Cover Image: The Red Cross Orphans

The Red Cross Orphans

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

I was excited to read this new book in Glynis Peters' Red Cross series and wasn't disappointed. Kitty volunteers as a Red Cross nurse in WW2 and on her first night meets Trixie and Jo, two women who will become her firm friends. Together they nurse patients and face the horrors that the war brings while supporting each other professionally and emotionally through their own highs and lows.

When Kitty meets Canadian doctor, Michael they become friends but both soon realise that their feelings for each other go much deeper than that. When Michael is posted away Kitty is heartbroken but soon becomes embroiled in helping others in different areas of the country. She and Michael have more in common than they imagine and as their romance develops they discover that theirs is a love worth waiting for.

I loved this book and can't wait to read the authors next book.

Was this review helpful?

I loved this story about an orphaned girl named Kitty who volunteers for the Red Cross during WWII. She met two other girls, and their strong friendship carries them through while they nurse wounded soldiers and the difficult nights of bombardment.
Kitty falls for a handsome Canadian doctor, and their friendship slowly turns into a sweet romance.
I enjoyed this book, 4 stars.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Was this review helpful?

The Red Cross Orphans (The Red Cross Orphans #1) by Glynis Peters is the third book I have read by this author. I loved this book. I love reading stories that are set during World War II. This one was very interesting. The story is about a group of student nurses dealing with many difficult situations during the Blitz. Glynis Peters does a bang up job of creating characters that will stay with you long after the story is complete. Her setting descriptions were awesome and made it easy to transport yourself to the place she is describing.

I am so glad that this is the first installment. Hopefully we will reunite with some of these characters and meet some new ones along the way. Well done!

I would like to thank One More Chapter, Glynis Peter and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I wanted to love this one but I didn’t keep an interest in it long enough to continue it. This one will apparently take a bit to “get into” and I may or may not have given it long enough, either way, not my normal type of read, I guess.

Was this review helpful?

I am always excited to get a book from WWII. Especially one where it is one that is true to the era. This story follows Kitty Pattison, a young girl who signs up for the Red Cross. The story takes us through this naive girls experience learning about how to take care off and be there for the wounded. In her travels she discovers things she would have never known about, livign in the small town she grew up with. Her life resonated with many people inthe war. Whether they were hurt, or with the orphans that came out of it. She really put all her she had into this. It was not all sadness in this this story. She did happen to make great friends, learn things about different places, and meet someone special to her.
I really enjoyed this book it was emotional, and I learned a lot reading it. I read it in on day.

Was this review helpful?

A great book based around WW2 following Kitty an orphan and Red Cross Nurse. Kitty falls in love with a Dr who is also an orphan but with war on there lives and relationship takes many twists and turns. Great characters great chapters and great reading.

Was this review helpful?

Loved the cover graphics. All in all an engaging read. I enjoyed watching Kitty grow into a dedicated Red Cross nurse, dealing with the tragedies and horrors of war. The highlights for me were reading about the various postings she was placed in and how different they were. I was very intrigued with the story of the VIP and wished I knew who the “Adolph” was. I have never thought about what the nurses endured during the war so this was very interesting to me. Her friendships with other nurses and her romance with Michael were endearing. I greatly appreciated that Kitty’s commitment to the Red Cross and desire to learn more take precedent over her romance.
As I was finishing I was questioning, “This is it?” , but maybe she is leaving it open for a sequel. Many thanks to Glynis Peters, One More Chapter, and NetGalley for affording me the opportunity to read an arc of this just published story.

Was this review helpful?

I enjoyed this book and I am really glad to see it is the first in a series. What I really liked about the background is that although Kitty was an orphan, she had been brought up in a loving family by her aunt and uncle. We follow Kitty's adventures as she leaves home to train as a nurse with the Red Cross. We're with her as she makes friends with Trix and Joan and meets the insufferable Belle. We follow her nursing training and the traumatic scenes she encounters and we hope her love life is going to progress. Although the ending was lovely I wanted to know what happened next so am delighted there will be another book to follow up. #netgalley #theredcrossorphans

Was this review helpful?

Orphan Kitty volunteers for the Red Cross during WW II. She meets and becomes friends with Jean and Trixie. She also meets a doctor, Michael, whom she begins to fall in love with. Her fellow Red Cross Orphans help her to understand that she deserves love and happiness, even as the world is at war. Heartwarming story.

Was this review helpful?

I read The Forgotten Orphan last year and was delighted to hear that a new series was beginning.

The Red Cross Orphans is the story of Kitty – orphaned at the age of four and raised by her aunt and uncle. The storyline starts in autumn 1940, a year after the start of World War 2. Kitty is twenty, has joined the Red Cross as a volunteer nurse and is travelling to Birmingham for further training. Unsure what to expect when she arrives, she finds herself amongst a group of three other volunteers – Trixie, Jo and Belle. As the story unfolds, we learn more about each of the characters with the trio of Kitty, Trixie and Jo becoming firm friends.

Birmingham, as with many large towns, was badly damaged by bombings during WW2 and Kitty finds herself part of a team tasked with rescuing those caught up in the damage. It is here that she meets Canadian doctor, Michael McCarthy and the pair strike up a friendship which soon develops into romance.

As the war continues we see Kitty and Michael posted to where they are needed the most – often without knowing where the other was.

I found this to be a deeply moving story of friendship, heartbreak, love and loss. Kitty is a remarkable character who, despite all that is thrown at her, gets back up, dusts herself off (in some cases quite literally) and gets on with the job in hand.

The historical aspect of the story was very interesting, particularly the chapters covering Kitty’s work in Scotland at Drymen Military Hospital.

This was a beautifully scripted book, with excellent characters and a gripping storyline. I’m very much looking forward to the next instalment in the series.

Many thanks to Glynis Peters, Harper Collins UK – One More Chapter and NetGalley UK for the review copy.

Was this review helpful?

A charming read with the benefit of time passing. However, after working through this last two years a different horror has been uppermost. Memories (although decades later) came back. I found myself amused at the three "S"s. at "shoegate" and unruly hair that needed a whole packet of hairpins. Not much changed. I don't think it really captured the full stress and enormous pressure- a little over sentimentalised but even so an entertaining read which I enjoyed

Was this review helpful?

Thanks to #NetGalley and #HarperCollinsUK #Onemorechapter and #GlynisPeters for an advanced copy of #TheRedCrossOrphans which releases on 30 November 2021

This story was not what I expected from the cover. In this blushfree historical fiction novel, the author tells the story of a young girl Kitty who is leaving home to become a Red Cross Nurse in the UK during WW2.. Kitty was orphaned at a young age and raised by her very loving aunt and uncle. She meets a Canadian medic, her love interest and he was also orphaned at a young age.

The story takes us on a journey of growth with Kitty, through dealing with adversity, loss, joy, betrayal and love. These are experienced through her work, making new friends and dealing with difficult colleagues, patients and superiors.

I enjoyed the story although at times I found Kitty to jump to conclusions quite quickly and sometimes rash in her judgement especially of Michael. I do think this changed as the story progresses showing a developing of maturity in the character.

I was interested in the VIP patient in Scotland. As I reside in an area 2 minutes from where this VIP patient was discovered and have a relative, that family members have advised was in intelligence and involved in the questioning of this VIP (although I have been unable to substantiate this as yet). Kitty didn’t really gain anything from this role and it was a bit inconsequential.

I have the story a 3 star rating as firstly I felt the ending was rather abrupt however, I note that this is book 1 in a series. Secondly, nothing to do with the story or the writing which was very enjoyable, I personally prefer my books with a little more steam. This story was very much a kissing only romance.

Was this review helpful?

I found I was extremely affected by this book. So many emotions came up. The story did drag at times but I enjoyed it anyway. I did find the ending was rather abrupt but I assume the next in the series will pick up where this one left off.

Was this review helpful?

Kitty signs up to become a nurse in World War II England. Motivated by the loss of her cousin in Dunkirk, she feels the call to give back. Upon arriving for her training, she bonds with fellow nurse trainees, Jo and Trix, while. Also finding herself in the crosshairs of Belle, a lazy, entitled trainee who finds reasons to take advantage of Kitty’s call to serve. Kitty also finds herself falling for a Canadian doctor, Michael, who catches her eye at a dance. As we see Kitty grow into a highly respected nurse who receives achievement after achievement and relocation to highly regarded assignments, we also find how her romance with Michael progresses or regresses, as well as how she maintains friendships with those along the way while the war rages about them.

I read this book after taking a break from WWII historical fiction in the last month. This was a refreshing re-entry into a turbulent time for our world and gave insight into the nurses of the Red Cross and their contribution and sacrifice during the war. I found the cover a bit misleading because the focus of the story is a Red Cross nurse in training and a doctor. While both were orphans growing up, the picture of two children on the cover gave me the impression when I requested it that there would be more of a storyline of helping orphans than there actually was. That being said, I did enjoy the novel and would’ve liked an epilogue of what happened after the war to the characters. 3.5⭐️

#netgalley #arc #theredcrossorphans #glynispeters #harpercollinsuk

Was this review helpful?

would like to thank netgalley and the publishers for letting me read this entertaining book

an interesting read about red cross nurses and their role in the second world war

a brilliant start when we meet the girls at the start of their training where friendships are made for life.

i really enjoyed this storyline and will be looking forward to the next book in this series...loved all the characters even the nasty nurse who felt to privileged to work

will be keeping an eye out for more of this authors works as she pulls you right into her stories and cant wait to find out what happens to kitty next who didnt have the best start in life when she became an orphan at a young age

Was this review helpful?

I throughly enjoyed this book it was such an easy read. The story was set around a hospital and student nurses. I always enjoy books about WW2 as I find them so fascinating. This was a sweet and sad story so emotions were up and down. Needs more than five stars. I will certainly be reading more of this author’s books in the future. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Orphan Kitty wants to do her bit for the war effort and volunteers for the Red Cross. Meeting Jo and Trix help her get through it and a certain Canadian Doctor makes it all worthwhile. Good Read

Was this review helpful?

The story is about WWII Great Britain and the journey nurses had to go on to succeed and survive. What courage and perseverance they had to have!
Overall, I found this story to be well written WWII romance. The pace of the story did seem slow and drag a bit at times.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion. All opinions expressed are my own.

Was this review helpful?

Firstly, thank you to Glynis Peters, Harper Collins UK and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

I velieve this book is written as book 1 of a series. It follows Kitty who is training to be a Red Cross nurse during WW2 in Britain. She meets two girls who she becomes lifelong friends with, and then Belle which she grows an instant dislike to (I'll let you read the book to find out more). The book shows friendship, love and missing loved ones.

During the book we also get to meet a Canadian medic called Michael who Kitty works alongside and becomes very fond of. Both Kitty and Michael have many things in common. But things are never plain sailing, are they?

I liked how this book follows Kitty being posted to different parts of the country and how she coped with this by writing letters to her loved ones. It was nice seeing her character develop into a confident and knowledgeable nurse.

The Red Cross Orphans is a nice steady paced book, no major twists happen. Sometimes this is a nice change from the usual books I read. I did however find the first half of the book more enjoyable than the second half. The ending of the book was a little too predictable for me.

Saying that, overall, I really enjoyed this book. This is the 3rd Glynis Peters book I have read, and it didn't disappoint.

If historical fiction/ww2 era are books you enjoy, I would definitely give this author a try.

Was this review helpful?

This is the story of young women who join the Red Cross, learning to be nurses, and helping during WW2 in Great Britain. Some will make it and some will not.

Was this review helpful?