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Goodwill House #1
The War Girls of Goodwill House
As war looms, can they keep the home fires burning?
Lady Joanna Harcourt and her daughter Sarah discover their life of luxury at Goodwill House is over. Because with Lord Harcourt away fighting, the Harcourt girls are facing financial ruin.
Lady Joanna is terrified of losing their home, but for Sarah, this means her dreams of becoming a doctor are over. Headstrong Sarah isn’t one to quit! War or not, she’s determined to find a way to save her home and follow her dreams– whatever it takes!
Dashing RAF officer Angus Trent might just save the day. The new RAF base at Manston will soon be full of young women all hoping to serve their country, and Goodwill House will make the perfect home for them. But can Sarah convince Lady Joanna to agree to her plan?
Angus has never met a woman quite like Sarah – courageous, brave, unwavering. She has a huge task ahead of her, but if anyone can do it, his war girl can.
Book 1 in the brand new Goodwill House series by bestselling author Fenella J. Miller
Lady Joanna Harcourt and her daughter Sarah discover their life of luxury at Goodwill House is over. Because with Lord Harcourt away fighting, the Harcourt girls are facing financial ruin.
Lady Joanna is terrified of losing their home, but for Sarah, this means her dreams of becoming a doctor are over. Headstrong Sarah isn’t one to quit! War or not, she’s determined to find a way to save her home and follow her dreams– whatever it takes!
Dashing RAF officer Angus Trent might just save the day. The new RAF base at Manston will soon be full of young women all hoping to serve their country, and Goodwill House will make the perfect home for them. But can Sarah convince Lady Joanna to agree to her plan?
Angus has never met a woman quite like Sarah – courageous, brave, unwavering. She has a huge task ahead of her, but if anyone can do it, his war girl can.
Book 1 in the brand new Goodwill House series by bestselling author Fenella J. Miller
293 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 12, 2022
625 people are currently reading
862 people want to read
About the author
Fenella J. Miller
151 books150 followersFenella Jane Miller was born in the Isle of Man. Her father was a Yorkshire man and her mother the daughter of a Rajah. She has worked as a nanny, cleaner, field worker, hotelier, chef, secondary and primary teacher and is now a full time writer.
She has over twenty five Regency romantic adventures published plus one Jane Austen re-telling and one YA romantic fantasy.
see also Fenella-Jane Miller
She has over twenty five Regency romantic adventures published plus one Jane Austen re-telling and one YA romantic fantasy.
see also Fenella-Jane Miller
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
January 15, 2022
I have been a fan of Fenella’s work for a while now. I haven’t quite caught up with everything that she has written but I am getting there. I read the synopsis for ‘The War Girls Of Goodwill House’ and it certainly sounded like the sort of book I have come to expect from Fenella – historical fiction at its best. I couldn’t wait to dive in and so without further ado, I grabbed a cup of tea, grabbed my Kindle and settled down for an afternoon of reading. Oh boy, I thoroughly enjoyed ‘The War Girls Of Goodwill House’ but more about that in a bit.
It didn’t take me long at all to get into ‘The War Girls Of Goodwill House’. In fact I was drawn into the story from the very first word on the very first page. The book seemed to develop a hold over me and it was a hold that I wasn’t willing to break. I would pick the book up only intending to read a chapter or two but I would be swept along by the story and so wrapped up in the lives of the different characters that I would still be sat there reading over an hour and several chapters later. I became very reluctant to put this book to one side for any length of time. Reading it became an addiction and I was constantly in need of my next fix. I couldn’t turn the pages of the book quickly enough as I made my way through the story. All too quickly I reached the end of ‘The War Girls Of Goodwill House’ and I had to say farewell to Joanna, Sarah, Angus and the rest of the cast. I found ‘The War Girls Of Goodwill House’ to be a gripping story which held my attention throughout and which certainly kept me guessing.
‘The War Girls Of Goodwill House’ is superbly written but then I have come expect nothing else from Fennella J. Miller. Fenella has one of those easy going writing styles that is easy to get used to and easy to get along with. In fact reading one of Fenella’s books feels more like a chat between friends rather than reading an actual book. I hope that makes sense. Fenella has clearly done a lot of research into the period in which the story is set and this shines through in the quality of her work. Reading ‘The War Girls Of Goodwill House’ felt a bit like being on an emotional rollercoaster ride and I found myself going through all the emotions that the characters went through. I love the way in which Fenella makes the reader feel as though they are part of the story themselves and at the heart of the action.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘The War Girls Of Goodwill House’ and I would recommend it to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Fenella’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
It didn’t take me long at all to get into ‘The War Girls Of Goodwill House’. In fact I was drawn into the story from the very first word on the very first page. The book seemed to develop a hold over me and it was a hold that I wasn’t willing to break. I would pick the book up only intending to read a chapter or two but I would be swept along by the story and so wrapped up in the lives of the different characters that I would still be sat there reading over an hour and several chapters later. I became very reluctant to put this book to one side for any length of time. Reading it became an addiction and I was constantly in need of my next fix. I couldn’t turn the pages of the book quickly enough as I made my way through the story. All too quickly I reached the end of ‘The War Girls Of Goodwill House’ and I had to say farewell to Joanna, Sarah, Angus and the rest of the cast. I found ‘The War Girls Of Goodwill House’ to be a gripping story which held my attention throughout and which certainly kept me guessing.
‘The War Girls Of Goodwill House’ is superbly written but then I have come expect nothing else from Fennella J. Miller. Fenella has one of those easy going writing styles that is easy to get used to and easy to get along with. In fact reading one of Fenella’s books feels more like a chat between friends rather than reading an actual book. I hope that makes sense. Fenella has clearly done a lot of research into the period in which the story is set and this shines through in the quality of her work. Reading ‘The War Girls Of Goodwill House’ felt a bit like being on an emotional rollercoaster ride and I found myself going through all the emotions that the characters went through. I love the way in which Fenella makes the reader feel as though they are part of the story themselves and at the heart of the action.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘The War Girls Of Goodwill House’ and I would recommend it to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Fenella’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
April 5, 2022
Oh, dear, where to start? I can't believe I actually read the entire book. It is so poorly written, and an editor who knows how to punctuate and put coherent sentences together would be a good starting point. A rewrite is badly needed. I could not have cared less about these people in this book.
The mother, a mamsy pamsy, Joanna, did nothing...nothing...as matron of a huge estate. She was married to a tyrant, who was serving in France, and he was absent throughout the entire story short of a few letters Joanna ignored. He left them without enough money, so they were living in the freezing cold manor house. She and Sarah enjoyed their new-found freedom without him there. They hoped he wouldn't return.
The daughter, Sarah, at 17 years old, ran the place; cooking, taking care of barnyard animals, supervising staff, making decisions no child should ever be making. Then she falls in love with an RAF pilot who is six years her senior, which is creepy considering she's a child of 17. She flip flops back and forth...I don't like him, I like him, I love him, I don't want to be engaged, I do want to, I don't, I don't want to get married, I want to get married, I don't want to, I do, I don't, I don't want to sleep with him, I do, I don't. Gah! That's the way this entire book goes on so many subjects. It's a mess!
Sarah wants to go to medical school; then she can't because her rich family is now poor, then she can go, then she wants to be a nurse, then she doesn't. Oh my God! And at 17, she knows how to set a broken leg that is sticking out of the leg? And since when do 17 year olds go to nursing or medical school? This book is absurd. I have no inclination to read the second book. I'm quite certain this one will have leaked out of my brain and onto the floor in about 15 minutes. Don't. Even. Bother.
The mother, a mamsy pamsy, Joanna, did nothing...nothing...as matron of a huge estate. She was married to a tyrant, who was serving in France, and he was absent throughout the entire story short of a few letters Joanna ignored. He left them without enough money, so they were living in the freezing cold manor house. She and Sarah enjoyed their new-found freedom without him there. They hoped he wouldn't return.
The daughter, Sarah, at 17 years old, ran the place; cooking, taking care of barnyard animals, supervising staff, making decisions no child should ever be making. Then she falls in love with an RAF pilot who is six years her senior, which is creepy considering she's a child of 17. She flip flops back and forth...I don't like him, I like him, I love him, I don't want to be engaged, I do want to, I don't, I don't want to get married, I want to get married, I don't want to, I do, I don't, I don't want to sleep with him, I do, I don't. Gah! That's the way this entire book goes on so many subjects. It's a mess!
Sarah wants to go to medical school; then she can't because her rich family is now poor, then she can go, then she wants to be a nurse, then she doesn't. Oh my God! And at 17, she knows how to set a broken leg that is sticking out of the leg? And since when do 17 year olds go to nursing or medical school? This book is absurd. I have no inclination to read the second book. I'm quite certain this one will have leaked out of my brain and onto the floor in about 15 minutes. Don't. Even. Bother.
June 13, 2022
I really had hope for this book, I liked the premise, the setting (WWII, pilot, strong indepentand female), but it really let me down.
There were a few scenes, where I didn't get, what the author was trying to tell me with things happening, why did she write that scene, to what purpose?
A lot scenes ending very abrupt, time skipping back and forth with changing the POV, left me quite irritated, besides the disproportional use of 'absolutely splendid'.
The ending left me wondering, what exactly now happened to Sarah and Angus, why the mother-in-law came to Goodwill House and what will happen to the Lord in France. I really hope the next book will explain that, else I have to remove Fenella J. Miller from my to-read.
There were a few scenes, where I didn't get, what the author was trying to tell me with things happening, why did she write that scene, to what purpose?
A lot scenes ending very abrupt, time skipping back and forth with changing the POV, left me quite irritated, besides the disproportional use of 'absolutely splendid'.
The ending left me wondering, what exactly now happened to Sarah and Angus, why the mother-in-law came to Goodwill House and what will happen to the Lord in France. I really hope the next book will explain that, else I have to remove Fenella J. Miller from my to-read.
January 7, 2022
What could be better than a new wartime saga series set against the backdrop of the onset of WW2? One that has a touch of "Downton Abbey" about it with the Lady of the manor and her daughter on such good terms with their employees they treat them as friends rather than servants. It is such a breath of fresh air and a delight to read and I am thrilled that this is just the beginning of the series.
Lady Joanna Harcourt and her daughter Sarah are left to run the estate with less than a handful of staff and very little means to do so after Lord Harcourt spared no time in rejoining the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and going off to France to fight the Germans in a war they believed would be over by Christmas. By January 1940, in the grip of a terribly harsh winter, there was no sign of the war coming to an end and Joanna and Sarah found that the funds that Lord Harcourt had left them with were fast running out as he had expected to be home in the autumn.
Despite having an extensive estate with an enormous house, the Harcourts are facing financial ruin if they don't do something fast. Goodwill House is a mammoth house that has been in the Harcourt family for generations, with both Georgian and Victorian extensions added onto the original house respectively, making it even bigger. With a harshly cold winter and only the two of them in residence, it seems ridiculous to run such a monstrosity. And to heat it, even worse. With just a housekeeper/cook who doesn't live in and a smattering of outdoor staff with no way to continue paying them, Lady Joanne and Sarah are therefore faced with a conundrum. And so they begin to take in paying boarders to help with the running costs. The first of their guests are six WAAFs seconded to the local RAF base which have no appropriate accommodation for them so they are billeted at Goodwill House. As they are WAAFs, the RAF supply coal for heating and remuneration for food and keep.
Lady Joanna knows that her husband Lord Harcourt would be apoplectic at the thought of the family lowering their standards to take in paying guests. But if he hadn't such a tight reign on the finances and having left no further instructions or means to make ends meet, then they wouldn't be taking in guests or selling his prized horses. But needs must.
Sarah Harcourt is just seventeen but is older than her years when she steps up to take the reigns and help her mother run Goodwill House in her father's absence. Social etiquette of the upper class would preferably see her married off to a suitable husband rather than making up rooms for paying guests, doing servants' menial tasks and running around the countryside on horseback or a Hillman with a rather dashing Flight Lieutenant. What Sarah really wants to do is become a doctor, as has been her dream for so long, but in the absence of funds to pay for her tuition at Oxford she has resigned herself to helping her mother run Goodwill House until she turns 18 in September and can then become a student nurse. But still she dreams of becoming a doctor.
When RAF Flight Lieutenant Angus Trent first sets eyes on Sarah, his mistakes her for a maid as no lady of the house would answer a door. But as soon as he realises his faux pas he is certainly not endeared to this somewhat snobbish and headstrong young woman. The feeling, as it happens, is mutual. For Sarah finds him to be overconfident and arrogant. But then Sarah also has experience with men at all.
As luck would have it, given that Goodwill House is be the billet for the WAAFs soon to arrive, Angus is the point of contact between the Harcourts and the RAF much to his irritation. As circumstances places them both in regular contact, social etiquette has Sarah being as polite to Angus as necessitates but soon the pair will find themselves thrown together in ways they could not have foreseen.
Meanwhile, Lady Joanna has had correspondence from her husband who strictly forbids Sarah to lower herself to that of a nurse and instructs Sarah to remain at home until he can return and find her a suitable husband. But Sarah, it seems, has other ideas. The freedom that has come from her father being in France has given both her and Lady Joanna a new lease of life as both women step out from under two decades of control...and they like it. War has changed the world and nothing is as it used to be as the women of Goodwill House give the house a new lease of life that hasn't seen laughter or happiness for decades.
I'm so glad I came in at the beginning of this series as I seem to stumble across many a couple of books in. I love wartime sagas like this one highlighting the struggles of daily life, even for the upper class who find themselves facing financial ruin. And while they aren't quite as comfortable as those in "Downton Abbey", society of the past has deemed a divide between the classes which now come together in the face of war as the world they know begins to change...and nothing is guaranteed anymore. THE WAR GIRLS OF GOODWILL HOUSE differs in that respect as most wartime sagas focus on the working class. It was a refreshing change to see it from the perspective of the upper class and how they bring change to their own lives in the face of war.
THE WAR GIRLS OF GOODWILL HOUSE is a delightful read that is enjoyable from start to finish. I was absorbed from the beginning that when I flipped the last page I was left with wanting more. I grew to love many of the characters, whilst some not so much. Lady Joanna, Sarah, Angus, Betty, Liza and Joe are all wonderful characters. But the Dowager and Lord Harcourt, who does not essentially appear except through thought and letter, are equally distasteful as well as Mrs Thomas who thankfully only fleetingly appears.
I cannot wait to see how this series develops especially as the Blitz has yet to begin and Angus being a fighter pilot whose desire is to run a squadron of Spitfires just as much as Sarah longs to become a doctor. Until we meet again...
Historical fiction and wartime saga fans will love THE WAR GIRLS OF GOODWILL HOUSE and I thoroughly recommend it.
I would like to thank #FenellaJMiller, #Netgalley and #BoldwoodBooks for an ARC of #TheWarGirlsOfGoodwillHouse in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
Lady Joanna Harcourt and her daughter Sarah are left to run the estate with less than a handful of staff and very little means to do so after Lord Harcourt spared no time in rejoining the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and going off to France to fight the Germans in a war they believed would be over by Christmas. By January 1940, in the grip of a terribly harsh winter, there was no sign of the war coming to an end and Joanna and Sarah found that the funds that Lord Harcourt had left them with were fast running out as he had expected to be home in the autumn.
Despite having an extensive estate with an enormous house, the Harcourts are facing financial ruin if they don't do something fast. Goodwill House is a mammoth house that has been in the Harcourt family for generations, with both Georgian and Victorian extensions added onto the original house respectively, making it even bigger. With a harshly cold winter and only the two of them in residence, it seems ridiculous to run such a monstrosity. And to heat it, even worse. With just a housekeeper/cook who doesn't live in and a smattering of outdoor staff with no way to continue paying them, Lady Joanne and Sarah are therefore faced with a conundrum. And so they begin to take in paying boarders to help with the running costs. The first of their guests are six WAAFs seconded to the local RAF base which have no appropriate accommodation for them so they are billeted at Goodwill House. As they are WAAFs, the RAF supply coal for heating and remuneration for food and keep.
Lady Joanna knows that her husband Lord Harcourt would be apoplectic at the thought of the family lowering their standards to take in paying guests. But if he hadn't such a tight reign on the finances and having left no further instructions or means to make ends meet, then they wouldn't be taking in guests or selling his prized horses. But needs must.
Sarah Harcourt is just seventeen but is older than her years when she steps up to take the reigns and help her mother run Goodwill House in her father's absence. Social etiquette of the upper class would preferably see her married off to a suitable husband rather than making up rooms for paying guests, doing servants' menial tasks and running around the countryside on horseback or a Hillman with a rather dashing Flight Lieutenant. What Sarah really wants to do is become a doctor, as has been her dream for so long, but in the absence of funds to pay for her tuition at Oxford she has resigned herself to helping her mother run Goodwill House until she turns 18 in September and can then become a student nurse. But still she dreams of becoming a doctor.
When RAF Flight Lieutenant Angus Trent first sets eyes on Sarah, his mistakes her for a maid as no lady of the house would answer a door. But as soon as he realises his faux pas he is certainly not endeared to this somewhat snobbish and headstrong young woman. The feeling, as it happens, is mutual. For Sarah finds him to be overconfident and arrogant. But then Sarah also has experience with men at all.
As luck would have it, given that Goodwill House is be the billet for the WAAFs soon to arrive, Angus is the point of contact between the Harcourts and the RAF much to his irritation. As circumstances places them both in regular contact, social etiquette has Sarah being as polite to Angus as necessitates but soon the pair will find themselves thrown together in ways they could not have foreseen.
Meanwhile, Lady Joanna has had correspondence from her husband who strictly forbids Sarah to lower herself to that of a nurse and instructs Sarah to remain at home until he can return and find her a suitable husband. But Sarah, it seems, has other ideas. The freedom that has come from her father being in France has given both her and Lady Joanna a new lease of life as both women step out from under two decades of control...and they like it. War has changed the world and nothing is as it used to be as the women of Goodwill House give the house a new lease of life that hasn't seen laughter or happiness for decades.
I'm so glad I came in at the beginning of this series as I seem to stumble across many a couple of books in. I love wartime sagas like this one highlighting the struggles of daily life, even for the upper class who find themselves facing financial ruin. And while they aren't quite as comfortable as those in "Downton Abbey", society of the past has deemed a divide between the classes which now come together in the face of war as the world they know begins to change...and nothing is guaranteed anymore. THE WAR GIRLS OF GOODWILL HOUSE differs in that respect as most wartime sagas focus on the working class. It was a refreshing change to see it from the perspective of the upper class and how they bring change to their own lives in the face of war.
THE WAR GIRLS OF GOODWILL HOUSE is a delightful read that is enjoyable from start to finish. I was absorbed from the beginning that when I flipped the last page I was left with wanting more. I grew to love many of the characters, whilst some not so much. Lady Joanna, Sarah, Angus, Betty, Liza and Joe are all wonderful characters. But the Dowager and Lord Harcourt, who does not essentially appear except through thought and letter, are equally distasteful as well as Mrs Thomas who thankfully only fleetingly appears.
I cannot wait to see how this series develops especially as the Blitz has yet to begin and Angus being a fighter pilot whose desire is to run a squadron of Spitfires just as much as Sarah longs to become a doctor. Until we meet again...
Historical fiction and wartime saga fans will love THE WAR GIRLS OF GOODWILL HOUSE and I thoroughly recommend it.
I would like to thank #FenellaJMiller, #Netgalley and #BoldwoodBooks for an ARC of #TheWarGirlsOfGoodwillHouse in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
February 19, 2022
As war looms, can they keep the home fires burning?
Lady Joanna Harcourt and her daughter Sarah discover their life of luxury at Goodwill House is over. Because with Lord Harcourt away fighting, the Harcourt girls are facing financial ruin.Lady Joanna is terrified of losing their home, but for Sarah, this means her dreams of becoming a doctor are over. Headstrong Sarah isn’t one to quit! War or not, she’s determined to find a way to save her home and follow her dreams– whatever it takes!
Dashing RAF officer Angus Trent might just save the day. The new RAF base at Manston will soon be full of young women all hoping to serve their country, and Goodwill House will make the perfect home for them. But can Sarah convince Lady Joanna to agree to her plan? Angus has never met a woman quite like Sarah – courageous, brave, unwavering. She has a huge task ahead of her, but if anyone can do it, his war girl can.
Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces the French department of Pas-de-Calais across the Strait of Dover.RAF Manston is a former Royal Air Force station located in the north-east of Kent,on the Isle of Thanet from 1916-1996.
Billets were designated living quarters for military personnel,located in private dwellings.During WWII,civilians who have been evacuated from a city in danger of attack were billetted in communal shelters or in the homes of individuals.The Royal Free Hospital (aka the Royal Free) is a major teaching hospital in the Hampstead area of the London Borough of Camden.Throughout WWII,St John Ambulance and the British Red Cross worked hard to provide medical and welfare support for British civilians and soldiers.The conflict not only pervaded every aspect of daily life, but it also brought war right into the home through aerial bombing. Consequently, medical knowledge and provisions, so vital in a time of conflict, were needed by both the civilian population and those fighting abroad.
Lady Joanna Harcourt and her daughter Sarah discover their life of luxury at Goodwill House is over. Because with Lord Harcourt away fighting, the Harcourt girls are facing financial ruin.Lady Joanna is terrified of losing their home, but for Sarah, this means her dreams of becoming a doctor are over. Headstrong Sarah isn’t one to quit! War or not, she’s determined to find a way to save her home and follow her dreams– whatever it takes!
Dashing RAF officer Angus Trent might just save the day. The new RAF base at Manston will soon be full of young women all hoping to serve their country, and Goodwill House will make the perfect home for them. But can Sarah convince Lady Joanna to agree to her plan? Angus has never met a woman quite like Sarah – courageous, brave, unwavering. She has a huge task ahead of her, but if anyone can do it, his war girl can.
Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces the French department of Pas-de-Calais across the Strait of Dover.RAF Manston is a former Royal Air Force station located in the north-east of Kent,on the Isle of Thanet from 1916-1996.
Billets were designated living quarters for military personnel,located in private dwellings.During WWII,civilians who have been evacuated from a city in danger of attack were billetted in communal shelters or in the homes of individuals.The Royal Free Hospital (aka the Royal Free) is a major teaching hospital in the Hampstead area of the London Borough of Camden.Throughout WWII,St John Ambulance and the British Red Cross worked hard to provide medical and welfare support for British civilians and soldiers.The conflict not only pervaded every aspect of daily life, but it also brought war right into the home through aerial bombing. Consequently, medical knowledge and provisions, so vital in a time of conflict, were needed by both the civilian population and those fighting abroad.
January 14, 2022
Goodwill House was a diamond during its hay day. Enormous, tons of rooms, servants, parties, and it sits upon acres of gorgeous land, perfect for picnics. It is the astonishing home for Lord David Harcourt and his family. Times have changed, lived in servants are a thing of the past and now it is just Sarah and her mother Lady Joanna rattling around this giant, drafty, cold estate. Sarah's father is fighting in Northern France, and he left limited funds to run the house. Sarah is left to make choices in her father's place, in order to pay the bills and to keep the estate functioning. Only seventeen years old, Sarah knows what she wants in life. She has the motivation and the mind to become a talented doctor. She does not want to end up in a loveless marriage like her parents and is determined to set out on her own. The only problem is the money situation her father left them in. Will she be able to come up with a plan to continue with schooling and to become the Doctor she has always dreamed of being?
I am still not sure what I think of this book. The writing is a bit stiff, which makes it hard to truly fall for the characters and to be swept away by the book. The descriptions are fantastic, you feel the bone chilling draft blowing through the house, you can imagine the ice-cold snow blanketing the landscape, and the delicious aromas wafting from the kitchen. Thank you to Fenella J. Miller, Boldwood Books and NetGalley for this travel back in time.
I am still not sure what I think of this book. The writing is a bit stiff, which makes it hard to truly fall for the characters and to be swept away by the book. The descriptions are fantastic, you feel the bone chilling draft blowing through the house, you can imagine the ice-cold snow blanketing the landscape, and the delicious aromas wafting from the kitchen. Thank you to Fenella J. Miller, Boldwood Books and NetGalley for this travel back in time.
August 25, 2023
The first book in the Goodwill House series which I listened to on audible.
I did enjoy this easy listen and look forward to the rest of the series.
I did enjoy this easy listen and look forward to the rest of the series.
July 24, 2023
Really enjoying reading about Goodwill House, with Lady Harcourt her daughter Sarah and Angus from Manston base. Looking forward to the next book.
December 21, 2022
Historical Romance
This is the second book in this series I've read I'm really enjoying it so far. It is definitely worth the time to read
This is the second book in this series I've read I'm really enjoying it so far. It is definitely worth the time to read
January 17, 2022
It's 1940 and Sarah and her mother lady Joanna are left living in the huge old family mansion on their own when Sarah's father David was recalled to his old regiment and sent to France. When the funds he left for them to live on runs dangerously low, lady Joanna approaches the bank manager, only to find out she cannot access David's accounts, therefore they have no money to live on and keep things running while he is away.
When a wing commander from the neighboring barracks, Manston, calls with a proposal for them to house some WAAF's that have no appropriate place to stay since they are arriving unexpectedly, Sarah jumps at the prospect, knowing this is a solution to the problem of their finances. only her mother looks dismally on the idea, not at her best trying to accommodate strangers in her home.
I did enjoy the story of Sarah and lady Joanna's dilemma during WWII. I thought the characters were charming even though I got pretty angry at times with Joanna. She came across as not only spoiled, but extremely lazy and stuck up. She put on airs, refusing to dirty her hands with certain chores but she had no problem allowing her daughter to do the chores she herself couldn't be lowered to perform. This rankled with me pretty badly, especially when after getting the puppy she was just going to leave his mess when he had an accident for the maid to clean up! Come on lady, suck it up! You want to keep the dog, then you can clean up after it yourself!
Other than that aspect bothering me, I found only one other problem, it seems to me that at times throughout the book certains parts would drag on longer and more drawn out than was necessary, causing the book to slow down almost stopping at times. But since the story was a good one I muddled through and am glad I did. Sarah, for a very young woman is strong and brave, she knows her mind and isn't afraid to make the hard decisions and take charge when she needs to. I love reading about women like her, especially when the setting is at time in history when behavior such as Sarah's was not acceptable and women were more than a little suppressed by societies standards.
overall this is a warm and cozy WWII romance and I think readers will love Sarah and Angus' love story.
Thank you to Boldwood books and NetGalley for the free ARC and to Boldwood Books for including me on their blog tour for "The War Girls of Goodwill House". I am leaving my honest review in return.
#TheWarGirlsfGoodwillHouse #BoldwoodBooks #BlogTou#MyCatReads #WWIIRomance #historicalfiction #histfic #readerofhistoricalfiction
When a wing commander from the neighboring barracks, Manston, calls with a proposal for them to house some WAAF's that have no appropriate place to stay since they are arriving unexpectedly, Sarah jumps at the prospect, knowing this is a solution to the problem of their finances. only her mother looks dismally on the idea, not at her best trying to accommodate strangers in her home.
I did enjoy the story of Sarah and lady Joanna's dilemma during WWII. I thought the characters were charming even though I got pretty angry at times with Joanna. She came across as not only spoiled, but extremely lazy and stuck up. She put on airs, refusing to dirty her hands with certain chores but she had no problem allowing her daughter to do the chores she herself couldn't be lowered to perform. This rankled with me pretty badly, especially when after getting the puppy she was just going to leave his mess when he had an accident for the maid to clean up! Come on lady, suck it up! You want to keep the dog, then you can clean up after it yourself!
Other than that aspect bothering me, I found only one other problem, it seems to me that at times throughout the book certains parts would drag on longer and more drawn out than was necessary, causing the book to slow down almost stopping at times. But since the story was a good one I muddled through and am glad I did. Sarah, for a very young woman is strong and brave, she knows her mind and isn't afraid to make the hard decisions and take charge when she needs to. I love reading about women like her, especially when the setting is at time in history when behavior such as Sarah's was not acceptable and women were more than a little suppressed by societies standards.
overall this is a warm and cozy WWII romance and I think readers will love Sarah and Angus' love story.
Thank you to Boldwood books and NetGalley for the free ARC and to Boldwood Books for including me on their blog tour for "The War Girls of Goodwill House". I am leaving my honest review in return.
#TheWarGirlsfGoodwillHouse #BoldwoodBooks #BlogTou#MyCatReads #WWIIRomance #historicalfiction #histfic #readerofhistoricalfiction
January 20, 2022
Downton Abbey fans are going to love Fenella J Miller’s latest historical saga, The War Girls of Goodwill House.
Lord Harcourt might be doing his duty for king and country and fighting the enemy, but for Lady Joanna and her daughter Sarah, left behind at Goodwill House, life goes on without much change or upheaval. Everything seems set for the Harcourt women to see the war out in luxury and style – until they find themselves facing financial ruin! Joanna is absolutely beside herself. She doesn’t know what she would do if she wasn’t mistress of Goodwill House while headstrong Sarah feels as if all of her hopes and dreams for the future are being snatched away from her as all her plans to become a doctor are ground into the dust. But, Sarah soon discovers that all is not lost and that she can make her long-held ambition to practice medicine a reality – providing she trusts her instincts, follows her heart and embraces every new opportunity that comes her way…
Angus Trent is a dashing RAF officer who might just end up saving the Harcourt women’s futures. With the new RAF base at Marston bursting at its seams with young women wanting to serve their country, Goodwill House would make the perfect home for them. Sarah seems keen on the idea, but will she manage to convince Lady Joanna to go ahead with her plan?
As Angus and Sarah find themselves drawn to one another, they find themselves wondering whether they could have a future together – or whether war will put paid to all of their plans…
Fenella J Miller’s The War Girls of Goodwill House is an involving and engrossing saga perfect for curling up with. As always, Fenella J Miller’s attention to detail and ability to beautifully evoke the past is absolutely fantastic and readers will immediately find themselves drawn in by the lives and loves of the inhabitants of Goodwill House.
Compelling, emotional and atmospheric, Fenella J Miller’s The War Girls of Goodwill House will go down a treat with saga fans.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Lord Harcourt might be doing his duty for king and country and fighting the enemy, but for Lady Joanna and her daughter Sarah, left behind at Goodwill House, life goes on without much change or upheaval. Everything seems set for the Harcourt women to see the war out in luxury and style – until they find themselves facing financial ruin! Joanna is absolutely beside herself. She doesn’t know what she would do if she wasn’t mistress of Goodwill House while headstrong Sarah feels as if all of her hopes and dreams for the future are being snatched away from her as all her plans to become a doctor are ground into the dust. But, Sarah soon discovers that all is not lost and that she can make her long-held ambition to practice medicine a reality – providing she trusts her instincts, follows her heart and embraces every new opportunity that comes her way…
Angus Trent is a dashing RAF officer who might just end up saving the Harcourt women’s futures. With the new RAF base at Marston bursting at its seams with young women wanting to serve their country, Goodwill House would make the perfect home for them. Sarah seems keen on the idea, but will she manage to convince Lady Joanna to go ahead with her plan?
As Angus and Sarah find themselves drawn to one another, they find themselves wondering whether they could have a future together – or whether war will put paid to all of their plans…
Fenella J Miller’s The War Girls of Goodwill House is an involving and engrossing saga perfect for curling up with. As always, Fenella J Miller’s attention to detail and ability to beautifully evoke the past is absolutely fantastic and readers will immediately find themselves drawn in by the lives and loves of the inhabitants of Goodwill House.
Compelling, emotional and atmospheric, Fenella J Miller’s The War Girls of Goodwill House will go down a treat with saga fans.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
January 9, 2022
The War Girls of Goodwill House by Fenella J. Miller is an engaging historical novel. I started reading this story and I was quickly engrossed. We travel to Goodwill House in Stodham, Kent, England in January of 1940. It is bitterly cold inside the large and drafty Goodwill House. Lady Joanna Harcourt and her daughter, Sarah are on their own with Lord David Harcourt away fighting in France. David only left Joanna with postal orders to handle the household finances since he was sure the war would be over in a few months. When Sarah answers a call from Flight Lieutenant Angus Trent asking if they could house some incoming WAAFs, she quickly agrees. This is the solution to their problem. The pay for boarding the WAAFs will give them some much needed income. When Sarah first meets Angus, she is put off by his attitude. But after a couple of encounters, Sarah finds herself looking forward to spending time with the pilot. What does the future hold for Joanna, Sarah, and Angus? I enjoyed reading The War Girls of Goodwill House. It is well-written with developed, realistic characters. I liked Sarah who is seventeen and very grown up for her age. For the first time, Joanna and Sarah are out from under the overbearing and smothering thumb of David. With a lack of funds, they need to find a way to earn money. They have a large drafty house (colder inside than outside) and an RAF base nearby. It was the perfect arrangement to take in boarders. Joanna was having to learn a whole new set of skills so she could help manage the house. Sarah is a capable young lady who wants to become a doctor. She was accepted at Oxford, but it looks like that will not be possible without the proper funds. Sarah is a resourceful woman who works to find a way to achieve her objectives. I enjoyed the authors descriptions of the area, the base, and Goodwill House. I could envision the places from the author’s word imagery, and I could feel the cold conditions the characters were experiencing. I thought the author captured the time period. The War Girls of Goodwill House is a spiffy novel. I was sorry when I reached the end of the book. I cannot wait to return to Goodwill House in the next book. The War Girls of Goodwill House is a captivating tale with a plucky pilot, a deficiency of funds, a polar parlor, helpful houseguests, biting blizzards, a crashed car, and a prospective physician.
January 26, 2022
I was excited to read this book as I love stories about women's role in the war, but it was a sad disappointment. Rather than an engaging tale of women in the services I got a poor Mills and Boon style romance with awful dared language and a poor ending
Not for me and not what I expected
Not for me and not what I expected
October 9, 2022
Disappointing ending
February 25, 2024
It feels like AI wrote this. The conversations are stiff exposition dumps. Angus is a creep.
January 24, 2022
Sarah Harcourt and her mother Lady Joanna Harcourt find themselves struggling to make ends meet as the Second World War looms large. Sarah's father has gone to France to fight, leaving the women to basically fend for themselves. Unable to access any funds and with the meagre amount Lord Harcourt has left them, Sarah and Joanna must find a way to survive and keep a roof over their heads. Cue one very handsome RAF officer in the form of Angus Trent, and it seems the pairs financial difficulties are eased when the RAF wants them to open their magnificent, if not freezing cold home to board young women, namely land girls and members of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. Fraternising between the two sexes on an air force base was simply not encouraged during this time. Will Joanna agree to the plan though? What would her husband say? She is almost crippled by indecision.
With her father away, Sarah's life becomes very different indeed. No longer bound by his overbearing personality and his archaic attitude towards women, she finds a new found independence she never thought possible. Her dream of becoming a doctor seems more of a possibility now and her friendship with Trent becomes so much more. Their age difference not really being too much of a barrier as they set plans in motion for a future together. Sarah and her mother are able to make decisions that would be unheard of had her father still been at home. As the book progresses Joanna herself find a little more confidence too and soon realises that she has been a prisoner to her husbands decision making about her life.
I enjoyed this first book in the series. My only criticism is that the book ended very suddenly and I would have liked to have had it end on more of a cliff-hanger instead. Nonetheless, this didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story. The descriptions of the huge cavernous house actually made me throw a blanket over myself and snuggle down to read the book. The place just sounds horrendous and clearly impossible to inject any heat into. I wondered while reading the book, if the coolness of Goodwill House was a reflection of the coolness of Lord Harcourt and his lack of emotion or any demonstrative love. However, as the book progresses and the women become more independent and confident and open about their feelings, they find ways to warm rooms and make Goodwill house more homely.
I enjoyed the character development of the two women who were so used to having every decision made for them by Lord Harcourt. Sarah was slightly more feisty and independent than her mother and I liked that about her. She was definitely a person to get things done but even she was restricted by the confines of merely being a woman during an age when women were still being treated like precious little jewels, incapable of making a decision for themselves. The book offers great insight into what life was like in England during this period of history. Class divide is a real theme throughout also as is the hardship of life during this time. Clearly a well researched novel and one I enjoyed.
With her father away, Sarah's life becomes very different indeed. No longer bound by his overbearing personality and his archaic attitude towards women, she finds a new found independence she never thought possible. Her dream of becoming a doctor seems more of a possibility now and her friendship with Trent becomes so much more. Their age difference not really being too much of a barrier as they set plans in motion for a future together. Sarah and her mother are able to make decisions that would be unheard of had her father still been at home. As the book progresses Joanna herself find a little more confidence too and soon realises that she has been a prisoner to her husbands decision making about her life.
I enjoyed this first book in the series. My only criticism is that the book ended very suddenly and I would have liked to have had it end on more of a cliff-hanger instead. Nonetheless, this didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story. The descriptions of the huge cavernous house actually made me throw a blanket over myself and snuggle down to read the book. The place just sounds horrendous and clearly impossible to inject any heat into. I wondered while reading the book, if the coolness of Goodwill House was a reflection of the coolness of Lord Harcourt and his lack of emotion or any demonstrative love. However, as the book progresses and the women become more independent and confident and open about their feelings, they find ways to warm rooms and make Goodwill house more homely.
I enjoyed the character development of the two women who were so used to having every decision made for them by Lord Harcourt. Sarah was slightly more feisty and independent than her mother and I liked that about her. She was definitely a person to get things done but even she was restricted by the confines of merely being a woman during an age when women were still being treated like precious little jewels, incapable of making a decision for themselves. The book offers great insight into what life was like in England during this period of history. Class divide is a real theme throughout also as is the hardship of life during this time. Clearly a well researched novel and one I enjoyed.
October 3, 2022
Having read the 2nd book in the series without knowing it was part of a series, I was looking forward to going back & reading the start of the story.
Here we meet Lady Joanna Harcourt and her daughter Sarah who have found that their quiet lives are turned upside down by WW2 – Lord Harcourt is away fighting in France, and the Harcourt ladies find themselves in financial difficulties. With just a handful of staff remaining and unable to access her husband’s bank accounts, Lady Joanna is terrified of losing her home whilst Sarah knows that her dreams to study medicine at university are over, as the money to pay the fees is no longer available.
When the RAF station that adjoins the land is in need of accommodation for some WAAFS, Sarah sees that this could be the solution to the immediate financial crisis as they will receive payment for housing them. She therefore sets out to make things happen. Her mother takes rather longer to come on board with the idea, knowing that her husband would be furious at the idea, but as the book progresses, both Lady Joanna & Sarah find a new sense of freedom & a life they would not otherwise have experienced. The descriptions are evocative and you will shiver along with the draughts blowing through the house and feel the warmth of the kitchen as you smell Betty’s pie cooking in the range.
I think that the book is meant to feel a bit “Downton Abbey” with the lady of the house being so friendly with the household staff (Betty the housekeeper is less servant & more friend) yet the lady of the house is also very insipid, reluctant to do her share of the work.
The story was weak with a lot happening that seemed not to be relevant – for instance I have absolutely no idea what the point of the French immigrants was – unless they turn up again in a later book, they seemed to serve no purpose at all! I also found the relationship between Sarah & Angus odd – though I think that is because the author didn’t really get Sarah’s character right – she would have been better portrayed as a year or two older, perhaps having spent a year in Europe at finishing school or living with Grandmother or doing “the grand tour” rather than as a 17 yr old school girl. Her actions do not seem to fit the character.
The book ended suddenly, and the language again felt too try-hard. As I enjoyed the 2nd book, I will go ahead & read more in the series but I perhaps wouldn't have returned to it had I not seen how the later book took the storyline in a different direction..
Here we meet Lady Joanna Harcourt and her daughter Sarah who have found that their quiet lives are turned upside down by WW2 – Lord Harcourt is away fighting in France, and the Harcourt ladies find themselves in financial difficulties. With just a handful of staff remaining and unable to access her husband’s bank accounts, Lady Joanna is terrified of losing her home whilst Sarah knows that her dreams to study medicine at university are over, as the money to pay the fees is no longer available.
When the RAF station that adjoins the land is in need of accommodation for some WAAFS, Sarah sees that this could be the solution to the immediate financial crisis as they will receive payment for housing them. She therefore sets out to make things happen. Her mother takes rather longer to come on board with the idea, knowing that her husband would be furious at the idea, but as the book progresses, both Lady Joanna & Sarah find a new sense of freedom & a life they would not otherwise have experienced. The descriptions are evocative and you will shiver along with the draughts blowing through the house and feel the warmth of the kitchen as you smell Betty’s pie cooking in the range.
I think that the book is meant to feel a bit “Downton Abbey” with the lady of the house being so friendly with the household staff (Betty the housekeeper is less servant & more friend) yet the lady of the house is also very insipid, reluctant to do her share of the work.
The story was weak with a lot happening that seemed not to be relevant – for instance I have absolutely no idea what the point of the French immigrants was – unless they turn up again in a later book, they seemed to serve no purpose at all! I also found the relationship between Sarah & Angus odd – though I think that is because the author didn’t really get Sarah’s character right – she would have been better portrayed as a year or two older, perhaps having spent a year in Europe at finishing school or living with Grandmother or doing “the grand tour” rather than as a 17 yr old school girl. Her actions do not seem to fit the character.
The book ended suddenly, and the language again felt too try-hard. As I enjoyed the 2nd book, I will go ahead & read more in the series but I perhaps wouldn't have returned to it had I not seen how the later book took the storyline in a different direction..
January 12, 2022
The War Girls of Goodwill House by Fenella J Miller is a wonderful WWII-era historical fiction saga that is the first in a new series. I just loved it.
I really enjoyed Ms. Miller’s The Girls in Blue series, so I am so excited that I was able to read this new series from the start.
Goodwill House is an older family estate in England that is having a difficult time up to this point of adapting to the changing times and the War. The man of the house has volunteered for duty and unfortunately finances weren’t quite figured out before he left. Lady Joanna Harcourt and their headstrong daughter, Sarah, become creative, and through a series of decisions of slimming down where they can, taking in paying guests, and taking in WAAF when they can, things are finally looking brighter.
Both women have their flaws, worries, and dreams. Both have been somewhat sheltered thus far and as they decide to take on more tasks and deal with obstacles, learn their own strength and intelligence. I just loved the mother and daughter bond (despite the hiccups) and I know that they will work everything out in due time. I love that Joanna found her voice and realized she can do so much more than she was ever given credit for by the men in society.
I also love Sarah and her passion to become a Doctor. She has drive, intelligence, and initiative, although can be quite stubborn and outspoken. I love that through these trials she adapts, matures, and also finds love with RAF officer Angus Trent. I am super excited to see what is in store for them in the next book as well.
The ending is wonderful and it sets it all up perfectly for the next book. Can’t wait!
5/5 stars
Thank you NG and Boldwood Books for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 1/12/22.
I really enjoyed Ms. Miller’s The Girls in Blue series, so I am so excited that I was able to read this new series from the start.
Goodwill House is an older family estate in England that is having a difficult time up to this point of adapting to the changing times and the War. The man of the house has volunteered for duty and unfortunately finances weren’t quite figured out before he left. Lady Joanna Harcourt and their headstrong daughter, Sarah, become creative, and through a series of decisions of slimming down where they can, taking in paying guests, and taking in WAAF when they can, things are finally looking brighter.
Both women have their flaws, worries, and dreams. Both have been somewhat sheltered thus far and as they decide to take on more tasks and deal with obstacles, learn their own strength and intelligence. I just loved the mother and daughter bond (despite the hiccups) and I know that they will work everything out in due time. I love that Joanna found her voice and realized she can do so much more than she was ever given credit for by the men in society.
I also love Sarah and her passion to become a Doctor. She has drive, intelligence, and initiative, although can be quite stubborn and outspoken. I love that through these trials she adapts, matures, and also finds love with RAF officer Angus Trent. I am super excited to see what is in store for them in the next book as well.
The ending is wonderful and it sets it all up perfectly for the next book. Can’t wait!
5/5 stars
Thank you NG and Boldwood Books for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 1/12/22.
March 21, 2025
What a bizarre book. None of the characters are likeable. I don't even understand why any of them even like each other! "Mummy" is useless and has absolutely no skills whatsoever. She has apparently left all the domestic and livestock management to a child who is supposedly largely self-taught in a matter of months since returning from boarding school and her father leaving for war?
Meanwhile we have a 23 year old RAF pilot whose internal thoughts are that it's predatory to perve on a 17 year old, but in the next chapter is getting "aroused" while dancing with her (shudder), decides it's wrong because she's too young, and then is taking her out on a date in the next chapter... After he kisses her for the first time (with no build up), he thinks "no need to rush things, she was so very young" (gross) but then basically proposes immediately? Very strange. Their relationship just gets creepier and less believable as the book goes on.
The back and forth plot is exhausting. The rich family are now too poor to avoid fuel but now they're not because of an allowance for taking in the WAF, but then the WAF aren't staying, but then they might be... Make your mind up please! The premise of a child running a mansion and with medical skills as good as a trained surgeon is also just ridiculous.
The writing is awful too. Sometimes that can be overlooked with a good plot or great characters, but neither of those were there to save it. The conversation is all meaningless repetitive small talk with no depth, no character development, no deeper backstory. It's even worse via audiobook with a plummy, breathy narrator that doesn't annunciate who makes all the women talk like they're damsels in distress.
I don't know why I pressed on as it was such a battle. I think I hoped it would improve but it didn't. I won't bother with book 2!
Meanwhile we have a 23 year old RAF pilot whose internal thoughts are that it's predatory to perve on a 17 year old, but in the next chapter is getting "aroused" while dancing with her (shudder), decides it's wrong because she's too young, and then is taking her out on a date in the next chapter... After he kisses her for the first time (with no build up), he thinks "no need to rush things, she was so very young" (gross) but then basically proposes immediately? Very strange. Their relationship just gets creepier and less believable as the book goes on.
The back and forth plot is exhausting. The rich family are now too poor to avoid fuel but now they're not because of an allowance for taking in the WAF, but then the WAF aren't staying, but then they might be... Make your mind up please! The premise of a child running a mansion and with medical skills as good as a trained surgeon is also just ridiculous.
The writing is awful too. Sometimes that can be overlooked with a good plot or great characters, but neither of those were there to save it. The conversation is all meaningless repetitive small talk with no depth, no character development, no deeper backstory. It's even worse via audiobook with a plummy, breathy narrator that doesn't annunciate who makes all the women talk like they're damsels in distress.
I don't know why I pressed on as it was such a battle. I think I hoped it would improve but it didn't. I won't bother with book 2!
October 6, 2025
Lady Joanna Harcourt is living in a huge old mansion in southeast England with her daughter Sarah. David, her husband signed up shortly after WWII broke out and is away somewhere in France fighting. The building is falling apart but it appears there isn't enough money to pay for repairs or perhaps even fuel to heat the home where she's lived for the past twenty-five years.
Joanna didn't realize until her husband had left how totally unhappy she was, living in a loveless marriage. David is cold and unapproachable and had total control over the finances and anything else to do with their home which was typical during that period of time.
They have only a skeleton staff and Joanna realizes she has no idea how much money she has or if she is penniless. The bank refuses to enlighten her.
Sarah has taken course after course on anything medical and spends time with the local doctor learning all she can. Her goal is to become a doctor but now she realizes there may not be enough money for her to go to university.
To help with their financial situation, Joanna decides to take in boarders, some new WAAF recruits who are stationed at the base nearby. The income she receives allows her to pay off some of the bills she has accumulated with some of the local shopkeepers in the nearby village.
Sarah meets one of the young flying officers staying at the nearby base and before long they are dating. He has a relative who works at a hospital in London and discovers Sarah may be able to go to school after all and fulfill her dream.
I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the next episode in the series.
Joanna didn't realize until her husband had left how totally unhappy she was, living in a loveless marriage. David is cold and unapproachable and had total control over the finances and anything else to do with their home which was typical during that period of time.
They have only a skeleton staff and Joanna realizes she has no idea how much money she has or if she is penniless. The bank refuses to enlighten her.
Sarah has taken course after course on anything medical and spends time with the local doctor learning all she can. Her goal is to become a doctor but now she realizes there may not be enough money for her to go to university.
To help with their financial situation, Joanna decides to take in boarders, some new WAAF recruits who are stationed at the base nearby. The income she receives allows her to pay off some of the bills she has accumulated with some of the local shopkeepers in the nearby village.
Sarah meets one of the young flying officers staying at the nearby base and before long they are dating. He has a relative who works at a hospital in London and discovers Sarah may be able to go to school after all and fulfill her dream.
I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the next episode in the series.
January 12, 2022
The novel begins at Goodwill House in Stodham, Kent in January 1940. Lady Joanna Harcourt and her seventeen-year-old daughter Sarah live there, while Lord Harcourt is away due to the War. They are struggling financially and Sarah is having to do more of the work the servants would have covered previously.
Then they are asked to billet six WAAF girls who have been assigned to the nearby RAF base at Marston, as the base has no facilities to accommodate women. Goodwill House is huge and has many rooms that are never used, so the Harcourts happily take in the girls, especially as they are paid for doing so.
Sarah Harcourt is a great character! While the 1940s setting is beautifully done, Sarah is quite a modern woman, while still being very realistic and believable. She is feisty and determined to be independent. It is also interesting to see the contrast between Sarah and her mother and how the changes to their life help them evolve.
I was much more interested in the story of the Harcourts and the WAAF girls and visitors rather than the men at the RAF base. Some of the details about the military ranks and the way the planes worked were beyond me, but it didn’t detract from the overall story and I am sure some readers would love those details.
I did though absolutely love the relationship between Flight Lieutenant Angus Trent and Sarah. The pacing of the novel was perfect, there was enough drama to hold my interest throughout and the characters were beautifully written so I cared about them and wanted to know what was going to happen.
9 out of 10
Then they are asked to billet six WAAF girls who have been assigned to the nearby RAF base at Marston, as the base has no facilities to accommodate women. Goodwill House is huge and has many rooms that are never used, so the Harcourts happily take in the girls, especially as they are paid for doing so.
Sarah Harcourt is a great character! While the 1940s setting is beautifully done, Sarah is quite a modern woman, while still being very realistic and believable. She is feisty and determined to be independent. It is also interesting to see the contrast between Sarah and her mother and how the changes to their life help them evolve.
I was much more interested in the story of the Harcourts and the WAAF girls and visitors rather than the men at the RAF base. Some of the details about the military ranks and the way the planes worked were beyond me, but it didn’t detract from the overall story and I am sure some readers would love those details.
I did though absolutely love the relationship between Flight Lieutenant Angus Trent and Sarah. The pacing of the novel was perfect, there was enough drama to hold my interest throughout and the characters were beautifully written so I cared about them and wanted to know what was going to happen.
9 out of 10
January 14, 2022
Another fabulous tale from an author who knows how to hook her readers and reel them in!
Lady Joanna Harcourt and her daughter Sarah have been very sheltered in their lives so far at Goodwill House, but now that Lord Harcourt is off fighting in France, they are having to fend for themselves and discovering a lot of things they’ve been shielded from – and not all to the good. With limited finances, they need to come up with some way of keeping their home and allowing Sarah to follow her dream of becoming a doctor. Flight Lieutenant Angus Trent is seeking accommodation for WAAF’s sent unexpectedly to the nearby RAF base, and that may just help with Sarah and Joanna’s monetary issues; however, Lady Harcourt may take some persuading but Sarah is one determined young woman who has her sights set firmly on success. Angus has only admiration for this young lady – he has never met her like before!
I do love a WWII based series, and Fenella J Miller really knows how to write them! This is a fantastic start to what promises to be a great new saga. The characters are beautifully created and developed; the storyline is entirely believable and so very interesting! Packed with domestic war details and the decisions which families were forced to make, this is a gripping story and a fine stand-alone read. The best thing, of course, is that it is the first in a new series and I am so looking forward to the next one. Well-written as always, this easily deserves a full house of shining stars and my hearty recommendation.
Lady Joanna Harcourt and her daughter Sarah have been very sheltered in their lives so far at Goodwill House, but now that Lord Harcourt is off fighting in France, they are having to fend for themselves and discovering a lot of things they’ve been shielded from – and not all to the good. With limited finances, they need to come up with some way of keeping their home and allowing Sarah to follow her dream of becoming a doctor. Flight Lieutenant Angus Trent is seeking accommodation for WAAF’s sent unexpectedly to the nearby RAF base, and that may just help with Sarah and Joanna’s monetary issues; however, Lady Harcourt may take some persuading but Sarah is one determined young woman who has her sights set firmly on success. Angus has only admiration for this young lady – he has never met her like before!
I do love a WWII based series, and Fenella J Miller really knows how to write them! This is a fantastic start to what promises to be a great new saga. The characters are beautifully created and developed; the storyline is entirely believable and so very interesting! Packed with domestic war details and the decisions which families were forced to make, this is a gripping story and a fine stand-alone read. The best thing, of course, is that it is the first in a new series and I am so looking forward to the next one. Well-written as always, this easily deserves a full house of shining stars and my hearty recommendation.
September 24, 2023
I have a real soft spot for this type of story, where people gather in a big house to weather a crisis. I love the quotidian nature of these stories where they pull together, find resources to adapt, and struggle along in a cozy setting. No matter how harshly the War rages overhead, there’s always tea in the drawing room, veg harvested from the victory garden and a few precious eggs from the hens out back.
By that one metric this book should really rate higher in my stars but we have a research issue that bogs down the first half. It’s not that she didn’t research. Rather it’s that she DID research and seems to have several sticky notes with “important facts to include” stuck to her monitor. Because we get these IFTI repeatedly, dumped clumsily into dialog several times. Eg. the daughter in the story wants to be a doctor. Four different times we get the exact same facts about How To Become A Doctor In Britain If You Are A Woman In 1940, said by one character to another. At one point the author forgets that two people have discussed this sticky note already and the conversation is repeated nearly word for word between the same two characters.
The second half still has a bit of this. But it also has a RIDICULOUS romance that isn’t fun to read and I as a reader was NOT rooting for. It seems to exist only because the author wants everyone paired up.
These two problems together make it a 2.5 star book but I just can’t round it to 3.
By that one metric this book should really rate higher in my stars but we have a research issue that bogs down the first half. It’s not that she didn’t research. Rather it’s that she DID research and seems to have several sticky notes with “important facts to include” stuck to her monitor. Because we get these IFTI repeatedly, dumped clumsily into dialog several times. Eg. the daughter in the story wants to be a doctor. Four different times we get the exact same facts about How To Become A Doctor In Britain If You Are A Woman In 1940, said by one character to another. At one point the author forgets that two people have discussed this sticky note already and the conversation is repeated nearly word for word between the same two characters.
The second half still has a bit of this. But it also has a RIDICULOUS romance that isn’t fun to read and I as a reader was NOT rooting for. It seems to exist only because the author wants everyone paired up.
These two problems together make it a 2.5 star book but I just can’t round it to 3.
January 11, 2022
The War Girls Of Goodwill House -Book Review
📚Wartime Romance,Family and the RAF !!📚
The War girls of Goodwill House is Book 1 in in a new wartime saga series by Fenella J Miller.Lady Joanna Harcourt and her daughter Sarah are plunged into a life of independence when husband and father Lord Harcourt goes of to war.
I absolutely loved reading about the adventures of Lady Joanna and Sarah as they forged a life of independence for themselves.I loved the the characters of Lady Joanna of Sarah,both characters were believable and I loved going in a journey with them as they became more confident within themselves .
My favourite part of the book was the love story running through the book involving Angus and Sarah and I’m looking forward to reading how there relationship progresses in future books.
The whole book is really well written and researched and you can really get the sense you are back in wartime Britain.
The ending of the book made me want too read more about how the family cope in the coming years and I am looking forward to reading further instalment of the series.
This book is perfect for fans of the Land Girls series of books and fans of wartime saga series.This author is new to me,but I’m looking forward to reading more of her work.
Bookworm rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📚Wartime Romance,Family and the RAF !!📚
The War girls of Goodwill House is Book 1 in in a new wartime saga series by Fenella J Miller.Lady Joanna Harcourt and her daughter Sarah are plunged into a life of independence when husband and father Lord Harcourt goes of to war.
I absolutely loved reading about the adventures of Lady Joanna and Sarah as they forged a life of independence for themselves.I loved the the characters of Lady Joanna of Sarah,both characters were believable and I loved going in a journey with them as they became more confident within themselves .
My favourite part of the book was the love story running through the book involving Angus and Sarah and I’m looking forward to reading how there relationship progresses in future books.
The whole book is really well written and researched and you can really get the sense you are back in wartime Britain.
The ending of the book made me want too read more about how the family cope in the coming years and I am looking forward to reading further instalment of the series.
This book is perfect for fans of the Land Girls series of books and fans of wartime saga series.This author is new to me,but I’m looking forward to reading more of her work.
Bookworm rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
January 13, 2022
The War Girls Of Goodwill House by Fenella J Miller is a marvellous historical novel set at the beginning of World War II.
War brings changes. Large traditional family homes need to be used to accommodate those in the services. Cold, empty mansions spring back to life in the midst of death. Draughty old houses are transformed.
Living near an airfield opens up life for the villagers with tea dances and parties to which all are invited.
Years of oppression for some characters ends with the advent of war. A domineering head of a household is away at war which allows the subservient women to begin to bloom. For years women were seen as status symbols for the upper classes. Now they can show that they are more than just a pretty face as the old order begins to crumble.
In the midst of death, life and love still happen. It is beautiful to witness a romance beginning to bud.
Fenella J Miller has perfectly captured the atmosphere of the 1940’s with her full descriptions. The afternoon tea dance at the Ritz played out in my head, along with the rest of the novel.
This was a fabulous read that I really enjoyed.
I received a free copy from Rachel’s Random Resources and Boldwood via Net Galley. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
War brings changes. Large traditional family homes need to be used to accommodate those in the services. Cold, empty mansions spring back to life in the midst of death. Draughty old houses are transformed.
Living near an airfield opens up life for the villagers with tea dances and parties to which all are invited.
Years of oppression for some characters ends with the advent of war. A domineering head of a household is away at war which allows the subservient women to begin to bloom. For years women were seen as status symbols for the upper classes. Now they can show that they are more than just a pretty face as the old order begins to crumble.
In the midst of death, life and love still happen. It is beautiful to witness a romance beginning to bud.
Fenella J Miller has perfectly captured the atmosphere of the 1940’s with her full descriptions. The afternoon tea dance at the Ritz played out in my head, along with the rest of the novel.
This was a fabulous read that I really enjoyed.
I received a free copy from Rachel’s Random Resources and Boldwood via Net Galley. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
January 3, 2022
Set at the beginning of WWII in England, The War Girls of Goodwill House is the first book in a fascinating new series. War changes everything and luxury is becoming a thing of the past. Lady Joanna Harcourt and her daughter, Sarah, are left to try to make ends meet financially when Lord Harcourt leaves to fight. Money is in short supply so they decide to take in paying boarders to earn an income. Bedrooms are numerous in the vast house but heating and servants are scarce. The Women's Auxiliary Air Force boarders are interesting and enterprising. Needs must.
Sarah is desperate to become a doctor but a lack of funds restrict her. Her First Aid knowledge, responsiveness and compassion are put to the test several times throughout the book. Her mother who has lived under the thumb of her husband and general male domination of the times begins to come into her own. I like her evolution.
Enter RAF officer Angus Trent who helps as much as he can whilst showing interesting in one of the women. I am curious to learn more about him and his past (surely he has one!) in future books. There are hints here and there of others' secrets which leaves a lot to the imagination which is a good thing. And then there is the Dowager...this conjures up a lot of possibilities as well! I am a sucker for cliffhangers and surprise endings but this wasn't really either...it was sort of offhand to me and didn't seem to flow. Still, this is a series to anticipate!
Historical Fiction, Women's Fiction and General Fiction readers ought to read this.
My sincere thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this delightful book!
Sarah is desperate to become a doctor but a lack of funds restrict her. Her First Aid knowledge, responsiveness and compassion are put to the test several times throughout the book. Her mother who has lived under the thumb of her husband and general male domination of the times begins to come into her own. I like her evolution.
Enter RAF officer Angus Trent who helps as much as he can whilst showing interesting in one of the women. I am curious to learn more about him and his past (surely he has one!) in future books. There are hints here and there of others' secrets which leaves a lot to the imagination which is a good thing. And then there is the Dowager...this conjures up a lot of possibilities as well! I am a sucker for cliffhangers and surprise endings but this wasn't really either...it was sort of offhand to me and didn't seem to flow. Still, this is a series to anticipate!
Historical Fiction, Women's Fiction and General Fiction readers ought to read this.
My sincere thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this delightful book!
January 21, 2022
This historical saga had me intrigued from the start. I really believed that I was back in the world of the 1940’s in the faded glamour of Goodwill House. I quickly became engrossed in how the war changed the lives of Sarah and her mother Joanna.
The book did a really good job of portraying the freedoms and opportunities that the start of the second world war brought for women. This was through the different jobs and cultural changes that came about because of the war. I really admired the character of Sarah and her drive and determination to have a career for herself. She had a wise head on her young shoulders. The romance between Sarah and RAF officer Angus was everything that you’d expect from this period, whilst retaining a modern outlook. The open ending left me looking forward to more books in the series.
With thanks to Boldwood Books, Rachel’s Random Resources and NetGalley for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.
The book did a really good job of portraying the freedoms and opportunities that the start of the second world war brought for women. This was through the different jobs and cultural changes that came about because of the war. I really admired the character of Sarah and her drive and determination to have a career for herself. She had a wise head on her young shoulders. The romance between Sarah and RAF officer Angus was everything that you’d expect from this period, whilst retaining a modern outlook. The open ending left me looking forward to more books in the series.
With thanks to Boldwood Books, Rachel’s Random Resources and NetGalley for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.
January 12, 2022
This was the story of the way that Joanna, Lady Harcourt and her daughter, Sarah, coped with the changes that the war brought to their lives. Joanna’s husband, Lord Harcourt, was in France with the army but he had been very strict with his family, only allowing them to do the things he deemed fit. Now the two women had to mange the household and their dwindling finances. This was an interesting read, Sarah, in particular showed how resourceful she could be. It did seem to accurately portray the attitudes and lifestyle of the period. Camp coffee was still used by some people in the 60’s and I can say the taste will never leave me and not in a good way! There was a romance in the book but as this is the first in the series, there are a number of issues that aren’t resolved. There are also a number of interesting secondary characters. I have read a number of books by this author and they have always been a good read. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
January 21, 2022
The War Girls
The War Girls of Goodwill House
Kent England January 1940
This book is the beginning of a new series by Fenella J.Miller. Born into an aristocratic family young Sarah Harcourt and her mother Joanna are faced with trying to support their estate during WW II. They are out of money as Sarah’s father Lord Harcourt, is away at war in France and they can’t make ends meet.
They decide to assist with the war effort and rent rooms, to procure some income to some of the WAAF, and the Land Army.
Interesting and unusual things happen which cause a stir in their lifestyle. Romantic entanglement with a dashing RAF gentleman could seriously cause concern. Many unusual changes happen which are very concerning and encouraging at the same time. A wonderful book which definitely makes the reader want to read on about Goodwill House. Well done. Definitely a 5 star.
The War Girls of Goodwill House
Kent England January 1940
This book is the beginning of a new series by Fenella J.Miller. Born into an aristocratic family young Sarah Harcourt and her mother Joanna are faced with trying to support their estate during WW II. They are out of money as Sarah’s father Lord Harcourt, is away at war in France and they can’t make ends meet.
They decide to assist with the war effort and rent rooms, to procure some income to some of the WAAF, and the Land Army.
Interesting and unusual things happen which cause a stir in their lifestyle. Romantic entanglement with a dashing RAF gentleman could seriously cause concern. Many unusual changes happen which are very concerning and encouraging at the same time. A wonderful book which definitely makes the reader want to read on about Goodwill House. Well done. Definitely a 5 star.
April 16, 2023
I’ve been looking for a good wartime series to get stuck into, and as this one has a fair few books set within it, I figured it would be a good candidate. And it was! I loved it. And it was very easy to enjoy.
The set up between Joanna and her daughter Sarah made for compelling reading and it was great to see them both blossom once outside of the husband & fathers influence. They gradually began to reclaim their lives and even got a dog (Lazi, he was a great character addition!) It was so heartening to read.
With a sprinkling of romance, the beginnings of war and manoeuvring around their new status within the war, they must find a way to save the home from the debt the Lord is the manor had left behind. Billeting it out seems like a viable option…
I can’t wait to read more to see what else will happen and how the plot will develop.
The set up between Joanna and her daughter Sarah made for compelling reading and it was great to see them both blossom once outside of the husband & fathers influence. They gradually began to reclaim their lives and even got a dog (Lazi, he was a great character addition!) It was so heartening to read.
With a sprinkling of romance, the beginnings of war and manoeuvring around their new status within the war, they must find a way to save the home from the debt the Lord is the manor had left behind. Billeting it out seems like a viable option…
I can’t wait to read more to see what else will happen and how the plot will develop.
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