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The Potteries Girls #2
Wartime with the Tram Girls
While the men are off fighting, the women keep the country moving…
July 1914: Britain is in turmoil as WW1 begins to change the world. While the young men disappear off to foreign battlefields, the women left at home throw themselves into jobs meant for the boys.
Hiding her privileged background and her suffragette past, Constance Copeland signs up to be a Clippie - collecting money and giving out tickets - on the trams, despite her parents’ disapproval.
Constance, now known as Connie, soon finds there is more to life than the wealth she was born into and she soon makes fast friends with lively fellow Clippies, Betty and Jean, as well as growing closer to the charming, gentle Inspector Robert Caldwell.
But Connie is haunted by another secret; and if it comes out, it could destroy her new life.
After war ends and the men return to take back their roles, will Connie find that she can return to her previous existence? Or has she been changed forever by seeing a new world through the tram windows?
A captivating, lively, romantic saga set in WW1 that will engross fans of Johanna Bell and Jenny Holmes.
July 1914: Britain is in turmoil as WW1 begins to change the world. While the young men disappear off to foreign battlefields, the women left at home throw themselves into jobs meant for the boys.
Hiding her privileged background and her suffragette past, Constance Copeland signs up to be a Clippie - collecting money and giving out tickets - on the trams, despite her parents’ disapproval.
Constance, now known as Connie, soon finds there is more to life than the wealth she was born into and she soon makes fast friends with lively fellow Clippies, Betty and Jean, as well as growing closer to the charming, gentle Inspector Robert Caldwell.
But Connie is haunted by another secret; and if it comes out, it could destroy her new life.
After war ends and the men return to take back their roles, will Connie find that she can return to her previous existence? Or has she been changed forever by seeing a new world through the tram windows?
A captivating, lively, romantic saga set in WW1 that will engross fans of Johanna Bell and Jenny Holmes.
348 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 3, 2021
74 people are currently reading
134 people want to read
About the author
Lynn Johnson
6 books8 followersLynn Johnson was born and raised in The Potteries. She went to school in Burslem, the setting for her novels, and left with no qualifications. Like the protagonists in her books, she had ambitions. In her own time, she obtained a BA Hons in Humanities with Literature from the Open University, and a Diploma in Management Studies from Staffordshire Polytechnic and became a Human Resources Manager with a large County Council.
Lynn began to research her family tree and it inspired her to write short stories, one of which became the basis for her debut novel, The Girl from the Workhouse, the first of The Potteries Girls series. There are now three books in the series and a fourth will be published in August 2023. Her books are published in a number of formats - ebook, audio, paperback and large print. Lynn is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and the Society of Authors. She still has a close affinity to The Potteries but now lives in Orkney with her husband and six beautiful cats.
Lynn began to research her family tree and it inspired her to write short stories, one of which became the basis for her debut novel, The Girl from the Workhouse, the first of The Potteries Girls series. There are now three books in the series and a fourth will be published in August 2023. Her books are published in a number of formats - ebook, audio, paperback and large print. Lynn is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and the Society of Authors. She still has a close affinity to The Potteries but now lives in Orkney with her husband and six beautiful cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
January 16, 2022
The second book in the series is Connie's story. It includes parts of the first book when the story overlaps but this wasn't a problem.
Connie is upper class where as Ginnie was lower than working class. It was interesting to see the difference in each girls lives and at times similarities.
While not as intriguing as The Girl from the Workhouse, it was a very good story. It did drag a bit after the war ended and it went on to 1919. Also Connie's dithering about the romantic angle annoyed me.
Reading about the other girls she met as a clippie, I think there might be another book. It would be interesting to see the story wrapped up.
Connie is upper class where as Ginnie was lower than working class. It was interesting to see the difference in each girls lives and at times similarities.
While not as intriguing as The Girl from the Workhouse, it was a very good story. It did drag a bit after the war ended and it went on to 1919. Also Connie's dithering about the romantic angle annoyed me.
Reading about the other girls she met as a clippie, I think there might be another book. It would be interesting to see the story wrapped up.
March 8, 2021
Many thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources, Lynn Johnson, and Hera Books for providing me with a digital copy of Wartime with the Tram Girls with a request for an honest review.
Lynn Johnson has done a superb job writing Constance and the gang from Wartime with the Tram Girls. I enjoyed getting to know them all. If I didn’t already know, I would never have guessed that this is the second novel in a series. This book works great as a standalone. Though now that I have met Ginnie, I want to read her story.
Constance, aka Connie, is an interesting heroine. She wants independence in a patriarchal society. She forges her own way in unfamiliar territory, and for this spunk, she deserves respect. Connie bucks tradition to take on a job that is traditionally for men.
As much as I admire and respect Connie, she is full of angst about doing the right thing. She is so busy worrying about how others will feel about her actions that she fails to make good choices. When the truth would set her free, she chooses to hide things. This angst bugged me to no end. I wanted to shake her and tell her to just get on with it!
My only complaint with this novel is the tendency to drag a bit. Some issues repeat themselves often enough to combine them for easier reading. The flow was a bit stilted for me.
However, I enjoyed the book very much. I award Wartime with the Tram Girls 4 out of 5 stars. If you love historical fiction, you should like this series. It is very good as far as wartime sagas go. I look forward to the rest of the series as it comes out. I hope Alice gets a story of her own soon.
Lynn Johnson has done a superb job writing Constance and the gang from Wartime with the Tram Girls. I enjoyed getting to know them all. If I didn’t already know, I would never have guessed that this is the second novel in a series. This book works great as a standalone. Though now that I have met Ginnie, I want to read her story.
Constance, aka Connie, is an interesting heroine. She wants independence in a patriarchal society. She forges her own way in unfamiliar territory, and for this spunk, she deserves respect. Connie bucks tradition to take on a job that is traditionally for men.
As much as I admire and respect Connie, she is full of angst about doing the right thing. She is so busy worrying about how others will feel about her actions that she fails to make good choices. When the truth would set her free, she chooses to hide things. This angst bugged me to no end. I wanted to shake her and tell her to just get on with it!
My only complaint with this novel is the tendency to drag a bit. Some issues repeat themselves often enough to combine them for easier reading. The flow was a bit stilted for me.
However, I enjoyed the book very much. I award Wartime with the Tram Girls 4 out of 5 stars. If you love historical fiction, you should like this series. It is very good as far as wartime sagas go. I look forward to the rest of the series as it comes out. I hope Alice gets a story of her own soon.
March 2, 2021
This is actually the first book I’ve read by Lynn. The title caught my eye and I’m so glad I read it. I’ve since realised that this is book two in a series. I will definitely be reading book one to find out more of Ginnie’s story and I hope this isn’t the end of friends stories. If you haven’t read book one this is fine to read as a stand-alone but you’ll definitely want to know more about all the lovely characters Lynn writes about. Set during World War One we get to learn about the suffragettes and what life was like for the women left behind to get on with things while the men were away at war.
February 8, 2021
Set in the busy pottery town of Stoke-on-Trent during World War I, the historical fiction novel, “Wartime With The Tram Girls,” by Lynn Johnson, begins as Mr. and Mrs. Copeland are attempting to find their 19 year old daughter a suitable husband among the well-connected. They head off to Derby Day at Epsom (yes, the Epsom of the famed Epsom salts!) but instead of finding a husband of good quality, Miss Constance Copeland fuels her inner fire for freedom! A ‘crazed suffragette woman’ had deliberately run onto the racetrack in an effort to bring down the king’s horse and kill herself. When Constance discovers that the woman belonged to the Women’s Social and Political Union, she wondered “how much dedication did it take to believe so intensely that you were prepared to die for that belief?” After a sleepless night and convinced that she could give her life for a cause, Constance joins the WSPU. Taking her maid, Alice, with her, Constance sneaks out of Holmorton Lodge and heads for Trafalgar Square to take place in a demonstration and exercise her solidarity. The plan was to sneak out and sneak back unnoticed. Unfortunately, Constance lands herself in Holloway Prison and Alice ends up in a safe house. A year later, undaunted by her father’s treatment of her and fueled by her desire to do something that mattered, Constance is handing out political pamphlets when she meets the love of her life, Matthew Roundswell. After a whirlwind romance, they set a wedding date and plan their perfect day. As Constance has already figured out, things don’t always go as planned. The secret she carries, once revealed, will impact her life profoundly. After shaking off the dust, Constance sets her eyes on becoming a ‘clippie,’ taking the tram fare from passengers. Excited about earning equal pay for equal work, Constance’s future is forever changed as she now sees things through the tram windows.
This story is about the birth of a heroine, a suffragette, who in finding her purpose stops at nothing in blazing her trail to contribute and feel a sense of belonging and empowerment. The author is a Stokie; she was born and raised in The Potteries and has spent much of her life there. This, in addition to her detailed historical knowledge of the setting, makes this story authentic, thereby giving readers and authentic experience. Johnson has crafted her characters as true representations of the time period. The protagonist is fiery and smart, yet aware of her social status. As the novel progresses, we see her grow and mature while still maintaining her passion. On the other hand, we learn to loathe Mr. Copeland as he exemplifies everything from which Connie is trying to break free. The underlying message for readers is not to allow anyone to extinguish one's light. Connie sees what it has done to her mother and refuses to let her father, Matthew, her mother-in-law, nor societal constraints dampen her spirit. Trading Constance for Connie, she forges a new path for herself at a time when history is on her side.
Thanks to Lynn Johnson, Hera Books and NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Published March 03, 2021 as book 2 of the Potteries Girls Sagas
This story is about the birth of a heroine, a suffragette, who in finding her purpose stops at nothing in blazing her trail to contribute and feel a sense of belonging and empowerment. The author is a Stokie; she was born and raised in The Potteries and has spent much of her life there. This, in addition to her detailed historical knowledge of the setting, makes this story authentic, thereby giving readers and authentic experience. Johnson has crafted her characters as true representations of the time period. The protagonist is fiery and smart, yet aware of her social status. As the novel progresses, we see her grow and mature while still maintaining her passion. On the other hand, we learn to loathe Mr. Copeland as he exemplifies everything from which Connie is trying to break free. The underlying message for readers is not to allow anyone to extinguish one's light. Connie sees what it has done to her mother and refuses to let her father, Matthew, her mother-in-law, nor societal constraints dampen her spirit. Trading Constance for Connie, she forges a new path for herself at a time when history is on her side.
Thanks to Lynn Johnson, Hera Books and NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Published March 03, 2021 as book 2 of the Potteries Girls Sagas
March 6, 2021
I am excited to be taking part in the #BlogTour for Lynn Johnson's compelling WARTIME WITH THE TRAM GIRLS.
Although this is book 2 in the Potteries Girls series, you can actually read it as a standalone. The first book "The Girl from the Workhouse" is Ginnie's story whereas WARTIME WITH THE TRAM GIRLS is Connie's story. Whilst we meet Constance in the first book, she is on the fringes of the story just as Ginnie is in this one. I enjoyed both books and yet they are both different.
The story begins in June 1913 on Constance Copeland's birthday. Her parents are taking her to the Epsom Derby and so the family make the journey from Staffordshire for the occasion. What should have been a perfect opportunity to find Constance a husband turned into a nightmare when suffragette Emily Davison leaps onto the track in the path of the King's horse and is knocked down. The incident was a protest against the suffrage of women and undertaken exactly where the cameras were, catching it all on film, and as a result Emily Davison died a few days later in hospital.
However, Constance has been unable to get the image of what happened out of her head. In the coming days, she decides to become a member of the WSPU (Women's Social and Political Union). Constance's path as a suffragette lead her to London on one occasion which ended rather badly and was to become the bane of her existence whilst under her father's roof. Brought up as a lady from a middle class family, he wanted her to marry a gentleman of means not gallivant around with a bunch of militant women fighting for something that will never happen. But Constance believes that women should be given the same rights as men. She has no intention of becoming a subservient and quiet wife. When a year later she meets Matthew Roundswell, as she hands out political pamphlets, Constance believes she has met the love of her life. After a whirlwind romance the couple set a date and her father is thrilled that she is finally settling down. But as Constance knows, things don't always go as planned. The secret she carries has the power to impact her life dramatically, and she is left humiliated and heartbroken.
Then in 1914, war is declared and the world as everyone knows it, changes. Men, and even boys, sign up believing they would see the world whilst instead they disappear off to foreign battlefields, some never to return home. The women are left to keep the home fires burning and throw themselves into the jobs that men have vacated to go off to war. Despite her own recent heartache, Constance yearns to do something meaningful and for herself whilst helping the war effort. So hiding her privileged background and her suffragette past, she signs up to become a "clippie" - a lady conductor issuing tickets on the trams, despite her parent's disapproval. Her father declares it is no job for a lady of her background and that she should be finding herself a husband, as if that was her sole purpose in life.
Constance, now known as Connie (to hide her class background), is excited about her new job earning equal pay for equal work and becomes fast friends with Jean and Betty. The friendship and camaraderie between the women develops in their own subplots with both feminist and romantic threads at the same time. Despite her work as a clippie, Connie maintains her close friendship with Ginnie Jones and her own service girl Alice Tucker, whom her mother, as a Workhouse Friend, took out of the workhouse and gave her a job. Together the women share their loves, their lives and when financial ruin threatens, Connie soon learns just how much she has taken for granted with her privileged lifestyle.
When she began work as a clippie, as well as making friendships, Connie also met and traded swords with Inspector Robert Caldwell. He was her superior and when her past threatened her new job, it was he she had to answer to. Whenever she came into contact with the Inspector, she found him unsmiling, cold and aloof. She didn't care for him at all. But Betty and Jean saw something she didn't and teased her mercilessly about him. But it wasn't until she saw him at a social dance with Matthew's cousin, Louisa, that the penny began to drop and she was both mortified and loathed to be anywhere near him.
As the war finally ends, so too does the women's work as clippies. They knew when they started that their jobs would only last for as long as the men were away at war. As soon as they returned, the women would systematically lose their positions and return to lower paid work or, in Connie's case, return to her previous existence. But can she do that now that she knows what it is like to earn a living?
Then when Connie meets Robert Caldwell outside of the confines of the tram depot, the two begin a tenuous courtship but although Robert knows of her suffragette past in all its glory, there is one more secret that Connie has harboured ever since she first laid eyes on him. After what Louisa had disclosed to Connie about Robert's family (as well as their relationship), can Connie risk confessing her greatest secret to him and risk losing him altogether?
WARTIME WITH THE TRAM GIRLS is quite a journey for Connie, and is more than just working on the trams. It outlines the distinction between the classes as well as the sexes which would have people metaphorically tarred and feathered today. But Connie derives to break out of those confines - of both class and gender. Her best friend is Ginnie, whom she met in the workhouse, and her friendship with their service girl Alice, also from the workhouse, breaks down those barriers too. And then there is getting a job which is unheard of for most women let alone one of her class.
Although this is the second book, you can read it as a standalone, as Connie's story is a separate one from Ginnie's...but together they compliment each other. I enjoyed both stories and reading about each woman's life from their very different perspectives. I certainly hope there is a third book, either Alice's story, or a continuation of Connie's and Ginnie's.
A satisfying read, WARTIME WITH THE TRAM GIRLS is perfect for fans of historical fiction sagas as well as general fiction readers.
I would like to thank #LynnJohnson, #RachelsRandomResources and #HeraBooks for an ARC of #WartimeWithTheTramGirls in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
Although this is book 2 in the Potteries Girls series, you can actually read it as a standalone. The first book "The Girl from the Workhouse" is Ginnie's story whereas WARTIME WITH THE TRAM GIRLS is Connie's story. Whilst we meet Constance in the first book, she is on the fringes of the story just as Ginnie is in this one. I enjoyed both books and yet they are both different.
The story begins in June 1913 on Constance Copeland's birthday. Her parents are taking her to the Epsom Derby and so the family make the journey from Staffordshire for the occasion. What should have been a perfect opportunity to find Constance a husband turned into a nightmare when suffragette Emily Davison leaps onto the track in the path of the King's horse and is knocked down. The incident was a protest against the suffrage of women and undertaken exactly where the cameras were, catching it all on film, and as a result Emily Davison died a few days later in hospital.
However, Constance has been unable to get the image of what happened out of her head. In the coming days, she decides to become a member of the WSPU (Women's Social and Political Union). Constance's path as a suffragette lead her to London on one occasion which ended rather badly and was to become the bane of her existence whilst under her father's roof. Brought up as a lady from a middle class family, he wanted her to marry a gentleman of means not gallivant around with a bunch of militant women fighting for something that will never happen. But Constance believes that women should be given the same rights as men. She has no intention of becoming a subservient and quiet wife. When a year later she meets Matthew Roundswell, as she hands out political pamphlets, Constance believes she has met the love of her life. After a whirlwind romance the couple set a date and her father is thrilled that she is finally settling down. But as Constance knows, things don't always go as planned. The secret she carries has the power to impact her life dramatically, and she is left humiliated and heartbroken.
Then in 1914, war is declared and the world as everyone knows it, changes. Men, and even boys, sign up believing they would see the world whilst instead they disappear off to foreign battlefields, some never to return home. The women are left to keep the home fires burning and throw themselves into the jobs that men have vacated to go off to war. Despite her own recent heartache, Constance yearns to do something meaningful and for herself whilst helping the war effort. So hiding her privileged background and her suffragette past, she signs up to become a "clippie" - a lady conductor issuing tickets on the trams, despite her parent's disapproval. Her father declares it is no job for a lady of her background and that she should be finding herself a husband, as if that was her sole purpose in life.
Constance, now known as Connie (to hide her class background), is excited about her new job earning equal pay for equal work and becomes fast friends with Jean and Betty. The friendship and camaraderie between the women develops in their own subplots with both feminist and romantic threads at the same time. Despite her work as a clippie, Connie maintains her close friendship with Ginnie Jones and her own service girl Alice Tucker, whom her mother, as a Workhouse Friend, took out of the workhouse and gave her a job. Together the women share their loves, their lives and when financial ruin threatens, Connie soon learns just how much she has taken for granted with her privileged lifestyle.
When she began work as a clippie, as well as making friendships, Connie also met and traded swords with Inspector Robert Caldwell. He was her superior and when her past threatened her new job, it was he she had to answer to. Whenever she came into contact with the Inspector, she found him unsmiling, cold and aloof. She didn't care for him at all. But Betty and Jean saw something she didn't and teased her mercilessly about him. But it wasn't until she saw him at a social dance with Matthew's cousin, Louisa, that the penny began to drop and she was both mortified and loathed to be anywhere near him.
As the war finally ends, so too does the women's work as clippies. They knew when they started that their jobs would only last for as long as the men were away at war. As soon as they returned, the women would systematically lose their positions and return to lower paid work or, in Connie's case, return to her previous existence. But can she do that now that she knows what it is like to earn a living?
Then when Connie meets Robert Caldwell outside of the confines of the tram depot, the two begin a tenuous courtship but although Robert knows of her suffragette past in all its glory, there is one more secret that Connie has harboured ever since she first laid eyes on him. After what Louisa had disclosed to Connie about Robert's family (as well as their relationship), can Connie risk confessing her greatest secret to him and risk losing him altogether?
