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Goodwill House #4
The Land Girls of Goodwill House
The brand-new instalment in Fenella J. Miller's bestselling Goodwill House series.August 1940 As Autumn approaches, Lady Joanna Harcourt is preparing for new guests at Goodwill House - land girls, Sally, Daphne and Charlie. Sally, a feisty blonde from the East End, has never seen a cow before, but she's desperate to escape London and her horrible ex, Dennis. And although the hours are long and the work hard, Sal quickly becomes good friends with the other girls Daphne and Charlie and enjoys life at Goodwill House. Until Dennis reappears threatening to drag her back to London. Sal fears her life as a land girl is over, just as she finally felt worthy. But Lady Joanna has other ideas and a plan to keep Sal safe and doing the job she loves. Don't miss the next heart-breaking instalment in Fenella J. Miller's beautiful Goodwill House series. Praise for Fenella J. up in a chair with Fenella J Miller's characters and lose yourself in another time and another place.' Lizzie Lane'Engaging characters and setting which whisks you back to the home front of wartime Britain. A fabulous series!' Jean Fullerton
297 pages, Paperback
Published November 2, 2022
294 people are currently reading
158 people want to read
About the author
Fenella J. Miller
151 books150 followersFenella Jane Miller was born in the Isle of Man. Her father was a Yorkshire man and her mother the daughter of a Rajah. She has worked as a nanny, cleaner, field worker, hotelier, chef, secondary and primary teacher and is now a full time writer.
She has over twenty five Regency romantic adventures published plus one Jane Austen re-telling and one YA romantic fantasy.
see also Fenella-Jane Miller
She has over twenty five Regency romantic adventures published plus one Jane Austen re-telling and one YA romantic fantasy.
see also Fenella-Jane Miller
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
October 18, 2022
Fenella J. Miller's Goodwill House series continues with The Land Girls of Goodwill House. The series currently consists of four books.
Synopsis:
Lady Joanna Harcourt prepares the Goodwill House for three newly-arrived girls, Sally, Daphne, and Charlie, in August of 1940. A feisty blonde, Sally is determined to escape London and her despicable ex, Dennis. Sal quickly makes friends with Daphne and Charlie at Goodwill House and enjoys her life there.
True to his word, Dennis reappears. This is at a time when Sal feels part of the Goodwill House. She fears that her life as a land girl is coming to an end. However, Sal's life and career are significant to Lady Joanna, and she has a plan for keeping Sal safe. Can Sal escape Dennis?
The Land Girls of Goodwill House is an easy and delightful read. It is a well-researched book with interesting characters. This novel can be read as a stand-alone without any problems. It is a clean book that can be enjoyed by most readers.
The Land Girls of Good Will House is available on November 2nd. My review will be released on November 7th as part of Rachel's Random Resources Blog Tour.
Thanks to Fenella J. Miller, Rachel's Random Resources, Boldwood Books, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. Your kindness is greatly appreciated!
@BoldwoodBooks @BookandTonic #FenellaJMiller @RachelsRandomResources, @NetGalley #NetGalleyReviewer #Blogtour
Synopsis:
Lady Joanna Harcourt prepares the Goodwill House for three newly-arrived girls, Sally, Daphne, and Charlie, in August of 1940. A feisty blonde, Sally is determined to escape London and her despicable ex, Dennis. Sal quickly makes friends with Daphne and Charlie at Goodwill House and enjoys her life there.
True to his word, Dennis reappears. This is at a time when Sal feels part of the Goodwill House. She fears that her life as a land girl is coming to an end. However, Sal's life and career are significant to Lady Joanna, and she has a plan for keeping Sal safe. Can Sal escape Dennis?
The Land Girls of Goodwill House is an easy and delightful read. It is a well-researched book with interesting characters. This novel can be read as a stand-alone without any problems. It is a clean book that can be enjoyed by most readers.
The Land Girls of Good Will House is available on November 2nd. My review will be released on November 7th as part of Rachel's Random Resources Blog Tour.
Thanks to Fenella J. Miller, Rachel's Random Resources, Boldwood Books, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. Your kindness is greatly appreciated!
@BoldwoodBooks @BookandTonic #FenellaJMiller @RachelsRandomResources, @NetGalley #NetGalleyReviewer #Blogtour
October 23, 2022
The Land Girls Of Goodwill House by Fenella J Miller is a marvelous historical novel that I thoroughly enjoyed. It is part of the Goodwill House series and can be read as a stand-alone. For maximum enjoyment and character progression, I recommend reading the books in order.
I loved meeting up with old friends as once more the doors of Goodwill House are thrown open. This time it is to accommodate land girls who enter as strangers but soon become friends. Lady Harcourt hands out hospitality and care with love.
The action is set in 1940 at the height of the Blitz. Goodwill House is in the Kent countryside, near an airfield and on the flight path to London. The German bombers create an atmosphere of terror at times, and are seen as an inconvenience at others, disturbing well needed sleep. Fenella J Miller has perfectly captured the fear and also the stoicism as Britons keep calm and carry on. The humble cup of tea revives many a wilting soul.
Morality is skewed in times of war. Love and liaisons are grabbed today as tomorrow is not guaranteed.
We see the importance of facing our fears, whatever they may be. Sometimes our fears threaten to overwhelm us but as we face them, they diminish.
I love rejoining the residents of Goodwill House where a warm welcome is always guaranteed. I cannot wait for more visits in this smashing series.
I received a free copy via Rachel’s Random Resources for a blog tour. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
I loved meeting up with old friends as once more the doors of Goodwill House are thrown open. This time it is to accommodate land girls who enter as strangers but soon become friends. Lady Harcourt hands out hospitality and care with love.
The action is set in 1940 at the height of the Blitz. Goodwill House is in the Kent countryside, near an airfield and on the flight path to London. The German bombers create an atmosphere of terror at times, and are seen as an inconvenience at others, disturbing well needed sleep. Fenella J Miller has perfectly captured the fear and also the stoicism as Britons keep calm and carry on. The humble cup of tea revives many a wilting soul.
Morality is skewed in times of war. Love and liaisons are grabbed today as tomorrow is not guaranteed.
We see the importance of facing our fears, whatever they may be. Sometimes our fears threaten to overwhelm us but as we face them, they diminish.
I love rejoining the residents of Goodwill House where a warm welcome is always guaranteed. I cannot wait for more visits in this smashing series.
I received a free copy via Rachel’s Random Resources for a blog tour. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
October 4, 2022
This book picks up right where the previous one in the series finishes, and it will not really stand alone.
The intake of Land Girls were likeable enough (though we only really “met” 3 out of the 12) but the detail of the work that the Land Girls were doing was fairly weak and generic.
It was nice to see a different side of Lady Joanna Harcourt, but the “affair” felt forced & unnatural. In fact the whole book felt slow & rather dull compared to previous books in the series that seemed much more pacey. The book also felt a little too neatly tied up at the end and leaves the series less open for another instalment.
In summary, this is another feel-good book that continues the storyline. If you’ve read the rest of the series, then do read the next instalment. If you haven’t read the rest of the series, start from the beginning & read to at least the end of book 2 before deciding whether to continue!
Disclosure: I received an advance reader copy of this book free via NetGalley. Whilst thanks go to the author & publisher for the opportunity to read it, all opinions are my own & my review is left voluntarily.
The intake of Land Girls were likeable enough (though we only really “met” 3 out of the 12) but the detail of the work that the Land Girls were doing was fairly weak and generic.
It was nice to see a different side of Lady Joanna Harcourt, but the “affair” felt forced & unnatural. In fact the whole book felt slow & rather dull compared to previous books in the series that seemed much more pacey. The book also felt a little too neatly tied up at the end and leaves the series less open for another instalment.
In summary, this is another feel-good book that continues the storyline. If you’ve read the rest of the series, then do read the next instalment. If you haven’t read the rest of the series, start from the beginning & read to at least the end of book 2 before deciding whether to continue!
Disclosure: I received an advance reader copy of this book free via NetGalley. Whilst thanks go to the author & publisher for the opportunity to read it, all opinions are my own & my review is left voluntarily.
October 29, 2022
would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this excellent book
what a great series, this book continues from the previous one and it was great to see how everything turned out after the fire and the culprit identified....
life for the women at goodwill house is about to change as the land girls arrive and with them the many challenges that occur when new people arrive
and there is a love interest for someone at goodwill house.....
but its the dog lazzie that comes to the rescue again when a helper gets over familiar with a land girl
life is just starting to get into routine when the bombs start landing and quite a few landmarks are blitzed...
changed are a foot
this series just gets better and better with each one that i read...how womens lives have changed because of these women...brilliant just brilliant
what a great series, this book continues from the previous one and it was great to see how everything turned out after the fire and the culprit identified....
life for the women at goodwill house is about to change as the land girls arrive and with them the many challenges that occur when new people arrive
and there is a love interest for someone at goodwill house.....
but its the dog lazzie that comes to the rescue again when a helper gets over familiar with a land girl
life is just starting to get into routine when the bombs start landing and quite a few landmarks are blitzed...
changed are a foot
this series just gets better and better with each one that i read...how womens lives have changed because of these women...brilliant just brilliant
November 2, 2022
Another terrific addition to this excellent wartime series!
As the 1940's reach August, lady Joanna Harcourt is busy preparing Goodwill House for yet more wartime guests; this time round it's land girls who are badly needed in the area with all the young men enlisting. Sally is from the east end and has never encountered farm animals before but is desperate to get away from her controlling boyfriend, Den. She soon settles in and makes friends with Charlie and Daphne, the other two lodgers and fellow land girls. Things are going well in the country - until Den gets a tip off as to where she is . . .
With this fourth book in series, the stories are as fresh as with the first one. The inhabitants of Goodwill house, whether permanent or temporary, are all doing their bit for the war and the details of the work carried out by the land girls is interesting and, at times, amusing. Alongside their work, we find out more about Lady Harcourt and her household and how the class barriers are breaking down, little by little. Another entertaining addition to the series and one which I thoroughly enjoyed. I always enjoy domestic fiction set during the war years, and happily recommend this one. 5*.
As the 1940's reach August, lady Joanna Harcourt is busy preparing Goodwill House for yet more wartime guests; this time round it's land girls who are badly needed in the area with all the young men enlisting. Sally is from the east end and has never encountered farm animals before but is desperate to get away from her controlling boyfriend, Den. She soon settles in and makes friends with Charlie and Daphne, the other two lodgers and fellow land girls. Things are going well in the country - until Den gets a tip off as to where she is . . .
With this fourth book in series, the stories are as fresh as with the first one. The inhabitants of Goodwill house, whether permanent or temporary, are all doing their bit for the war and the details of the work carried out by the land girls is interesting and, at times, amusing. Alongside their work, we find out more about Lady Harcourt and her household and how the class barriers are breaking down, little by little. Another entertaining addition to the series and one which I thoroughly enjoyed. I always enjoy domestic fiction set during the war years, and happily recommend this one. 5*.
October 29, 2022
★★★★ 4.5 stars
The Goodwill House series continues with this engrossing read THE LAND GIRLS OF GOODWILL HOUSE which picks up almost directly after the previous one finished. Despite this, the book can suffice easily enough as a standalone as each of the stories therein are separate from those previous, though there is always the underlying theme that remains part of the backstory which is easily picked up along the way. However, to get the full benefit and for character progression, I do recommend reading each of the books in order. Each story is an engrossing one that easily stands alone as well as all together.
The year is now 1940 and war has been raging in Europe and off the shores of Britain for the past year. But now the Germans are upping the ante and increasing their bombing raids in the hope of decimating the nearby RAF base, one of the targets to cripple Britain.
At the end of book 3, Goodwill House had suffered a fire in the old Victorian wing of the house which had remained unused for as long as old Lady Harcourt can remember. The WAAF girls have all moved on to the RAF base at Manston and the last girls have since become engaged to their respective pilots and moved on. And at last Goodwill House will receive the Land Girls they were promised in the beginning but had to suffice with WAAFs in the interim.
The Victorian wing damaged in the fire will have to be demolished which suits Joanna and old Lady Harcourt just fine as they find it a monstrosity and have never used it, let along been inside it. Except when they found poor Lazzy the dog who had somehow becomes trapped in there as a puppy and is now firmly ensconced within the Harcourt household. Life goes on at Goodwill House despite the comings and goings, and Joanna is still mourning the loss of her dear friend Betty who succumbed to measles in the previous book. Her husband Bert went on the run and the police we looking for him.
Now a group of a dozen land girls are arriving at Goodwill House to work on the estates various farms in the area. Sal, Daphne and Charlie are three such women who met at agricultural training and made their way from Devon to Kent together to begin their work on the land. Each woman comes bearing a secret but none more than Sal who has fled an abusive relationship in London and should her ex find out where she is, he would think nothing of coming to end her days in agony, as promised for leaving him.
As well as the influx of land girls, two RAF fire brigade officers were recently injured in a bombing raid at Manston and Joanna offered the use of Goodwill House for their recuperation. However, her goodwill is not all for the war effort but for the increasing attraction she feels for Sergeant John Sergeant...a feeling which is mutual. But Joanna is a lady of distinction, of class, and John is a working class lad with an Oxford scholarship education...aside from that, she is also ten years his senior. None of which seems to matter to either of them...until it does.
I really enjoyed this installment of the Goodwill House series, though the affair between Joanna and John seemed a little pointless. It was always going nowhere and they then set out to prove just that that in the end I kind of felt...what was the point of even including it in the story? For that I knock off half a star because I did in all honesty enjoy this one more than the previous two. I did enjoy the inclusion of the land girls this time as opposed to the continual inclusion of the WAAFs and the nearby RAF base.
THE LAND GIRLS OF GOODWILL HOUSE is a delightfully easy read and a great addition to the series. I look forward to catching up with the girls and the Harcourt family once again in the next book and those that follow.
Overall, an enjoyable and easy read for lovers of WW2 historical fiction.
I would like to thank #FenellaJMiller, #Netgalley, #BoldwoodBooks and #RachelsRandomResources for an ARC of #TheLandGirlsOfGoodwillHouse in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
The Goodwill House series continues with this engrossing read THE LAND GIRLS OF GOODWILL HOUSE which picks up almost directly after the previous one finished. Despite this, the book can suffice easily enough as a standalone as each of the stories therein are separate from those previous, though there is always the underlying theme that remains part of the backstory which is easily picked up along the way. However, to get the full benefit and for character progression, I do recommend reading each of the books in order. Each story is an engrossing one that easily stands alone as well as all together.
The year is now 1940 and war has been raging in Europe and off the shores of Britain for the past year. But now the Germans are upping the ante and increasing their bombing raids in the hope of decimating the nearby RAF base, one of the targets to cripple Britain.
At the end of book 3, Goodwill House had suffered a fire in the old Victorian wing of the house which had remained unused for as long as old Lady Harcourt can remember. The WAAF girls have all moved on to the RAF base at Manston and the last girls have since become engaged to their respective pilots and moved on. And at last Goodwill House will receive the Land Girls they were promised in the beginning but had to suffice with WAAFs in the interim.
The Victorian wing damaged in the fire will have to be demolished which suits Joanna and old Lady Harcourt just fine as they find it a monstrosity and have never used it, let along been inside it. Except when they found poor Lazzy the dog who had somehow becomes trapped in there as a puppy and is now firmly ensconced within the Harcourt household. Life goes on at Goodwill House despite the comings and goings, and Joanna is still mourning the loss of her dear friend Betty who succumbed to measles in the previous book. Her husband Bert went on the run and the police we looking for him.
Now a group of a dozen land girls are arriving at Goodwill House to work on the estates various farms in the area. Sal, Daphne and Charlie are three such women who met at agricultural training and made their way from Devon to Kent together to begin their work on the land. Each woman comes bearing a secret but none more than Sal who has fled an abusive relationship in London and should her ex find out where she is, he would think nothing of coming to end her days in agony, as promised for leaving him.
As well as the influx of land girls, two RAF fire brigade officers were recently injured in a bombing raid at Manston and Joanna offered the use of Goodwill House for their recuperation. However, her goodwill is not all for the war effort but for the increasing attraction she feels for Sergeant John Sergeant...a feeling which is mutual. But Joanna is a lady of distinction, of class, and John is a working class lad with an Oxford scholarship education...aside from that, she is also ten years his senior. None of which seems to matter to either of them...until it does.
I really enjoyed this installment of the Goodwill House series, though the affair between Joanna and John seemed a little pointless. It was always going nowhere and they then set out to prove just that that in the end I kind of felt...what was the point of even including it in the story? For that I knock off half a star because I did in all honesty enjoy this one more than the previous two. I did enjoy the inclusion of the land girls this time as opposed to the continual inclusion of the WAAFs and the nearby RAF base.
THE LAND GIRLS OF GOODWILL HOUSE is a delightfully easy read and a great addition to the series. I look forward to catching up with the girls and the Harcourt family once again in the next book and those that follow.
Overall, an enjoyable and easy read for lovers of WW2 historical fiction.
I would like to thank #FenellaJMiller, #Netgalley, #BoldwoodBooks and #RachelsRandomResources for an ARC of #TheLandGirlsOfGoodwillHouse in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
November 6, 2022
I have been a fan of Fenella's work for a while now. I haven't caught up with everything that she has written but that is something that I hope to rectify in the not too distant future. I love all of Fenella's work but I have to admit that I have a particular fondness for the 'The Goodwill House' series. I read and loved the first three books in the series so when I heard that Fenella was due to release another book in the series, I knew that I had to grab a copy and read it at the earliest opportunity. Well ladies and gents, the wait is over as the fourth book in the series is called 'The Land Girls Of Goodwill House' and it was released on the 2nd November 2022. It;s another cracker of a read and then some. I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'The Land Girls Of Goodwill House' but more about that in a bit.
As soon as I saw Fenella's name and the words 'Goodwill House' on the cover of a book that I hadn't yet read that was it for me. I knew that I had to start reading the book as soon as possible and that I would have great difficulty in putting the book to one side for any length of time. I was spot on too. My Kindle wasn't exactly glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it travelled everywhere with me. I couldn't bear to miss a single second of the story. I loved most of the characters and grew to consider them as becoming friends of mine rather than characters in a book. I cared about what happened to them and so I had to keep reading to see how the story affected them. The more of the book that I read, the more I wanted to read and the quicker the pages seemed to turn. I became so wrapped up in the story that I lost all track of time and just how quickly I was getting through the book. All too quickly I reached the end of 'The Land Girls Of Goodwill House' and I had to say goodbye to Lady Joanna Harcourt, the Land Girls and the rest of the characters. I found 'The Land Girls Of Goodwill House' to be a gripping read, which certainly kept me guessing and which kept me on the edge of my seat throughout.
'The Land Girls Of Goodwill House' is superbly written but then I have come to expect nothing less from Fenella J. Miller. Fenella certainly knows how to grab the reader's attention and draw them into what proves to be one hell of a story. For me, the story hit the ground running and maintained a brisk pace throughout. Fenella clearly cares about her characters and this shines through in the very vivid and realistic way in which she describes them. She makes her characters seem just as real as you and I. Fenella has clearly done a lot of research into the period of time in which the story is set and it makes the story seem that bit more authentic. I always find that the sign of a good book is when I become far too involved with the story to the extent where I 'live' the story as if it were real and interact with the characters as if they can hear me. That's exactly what happened with 'The Land Girls Of Goodwill House'. I love the way in which Fenella makes the reader feel as though they are part of the story themselves and at the heart of the action.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'The Land Girls Of Goodwill House' and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Fenella's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
As soon as I saw Fenella's name and the words 'Goodwill House' on the cover of a book that I hadn't yet read that was it for me. I knew that I had to start reading the book as soon as possible and that I would have great difficulty in putting the book to one side for any length of time. I was spot on too. My Kindle wasn't exactly glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it travelled everywhere with me. I couldn't bear to miss a single second of the story. I loved most of the characters and grew to consider them as becoming friends of mine rather than characters in a book. I cared about what happened to them and so I had to keep reading to see how the story affected them. The more of the book that I read, the more I wanted to read and the quicker the pages seemed to turn. I became so wrapped up in the story that I lost all track of time and just how quickly I was getting through the book. All too quickly I reached the end of 'The Land Girls Of Goodwill House' and I had to say goodbye to Lady Joanna Harcourt, the Land Girls and the rest of the characters. I found 'The Land Girls Of Goodwill House' to be a gripping read, which certainly kept me guessing and which kept me on the edge of my seat throughout.
'The Land Girls Of Goodwill House' is superbly written but then I have come to expect nothing less from Fenella J. Miller. Fenella certainly knows how to grab the reader's attention and draw them into what proves to be one hell of a story. For me, the story hit the ground running and maintained a brisk pace throughout. Fenella clearly cares about her characters and this shines through in the very vivid and realistic way in which she describes them. She makes her characters seem just as real as you and I. Fenella has clearly done a lot of research into the period of time in which the story is set and it makes the story seem that bit more authentic. I always find that the sign of a good book is when I become far too involved with the story to the extent where I 'live' the story as if it were real and interact with the characters as if they can hear me. That's exactly what happened with 'The Land Girls Of Goodwill House'. I love the way in which Fenella makes the reader feel as though they are part of the story themselves and at the heart of the action.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'The Land Girls Of Goodwill House' and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Fenella's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
October 30, 2022
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The Land Girls of Goodwill House is the 4th volume in a series of books about women in Great Britain during World War II. I previously reviewed volume 3, Duty Calls at Goodwill House. The War Girls of Goodwill House and New Recruits at Goodwill House are the previous books in the series.
You don’t have to have read the first three volumes to find a charming story. According to author Fenella J. Miller “My Goodwill House series can be read as stand-alone books or in chronological order. Lady Joanna Harcourt, widowed at Dunkirk, features in every story. However, running alongside her life there is always a romance which, of course, has the essential happy-ever-after ending.” The books themselves are fairly inexpensive, and if you enjoy historical fiction with a little romance, you can’t go wrong.
The book not only centers on Sal, Daphne and Charlie, but on Lady Joanna Harcourt takes center stage as she falls for a man stationed at a nearby base. I do have to say that compared to the other books, this romance seems a little forced and unrealistic. It wasn’t bad, but if you look at the stories over the course of the series, it didn’t make sense. Or maybe it did. War thrust together many people who otherwise would not have been together.
What I like about these books is that they take place during the Blitz in 1940, when every day and night there’s a threat of German bombs. Goodwill House is relatively close to an air base, and the fact that many times during the stories the people need to take shelter makes the horrors of that war come home and make them more real to those of us decades away from that horrendous war. For those of us far away from England because of time or space, it helps us understand the fear one lived with every day during those long years of war.
What I also like is that you actually read about the hard work the land girls are doing for the war effort. In this case, the three ladies highlighted do hard farm work from sun-up to sundown. And of course, there’s talk of rationing and getting around by bicycle or horse and cart because petrol is in short supply. All these little things bring one part of the war effort to life.
I don’t know if there’s a future for the series to continue, although it seems like from the book’s ending that the door is open to more books. I, for one, would enjoy reading more about Goodwill House and hope you will, too.
I received an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book from NetGalley and Boldwood Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The Land Girls of Goodwill House is the 4th volume in a series of books about women in Great Britain during World War II. I previously reviewed volume 3, Duty Calls at Goodwill House. The War Girls of Goodwill House and New Recruits at Goodwill House are the previous books in the series.
You don’t have to have read the first three volumes to find a charming story. According to author Fenella J. Miller “My Goodwill House series can be read as stand-alone books or in chronological order. Lady Joanna Harcourt, widowed at Dunkirk, features in every story. However, running alongside her life there is always a romance which, of course, has the essential happy-ever-after ending.” The books themselves are fairly inexpensive, and if you enjoy historical fiction with a little romance, you can’t go wrong.
The book not only centers on Sal, Daphne and Charlie, but on Lady Joanna Harcourt takes center stage as she falls for a man stationed at a nearby base. I do have to say that compared to the other books, this romance seems a little forced and unrealistic. It wasn’t bad, but if you look at the stories over the course of the series, it didn’t make sense. Or maybe it did. War thrust together many people who otherwise would not have been together.
What I like about these books is that they take place during the Blitz in 1940, when every day and night there’s a threat of German bombs. Goodwill House is relatively close to an air base, and the fact that many times during the stories the people need to take shelter makes the horrors of that war come home and make them more real to those of us decades away from that horrendous war. For those of us far away from England because of time or space, it helps us understand the fear one lived with every day during those long years of war.
What I also like is that you actually read about the hard work the land girls are doing for the war effort. In this case, the three ladies highlighted do hard farm work from sun-up to sundown. And of course, there’s talk of rationing and getting around by bicycle or horse and cart because petrol is in short supply. All these little things bring one part of the war effort to life.
I don’t know if there’s a future for the series to continue, although it seems like from the book’s ending that the door is open to more books. I, for one, would enjoy reading more about Goodwill House and hope you will, too.
I received an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book from NetGalley and Boldwood Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
October 17, 2022
The Land Girls of Goodwill House is the fourth book in the Goodwill House series by Fenella J Miller. Unfortunately, I didn't read any of the previous books in the series first and I wish I had. Yes, I could understand the story enough for it to be considered a standalone book, but as I read it I just knew that there was so much more to the characters and their stories than what I learned. The good thing is that it made me want to go back to read the other books, and I will definitely do that before reading any more in this series.
As for this instalment, I enjoyed reading everything to do with the landgirls. How they came to live at Goodwill House, what they were like, what chores they had to do, and how they endured during the war. I also enjoyed reading about the RAFs part in it. It was quite an emotional story and well researched I am sure. The only part I didn't particularly enjoy reading was about the romance between the owner of the house, and an RAF member. I don't know why, but it just didn't seem believable. I think the author wanted to build up suspense and passion between them while they fought the temptations, but it just seemed too forced and unnatural. It didn't even seem necessary, unless of course if I had read the previous books I might have appreciated how much she needed some passion in her life. I just really enjoyed the landgirls stories, the book was enough with just them.
On the whole, it was an enjoyable read and I definitely will carry on with the series, previous and future books.
As for this instalment, I enjoyed reading everything to do with the landgirls. How they came to live at Goodwill House, what they were like, what chores they had to do, and how they endured during the war. I also enjoyed reading about the RAFs part in it. It was quite an emotional story and well researched I am sure. The only part I didn't particularly enjoy reading was about the romance between the owner of the house, and an RAF member. I don't know why, but it just didn't seem believable. I think the author wanted to build up suspense and passion between them while they fought the temptations, but it just seemed too forced and unnatural. It didn't even seem necessary, unless of course if I had read the previous books I might have appreciated how much she needed some passion in her life. I just really enjoyed the landgirls stories, the book was enough with just them.
On the whole, it was an enjoyable read and I definitely will carry on with the series, previous and future books.
October 23, 2022
The Land Girls of Goodwill House, set in 1940, is the fourth in the delightful Goodwill House series. Charlotte (Charlie), Sal and Daphne become friends at Goodwill House during WWII. They all have their reasons for signing up to help in the war effort and have personal challenges, especially Sal who has left an abusive relationship and needs to escape to save her life. Not only are there friendships but also a fire, romance, guarded secrets, hints of mystery and loss.
The lady of the house, Lady Joanna Harcourt makes a life-changing decision, one which is manufactured and therefore a bit off to me. Otherwise her character is likeable and sometimes admirable. "Old" characters from three previous books returned and new ones introduced. One of my favourite characters is Jean, the housekeeper and cook with her inside knowledge.
My favourite aspects are the detailed chores the girls were responsible for as I grew up on a farm and did similar chores and I was intrigued by the descriptions of the effects of war. The friendships were lovely. However, the neat ending does not leave many unanswered questions and the forced romance was not enjoyable in my view. Still, this series is well worth reading.
Historical Fiction and Romance fans ought to enjoy this light feel-good book.
My sincere thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this book and the entire series.
The lady of the house, Lady Joanna Harcourt makes a life-changing decision, one which is manufactured and therefore a bit off to me. Otherwise her character is likeable and sometimes admirable. "Old" characters from three previous books returned and new ones introduced. One of my favourite characters is Jean, the housekeeper and cook with her inside knowledge.
My favourite aspects are the detailed chores the girls were responsible for as I grew up on a farm and did similar chores and I was intrigued by the descriptions of the effects of war. The friendships were lovely. However, the neat ending does not leave many unanswered questions and the forced romance was not enjoyable in my view. Still, this series is well worth reading.
Historical Fiction and Romance fans ought to enjoy this light feel-good book.
My sincere thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this book and the entire series.
January 20, 2024
The Goodwill House series is perfectly enjoyable and I like how each book has a slightly different centre. In this one, there’s new land girls on the scene and some new characters to get to know.
We rejoin Joanna and her latest developments as she navigates wartime life, relationships and all the dramas that come with it.
I enjoy these and I fully intend to make my way through the whole series and all the books but I always find myself drifting in and out of the story. They’re nothing spectacular but good nevertheless. I’ve always loved reading about the land girls and love book with them as feature, it would have been nice to have them a little more in this book as centre stage but appreciate how the format of these books works.
The audiobooks are narrated well but going into the fourth , they can get a little samey! But onto the next, I’m definitely committed!
We rejoin Joanna and her latest developments as she navigates wartime life, relationships and all the dramas that come with it.
I enjoy these and I fully intend to make my way through the whole series and all the books but I always find myself drifting in and out of the story. They’re nothing spectacular but good nevertheless. I’ve always loved reading about the land girls and love book with them as feature, it would have been nice to have them a little more in this book as centre stage but appreciate how the format of these books works.
The audiobooks are narrated well but going into the fourth , they can get a little samey! But onto the next, I’m definitely committed!
November 2, 2022
4.5 stars
So now it’s the turn of the Land Girls to stay at Goodwill House with Lady Harcourt. Sal, Daphne and Charlie, all have their own reasons for joining up. They each have a different background and character. The reader is given an insight into the work they were expected to do. Lady Harcourt (Jo) and her family are experiencing the bombing raids as they live nearby a RAF base. There is danger in this story and an unexpected romance or two. This was another entertaining read in this series. The author does conjure up the unsurety of the time and a certain live for the day attitude by the population. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
So now it’s the turn of the Land Girls to stay at Goodwill House with Lady Harcourt. Sal, Daphne and Charlie, all have their own reasons for joining up. They each have a different background and character. The reader is given an insight into the work they were expected to do. Lady Harcourt (Jo) and her family are experiencing the bombing raids as they live nearby a RAF base. There is danger in this story and an unexpected romance or two. This was another entertaining read in this series. The author does conjure up the unsurety of the time and a certain live for the day attitude by the population. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
November 4, 2022
Lady Joanna Harcourt is preparing to have three land girls come to stay at goodwill house. Sally, Daphne and Charlie. Sally is trying to escape her abusive ex Denis and she quickly befriends the other girls and takes to farm life. But will she ever truly be able to escape from Denis or will he be back to haunt her.
This is the fourth book in the Goodwill House series but can be easily read as a standalone. I was thoroughly engaged in this all the way through and the characters all felt like old friends I was having a catch up with. There is danger, romance and even a quite funny scene involving a bull !
I loved this from start to finish and I am looking forward to more of this lovely series. I can now highly encourage you to read this beautifully entertaining novel.
This is the fourth book in the Goodwill House series but can be easily read as a standalone. I was thoroughly engaged in this all the way through and the characters all felt like old friends I was having a catch up with. There is danger, romance and even a quite funny scene involving a bull !
I loved this from start to finish and I am looking forward to more of this lovely series. I can now highly encourage you to read this beautifully entertaining novel.
October 20, 2022
This is such a lovely book.
1940 book four in the series, as we see Lady Joanna Harcourt along with her twins Joe and Liza and Jean in the aftermath of the fire in the Victorian room of Goodwill House a lot of damage has to be restored but during war times it will take time. Sergeant John Sergeant and Lady Joanna form a chemistry that turns into a love story in this read. And with new guests and land girls Charlie Sally and Daphne joining Goodwill house the place is never quiet and dull.
Oh a remarkable story from this author that I so enjoyed as we read through chapter after chapter of ups and downs. I loved every one right to the end.
1940 book four in the series, as we see Lady Joanna Harcourt along with her twins Joe and Liza and Jean in the aftermath of the fire in the Victorian room of Goodwill House a lot of damage has to be restored but during war times it will take time. Sergeant John Sergeant and Lady Joanna form a chemistry that turns into a love story in this read. And with new guests and land girls Charlie Sally and Daphne joining Goodwill house the place is never quiet and dull.
Oh a remarkable story from this author that I so enjoyed as we read through chapter after chapter of ups and downs. I loved every one right to the end.
November 2, 2022
Unfortunately I’m late to this lovely series as this is book four. Although I’ve not read the other books in the series it didn’t stop me from enjoying this one. If like me you are new to the series it definitely works as a stand-alone. Having said that I enjoyed it so much I will definitely be catching up with the rest of the series soon. Lady Joanna Harcourt decides to open up her beautiful home Goodwill House to some land girls who are coming to help the local farmers during World War Two. The book is about these land girls and also the Harcourt family. There are lots of ups and downs as everyone adapts to this new way of life. I can highly recommend this book
November 3, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ It's August 1940 and we are back with the next episode of the Goodwill House series, The Land Girls of Goodwill House. Lady Harcourt welcomes 12 land girls but the story focuses on three of the; Sal, Charlie and Daphne. None have had experience of working on farms apart from their training month but became friends during their training. RAF Marston's fire team is headed up by Sergeant John Sergeant who comes along with the team to help with the clean up after a fire. There is a spark between him and Joanna (Lady Harcourt).
Another great instalment which can be read as a standalone but is even better if you know the back story. Highly recommended
Another great instalment which can be read as a standalone but is even better if you know the back story. Highly recommended
November 8, 2022
Lady Joanna Harcourt is preparing for Land Girls to join her at Goodwill House. Sally is escaping an abusive past and soon befriends the other land girls but sometimes the past can’t be kept behind.
This was a quick and light read telling us about the history and friendship within a time that was dangerous and also unexpected. This novel has a narrative of friendship as well as romance which I really enjoyed; Miller intertwines these themes really well.
This is my first read by this author and I found out this novel is actually the 4th in a series. This can be read as a standalone however I look forward to going back and reading the series.
This was a quick and light read telling us about the history and friendship within a time that was dangerous and also unexpected. This novel has a narrative of friendship as well as romance which I really enjoyed; Miller intertwines these themes really well.
This is my first read by this author and I found out this novel is actually the 4th in a series. This can be read as a standalone however I look forward to going back and reading the series.
