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Brighter Days Ahead
Brighter Days Ahead is a moving story set against the backdrop of the Second World War, from Mary Wood, the author of In Their Mother’s Footsteps.
War pulled them apart, but can it bring them back together?
Molly lives with her repugnant father, who has betrayed her many times. From a young age, living on the
streets of London’s East End, she has seen the harsh realities of life . . . When she’s kidnapped by a gang and forced into their underworld, her future seems bleak.
Flo spent her early years in an orphanage, and is about to turn her hand to teacher training. When a kindly teacher at her school approaches her about a job at Bletchley Park, it could be everything she never knew she wanted.
Will the girls' friendship be enough to weather the hard times ahead?
War pulled them apart, but can it bring them back together?
Molly lives with her repugnant father, who has betrayed her many times. From a young age, living on the
streets of London’s East End, she has seen the harsh realities of life . . . When she’s kidnapped by a gang and forced into their underworld, her future seems bleak.
Flo spent her early years in an orphanage, and is about to turn her hand to teacher training. When a kindly teacher at her school approaches her about a job at Bletchley Park, it could be everything she never knew she wanted.
Will the girls' friendship be enough to weather the hard times ahead?
- GenresHistorical Fiction
432 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 30, 2017
13 people are currently reading
66 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
January 28, 2019
I recently read one of Mary Woods' other stories and was very disappointed, so I wanted to give her one more chance before deciding to stop reading her very popular books altogether. Thankfully "Brighter Days Ahead" was her saving grace and I loved it! I devoured every compelling inch and felt bereft when it finished.
There's nothing like a really good World War Two saga to really put modern life into perspective, the constant threat of bombing, rationing, family members away from home fighting, children sent away to the country - just so many distressing and worrying things to make life hard. This book covered everything and I mean everything, from London gangsters running a prostitution ring to homosexuality and the fear of being imprisoned for falling in love with the wrong person. The characters Molly and Flo were truly wonderful and really held a special place in my heart. To be honest though, there wasn't a character that you won't like, everyone was realistic, genuine and portrayed perfectly the true emotions and feelings of a period of time that was so difficult to survive in.
This captivating story does cover some very intense, emotional issues but at the same time is heartwarming and uplifting. The themes of friendship, courage and determination really show through, due to the authors excellent writing and obvious extensive research.
Molly and Flo don't meet until quite a way into the story but when they do, it's a friendship they both know they want to pursue and though some really disturbing events prevent them from doing so at the time, it was a fantastic read following them and their own family, friends and acquaintances from the start to the thrilling finish.
A wonderful ending concluded this book and really had me feeling very emotional, the sign of a really well written and thought out story. The title of the book is without doubt aptly named and I certainly felt that there was light at the end of the tunnel for Molly and Flo during their many ordeals.
I will be reading more by Mary again for sure, if they're anything like this book I'll be overjoyed. I'd highly recommend "Brighter Days Ahead" to anyone who loves a good historical family saga and following well developed characters and their lives. I look forward to losing myself in one again soon.
5 very shiny stars for a job well done!
Thank you to my friend and fellow reader Rachel Hall for my copy of the book.
There's nothing like a really good World War Two saga to really put modern life into perspective, the constant threat of bombing, rationing, family members away from home fighting, children sent away to the country - just so many distressing and worrying things to make life hard. This book covered everything and I mean everything, from London gangsters running a prostitution ring to homosexuality and the fear of being imprisoned for falling in love with the wrong person. The characters Molly and Flo were truly wonderful and really held a special place in my heart. To be honest though, there wasn't a character that you won't like, everyone was realistic, genuine and portrayed perfectly the true emotions and feelings of a period of time that was so difficult to survive in.
This captivating story does cover some very intense, emotional issues but at the same time is heartwarming and uplifting. The themes of friendship, courage and determination really show through, due to the authors excellent writing and obvious extensive research.
Molly and Flo don't meet until quite a way into the story but when they do, it's a friendship they both know they want to pursue and though some really disturbing events prevent them from doing so at the time, it was a fantastic read following them and their own family, friends and acquaintances from the start to the thrilling finish.
A wonderful ending concluded this book and really had me feeling very emotional, the sign of a really well written and thought out story. The title of the book is without doubt aptly named and I certainly felt that there was light at the end of the tunnel for Molly and Flo during their many ordeals.
I will be reading more by Mary again for sure, if they're anything like this book I'll be overjoyed. I'd highly recommend "Brighter Days Ahead" to anyone who loves a good historical family saga and following well developed characters and their lives. I look forward to losing myself in one again soon.
5 very shiny stars for a job well done!
Thank you to my friend and fellow reader Rachel Hall for my copy of the book.
December 8, 2017
Oh how I love a good saga from time to time, especially if it’s set during World War Two, there’s something about that era that I just can’t get enough of, it’s endlessly fascinating. I was totally swept away by Brighter Days Ahead and caught up in the lives of Molly and Flo and found myself invested in their lives almost from the very beginning of the book.
As much as I loved the premise for this book the characterization made it a really fantastic read. Both Flo and Molly were unforgettable but Flo has a special place in my heart, I was totally charmed by her generous nature and positive outlook despite a rather bleak time. I felt for poor Molly, she’s put in an awful situation, this took a darker turn with her storyline that I had anticipated. Their story is told separately for half of the book as they don’t meet until that point, but their friendship was beautiful and so nice to see.
Woods explored some very interesting issues and themes here, Flo has a dear friend that is gay and hearing about how terribly homosexuals were treated during this time was sickening and heartbreaking. Flo also works at Bletchley Park which always intrigues me, I’ll never get tired of learning more about this amazing place.
If you’re a fan of WW2 era Historical Fiction or epic sagas, give this a try. It had some lovely themes, like friendship, hope, strength, courage and love. It was a powerful, emotional story that I won’t forget anytime soon.
As much as I loved the premise for this book the characterization made it a really fantastic read. Both Flo and Molly were unforgettable but Flo has a special place in my heart, I was totally charmed by her generous nature and positive outlook despite a rather bleak time. I felt for poor Molly, she’s put in an awful situation, this took a darker turn with her storyline that I had anticipated. Their story is told separately for half of the book as they don’t meet until that point, but their friendship was beautiful and so nice to see.
Woods explored some very interesting issues and themes here, Flo has a dear friend that is gay and hearing about how terribly homosexuals were treated during this time was sickening and heartbreaking. Flo also works at Bletchley Park which always intrigues me, I’ll never get tired of learning more about this amazing place.
If you’re a fan of WW2 era Historical Fiction or epic sagas, give this a try. It had some lovely themes, like friendship, hope, strength, courage and love. It was a powerful, emotional story that I won’t forget anytime soon.
June 25, 2018
An interesting and engaging read. Set during the second world war, with characters that are easy to warm to, especially Flo. It deals with some difficult issues, homosexuality (which was against the law at the time), kidnap, prostitution, murder all this and more and it also gives an insight into the work undertaken at Bletchley Park. If you like books set in this era and would like something a bit different from the norm, then this book is for you.
December 3, 2017
Renowned for her family sagas, Mary Wood has delivered two stories in one. Set against the backdrop of the Second World War we meet Molly, forced to follow a path against her will as her father becomes involved with the local gangsters. Then there is Flo's story, a clever working-class girl who is recruited to work at Bletchley Park. For a large part of the book their stories are separate but I loved how they intertwined and the two girls, despite their differences became friends. This is not a light romance- some of the events are quite harrowing - yet through it all friendship and romance triumph, just not always in the way that we might imagine. Beautifully told by a true raconteur.
December 9, 2017
The story is set during war time 1940,with Molly in London and flo in leeds. Molly lives with her father who owns a butcher's shop but wanting to escape after her fathers brutal ways with her, she so misses her mother who died 11 years ago. Flo after a lot of hard work is hoping to go into teachers training college but is offered a job instead at Bletchley park using her maths skills. This is a Heartbreaking story that has everything, I loved it and shed lots of tears. The author has very clever ways with her writing of sucking you into the book page after page.
December 5, 2017
Brighter days ahead
Wow one word says it all I loved this book loved the characters Molly. Flo . Simon . Roland . And all the others it's an engrossing read from a fabulous author as well as educating the reader about Bletchley park it a well deserved 5 STARS .
Wow one word says it all I loved this book loved the characters Molly. Flo . Simon . Roland . And all the others it's an engrossing read from a fabulous author as well as educating the reader about Bletchley park it a well deserved 5 STARS .
February 12, 2018
This is an epic book full of romance, intrigue, world war two, what's not to like! Mary Wood has done it again with a great story line that you can't help but get drawn into from the first few pages and keeps your interest right to the end.
December 1, 2017
I do enjoy a good saga. Generally they're so easy to read, so full of warmth and wonderful characters. Brighter Days Ahead is a great example of a really good saga.
We meet Molly Winters and Flo Kilgallon. They're the two main characters and yet they don't meet until around the half way point. Up until then we are introduced to them and their lives. Neither had an easy start but whilst Flo is on the way up, poor Molly is about to have a very difficult time.
What initially drew me to this book in particular was the Bletchley Park angle to Flo's storyline. It always sounds like it was such an amazing place to be during World War 2. Actually, this bit of the story is only a small part of it and I found that I loved all of the aspects to the girls' tales and the friendships that they make.
Mary Wood doesn't hold back on the shocks. This is no fluffy tale, it's quite hard-hitting in places and I was quite surprised by some of the turns of events in what I kind of expected to be a bit more of a cosy yarn, but I loved it and because I cared about the characters it probably hit me harder when the more shocking things happened.
There's a real warmth to Wood's writing. She has created some fabulous characters. Molly and Flo are both feisty and brave, full of fighting spirit. And I have to say that I loved Flo's very northern accent and found myself saying some of her passages out loud (I'm northern but nowhere near as broad as Flo!).
A saga like this is a book I can rely on to give me a really good read, warm the cockles of my heart and have me heaving a huge sigh of satisfaction when I get to the last page and close the book.
We meet Molly Winters and Flo Kilgallon. They're the two main characters and yet they don't meet until around the half way point. Up until then we are introduced to them and their lives. Neither had an easy start but whilst Flo is on the way up, poor Molly is about to have a very difficult time.
What initially drew me to this book in particular was the Bletchley Park angle to Flo's storyline. It always sounds like it was such an amazing place to be during World War 2. Actually, this bit of the story is only a small part of it and I found that I loved all of the aspects to the girls' tales and the friendships that they make.
Mary Wood doesn't hold back on the shocks. This is no fluffy tale, it's quite hard-hitting in places and I was quite surprised by some of the turns of events in what I kind of expected to be a bit more of a cosy yarn, but I loved it and because I cared about the characters it probably hit me harder when the more shocking things happened.
There's a real warmth to Wood's writing. She has created some fabulous characters. Molly and Flo are both feisty and brave, full of fighting spirit. And I have to say that I loved Flo's very northern accent and found myself saying some of her passages out loud (I'm northern but nowhere near as broad as Flo!).
A saga like this is a book I can rely on to give me a really good read, warm the cockles of my heart and have me heaving a huge sigh of satisfaction when I get to the last page and close the book.
May 22, 2024
A very enjoyable, sometimes horrific, story of people brought together during the dreadful days of the war. It brings home the stark horrors of the persecution of gay people and the consequences in those times.
The actions of Molly's father and her subsequent fate was told in a very authentic way. The appalling living and 'working' conditions the girls endured were shocking and gruesome and were described in a very real way which captures the reader in the atrocious chain of events that beset them all.
I'd probably had my fill of the homosexual subject by the time I'd reached the end part of the story so I personally didn't want to read about the lesbian bit at the end. I suppose though, the author created that to enable it to tie in with the plan Molly had dreamt up, so it became necessary.
The actions of Molly's father and her subsequent fate was told in a very authentic way. The appalling living and 'working' conditions the girls endured were shocking and gruesome and were described in a very real way which captures the reader in the atrocious chain of events that beset them all.
I'd probably had my fill of the homosexual subject by the time I'd reached the end part of the story so I personally didn't want to read about the lesbian bit at the end. I suppose though, the author created that to enable it to tie in with the plan Molly had dreamt up, so it became necessary.
January 11, 2018
This is the first book I have read by Mary Wood. Brighter Days Ahead is a brilliant read, and very detailed with how things were done at Bletchley Park, which seemed there was a lot o snobbery there for people who like Flo had to cope with. The amazing thing is how Mary did the story of Molly being kidnapped for a Brothel and then put on the streets for prostitution. Also, how couples like Roland and Simon who in those days could not be together and the consequences if they were caught. This book I got into and just could not put it down. So now I am a great fan of Mary Wood. So I shall be reading some more of her books. Well done Mary.
April 25, 2018
Brilliant
This is the first book I've read by Mary Wood. It's starts in a small butchers shop where a father and daughter live. The butchers was struggling to stay afloat, the father went into criminal activities to survive.. As he got in with the bad crowd, he was persuaded to hand his daughter over to a group of people who used her for prostitution.. This is where the story takes off, when the daughter met a few people in her situation and become friends. The story has a lot of twists and turns, and makes a really interesting read.. It was based at the start of second world war.. An excellence book which I highly recommend..
This is the first book I've read by Mary Wood. It's starts in a small butchers shop where a father and daughter live. The butchers was struggling to stay afloat, the father went into criminal activities to survive.. As he got in with the bad crowd, he was persuaded to hand his daughter over to a group of people who used her for prostitution.. This is where the story takes off, when the daughter met a few people in her situation and become friends. The story has a lot of twists and turns, and makes a really interesting read.. It was based at the start of second world war.. An excellence book which I highly recommend..
December 19, 2018
Molly lives with her abusive father until that is he gets involved with some dodgy East end gangs who consequently end up abducting her and using her for their prostitution racket shattering her hopes and dreams of a happy life with her beloved David.
Flo was brought up in an orphanage and is about to embark on life as a teacher until a friend suggests she works for Bletchley park taking her on a whole different course that alters her future forever.
Can these two totally different characters and their friends ever find happiness during the war years?
A wonderful, gritty and realistic historical novel that touches upon sensitive topics for that time period.
Flo was brought up in an orphanage and is about to embark on life as a teacher until a friend suggests she works for Bletchley park taking her on a whole different course that alters her future forever.
Can these two totally different characters and their friends ever find happiness during the war years?
A wonderful, gritty and realistic historical novel that touches upon sensitive topics for that time period.
May 21, 2020
I really enjoyed this book it has a lot more depth than other World War Two fiction books I’ve read.
Not purely based on romance this story describes the darker side of social issues of the time.
Homosexuality, black marketeers, poverty and prostitution.
Great characters and a strong storyline with twists. I’d highly recommend reading this book
Not purely based on romance this story describes the darker side of social issues of the time.
Homosexuality, black marketeers, poverty and prostitution.
Great characters and a strong storyline with twists. I’d highly recommend reading this book
August 18, 2020
Excellent WW2 story with very disturbing undertones of how, in those days, we treated those who were homosexual males and the degradation of those females forced into the oldest profession in the world, prostitution. Mix in the war, Bletchley the secrecy surrounding this establishment and you have fascinating book. Highly recommend
January 18, 2018
likeable characters, easy to follow storyline
October 18, 2018
Tale of the lives of two very different girls , set partly during the war. Enjoyed it as wasn’t quite sure what the ending was going to be.
July 11, 2020
I enjoyed this book and cant wait for the next one
August 1, 2020
I really enjoyed this book haven’t read any of Mary’s before so looking forward to reading more from this very talented author
June 5, 2021
A good read, especially having so many difficult subjects to include .
plus coping with the war
plus coping with the war
November 8, 2023
I really enjoyed this book 📖
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews