The first I’ve read from Pam Howes, I found that not reading the first in this trilogy wasn’t a hardship, as backstories and relationships for our main characters have been given context, and while I’m going to read the first, it didn’t effect my enjoyment of this one. War has ended and while the air is filled with hope, the adjustments aren’t always straightforward. Alice and Terry, having only spent one night as a married couple are back together, with Terry desperately trying to find a connection to the daughter he’s never met. But they are happy, if scraping to make ends meet, with Alice working in a shop downtown and also at a local pub on Saturday nights. With Terry finding work amidst the thousands of men searching, he’s decided he needs to get his motorcycle road worthy and starts (against Alice’s and his own mother’s wishes) to start the repairs with the help of Jack, the second in command at the pub where Alice works. Jack did not serve, an ‘injury’ that took half his foot made him unfit – and the first questions about Jack and his ‘honor’ enter the story.

Alice’s best friends, Millie and Sadie are also featured: Millie had met her new man at Alice’s wedding, and now they are marrying and moving to Bristol with plans to emigrate to Canada while Sadie is worried that the father of her child will return to take him away, a circus performer and Italian, the family and circus left when being Italian in England often meant being ‘secured’ in camps for national security. But with Sadie’s worries, and Millie’s moving away, Alice is steadily working to piece back her family and enjoy their time together. Everything is moving forward nicely until Terry is killed in an accident during his first ride on the bike. Cue Alice into ‘survival mode, working and struggling to make the life for her daughter and her younger brother who she has cared for since her mother’s death. With Jack stepping up and making it clear that friendship is not all he wants, it is decided that he and Alice will marry, and she’ll sell her house, investing her share of the money into a bond for the pub, so Jack can ‘take over” and with the flat above the business, everything looks like they can put money away, Alice’s dreams take a new direction. Much to the dismay of her mother-in-law and side-eye from many people in the neighborhood. Here is where Alice lost me a bit – she’s so unwilling to question Jack, or see his controlling and often erratic behavior as red flags – and his determination (and frequent statements) that kids are nothing he wants don’t deter her forward progress with their marriage.

Clearly pointing out the struggles and the limited choices available to women of the time, forget the additional pressures from wartime recoveries. It truly was a time when the best, and perhaps only, protections a woman had were those of husband and family – and Alice makes a choice, despite her own worries, to move forward and take a chance that life will improve. Where I understand the conditioning to allow the husband be the man of the house, Alice survived and managed a house, 2 children and a job while Terry was away at war, yet she’s willing to ‘let’ Jack be the lead in everything…. Surprisingly enough, she had kept paperwork and proof that if used, will allow her a bit of a say in the business and their life moving forward, and with a promotion at work, and that feeding her self-esteem and confidence, all is moving forward, if cautiously – until Alice finds herself pregnant. It would be nice to see actual changes in Jack during Alice’s pregnancy, but the ‘I’ll change” moment at the end, from someone who very clearly was EVERYTHING that people tried to warn her about wasn’t quite enough for me to find this chapter in the trilogy resolved with any sense of permanence. But – I loved Millie and Sadie, and the connection the three share, and hope that more will resolve for all three in the final book.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=” https://wp.me/p3OmRo-abK /” > <a> I am, Indeed </a>

This story is about a mother and widow trying to make a life and marries a man who is not all that he seemd.

what an amazing book. Loved it from beginning to end
I loved the authors style of writing and will be looking for other books by this author.
I would recommend this book to friends and family

If you like books about WWII, The Shop Girls of Lark Lane is a terrific read.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author. All opinions are my own.

This is the second book in the saga and would probably recommend reading the books in order, mainly just to get a bit of back ground to the characters and get to know them better. It isn’t imperative to do so though.

Thankfully the war is now over and things look like they are finally on the up for Alice and her little family with her husband Terry back at home. Sadly that happiness doesn’t last for long. You can’t help feel for Alice who has had it tough and now things are going to get even harder.

What I love about this story is the bond of friendship and family. Alice is lucky to have some great friends as well as have her mother in law look out for her, of which she isn’t sadly always grateful for. Her younger brother is a massive help also with her daughter Cathy and I think it really makes you value the people you have round you.

I don’t want to say to much about the story as there are some unexpected surprises, of which had my heart break for Alice. It really makes you question how well you know someone. I have no clue what is next for Alice but I am already counting down the days until the next book is out.

The Shop Girls Of Lark Lane is another enthralling read in the sage. As usual with this authors books, from picking it up, I never want to put it down until I’ve reached the last page. Even then, the characters stay with me well after I’ve put the book down. Usually if it’s been a while since I read the last book, I sometimes need to look back at the previous blurb to remind myself of the story and characters but not with Pam Howes books,they stay with me regardless. An unforgettable and engrossing read.

It was truly wonderful to see the war - and its aftermath - from the perspective of a woman. We read so many books about men at the front, but what of the woman who stayed behind and had to compensate in the workplace for the loss of their husbands in their towns? I'm thankful that someone finally dared to write about it.
The story if this little family was heartwarming and I loved following their story. I read this book in almost one sitting.

This is the fifth book that I have read by Pam Howes and the second in the Lark Lane trilogy . Like the others I have read this was another absolutely brilliant five star read . In this book we are back with Alice and her husband Terry who has just returned from the Second World War . He is finding it difficult to bond with their young daughter Cathy as he has been at war since she was born . We also catch up with Alice’s friends Millie and Sadie and other people who were introduced in book one . This book can be read as a stand-alone as the author gives us a good background information but I loved the first book (The factory girls of lark lane ) so much I highly recommend reading jt

So back to this book - a wonderful war time saga that is perfect for reading curled with by the fire with a nice hot drink . From the first few chapters you will be hooked and won’t want to put this book down until you find out more about Alice and how she and her family and friends are getting on with life after the war .
I am so looking forward to book 3 in this wonderful war time saga.

This was a wonderful read! Book 2 in the Shop Girls series.
I had a tough time with Alice and Jacks relationship however I had to keep reminding myself that times were very different.
The door was definitely opened for a book 3....I am anxious to see what direction the story will go next. I enjoy Pam Howe’s books, I love her writing style.

.An English saga that drew me right in love the people the families the drama the friendships romance.highly recommend a large box of tissues for this tear at your heart emotional read,#netgalley #bookoture.