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Runaways #2
Katie Flynn: Book 4
From Sunday Times bestselling author Katie Flynn, Forgotten Child is a heartbreaking, uplifting and totally transporting novel to curl up with by the fire.
Scotland, 1940: Isla Donaghue is just sixteen when her mother dies, and her idyllic life comes to an abrupt end. Unable to cope, Isla’s father sends her to the poorhouse when he joins the merchant navy.
Horrified at the harsh conditions of the poorhouse, Isla is determined to escape. Enlisting the help of her newfound friends Meg and Sophie, she devises a plan to flee to Liverpool.
Despite the difficulties of her new life and the dangers of the Luftwaffe, Isla falls in love for the first time. But her beau is not all that he seems… Will true love prevail or will secrets from the past put an end to their happiness?
Why readers love Katie Flynn...
'Takes you on a journey of heartbreak and joy'
'Hard to put down'
'Her characters are like old friends'
'Heartwarming romance'
Scotland, 1940: Isla Donaghue is just sixteen when her mother dies, and her idyllic life comes to an abrupt end. Unable to cope, Isla’s father sends her to the poorhouse when he joins the merchant navy.
Horrified at the harsh conditions of the poorhouse, Isla is determined to escape. Enlisting the help of her newfound friends Meg and Sophie, she devises a plan to flee to Liverpool.
Despite the difficulties of her new life and the dangers of the Luftwaffe, Isla falls in love for the first time. But her beau is not all that he seems… Will true love prevail or will secrets from the past put an end to their happiness?
Why readers love Katie Flynn...
'Takes you on a journey of heartbreak and joy'
'Hard to put down'
'Her characters are like old friends'
'Heartwarming romance'
- GenresHistorical Fiction
400 pages, Paperback
Published May 27, 2025
112 people are currently reading
35 people want to read
About the author
Katie Flynn
101 books218 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Katie Flynn was born in Norwich and attended Norwich High School, where she was extremely happy and extremely undistinguished. Published at the tender age of eight, in Enid Blyton's Sunny Stories, she joined a Writers’ Circle as an adult, publishing short stories, articles, etc; only turning to novels in 1971 because the postal strike cut off her main source of income!
At first she wrote under several different names – Judith Saxton, Judy Turner, Lydia Balmain, Judith Arden – but her Katie Flynn books were a delight to write and proved far more popular than she had dreamed. She has now published nearly ninety novels, twenty-seven of which are Flynns. Her most recent titles are: Lost Days of Summer and Christmas Wishes.
Katie Flynn was born in Norwich and attended Norwich High School, where she was extremely happy and extremely undistinguished. Published at the tender age of eight, in Enid Blyton's Sunny Stories, she joined a Writers’ Circle as an adult, publishing short stories, articles, etc; only turning to novels in 1971 because the postal strike cut off her main source of income!
At first she wrote under several different names – Judith Saxton, Judy Turner, Lydia Balmain, Judith Arden – but her Katie Flynn books were a delight to write and proved far more popular than she had dreamed. She has now published nearly ninety novels, twenty-seven of which are Flynns. Her most recent titles are: Lost Days of Summer and Christmas Wishes.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
February 18, 2025
Time taken to read - in and out over two days
Pages - 395
Publisher - Penguin books
Source - Review copy
Blurb from Goodreads
From Sunday Times bestselling author Katie Flynn, Forgotten Child is a heartbreaking, uplifting and totally transporting novel to curl up with by the fire.
Scotland, 1940: Isla Donaghue is just sixteen when her mother dies, and her idyllic life comes to an abrupt end. Unable to cope, Isla’s father sends her to the poorhouse when he joins the merchant navy.
Horrified at the harsh conditions of the poorhouse, Isla is determined to escape. Enlisting the help of her newfound friends Meg and Sophie, she devises a plan to flee to Liverpool.
Despite the difficulties of her new life and the dangers of the Luftwaffe, Isla falls in love for the first time. But her beau is not all that he seems… Will true love prevail or will secrets from the past put an end to their happiness?
Why readers love Katie Flynn...
'Takes you on a journey of heartbreak and joy'
'Hard to put down'
'Her characters are like old friends'
'Heartwarming romance'
My Review
Poor wee Isla, Scotland 1940 and she has had heartbreak (of the family loss kind) and now her da is taking her to a poor house. Isla is in for some cruelty and coldness but Isla is a plucky wee thing and makes a daring plan to break free. This is set during the war and as the girls leave one perilous environment they have to face the threats of war and matters of the heart.
Scotland and Liverpool, could you ask for two better places! Now this is a standalone and I have read a few of Flynn's books and I recognised a name or two from a previous book, I LOVE crossovers. It makes me want to buy up all the back ones and read them in order and of course hope she keeps the next one(s) in the same vein.
We find love, friendship, loss, betrayal and see the story of strength, personal growth, a splash of romance and the past catching up with the present. Skulduggery and shady characters as well as folk with hearts of gold and courage/strength. I think with these books the reason they are so good, not just how they are written obviously but you can slip from your own reality into theirs. Drama, abuse of power, harm to others and I do love a headstrong character who looks out for others, Isla is a fave for sure, 4/5 from us this time, roll on the next please!
Pages - 395
Publisher - Penguin books
Source - Review copy
Blurb from Goodreads
From Sunday Times bestselling author Katie Flynn, Forgotten Child is a heartbreaking, uplifting and totally transporting novel to curl up with by the fire.
Scotland, 1940: Isla Donaghue is just sixteen when her mother dies, and her idyllic life comes to an abrupt end. Unable to cope, Isla’s father sends her to the poorhouse when he joins the merchant navy.
Horrified at the harsh conditions of the poorhouse, Isla is determined to escape. Enlisting the help of her newfound friends Meg and Sophie, she devises a plan to flee to Liverpool.
Despite the difficulties of her new life and the dangers of the Luftwaffe, Isla falls in love for the first time. But her beau is not all that he seems… Will true love prevail or will secrets from the past put an end to their happiness?
Why readers love Katie Flynn...
'Takes you on a journey of heartbreak and joy'
'Hard to put down'
'Her characters are like old friends'
'Heartwarming romance'
My Review
Poor wee Isla, Scotland 1940 and she has had heartbreak (of the family loss kind) and now her da is taking her to a poor house. Isla is in for some cruelty and coldness but Isla is a plucky wee thing and makes a daring plan to break free. This is set during the war and as the girls leave one perilous environment they have to face the threats of war and matters of the heart.
Scotland and Liverpool, could you ask for two better places! Now this is a standalone and I have read a few of Flynn's books and I recognised a name or two from a previous book, I LOVE crossovers. It makes me want to buy up all the back ones and read them in order and of course hope she keeps the next one(s) in the same vein.
We find love, friendship, loss, betrayal and see the story of strength, personal growth, a splash of romance and the past catching up with the present. Skulduggery and shady characters as well as folk with hearts of gold and courage/strength. I think with these books the reason they are so good, not just how they are written obviously but you can slip from your own reality into theirs. Drama, abuse of power, harm to others and I do love a headstrong character who looks out for others, Isla is a fave for sure, 4/5 from us this time, roll on the next please!
October 18, 2025
To be honest I did actually rather enjoy the beginning with Isla at the workhouse, but after that it all just seemed to go increasingly downhill to the point I just had to DNF.
Firstly, Isla is one of the most annoying and unlikable protagonists I have ever come across-she just seemed so self-righteous, even openly saying that she's not a pushover, yet doesn't stand up to her horrible, bullying, heartless boss until her mum becomes ill and he refuses to let her go home and see her, resulting in her resigning, and is this big, stereoypical, pushy feminist type, constantly having to point this out to us, and having something like this spelled out to us all the time is just contrived, as it should be more subtle and just let the story and actions convey themselves! It really annoyed me when she just abandoned her friends (who she was on the run with no less) to help this stranger on the train who was pregnant, who she by the way stays the whole journey obsessing over, desperately and stubbornly insisting on looking after her, which all came across very unrealistic and contrived, as like I say this woman was a stranger yet she was desperately going out of her way to look after her and stay by her side, even when a professional nurse appeared. I mean I understand that the rationale behind this was meant to be because she had lost her mother as a result of childbirth and this all just reminded her too much, but it still seems a bit weird to suddenly start going to all this trouble for a stranger like this who you've literally just met, and caring this much about a stranger too to the point of overly devoting herself to her, not to mention kept talking to her as if she actually knew her, and was all too much of a cocky good Samaritan for my liking! The way she even said "I'm insisting" and couldn't even let the nurse (who was a professional) do her job taking care of her, insisting that she was the best for this job and most caring etc.! Oh and that's not even all, as even after they get off the train Isla still stays with the woman and goes with her to greet her husband, who again of course is a total stranger, yet starts talking to him as if she already knew him, which again came off as very unreal and forced, not to mention just ridiculous and annoying! It's like she thought she could just assert herself into any situation she liked with strangers, making out she was this big, caring, empathetic good samaritan, and instead of just leaving the couple with their new child she just intrudes upon them as if she is part of their family too or a good friend and has every right to be there, just coming across as very cocky and overconfident! It's because of this that she ends up getting separated from her friends, even if she does soon reunite with them.
