We are back at Goodwill House with Joanna and all her family and friends. As previously arranged (in book) they await the arrival of 12 Land Girls. 3 of them, Sally, Daphney and Charlie are 3 of them all from different backgrounds and secrets. We join them as they sign on and their training, before they eventually go to Goodwill House.

Joanna and her Mother in Law Elizabeth now seem to get on very well, and finances seem to be on the improve for the House. The RAF Manston, who are next door help out after air raids. Joanna meets John a RAF fireman from the base.

The twins who have been adopted by Elizabeth settle in very well.

Plenty of action again in this next story, good times and sad times. This is listed as book 4 of 4. However I think there will be another or I feel there should be.

I can recommend this book and give it 5*

My thanks for the advance copy for an honest review which I freely give

★★★★ 4.5 stars

The Goodwill House series continues with this engrossing read THE LAND GIRLS OF GOODWILL HOUSE which picks up almost directly after the previous one finished. Despite this, the book can suffice easily enough as a standalone as each of the stories therein are separate from those previous, though there is always the underlying theme that remains part of the backstory which is easily picked up along the way. However, to get the full benefit and for character progression, I do recommend reading each of the books in order. Each story is an engrossing one that easily stands alone as well as all together.

The year is now 1940 and war has been raging in Europe and off the shores of Britain for the past year. But now the Germans are upping the ante and increasing their bombing raids in the hope of decimating the nearby RAF base, one of the targets to cripple Britain.

At the end of book 3, Goodwill House had suffered a fire in the old Victorian wing of the house which had remained unused for as long as old Lady Harcourt can remember. The WAAF girls have all moved on to the RAF base at Manston and the last girls have since become engaged to their respective pilots and moved on. And at last Goodwill House will receive the Land Girls they were promised in the beginning but had to suffice with WAAFs in the interim.

The Victorian wing damaged in the fire will have to be demolished which suits Joanna and old Lady Harcourt just fine as they find it a monstrosity and have never used it, let along been inside it. Except when they found poor Lazzy the dog who had somehow becomes trapped in there as a puppy and is now firmly ensconced within the Harcourt household. Life goes on at Goodwill House despite the comings and goings, and Joanna is still mourning the loss of her dear friend Betty who succumbed to measles in the previous book. Her husband Bert went on the run and the police we looking for him.

Now a group of a dozen land girls are arriving at Goodwill House to work on the estates various farms in the area. Sal, Daphne and Charlie are three such women who met at agricultural training and made their way from Devon to Kent together to begin their work on the land. Each woman comes bearing a secret but none more than Sal who has fled an abusive relationship in London and should her ex find out where she is, he would think nothing of coming to end her days in agony, as promised for leaving him.

As well as the influx of land girls, two RAF fire brigade officers were recently injured in a bombing raid at Manston and Joanna offered the use of Goodwill House for their recuperation. However, her goodwill is not all for the war effort but for the increasing attraction she feels for Sergeant John Sergeant...a feeling which is mutual. But Joanna is a lady of distinction, of class, and John is a working class lad with an Oxford scholarship education...aside from that, she is also ten years his senior. None of which seems to matter to either of them...until it does.

I really enjoyed this installment of the Goodwill House series, though the affair between Joanna and John seemed a little pointless. It was always going nowhere and they then set out to prove just that that in the end I kind of felt...what was the point of even including it in the story? For that I knock off half a star because I did in all honesty enjoy this one more than the previous two. I did enjoy the inclusion of the land girls this time as opposed to the continual inclusion of the WAAFs and the nearby RAF base.

THE LAND GIRLS OF GOODWILL HOUSE is a delightfully easy read and a great addition to the series. I look forward to catching up with the girls and the Harcourt family once again in the next book and those that follow.

Overall, an enjoyable and easy read for lovers of WW2 historical fiction.

I would like to thank #FenellaJMiller, #Netgalley, #BoldwoodBooks and #RachelsRandomResources for an ARC of #TheLandGirlsOfGoodwillHouse in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this excellent book

what a great series, this book continues from the previous one and it was great to see how everything turned out after the fire and the culprit identified....

life for the women at goodwill house is about to change as the land girls arrive and with them the many challenges that occur when new people arrive

and there is a love interest for someone at goodwill house.....

but its the dog lazzie that comes to the rescue again when a helper gets over familiar with a land girl

life is just starting to get into routine when the bombs start landing and quite a few landmarks are blitzed...

changed are a foot

this series just gets better and better with each one that i read...how womens lives have changed because of these women...brilliant just brilliant

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and Fenella J Miller for the chance to read this ARC in return for my honest opinion.

I had read the previous books in the series and was really looking forward to this one - and I was not to be disappointed. This book came out soon after book 3 so I could remember well the events that were described in this one.
Although it is part of a series it is possible to read this as a standalone novel - and enjoy it.

It centres round 3 Landgirls who are billeted at Goodwill House and their training and worklife. One has a chequered past life which threatens to catch up with her - and eventually does with a satisfactory ending.

I found Joanna's sudden change of heart and becoming smitten with a Fireman on the nearby RAF base - an interesting diversion. One never knows when love might strike and I imagine by that time in WW2 that everyone realised that they needed to take their chances when they arose. Joanna deserved some happiness in my view - in fact I hoped that this part of the narrative might well be revisited.

I like the author's style of writing and find it easy to follow - so I thoroughly enjoyed this book and sincerely hope that it isn't the end of the series.

If you love historical fiction then give this author a try

The Land Girls of Goodwill House is the 4th volume in a series of books about women in Great Britain during World War II. I previously reviewed volume 3, Duty Calls at Goodwill House (Goodwill House #3). The War Girls of Goodwill House and New Recruits at Goodwill House are the previous books in the series.

You don’t have to have read the first three volumes to find a charming story. According to author Fenella J. Miller “My Goodwill House series can be read as stand-alone books or in chronological order. Lady Joanna Harcourt, widowed at Dunkirk, features in every story. However, running alongside her life there is always a romance which, of course, has the essential happy-ever-after ending.” The books themselves are fairly inexpensive, and if you enjoy historical fiction with a little romance, you can’t go wrong.

The book not only centers on Sal, Daphne and Charlie, but on Lady Joanna Harcourt takes center stage as she falls for a man stationed at a nearby base. I do have to say that compared to the other books, this romance seems a little forced and unrealistic. It wasn’t bad, but if you look at the stories over the course of the series, it didn’t make sense. Or maybe it did. War thrust together many people who otherwise would not have been together.

What I like about these books is that they take place during the Blitz in 1940, when every day and night there’s a threat of German bombs. Goodwill House is relatively close to an air base, and the fact that many times during the stories the people need to take shelter makes the horrors of that war come home and make them more real to those of us decades away from that horrendous war. For those of us far away from England because of time or space, it helps us understand the fear one lived with every day during those long years of war.

What I also like is that you actually read about the hard work the land girls are doing for the war effort. In this case, the three ladies highlighted do hard farm work from sun-up to sundown. And of course, there’s talk of rationing and getting around by bicycle or horse and cart because petrol is in short supply. All these little things bring one part of the war effort to life.

I don’t know if there’s a future for the series to continue, although it seems like from the book’s ending that the door is open to more books. I, for one, would enjoy reading more about Goodwill House and hope you will, too.

I received an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book from NetGalley and Boldwood Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Another brilliant book from Fenella J Miller I do love her wartime books as i am hooked on ww2 saga's.Readers will love this as did I 5*

I do love going back to Goodwill House. Every visit is an adventure. The Land Girls of Goodwill House was no different. Joanna, Lady Harcourt, has her hands full when 12 land girls come to stay while they work at the farms on the estate. Most of the story centers on three of the girls, Sal, Daphne and Charlie.

The girls come from different backgrounds allowing the reader to see a variety of perspectives. Only Charlie had any clue of what she was getting into by signing up. She can be a little bossy but she doesn't let the others fail. It was wonderful how she taught me as she taught the girls.

The girls do have something in common. They are all running from something that they don't share right away. Friendships develop. They are all using the Land Girls as an escape. There is not better place than Goodwill house.

The war is heating up. The men have been called up. The challenge to "make do" is getting harder. The bombs are getting closer. Living close to a base isn't all that is cracked up to be. Thanks the the author I gained a lot of insight into the bombings. The author had me quivering as they experienced bombings, headed to shelters, and tried to survive.

Goodwill House isn't just about the war and boarding the land girls. There is a lot of drama within the pages. Joanna's antics had me stunned. Although I will admit she deserves a little happiness. Sal, one of the Land Girls, fled for her own safety and it looks like the danger has found her. Things got a little scary for awhile. Thankfully, the Land Girls have learned to stand together.

