I loved the author's first book, A wartime Secret, and was keen to read this too!
It really doesn't disappoint!

The book follows the story of the women who join the Women's Timber Corp and fell tress for the war effort in the Scottish Highlands.

The author has offered a great cast of characters and I loved Seffy, a rather precious girl to start with, but who turns into a capable young woman.

I would say this is a page turner, a very readable story of a part of the war effort I didn't know much about. Mostly it's a fun read about female friendship and romance with an uplifting feeling.

Thank you to NetGalley, Helen Yendal and to HQ for the opportunity to read this advanced copy

3 stars, Scottish Gals doing their part in the war

THE HIGHLAND GIRLS AT WAR
by Helen Yendall

This is about the brave young women from Scotland and England who joined a military group called the Women's Timber Corps to do their part in WW2 after all of their men had been called up to join the military.

Some of the girls have led a more pampered life, but some of them are tough gals who know how to make their way in the world.

This is the way of loggers and lumberjacks and lumberjills. There is a lot of competition between the girls, always trying to make other girls look bad. In the end, though they finally come together to work as a team.

My favorite character was Seffy, she shows grit and determination.

I received a complimentary copy of #thehighlandgirlsatwar from #netgalley #hq #hqdigital I was under no obligation to post a review. #historicalfiction #WW2 #helenyendall #womensfiction

Highland Girls at War by Helen Yendall is a WWII-era historical fiction saga that focuses around the Women’s Timber Corps, stationed in Scotland.
There have been a number of novels in recent years focussing on the “women’s war”, each having their own focus on a different way women helped the war effort: those who became nurses or WRNS; sorted mail for the post office; drove ambulances; worked as bus conductors, in munitions factories or on the waterways; joined the land girls, or in this case the timber corps.
Many of these books focus on a small group of girls, usually from various backgrounds come together & form firm friendships as they undertake work previously deemed to be too hard, too strenuous or too dangerous for women.
This is a book that fits well into this genre & I would give it a solid 4 stars.

Our main protagonist is Seffy, full name Lady Persephone Baxter-Mills, who starts off snobbish, joining the timber corps for a bet/as a lark and not really expecting to have to get her hands dirty! Of course she rubs some of the other, more practical, girls up the wrong way at the start but rises to the challenge and evolves from a spoilt socialite into a strong young woman who is eventually accepted by her peers and becomes an integral part of the group. The characters are all different but meld together well as they grow up, gain independence and find a new reality in their lives, which is enhanced by the nearby presence of some members of the Canadian Forestry Corp (CFC), doing similar work. Of course there are some friendships and romances formed, and when things go awry the girls pull together to get through some difficult times with a little help from Seffy’s estranged Aunt Dilys who lives close by.
I liked Aunt Dilys as a character, and when aunt & niece get to know each other away from the rest of the family, they find they actually have much in common.
It’s a story of friendship and sisterhood, of love and heartbreak. There is a bit of romance, a little adventure, lots of new experiences and some poor decisions.

What didn’t quite work for me
The book is not listed/described as being the first in a series, and yet it very much feels as though it is. The book establishes the characters just enough to make you want to come back for another instalment and the ending was left open. As a standalone, the book feels unfinished & a little rushed in places, so I would generally drop a star for that, but if it is indeed to have a sequel I’d give it a star back! As such I'll say 3.5 rounded to 4.

Recommendation
This is a gentle, easy, heart-warming read (yet not in a twee “happy ever after” way) that will appeal to anyone who enjoys this the sort of Historical Fiction. If you enjoy authors like Rosie Archer, Vicki Beeby, Lizzie Lane, Margaret Dickinson or Pam Howes then I think you would enjoy this.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I couldn’t put this book down. Every single character was lovely. Seffy was a lovely character, so used to living with having the best of everything, she found it difficult to living a different way, but she handled the job of a Lumberjill and the challenges that came her way.

Irene was brilliant as a Leader girl' of the group and ensured everyone was doing as instructed. Grace was also lovely, a ray of sunshine.
It was lovely reading of the Timber corp.

The book had everything, friendships, romance, fellowship.

I look forward to the next book.

I recommend this book.

Loved this book from start to finish, the characters were so real and I felt like a member of the family.
Five stars from me

I had heard of girls becoming landgirls during war. I wasn’t aware of them also being lumberjills.
It’s really centered more around romances the girls had while being lumberjills than the war.
I thought it was a good book and it certainly got better as the book went on.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

I didn't like this book. Seffy, the main character was a very spoiled girl who made choices, sometimes out of spite. Grace was a really interesting character and I would like to read about her more. The plot was lacking and I thought in multiple occasions to dnf it. I didn't but now I wish I had. Hence the 2 stars.

What an interesting WW2 story! I have read many WW2 stories from different perspectives and this is a new one for me. This book tells a tale of the English and Scottish women that joined the Women's Timber Corps billeted to the Scottish Highlands to fell trees for the war effort. Nearby was a men's group from Canada practicing soldiering skills when they weren't cutting trees as well. With so many Canadian men around this small village, some fun was had with dances, movies, and boat rides. They also had to deal with the realities of war with missing husbands and rationing. This is a story were WW2 provided the background and allowed the characters to work and love without the espionage, horror, and bombings of other stories of this era. I enjoyed this book and how the character of Persephone (Seffy) grew from a socialite into a much stronger woman who can take care of herself and her fellow Lumberjills. Her aunt, Dilys, was an interesting secondary character as she was a timber worker back in WW1 but it took a while for Seffy to get Dilys to reveal her background story. If you enjoy books about WW2 and need something a little more uplifting, I highly recommend this one.

Thank you Net Galley and HQ Stories for an ARC of The Highland Girls at War by Helen Yendall in exchange for an honest review.

I'm finding it hard to rate this book. It was almost like it was in two parts. The first half was very slow and we were shown what was happening rather than reading it from the characters themselves. I also thought there should have been more about the actual work the Women's Timber Corps did.
The pace and story picks up in the second half of the book and was quite enjoyable.
Seffy is the main character and she's not at all likeable in the beginning. She does grow and become a better person but I never took to her. Also she decided to take time off at one stage and I didn't understand this at all. I thought once you signed up you got your leave and that was it! I was quite confused about some of the things in the story. I liked Grace a lot but I felt that some of her insecurities were a bit silly. The relationship with her mother was glossed over quickly and I didn't see the point of it. The ending was unexpected. I don't know if this is a series or not but if it's stand alone then I didn't like the ending. Too many loose ends.
It just missed the mark for me.

A tale about a little-known niche of history will always get my attention, and The Highland Girls at War DELIVERED.

Sisterhood, friendship, love, family, independence, grief, change. This book does nitty-gritty life along with our heroines; a group of very different women from across Britain who come together for the war effort by working in the Women's Timber Corps (WTC).

The WTC was a virtually forgotten piece of the British war effort from 1946-2000, when former members of the WTC were finally granted permission to march in the annual Remembrance Sunday parade in London. "The Highland Girls at War" brings back some of the spark, spirit, and history of these amazing women.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a nice easy read. It's a heartwarming story of love and friendship during World War II. I love that the author chose to centre the story around the Women's Timber Corp, as so few people were ever aware of their existence. The fantastic work these girls did during the war has never really been acknowledged or rewarded, which is a great shame. My only criticism is the ending. It just came out of nowhere and didn't address any of the loose ends. I can only hope that a sequel is planned because otherwise this book will be really disappointing for the vague conclusion. My sincere thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this Advance copy to review.

A heart warming story which has been well researched by the author to give a real sense of what life was like in Scotland during WWII. I had heard of Land Girls before but the Women's Timber Corps, or 'Lumberjills' were something new and it was fascinating to discover the work they did to keep the country going during the war years.
The author's characters were all credible, from the upper class Seffy who put her foot in it on occasion to Irene and Grace whose backgrounds were very different. However, after a few awkward moments and mild spite, the girls forged close friendships as they handled the back breaking work and vied for the attention of the Canadian soldiers who volunteered to work in the forest. Each girl's history is revealed as the story progresses to a satisfying ending for them all as they go back to their old lives or forge new ones. Thoroughly enjoyable.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

An enjoyable read with characters from various backgrounds making up one of the units of the Women’s Timber Corp in the Highlands of Scotland. The girls were pretty naïve about what they had signed up for, for the duration of WW2. As can be expected there are the usual tiffs, differences and power struggles in the early stages. Lightening the girls time, is a camp close by of the Canadian Forestry Corp (CFC) servicemen, doing similar work. Friendship and remoances are formed during the six months between the lumberjills and CFC. The main character is Seffy, a Lady in her own right, initially treated as a stuck up madam, after a couple of totally unselfish acts she is eventually accepted into the fold and becomes an integral part of the group. Romance abounds, accidents happen, but all the girls pull together, with a little help from Seffy’s aunt who lives close by.

An enchanting tale giving a slight insight into the life of the Women’s Timber Corp. Bravo to Helen Yendall for not giving it usual totally ‘happy ending’, although it’s a fine and credible ending. Maybe an opportunity for a sequel? A perfect book to snuggle up with in front of a fire on a cold winter’s afternoon.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers HarperCollins HQ Digital for this advance copy

I don’t even know where to start with my praise for The Highland Girls at War. Helen Yendall,, captures the spirit of the Highlands beautifully, telling a compelling, heartwarming tale of some of history’s too often forgotten women. I loved being taken into the world of the lumberjills and I plan to read more about these incredible women and their immense contribution to Britain’s war efforts. This book is full of laughter, heartache, humour and wistful romance, but at its heart, for me, it was a story of sisterhood and one I am certain will stay with me forever.

I found myself really struggling to get into this book. I found it slow to start, slow to establish the plot and then somehow the ending felt very rushed. It was a cute story and I thought the author did a good job at establishing the characters and their backgrounds.

It tells the story of a group of girls who join the Timber Corp in Scotland during WWII to do their bit and help the war effort. While they are in the woods, they meet a group of timber men from a Canadian Military Group. The story is a mix of womanhood, adventure and romance but it just felt very rushed at times and other times I found myself trying to understand the point of the story.

Highland Girls at War is a warm and uplifting novel about an assorted group of women who band together as lumberjills in 1942 for the greater good of their country. Finding themselves in difficult and unfamiliar circumstances, the women of ‘Macdonald’ hut initially clash as they struggle to settle into their new surroundings. Slowly though, the mismatched characters establish common ground and begin to gel as a strong and fiercely loyal team.

The central character, Persephone (Seffy), is perfectly portrayed by the author. My initial impression of Seffy was of a privileged and spoilt young woman, but she soon won me over with her spirited determination to adapt to life in the forest. The opportunity to work in the Women’s Timber Corps seems to bring out Seffy’s true nature and best characteristics. She is brave and gutsy, but she also knows her own strengths and weaknesses. And although she is funny and caring, she can be a teeny bit sneaky from time to time. In short, Seffy comes across as a very real and rounded person, which makes her a joy to read about.

I thoroughly enjoyed Helen Yendall’s previous novel, A Wartime Secret but it’s fair to say I enjoyed Highland Girls at War even more. It has all the elements of an absorbing read: romance, intrigue, an interesting historical setting, strong female friendships, and a satisfying conclusion. I’m dying to know what happens to Seffy, so I hope she’ll be featuring in more novels from this author.

Thank you to HQ and NetGalley for providing an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Highland Girls at War by Helen Yendall is a wonderful WWII-era historical fiction saga that delves into the Women’s Timber Corps.

This book starts off in 1942 and takes place in the Scottish Highlands. Here we get to see a group of women come together under the service of the WTC. I had never heard of this division under the Women’s Land Army and had also never heard of these amazing women called The Lumberjills. I learned so much about all of these unsung heroes and the historical context really added to the book. The author’s note at the end of the book really helped give more detail.

I enjoyed the main characters, a group of women coming together from different circumstances and different walks of life for a common purpose and for their country. I enjoyed the relationships that were built, and how the women themselves grew and evolved throughout the book. I sure hope this will turn into a series.

4.5/5 stars

Thank you NG and HQ Digital for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 11/4/22.

4 stars. A delightful, easy read about an often forgotten part of WW2 home front history. Tuck yourself up with your favorite beverage and blanket and enjoy!

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me sneak a peek at an early copy in exchange for my review. My opinions are my own.

In this book you feel like your part of a real war family the characters feel real and the relationships and the storyline is excellent. I highly recommend this book for anyone that likes historical fiction. Thus book was approved for me to.reag and reviewcby netgalley and the publisher.

Absolutely loved the Highland Girls at War, great book from start to finish. A miss match of characters that all come together to make a great story, im hoping that this is just the first book in the series because I really want to know how their lives have carried on. Helen Yendall is a new author to me and I’m looking forward to read more. Well deserved 5 ⭐️