The Girls in Blue is a gripping and emotional wartime saga by Fenella J. Miller.

It is a beautifully researched and written book starting just as World War 2 is beginning. Jane Hadley has been abused by her father all her life. She has been counting the days until she turns 18 and can sign up to the WAAF. She has to escape her father and she wants to do her bit to help when the war begins. The time comes for her to go and she has to run away before her father can find her and stop her leaving. He is a constant source of worry for her throughout this story because she knows he will never let her go.

Her life finally has meaning and she happily makes new friends, gains an admirer, and begins special training for the upcoming battles. She has been both physically and emotionally scarred by her father's treatment of her and fights to not let those scars overwhelm her when it comes to leading a normal life.

Hers is a very emotional story which had me in tears at times but also had me smiling. She made some wonderful friends from all different classes. They would become lifetime friends and be closer than most because of them all being in the WAAF and doing their bit. She has a budding romance with Oscar, a Flight Lieutenant in the airforce which was sweet. Oscar doesn't understand why she seems to blow hot and cold with him, but the minute he realises that somebody must have hurt her in the past he is determined to take his time with her and hopefully get her to learn to trust him. His reaction when he finds out that it was her father who had hurt her was fabulous. Oscar is the perfect hero and comes to Jane's rescue whenever necessary.

I really enjoyed this book, the only thing that was missing was an epilogue. I would have loved to seen into Oscar and Jane's future to see if perhaps they had children, and how they fared when the war was over. Perhaps there will be a sequel?

Jane has been badly abused by her father and so when she is 18 running away to join the WAAF in war torn London is definitely preferable to staying with her father. She is soon enjoying the life of freedom and especially the young pilot, Oscar, that she keeps bumping into...... but can she overcome the damage done by her father to start a relationship?

Another lovely book by this author, you get drawn into the characters right from the start and are rooting for a happy ending for Jane after the torment she has been through

The Girls in Blue by Fenella J. Miller
Publication Date: December 3, 2020
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Description from NetGalley...
“They'll come together to do their bit for the war.

Jane Hadley has nothing to lose when she runs away to join the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. Whatever faces her in war-torn London can't be any worse than staying at home with her abusive father...

The city is nothing like she could have imagined, but she's soon on the move, travelling from base to base for her top-secret training. Making plenty of new friends along the way, it doesn't take long for Jane to embrace her growing confidence – especially under the attentive eye of dashing Officer Oscar Stanton.

Life as an independent woman is as rewarding as it is exciting, until Jane's father tracks her down and it crashes to a halt. Jane will need all her new-found strength to find her way back to the frontline – and to the man she's fallen for...”
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Thank you to @NetGalley @ariafiction for the digital ARC in return for my honest review.
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My thoughts...
If you like quick-read historical fiction, in general, you’d probably enjoy this book. If you’re looking for a serious historical fiction, i.e. a lot of action, fighting, search and rescue and the likes, you might not enjoy it as much. If you like historical fiction romance then you’d most likely enjoy this book. The writing was generally good, but some conversations seemed awkward since some seemed to have been used as a description tool. I would have liked to have known more about her closest friends. I appreciated Jane’s reactiveness to physical touch due to her physical abuse - her reactions were not far-fetched at all (different people have different reactions and bear trauma differently). The background was more about pre-war (inevitable war) training. Overall, it was a quick and entertaining read.

One of my favorite genre is historical fiction, and esoecially the ww2. But unfortunately this book just did not grab me. Of course it was a sweet story. But too.thin for me. I wanted more from the Main characters i wanted more details. Thank you to netgalley for letting me read this e arc in exchange for an honest opinion

Easy to read and characters all likeable. Found it a little far fetched but enjoyed it all the same. Would recommend and look to read the next in the series.

Jane is a in her late teens when she volunteers to join the WAAF, the female division of the RAF. She runs away from home and her abusive father and finds herself learning new skills and making new friends along the way.

This is a coming of age story, a history lesson and a love story wrapped up into one book. Jane meets Oscar in a rather unconventional way,a nod they keep running into each other over and over. They start a relationship, but Jane feels she is too emotionally damaged by her father and ends it.

Luckily they meet again, at a pivotal time. I don’t write spoilers, but will say that despite all odds, these two get their HEA ending.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.

Jane grew up in an abusive household. She refuses to endure her father's behaviour any longer
and at eighteen she decides to join the WAAF. She will make beautiful encounters, several others young women and Oscar a young Pilot.
I feel for Jane she was very traumatized by her abuse and thought she was damaged beyond repair to be loved.
I liked Oscar patience and kindness to her, he really love her and respect her.
Jane go through a lot but little by little she becomes stronger, more confident and realize that her past doesn't define her.

This was an interesting book, the only inconvenient was some bad language.

I received a copy of this book and this is an honest review.

I love WWII Historical Fiction and this was different from the usual ones that I have read. The story takes place as the war is just starting when Jane Hadley, an 18-year-old who has been severely abused by her father all her life, seeks shelter with their vicar and joins the WAAF. It isn't long before Jane meets pilot Oscar Stanton who immediately falls in love with her. The story revolves around Jane and the female co-workers she meets and makes friends with, but it always manages to come back to Oscar who she is having a hard time learning to trust after her abusive relationship with her father. I really enjoyed this book but I did not care for the character of Jane.

Thank you NetGalley and Aria Books for the ARC of this very interesting book in exchange for an honest review.

Fenella J. Miller has an impressive back catalogue of titles that I highly recommend you read. This author has a knack for capturing the feminist spirit in trying times.
The peacefulness of a Sunday morning is shattered by the announcement of war. For many people war is an end but to some girls, like jane, it is a new beginning. Her Pastor and his wife help her sign up to be one of the girls in blue.
There is romance, Jane's undying spirit, an abusive father, and raging war. A splendid tale told by a master historical novelist.

This book was good but it fell into line with all the other female pilot books I’ve read. It didn’t provide any new insights but it was a good book just to curl up on my curl and read. I related well to the characters and enjoyed the story.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book by Fenella Miller. it is a genre i often read and this did not disappoint.

The Girls in Blue
Set in WW two this book tells the story of Jane Hadley a young girl who flees from an abusive home and joins the WAAF. After basic training she is sent to her new posting alone as the girls she got friendly with were all sent to different places. Here is where the story gets interesting or it should.! But to be honest it’s just a series of unfortunate events. Jane just goes from one misfortune to another. Obviously she meets her dashing officer who is just to good to be true. I love most books set during WW two but for me this was too far fetched and not enough of a back story regarding Janes parents or her various friends she met along the way. Overall everything was wrapped up far too neatly and quickly for me.
Thanks to #netgalley for a copy of this book #TheGirlsinBlue

After an abusive life at the hands of her father, Jane escapes and joins the WAFF. She does well in the service and also meets Oscar, an RAF pilot.
The story was light and a quick read. It's a book about Jane with the war as a background. It took quite some time to have anything meaningful about the war introduced.
Too much happened to Jane. It was just one thing after another. Also she changed her mind about things too quickly and easily. One minute she was agreeing to or doing something and almost immediately decided to do the exact opposite.
Oscar was a little too good to be true. Nobody is that perfect.
The characters could have had more depth and perhaps a little bit more about the war and the work the WAFF did would have enhanced the story.
One thing grated with me, the phrase, 'that man' was used over and over and got very tiring in the end.
If you like romantic stories set in the war years you'll likely enjoy this.

Thanks to Aria & Aries and NetGalley for the chance to read this early.

This is by far my favourite book written by this author!

It’s enchanting and honestly there shall be moments when your heart will ache and you’re cry but what a nice twist as well near the end! I actually wanted more! Please tell me there’s another book? Haha

It’s a delightful read!

It's rare to find a book where world war 2 is an escape. But The Girls in Blue delivers beautifully with this emotionally packed story about Jane Hadley. living a troubled life in England when the announcement of war becomes her salvation. Poignant and emotionally charged this was a book that I couldn't put down,.

I loved this book from beginning to end. I was sorry to finish it...wanted it to go on. A great historical fiction surrounding WW11 and the women who served their country by volunteering to serve in the WAAF. The heroin of this novel( Jane) has been dealt a heart wrenching life and it is her story of moving past her personal history to become a resilient strong survivor.

The Girls in Blue by Fenella J. Miller


I must compliment this book cover.


As usual, I am so pleased to read another of my favourite genre. Historical saga.


The heroines; Jane, Charlotte , Nora and Nancy. Each of them are so different in character but they really captured my attention especially Jane.


I love how detailed the author was in her research on the history of women in the WAAF.
I learnt so much.


This book is totally different from the historical sagas I read. This is a WWII novel. I am sure somebody will find this book interesting.

4 stars rating. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Aria & Aries through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are mine.

Jane and her parents were in church when news came that the war had started. Jane spoke quietly to her mother but this angered her father. He said he would 'deal' with her when they were home. This meant beating her! The vicar and his wife offered Jane a bed for the night so she could run away and join the WAAF the next day to get away from 'that man'.

The beautiful story centers around Jane and Oscar and their slow burn romance. It's set during the second world war and gives a great insight into life in England during this period. The characters have signed up to the air force and are based at different camps. Friends are made and lost.

It's not all love and romance there is a gritty side to this story.

I am a big lover of books set in this historic time so it had a lot to live up to before I had even started and the bar was high! But I loved it. I loved the characters and the insight into life in the air force for the women. Perfect escapism.

"Jane Hadley has nothing to lose when she runs away to join the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. Whatever faces her in war-torn London can't be any worse than staying at home with her abusive father..." This is truely a wonderful book - captivating right from the beginning with great and strong characters. Your emotions are captured and it sends you wanting to read more.

Brilliant. This was a great read. A story of triumph over adversity. How brave was Jane to run away and join the WAAF at such a tender age. She felt she had nothing to lose running away from her abusive father. Who could blame her. Her reluctance to have a relationship with Oscar was understandable. Thank goodness for a happy ending. A very powerful read.