Edie’s Home for Orphans

Love is the pulse of this charming book which exudes warmth and tenderness, like being wrapped in a cozy quilt.  Set in the beautiful Cumbrian countryside during WWII, the story is engaging, lovely, heartbreaking and delightful.  Stark realities of war are part of the story but the overwhelming themes are love, courage, acceptance and hope...not just romantic love, either, but between friends and siblings as well.  

Edie, a "townie" from London, is desperate to dive into the war efforts and becomes a Land Girl.  Tough work to begin with but she grows accustomed to it, physically and mentally, and discovers she is capable of more than she originally thought.  She really shines in finding her niche and is a beacon and help for others.  She billets at Prue's vast home and is first intimidated by her but as the story goes on we learn why Prue has built defensive walls around her heart.  Many other characters are introduced, including  farm workers, evacuees and stray animals which is particularly relevant to me as an animal lover.  What a sweet addition!  As in real life, each character has something personal to overcome and it was delightful to watch this progression here.  

Historical Fiction readers are sure to get swept away in this book, especially if you have a fondness of orphans, human or animal.  Your heart will be touched and warmed by it.  It was a tremendous treat.

My sincere thank you to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this wonderful book in exchange for an honest review.  Much appreciated.

Genuinely heartwarming! Even though this book was written about Edie, Prue was my go to gal in this book. I was so warmed and charmed by her growth and love and feelings. Her battle within herself and the way she shut herself down and how hard it was for her to open back up again. This sort of struggle is real and it really touched me. I loved the way Edie finagled the care back out of Prue and I adored her belief in the older woman. The family they bonded together to create was absolutely beautiful and I am so thankful I was chosen to receive a copy of this book! It was definitely something that touched my heart and something I will remember for a long time to come!

Edie wants to help the war effort but can only do so by becoming a land girl and making sure the country had food for the table.A lovely book with plenty of surprises that you will need tissue's handy.5*

Edie.s Home for Orphans is one amazing book with surprises on each and every page. A must read to all but have tissues for sad tears and happy tears,\.

I thought this book may have been a sequel to Eddie's Home for Strays but it is the same book with two different titles so please refer to my review for the other title.

Edie’s Home for Strays/Orphans is such a delightful story. Whilst I rarely read War time stories, this one caught my interest because of the blurb and gorgeous vintage cover. This is a heartwarming story set against the backdrop of WWII Britain.  It is rich in likeable characters, beautifully woven descriptions and believable realities.  The sadness of the consequences of War are outweighed by the hope created of giving people and animals a second chance, building family from those around you and allowing moments of happiness to shine. This is a very special book that is heart centred and restores your faith in others.   Really enjoyed it and highly recommend it. 

Thank you to Gracie Taylor, Avon/ Harper Collins and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy. I am voluntarily reviewing a complimentary ARC and all opinions are unbiased and my own.

An enjoyable peek into a slice of the World War II effort that doesn't garner a lot of attention. Apart from the front lines, the concentration camps, the bombing raids, are the lives of those who didn't enter the battlefield. Edie was not eligible to serve in the war because of lingering effects of consumption, the disease that took her father's life. Feeling like her father had traded his life for her own, she had a strong desire to serve and felt a failure, but agreed to become a "land girl" and serve in the countryside to help grow and sustain agricultural and animal products that were so desperately needed. She arrived at her assignment, finding many others who also felt "less than" serving in more dangerous areas of the conflict, but Edie found a way to make a difference.

It was a "bloom where you are planted" themed book, a feel good predictable story, but worth the time to read for sure. I enjoyed it.

I tried to add a review on Amazon, but it was not available for review yet.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Edie was able to get a job as a land girl. She had hoped to help during the war,but couldn't because of a medical condition. She meets a lot of inreresting people in the small village. This book was well written.

Well I’ve spent a good few days wondering how any review I write for this book will be good enough! 

I have to start by saying this author is multi-talented and I literally think capable of anything. 

This is definitely one of my favourite books of this year so far! I haven’t been able to put it down. 

As always, the author has pulled me in and created a wonderful read which has been easy to devour! This has been worth the wait (and I feel like I’ve been waiting forever). 

This is a great book with loveable characters. I absolutely cannot wait to read more. 
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Date reviewed/posted: November 15, 2020

When life for the entire universe and planet turns on its end and like everyone else you "have nothing to do" while your place of work is once again closed and you are continuing to be in #COVID19 #socialisolation as the #secondwave is upon us,  superspeed readers like me can read 300+ pages/hour, so yes, I have read the book … and many more today.

