Now in its third year, the war is really starting to take its toll on Audrey and the people around her. With barely any or no news at all from their men fighting in some overseas country and even more rationing rules to adhere to, it’s increasingly hard to hang on to the “keep calm and carry on” attitude Winston Churchill is trying so hard to instil in the population.

Heavily pregnant and fretting over the lack of letters from her husband, Charlie, Audrey is struggling to keep her clients at the bakery happy with what little she can still offer them. Elsie and William’s marriage is going through a rough patch as William is suffering from horrible nightmares and is finding it hard to cope with the things he’s seen. Lily receives wonderful news but wonders if this is where her life should be heading.

Lots of things going on then in this third instalment of the Wartime Bakery series. We are also introduced to a new character. Betty arrives in town and will help Audrey out in the bakery shop but who is she and what did she run away from?

I so enjoyed getting to hang out with Audrey and the others again. They are all such delightful characters who are just trying their hardest to find a bright spot in each day this dark period has brought them. There’s something incredibly admirable about how this close knit family and community comes together to put a smile on someone’s face with what little they have. Even if that means making icing with mustard sauce. Because there may be a war going on but life goes on.

Telegrams and Teacakes is sadly the final part of this Wartime Bakery trilogy and I feel rather bereft. These characters wormed their way into my heart from the beginning and it’ll be hard saying goodbye to them. Sometimes they moved me, sometimes they put a smile on my face but more than anything they are characters to adore and root for, characters you desperately want that happy ending for. This whole series has been thoroughly entertaining and inspirational and it’s a shame to see it come to an end but I will never forget the kindness, the compassion and the delightful community spirit.

Telegrams and Teacakes was my third and last visit to Barton's Bakery in Bournemouth to follow the fortunes of Audrey, her family and extended friends and neighbours. Amy Miller has written such wonderful stories in the Wartime Bakery series and I was sad to say goodbye to these characters. The final instalment wrapped up any loose ends that had been lingering while introducing a few new little sub plots also. This book can be read as a stand alone but I think you would do better to start at the beginning with Heartaches and Christmas Cakes, and follow on with Wartime Brides and Wedding Cakes simply because it would enhance your overall enjoyment of the series and allow you to understand just how special the character of Audrey is and what she is capable of achieving through hard work and sheer courage and strength. I had hoped there would be more to come from Audrey and co considering it is only 1942 and the war did rage on for another three years but the ending did wrap up everything nicely but still in my mind it left room for maybe a little novella in the future. Who knows?

Telegrams and Teacakes, as well as the other two books in the trilogy, epitomises the feelings that war inspired amongst those left at home. People wanted to keep everything running as normal as it possibly could be. Friendship, camaraderie, kindness, unity and sacrifice are just some of the words that spring to mind. Being cheery, upbeat and happy was a challenge but everyone was grateful for small mercies whatever shape or form they took. Everyone in the community pulled together and even though deep inside they were desperate for news of loved ones away fighting or else were living in constant fear of being bombed they still always put on a brave face determined to make it through one day at a time step by step. People displayed endless resilience despite their lives being turned upside down. None more so than Audrey Barton, she has been the stalwart of her family as her husband Charlie is away doing his bit for his country. Audrey is definitely the matriarch to whom everyone turns to for advice and support, she is strong, brave and courageous keeping so many balls juggling in the air at one time. The bakery needs to be kept going despite the protestations from regular customers of the introduction of the new national loaf but Audrey does her best to produce little treats and bakery delights when she can at all.

Combined with the workload of the bakery Audrey just has the biggest heart and can't say no to anyone she sees in need. Times may be desperate for everyone but she always has the ability to stretch things that little bit further to embrace those that are crying out for help, love and attention. The door is always open in Audrey's house, space can be found for a waif or stray as she knows just as Charlie is away fighting for his country she too wants to do what she can back on home soil. But as Audrey awaits the birth of a much longed for baby, it quickly became apparent that she was doing far too much. You can only do so much for everybody else before you have to stop and think about yourself and your own welfare. That's what I loved about this book for so long we had seen Audrey as strong and unbreakable, nothing could phase or shatter her but here there was a sense of vulnerability creeping in. A feeling of letting one's guard down and allowing others to step in and do for her as she had done for so many. I enjoyed seeing this other side to her character as it demonstrated she wasn't all one sided and invincible but that she was human too and did have her weaknesses and that when things just got too much she was willing to embrace the hand of friendship and aid that was being offered. Audrey's story was perfectly concluded., it was bitter-sweet and heart-warming.

A new girl arrives on the scene with secrets of her own that she does not want exposed. Betty has fled Bristol in the hopes of starting a new life away from the awful news she has discovered. Everything she thought was true and perfect in her life has turned out to be the complete opposite. I didn't like the tone Christine, a friend of Audrey's stepsister Lily, took with Betty. It seemed out of character and threatening with how I had viewed her before. But because she took this stance it forced Betty to admit the truth and I think Audrey and co were more willing to welcome her into the fold because of her honesty. The way Betty's storyline developed amazed me because I would have taken the totally opposite viewpoint and not be as warm and approachable when she is presented with a difficult decision. It shows that beneath it all Betty was a kind-hearted person who along with everyone else would do everything in their power to try and survive and make the best of a bad situation against all the odds. Betty the more we got to know her and understand why she came to be in Bournemouth the more she slotted in so readily and perfectly into the overall family feeling always evident through each book in this series.

As for Audrey's brother William and his new wife Elsie, I was so glad to see their storyline which had been brewing and brewing in the first two books at last come to a head. It had been clear for some time that confrontation and getting everything out in the open really did need to happen. Keeping things bottled up and not allowing others in to share the burden would only result in the most disastrous of consequences. There was a gradual thaw and softening in Williams behaviour and I admired Elsie for standing by the man she loved through the good times and bad. Unfortunately the bad seem to far out weigh the good but there is light at the end of the tunnel. William returned from the war with a changed personality and I was glad to finally discover the reasons why but I hoped that with the backing of Elsie that he could express what he was feeling and why. It was interesting to see how it went about this and it showed just how torn apart and battered many men were from what they had experienced and witnessed.

A brief mention of Lily, stepsister to Audrey, her storyline needed resolution too but I felt it was only mentioned every now and again just so she wasn't forgotten as having been a crucial character in books one and two. I would have loved to have seen her feature more in this book and have her story developed more. It just felt all too fleeting. It needed something more tangible and concrete rather than a letter. A physical meeting of two minds would have been ideal.

Although Telegrams and Teacakes wasn't the strongest in my mind out of all three books it still provided the reader with a fitting ending to a series which has been so enjoyable. It's full of heartbreak and disappointment but also too packed full of love, compassion and consideration. Kindness runs through the Barton's veins and with family and community spirit they can weather any storm the war may throw at them. A lovely ending to a delightful series which now has me intrigued as to what direction Amy Miller will venture in next.

Wartime historical stories have become a favorite of mine and this one is especially good. Although I haven't read the previous 2 books in this series, I never felt lost. The author filled you in on the characters without dragging out each person if you had read the previous books.

The story takes place in 1942 at a British bakery. We meet Audrey, the owner who is struggling to keep things going while her husband is away at war. Everyone should have a friend like her, a genuine caring person. She hires Betty as a bakery helper, who is trying to hide a secret. The characters all had wonderful personalities and were like one big family.

This book had a little of everything in it, heartache, romance, friendship, hope, wartime struggles, and lots of emotional moments. I'm looking forward to reading the first 2 books now since this was a book that was hard to put down. So glad I found this book and author.

I highly recommend it to anyone that enjoys historical fiction!

* I was provided an ARC to read from the publisher and NetGalley. It was my decision to read and review this book..

4.5 Stars

During 1942 in England, 24-year-old Betty Mitchell is devastated by the ultimate betrayal of her husband, Robert. In addition to that, their house was bombed, leaving Betty with a very very hard decision to make. With the clothes on her back, she flees Bristol and heads to Bournemouth as she discovers an ad for employment at a the Barton's Bakery shop there. Although times are incredibly difficult, the bakery is especially busy. The bakery's owner, a very pregnant Audrey Barton, is running it alone while her husband is away at war.

Meanwhile, Betty eventually meets Sam, a Canadian soldier, and they hit it off quite well. The thing is, Robert was also married to another woman and he suddenly shows up at Betty's door with his three children and Betty ends up having to care for the children. She was just getting on her feet and now this! Also, Audrey is nearing the delivery date for her baby. The whole lot of characters are absolutely marvelous and they all pull together - not just for Betty and the three children now in her care, but for Audrey as she prepares for motherhood, all while she is sadly and desperately missing her husband Charlie.

This is a story that very well includes Betty's plight, but it also pays acute attention to Audrey's family and friends, as well as the townspeople who frequent the bakery. As this is the third in the series, I took a chance reading this first, as I may have missed the continuity of the characters and stories. Despite missing the previous titles, this story is so well-written that I was quite comfortable while reading this story.

This story was fiction, no doubt, but very affecting when it came to understanding what it was like living in the throes of World War II. There were the rations, air raids and bombings, along with the constant worry as to whether or not loved ones would return home from the war. The story was quite sad as everyone is greatly affected by the war. My emotions were ripped apart as I was left in tears more than once. But there was also a fantastic sense of camaraderie and family. Telegrams and Teacakes was truly engaging, filled me with warmth, and and truly leaves me wanting more from this series.

After just a few pages in, I was already in love with Audrey with her generous, kind and loving personality. I have read a handful of historical fiction stories this year set in times of war. It seems that the stories are getting better and better, and this one certainly is no exception. The connected characters are marvelous and I do wish that I'd had the time to read the first two books in the series so that I would have really known all of them. Amy Miller is an exceptional author and penned a remarkable story. I look forward to reading much more from her.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.

Telegrams and Teacakes takes you back to 1942 with Britain at war, bomb raids a regular occurrence and rationing a way of life.
We meet Betty who has decided to leave Bristol and her heartache behind and move to Bournemouth. Desperate not to be found she changes her surname and manages to get herself a job working at the Barton Bakery. You just know however despite her best laid plans she will not remain undetected for long.
As this is the third in the Wartime Bakery series the majority of the characters are well established however don’t let this put you off from reading it if you have not read the first two. I haven’t and I can honestly say that this did not cause me any problems or detract from the story.
I have to say I loved the characters in this book. One of the funniest parts that made me chuckle was a customer in the bakery having a bit of a temper tantrum over the National Loaf that had been introduced that “tasted like sawdust” and was not white like they used to be. The fact that they threatened to camp out there until she was given a white loaf was both amusing and sad at the same time. This for me really showed some of the sacrifices that were made during that time even with the simple things in life that we take for granted. The bakery really does seem to be one extended family and Betty soon becomes part of that even when the past she had been running from catches up with her.
The one character that really stood out for me was Audrey’s brother William. He is now out of the army having sustained serious injury but he is haunted by what happened whilst he was overseas. Blaming himself for his friends’ death he suffers terrible nightmares and this is taking its toll on his marriage. Despite his struggles he feels that he can’t burden anyone with the truth and would rather suffer in silence and alone.
I did admire Audrey though not only had she taken on the running of the bakery whilst her husband was fighting in the war, she had also adopted a girl who had lost all her family and was also heavily pregnant and refusing to slow down any time soon.
Amy Miller has manages to give the reader a real sense of what people during that time were going through, from the rationing to the interrupted sleep from air raid warnings and the sense of not knowing what they would find once they emerged from the shelters. Despite this there was a real sense of pulling together and hope. Amy has managed to get the right blend of humour and heartache of the period making Telegrams and Teacakes a must for any reader.

I love war time stories and this story was a pretty good read. The good nature, resilience and simplicity of hard working people shone through it.

Having read the first 2 in this saga I was looking forward to this one. An excellent read full of love heartache and hope. I really hope to read more in this series.

I admit this is the first book I have read, despite it being book 3! It did not matter thoigh as it is so well written, I followed the story with ease. I love war time sagas and this one is up there with some of the best i have read. Now to read books 1 and 2!

This is book 3 in the wartime bakery saga by Amy Miller . Yet again like the other two previous books this one doesn’t disappoint . We are back with Audrey and other familiar characters in the bakery and we are also introduced to some new characters . Betty had fled from Bristol and looking for work she is employed by Audrey at the bakery . Who or what is Betty fleeing from ? With the war still raging on bakery supplies are limited and people have to make do with what they have . There is no luxuries for anyone . Again like the previous books we are made aware how difficult it was for people during the war times and how they rallied around each other during these times

I would recommend reading these books in order as you will get the background of all the characters.

I am really hoping there will be more books in this fabulous series .

A well deserved five star read from me.

Telegram and Teacakes is the third book in the Wartime Bakery series and I have read the previous, so, I was looking forward to this one. The story continues with 23rd year old Betty running away from Bristol to start a new life. After discovering that her sometimes abusive husband Richard, has another wife and kids. She longed for kids herself and she now knows why Richard wasn’t ready for them. She flees with his life savings.
On her way to Bournemouth she finds a vacancy in a newspaper for a shop girl at the Barton bakery. Where she meets Audrey who although she has the whole world on her shoulders and not only is she responsible for the family bakery and all who work in it, as her husband Charlie is off to war, but, she is pregnant with twins. She gives a job to Betty.
Life seems to be looking up for Betty, she meets Canadian soldier Sam and they start seeing each other. She couldn’t be happier, when Richard turns up with three kiddies in toe. When Sam and Richard confront each other. Sam leaves but the police turn up, Richard runs away and Betty is left to look after the children. Audrey takes the all in.
This is another beautifully written heartfelt and also feel good story set in 1942. I love reading stories like this. I loved each and every character. The way the stuck together in the good times and the bad and the way they had repair and make do in the times of hardship. It gives me a warm fuzzy feeling inside. I hope this story continues.
Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for a copy of this book.

Telegrams and Teacakes is a well written historical. I enjoyed the plot, characters and the WWII setting. I highly recommend this book. My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this arc. This is my unbiased review.

Having read the two previous books about Bartons Bakery and so looking forward to reading this one i was eager to find out how Audrey,Charlie,William,Elsie, Lily,Pat and John were coping with the war.Mary has become a dearly loved member of the family after losing both her parents and brother,Lily and Joy are still the same,William is haunted by guilt and has nightmares but Elsie is determined to help him overcome them.A new face appears at Bartons Betty is looking for a job and Audrey gives her a try as Maggie is now in London with her husband.I don't want to say too much as i don't like to spoil books for the readers but if i am honest i felt that this book finished too soon there was room for more so i hope there will be another book.well worth 5*

This is the third book of the Wartime Bakery series. It can be read as a standalone novel, but you will understand parts of the story better if you have read the other books in the series.

We are back in Bournemouth at the Barton Bakery. Audrey Barton is heavily pregnant and, with her husband away at war, she is left to run the family bakery. There is more and more rationing placed on bakeries and Audrey’s customers aren’t pleased with the bread that the Government has told Audrey she needs to be making. There is also a new bakery assistant by the name of Betty. Betty is from Bristol but has run away from her husband to make a new life for herself. Life is still hard for the ladies (and gentlemen) of Barton Bakery, but in true wartime spirit they all pull together and help each other out.

I’ve loved this series so far so was excited to hear of the next instalment coming out. Audrey has been such a lovable character all through the series and although she was heavily pregnant she continues to help and put other people first – a truly worthy woman! I think I say it about every wartime novel I read, but it’s humbling to read how these people, particularly the women, during wartime struggle with the rationing, bombing and all the other worries, especially about their loved ones, that war brings. This author captures the atmosphere so well and the writing instantly transports you back to Audrey’s time, taking you through all the trials and tribulations that the Barton family experience.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable read, as were all the other books! It’s an emotional rollercoaster of a story – sadness and tears over what they had to suffer but also a heart-warming story of family and friendships. Highly recommended and I can’t wait to see if there is another in the series to follow on Audrey’s story.

This is the first book I’ve read from this author. It is a good story about the town and a small family bakery in Bournemouth, England. Charlie and Audrey own the bakery but Charlie is away fighting in the war. Audrey seems to collect people- there’s a collection of interesting characters around her. Even though there are several different characters, the story keeps moving forward and is interesting until the end. I will recommend this book to family and friends. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy for my honest opinion.

Absolutely loved this book. I'm a huge fan of wartime sagas with believable characters and this definitely ticked that box. It was a realistic and fascinating glimpse into the past and I was gripped from page one. Couldn't wait to get to the end and see things unfolded for the characters, who I had really felt a connection to as the plot unfolded. This is my first introduction to both the author and the series but I'm really excited to read the others!

“Telegrams and Teacakes” by Amy Miller takes place mostly in a bakery Bournemouth, England, during 1942. Britain was under attack by the Luftwaffe and rationing was ratcheting up. You couldn’t buy white bread, but all that was available was dark harder bread. Eggs, milk and sugar were severely rationed, as was cloth, shoes, and staple item. This put a strain on bakeries throughout England and households as well.

At the beginning of this novel, we find Betty Mitchell, desperate to leave the home she has shared with her husband Robert, after finding that Robert has a second wife and three children. She takes their savings and gets on a train, finally stopping in Bournemouth, ready to find lodging and a job.

Audrey Barton keeps the bakery running despite her husband’s wartime service and her advanced pregnancy. She is also very generous in helping others who need her. She already is helping her stepsister, an evacuated child, her husband’s uncle and her brother, a victim of PTSD, and sister-in-law. Betty decides to try to find employment there and Audrey hires her.

The novel follows these people as they struggle through rationing, bombing, worries about absent love ones, worries about Nazi invasion and more. Although it is hard to keep a cheerful outlook, Audrey does. She is a whirlwind of activity. Although pregnant, she hardly stops working. She is always the first to help.

I really enjoyed reading about this time in England’s wartime history. I’m sure things were just as bad as portrayed in this novel and probably even worse. I liked the fact that even though things looked desperate, these people came together and fought that desperation. Having a good outlook about the future made them continue to fight the good fight and “keep the home fires burning”.

I’m looking forward to reading more about the Barton Bakery.

Excellent storyline. Wonderful main characters. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it highly.

A beautiful, beautiful story. Based during the war it tells the story of a family, friends and neighbours of a bakery and how they strive to overcome hardships. Lots of tears and laughter. Highly recommend it.

This is the third book in the wartime bakery saga. I'm not sure if this is a trilogy or not but I'm really hoping not, as there is still so much more potential with the characters in these books and I don't think I am ready to say goodbye to the characters just yet. Would advise reading in order as these really are fabulous books but I thought it did work well as a stand alone as the author does give enough background so you don't feel like you're missing out.

How I had missed life and the people in the bakery. We are introduced to a new character, Betty, who brings a bit of intrigue as to why she has run away. It was also good to catch up with the familiar characters, whose lives I have become totally invested in. Audrey still remains as one of my favourites as her inner strength was just breath taking.

Even though the story is fiction, the story really hits home with the reader as to what life was like back in the war. It really does make for emotional reading in parts and I had to keep wiping the tears away that kept appearing.

What I love more than anything though is that this story is not all heartache and sadness. It made me smile how everyone pulls together in their time of need and there were plenty of happy moments to counter act the not so happy bits. The love between some of the characters had me literally fit to burst. I couldn't stop grinning at the happiness that would radiate from the pages. It was infectious and am so glad people couldn't see me while I was reading it.

Telegrams and Teacakes is a truly wonderful story that totally enveloped me. With so many lovely characters, they really do capture your heart making this an emotional roller coaster of a read. An endearing read that can be read and enjoyed, again and again.