This is absolutely a beautiful story - both heartwarming and heart wrenching. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a complimentary copy of this book.

Bookouture and NetGalley provided me with an Advanced Reader's Copy of The Runaway Children. The choice to review this book was my own.

Two sisters, thirteen-year-old Nell and five-year-old Olive, are being evacuated from their war torn London community in 1942. Together, but without the rest of their family, will the sisters be able to weather the difficult situations to come?

Having read other historical fiction novels about orphan trains during World War II, I had a certain level of expectation about The Runaway Children. Unfortunately, this novel read more like straightforward fiction than historical. Despite their harrowing journey, the story was not compelling and I never quite got a feeling for the characters. I wanted to be taken along with Olive and Nell, but their story was flat and lacked the emotional quality that I expected. For these reasons, I would be hesitant to recommend The Runaway Children to other readers.

If you are looking for a book that is going to keep you guessing - this is it! Perfect for a summer weekend read! This story strengthens the bonds of sisterhood, and gives a different look of the lives of children during the evacuations of WWII.

A very slow paced book and I had trouble getting into it. I almost gave up a few times because it was so slow placed. I’m glad I stuck with it because it was ultimately a very good story.

The Runaway Children by Sandy Taylor is different from other World War II novels since it is told from a young woman’s perspective. I thought the story was nicely written, but the pacing was a little slow. Some thoughtful editing would have enhanced the story. I like that The Runaway Children is told from Nell’s point-of-view. Hundreds of children are sent out of London for their own safety, but things do not always work out as planned. There were too many children and not enough people to check up on each home. The Runaway Children is an emotional story. The girls go on a journey that will forever change their lives. Nell and Olive are characters that grow over the course of the book. My favorite theme in The Runaway Children is the kindness of strangers. The girls will need help if they are to make it to their destination. Little Olive is adorable with her endless questions and direct manner. I enjoyed the ending of The Runaway Children and I appreciated that there was an epilogue. The Runaway Children is what I call a “feel good” book (puts a smile on your face and a good feeling in your heart). I look forward to reading more books by Sandy Taylor.

Another WWII book! I love them! This one of course I enjoyed, it's another very tough book, but that is to be expected from the majority of books set in WWII. Some people may find it harder to read as it's two young girls facing these hardships.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ecopy for my Kindle.
Children from London and others areas were sent to other countries or places that were deemed to be safe until WWII was over. Some of the children had good temporary homes, and others had homes that only wanted the children's ration stamps.
This book is about 2 sisters who were sent away and their journey home. A good book but parts of it were emotionally hard to read, because of the what some children had to go through at such a young age.

Heartbreaking read and we all hope we never repeat it. I cried a few times and my heart definitely broke when reading it. So relevant in today’s world so we never forget what can be done when people sit in silence thinking it can’t happen to them.

This is a story of two young sisters, Nell and Olive, during WWII in 1942, their mother sends them to the country to protect them from the bombs and dangers of war in London as evacuees. Their father has gone off to war, their mother just recently gave birth to their fourth sibling and wants her children safe. The book covers several years and was enlightening on how the children would be evacuated and families in the country or remote villages would take them in, care for them, feed them, raise them as their own, knowing when the war was over they would go back with their families.
I have read many WWII books and this one was very interesting on several aspects, it covers how the people were affected by the bombing that took place for months, how they spent many nights staying in the bomb shelters, it also covers the gas masks and how they carried them every time they went outside.
It is a coming of age story of both girls, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The author did quite a bit of research and I felt the writing portrayed the timeframe well.
I thank Net Galley and Bookouture for allowing me to receive a free copy for my honest review. This one gets 5*****’s.

4.5 stars! My heart is overflowing with love for the characters in this unforgettable story.

This novel follows evacuee sisters, thirteen-year-old Nell and five-year-old Olive, as they flee the war-torn East End of London during WWII to reach the ‘safety’ of the countryside. There, families open their homes to evacuee children, providing them shelter and nourishment until they can safely be sent back to their homes and families.

Leaving their family home, Nell quickly assumes the role of mother to her young sister whose innocence and constant questions were a delightfully entertaining part of this touching story. Throughout their journey, Nell and Olive meet many people who impact their lives. Their bond as sisters pulled at my heart strings – their relationship was so sweet and endearing.

One theme that stood out for me throughout this entire story was the kindness of strangers. Though not all of Nell and Olive’s journey was positive, many of the people they meet along the way are genuinely good people who lovingly assist the young girls in moving toward their destination. This kindness is what truly helps the girls survive each day and endure the atrocities that war created.

This is my first book by Sandy Taylor. I loved everything about her writing! I look forward to reading more from her!

A big thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Sandy Taylor for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I started reading this book with great anticipation as I have always been interested in the lives and families of the children evacuated during war.

Nell and Olivia are sent away during the blitz in London to remove them from imminent danger and we are very much aware that it is tearing this family apart. Their older brother decides at the last minute to stay behind which leaves Nell to support her little sister in whatever may come next. Luckily for the girls they are initially placed with a very loving couple who take them in as their own. Despite missing their parents and siblings the girls are content in the country. They are distraught when the couple must move and cannot take the two with them.

Unfortunately their next billet isn't so nice and Nell is forced to try and escape with her little sister to safety. They are then on their own with no money and no communication with anyone who can help them. This portion of the novel was obviously distressing but I found it a tiny bit unrealistic. I found it astonishing that children weren't checked on in these placements. They eventually find themselves in luck again though with someone who becomes very special to them and this bond was so special for both parties that it held throughout the remainder of the novel.

The girls learn to entirely rely on each other which was,for me, the heart of the novel. The circumstances in which they found themselves were perhaps exaggerated at times but I still found the story gripping and worth reading and I did learn a few new tidbits of information about the process of evacuation from the novel.



Thank you to Bookouture for our review copy. All opinions are our own.

This book is a family saga set during World War 2. It's well written and very interesting. Nell and Olive are two young sisters. They have been evacuated from London to the countryside. There is plenty of drama in the story as Nell and Olive grow up away from their parents.

I received a copy of this book from NetGally and Bookature in exchange for my review.

This was a very good book. It made me laugh and cry. Wonder what could possibly happen next. The children were smart and funny and did what they had to to survive. I love a book that makes me have emotion and this one did not disappoint at all. A great read.

War -1942 - Sirens and bombs make for volatile times in London, and the Patterson children have just been evacuated by train to the country.

Scared and distressed over being forced to leave home to live with strangers, 13 year old Nell steps up and takes charge of 5 year old Olive knowing she must protect and keep her safe at all costs. The girls experience numerous unexpected kindnesses, but all is not easy as they encounter scary, dangerous types as well.

A funny little Olive (with the help of Auntie Missus) steal the show with a story of innocence, bravery and a "wise beyond years" vocabulary as she tells it like it is....at the most inopportune times.

THE RUNAWAY CHILDREN combines historical fiction with a coming of age story that is entertaining and filled with love of family, hope, and friendships.

Many thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the complimentary ebook in exchange for review.

In fairness, when a book cover reads "a feel-good holiday book" or "a heartwarming read" my antennae usually go up - you can't tell me what to think!!

In this case, the tagline "Gripping and heartwarming historical fiction" reads true, as The Runaway Children was all that and more.

The book started out a bit slowly for me but once the siblings reached the Welsh countryside where they would stay, away from the bombing hitting the East End, the story quickly picked up. Fourteen year old Nell is level-headed and mature for her age. Little sister Olive? She's just a hoot - a sweary little bit of a spunky thing with "blooming" and "bloody" liberally sprinkled in her vocabulary, much to Nell's dismay. She provides a good bit of levity to a difficult situation.

Too soon, the luck of the girls wears thin and that's when the story truly kicks into gear and the "gripping" sets in.

This is a story about bravery, about doing what needs to be done to protect family, of the bond between sisters, and of the power of your first love. Sandy Taylor has captured the feel of the times in her settings and her language, and has written a book with a plot that moves steadily onward.

Fans of Pam Jenoff will love this book.

Review: I like to read books about children set in the war and to read how there lives are, properly due to my professional background and this was a great book. I enjoyed the depth of each characters that come across. This book has your emotions all over the place which is the sign of a good writer to be able to do that. This is a historical novel full of hope, fear and was hard to put down. Loved it.

*thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

4.5 stars.

Omg I can not say enough how much I enjoyed this!! I just flew threw it. Historical, World War 2 stories are one of my favourite categories and this does not fail. It's heartfelt. It's absorbing. It's one of the best. I can't believe that I haven't read anything from this author before! I definitely recommend this.

The thing that most stands out about this book is the child narrator that helps add an element of innocence to a difficult situation and gives the reader a different slant on the events of world war two. The book is narrated by Nell, the oldest of four siblings with an attitude older than her years. She is very much used to looking after her brothers and sister and often takes on the mother role when her mother is incapacitated. She particularly looks after her younger sister Olive and their relationship and the closeness they enjoy is lovely to read about and leads to some very heartwarming scenes. It also helps to add humor to the story which often had me laughing out loud, particularly at Olive’s very truthful observations and Nell’s replies. The two sister’s, Nell and Olive where my favourite characters in the book and I really enjoyed reading about them and the huge journey they go on throughout the book.

It’s hard to believe how shambolic and dis-organised the evacuation system was. The fact that children didn’t know where they were going and to whom chills my heart as a mother and must have been very difficult for the mothers who chose to evacuate their children. The children were given to anyone who would take them without them being vetted or checked up on in any way which lead to some horrific situations with children being taken advantage of in many ways. Some of the passages relating to the experiences of the evacuees where quite heart breaking and lead to some quite poignant scenes.

The author does a brilliant job at setting the scene and making me feel that i really was in world war two watching all the action unfold. I loved the descriptions of the community in the (in)famous tennament blocks and the way that they all looked out for each other, solving their own problems without getting the authorities involved. It was really nice to read about neighbours caring about one another in this way, something that has unfortunately been lost today. Her descriptions of village life in world war two was also brilliantly described leading to some lovely heartwarming scenes, especially when the children realise how different life is in the village to what they are used to at home.

This is the first book by this author that I have read and I will definitely be reading more from her in the future as I loved her style of writing and the characters that she has managed to bring to life in The Runaway Children. In parts this book reminded me of Goodnight Mr Tom, especially the description of the children’s experiences in the village.

Thank you to Kim Nash from Bookouture and Netgalley for my copy of this book and for inviting me on the blog tour.

Lovely, emotional and heartfelt story. I really enjoyed it.

A beautiful story of two sisters trying to find their way to safety. Sent away to a safer area the sisters are evacuated to live with another family away from danger. Little do they know that a journey of fleeing the police and trying to find shelter would lead them to the different people. Theirs a husband and wife that starts them off wonderfully. Making them feel.at home. There's the scary farm, where she meets someone that will forever be in her heart.
Through all the trials and tribulations, they are finally reunited with family.
5 Stars