November 14, 2022
Like every one of author's books that I've read (many) since last summer, this proved to be s sleep depriver. Had trouble stopping reading until eyes closed. Dang...she's a great writer. Beautifully stated story, compelling narrative, fascinating details about life in Britain during WW2. Unfortunately, this series needs a continuing narrative because this volume ended so abruptly, leaving this reader with a compelling addiction for MORE! Will Sal find happiness? Will Joe join the RAF? Will the elder Lady Harcourt decline into dementia? Will John and Joanna reunite and...heavens, marry in spite of their social devide? More please? Soon?
November 24, 2022
A first from this author and I'd like to go back and read the previous books in the series and any that may follow. I enjoyed the story, its characters and the genre. I was however thinking that it tied up each event throughout the book a little too neatly and that with two characters claiming such strong feelings for each other after 2 meetups, it was a tad fairytaleish. Overall I did think the characters were the best part and would like to read more about their origins. I'd like to thank the author, publisher and Netgalley for allowing me a temporary copy in exchange for an honest review
January 29, 2023
any wait for the next instalment
Read all of the Goodwill house series and each one was absolutely brilliant !! I loved the way each book carried on from the last as in some books I’ve read they move so far ahead it’s like your missing a chunk of the characters saying this I would love to see Sarah come back as she’s mentioned so much but never seen as such so March can not come quick enough for me. Well done J Miller on a brilliant series
Read all of the Goodwill house series and each one was absolutely brilliant !! I loved the way each book carried on from the last as in some books I’ve read they move so far ahead it’s like your missing a chunk of the characters saying this I would love to see Sarah come back as she’s mentioned so much but never seen as such so March can not come quick enough for me. Well done J Miller on a brilliant series
November 6, 2022
This is the 4th book in the Goodwill House series as was every bit as good as book 2 and 3 ( I didn't particularly enjoy book 1).
I enjoyed getting to see Joanna's character develop more as well as learning more about the land girls.
The author left a few story lines unfinished so I'm hoping this means that there are more books in the series to come.
Overall a really good read.
I enjoyed getting to see Joanna's character develop more as well as learning more about the land girls.
The author left a few story lines unfinished so I'm hoping this means that there are more books in the series to come.
Overall a really good read.
December 2, 2022
My first book by Fenella J Miller and I hadn't initially realised there were previous books in this series. This however did not deter from the enjoyment in reading this book.
An excellent book with interesting characters and after finishing this I now intend to read the previous ones in the series.
I would definitely recommend this.
A very worthy five stars.
An excellent book with interesting characters and after finishing this I now intend to read the previous ones in the series.
I would definitely recommend this.
A very worthy five stars.
September 17, 2022
What an inspiring book, loved it from the time I started till the end, didn’t want it to finish. It showed how girls worked on the farms and added spice with love story in twined in it. Thoroughly recommend.
September 27, 2022
Absolutely outstandingly fabulous to ve back at goodwill house withe joanna and the gang if new recruits this series is a sheer joy to read I won't give anything away but it's quite a rollercoaster of a journey.
November 9, 2022
Doing Our Part
Land Girls of Goodwill was much awaited..much Lived sequel to Goodwill House Books.Lady Harcourt a Lady who quietly got things done While helping Women help win the War.. Hope to see more Goodwill House Books
Land Girls of Goodwill was much awaited..much Lived sequel to Goodwill House Books.Lady Harcourt a Lady who quietly got things done While helping Women help win the War.. Hope to see more Goodwill House Books
November 15, 2022
The Land Girls of Goodwill House
Is a delightful book that I thoroughly enjoyed. It is a perfect ending to the series. I never realized how much work that the land girls performed.
Is a delightful book that I thoroughly enjoyed. It is a perfect ending to the series. I never realized how much work that the land girls performed.
November 22, 2022
Part 3 of the story
This was an enjoyable book. Although a story, there is a lot of information about how the English handled living during WW2. I hope this is not the end of the series as it is a wonderful saga.
This was an enjoyable book. Although a story, there is a lot of information about how the English handled living during WW2. I hope this is not the end of the series as it is a wonderful saga.
January 17, 2023
The lives and loves of Goodwill house
Another enjoyable 'episode' in the lives of the residents of Goodwill House.Lots going on as usual but ended too soon with some loose ends and unanswered,under developed plot lines.Hopefully another book is underway.
Another enjoyable 'episode' in the lives of the residents of Goodwill House.Lots going on as usual but ended too soon with some loose ends and unanswered,under developed plot lines.Hopefully another book is underway.
November 4, 2022
Great
Fenella has done it again, what a brilliant ending to the Goodwill House
series. I loved all the stories.Hopefully there may be some more in the future
Fenella has done it again, what a brilliant ending to the Goodwill House
series. I loved all the stories.Hopefully there may be some more in the future
November 6, 2022
.5
My review of The Land Girls of Goodwill House can be found on my blog....
https://quirkybookreads.wordpress.com...
My review of The Land Girls of Goodwill House can be found on my blog....
https://quirkybookreads.wordpress.com...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews