Wartime Brides and Wedding Cakes

Wartime Bakery #2

by Amy Miller

January 1941: As Charlie Barton tiptoes silently out of the house one cold winter morning to go off and fight for his country, his wife Audrey is left to run the family bakery on her own.

Times are tougher than ever, but at the Barton Bakery in Bournemouth, Audrey is determined as always to serve the town with love, loaves and cakes, even as the town is reeling from the struggles of the Blitz.

Audrey’s brother William has returned from battle with serious wounds. His fiancé Elsie is waiting for wedding bells, but William is a changed man, and will her hopes be in vain?

Bakery helper Maggie has her heart set on dashing officer George. But will George still want to marry her when he discovers the truth about her family?

And Lily, Audrey’s stepsister, is struggling to raise her illegitimate baby and facing judgement from many in the town. The man who broke her heart returns with an offer, and Lily faces a hard decision about where her future lies.

When disaster strikes the bakery, Audrey fears that everything she has worked for may be ruined. With her shop threatened and her family in turmoil, can she fight to save everything she holds dear?

Wartime Brides and Wedding Cakes is a romantic and heart-warming tale of cakes and confetti, perfect for fans of Sheila Newberry, Nadine Dorries and Ellie Dean.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Audiobook, Chick Lit, Fiction

228 pages, Paperback

Published March 2, 2018

About the author

Amy Miller is a pseudonym of author Amy Bratley.

Reviews

[Jules · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading Heartaches and Christmas Cakes a few months ago, so I’ve been looking forward to Wartime Brides and Wedding Cakes, which is the next book in this heart-breaking yet heart-warming series. Guess what, I loved this too.

I adore the wonderful characters in the Wartime Bakery series. It’s impossible not to get emotionally involved with what they’re going through and the struggles they have to face during wartime. Seeing them have to cope with rations made me realise how much many of us take food for granted these days. I also have no idea how on earth they coped with the fear of air raids, not knowing which home would be destroyed or loved one lost.

Wartime Brides and Wedding Cakes is a touching story of family, friendship and love wrapped up in the stark reality of war.

This can be read as a standalone book, but I would highly recommend reading Heartaches and Christmas Cakes if you want to get to know the characters and their stories from the start. Having loved the first book and the second book, I can’t wait to find out what happens to the characters and this close-knit community in the next book.

My review is also on my blog here:
https://littlemissnosleep.wordpress.c...

[Deanne Patterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Wartime Brides Bakery series by Amy Miller. I read the first book in the series and loved it and was so excited to have the opportunity to read the second book now in the series.
The book opens with Audrey's husband going off to fight in the war,leaving in the middle of the night so he won't have to say goodbye since he knows she'll be heartbroken at his goodbye. Charile and Audrey and have been trying to conceive a child since their marriage but no luck yet. Charlie wants a son to carry on in the bakery but with no luck yet it doesn't look like it'll happen. Mary is a war orphan Audrey has living with her and she loves her like her own. Will she be able to adopt the child or will other family members turn up? Loving relationships and understanding supportive friendships are featured . Heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time you will want to read this book full of very strong and courageous people. They did what they had to do including rationing,being in long ques and dealing with loss and good times as their lives were rebuilt!
Pub Date 07 Mar 2018
I received a complimentary copy from Bookouture through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Eva · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you've been following my reviews, then you know this isn't exactly the type of book I tend to go for but as soon as I finished the previous book in the series, Heartaches and Christmas Cakes, I knew I couldn't wait to catch up with Audrey and her family and friends again. All these characters wormed their way into my heart from the beginning and I very much care about what happens to them.

Audrey's husband Charlie has gone off to war, leaving her and Uncle John to run the bakery. Meanwhile Audrey's brother William has returned injured and is clearly struggling with something, while stepsister Lily is having a tough time dealing with motherhood. On top of that, either Audrey is losing her mind or someone has been stealing her supplies. But as we've learned in the first book, Audrey isn't one to take things lying down and she will do whatever it takes to get her family through this war as unscathed as possible.

I find this series immensely entertaining and uplifting. Full of likeable characters, it's incredibly easy to sympathise with them and their circumstances and I adore that the spotlight is very firmly on all the women who showed immense strength on a daily basis to make sure their families were safe, that there was food on the table, that they managed to find joy in the little things when the world around them was falling apart while all the time worrying about fathers, husbands and sons who were off fighting.

Audrey, her family and friends and indeed their entire little community are an inspiration to us all. As hard as the times were, life went on and they had to make the most of what they had. Life is short, you never know what tomorrow will bring so live for today. And in the case of this story, that does indeed include wartime brides and wedding cakes. I look forward immensely to catching up with these characters again in future!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Wartime Bakery saga and would definitely read Heartaches and Christmas cakes which is the first to familiarise yourself with the characters.

I adored the first book in the series and couldn’t wait to catch up with the characters again as the author really draws you in so that what happens to the characters feels like it is happening to you or a very close friend at least.

Audrey is as strong and determined as ever. No matter what life throws at her she really takes it all in her stride. The parts to do with her and Mary were so emotional and found myself a blubbering wreck quite a few times. Mary is such an adorable little girl that has had far to much heartbreak in her life for one so young and my heart was literally breaking.

As with the first book, you really get a sense of the loss and devastation that occurred during the war. Not just with just losing family members but the businesses and how it affected them. I really loved how people pulled together though and the whole community spirit at times made me feel like my heart would burst with pride.

Wartime Brides and Wedding Cakes is such a bitter sweet read. It is heartwarming and emotional and a book that I didn’t put down until I turned the last page. I couldn’t help myself but devour this gorgeous story in one go, only problem is I now have to wait for the next one.

My thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.

[Kristina Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wartime Brides and Wedding Cakes by Amy Miller is the second book in Wartime Bakery series. Audrey Barton wakes up one morning in January 1941 to find that her husband, Charlie left for his deployment without letting her give him a proper send off. Charlie and Audrey Barton own the Barton Bakery in Bournemouth, England and have been married for seven years. Audrey must now keep the bakery running while taking care of her family. The bakery is the central hub in their area and many of the families rely on the bread they produce. Thankfully, Uncle John has given up his retirement to take Charlie’s place in the bakery, but Audrey is worried about his persistent cough. Mary is the eight-year-old evacuee that the Barton’s have taken in. Her mother has passed away and Mary’s father is overseas fighting. Mary is coming out of her shell, and Audrey loves the little girl more each day. What will happen to Mary, though, when the inevitable happens to her father? Lily and her illegitimate daughter, Joy live with Audrey. The man she trusted betrayed her and her parents are ashamed. One day Joy’s biological father shows up at the bakery with an offer for Lily. She must now make a difficult decision. William Barton has returned home with severe injuries. Elsie, his fiancé, is grateful William is alive, and she is looking forward to marrying the man she loves. But the man she fell in love with is not the same man who returned home to her. Will there be wedding bells in their future? Maggie, Audrey’s sales clerk, has fallen in love with George Meadows. But she has not told George the truth about her home life. Will he change his mind about her when he discovers the truth and what Maggie did to keep her secret? One night an explosion rocks the area and tragedy strikes the Barton Bakery. Will they recover from this disaster? Come along to Bournemouth to spend with Audrey along with her family and friends in Wartime Brides and Wedding Cakes.

Wartime Brides and Wedding Cakes is a captivating story. It is realistic in its portrayal of life during World War II. How people at home work to survive the war with the men off fighting, rationing in effect and new items added frequently, bombs hitting the area, spending nights in air raid or Anderson shelters, quick weddings, the worry, the sacrifices, their perseverance and people in the community banding together to help each out. Amy Miller definitely captured the locale and time period. I thought Wartime Brides and Wedding Cakes was well-written with a nice pace. The transitions were fluid between sections. I love the characters in this story. They are genuine, and you can feel their emotions. Audrey is a strong woman who is the mother figure for many as well as a confidant and pillar of strength. She has backbone, grit, strong moral character and a loving heart. Each character is different with a story of their own. I hope we see more of Arthur, the conscientious objector, in future books. He adds another perspective. While Wartime Brides and Wedding Cakes is the second book in Wartime Bakery series, it can be read alone. However, I highly recommend Heartaches and Christmas Cakes. You can see where the story started and get additional background on the characters. Plus, it is just plain good. Wartime Brides and Wedding Cakes is an emotional novel. Readers can feel the characters emotions (love, worry, sadness, grief, heartache) and it is amazing how they help each other through these trying times (the community spirit). They look for a bright spot (happiness) despite the adversity. Wartime Brides and Wedding Cakes is a heartwarming, emotional story with a delightful ending.

[Kristine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Original review can be found at https://kristineandterri.blogspot.ca/...

** I received an advanced readers copy from Bookouture in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!**

Wartime Brides and Wedding Cakes is the second book in the Wartime Bakery series. I did not read the first book in the series but reviews assured me that it could be read as a stand alone. I have to disagree a little bit with that statement. Although I eventually was able to follow along I spent a significant amount of time trying to figure out who was who and getting quite confused. I feel like I needed to read the first book to familiarise myself with the characters. I constantly felt like I was missing something because the characters were already developed before I was introduced to them.

Once I became familiar with the different characters I did find myself enjoying the story and the struggles that they each were dealing with. I'm a huge fan of historical fiction and WW11 stories to be more specific. Although it was a horrific time and there were many hardships, including for the characters in this book, this book is more on the fluffy side of the WW11 stories that I am use to reading. Not to take away from any of the issues that arose but it wasn't as hardcore for a lack of better words.

In the end it was a quick and easy book to read that I was eventually able to get lost in. I do recommend reading the first book first. I feel that my rating might have been higher if I had done the same.

[Emma Crowley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Right from the opening page as Charlie Barton, without even uttering a goodbye, walks away from the bakery on Fisherman's Road in East Bournemouth 'quietly slipping from one life to another' in the dead of night to fulfil the decision he made to sign up for the army during World War Two, I was instantly drawn back into the lives of the Barton family and all their extended friends. It seems like no time at all since I had read book one in the series, Heartaches and Christmas Cakes, and I am glad this was the case as I thoroughly enjoyed my first meeting with the Audrey and co. So I was delighted Amy Miller did not keep eager readers waiting too long for the next instalment Wartime Brides and Wedding Cakes as all these characters had really found a place in my heart.

Combined with the fact there were good solid storylines in book one, and that something different as in the bakery is featured, I found this series to be new and fresh given how many wartime saga books are published every year. The story picks up a little bit from where we left off and we reunite with Audrey at a time when peoples lives are in constant peril. Calamity abounds across the country with the threat of daily air raids, food rations are in firm place and families are worried for their loved ones fighting abroad. But one thing is for sure Audrey Barton will keep her bakery running and do the utmost she can for everyone in her community. She is a shining ray of light, a beacon of hope in a very dark time.

Audrey is one of the best female characters I have read about in a long time in a book of this genre. She is a tower of strength for everybody, a stalwart in the community and the rock that members of her family and friends always turn to when things get even tougher. She is all things to all people, full of simple kindness and common humanity. Her main goal is in 'offering everybody comfort and sustenance in an uncertain tense and dangerous time. She would never let her customers down'. Despite having her life turned upset down I felt nothing but admiration for Audrey because she never gave up even when the worst thing happened to the bakery. She was cheerful and resilient and I suppose one had to be in times of war otherwise you could go down a very dark and dangerous road of which there might not be any return.

Life won't be the same at the bakery now that Charlie has gone away. I did think how selfish was he to abandon his family given that a baker was a reserved occupation and he was not needed to sign up. He seemed so clueless that his family and members of the community depended on him to keep the ovens going and the bread made but still he went ahead with his plan. On further reflection, I think Audrey deeply understood him and she came to know that Charlie was bound by a deep sense of duty to his country, that he couldn't stand back and let other people fight and he remain at home. It was a brave decision to make and one he would not have chosen lightly, still it didn't mean things would be any easier for Audrey. If anything they would be more challenging. 'Their marriage, the bakery and his extended family had plucked her from the lonely road she was travelling, giving her direction and strength without without him, would she fall apart?'.

Audrey desperately longs for a family of her own but so far that wish has not been granted. So instead I felt like she became the mother hen to others, there was this deep urge inside her that she needed to satisfy and she did this by caring for others. I still think she would have had the same attitude even if she had had children of her own but there was this hole she need to fill. I loved how she took in evacuee Mary and treated her like her own flesh and blood. Mary had been through such a traumatic time and needed love, care and attention which Audrey supplied with ease and generosity. Poor Mary did suffer at times in this book because she misunderstood so much. All I wanted for her was to understand that she was loved and would be cared for. Audrey always showed such fortitude and strength when events continued to conspire against her and her family. I enjoyed how we got to further know more of the characters that had popped up in book one and it didn't take me long to re-familiarise myself with their back stories. But for those who are new to this series this book is easily read as a stand alone and the reader is never made to feel like they have missed out.

William, Audrey's brother, does feature more in this book and I can't say I liked him until very near the end. Perhaps I was being too judgemental but the way he treated his family and his fiancée Elsie wasn't the way one would have expected a man to have done. Returning home early from the war due to horrific injuries it takes some time for Audrey, Elsie and the reader to comprehend that William is not the same man that left. He is a shadow of his former shelf, dominated by dark moods, tormented by what he has witnessed and the shell of the man he has become. He feels worthless and that he is not good for nothing or anyone. I did begin to feel for him and how hard it must have been to readjust to civilian life even though the war was still raging on but his actions at times and the way he spoke to those who loved him were they completely justifiable? He tore Elsie's heart apart with his words and she didn't need that given her own personal family situation which in itself was devastating to have to deal with on a daily basis. As one character said 'it was a difficult and complicated thing love in wartime' and for many characters their lives certainly lived up to that statement. William needed help, reassurance and at some points a good talking too. I hoped throughout that Audrey or even Elsie would gain even more strength to do just that.

Lily, Audrey's stepsister, again featured although this time she seemed to have come down to earth with a bang given her experiences with a man in book one which has led to an estrangement of sorts from her family. She has a beautiful baby daughter but sadly she feels like she is not a good mother. 'Fear that she was a complete and utter disappointment to her own baby gnawed at her confidence'. She is drowning and like William needs help but will she have the courage to admit she needs it? Lily believes she is not a natural mother and she is not in any way helping the war effort. I wanted her to feel better about herself, to be able to engage in the love she has for a different man but who is sadly away at war. Clearly Lily had a lot to go through before she would emerge stronger on the other side but also I felt a lot of growing up to do as at times she needed a good shake and needed to snap out of her funk. I know what she was going through but sometimes she did go overboard ever so slightly.

Two other characters worth mentioning were Arthur and Maggie. John is old and not in the best of health but I loved how he battled on to help Audrey and get the bread made each day. He wouldn't stop until he literally dropped and he was like the father figure Audrey needed the most. As for Maggie she works in the bakery and I just knew she was up to something. She had ambitions for herself and despite her background I thought she came across quite haughty taughty. Upon discovery of what she was up to my dislike for her increased but when the bigger picture was revealed my opinion of her swayed to the other side.

Wartime Brides and Wedding Cakes was an excellent follow up to Heartaches and Christmas Cakes, in fact I would go as far to say it was even better. Amy Miller really gets to the heart of the story and conveys such emotion through her writing. Everyone is struggling in the time of war and she doesn't in any way sugar coat this. Yes the men away fighting in Europe are experiencing horrific sights but those at home can't be forgotten either, they too have harsh lives to deal with. How can people cope given just a few short years ago their worlds were perfect in some ways and now death, uncertainty and struggles are a daily feature of life?

But what makes this book so enjoyable is the bakery as the focal point. The warmth of its ovens extends to the care, compassion and nurturing that Audrey shows to all who grace her doors. The residents and friends do appreciate the bakery and Audrey and this is demonstrated when they pull together when tragedy literally falls from the sky. Anyone else would have fallen apart but Audrey battles on as well as given advice and support to those experiencing difficulties around her. 'It was up to her to keep her ramshackle family together and safe throughout the war, and she wasn't about to give up'. But who will be there for Audrey when she needs to let her guard down and let her own emotions regarding Charlie flow. I hoped someone would be and that Audrey too after helping so many others would experience a little glimmer of happiness.

I hope this series will continue to go from strength to strength because so far it has been gripping and I am really eager to see what Amy Miller has next in store for the brilliant characters she has created in the Wartime Bakery series.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful series set in the war years. Audrey runs the bakery when her husband goes to war. You get a real sense of the hardships and camaraderie of the time- with great characters that you quickly get invested in. At times both heartwarming and heart wrenching. We see great friendships, troubled relationships and the after effects war can have on those who survive the atrocities but have lasting effects.
I loved Amy Miler's writing style and I can't wait to read more in this series. It was a real page turner- I couldn't put it down.

[Ruth Ellis · Rating 4 out of 5]

An audible book read before book one but still good

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wartime Brides and Wedding cakes in the 2nd in the Wartime Bakery series. I loved the first one in this series and this loved this one too.
Charlie Barton goes off to work leaving his wife Audrey to run the family bakery in Bournemouth on her own. Times are harder and before but, she is determined to run the bakery for the locals as best she can. As some of her neighbours rely on her alone, for food to eat. Her brother William comes back from the war but, with burns to the side of his face and a missing foot. At first he finds it hard to cope with what has happened to him and shuns his fiancé Elsie away but eventually he helps runs the bakery with Uncle John.
This is another emotional and heart-warming book from Amy Miller. The story tells us of the hardships people faced throughout the war. But, how everyone sticked together to bring happiness to each other’s lives. I loved every minute of this book I didn’t want to put this down. I loved all the characters in this story especially little Mary. I can’t wait for the next book in this series

[Gaele · Rating 4 out of 5]

You don’t need to read the first in this series to enjoy this book, but you certainly will want to. A story that is rich in hope, struggle, stiff-upper lip and plenty of love, the people at the Barton Bakery are making bread and making do. Starting with Audrey’s husband Charlie heading off to war before sunup one morning, leaving only a note and no tearful goodbye scenes, Audrey’s life is like many others: pulling up her bootstraps and getting on with it. It almost feels as if there is a constant mantra running in her head – others have it worse, smile and move on. With the onset of war, Audrey has managed to create a space that is inviting, welcoming and needed: for her step-sister Lily and her infant girl, her brother Will returned from the war missing a foot, having gained some burns and lost any shred of motivation or happiness he once had. Maggie the young girl that helps at the counter with plenty of secrets hiding behind her smile, and Elsie, William’s fiancé, working and helping her mother and sister to cope with her father’s internment as he is thought to be a threat as an Italian. Then we have John, the man who taught and worked with Audrey’s husband Charlie: back to help with the baking so Audrey can continue to manage the counter, paperwork, regulations and struggle with supplies for the home and the shop. Lastly is Mary, a child evacuated from London after losing her mother and brother in a bombing, her father in the fight. Audrey has long wanted a child, and through her gentle treatment, concern and love, has come to consider Mary as family, and would open her home to more children if she could.

What’s most intriguing about this story is the determination and heart that are so prevalent here. Firstly the focus is about the deprivations and challenges in wartime Britain: food, clothing, housing and even safety as the constant barrage from the air and the never-ending threat of bombing serve to make each day one of challenges. Yet Audrey meets all of these in the best way she can: smiles for the customers, a constant presence each day: kind, friendly and known. With her tendency to seek out the best in everyone, despite her own constant worries and fears: this little shop has become the center of the neighborhood, with Audrey at the core. Lovely moments with each character, including a conscientious objector who provides several moments of friendship, comfort and kindness to Aubrey bring that sense of community to the story and allows people, however briefly, to understand the challenges and how the war and threats from bombs amplified emotions, struggles and choices.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at I am, Indeed

[Kaisha (The Writing Garnet) · Rating 5 out of 5]

All reviews can be found on my blog at https://thewritinggarnet.wordpress.com

'Wartime Brides and Wedding Cakes' is the second book in the brand new series from Amy Miller, and I wholeheartedly recommend that you read the books in order as the second book refers to things which happened in book one which might confuse those who haven't read the previous book. I was actually a little bit concerned when I began reading Amy Miller's new book as it had been a while since I had read the first book, and I was worried that I would struggle getting back into the swing of the storyline after the break. I needn't have worried at all - it didn't take me long to fall back in love with Audrey's world and everything it stood for.

Set in 1941, 'Wartime Brides and Wedding Cakes' has rationing and the blitz at the forefront of its storyline, and by golly is it an eye-opener. Seeing as I wasn't alive during the war, nor was I a glint in my mother's eye, everything I know about the wartime is what I have read. Whilst I fully appreciate that reading about what went on during the war isn't as bad as actually living through it, or fighting in it, I still couldn't help but be overcome with emotion at how quickly lives changed around Audrey. One moment a loved one is there, and the next its only their memory that lives on. I cannot even begin to imagine how people felt during those days, but I applaud authors like Amy Miller who write about such historical moments in time, in such a black and white and honourable way.

What I loved most about this book was how raw the storyline was. Amy Miller didn't write her characters to pretend that they were fine during the war. No. She wrote them realistically, opening my eyes to such devastating circumstances, whilst also attempting to bring her characters joy by getting married to their loved ones. Okay, rationing meant that they had to be extremely careful of what they used, changing recipes to suit reality. Or, as my great grandmother used to say, 'cutting their cloth to suit their means'. Audrey made the most of what she had and, whilst I know that she didn't really have any choice, she still did it with poise, putting those she loved above everything else.

'Wartime Brides and Wedding Cakes' is a brilliant, second instalment in Amy Miller's series. Heart-breaking, heart-warming and utterly divine, 'Wartime Brides and Wedding Cakes' is a book which is destined to make you see life in a different light. Whilst a lot of things in 1941 had to be rationed, Amy Miller shows that love wasn't one of them.

[Maggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book made a nice change from crime & psychological thrillers! Following on from the first book we meet the characters we had got to know from that and continued to share in their lives as they struggle to keep cheerful and keep going through the second world war.

Audrey desperately misses her husband now he has joined up. Her brother is not the same happy go lucky chp who went away to war. He seems to be determined to cut himself off from everyone who loves him- including his fiancee. Lily finds being a single mother hard going. The evacuee, Mary is slowly coming out of her shell as she is welcomed into the busy world of the bakery giving Audrey the chance to be a mum to someone.

Throughout Audrey continues to do her best to offer a cheerful face and excellent produce to all in the area. I'm looking forward to finding out what happens next!

Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for giving me the chance to red & review this book.

[Betty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Somehow, I missed that Wartime Brides and Wedding Cakes is the second in a series. I have not read the first but will rectify that very soon. In this case, it does not matter if you have read the first. This is definitely a standalone novel.

Set in a town in the UK during World War II, the folks at the bakery do what they must do to not only survive but thrive. What I like about this book is Ms. Miller sets out to tell a story of the everyday life of a number of people in war-torn Britain. Spanning several months, it presents the events as they would happen. In other words, it was believable. There is not contrived “conflict” which many authors think they must have. The war is the conflict and what it does to people. That is enough.

There were many characters and at times I struggled to remember just who was who, but it did not take away from my enjoyment of the book.

The day I received word that the publisher, Bookouture had approved me for the ARC, I had also just binged watched Tony Robinson’s Blitz Street from Channel 4, the British public broadcasting network. Then I opened this book and found myself in that world. What great timing.
I recommend Wartime Brides and Wedding Cakes. Now to track down Heartaches and Christmas Cakes.

I received a free copy of the book from NetGalley and Bookouture in exchange for my honest review. Thank you.

ISBN: ASIN B077YY538F (Note – this is Amazon’s codes)
Publisher: Bookouture
Publication date: 03/07/18

[Sue Gerhardt Griffiths · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Magnificent

I was delighted to re-connect with Audrey, her family and friends once more. Amy Miller’s characters are such sweetheart’s and right from start I had an on-the-spot feeling I was going to adore this story as much as the first one. I cannot resist happy feel good stories set around war time.

Loved every minute I spent listening to the 2nd book in the Wartime Bakery series.

Amy Miller is another author to add to my list of favourites.

[mois reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

War

Another 5 STAR review for a brilliant read from Amy I love Audrey and the way she holds the family together William and Elsie Lilly and baby joy and of course Charlie and John well deserved 5 stars .

[Sarah Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wartime Brides and Wedding Cakes is the second book in the Wartime Bakery Series and continues Audrey Barton’s story. Audrey’s husband Charlie has enlisted leaving Audrey to run the bakery along with his Uncle John.

Audrey and her family and friends make the most of wartime life and continue to support each other and their community through difficult times. Wartime conditions were hard but life went on and the strong women in this story made the most of what they had. Highly recommended

[Doreen Prentiss Gabriellini · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wartime Brides and Wedding Cakes (Wartime Bakery) by Amy Miller is a lovely heart-warming book, full of emotion, sadness and laughter. When I started reading this book I had no idea that this was the second in a series. The book is definitely stand alone but I would definitely want to go back and read the first in the series. Ms. Miller creates wonderful, dynamic characters. The story is definitely period correct and Ms. Miller’s research was done very well. You absolutely feel that you are living and experiencing World War II. There are very realistic descriptions of air raids and bombing during Hitler’s rein of terror. The author captivates the rationing, the clothing allowances, and all the things people did without on behalf of the war effort. The novel goes into who all this rationing and allowances has affected. It was not only the families but the businesses as well. It also describes how people during this time helped each other and pulled together. You felt a community spirit that was very uplifting.

Wartime Brides and Wedding Cakes is such a bitter sweet read. It is a heartwarming and emotional book. The story kept me hooked until the very last page.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Amy Miller and Bookouture for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in the series concentrating on the lives and loves of those involved with the bakery run by Audrey & Charlie Barton. I thought that the first book was good but blimey oh riley this book is even better. I absolutely blinking well loved it but more about that in a bit.
What’s not to love about Audrey Barton? She is only in her twenties but she has the wisdom of a much older woman. She never turns away those in need and she is always ready to provide a shoulder to cry on and a cup of tea to those in distress. She manages to do this despite having a busy work life and worries of her own. In Charlie’s absence, Audrey is managing the bakery single handedly although she does have help preparing and cooking the bread. Despite the restrictions on food thanks to rationing, Audrey still manages to prepare lots of lovely cakes and she always shows others that she is thinking of them or is grateful to them, by sending them a couple of rock buns or little cakes. Audrey’s husband Charlie is in the army and as you can imagine, Audrey worries about him every day. She doesn’t know exactly where he is and she doesn’t know how he is because his letters home are infrequent. Audrey has taken in an evacuee, called Mary, who is 8 years old. Audrey loves Mary so much and considers her to be one of the family. Mary thinks ever so much about Audrey and she feels safe with her, which is just as well because most of Mary’s family have gone. Audrey and Charlie would love to have their own child, but the possibility of that happening appears to be remote as they have been trying to have their own family for years. The bakery suffers a setback but Audrey and some of her loyal customers see this only as a temporary hitch and they do what they can to get the bakery back up and running. There are a few surprises along the way but my lips are sealed as to what they are because it would give too much away.
As I indicated earlier in my review, ‘Wartime Brides & Wedding Cakes’ is a fantastic book. I thought that ‘Heartaches & Christmas Cakes’ was good but ‘Wartime Brides & Wedding Cakes’ blows it out of the water. This book really did knock my socks off and blew me away. This book appealed to me on so many levels. I am a history nerd and I love anything to do with the social history of the Second World War. It might sound daft but reading about the social history side of the Second World War helps me to feel closer to my grandparents, who died before I was born. I am also a huge fan of the saga genre as to me it’s the book equivalent of a soap opera. Oops I digress so back to my review I do go. I started reading this book whilst I was in need of a distraction from my chronic back pain and put it this way, I soon forgot my pain as I was hooked on reading about the loves and lives of those people connected with the bakery. No word of a lie but I was genuinely hooked on the book from reading the first word on the first page and reading it became an addiction. I just had to read one more chapter, two more chapters and well you get the picture. I was so focused on and into the story that I didn’t notice how quickly the page numbers were flying past. Before I knew what was happening, I had finished the book, which I was genuinely disappointed about. I was loving the writing style, the story and the characters so much that I just wanted the book to continue. The author clearly cares about her characters and this shines through in the quality of her writing. The descriptions of the characters were so vivid that I began to think of them as friends, even though they are fictional. The descriptions of Wartime Bournemouth were so vivid that if I closed my eyes, I could imagine that I was actually there with all the bombing, safety measures, the rationing and so on and so forth.
In short, I absolutely 100% ADORED reading ‘Wartime Brides & Wedding Cakes’. I eagerly (& impatiently) await the next book in the series. Here’s hoping that we don’t have too long to wait…….hint hint. I would wholeheartedly recommend Amy Miller and her books to other readers and especially to those people who are fans of historical fiction and to those who like the saga genre. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a well deserved 5* out of 5* but I would have awarded more stars if I could have because I really enjoyed the book that much.

[Nicola Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, this was a wonderful return to Bournemouth and Barton's Bakery for me. Having loved the first in this series, Heartaches and Christmas Cakes, I couldn't wait to see what was going to happen next to these wonderful characters. I would recommend you read the books in order so you can follow their journey, but if not then it works well as a standalone as important facts from the first book are handily recapped.

The hub of the action is the bakery, run by Charlie and Audrey Barton. But despite baking being a reserved profession, Charlie feels he must do his bit for the war and so Audrey must cope alone. She's a wonderful person, absolutely central to everything and so strong, warm-hearted and kind. Mary, her little evacuee, is still with her, along with her brother, William, and stepsister, Lily. Where they all sleep is a mystery but I couldn't help but imagine how warm and cosy it must be above the bakery with this family who stick together no matter what.

As with any saga, there are many ups and downs before we reach a happy conclusion. As you will gather from the title, there are weddings to enjoy in this instalment and it was so interesting to read about how rations affected cake baking. In fact, there is quite a focus on the foods that were available and it's fascinating to read about the way people coped with so little. Blitz spirit and all that.

I whizzed through this book in two days. I was utterly engrossed in all that was happening, not just the events but the emotions. I can't wait for the next instalment now. I could read about Barton's Bakery and the characters in this series until the cows come home. This is heart-warming saga at its best.

[Bethany Swafford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audrey Barton’s husband, Charlie, leaves without warning and enlists. With help from her family, Audrey must keep the bakery going as World War 2 rages on.

This, as is described, is a heartwarming story. Audrey is our main character, though other young women and their romances come into play as well. Everything these women do to keep things as normal as possible is nothing short of admirable. We have a young woman striving to better herself, an engaged woman whose fiancé has returned injured in more ways than one, and a little girl who has lost most of her family.

There is a minor character, only seen a brief few times, who became my favorite. He was a conscientious objector and vilified by many because he refused to take another life and participate in war. Such people in history are not mentioned enough.

For readers who enjoy novels set in the tumultuous World War 2 era, I would definitely recommend this one.

I received a free copy through NetGalley for reviewing purposes.

[Monica Mac · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I started reading this book, the second in the series, I was very happy to re-connect with Audrey and her extended family and community once again.

Audrey is running the bakery the best way she can, considering her husband Charlie has signed up and is overseas fighting. Without warning, a major crisis occurs but her bravery and plucky attitude see her through.

Just like book one, I was enchanted by the story of this young woman and her friends and family, who were trying to get through the war years the very best way they could. There are wonderful descriptions of the lengths people had to go to to maintain their usual standards in life, and the recipe substitutes were genius! Again, the author must have done some in-depth research because I felt like I was right there, in a way that I have not felt before with other books set in this era.

I am so looking forward to reading the next book in the series :)

5 well-deserved stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

[Anindyta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audrey’s life after Charlie went off to the war is what this book told. It’s about how she struggled run the bakery with help of neighbors and family at war. This book is not full of twisting and heartwrenching nightmare of war. But I guess I like this one.

The book brings a newperspective of war story, in my opinion. Amy Miller told a story about what happen in Birmingham at war. Not like war books that I already read, the story in this book is full of hope in the desperate times, full of flowers that tries to bloom in hell, full of life among the dead. It amazed me how Miller told the story of war from women who struggled to keep home alive even at war. Sometimes, when I read fiction about wars, all I could think is there’s no life in there. But in this book here, I learnt that there is life, there is hope, there is cakes, and there is wedding too at war times! Even if the situation is crazy, everyone still struggle to go on with their life, struggle to hope when waiting for the loved ones come home, struggle to keep alive at home. This is a new perspective for me, and it makes this book very interesting.

Even this book is the second one in series, I didn’t find it’s hard to follow along the story even when I haven’t read the first. The characters are so likeable. The storyline is interesting too. I found so many heartwarming story in this family saga. I found myself care about characters in this book and it’s enough to make me give this 4 stars.

I received this book as ARC from netgalley in exchange for honest review.

[Leona · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read and absolutely loved the first book in this saga (Heartaches and Christmas Cakes). I was delighted to have the opportunity to read this second book. Well I certainly wasn’t disappointed it was another wonderful read. In this book Audrey Barton is holding the fort at the bakery while her husband Charlie is away fighting in the war. While running the bakery Audrey is also looking after Mary the evacuee child who they have taken in and also making wedding cakes for wartime brides . We get a good insight into how the Second World War affects everyone and how the bakery is a very important part of the community . A wonderful story and I am already looking forward to book 3.

This book may be read as a stand-alone but to really understand and get to know the characters I would suggest reading book 1 in the series first .

A five star read for me 👍👍

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun, cute story about wartime women, but I found the plot struggled a little towards the end since everyone's plots had been neatly wrapped up well before the end and the story started going through the motions of showing all the events that were left over.

Tension was introduced and swept under the rug just as quickly, with any issues between characters being fixed barely a chapter after they were told to the reader. I understand that helps keep the tone of the book light and easy to read (and it was a very easy listen on the audio book) but it doesn't exactly make for an interesting read. It's a good thing that the character are so lovely, since there's nothing else to keep readers interested. The cast of women were delightful even when the narrative wasn't going anywhere, and it was easy to feel empathy for their situations.

[Donna Maguire · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://donnasbookblog.wordpress.com/...

This is the second book in the Wartime Bakery series and I have loved them both - you are fine to read this one as a stand alone but if you possibly can I would really recommending reading the first book if you are planning to read the series as it is very, very good and it has the same characters as Wartime Brides and Wedding Cakes.

This is a great book, I loved the story, I love the characters and the setting and time period of 1941 is great. A genuinely emotional book at times and Audrey is a great characters - it is great that she as a strong woman has the lead in the book. I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who loves reading a good historical fiction story.

Five stars from me, I loved this book!!

[Booklover BEV · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another heartbreaker

1941 Bournemouth, Audrey Barton husband Charlie has been sent away to war,and wedding cakes were always on order at short notice,sweethearts didn't have much time together before returning back to active service. Audrey an amazing woman taking everything in her strides looking after the business and friends and family. Little Mary only seven year's old is settling in with living with Audrey while her father is away. and step sister Lily with her daughter joy. I again loved this book from the start as I did with the first one. this author has a way of pulling you into her books. With a fabulous ending I cannot wait to reading more.

[Janice · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this on the Kindle

This is the 2nd book in the series about a Bakery in the seaside town of Bournmouth in WW2

I am really enjoying this series about Audrey who husband has now gone off to war her brother William who has been injured & is home along side all of this is her stepsister Lily who had a baby & evacuee Mary then there her some of her in laws & customers & shop assistant Maggie

You are left with this waiting for the next book which is good not sure when it will be hope we don't have to wait too long for it

[Karen Gibson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic

This book follows on from Heartaches and Christmas Cakes and I couldn't wait to get started. The books follow Audrey Barton and her family bakery through the ups and downs of the wartime years. This book didn't disappoint and once started i couldn't put it down. I was delighted when I got a notification that the third book in this series Telegrams and Teacakes was due for release early August. Needless to say I pre-ordered it immediately and I eagerly await delivery of it to my Kindle.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another lovely book about the family and friends at Bartons Bakery.Mary has become an important member of audreys family and is loved by them all.William is carrying guilt at the death of his friend and is struggling but one day Elsie explodes and tells him to grow up that his sister needs his help after John is hospitalised and Audrey tries to cope with everything.Charlie comes home for a couple of days leave and goes straight into the bakery and back to baking bread.I can highly recommend this book well worth 5*