I requested and received a temporary digital Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley, the publisher and the author in exchange for an honest review.  

From the publisher, as I do not repeat the contents or story of books in reviews, I let them do it as they do it better than I do 😸.

A heartwarming tale of wartime courage, and the untold story of the animals who needed a home
Edie’s hopes of serving overseas are dashed when she’s sent to be a Land Girl in a sleepy Cumbrian village.

Prue has shut the world out since her son went away to fight. Yet when asked to take in a Land Girl and two little evacuees from London, she has no choice.

Edie’s heart breaks seeing the children’s cold welcome. But when the evacuees take in a stray puppy, even Prue can’t say no.

Edie realizes Applefield Manor could become a sanctuary. But can she persuade Prue to open her heart, and her home?

A moving, uplifting wartime story that fans of Glynis Peters’ The Secret Orphan will love.

I was approved to read "Edie's Home for Orphans" and Edie's Home for Strays" and enjoyed reading them in tandem. Edie is plucky and an awesome girl and the stories are related so I am reviewing them as one. It is well written and fully enjoyable - and for me two very quickly but very enjoyable reads. Great characters, great plot lines make for a duo of must-read books.

As always, I try to find a reason to not rate with stars as I simply adore emojis (outside of their incessant use by "🙏-ed Social Influencer Millennials/#BachelorNation survivors/Tik-Tok and YouTube  Millionaires/snowflakes / literally-like-overusers etc. " on Instagram and Twitter... Get a real job, people!) so let's give it 🧁🧁🧁🧁

This was a very moving story. Just what i needed.
I love anything set in this era. I would also recommend anything from this author to anyone who asks

I have a soft spot for books that feature an underdog girl who has spunk. Edie Cartwright is just that. That girl made this book! The transformations that every character made was impressive. The author treated all the characters as true people with thoughts and feelings and that made the story that much better. I fell in love with Prue and Jack, Tillie and Samantha, and of course Edie and Sam. 

It was such a beautiful story of Edie who wanted to do something meaningful with her life, but consumption at a young age left her lungs weak. She could only join the Land Army during WW2 and while she wasn't happy about it, she made the best of it. This was one of the best WW2 love stories I've read in a while.

Edie has joined the Land Army during War War 2,There she meets a bunch of people she lives with. There is Prue the mansion owner ,Tilly the Cook and Jack the hand who has also known Prue sine childhood. Prue is a tough cookie or so she wants others to think. She also works for Sam on his farm a grumpy guy. Soon 2 small children join the crew and a puppy. Love blooms . This is a great book. I enjoyed reading it. Was sad to see it end. I could have read more . Great people in the book. I recomend this #Netgally#

Edie joins the land army during the second world war and is sent to Applefield Manor. Pru, the owner, doesn't accept her straight away but friendship blossoms. 

I loved all the characters and the uplifting storyline. The author really brought them alive. I'm always fascinated by life during the wars so the bar was high but this one didn't disappoint. I loved it.

A lovely read throughout by  this author that will bring wholesome  enjoyment to the readers will definitely  be  reading more loved it all

Edie wants to join up to help in the fight against Hitler, but all of the avenues of opportunity are closed off to her because she had consumption as a child and her lungs are just not strong enough.  The ONLY thing she can do is to become a Land Girl and help out on a farm in a Cumbrian village.  She boards at the Applewood Manor and works part time at the Larkstone Farm.  Her landlady at Applewood, Prue Hewitt, is a woman who has closed herself off from the rest of the world and given up the hope of ever loving again.  Edie shows up with stars in her eyes and a willing heart. The work is harder than anything she ever expected and yet she shows her pluck by never giving up.  
Prue has inherited Applewood from her late husband, Albert, who married the housekeeper's daughter in spite of the "class difference." Prue is not one of the more popular residents of the village, and Patricia, the priest's wife, takes every opportunity to let her know just how far beneath she is.  When Patricia insists that Prue take in evacuee children, Prue isn't entirely happy about it, but when the children (Aggie and Jimmy) arrive, she loses a bit of her heart to them.  Edie is on hand to help with the children and makes fast friends with them. 

Also inhabiting Applewood are Jack and Tilly.  Jack is the gardener who has loved Prue since they were children, and Tilly is a young mother-to-be who is secretly married to an Italian prisoner of war. 

Edie works for Sam Nicholson at Larkstone Farm, helping with the sheep--birthing, raising, and general care of the farm.  Sam sees a like-minded woman in Edie and wants to know her better, but doesn't quite know how to go about it.  He is branded as a coward because he is not off fighting in the war, even though no one in town knows that he can't pass the physical.  He feels his problems are his own and no one else's business. 

This book is misnamed to a degree, because it is Prue's home that takes in all of the strays and orphans. It is Prue's attitude that changes as the plot moves on through the book.  It is Prue who has the bigger romantic plot line, rather than Edie; which is not to say that Edie doesn't have her own romantic plot, hers is just not as significant as Prue's.  

This is the first book I've read by Gracie Taylor, and I hope it is not the last one I will read by her.  The characters are engaging, and the plot is compelling.  The settings are bucolic and inviting, and there are events in the plot that make it more exciting.  Gracie has also dealt with PTSD (although that was not the term for the condition back in the day) in a dignified way to bring empathy toward the sufferers. This is the kind of book a reader picks up and won't put down until the very last page is finished. 

Five Stars, Two Thumbs Up, and Aggie's Cheese Custard for tea. 

HarperCollins Publishing and NetGalley.com provided the copy I read for this review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

I really enjoy reading the stories from the WW1 and WW2 era's. I find it interesting to see the hardships that were overcome in those difficult times. Edie wanted to help out with the war effort by being sent overseas but due to a medical history she I sent to a village to help out  at a farm. The woman who has to take her in has shut down her heart and home since her son went off to war. Next to come to stay are two children. Once they take in a stray dog ,hearts are melted and they take in more animals. Lots of struggle but also new friendships. Good storyline and characters, I enjoyed it .
I was given a ARC by the publisher and Net Galley and this is my honest unbiased review.

London born Edie Cartwright sullenly goes to the country to help out with the war efforts as a Land Girl. She wants to do more, but due to having consumption as a child, she’s not quite up to health to be a Wren. She stays in Applefield Manor with the curmudgeonly Prue Hewitt, the lady of the house. As time goes on, Edie’s spirit and different views on things changes her landlady for the better. She meets all sorts of people, romantic interests included, and seems to have a positive impact on all of them. She encourages Prue to take in some evacuees from London, then a puppy, then some kittens...the list goes on. Soon, the manor is a home to lost causes. In a beautiful WWII novel that tugs on your heartstrings, you’ll want to move to Applefield Manor yourself!

I love this unique women’s novel! It is full of fascinating characters and the overall theme of doing good in spite of hardship is a very powerful one for me. 

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

During the Blitz in the early days of World War 2, many Londoners relocated to rural villages such as Applefield. One such person, Edie, finds herself thrust into the role of a Land Girl billeted at the local manor house, reluctantly hosted by its dour, widowed mistress. As Edie adjusts to farm life, she also ushers in a stream of refugees, strays and misfits, both human and animal alike. Will the mistress of the manor be softened by the plight of those in need? Will Edie finally find a place to belong? Find out in this heartwarming story of making the best of harsh realities and rising to meet challenges in the midst of wartime turmoil. An excellent portrait of English village life during the Second World War, this novel would be a fine addition to any historical fiction collection.

A lovely read about the outer fringes of London during WWII. The main character, Edie, leaves London for the country to help with the war effort, and runs into so much more than she expected. I loved all of the characters in this book, and was pleased with the few little twists there were as well. A great novel!

Edie's Home for Strays (Edie's Home for Orphans-UK title) by Gracie Taylor is an excellent WWII era historical fiction novel that I truly enjoyed. It takes place in rural northern England 1941 in a quintessential town. There were moments I laughed out loud, I teared up, and that I also smiled as I read the heartfelt stories of this hodge-podge group of amazing individuals.

Edie is a young woman from London that has had her fair share of obstacles in life. Edie is a passionate, warm soul that wants to do her part and help out her country any way she can. However, Edie contracted TB as a child and is not medically cleared to join any group other then The Land Army. Edie travels to Applefield Manor to do what she can. Through this move, Edie is able to find her purpose in life, find herself, forgive herself for what she perceives as her part in some of her family losses, and is able to help transform a group of lost souls in the process.