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

I really enjoyed reading this book, which can be read as a stand-alone, but to understand the story better, I recommend reading the books in order.

It was lovely meeting up with friends. This time
Goodwill House is opening its doors to billet land girls, who arrive there as strangers but, quickly become friends.

The story is set in 1940 at the time of the Blitz. Set in the Kent countryside, Goodwill
House is close to an airfield. When the Germans drop their bombs, it doesn’t go down well with the occupants, disturbing their sleep.

I cannot wait to see what happens next in
this brilliant series.

I highly recommend this book.

The second in this series (and I hope there will be more to come) and it is equally as good as the first book. Set in Kent during WW2. Well worth 5 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this ARC

The Land Girls Of Goodwill House by Fenella J Miller is a marvelous historical novel that I thoroughly enjoyed. It is part of the Goodwill House series and can be read as a stand-alone. For maximum enjoyment and character progression, I recommend reading the books in order.
I loved meeting up with old friends as once more the doors of Goodwill House are thrown open. This time it is to accommodate land girls who enter as strangers but soon become friends. Lady Harcourt hands out hospitality and care with love.
The action is set in 1940 at the height of the Blitz. Goodwill House is in the Kent countryside, near an airfield and on the flight path to London. The German bombers create an atmosphere of terror at times, and are seen as an inconvenience at others, disturbing well needed sleep. Fenella J Miller has perfectly captured the fear and also the stoicism as Britons keep calm and carry on. The humble cup of tea revives many a wilting soul.
Morality is skewed in times of war. Love and liaisons are grabbed today as tomorrow is not guaranteed.
We see the importance of facing our fears, whatever they may be. Sometimes our fears threaten to overwhelm us but as we face them, they diminish.
I love rejoining the residents of Goodwill House where a warm welcome is always guaranteed. I cannot wait for more visits in this smashing series.
I received a free copy via Rachel’s Random Resources for a blog tour. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

The Land Girls of Goodwill House, set in 1940, is the fourth in the delightful Goodwill House series. Charlotte (Charlie), Sal and Daphne become friends at Goodwill House during WWII. They all have their reasons for signing up to help in the war effort and have personal challenges, especially Sal who has left an abusive relationship and needs to escape to save her life. Not only are there friendships but also a fire, romance, guarded secrets, hints of mystery and loss.

The lady of the house, Lady Joanna Harcourt makes a life-changing decision, one which is manufactured and therefore a bit off to me. Otherwise her character is likeable and sometimes admirable. "Old" characters from three previous books returned and new ones introduced. One of my favourite characters is Jean, the housekeeper and cook with her inside knowledge.

My favourite aspects are the detailed chores the girls were responsible for as I grew up on a farm and did similar chores and I was intrigued by the descriptions of the effects of war. The friendships were lovely. However, the neat ending does not leave many unanswered questions and the forced romance was not enjoyable in my view. Still, this series is well worth reading.

Historical Fiction and Romance fans ought to enjoy this light feel-good book.

My sincere thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this book and the entire series.

This is such a lovely book.
1940 book four in the series, as we see Lady Joanna Harcourt along with her twins Joe and Liza and Jean in the aftermath of the fire in the Victorian room of Goodwill House a lot of damage has to be restored but during war times it will take time. Sergeant John Sergeant and Lady Joanna form a chemistry that turns into a love story in this read. And with new guests and land girls Charlie Sally and Daphne joining Goodwill house the place is never quiet and dull.
Oh a remarkable story from this author that I so enjoyed as we read through chapter after chapter of ups and downs. I loved every one right to the end.

Fenella J. Miller's Goodwill House series continues with The Land Girls of Goodwill House. The series currently consists of four books.

Synopsis:
Lady Joanna Harcourt prepares the Goodwill House for three newly-arrived girls, Sally, Daphne, and Charlie, in August of 1940. A feisty blonde, Sally is determined to escape London and her despicable ex, Dennis. Sal quickly makes friends with Daphne and Charlie at Goodwill House and enjoys her life there.

True to his word, Dennis reappears. This is at a time when Sal feels part of the Goodwill House. She fears that her life as a land girl is coming to an end. However, Sal's life and career are significant to Lady Joanna, and she has a plan for keeping Sal safe. Can Sal escape Dennis?

The Land Girls of Goodwill House is an easy and delightful read. It is a well-researched book with interesting characters. This novel can be read as a stand-alone without any problems. It is a clean book that can be enjoyed by most readers.

The Land Girls of Good Will House is available on November 2nd. My review will be released on November 7th as part of Rachel's Random Resources Blog Tour.

Thanks to Fenella J. Miller, Rachel's Random Resources, Boldwood Books, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. Your kindness is greatly appreciated!

@BoldwoodBooks @BookandTonic #FenellaJMiller @RachelsRandomResources, @NetGalley #NetGalleyReviewer #Blogtour

The Land Girls of Goodwill House is the fourth book in the Goodwill House series by Fenella J Miller. Unfortunately, I didn't read any of the previous books in the series first and I wish I had. Yes, I could understand the story enough for it to be considered a standalone book, but as I read it I just knew that there was so much more to the characters and their stories than what I learned. The good thing is that it made me want to go back to read the other books, and I will definitely do that before reading any more in this series.
As for this instalment, I enjoyed reading everything to do with the landgirls. How they came to live at Goodwill House, what they were like, what chores they had to do, and how they endured during the war. I also enjoyed reading about the RAFs part in it. It was quite an emotional story and well researched I am sure. The only part I didn't particularly enjoy reading was about the romance between the owner of the house, and an RAF member. I don't know why, but it just didn't seem believable. I think the author wanted to build up suspense and passion between them while they fought the temptations, but it just seemed too forced and unnatural. It didn't even seem necessary, unless of course if I had read the previous books I might have appreciated how much she needed some passion in her life. I just really enjoyed the landgirls stories, the book was enough with just them.
On the whole, it was an enjoyable read and I definitely will carry on with the series, previous and future books.

Another terrific addition to this excellent wartime series!

As the 1940's reach August, lady Joanna Harcourt is busy preparing Goodwill House for yet more wartime guests; this time round it's land girls who are badly needed in the area with all the young men enlisting. Sally is from the east end and has never encountered farm animals before but is desperate to get away from her controlling boyfriend, Den. She soon settles in and makes friends with Charlie and Daphne, the other two lodgers and fellow land girls. Things are going well in the country - until Den gets a tip off as to where she is . . .

With this fourth book in series, the stories are as fresh as with the first one. The inhabitants of Goodwill house, whether permanent or temporary, are all doing their bit for the war and the details of the work carried out by the land girls is interesting and, at times, amusing. Alongside their work, we find out more about Lady Harcourt and her household and how the class barriers are breaking down, little by little. Another entertaining addition to the series and one which I thoroughly enjoyed. I always enjoy domestic fiction set during the war years, and happily recommend this one. 5*.

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley; this is - as always - my honest, original and unbiased review.

Absolutely loved this. I find Fenella's writing style soothing and familiar and, yet, there's often a bit of excitement, romance and peril involved. She clearly knows her stuff about WWII - highly recommended.

This book picks up right where the previous one in the series finishes, and it will not really stand alone.

The intake of Land Girls were likeable enough (though we only really “met” 3 out of the 12) but the detail of the work that the Land Girls were doing was fairly weak and generic.
It was nice to see a different side of Lady Joanna Harcourt, but the “affair” felt forced & unnatural. In fact the whole book felt slow & rather dull compared to previous books in the series that seemed much more pacey. The book also felt a little too neatly tied up at the end and leaves the series less open for another instalment.
In summary, this is another feel-good book that continues the storyline. If you’ve read the rest of the series, then do read the next instalment. If you haven’t read the rest of the series, start from the beginning & read to at least the end of book 2 before deciding whether to continue!

Whilst the end of the book I enjoyed I found this one not as enjoyable as the rest in the series. I found the affair Joanna had hard going and sometimes too detailed for light bedtime reading!

The new Land Girls were all likeable and their part in the book was enjoyable. I thought the story about Charlie's fall was going a certain way but was glad and surprised to see it go somewhere completely different!

For followers of the series I would recommend the book, it just wasn't the one I have enjoyed the most!

The Land Girls of Good will House, I enjoyed reading about the work the Land Girls were doing and it was nice reading about their day to day activities. Some routine in the midst of the war made for an enjoyable reading time.

#blogtour review

Another fantastic visit to Goodwill House, this series just gets better and better, great characters, brilliant storyline jam packed with events, I hope there's more to come.