Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this eARC.

I thought that this a great addition to the authors Red Cross series and a book I thoroughly enjoyed reading. It is beautifully written and an absolute gem of a read which flowed really well. Kitty is a very likeable and believable character and I enjoyed being back in her world again and following her nursing career with the Red Cross and reading how her relationship with her fiancé strengthens and flourishes. It’s very easy to take the other likeable side characters to heart as well - particularly Jo, Meryn and Smithy and I enjoyed the lovely snippets into their lives and the friendships and support Kitty has from them through difficult times and the war time period. The story has a bitter sweet ending with unanswered questions which I hope will be resolved in the next book. This book can be read on it’s own although I would recommend you read the previous book first so you get to know the characters and their histories. If you like historical fiction give this series a go, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

This is the sequel book to Red Cross Orphans by the same author. Once again I enjoyed the story. Personally I didn't find it as harrowing and contained more of a love story. There will definitely be another sequel as we are left wondering how things will work out for the young couple!

Picking up after the events of 'The Red Cross Orphans', 'The Orphan's Letters' follows Kitty Pattison and her work with the Red Cross during World War II once again. Much like the first book, the plot largely centers around friendship and love during a turbulent time in the world.

Jumping from assignment to assignment, Kitty relies on letters to keep in touch with her friends and fiancé Michael. There are many familiar faces from the first book, but for the most part, the war has taken everyone away from one another. The most difficult person to be away from is Michael, not able to know exactly where he might be or if he's been hurt. The war shakes things up for them all in one way or another, but even if it's from a distance, they get through it together.

Though I felt there was a bit more conflict in this book, I didn't feel as invested in this one like I was with the first. It wasn't until the last several chapters that the story began picking up pace. It was intriguing and the ending left me hoping for a third installment, but it was a long time getting there. Still, this is a likable series with equally likable characters. While I would consider this to be a mood read for myself, I can see diehard historical fiction series fans loving every minute.

A huge thanks to HarperCollins/Harper360, One More Chapter, and NetGalley for providing a free ARC to read and review.

Somehow, I managed to miss that this was the sequel to The Red Cross Orphans, which I had loved. So, as I started reading and recognizing some of the characters, it was a pleasant surprise to realize I was back among their midst.

I'm hoping there's yet another book left to come because I found Kitty and Michael's circumstances at the end to be heartbreaking. And while I loved the introduction of Lewis Porter (especially be my great uncle and great-grandfather's names were Louis Porter), I do hope Kitty doesn't find herself confused by his friendship.

I did love coming back to these characters though and following them further through their WWII experiences. What amazing men and women! (Except for Belle.)

Thank you to Glynis Peters, Harper Collins and NetGalley for the advance review copy.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book and as I was reading found the characters familiar only to realise that we were catching up with the lives of kitty and her friends Jo, Trixie, and belle and of course Michael the Canadian doctor, was fabulous reading about how things have progressed with them all and the new characters were great as well.
Can't wait to read what happens next with Michael and kitty as it ended on a cliff hanger and I'm hoping Michael gains his memory again.
Highly recommended

The Orphan Letters
The second book in the Red Cross Orphans series by Glynis Peters. I had read the first book which sets the scene for future books in the series but this second book can be read as a stand alone.
The Orphan Letters continues Kitty’s journey as a Red Cross nurse and her relationship with Michael, a Canadian born doctor serving in the British army.
The stress, hardship and emotional turmoil working as a nurse in war time is researched and portrayed really well. It is hard to imagine what life would be like as a young woman working 15-16 hour days dealing with the trauma of tending to not only wounded soldiers but also dealing with their death.
Kitty is a wonderful character and it is not hard to fall in love with her and her close network of friends. There is a continued theme of Kitty, as an orphan herself, being drawn to those that find themselves orphaned or needing guidance and help from a caring loving person.
This is a wonderful emotional story that pulls on the heart strings and I very much look forward to the next book in the series.

The Orphan's Letters is a gorgeously-written historical fiction novel set during WWII and is the second in the Red Cross series. Not only does author Glynis Peters do a superb job of including historical information but also writes in quite a lot of romance. War changes everything and everyone and the horrors of war real and terrible. However, while the bombs explode and lives are lost, many try to seek joy in the tiny but important things. We see turmoil, devastation, sorrow, courage, perseverance and hope.

Kitty continues nursing training in the UK and though she does an excellent job with the Red Cross, her heart is elsewhere. She is traumatized by what she sees and has nightmares. Her friends Stanley and Jenny run a home for orphans which is where she yearns to be. But life often does not go as planned and Kitty is often transferred from one station to another. She misses her cherished Michael who as a Canadian doctor fighting for Britain is participating in top secret missions. Her closest friends Jo and Trixie are busily at work in the UK. Belle enters the scene, too. Hearts break and are slowly rebuilt. No one is exempt from sorrow.

My favourite aspects about this story are the historical bits, the focus on nursing and the letters back and forth. It is impossible to fathom what it must have been like to not have a clue where your loved ones without the means of finding out.

Historical Fiction readers ought to read this series. The first book in my opinion was outstanding in every way.
The second lacked a bit of oomph and was a bit more on the romance side. However, it is well worth reading. What fun anticipating the next in this series and others by this author...I wonder what is next? And could the cover possibly be more perfect?

My sincere thank you to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this lovely book!

While Kitty is moved around from different posts by the Red Cross with intermittent visits to her friends she mostly survives off their letters and although the ones from her beloved Michael up to you and for between she hope for the best and prepare for the worst. Will the end of the war see how her and Michael finally married this was a beautiful book about friendship love in the way we maintain our relationships through hell or Highwater. I also liked the aspect of the change in women’s rolls because of the war and although this is a pretty positive fog they still have those catty females that make it just a little more interesting. I really enjoyed this book and I highly recommend it I have read many books on World War II and this is such an original book that I wish I could scream from the rooftops what a beautiful rendition of life at the time it is. I received this book from NetGalleyShelf and the publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

What a story: all the loss and still made the effort to continue helping in any way possible. Wonder how many would make it thur a day without Starbucks today? How can you be in war and go back to normal?

This is now the second book in this series I’ve been given early access to thanks to NetGalley and I’ll admit I was a bit let down with this one.

Red Cross nurse Kitty Pattinson is in the thick of duty again. Burnout is a daily hazard but she gets a break when she applies to care for orphans stationed at a friend’s manor. It’s short lived however and she’s soon back on the front lines; caring for the injured, seeing her fiancé Michael when their paths cross, and figuring out what kind of trouble her old classmate Belle is up to. The true test will come when she least expects it and she’ll have to decide if her love can stretch across oceans to survive.

The story line itself was good but the transitions between scenes were very choppy, enough that I sometimes had to go re-read to find my place and not be confused by the sudden change in setting. This might be the format it was in so if that’s shored up it will still be an enjoyable read.

"The Orphan’s Letters" is the second volume of Glynis Peters’ "Red Cross Orphans" series. The book is easily read as a stand-alone novel; however, I highly recommend reading the first volume to understand the background.

At the start of the Second World War, Kitty Pattison, a young woman in her early twenties, begins training to become a nurse with the Red Cross. As the German bombs wreak havoc all over England, Kitty’s training expands to include seek and rescue through the rubble of the towns around her. Her training and hands-on experience have placed Kitty in high demand within the Red Cross. As the shifts grow longer, she finds little time to rest and take care of herself. In addition, her fiancé, Michael, a Canadian doctor serving in the British army, is called to serve on the frontlines. Therefore, what free time Kitty does find is spent with worry about Michael’s health and well-being.

On the verge of collapse from fatigue and mental stress, Kitty’s best friends Jo and Trixie intervene to persuade her to make much needed changes in her duties so that she may better care for herself. As a result of these changes, Kitty finds herself posted all over Great Britain and involved in a series of events that include managing an orphanage, taking charge of an entire hospital floor, and participating in a rescue mission in France.

"The Orphan’s Letters" may be summarized as the amazing story of a young woman and her friends as they give their all to perform their duties for King and Country during Britain’s darkest hour. The narrative is well-written and flows smoothly from one scenario to the next. While some portions may seem over emotional, one is forced to consider the stress and heartache these nurses endured while serving at the bedsides of Britain’s wounded and dying soldiers. Considering this, the author has done an amazing job of capturing those emotions.

A solid four-star read, I wish to thank NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for allowing me the opportunity to review an advanced readers copy (ARC) of this novel. "The Orphan’s Letter" is expected to hit bookstore shelves on November 30, 2022.

This book was sent to me by Netgalley electronically for review. Thanks to the publisher. Historical fiction at its best. This author is talented and gifted at writing a cannot put down book. I would enjoy seeing this book as a movie. Caring characters…likable…lost children..touching and emotional story. This is fiction but reads like nonfiction. Curl up and be transported back…

I was so pleased to be given the opportunity of reading the second book in this series as I had read the first book and loved it .I was not disappointed as this new book continues with the story of Kitty and her friends in the Red Cross during WW2.These girls were so brave during this awful time but there is fun and laughter as well as sadness and some definitely dodgy going ons !!! A joy of a book I can't wait to read the next book in the series .Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC.

The Orphan's Letters picks up with Kitty from Red Cross Orphans. Kitty is still training as a nurse with the Red Cross. Her Fiance, Michael, is a Canadian Doctor in the British Army. Her friends Jo and Trix met while training with the Red Cross. This second book, has Kitty constantly relocated on a different assignment. Michael is on more secret missions so the letters between our lovers are short, cryptic and far between.
I enjoyed the first book and was not sure if I really needed a second one. However, this was a good add on to the first. The author does a great job at hinting at events from the first one so that you can follow along easily even if you have not read it. I appreciate that the novel tackles burnout in healthcare as that is a serious problem today too. I enjoyed seeing Kitty's compassion in her work whether it was caring for orphans or wounded alike. It was a solid choice for a good WW2 novel read.

I received a free e-arc of this book through Netgalley.
This is the 2nd book in the series. I have read the first book too. I really do think this book makes a lot more sense if you have read the first one. This book is on the quieter side even if it takes place during WWII. One person's life does affect so many other peoples' lives. I didn't really like the ending because it is a bit abrupt. I wasn't done with wanting to know more about the outcome. Perhaps there will be a third book in the series.

Kitty's Wartime Romance

A wartime romance between the Red Cross nurse Kitty Pattison who is in love with the Canadian Medic Michael. Although they wish to be closer together war happens and their duties often take them to posts far away and all they have are letters. They treasure the few times they do meet and swear that someday they will have a home and family.

It is nice to again meet up with Kitty's friend Jo and even the prima donna Belle who falls from grace in this novel. Kitty still corresponds with the orphans and with her aunt and uncle. These are bright lights in her days when she can escape the nightmares of the images she has encountered during this long and horrible war. Images she cannot remove and relives every night.

This romance has a bitter sweet ending although it does show that through it all friends and family are what matter most, especially in dark times and those of heartache.

I enjoyed reading this book about the heroic red cross nurses and doctors serving during WWII and how their lives were put on hold that they might serve their countrymen. I would recommend this book.

Thanks to Glynis Peters for writing yet another wonderful historical fiction book, to Harper Collins U.K. , One More Chapter for publishing it and to NetGalley for making it available to me to read and review.

I found parts of this story a bit tedious and other parts were more interesting because of how the people not fighting the war coped and their resilience in keeping going. There were a lot of new characters in this story that added to it and I’m looking forward to reading the next book to catch up with them again.

A good solid read. A lot told in letter format. More of a romance than a period novel. I did get a bit irritated with Kitty at times but that's possibly because she was depicting the typically held values of the time so not really her fault.
I haven't read the first book so didn't know any prior history but I don't think that that mattered
Enjoyable

“The Orphan’s Letters” is the second in the “Red Cross Orphans” series by Glynis Peters. While this book can be read as a stand-alone, I’d strongly recommend reading the first book to understand the players and situation. This book suffers from “middle book syndrome” where it picks up from the first and ends on a cliffhanger. While the writing was again fine, it didn’t hold my attention as well as the first book. In this book, Kitty gets involved in a number of things, but it seems as though she fixes things opposed to being involved in them. All of this changes around the 90% mark where she is part of a crew doing something dangerous. As for historical content, I liked the inclusion of the “Donut Dollies” and also the bit about D-Day. I think that if you’ve read and enjoyed the first book in the series, this second one will give you more depth to the characters as they continue fighting for freedom in Britain during WWII.

The Orphan’s Letters by Glynis Peters takes place across the United Kingdom during WWII. Kitty Pattison is a Red Cross nurse, her fiancé Michael a Canadian doctor working with the British Army. Kitty, orphaned at an early age, was raised by her aunt and uncle. Her best friends, Jo and Trixie, are interesting characters - independent women and loyal friends. I was anxious to read this book as the description was enticing. Although I liked all the characters in this book it read more like a romance novel than historical fiction to me.

Kitty is a very interesting young woman who gets lost in nostalgia and feelings of self-pity quite often. I quickly tired of reading about how much she missed Michael as she recalled the moments they spent together. The chapters updating the reader about Kitty’s work, her friends lives, the beauty of the area through letters she wrote to others added a dimension of reality to the overall story.

Kitty worked in very challenging medical situations, as well as having a myriad of personal experiences and problems that required patience and humor. She never shied away from hard work, knuckling down in treating men injured in battles even when she was beyond exhaustion. The detailed descriptions of her work as a Red Cross nurse were the most interesting part of this story. I also enjoyed her joy and sense of accomplishment when she took the job of managing the orphans at Fell Hall Orphan Home, a farm for children orphaned by the war, donated by her friends Jenny and Stanley.

My rating reflects that the personal relationships and issues experienced by Kitty and her friends overrode the historical fiction aspect, rending The Orphan Letters more of a romance novel. I was disappointed not to find an Author's Notes with information on Peters research methods and indication of what, besides the battles and hospital scenes, was based on fact.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarpersCollings for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.