WARTIME WITH THE TRAM GIRLS is quite a journey for Connie, and is more than just working on the trams. It outlines the distinction between the classes as well as the sexes which would have people metaphorically tarred and feathered today. But Connie derives to break out of those confines - of both class and gender. Her best friend is Ginnie, whom she met in the workhouse, and her friendship with their service girl Alice, also from the workhouse, breaks down those barriers too. And then there is getting a job which is unheard of for most women let alone one of her class.
Although this is the second book, you can read it as a standalone, as Connie's story is a separate one from Ginnie's...but together they compliment each other. I enjoyed both stories and reading about each woman's life from their very different perspectives. I certainly hope there is a third book, either Alice's story, or a continuation of Connie's and Ginnie's.
A satisfying read, WARTIME WITH THE TRAM GIRLS is perfect for fans of historical fiction sagas as well as general fiction readers.
I would like to thank #LynnJohnson, #RachelsRandomResources and #HeraBooks for an ARC of #WartimeWithTheTramGirls in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
March 4, 2021
Wartime with the Tram Girls by Lynn Johnson is a wonderful WWI-era historical fiction novel that I truly, truly enjoyed. I have to admit that I did not read the first in this series: The Girl from the Workhouse, however I really loved this book and feel it can easily be a standalone. I will be reading the first installment now, though. I am sure I will like it just as much.
I really loved the time abd location: Staffordshire 1910s. Pre and during WWI England. A decade of change: world fighting, instability, societal and gender roles changing, and Women’s Suffrage. I loved every moment I got to follow Connie’s story. She is imperfect, likable, realistic, strong, loyal, passionate, fiery, and smart. I loved her progression throughout the book and I enjoyed meeting Connie, Ginnie, Sam, and the rest of the fine character cast. There were a few twists, obstacles, and in the end, a positive journey.
I really enjoyed this story and I hope that this series continues. I look forward to what Ms. Johnson has in store for readers next.
5/5 stars
Thank you Ng and Hera Publishing for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
As of 2/5/21 no GR or Bookbub listings are created for this book, therefore I will post it to Gr, Bookbub, Amazon, B&N accounts as soon as created/publication day and my Instagram account on Publication day.
I really loved the time abd location: Staffordshire 1910s. Pre and during WWI England. A decade of change: world fighting, instability, societal and gender roles changing, and Women’s Suffrage. I loved every moment I got to follow Connie’s story. She is imperfect, likable, realistic, strong, loyal, passionate, fiery, and smart. I loved her progression throughout the book and I enjoyed meeting Connie, Ginnie, Sam, and the rest of the fine character cast. There were a few twists, obstacles, and in the end, a positive journey.
I really enjoyed this story and I hope that this series continues. I look forward to what Ms. Johnson has in store for readers next.
5/5 stars
Thank you Ng and Hera Publishing for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
As of 2/5/21 no GR or Bookbub listings are created for this book, therefore I will post it to Gr, Bookbub, Amazon, B&N accounts as soon as created/publication day and my Instagram account on Publication day.
March 4, 2021
Read my full review here: https://wp.me/pc6NjG-8W
March 8, 2021
‘Wartime With the Tram Girls’ is the second book in ‘The Potteries Girls’ series. Anybody who knows me, knows that I am not only a book geek but I am also a history nerd. So you can probable imagine why the synopsis of ‘Wartime With The Tram Girls’ screamed ‘read me’ at me. I couldn’t wait to start reading and so without further ado, I grabbed my Kindle, grabbed a cup of tea and settled down for an afternoon of uninterrupted reading. Having just finished reading ‘Wartime With The Tram Girls’ all I can say is ‘wow’. I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘Wartime With The Tram Girls’ but more about that in a bit.
I absolutely loved the character of Constance and by the time I got to the end of the story, I felt as though she had become a friend of mine. She is a feisty young lady from a fairly well off background, who is trying to find her way in the world. She becomes involved with the suffragettes and gets herself into a bit of a pickle on more than one occasion. I won’t go too far into any more details as I would hate to give spoilers away. What I will say is that her interests don’t go down well with certain people, who try to make her toe the line and behave as a young lady should. Personally I admire Connie’s fighting spirit and her passion as regards votes for women. Even though Connie is from a wealthy background, she doesn’t let her money influence who she speaks to and who she doesn’t speak to. Connie makes friends with women irrespective of their background. I kept everything crossed that she would find the ‘happy ever after’ ending that she so deserved. What happens? Well for the answers to those questions and so much more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out as I am not going to tell you.
Oh my flipping word, ‘Wartime With The Tram Girls’ has to be one of THE best reads I have had the pleasure of reading so far this year. It had a bit of everything- drama, romance, history, politics and then some. I loved reading about the suffragette movement, especially as my Great Granny was a suffragette too. I studied the suffragette movement when I was studying for my history A Level and I knew some of the detail of the horrendous treatment that some of the ladies suffered at the hands of the authorities. Lynn Johnson has clearly done her research and this shines through in the quality of her writing. Reading ‘Wartime With The Tram Girls’ was as near to being able to experience that time period as I am going to get- until they invent a time machine that works. Lynn grabbed my attention from the start and she drew me into the story. In fact I felt as though I was part of the story myself and that’s thanks to Lynn’s very vivid and realistic storytelling.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed every single second of the story and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Lynn’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
I absolutely loved the character of Constance and by the time I got to the end of the story, I felt as though she had become a friend of mine. She is a feisty young lady from a fairly well off background, who is trying to find her way in the world. She becomes involved with the suffragettes and gets herself into a bit of a pickle on more than one occasion. I won’t go too far into any more details as I would hate to give spoilers away. What I will say is that her interests don’t go down well with certain people, who try to make her toe the line and behave as a young lady should. Personally I admire Connie’s fighting spirit and her passion as regards votes for women. Even though Connie is from a wealthy background, she doesn’t let her money influence who she speaks to and who she doesn’t speak to. Connie makes friends with women irrespective of their background. I kept everything crossed that she would find the ‘happy ever after’ ending that she so deserved. What happens? Well for the answers to those questions and so much more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out as I am not going to tell you.
Oh my flipping word, ‘Wartime With The Tram Girls’ has to be one of THE best reads I have had the pleasure of reading so far this year. It had a bit of everything- drama, romance, history, politics and then some. I loved reading about the suffragette movement, especially as my Great Granny was a suffragette too. I studied the suffragette movement when I was studying for my history A Level and I knew some of the detail of the horrendous treatment that some of the ladies suffered at the hands of the authorities. Lynn Johnson has clearly done her research and this shines through in the quality of her writing. Reading ‘Wartime With The Tram Girls’ was as near to being able to experience that time period as I am going to get- until they invent a time machine that works. Lynn grabbed my attention from the start and she drew me into the story. In fact I felt as though I was part of the story myself and that’s thanks to Lynn’s very vivid and realistic storytelling.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed every single second of the story and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Lynn’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
February 7, 2021
Lynne Johnson, Wartime with the Tram Girls, Hera books, 3 March 2021 (provided by Net Galley)
I found the description of Wartime with the Tram Girls immediately enticing: a young middle-class woman with a suffragette past takes up wartime work as ‘clippie’ on the trams during the First World War.
Constance Copeland is the daughter of a businessman who, having sold his Manchester business, moved to The Potteries in 1909. Her mother had been a Workhouse Friend and has brought Alice into their home as a servant, together with a gardener, cook, and another young maid. It is now 1913 and Constance and her family are to travel to London in a first-class carriage to celebrate Constance’s nineteenth birthday at the Epsom Race Course. The planned treat begins an argument between Edwin and Agatha Copeland about money, creating the perfect tone for the theme throughout the novel: the roles appropriate to women and men. The dispute about the handling of finances impacts on Constance’s eventual entry to the world of paid work – Mr Copeland insists that financial matters are his province alone, despite his wife’s belief that ‘as a modern woman’ she should have some input.
Staffordshire and the potteries provide a backdrop to women’s work choices pre-war, and the poor quality of life lived by many in such locales. In contrast, the Copelands are wealthy. Edwin Copeland is keen for Constance to marry well, and this provides the early debate around marriage and its importance to women, and their role in a marriage. Firstly, Constance’s romantic story revolves around a man deemed very suitable by Constance’s father; a later romantic storyline takes an intriguing turn when a possible suitor, like Constance, has a past that needs explanation.
The dispute about Constance’s desire for paid work, and the nature of that work continues to highlight the broader debate about women’s role. On the domestic war front Constance is replacing, temporarily, the men who have gone to fight. At the Potteries Tram Depot she meets two women from an entirely different class and men who have suffered the ravages of war; experiences the precarious nature of work for women who adopted ‘men’s jobs’; and the pleasure in earning wages. Although her activity with the suffragettes is behind her, as they changed tactics to support the war effort, some of the principles they imparted remain with Constance. She is prepared to adapt to changing circumstances relishing the way in which women and men’s roles are forced to change and questioning the expectation that she should fulfil traditional women’s roles at the cost of her independence.
Constance’s demand for more freedom from pre-war ideas challenge her parents and past, and her choice opposes the dictates of class and gender. She shortens her name to Connie to hide her class background when she becomes a clippie. This has ramifications that she could not envisage, adding to the development of both the feminist and romantic threads of the story. Her friendships with two women who join the trams at the same time, bring into the novel details of their stories, past and present. The descriptions of the women’s work experiences on the trams are delightful, we can almost feel the heaviness of the money bag and ticket machine draped around the women’s bodies. At the same time as the difficulty of the work is shown, the joy of comradeship and developing new capabilities are as real. Romantic attachments are part of the experience and the way in which this is dealt with again shows Johnson’s solid research and understanding of the imperatives of women’s lives in a period where women’s paid work was temporary, limited in prospects and often a life of drudgery. Johnson also shows that romance can burgeon in the least likely of places with seemingly plain characters. Connie’s enduring relationships with women in service again emphasises the way in which the war at times broke down class barriers at home as well as on the battlefield.
The melding of the various romances and the way in which women in this period deal with a different social environment requires clever characterisation, story line and writing. The deftness with which Lynn Johnson combines research about the suffragettes’ and suffragists’ interaction and the burgeoning white feather movement versus conscientious objectors, together with romantic alliances is a credit to her: she makes the reader looking for a feminist story as satisfied as one wanting romance.
Where I think that the writing is less engaging, leading me to give this novel three (how I wish there was a half star available) rather than four stars, is in the last chapters. These are not as cleverly written, with a lot of detail which I found superfluous. However, it is possible that Johnson is using this as a device to set the scene for a third novel (Wartime with the Tram Girls is her second with some of the same characters). In this case the chapters provide a thorough grounding in the post war circumstances of the characters and their possible futures.
That criticism aside, I found this an appealing story, with well-drawn characters. Although Constance’s father appears unwarrantedly keen to have her married off this is a clever device. Where initially Mr Copeland’s behaviour seems too strong for the circumstances with which the reader is familiar, there is a mystery behind his zeal. This is only resolved near the end of the novel, creating a satisfactory tension from beginning to resolution. Similarly, Mrs Copeland is a complex character. She shows the way in which women were forced to manoeuvre between changing societal demands during the war, her commitment to her marriage and her desire to satisfy her daughter’s needs. Connie is a character who keeps the plot alive, with her early resentfulness at the boundaries that impact on women, to her challenging them and finding a way to lead a resourceful and satisfying life on the trams. Despite having to leave that work when the men come home, Connie’s experiences and her new friendships have changed her life. To be with her on that journey makes a thoroughly satisfying read.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this novel and the opportunity to review it.
I found the description of Wartime with the Tram Girls immediately enticing: a young middle-class woman with a suffragette past takes up wartime work as ‘clippie’ on the trams during the First World War.
Constance Copeland is the daughter of a businessman who, having sold his Manchester business, moved to The Potteries in 1909. Her mother had been a Workhouse Friend and has brought Alice into their home as a servant, together with a gardener, cook, and another young maid. It is now 1913 and Constance and her family are to travel to London in a first-class carriage to celebrate Constance’s nineteenth birthday at the Epsom Race Course. The planned treat begins an argument between Edwin and Agatha Copeland about money, creating the perfect tone for the theme throughout the novel: the roles appropriate to women and men. The dispute about the handling of finances impacts on Constance’s eventual entry to the world of paid work – Mr Copeland insists that financial matters are his province alone, despite his wife’s belief that ‘as a modern woman’ she should have some input.
Staffordshire and the potteries provide a backdrop to women’s work choices pre-war, and the poor quality of life lived by many in such locales. In contrast, the Copelands are wealthy. Edwin Copeland is keen for Constance to marry well, and this provides the early debate around marriage and its importance to women, and their role in a marriage. Firstly, Constance’s romantic story revolves around a man deemed very suitable by Constance’s father; a later romantic storyline takes an intriguing turn when a possible suitor, like Constance, has a past that needs explanation.
The dispute about Constance’s desire for paid work, and the nature of that work continues to highlight the broader debate about women’s role. On the domestic war front Constance is replacing, temporarily, the men who have gone to fight. At the Potteries Tram Depot she meets two women from an entirely different class and men who have suffered the ravages of war; experiences the precarious nature of work for women who adopted ‘men’s jobs’; and the pleasure in earning wages. Although her activity with the suffragettes is behind her, as they changed tactics to support the war effort, some of the principles they imparted remain with Constance. She is prepared to adapt to changing circumstances relishing the way in which women and men’s roles are forced to change and questioning the expectation that she should fulfil traditional women’s roles at the cost of her independence.
Constance’s demand for more freedom from pre-war ideas challenge her parents and past, and her choice opposes the dictates of class and gender. She shortens her name to Connie to hide her class background when she becomes a clippie. This has ramifications that she could not envisage, adding to the development of both the feminist and romantic threads of the story. Her friendships with two women who join the trams at the same time, bring into the novel details of their stories, past and present. The descriptions of the women’s work experiences on the trams are delightful, we can almost feel the heaviness of the money bag and ticket machine draped around the women’s bodies. At the same time as the difficulty of the work is shown, the joy of comradeship and developing new capabilities are as real. Romantic attachments are part of the experience and the way in which this is dealt with again shows Johnson’s solid research and understanding of the imperatives of women’s lives in a period where women’s paid work was temporary, limited in prospects and often a life of drudgery. Johnson also shows that romance can burgeon in the least likely of places with seemingly plain characters. Connie’s enduring relationships with women in service again emphasises the way in which the war at times broke down class barriers at home as well as on the battlefield.
The melding of the various romances and the way in which women in this period deal with a different social environment requires clever characterisation, story line and writing. The deftness with which Lynn Johnson combines research about the suffragettes’ and suffragists’ interaction and the burgeoning white feather movement versus conscientious objectors, together with romantic alliances is a credit to her: she makes the reader looking for a feminist story as satisfied as one wanting romance.
Where I think that the writing is less engaging, leading me to give this novel three (how I wish there was a half star available) rather than four stars, is in the last chapters. These are not as cleverly written, with a lot of detail which I found superfluous. However, it is possible that Johnson is using this as a device to set the scene for a third novel (Wartime with the Tram Girls is her second with some of the same characters). In this case the chapters provide a thorough grounding in the post war circumstances of the characters and their possible futures.
That criticism aside, I found this an appealing story, with well-drawn characters. Although Constance’s father appears unwarrantedly keen to have her married off this is a clever device. Where initially Mr Copeland’s behaviour seems too strong for the circumstances with which the reader is familiar, there is a mystery behind his zeal. This is only resolved near the end of the novel, creating a satisfactory tension from beginning to resolution. Similarly, Mrs Copeland is a complex character. She shows the way in which women were forced to manoeuvre between changing societal demands during the war, her commitment to her marriage and her desire to satisfy her daughter’s needs. Connie is a character who keeps the plot alive, with her early resentfulness at the boundaries that impact on women, to her challenging them and finding a way to lead a resourceful and satisfying life on the trams. Despite having to leave that work when the men come home, Connie’s experiences and her new friendships have changed her life. To be with her on that journey makes a thoroughly satisfying read.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this novel and the opportunity to review it.
February 23, 2021
While the men are off fighting, the women keep the country moving…July 1914: Britain is in turmoil as WW1 begins to change the world. While the young men disappear off to foreign battlefields, the women left at home throw themselves into jobs meant for the boys.Hiding her privileged background and her suffragette past, Constance
Copeland signs up to be a Clippie - collecting money and giving out tickets - on the trams, despite her parents’ disapproval.Constance, now known as Connie, soon finds there is more to life than the wealth she was born into and she soon makes fast friends with lively fellow Clippies, Betty and Jean, as well as growing closer to the charming, gentle Inspector Robert Caldwell.But Connie is haunted by another secret; and if it comes out, it could destroy her new life.After war ends and the men return to take back their roles, will Connie find that she can return to her previous existence? Or has she been changed forever by seeing a new world through the tram windows?
Buses were the most widely used form of public transport.Buses were open-topped and had two decks. A conductor rang the bell for the driver to stop. When everyone was on board, the conductor rang the bell again to tell the driver it was safe to go.The conductors wore a ticket machine and a moneybag on straps round their neck.Now, with WWI, the buses were on a different route - taking troops to France and Belgium.The number of men overseas,meant a shortage of crews to operate the trams.Many tram way systems were instrumental in being a form of transport that transported workers, who were all producing for the War effort.In order to keep the tramways operating,women were employed all over the country, firstly as conductresses or clippies.The Friends' Ambulance Unit (FAU) was a volunteer ambulance service, founded by individual members of the British Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), in line with their Peace Testimony. The FAU operated in both World Wars,in 25 different countries. It was independent of the Quakers' organisation and chiefly staffed by registered conscientious objectors.
Copeland signs up to be a Clippie - collecting money and giving out tickets - on the trams, despite her parents’ disapproval.Constance, now known as Connie, soon finds there is more to life than the wealth she was born into and she soon makes fast friends with lively fellow Clippies, Betty and Jean, as well as growing closer to the charming, gentle Inspector Robert Caldwell.But Connie is haunted by another secret; and if it comes out, it could destroy her new life.After war ends and the men return to take back their roles, will Connie find that she can return to her previous existence? Or has she been changed forever by seeing a new world through the tram windows?
Buses were the most widely used form of public transport.Buses were open-topped and had two decks. A conductor rang the bell for the driver to stop. When everyone was on board, the conductor rang the bell again to tell the driver it was safe to go.The conductors wore a ticket machine and a moneybag on straps round their neck.Now, with WWI, the buses were on a different route - taking troops to France and Belgium.The number of men overseas,meant a shortage of crews to operate the trams.Many tram way systems were instrumental in being a form of transport that transported workers, who were all producing for the War effort.In order to keep the tramways operating,women were employed all over the country, firstly as conductresses or clippies.The Friends' Ambulance Unit (FAU) was a volunteer ambulance service, founded by individual members of the British Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), in line with their Peace Testimony. The FAU operated in both World Wars,in 25 different countries. It was independent of the Quakers' organisation and chiefly staffed by registered conscientious objectors.
June 19, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of Wartime with the Tram Girls in Exchange for an honest review. I greatly enjoyed this book in regards to both the plot and characters. I can’t resist a historical novel with a strong female lead. I’m happy to have learned about Clippies and how suffragettes operated during WW1. The story was compelling and the characters’ relationships kept me absorbed in their lives until the very end. I can’t wait to read more novels by this author.
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June 24, 2025I didn’t read the first book in the series so was a bit concerned that the characters would already be established but that did not come over in the book and the description of the characters was perfect
This enabled the author to use the backdrop of the war but instead of focusing on the war it focused on the people back home and how they had to adapt I love history is also the suffragte element really added to this novel
I am looking forward to trying to find other novels by this author
This enabled the author to use the backdrop of the war but instead of focusing on the war it focused on the people back home and how they had to adapt I love history is also the suffragte element really added to this novel
I am looking forward to trying to find other novels by this author
April 7, 2021
Slow starter but excellent read
At first I thought the book was not going to be as good as I thought but I was wrong. The story developed through phases and finished well leaving me wanting more. Cannot wait for the next book.
At first I thought the book was not going to be as good as I thought but I was wrong. The story developed through phases and finished well leaving me wanting more. Cannot wait for the next book.
November 11, 2021
This book took a little while to get into but once I did I found myself reading long into the night, Lynn Johnson is a brilliant writer and I will look out for more titles from this writer, it's a wonderful read.
June 28, 2022
I wasn’t a big fan. While the story line was interesting (hence the 3 stars) and it did inspire me to read up further on particular topics, it just wasn’t for me. I found it didn’t move in a comfortable flow and sometimes felt laboured.
It’s a shame as I was willing myself to love it more.
It’s a shame as I was willing myself to love it more.
December 31, 2022
I Absolutely Loved this book, constance standing up for woman's rights and finding the Love of her life. Despite all the saddened areas within her life. It was a very good read and I'd definitely recommend that you all read about it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 4, 2021
My review of Wartime with the Tram Girls is on my blog
https://quirkybookreads.wordpress.com...
https://quirkybookreads.wordpress.com...
May 20, 2021
A lovely story.
This is the second book in the story of Ginny Sam and Connie. This is about Connie and her job as a clippie on the trams. A lovely story.
This is the second book in the story of Ginny Sam and Connie. This is about Connie and her job as a clippie on the trams. A lovely story.
September 3, 2021
A lovely tale of a well to do young lady during WW1 when she took up work as a clippie on the trams. Easy reading and not a bad story.
June 21, 2022
Fab book second in the series of the potteries girls can't wait for the 3rd to come out in August!
September 18, 2022
This is the 2nd book in the Potteries series and it’s Connies
Story it’s a great storyline I loved it a five ⭐️ read all the way and looking forward to reading the third book
Story it’s a great storyline I loved it a five ⭐️ read all the way and looking forward to reading the third book
May 15, 2023
Really good read
Was really hard to put this book down. Was a really gripping story. One couldn't really predict the ending at all.
Was really hard to put this book down. Was a really gripping story. One couldn't really predict the ending at all.
November 4, 2023
I felt every emotion with this book. A lovely read and well written
January 16, 2024
Heartfelt
I couldn't put it down, so sad and so cruel the war, it touched so many lives. People looked after each other then despite the social difference.
I couldn't put it down, so sad and so cruel the war, it touched so many lives. People looked after each other then despite the social difference.
April 20, 2021
Finding yourself during the War.
Constance Copeland is having a rather privileged life. Money is not what worries her father, rather finding a good and wealthy match for his daughter. And hiding his daughter’s past as a suffragette. But Constance has a mind of her own, and dreams of marrying out of love. Yet being in 1914, the War brings Britain in turmoil and all the women have to adapt into taking jobs meant for the men at war now. So Constance, despite her parents’ disapproval finds herself being a Clippie, collecting money and giving out tickets on trams. By changing her name now into Connie, she tries to hide her past and her wealth. Soon she realizes that there is more to life than what she thought and makes friends in places she would never imagine.
But what will happen when the War ends?
This story was had somehow a double plot. We have on one side Constance and her sense of righteousness. But on the other side, we also have the War and its consequences for our protagonists.
From the start, it’s clear that Constance has a good sense of what is right and what is wrong. Even if sometimes she made the wrong decision, she always did it with the right intentions. What I truly liked about Connie, is that she doesn’t make a distinction between poor and rich. She doesn’t care what the background of her friends is, even if for some it would mean not to interact with them. She befriends people based on characters and how good they get along.
She is a strong woman, making a mind of her own, and is not afraid to sometimes defy her own father. She stands behind her ideas and does not give up easily.
Also when the War seems to take longer than thought, she is not afraid to make her own decision to start working as a Clippie. Not only because her family is facing economic issues because of the War, but also because she wants to make her own contribution during the difficult times.
And this is what I liked about this story. Everybody knows how awful the War was for those who are fighting. But here we get a glimpse of how it was for those staying at home, women that have to do the jobs of their men, the fear of not knowing how their beloved ones are coping.
This is a story about a strong woman, fighting almost literally for her rights, in one of the darkest moments of mankind. Yet she does not just give up, and she is not afraid of doing what must. The author managed to write about a young woman slowly discovering herself, realizing that her strong beliefs are not understood by everyone. But also that the past mistakes cannot just be erased, but can be forgiven.
Constance Copeland is having a rather privileged life. Money is not what worries her father, rather finding a good and wealthy match for his daughter. And hiding his daughter’s past as a suffragette. But Constance has a mind of her own, and dreams of marrying out of love. Yet being in 1914, the War brings Britain in turmoil and all the women have to adapt into taking jobs meant for the men at war now. So Constance, despite her parents’ disapproval finds herself being a Clippie, collecting money and giving out tickets on trams. By changing her name now into Connie, she tries to hide her past and her wealth. Soon she realizes that there is more to life than what she thought and makes friends in places she would never imagine.
But what will happen when the War ends?
This story was had somehow a double plot. We have on one side Constance and her sense of righteousness. But on the other side, we also have the War and its consequences for our protagonists.
From the start, it’s clear that Constance has a good sense of what is right and what is wrong. Even if sometimes she made the wrong decision, she always did it with the right intentions. What I truly liked about Connie, is that she doesn’t make a distinction between poor and rich. She doesn’t care what the background of her friends is, even if for some it would mean not to interact with them. She befriends people based on characters and how good they get along.
She is a strong woman, making a mind of her own, and is not afraid to sometimes defy her own father. She stands behind her ideas and does not give up easily.
Also when the War seems to take longer than thought, she is not afraid to make her own decision to start working as a Clippie. Not only because her family is facing economic issues because of the War, but also because she wants to make her own contribution during the difficult times.
And this is what I liked about this story. Everybody knows how awful the War was for those who are fighting. But here we get a glimpse of how it was for those staying at home, women that have to do the jobs of their men, the fear of not knowing how their beloved ones are coping.
This is a story about a strong woman, fighting almost literally for her rights, in one of the darkest moments of mankind. Yet she does not just give up, and she is not afraid of doing what must. The author managed to write about a young woman slowly discovering herself, realizing that her strong beliefs are not understood by everyone. But also that the past mistakes cannot just be erased, but can be forgiven.
July 17, 2024
Wartime tram girls serve as a reminder to always remember the people behind the scenes rather than concentrating solely on the spotlight. Lynn Johnson, the author, has beautifully captured the clippies working in trams during the time of World War I, supporting the family and country when the men were fighting in the war. The protagonist, Constance Copeland, who dearly changes herself into Connie Copeland by listening to her instincts without being influenced by any religious or social institutions, becomes a clippie. Being a girl from a privileged class, she pursues what she wants to do and also puts herself in other shoes, focusing on not making people around her uncomfortable. While reading her, one will wish to be her. Yes, she made some mistakes like every human does, but she removed the wrong bricks and rebuilt herself. One of the key lessons learned from her character is the act of sisterhood, which can be spread in one’s heart at ease while following her through pages. The book illustrates how the war exploited people mentally, physically, and economically, irrespective of their class. However, for Connie, financial struggle was not a big task as compared to other posh girls at her time, as she had already come out of her comfort zone.
March 8, 2021
I’m seeing a lot more books recently about World War I. The second World War has been a popular subject in historical fiction for a while so I’m glad to see other eras getting more notice.
In this book a family is dealing with the changes brought about by the war. The family fortune is fading because investments are worth less than before. Young women are getting radicalized by the suffragette movement. Connie is an upper class woman who was sent to jail for her part in a suffragette riot. This fact keeps coming back to haunt her. She’s considered unfit for marriage so she sets out to get a job. This horrifies her conservative father.
Clippies were people who took money and tickets on trams. Women were being reluctantly allowed to do this job because able-bodied men were away. In this job Connie is mixing with people from different classes for the first time.
She is also required to face up to some things that she went along with as a suffragette. They handed out white flowers to men who they felt should be in the Army but weren’t. They declared them to be cowards without knowing anything about their circumstances. It was a very nasty thing to do and it was nice to see this story tackle that head on by making Connie have to work with a man who she had previously publicly labeled a coward.
In this book a family is dealing with the changes brought about by the war. The family fortune is fading because investments are worth less than before. Young women are getting radicalized by the suffragette movement. Connie is an upper class woman who was sent to jail for her part in a suffragette riot. This fact keeps coming back to haunt her. She’s considered unfit for marriage so she sets out to get a job. This horrifies her conservative father.
Clippies were people who took money and tickets on trams. Women were being reluctantly allowed to do this job because able-bodied men were away. In this job Connie is mixing with people from different classes for the first time.
She is also required to face up to some things that she went along with as a suffragette. They handed out white flowers to men who they felt should be in the Army but weren’t. They declared them to be cowards without knowing anything about their circumstances. It was a very nasty thing to do and it was nice to see this story tackle that head on by making Connie have to work with a man who she had previously publicly labeled a coward.
February 7, 2021
Beautiful Wartime with the Tram Girls is set in WWI Staffordshire. Independent and spirited Constance Copeland, a young middle class woman, wishes to earn her way and craves something different, something unique. She applies for and becomes a clippie, issuing tickets and collecting money on a tram system which is traditionally a man's job.
At work Constance becomes Connie and becomes fast friends with Betty, Jean and Inspector Robert Caldwell. She loves what she does but her job is not without incident. She had also been a suffragette. Like most people, she has a secret. Not only do we get glimpses into the working life of a clippie but also into human nature, rights, effects of war and hope. The war itself is not described in detail; this book does not focus on the physical harsh realities. However, the author is inspired by true events. I really like the mix of nonfiction and historical fiction. The historical details such as the clippie uniforms make the scenes come alive.
Historical Fiction and General Fiction readers ought to pick up this charming book. I recommend the first one as well as it deserves to be read.
My sincere thank you to Hera Books and NetGalley for allowing me the pleasure of reading this delightful book!
At work Constance becomes Connie and becomes fast friends with Betty, Jean and Inspector Robert Caldwell. She loves what she does but her job is not without incident. She had also been a suffragette. Like most people, she has a secret. Not only do we get glimpses into the working life of a clippie but also into human nature, rights, effects of war and hope. The war itself is not described in detail; this book does not focus on the physical harsh realities. However, the author is inspired by true events. I really like the mix of nonfiction and historical fiction. The historical details such as the clippie uniforms make the scenes come alive.
Historical Fiction and General Fiction readers ought to pick up this charming book. I recommend the first one as well as it deserves to be read.
My sincere thank you to Hera Books and NetGalley for allowing me the pleasure of reading this delightful book!
February 9, 2021
Constance is nineteen. Her father is keen to find her a husband to take good care of her. This is 1913 and the women's suffragette movement is on the rise as is the likelihood of war. She meets Matthew just as he signs up and goes off for his training but in a brief visit home they get engaged. After she learns of her family’s current situation and her own disasters she decides that she would like to earn some money as well as help the war effort and sets out to become a clippie on the trams- a world away from the privileged upbringing she has had up to this point. A story of how things changed for many, especially women during this time and how women were taken for granted. I really enjoyed this and learnt something along the way. It's not just about war( in fact that is really only the background story), it's about “needs must” determination and pushing through. There were not only gender barriers but class ones too. Many houses had staff and when they left the woman of the house had never cooked let alone cleaned- doesn't sound much now but then it was a huge difference and began how women have become more independent and assertive in life. You were judged by your class and the company you kept- how times change. A wonderful read and an inspiring one.
November 20, 2025
Just finished this book i only found out after there was a book before this(i believe it's called the workhouse girls) so it can be read as a stand alone.
It is a really lovely book, good story line and relatable characters, i felt i knew Connie by the time i finished.
The author does a great job showing the heartbreaking truth about war and how it impacted all the characters, without it solely focusing on the war. It also shines the light on the suffragettes and the struggles women had to go through back then, which i always find fascinating to read about.
I did feel the story did drag a little in parts but overall is a lovely book and I'll be reading this author's books again.
And lastly, for me personally it was a nice change for the book not to be set in London as every other book I've read set in WW1 have been set in london so was a nice change.
It is a really lovely book, good story line and relatable characters, i felt i knew Connie by the time i finished.
The author does a great job showing the heartbreaking truth about war and how it impacted all the characters, without it solely focusing on the war. It also shines the light on the suffragettes and the struggles women had to go through back then, which i always find fascinating to read about.
I did feel the story did drag a little in parts but overall is a lovely book and I'll be reading this author's books again.
And lastly, for me personally it was a nice change for the book not to be set in London as every other book I've read set in WW1 have been set in london so was a nice change.
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