Cover Image: Marriage and Mayhem for the Tobacco Girls

Marriage and Mayhem for the Tobacco Girls

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

This is a wonderful book in this great series. The characters follow on from previous books. It is great to be back in the lives of these characters. Well written.

Was this review helpful?

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. I was able to find this title through my local library via audio version. I enjoyed it a lot. I didn't know it was part of a series. So I did feel like with this book I missed a lot of the back story with the characters like a lot. Sometimes you can read a book out of sequence and it doesn't seem like a big deal. So what I will do is start from the beginning to get that back story. I did enjoy the story though and recommend it for people who love WWII drama type novels.

Was this review helpful?

Another exciting story about the tobacco girls. I enjoyed this interesting book and it was nice to find out what had happened. I always enjoy these stories and was not disappointed. Thank you for letting me read it.

Was this review helpful?

Great to catch up with the tobacco girls as the war begins to draw to an end. Still plenty of drama and excitement as we live their lives with them.

Was this review helpful?

Lizzie Lane brings back her Tobacco Girls for another entertaining, emotional and enjoyable installment of this fantastic series perfect for wartime saga fans.

It’s May 1944 and at long last the allied forces have landed in Normandy and peace has been declared. After years of this horrible war, peace is in sight and the future is no longer bleak, horrible and hopeless. Joy and celebration are in the air, but the end of the war sadly does not mean an end to all the drama, challenges and day to day struggles which the Tobacco Girls must face.

Young mum Carole Thomas has had enough. She wants her old life back and wants to once and for all unshackle herself from the duties and responsibilities of being a single parent – even if it means having baby Paula adopted. Maisie Miles, however, is determined to do whatever it takes to stop her. But will she succeed? Will Carole end up giving her child away? Or will she find it impossible to never see her beautiful baby ever again? Phyllis Mason is looking forward to her wedding day in Malta. She cannot wait to spend the rest of her life with her beloved husband. But will the war’s dangerous legacy end up ruining her big day? Bridget O’Neill has been posted to a hospital receiving the injured from the D-Day Landings. As always, Bridget will give her job her all – providing that her husband Lyndon is not among those injured…

Peace might be within reach for the Tobacco Girls, but will a happy ever after be possible for the three of them? Or will it be cruelly wrenched away from them at the eleventh hour?

It’s always such a treat to curl up with one of Lizzie Lane’s wartime sagas and her Tobacco Girls series just continues to get better and better. Marriage and Mayhem for the Tobacco Girls is a heartwarming, compelling and exciting tale of love, friendship and sisterhood with a very strong sense of place that saga fans will not be able to resist.

With characters who are so incredibly real they leap off the pages, emotionally satisfying drama and a brilliantly authentic picture of life during wartime, Marriage and Mayhem for the Tobacco Girl is another terrific saga by Lizzie Lane.

Was this review helpful?

Another epic book by Lizzie Lane truly amazing and such an engrossing book. I could not put it down.

We see the three M’s and their lives and what happens to them. I enjoyed seeing each one what they get up to in the book in their lives. We also have some sadness in the book. We see them making new friendships and the twists in the book were good, but of course there is only the three of them that have a real connection.

Wonderfully written and was interesting to read what happened in Malta.

Would recommend this book.

Was this review helpful?

Back again with book 5 of The Tobacco Girls series by Lizzie Lane! The three Ms are now separated because of the war and war efforts. Maisie takes in young Carole and her newborn to live in Maisie’s grandmothers home she inherited. Phyllis is still in Malta and plans to get married. And Bridget is nursing at a new hospital while keeping it a secret that she’s married and pregnant.

Carole wants to give up her baby because she’s the result of a rape. The baby’s father died and tries to separate herself from the little babe. Carole keeps talking about giving the baby up for adoption. Maisie loves the little one and is willing to adopt her instead. Carole’s adoption plans are detailed on D-Day when soldiers are rushing to get to France and Carole isn’t able to get through to the train. She’s forced to bond with her baby and loves the connection.

Phyllis is heading to her wedding day with her Australian fiancé in a borrowed gown. Her Malta friends are all heading to the chapel when a bomb lands nearby. She arrives and her groom is nowhere in sight. Did he abandon her? It was he hurt or injured from the bomb?

Bridget is related to London, close to her secret husband. She soon has morning sickness and needs to tell the head nurse. As a nurse she’s not supposed to be married and definitely not pregnant! She returns to her childhood home to visit with her folks, noticing her mother is pale and frail and won’t admit to her illness.

All in all the three Ms swing by to Maisie’s home to catch up one night. They share their adventures and their hopes for the future. Carole joins them on their evening of celebration. It’s nights like this that make friendships worth it!

When comparing this book to the previous ones, I felt it was more of a description of each persons life rather than their connection as besties. It feels like the three Ms are drifting apart and not connecting like they used to. The book isn’t nearly as exciting and emotional as the others. I give it a 4 out of 5 tiaras because while it has great ideas, the girls just aren’t really connected anymore.

Thanks for NetGalley, Boldwood Books, and Rachel’s Random Resources for access to Marriage and Mayhem for the Tobacco Girls by Lizzie Lane.

Was this review helpful?

The war is coming to an end and the girls along with everyone is overjoyed. The 3 M's are reunited again with loads of twists and turns. I am not going to hint at anything to be fair to readers who are to come. All I will say is you will not be disappointed. There is another book in the series and cannot wait. I have no hesitation in giving this 5* and recommend it.

Was this review helpful?

A wartime saga and another in this series, it is lovely to see how people stood by each other through thick and thin. we could do with more of that these days but it doesn't happen any more. Good book to read. 5 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this ARC

Was this review helpful?

Wow these girls go through a lot. With the war still on each of them have different jobs in different areas, but even though they're separated they're still the best of friends. Each is going through their own struggle and things are changing fast. They make new friends and marriage is in the air. You get to know their in-depth feelings and see life through their eyes. Makes you hold your breath in some spots. About halfway through it gets nearly impossible to put down. Excellent read. Can't wait till the next one!
I received this book free from the publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
@rararesources #MarriageandMayhemfortheTobaccoGirls #NetGalley #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #5StarBooks #HistoricalFiction

Was this review helpful?

I would recommend reading The Tobacco Girls series in order starting with the first book, The Tobacco Girls to gain some understanding of the characters and setting, eventhough it can be read as a stand-alone. The previous book is Heaven and Hell for the Tobacco Girls.

Marriage and Mayhem for the Tobacco Girls is a detailed fast paced that hooks the reader in from the start.

Lane has created an interesting plot by using vivid imagery and research. Marriage and Mayhem for the Tobacco Girls looks into how society is tougher on unmarried mother's still. In 1944 England is still affected by restrictions and the rations on food at the butchers, grocers and greengrocers due to WW2. People had to in long queues and have access to poorly manufactured items. Lane gives a recap of the events so far. The writing style is easy to follow with a good mixture of description and dialogue.

The character development of Marriage and Mayhem for the Tobacco Girls is good. The characters are interesting and relatable with thier own personalities. Having read the previous books it was good to reconnect with old friends...

Maisie is a kind and strong minded person. She is lonely without her friends, Phyllis and Bridget (the three M's), since she has inherited from her grandmother. Maisie provides Carol with a stable rent-free home for herself and her daughter, Paula. Maisie has become quite attached to Paula. When Carol says that she wants to give Paula up for adoption, Maisie's stomach churns at thought, she understand Carol's reasoning behind it but would be heart broken at the thought of Paula being brought up by a strangers.

Carol use to be a carefree girl before she was forced by her boss, Reg Harris, and unfortunately became pregnant. After the birth of Paula she had a low mood and struggled to bond. One day looking in the newspaper she sees a classified advisement about a "kindly aunt in need of baby niece" with a "good permanent home assured". Carol wrote to the person and a meeting had been arranged. She hopes to return to the life she had before, and tells herself that this right path to take on behalf of Paula, who would be provided with a proper family who would be able to look after her...

Phyllis is a ambitious person. She is currently based with the RAF in Malta. She has changed alot over the years, meeting alot of people. The raids in Malta have ended, and the repairs are underway. The atmosphere in Malta has slowly been returning to normal. Phyllis is in a relationship with Mick Fairbrother, who is a reconnaissance flyer. They have been smitten with eachother from the start. Mick is posted to England and proposes to Phyllis. She agrees to be married in Malta via a special license and then have a second ceremony in England with her friends present...

Bridget lives in London keeping her marriage to her American sweetheart, Lyndon O’Neil a secret as nurses aren't allowed to be married...if she is found out it would result in an instant dismissal. She is training to become a fully qualified nurse, at the regimented hospital ward, it is hard work but enjoyable...

I would recommend reading Marriage and Mayhem for the Tobacco Girls to people who enjoy women's fiction and historical fiction about WW2, as it is a character driven story that is emotive. The reader is able to witness the heartache, hardships and sorrows of the characters and also some community spirit...

Was this review helpful?

More from the tobacco girls. This book finds the three M’s still scattered round the world but luckily the do get to meet up with each other. All three busy with their own lives but never forgetting their bond they made in the tobacco factory. Each book I read in this series leaves me waiting for more of their story and this book is no different. I absolutely love reading about the three M’s and always look forward to reading the next book. Lizzie leaves us wanting more a five star read

Was this review helpful?

It's 1944 and we're back with book 5 of the Tobacco Girls series - Marriage and Mayhem for the Tobacco Girls. Maisie still has Carole and baby Paula living with her, and discovers Carole does want to have Paula adopted. What can she do? Phyllis is serving in the WAAF in Malta and Bridget is a nurse whilst secretly married to American, Lyndon. Life is difficult for everyone during WWII and we discover family secrets...... Lizzie Lane has taken us along with her relatable characters and drawn us in as though we are the proverbial flies on the wall. I wasn't expecting the ending!! Nor will you

Was this review helpful?

A really good read. I haven't read any others in this series but it didn't take away any enjoyment from this book ,loved reading Maisie,Phyllis and Bridget's stories and would certainly read another. Well written and very interesting novel with friendships and relationships at the heart of the story. I really enjoyed it

Was this review helpful?

Marriage and Mayhem for the Tobacco Girls
War is fleeting, but true love last forever...
May 1944
Hope and excitement is in the air when news breaks of the allied forces landing in Normandy. D Day has arrived. However, the day-to-day struggles for the Tobacco Girls continue.
Carole Thomas wants her old life back. She is burdened with the guilt of being a young single mother and considers having baby Paula adopted, but Maisie Miles will do anything to stop her.
Phyllis Mason having found the love of her life is getting married in Malta to Mick Fairbrother, but will the dangerous legacies of war plague her happy day?
Bridget O’Neill finds herself posted to one of the hospitals receiving the injured from the D-Day landing beaches. Her most fervent hope is that her husband, Lyndon, does not become one of them.
Peace is on the horizon, but will their wishes and dreams win through and bring them a happy ever after?

My Review: I came to care for and love the girls in this book and I got quite emotional, when I finished reading it. It is a captivating, page turner and a gripping historical fiction. Beautifully written and describes working in a tobacco factory perfectly. It can be read as a standalone but is the fifth book in The Tobacco Girls series. Thoroughly Recommed! Thank you netgalley and boldwoodbooks for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

My rating✨✨✨✨ 4/5


#netgalley
#marriageandmayhemforthetobaccogirls #bookstagrammer #bookstagram #bookworm #bookreview #BlogTour #boldwoodbooks #lovereading

Was this review helpful?

This is Book 5 in the Tobacco Girls series, but can be read as a standalone. This was the first one I have read, but it was easy to understand what was going on. I would like to read them all from the first one though, to discover more about what the characters have been through previously.
This book begins in May 1944 from Maisie’s point of view. Maisie works at the W. D. & H. O. Wills tobacco factory in Bristol. She had started working there after leaving school and loves the friendships she has made there. She doesn’t have much family, so the girls feel like sisters to her.
Carole is Maisie’s lodger. She’s 18 and a single mum to baby Paula (3 months) who she is considering having adopted. Maisie thinks this is a bad idea and tries to persuade Carole to keep the baby.
Her friends Phyllis and Bridget have moved away – Bridget married an American and is training to be a nurse in London. Phyllis is in Malta with her Australian boyfriend Mick, who she plans to marry. We follow their stories too. All their partners are affected by the War. Maisie’s boyfriend Sid is incarcerated in a Japanese POW camp, but they write letters to each other.
I love these kinds of novels where we see how women coped in England during World War II. Obviously they are fictionalised, but you can tell how well-researched they are and everything feels very realistic. These books also show how much important work women did at home, often doing what had previously been thought of as men’s work. It also illustrates how women were treated in such a poor way if they had children out of wedlock and – in Bridget’s case – how only unmarried women could train to be nurses!
It’s an easy read, nice short chapters and a storyline that you are interested in right away. I loved Maisie from the first page and she’s a brilliant character, definitely my favourite. I also felt sorry for Carole. I liked how you could follow each woman’s story and they all had plenty going on in their lives, complicated by the background of the War and all it meant for each one.

Was this review helpful?

Here we are back with the girls. I am super excited to have read the brilliant next instalment of The Tobacco Girls. These girls feel like they have become part of my life. I can imagine sitting with Maisie next to her fire, having a good old chat. Maisie is still my absolute favourite Tobacco Girl. She is so loyal, no matter what she will do what it takes for her friends. She is feisty and open and says it just as it is. I love her. All the Girls are so vividly created by Lizzie, they just shine out from every page. The emotions are strong and I felt every emotion alongside them. I laughed, cried, held my breathe and prayed for their men to return safely. They all feel so real to me. I just totally lose myself in this awesome Saga.

Lizzie, I feel I can call her just Lizzie as I have spoken to her on Facebook a few times, (That means we are friends doesn’t it?) have a wonderfully emotive style of writing. She draws you right in and gets right into your heart. She leaves nothing out, descriptions of the scenery and the destruction of war are superbly written. Marriage and Mayhem is a powerful and compelling read that sent me off on an emotional journey that had me fighting for these girls, through the injustice they all experience to the love and joy the find in the small things as well as the huge big things, like Marriage that really does come with a lot of Mayhem. Carole very nearly broke my heart. She has major decisions to make now that she is a mother to the gorgeous Paula. How will Maisie react to her decision? Will she let her go ahead? Will the Tobacco Girls finally get the reunion that they so richly deserve? The 3M’s back together just as they should be? I urge you to get this fabulous book, it really is just epically brilliant. LOVE IT!

If you have read the previous books in this incredible series then you absolutely won’t be let down with Marriage and Mayhem. I loved every single word and finished with a very satisfied sigh. I f you haven’t read any of this series then I’m quite jealous as you are about to be immersed in the wonderful world that is The Tobacco Girls. A MAGIFICENT READ.

Was this review helpful?

I just love this series and it was wonderful to be back with the Tobacco Girls again.

They have all been scattered at this stage, but their friendship remains strong and it was great to catch up with them and see how their lives are turning out.

There’s a real sense of optimism in this book, as the war is coming to an end. But as events show us, it’s not over yet, and there’s a long way to go. There’s always the fear that any happiness will be short-lived, and I was full of trepidation that something terrible could still go wrong.

I think I enjoyed this book the best of all the series so far, perhaps because the characters now feel like old friends, and I found it so easy to get back into their stories. I really hope that there’ll be another one left in this series, I feel that there’s still some unanswered questions at the end. I would love to follow their lives right up until peacetime.

An absolutely gorgeous page-turner of a book, one to entertain and to captivate, highly recommended.

Was this review helpful?

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publishers and Lizzie Lane for allowing me read and review this book.

I have read a few books by this author previously and was looking forward to reading her newest.
What a great read this was, the story kept my interest as there are a few interesting and totally different characters. Their stories played throughout the book and this kept the reader's interest.

The girls all met when working as tobacco girls and when war started they all took on different roles to help with the war effort. Some were sent overseas, others did vital training in nursing, etc. but never forgot each other and the strong friendships they had together.

All their hurdles were totally believable and their ways of overcoming such were just as believable!

A great, easily read, thoroughly enjoyable book!

Was this review helpful?

A perfect conclusion to this heartwarming series!

With the end of war approaching, thing should be getting easier but each of our girls still have their worries to bear. Maisie lives in fear lodger Carol finally going through with her threat to have her baby adopted; Phyllis is desperate to marry Mick, but will the war get in the way? For Bridget, nursing is everything she thought it would be but with Lyndon now on active service, she worries night and day and prays for his safe return. The hopes of the country are high as the Allies land in Normandy and the end of the war is in sight but, like thousands of other women, our three still hope for the best and fear the worst.

From the very beginning, this has been a very moreish series. The characterisation is excellent and I quickly began caring for these three young women as they navigated life during wartime. They haven’t had their troubles to seek, that’s for sure. While each of them have chosen a different path, they have never lost their close friendship and their trials and tribulations have added up to a fantastic read. I have loved every book and this one finishes things off nicely. I will miss this series and I highly recommend it to all lovers of a good wartime tale. An easy five stars!

Was this review helpful?