of wartime tales.
February 17, 2012
In the third volume of the Street at War series, Lilian Harry carries several storylines and knows just when to move from one to another.
Just about every facet of the wartime homefront experience is covered. The youngsters are getting to the end of their tether with being evacuated to the countryside, and the young women in the various families are growing up, whether their parents like it or not. There are heroes and villains, and always love. The adults watch in dismay as their sons serve and face grave dangers, and as their daughters make up their own minds about what their contribution to the effort should be. Almost everyone is anxious to "do their bit."
The characters who have the roughest time in Keep Smiling Through are the two fathers of the main family. There was a time when a father's word was the end of a subject, and that time has now passed. Adjusting to this new reality is almost insurmountably difficult.
There was one character we lost who I was sad to see go, and one I'd still like to see have a bomb fall upon, but there's still one more book in the series, so perhaps this awful person will have their comeuppance yet. In the meantime, I'll keep reading, as Lilian Harry rarely disappoints.
Just about every facet of the wartime homefront experience is covered. The youngsters are getting to the end of their tether with being evacuated to the countryside, and the young women in the various families are growing up, whether their parents like it or not. There are heroes and villains, and always love. The adults watch in dismay as their sons serve and face grave dangers, and as their daughters make up their own minds about what their contribution to the effort should be. Almost everyone is anxious to "do their bit."
The characters who have the roughest time in Keep Smiling Through are the two fathers of the main family. There was a time when a father's word was the end of a subject, and that time has now passed. Adjusting to this new reality is almost insurmountably difficult.
There was one character we lost who I was sad to see go, and one I'd still like to see have a bomb fall upon, but there's still one more book in the series, so perhaps this awful person will have their comeuppance yet. In the meantime, I'll keep reading, as Lilian Harry rarely disappoints.
October 30, 2013
only managed to read half of this book, dont seem to have the time to read it right now so have made a note of the page i finished on and will hopefully pick it up again in a few weeks, i have enjoyed what i have read so far and am looking forwards to seeing how it ends..
May 10, 2013
brilliantly written, very enjoyable
December 15, 2013
Book brought home from trip to London, provided a wonderful memory.
July 22, 2014
Actually amazed as I didn't think I would really enjoy this book, but it was quite easy to read and an interesting look into the lives of the people living in London during the 2nd world war
August 11, 2016
Writing style is out of date. Too difficult to read, which is too bad as the content looked good.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews