Elsie's Wartime Wish

The Kiltie Street Girls #2

by Carol MacLean

Elsie Weir is trying hard to keep her family together. Living in Kiltie Street tenement in Glasgow with her mother and little sister, Jessie, isn’t easy – not least because her mother spends most days in a drunken stupor. But life gets harder still when their mother dies suddenly, leaving Jessie and Elsie broken-hearted. When Elsie’s meagre wages won’t stretch to supporting them, they’re thrown out of their home. The future looks bleak, until their mother’s estranged family deigns to take them in. But their relief is short-lived as it becomes clear the Mearns family have taken in the orphan sisters only for appearances, treating them cruelly behind closed doors. When Elsie discovers the devastating secret her mother kept from them, it seems that they may have a lifeline – until that dream too, is cruelly dashed. Now, more than ever, the sisters only have each other. But can Elsie and Jessie find some hope in a life full of heartbreak? A heartwarming and compelling family saga that fans of Rosie Hendry and Annie Murray will love. Readers are loving Elsie's Wartime Wish : ‘ Brilliant book – family saga at its best . I love the characters; you feel you are part of the story .’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review ‘ Fantastic characters , great setting, I was hooked and devoured this book in one sitting… was sad to finish it and keep thinking about the characters .’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review ‘If you love wartime sagas this is definitely for you.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review ‘ Heartwarming saga featuring friendships and heartache and happiness. Great characters and a good read .’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review ‘Great wartime story.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review Praise for Carol ‘ A lovely, lovely story set in WW2 . It gripped me from page one… I’d highly recommend it! ’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review ‘ WOW. Loved this book . If you love family saga based in the war , you will love this.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review ‘A great WWII-era historical fiction saga… I truly enjoyed this one… Through this story of love, loss, uncertainty, and finding one’s place in life we also get a glimpse of history as well… Beautifully written .’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review

Genres: Historical Fiction, World War II

Kindle Edition

First published January 26, 2023

Reviews

[StinaStaffymum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can she keep her family together...or will secrets tear them apart...?

I read and loved the first book in this wonderful heartwarming series "Jeannie's War" and it was wonderful to revisit some of the minor characters from that first book. But this time they were the focus of the story. Jeannie popped in and out a couple of times but was mostly a mention in passing. ELSIE'S WARTIME WISH is just as delightful and as easy read as the first one that I enjoyed my time on Kiltie Street once again.

Glasgow 1943: War has raged for four years and by now Britons and its Allies have grown weary with the constant death and losses that ravage those left behind. After the Glasgow Blitz in which many children were evacuated to the country, Elsie's younger sister Jessie (now 13) had settled in Perthshire with a lovely family who loved her as their own. However, the time has come that Louise Weir wants Elsie to make the journey and bring her youngest daughter back home where she belongs. Upon arriving at the sprawling house owned by the Cranstons, Elsie can hardly see Jessie wanting to return to the slums and tenements of Glasgow. And she doesn't. Jessie pleads with her sister to let her stay. The Cranstons beg her also and stating that it is their wish to adopt Jessie. For two years, this has been Jessie's home. She is fed, clothed, loved and above all, safe here. But her mother wants her home, and go home she must. The train journey back to Glasgow is a silent one.

Annie had once worked alongside her friend Jeannie at Fearnmore Munitions Factory, where Elsie also works, but upon marrying Paul Thom she had then fallen pregnant. Now she has given birth to a hefty baby boy they have named Davey. Annie should be happy. But all Davey seems to do is cry and it wears on her nerves. Paul is barely home and when he is he is drunk and argumentative. What happened to her kindly husband? The man she fell in love with? He came back from the war a changed man and it has made him bitter. But when Paul falls in with a wrong sort, Annie fears he will land himself in more trouble and then what will become of them?

And then there is Doris. She by no means pretty, with her thick lens glasses and plain features, but she is clever. She lives with her mother Leila who spends her days fretting about just about everything which wears on Doris' nerves, often sending her into a panic and thus making her asthma worse. Doris longs for her dearest friend to see her as more than a little sister but fears with her plain looks that will never happen.

The three women become friends when they meet by chance on Kiltie Street, despite each of them working, or having worked, in the Munitions factory though in different roles. And then when Elsie's mother dies suddenly her entire world falls apart and she finds herself homeless but for a secret her mother kept from them until she was on her deathbed.

Thrust into a home where they are not wanted, Elsie and Jessie make do the best they can, despite being ignored for the most part until they are required to undertake chores to earn their keep. Both girls cannot wait until the day they can escape these cruel walls. But it seems their mother had yet another secret or two she kept from her daughters...and when Elsie discovers them, she does her utmost to make her greatest wish come true.

ELSIE'S WARTIME WISH is an easy read that will sweep you up and take you back to the tenements of wartime Glasgow. I loved taking the journey with each of the women and hoped that each of their wishes would come to fruition. There is plenty of heartbreak, secrets, lies and of course friendship and love. A truly wonderful heartfelt read.

I can't wait for book 3 which I believe will focus on Jeannie's wayward sister Kathy.

I would like to thank #CarolMaclean, #Netgalley and #HeraBooks for an ARC of #ElsiesWartimeWish in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

[Lina Mincev · Rating 5 out of 5]

From Elsie's perspective, life in the Kiltie Street tenement in Glasgow during wartime is far from easy. She is a young girl, burdened with the responsibility of trying to hold her family together. Her mother, often lost in a drunken stupor, is unable to provide the care and stability they desperately need.

Tragedy strikes when their mother passes away suddenly, leaving Elsie and her younger sister Jessie heartbroken and alone. With Elsie's meager wages, they struggle to make ends meet, and their already difficult life takes a turn for the worse when they are evicted from their home. The uncertainty of their future looms over them like a dark cloud.

Their only hope lies with their mother's estranged family, who reluctantly take them in. But the relief is short-lived as Elsie and Jessie soon realize that they are merely a façade, a way for the Mearns family to maintain appearances. Behind closed doors, they endure cruelty and mistreatment, adding to their existing heartache.

Throughout their hardships, Elsie remains determined to uncover the truth about their mother's past, hoping that it might bring some solace and a chance for a better life. However, when she discovers the devastating secret her mother had kept hidden, it shatters their dreams of a brighter future, leaving them even more vulnerable.

Elsie and Jessie find themselves with no one to rely on but each other. In the midst of heartbreak and despair, they cling to their sisterly bond, finding strength and resilience in their shared experiences. Together, they navigate the challenges of wartime, finding fleeting moments of hope and solace amidst the chaos.

As they grow up too quickly, Elsie becomes the protector and provider for her little sister. They face the harsh realities of their circumstances, witnessing the sacrifices and hardships of war firsthand. Yet, despite the weight of their struggles, they remain determined to find some semblance of joy and hope in their lives.

The story of "Elsie's Wartime Wish" captures the resilience, determination, and unwavering love of two young girls who must face the trials of war and the harshness of the world around them. Their journey highlights the importance of family bonds, the strength found in sisterhood, and the power of hope, even in the darkest of times.

[Booklover BEV · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can she keep her family together, Kiltie Street Girls book two, 1943 Glasgow, Louise Weir wants Elsie to bring her sister Jessie home from Mr and Mrs Cranston in Perthshire, WW2 is still raging but they have not had any raids in a while, her mother still a gin drinkers and bad with her nerves and Elsie works at the Fearnmore Munitions factory and looking after them both will be a big struggle for her. This book is full of secrets that have been untold for a long time after her mothers death Elsie finds family that she never knew about. Will she get her wartime wish.
The characters come in from Jeannies War as I found a delight to read more that makes this book a huge bonus to read.
I loved it and look forward to reading book three coming soon.

[Thekirkiepirate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel.

My parents met when working at a police Report Centre during WW2 and the novel brought back to me many of the stories that they told about this harrowing time. I thought that the author did a first-class job in catching the dialogue of the time and of Glasgow in particular. It was also interesting to reflect upon the privations endured and the restrictions imposed by the wartime government - particularly as the restrictions of Covid begin to fade away from memory.

It would seem that I am reading these novels out of sequence. However, the author does an excellent job of explaining the characters and the context, so it also serves as a stand-alone novel. I will definitely read more from the series.

[Lucy Dunphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 but rounding up to 4.

Another really lovely story by Carol McLean. I loved reading about Elsie, Doris and Annie. They were such lovely, caring characters who did their best for one another during the dark days of the war. The ending was so lovely. It really made me smile. I hope there'll be another book in the series, I'd love to see Sarah have her own story.

Thanks to Netgalley and Hera Books for the opportunity to read this book.

[Leanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elsie's about to find her mother's secret. In this book we follow the story of sisters Elsie and Jessie. The characters are lovely and make you feel as if you are a part of the story. It's heartwarming and tragic. I just wish I had read the rest of the series first as I feel that I would have enjoyed the book even more.

[Rosie Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful wartime story and the happenings of three women Elsie Annie and Doris and there lives from heartbreak to love

[Linda Porter · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enjoyable read

[Korey Bernard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the part when Fred proposed to Elsie

[Grayce Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book with a juicy storyline and lovable characters. Couldn’t put it down 😊

[Jo Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice story but I knocked a star off because the ending was a bit rushed and a bit too pink bow.

[Brenda Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A slow start.ended up enjoying this read.

[Lesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

lovely book