What I loved most about this novel is the wonderful changes that take place in not only Edie, but with several characters within two different farms/homesteads. It is as if everyone is frozen in confusion, listlessness, loss, and unhappiness. It takes one person to break that mold, to start the process of forgiveness, acceptance, and the ability for many feel that they are able to find happiness and live again. I loved seeing the changes to Edie, Jack, Prue, Tilly, Sam, Davy, Aggie, and Jimmy. To see these lost souls, with feelings of being completely homeless and unwanted in life with no place to call home and no purpose, finally all be able to work through their obstacles and find these things, was so heartwarming and wonderful to read. I loved these characters, and I really think that the author has plenty of material here to be able to create a series, or at least a set, of subsequent novels featuring these characters. I would love to see a novel about Luca and Tilly, or about Bertie and his life now that he is discharged from service. Such amazing, complex, and well-thought out characters to use and draw from.

I also loved reading about the Land Army in general. Some of the tasks that they performed, and also Sam's farm with the lambs and birthing. It was definitely interesting to learn more.

I truly loved this novel and I highly recommend it. I hope it turns into a series, and if so, I would be the first person to pick it up. Excellent.

5/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books UK for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR, Instagram, and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts on publication on 5/27/21.

We meet young Edith as a novice Land Army girl and share her many trials and successes.  Set in the 

countryside, a huge change from  London blitz experiences, we accompany her as she contends with 

surprises, struggles, and romance.. 

This is an uplifting and optimistic wartime tale. written with care and hope. for humans and animals.. A sensitive 

mix..

You are drawn into life on the farm very easily. and feel true gratitude to the wonderful characters..

A great read.

Let me start by saying how pleased and delighted I was with this book. I was also very surprised and disappointed. When I finished reading this beautifully written, heartfelt story, I immediately looked for another novel by Gracie Taylor for my next read. The biggest surprise was that this was her first historical  novel. That too is where the disappointment comes in.
Ms. Taylor has such a beautiful voice in her writing. The characters were so believable and special. I felt like I was right there with them and they were all my newest friends. I hated every time I had to sit the book down because my real life was interfering. The overall  returning theme was love and family. Family, as we know, isn't just our biological relatives. The families that were formed during this story were so touching. This was a story set in WWII Britain with bombings, air raids, being called up, also not qualifying, and MIA's, but it was so much more. I am not sure when a novel has touched me quit like this one did. I am so thankful to have received a copy of this wonderful book from Avon Books through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

LOVE this book: just a good book to read!  LOVE loss, and family, what more does a good book need, WAR!  Really enjoyed how Edie could adjust to and help happiness come.

London, 1941.
Edie Cartwright had consumption as a child, it’s scarred her lungs and she’s very disappointed when Dr Grant declares her unfit for active service. Edie lost her job as a teacher at Brick Street School, it was closed due to the war and like everyone in her age group she wants to serve her country. Dr Grant suggests again about Edie moving to the countryside, her lungs would benefit from the clean air, they desperately need Land Girls, she completes the training course and she finds herself on the way to Cumberland. 

The owner of Applefield Manor Mrs. Prudence Hewitt is waiting for her, she’s rather stern and not very welcoming. Edie will be helping the gardener Jack Graham around the estate and she will also be working for Sam Nicholson, caring for his sheep at nearby Larkstone farm. Matilda Liddell is the cook at the manor, she’s friendly and the others take one look at Edie’s slight build and they don’t think she will last two weeks. Edie proves them all wrong, yes she’s sore and tired to start off with and soon she’s feeling the best she’s ever felt and the horrible tight feeling in her chest has gone away. 

Prudence isn’t happy when she informed two evacuees are going to being billeted with her and the children are from Bethnal Green. Agnes and James Cawthra arrive, the children are extremely underweight, small for their ages and James is mute. Edie and Matilda make the children feel welcome, it’s not long before Prue and Jack both find a new lease of life and really enjoy having the children around. When the children save a tiny puppy, they keep Coco hidden in the barn, he’s the first of many animals that join Pepper the black crow at Applefield Manor and the atmosphere around the place changes. 

Edie’s Home for Orphans is a delightful story about Edie and her discovering how much she enjoys living in the country, looking after animals and being land girl. Her joy is infectious, her kindness thaws the coolest of hearts, including Mrs. Hewitt's and the slightly reserved sheep farmer Sam Nicholson's. I really enjoyed reading about the relationships and friendships in the story, the menagerie of animals and the kindness shown to the Italian POW’s.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, a lovely wartime story and five stars from me.