Unfortunately the eye raising didn't end there, as I could practically feel my eyes going into my skull during her date with Theo, which was honestly so cliched and contrived that I honestly felt like I was watching a friggin' modern-day rom-com! None of it felt natural, and I was not a fan of this romance at all, with both her and Theo being incredibly annoying and unlikeable, and I was hoping with Theo he would end up being a wolf in sheep's clothing, making it more interesting and exciting, especially after we see he bet on her, yet he admits (repetitively) to genuinely liking her to his friends, which seemed pretty disappointing. It just seemed a bit contrived to have again, two people who had literally just met each other suddenly not only going on a date together but also talking together as if they've known each other for ages, and I honestly got so sick of Theo constantly admiring Isla and kissing her bloody arse, being basically sycophantic, as he even says "What was you're mother like? Because she must have been one amazing woman to be your mother!" then literally in his next line after Isla has explained about thinking that she takes after her with her strong feminism and that (come on!) about how she'd always move mountains and that, he says "Just like her daughter" which was ridiculous as again he had only just met her yet acts as if he knows her dead well, going on about how strong and spirited and confident she is, it all just came across very contrived and unrealistic! Oh and how many friggin' times does she have to go on about being this strong, independent feminist-people who are really possess those qualities don't actually go on and making a point about being like that, and she just came across as very arrogant. If she's really like that, why don't you show it more rather than just having her go on and on about how strong and feminist she is, as spelling stuff out to us like this is just kind of condescending and not great storytelling, like what happened to subtlety?! Oh and how many times did they have to mention about how bad a dancer she was that she kept accidentally kicking his shins and joking about being casualities?! We get it it's meant to be funny and romantic but it's not. She was so damn overconfident the way she just started talking to strangers and devoting herself to them as if she'd known them for years which like I say came across very unrealistic and contrived.
Pity, cause it honestly seemed like a good book at first and I did actually enjoy the first few chapters, but everything post-poorhouse was just really cliched and contrived, and Isla just became more and more annoying and unlikeable!
Of course it would be set in my hometown, Liverpool as well!
Firstly, Isla is one of the most annoying and unlikable protagonists I have ever come across-she just seemed so self-righteous, even openly saying that she's not a pushover, yet doesn't stand up to her horrible, bullying, heartless boss until her mum becomes ill and he refuses to let her go home and see her, resulting in her resigning, and is this big, stereoypical, pushy feminist type, constantly having to point this out to us, and having something like this spelled out to us all the time is just contrived, as it should be more subtle and just let the story and actions convey themselves! It really annoyed me when she just abandoned her friends (who she was on the run with no less) to help this stranger on the train who was pregnant, who she by the way stays the whole journey obsessing over, desperately and stubbornly insisting on looking after her, which all came across very unrealistic and contrived, as like I say this woman was a stranger yet she was desperately going out of her way to look after her and stay by her side, even when a professional nurse appeared. I mean I understand that the rationale behind this was meant to be because she had lost her mother as a result of childbirth and this all just reminded her too much, but it still seems a bit weird to suddenly start going to all this trouble for a stranger like this who you've literally just met, and caring this much about a stranger too to the point of overly devoting herself to her, not to mention kept talking to her as if she actually knew her, and was all too much of a cocky good Samaritan for my liking! The way she even said "I'm insisting" and couldn't even let the nurse (who was a professional) do her job taking care of her, insisting that she was the best for this job and most caring etc.! Oh and that's not even all, as even after they get off the train Isla still stays with the woman and goes with her to greet her husband, who again of course is a total stranger, yet starts talking to him as if she already knew him, which again came off as very unreal and forced, not to mention just ridiculous and annoying! It's like she thought she could just assert herself into any situation she liked with strangers, making out she was this big, caring, empathetic good samaritan, and instead of just leaving the couple with their new child she just intrudes upon them as if she is part of their family too or a good friend and has every right to be there, just coming across as very cocky and overconfident! It's because of this that she ends up getting separated from her friends, even if she does soon reunite with them.
Unfortunately the eye raising didn't end there, as I could practically feel my eyes going into my skull during her date with Theo, which was honestly so cliched and contrived that I honestly felt like I was watching a friggin' modern-day rom-com! None of it felt natural, and I was not a fan of this romance at all, with both her and Theo being incredibly annoying and unlikeable, and I was hoping with Theo he would end up being a wolf in sheep's clothing, making it more interesting and exciting, especially after we see he bet on her, yet he admits (repetitively) to genuinely liking her to his friends, which seemed pretty disappointing. It just seemed a bit contrived to have again, two people who had literally just met each other suddenly not only going on a date together but also talking together as if they've known each other for ages, and I honestly got so sick of Theo constantly admiring Isla and kissing her bloody arse, being basically sycophantic, as he even says "What was you're mother like? Because she must have been one amazing woman to be your mother!" then literally in his next line after Isla has explained about thinking that she takes after her with her strong feminism and that (come on!) about how she'd always move mountains and that, he says "Just like her daughter" which was ridiculous as again he had only just met her yet acts as if he knows her dead well, going on about how strong and spirited and confident she is, it all just came across very contrived and unrealistic! Oh and how many friggin' times does she have to go on about being this strong, independent feminist-people who are really possess those qualities don't actually go on and making a point about being like that, and she just came across as very arrogant. If she's really like that, why don't you show it more rather than just having her go on and on about how strong and feminist she is, as spelling stuff out to us like this is just kind of condescending and not great storytelling, like what happened to subtlety?! Oh and how many times did they have to mention about how bad a dancer she was that she kept accidentally kicking his shins and joking about being casualities?! We get it it's meant to be funny and romantic but it's not. She was so damn overconfident the way she just started talking to strangers and devoting herself to them as if she'd known them for years which like I say came across very unrealistic and contrived.
Pity, cause it honestly seemed like a good book at first and I did actually enjoy the first few chapters, but everything post-poorhouse was just really cliched and contrived, and Isla just became more and more annoying and unlikeable!
Of course it would be set in my hometown, Liverpool as well!
December 19, 2024
Can true love triumph over tragedy?
Isla Donaghue after the passing of her mother Agnes Patrick her father is off to War promising to come back for her sends her to Coxhill poorhouse it's 1940 in Scotland she is stuck in here like a prisoner and the first chance she gets to escape she flees to Liverpool.
Meeting sweet Theo who is now away fighting she joins the WAAF but is their love strong enough to see them through? Meeting and getting to know Rory who is in the RAF changes all her feelings.
Will all the men in her life come back to her?
Forgotten child is such a unique story powerful enchanting and sad in places to read.
But full of wholesome goodness I couldn't put it down.
Isla Donaghue after the passing of her mother Agnes Patrick her father is off to War promising to come back for her sends her to Coxhill poorhouse it's 1940 in Scotland she is stuck in here like a prisoner and the first chance she gets to escape she flees to Liverpool.
Meeting sweet Theo who is now away fighting she joins the WAAF but is their love strong enough to see them through? Meeting and getting to know Rory who is in the RAF changes all her feelings.
Will all the men in her life come back to her?
Forgotten child is such a unique story powerful enchanting and sad in places to read.
But full of wholesome goodness I couldn't put it down.
February 20, 2025
I really enjoyed this book and understood the story line..
Scotland, 1940: Isla Donaghue is just sixteen when her mother dies, and her idyllic life comes to an abrupt end. Unable to cope, Isla’s father sends her to the poorhouse when he joins the merchant navy.
Horrified at the harsh conditions of the poorhouse, Isla is determined to escape. Enlisting the help of her newfound friends Meg and Sophie, she devises a plan to flee to Liverpool.
Despite the difficulties of her new life and the dangers of the Luftwaffe, Isla falls in love for the first time. But her beau is not all that he seems… Will true love prevail or will secrets from the past put an end to their happiness?
Scotland, 1940: Isla Donaghue is just sixteen when her mother dies, and her idyllic life comes to an abrupt end. Unable to cope, Isla’s father sends her to the poorhouse when he joins the merchant navy.
Horrified at the harsh conditions of the poorhouse, Isla is determined to escape. Enlisting the help of her newfound friends Meg and Sophie, she devises a plan to flee to Liverpool.
Despite the difficulties of her new life and the dangers of the Luftwaffe, Isla falls in love for the first time. But her beau is not all that he seems… Will true love prevail or will secrets from the past put an end to their happiness?
January 14, 2026
In the summer of 1940, Isla Donahue's world comes crashing down.
Her mother has just died and her father out of grief leaves for the navy and puts her in the poor house.
But her spirit isn't crushed and with her two new friends, Sophie and Meg she determines to find a way to escape.
Running away to Liverpool she meets the enigmatically Theo with a shadowy past that slowly catches up with their present.
Hurt all over again she recognises a man she crossed paths with briefly during an air raid.
But where will her life lead her next and will she ever see her father again?
A wonderful sequel in the Runaways series.
Her mother has just died and her father out of grief leaves for the navy and puts her in the poor house.
But her spirit isn't crushed and with her two new friends, Sophie and Meg she determines to find a way to escape.
Running away to Liverpool she meets the enigmatically Theo with a shadowy past that slowly catches up with their present.
Hurt all over again she recognises a man she crossed paths with briefly during an air raid.
But where will her life lead her next and will she ever see her father again?
A wonderful sequel in the Runaways series.
February 13, 2025
As soon as i read the first page I knew I would enjoy it.
Katie Flynn knows how to appeal to her readers. As always it is heartwarming.
it focuses on Isla, whilst her father is taking the news of his wife and Isla mothers death. He can't cope so puts Isla in the poorhouse and joins up with the forces.
In the workhouse, she makes friends with two friends Meg and Sophie. The workhouse is managed by a vile woman who has no empathy and has very strict rules.
It's a lovely story and powerful.
Worth 5*****
Katie Flynn knows how to appeal to her readers. As always it is heartwarming.
it focuses on Isla, whilst her father is taking the news of his wife and Isla mothers death. He can't cope so puts Isla in the poorhouse and joins up with the forces.
In the workhouse, she makes friends with two friends Meg and Sophie. The workhouse is managed by a vile woman who has no empathy and has very strict rules.
It's a lovely story and powerful.
Worth 5*****
November 8, 2025
Disappointing this really was not part two just a few pages at the back Linked in with book one
Sorted off well but was slowing places and the ending was disappointing. I do hope in book 3 she brings it together a bit more.
Sorted off well but was slowing places and the ending was disappointing. I do hope in book 3 she brings it together a bit more.
November 11, 2025
Wow
It's so good to see Isla Sophie and Meg catch up with what they are doing and lovely Peggy cannae wait to read the next book to see what happens between Rory and Isla and the girls this series by Katie Flynn does not disappoint would highly recommend it
It's so good to see Isla Sophie and Meg catch up with what they are doing and lovely Peggy cannae wait to read the next book to see what happens between Rory and Isla and the girls this series by Katie Flynn does not disappoint would highly recommend it
May 13, 2025
Brilliant story kept me guessing to the end. Didn’t realise there was a third book due out later in the year. Can’t wait for the story to continue. I am sure it will be brilliant.
June 20, 2025
Well-written, but I bit confusing at times. Nicely narrated.
August 2, 2025
Good Book
I found this book a bit difficult to settle into. However I enjoyed the way it brought you back to the story.
I found this book a bit difficult to settle into. However I enjoyed the way it brought you back to the story.
December 29, 2025
Good read
January 31, 2025
Really enjoyed this book and it was good to catch up with past characters from previous stand alone books. Isle and friends begin to recover from their time in the poor house and move on to other things in Liverpool where all 3 of them join the services. Life takes them in different directions but the girls get together when they can and stay with Peggy in Liverpool.
Looking forward to the next book to catch up them all the characters.
My thanks as always to Netgalley and to Publisher Random House UK, Cornerstone | Penguin for the opportunity for the early read.
Looking forward to the next book to catch up them all the characters.
My thanks as always to Netgalley and to Publisher Random House UK, Cornerstone | Penguin for the opportunity for the early read.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews