What a beautiful story! this one had me in tears from the very beginning. I couldn't put this one down and will definitely recommend it.

The Orphan Sisters is the debut novel for Shirley Dickson and what a great novel it is.
It’s 1929, four-year-old Esther and eight-year-old Dorothy goes on a special journey with their mother. Esther gets so excited and she has never been on a tram car before. She is also curious as her mother is carrying a heavy suitcase. When they turn up at Blakely Hall Orphanage. Her mother tells her that they are to stay their fall a little while. But, they never see their mother again.
Then in 1940, the girls leave the orphanage and not only find it hard to adapt to a normal everyday life but, it’s also the start of the Second world war Dorothy marries Laurie. But then he is sent off to war. Esther falls in love with ‘jack the lad’ Billy but she knows that they can never be together.
The is a beautifully written coming of age story, between two sisters. From when they were abandoned in an orphanage to adult life. I didn’t want to put down. This story had great characters. I liked Billy, he was so cheeky and didn’t have a care in the world. It was greatly researched. and also tugged at your heart strings too, especially the ending. I thank Bookoutre for the copy of this book and I will look forward to the next instalment Shirley Dickson writes.

I have really come to enjoy historical books, so I was looking forward to reading this one. It was very slow to get into, and I had a hard time staying engaged. The reader is given some good insight into the time period and the realities of the war. There wasn't as much character development as I'd hoped (or as I've found in other books about this time period).

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley, but I wasn't required to leave a positive review.

Well i liked the blurb about this book and i have not been disappointed,this book is the heartbreaking story of Dorothy and Etty from 1929 and through the second world war.i really don't want to give the plot away as that would be unfair.I can honestly recommend this book but make sure you have tissues handy.The story is heartbreaking with a little happiness thrown in,and this book really draws you in along side dorothy and etty.worthy of 5* and more in my opinion.

I am a big historical fiction fan. This is the first book I’ve read by Shirley Dickson. I enjoyed this book....it was well written, however I found it a big slow to start.
Such a tough time in our history...this book really gives the reader a good idea of how frightening it was to live during the second world....what we also see is that for all the devastation and heartbreak...the people of Britain never lost their fight. In some ways it brought out the best in many..
I look forward to reading Shirley Dicksons next book.

The Orphan Sisters is a decent read. Two sisters are left at an orphanage and their mother disappears. The sisters remain close despite tragedies and WWII. Each marries and deals with her own set of troubles. In the end, the truth about their mother is revealed and only one sister hears it. I liked Dorothy the best. She and her husband were good souls. Some of the characters were rather flat and one dimensional.

A gorgeous character-driven, coming-of-age story about family bonds, love, and hardships of war. Dickson painted a beautiful portrait of Etty from age four to nearly twenty as the abandoned and rebellious girl grows into a sensible and self-assured woman over matters of importance. I thought the vivid descriptions of the horrid bombardments were exceptionally beautiful.
Thank you to the author, Bookouture, and NetGalley for the advance copy—I have already recommended the book!

I love to have a break from crime fiction and this book certainly filled the gap. It's set pre and during the second world war and is about the lives of two young sisters who are abandoned in an orphanage by the one person they should have been able to trust, their mother. It follows their lives through to adulthood with little love being offered to them but plenty of cruelty. I found that once started I couldn't put the book down and I hope there is a follow up because I think there is enough to warrant one.

This was a great read
Exciting and heartwarming in equal measure.
Well written and interesting.
Great storyline and very easy to read
Not unforgettable but a very pleasant book to snuggle up with on a cold winters day in front of a roaring fire

I love this book! I couldn't stop reading once I started! The story is beautiful but also emotional (have tissues close by!!!)
I love the story.. a tale of family, heartbreaks, and forgiveness!
The characters are wonderful ... you start to feel close to them in a kindred sort of way!
The book is written so beautifully! It flows so well from one page to the next, it's easy to lose yourself in the story, i really enjoyed that the author brought a lot of the history and what was going on back in those times to the story! your heart just aches for the characters because you can't possibly begin to understand what they had to go through but with the vivid details you feel as if you're there with them!
I am very glad to have been given the opportunity to read this book it made a huge impact and it's not a story i will soon forget! i definitely recommend this book to others!

I love the historical setting & the intimate relationship between the two sisters. The story was emotional and inspiring as you see the sisters grow individually after leaving the orphanage. I highly recommend The Orphan Sisters!

I have read some great books this year that are set in and around the world war and this is another one to add to the list.

What appeals most in this story is the relationship between Etty and Dorothy. I am sure most of us with siblings when we were younger, argued and fought like cat and dogs. Etty and Dorothy though are very close. Having been sent to an orphanage, they only have each other. The bond that grows between the two was so endearing and lovely to read.

As the girls leave the orphanage, we get to see what life was like for both of the young women, especially within the war itself. We see all the highs and lows and the turmoils that both sisters have to face. I have to say it makes for a page turner of a read as I was so engrossed in what was going on.

The Orphan Sisters is a compelling and emotional story that will tug on the readers heart strings. You really get a sense of the era that the story is set in with all the concerns and worries that the people had back then. I loved though with all that going on, the strength especially that characters like Etty have, to just keep on going and make the most of what life deals you. A superb read!