Hannah's War

Memory Lane

by Shirley Mann

A moving and dramatic World War II Land Girl saga

It's 1942 and at nineteen years old Hannah Compton has the world at her feet. But with World War II raging, the country is in turmoil, and Hannah decides to do her bit for the War effort. Her beloved grandfather taught her to grow vegetables in his market garden, so to make him proud she becomes one of over 200,000 women to join the Land Army. Posted to Salhouse Farm on the outskirts of Norwich, Hannah is excited for the adventure ahead of her.

But soon reality hits. Hannah is a city girl at heart and life in the countryside is not what she'd imagined. It's cold, she hates the hard work, she misses her friends back in Manchester, and she has to share a double bed with a stranger. As Hannah gets used to the punishing farm work and makes some friends, she starts to settle in. But she simply can't get used to living side by side with the German prisoners of war. She tries to avoid them at all costs, convinced they must be trouble. Then a young German doctor steps in to save Hannah and she is swept off her feet.

In a country at war, will Hannah be prepared to risk everything for the enemy?

Genres: Audiobook

400 pages, Paperback

Published July 1, 2022

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another brilliantly written book from Shirley Mann. I get completely immersed in her page-turning narratives and the life-like characters she creates and this book is no exception.

[Julie Homer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a lovely book
Story based in wartime
Hannah’s struggle from being a land girl and falling in love 5*

[Trudie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is Hannah's story, she joins the Land Army and slowly learns how to work ona farm. While there she meets Karl, a POW and falls in love.

[Nicola Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m somewhat reading this series out of order but it hasn’t been too much of a bind. I started with Lily’s War and love that there’s a book dedicated to a character and their experience with their respective wars.

In this one, we join the rather reserved Hannah who, not only young and naive, has a lot of fear to overcome. She joins the Land Army and it was truly the making of her! It was so nice to see her go from strength to strength and to read how much she grew from the girl we met at the start.

She won me over with her heart of a trier attitude and I was rooting for her so hard. I also enjoyed getting to know the other characters that she worked alongside with. I’m excited to start the next one in the Women at War series.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a long term lover of Shirley Manns writing. She is a lovely lady and I’m blessed to have shared a conversation or two with her regarding her books.

Without any spoilers…this is just as good as Lily and Bobby. It’s so lovely to see the different sides of the war and now there were SO many different roles for women.

It’s wonderful to hear of how the LA girls made or found their fun out of the simplest things.
There is friendship, love, trust, heartbreak and what I love is the serious family incidents / traumas that are mentioned that remind you that not only are these girls working in a war but they also have their own issues going on physically or mentally. It makes me feel so grateful for being in the times we are now and having so much to be blessed for.
Please pick it up and read but read Lily and Bobby first - all 3 books you won’t put down!! Bring on Bridget’s War in 2023.

One last thing is….the last line of the book….say no more!!!! Xx

[Marie Cluett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the previous books by this author and they are all linked by characters. This was my least favourite but I look forward to Bridget's War which is apparently the next book.

[Isobel Gilbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

I met Shirley Mann and her husband at Braunstone Marina where she had a stall at the Historic Boat Show. I bought Maggie's War and Hannah's War from her. This is the book I read first and I enjoyed it very much. It was an unusual angle to take for a Second World War story - the Land Girls - and one that I found interesting. The characters are very well written and I liked many of them ( there were others that I disliked) and the story (although, yes it's a love story) was well-paced and kept my interest. Some lovely lines and ideas from Elize that give the reader something to think about too. I understand from the conversation that I had with Shirley Mann that she believes research is extremely valuable when writing novels and personally I think that shines through the story.

[Mary Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

The third book in Shirley Mann's series about women during WW2 is even better than the first two! The author transports you right back to wartime in the 1940s and her attention to detail brings it to life, making you feel like you are there. This book is complicated by Hannah, the Land Girl, falling in love with a German prisoner-of-war, so it is very different from the others, but definitely just as compelling. A great read!

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

These books are so intense and draw you in the the story straight away
Showing you how the girls who join the ATA the land Army
A must read of the 4 books so far with a new one coming out in 2025
Have so enjoying reading them and my first books with this Author

[Yvonne Wood · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading and enjoying Lily’s War, I was looking forward to this one. I enjoyed too - til I got the end. What a limp insipid ending. It was as though the author had somewhere to go and needed to wrap it up quickly. I felt very shortchanged.

[Jennifer Palmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A amazing read, on the edge of my chair until the last page. Surprises along the way and there is a hint to the authors newest work.

[josephine Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good but different story.

This story must have happened in real life hundreds of times. This author has portrayed a very difficult decision that has ended in a superb story.

[Karen Sherst · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the story but it got a bit long in the end

[Laura Wallis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn't put this one down it was justbasd good as lillys war and Bobby's war

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book could not put it down had the pleasure of meeting shirley she is such a wonderful author and such a lovely lady x