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A Wartime Secret
‘Look after Violet!’ her mother called, as she was bundled into the back of the car. Then she was gone.
When Maggie’s new job takes her from bombed-out London to grand Snowden Hall in the Cotswolds she’s apprehensive but determined to do her bit for the war effort. She’s also keeping a secret, one she knows would turn opinion against her. Her mother is German: Maggie is related to the enemy.
Then her evacuee sister sends her a worrying letter, missing the code they agreed Violet would use to confirm everything was well, and Maggie’s heart sinks. Violet is miles away; how can she get to her in the middle of a war? Worse, her mother, arrested for her nationality, is now missing, and Maggie has no idea where she is.
As a secret project at Snowden Hall risks revealing Maggie’s German side, she becomes even more determined to protect her family. Can she find a way to get to her sister? And will she ever find out where her mother has been taken?
When Maggie’s new job takes her from bombed-out London to grand Snowden Hall in the Cotswolds she’s apprehensive but determined to do her bit for the war effort. She’s also keeping a secret, one she knows would turn opinion against her. Her mother is German: Maggie is related to the enemy.
Then her evacuee sister sends her a worrying letter, missing the code they agreed Violet would use to confirm everything was well, and Maggie’s heart sinks. Violet is miles away; how can she get to her in the middle of a war? Worse, her mother, arrested for her nationality, is now missing, and Maggie has no idea where she is.
As a secret project at Snowden Hall risks revealing Maggie’s German side, she becomes even more determined to protect her family. Can she find a way to get to her sister? And will she ever find out where her mother has been taken?
350 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 14, 2022
182 people are currently reading
341 people want to read
About the author
Helen Yendall
4 books42 followersHelen Yendall has been writing ever since she could pick up a pencil.
After many years spent writing short stories, articles and poetry, she turned to novel writing.
Her debut novel, 'A Wartime Secret', set in WW2 and based on the true story of a bank and its staff that moved from London to the countryside to escape the Blitz, was published in early 2022. It was described by one reviewer as 'East Enders meets Downton Abbey'.
Then she embarked on a series about the Women's Timber Corps, the women who worked in the forests and sawmills of Britain during WW2.
First in the series is 'The Highland Girls at War', the second is 'The Highland Girls on Guard' and the third, 'The Highland Girls Report for Duty' was published in March 2025.
She's currently working on a new historical novel. Details will be revealed shortly!
Helen's a member of the Romantic Novelists' Association and is represented by Underline Literary Agency.
When she's not writing, she likes playing tennis, swimming and reading (not all at the same time) and walking Bonnie, her cocker spaniel.
After many years spent writing short stories, articles and poetry, she turned to novel writing.
Her debut novel, 'A Wartime Secret', set in WW2 and based on the true story of a bank and its staff that moved from London to the countryside to escape the Blitz, was published in early 2022. It was described by one reviewer as 'East Enders meets Downton Abbey'.
Then she embarked on a series about the Women's Timber Corps, the women who worked in the forests and sawmills of Britain during WW2.
First in the series is 'The Highland Girls at War', the second is 'The Highland Girls on Guard' and the third, 'The Highland Girls Report for Duty' was published in March 2025.
She's currently working on a new historical novel. Details will be revealed shortly!
Helen's a member of the Romantic Novelists' Association and is represented by Underline Literary Agency.
When she's not writing, she likes playing tennis, swimming and reading (not all at the same time) and walking Bonnie, her cocker spaniel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
March 8, 2022
A Wartime Secret by Helen Yendall is an epic novel set during 1940 that mesmerized me from the start.
The reader hears about life on the homefront as we follow a group of bank employees as they are relocated from London to the Cotswolds during the height of the Blitz. We see the camaraderie between the employees and the land girls as everyone does their bit for the war effort.
Many have secrets. For some if they came out, it could be catastrophic. We share the concerns of the characters and are able to empathise.
There are moments of immense bravery too – whether it’s learning to ride a tandem bicycle or something altogether more serious. There are pockets of courage.
The reader witnesses the strange affair that is an upper class marriage – made more for alliances than for love. It is less than appealing.
There were far reaching effects from World War I. Men who returned home from the battlefields often left part of themselves behind. Their relationships would be altered forever with their loved ones.
The Eastenders of London are a resilient bunch. They are the salt of the earth and very community minded. They keep calm and carry on, in spite of the devastation all around.
A Wartime Secret was a fabulous read that I thoroughly enjoyed.
I received a free copy via Net Galley. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
The reader hears about life on the homefront as we follow a group of bank employees as they are relocated from London to the Cotswolds during the height of the Blitz. We see the camaraderie between the employees and the land girls as everyone does their bit for the war effort.
Many have secrets. For some if they came out, it could be catastrophic. We share the concerns of the characters and are able to empathise.
There are moments of immense bravery too – whether it’s learning to ride a tandem bicycle or something altogether more serious. There are pockets of courage.
The reader witnesses the strange affair that is an upper class marriage – made more for alliances than for love. It is less than appealing.
There were far reaching effects from World War I. Men who returned home from the battlefields often left part of themselves behind. Their relationships would be altered forever with their loved ones.
The Eastenders of London are a resilient bunch. They are the salt of the earth and very community minded. They keep calm and carry on, in spite of the devastation all around.
A Wartime Secret was a fabulous read that I thoroughly enjoyed.
I received a free copy via Net Galley. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
January 24, 2022
I enjoyed this book but felt it could have been much more! The story's main character, Maggie, leaves blitzed London to work with her relocated company in the Cotswolds. From the book's description, Maggie is supposedly upset with the disappearance of her German-born mother and the evacuation of her younger sister to the countryside. These two seemingly prominent storylines fell flat, in my opinion. Maggie's boss makes a few phone calls and the missing mom is found and Maggie takes a bike ride to visit her sister and she's also okay - and the chapter's not yet over! But hey, let's throw in a bunch of quirky characters and call it a book! Not bad, not great - but so much wasted potential!
I was gifted this advance copy by NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
I was gifted this advance copy by NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
January 15, 2022
This is my first book by Helen Yendall and it’s a brilliant introduction to her work, I liked her in-depth historical details which run smoothly side by side with the enlightening and very interesting story of a young woman who has found herself in the midst of something, with so many secrets which are swirling around her head she must do all she can to protect her family.
I loved the sound of this book from the moment I set eyes I knew that this was a book that I really wanted to read, and it didn’t disappoint. This is all about family, despite the setting and the intriguing subplot which easily entwines Maggie’s own story this is fundamentally all about family, it poses questions and eventually gives the answers as you read, which keep you engaged throughout.
During the blitz in London as a bank employee; Maggie has been transferred from London and sent to Snowden Hall, which Maggie is told is the bank’s base during these uncertain and dangerous times. But it soon becomes clear that all is not exactly what it seems at the hall, there is a secret lurking in the very shadows of the estate and the building a secret that could put Maggie in danger. On top of that a more pressing matter arises for Maggie, her mother who is German has been taken and is now interred for being German, on tp of that her sister Violet who has been evacuated brings another concern for Maggie as the letter’s she is receiving holds hints that all is not as it should be.
As you can imagine, Maggie has a lot on her shoulders, there is danger at every corner there is lots os intrigue and you feel Maggie’s worry over her family and you can certainly resonate with her and then there is what is going on at Snowden Hall which keeps you guessing and keeps you hooked and because of that this book pulls the reader into Maggie’s world from the first page, I was completely invested into Maggie’s story.
A Wartime Secret is a wonderfully, engaging and highly enjoyable story. It’s full of intrigue and atmosphere of the time, with lots of drama, hidden secrets hiding in plain sight and a mountain of emotion this is a must-read for anyone who loves their WW2 fiction.
I loved the sound of this book from the moment I set eyes I knew that this was a book that I really wanted to read, and it didn’t disappoint. This is all about family, despite the setting and the intriguing subplot which easily entwines Maggie’s own story this is fundamentally all about family, it poses questions and eventually gives the answers as you read, which keep you engaged throughout.
During the blitz in London as a bank employee; Maggie has been transferred from London and sent to Snowden Hall, which Maggie is told is the bank’s base during these uncertain and dangerous times. But it soon becomes clear that all is not exactly what it seems at the hall, there is a secret lurking in the very shadows of the estate and the building a secret that could put Maggie in danger. On top of that a more pressing matter arises for Maggie, her mother who is German has been taken and is now interred for being German, on tp of that her sister Violet who has been evacuated brings another concern for Maggie as the letter’s she is receiving holds hints that all is not as it should be.
As you can imagine, Maggie has a lot on her shoulders, there is danger at every corner there is lots os intrigue and you feel Maggie’s worry over her family and you can certainly resonate with her and then there is what is going on at Snowden Hall which keeps you guessing and keeps you hooked and because of that this book pulls the reader into Maggie’s world from the first page, I was completely invested into Maggie’s story.
A Wartime Secret is a wonderfully, engaging and highly enjoyable story. It’s full of intrigue and atmosphere of the time, with lots of drama, hidden secrets hiding in plain sight and a mountain of emotion this is a must-read for anyone who loves their WW2 fiction.
January 11, 2022
Shortly after starting her new job at a bank, Maggie Corbett is transferred from bomb-damaged London to Snowden Hall in the Cotswolds - the bank's new, wartime base. As the newest employee, Maggie is apprehensive, especially as she is keeping a secret: Maggie’s mother is German and has been interred as an alien civilian. To make matters worse, Maggie is also concerned about her young sister, Violet, whose letters suggest that something may be wrong at Vi's evacuee billet.
Despite her East End roots, Maggie quickly adjusts to life in a grand mansion, and eventually finds a way to use her German language skills to her advantage.
This is an enjoyable and – at times – humorous story, which follows the fortunes of Maggie and her colleagues as they settle in to life at Snowden Hall. The characters are interesting, and Maggie in particular is very likeable. Although she is young, she knows how to stand up for herself and soon begins to draw the attention of two of the young men stationed at Snowden Hall.
Alongside Maggie’s story, I enjoyed the novel’s sub-plots and the underlying intrigues of life in the ‘big house’. The author has obviously done her research too. I found the historical details fascinating and thorough, without being a distraction to the story.
This is an entertaining, heart-warming novel that I can thoroughly recommend. I’ll definitely be looking out for more books from this author.
With thanks to NetGalley and HQ for providing an arc of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Despite her East End roots, Maggie quickly adjusts to life in a grand mansion, and eventually finds a way to use her German language skills to her advantage.
This is an enjoyable and – at times – humorous story, which follows the fortunes of Maggie and her colleagues as they settle in to life at Snowden Hall. The characters are interesting, and Maggie in particular is very likeable. Although she is young, she knows how to stand up for herself and soon begins to draw the attention of two of the young men stationed at Snowden Hall.
Alongside Maggie’s story, I enjoyed the novel’s sub-plots and the underlying intrigues of life in the ‘big house’. The author has obviously done her research too. I found the historical details fascinating and thorough, without being a distraction to the story.
This is an entertaining, heart-warming novel that I can thoroughly recommend. I’ll definitely be looking out for more books from this author.
With thanks to NetGalley and HQ for providing an arc of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
January 10, 2022
Anybody who knows me really well knows that not only am I a book geek, but I am also a history nerd with a special interest in the Second World War. So imagine my excitement when I read the synopsis for ‘A Wartime Secret’. Let’s just say I was a happy like book nerd geek. I dived straight into the book. I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘A Wartime Secret’ but more about that in a bit.
I loved the character of Maggie and I warmed to her from the very start. In fact it didn’t take me long to feel as though she had become a friend of mine. Maggie hasn’t had the easiest of lives so far. Her mother is German and has been taken away by the authorities. Violet has been evacuated, which means that Maggie is stuck at home with her father, who quite frankly is a bit of a nightmare. He expects her to wait on him hand and foot and he won’t allow her to leave the family home just so he has somebody to look after him. I kept willing Maggie to stand up to her father, leave the family home and create a new life for herself. She manages to do just that but her problems don’t go away. Maggie is a lovely young lady, who sounds like the sort of girl you could rely on in a crisis and somebody with whom you could set the world to rights over a cup of tea.
I was drawn into the story from the very first word on the very first page and from then on, the book seemed to develop a hold over me and it was a hold that I wasn’t willing to break. I just loved everything about the book- the characters, the storylines and the setting. I had initially picked up the book only intending to read a couple of chapters but I became so wrapped up in the story that I lost all track of time and just how quickly the pages were turning. The pages were turning that quickly at one point that it was almost as if they were turning themselves. All too quickly I reached the end of ‘A Wartime Secret’ and I had to bid farewell to Maggie and the others. I found ‘A Wartime Secret’ to be the true definition of an unputdownable page turner of a read. I was gripped by the story from start to finish and on the edge of my seat throughout.
‘A Wartime Secret’ is superbly written. The author has one of those easy going writing styles that is easy to get along with and easy to get used to. In fact it was easy to forget that I was reading an actual book and not having a conversation with friends. I know that might sound odd to some. For me, the story hit the ground running and maintained a fairly steady pace throughout. I love the way in which Helen makes the reader feel as though they are part of the story and at the heart of the action. That’s how I felt at any rate. Helen has clearly done a lot of research into the period of the Second World War and this shines through in her writing an makes the story that bit more authentic.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘A Wartime Secret’ and I would recommend the book to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Helen’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
I loved the character of Maggie and I warmed to her from the very start. In fact it didn’t take me long to feel as though she had become a friend of mine. Maggie hasn’t had the easiest of lives so far. Her mother is German and has been taken away by the authorities. Violet has been evacuated, which means that Maggie is stuck at home with her father, who quite frankly is a bit of a nightmare. He expects her to wait on him hand and foot and he won’t allow her to leave the family home just so he has somebody to look after him. I kept willing Maggie to stand up to her father, leave the family home and create a new life for herself. She manages to do just that but her problems don’t go away. Maggie is a lovely young lady, who sounds like the sort of girl you could rely on in a crisis and somebody with whom you could set the world to rights over a cup of tea.
I was drawn into the story from the very first word on the very first page and from then on, the book seemed to develop a hold over me and it was a hold that I wasn’t willing to break. I just loved everything about the book- the characters, the storylines and the setting. I had initially picked up the book only intending to read a couple of chapters but I became so wrapped up in the story that I lost all track of time and just how quickly the pages were turning. The pages were turning that quickly at one point that it was almost as if they were turning themselves. All too quickly I reached the end of ‘A Wartime Secret’ and I had to bid farewell to Maggie and the others. I found ‘A Wartime Secret’ to be the true definition of an unputdownable page turner of a read. I was gripped by the story from start to finish and on the edge of my seat throughout.
‘A Wartime Secret’ is superbly written. The author has one of those easy going writing styles that is easy to get along with and easy to get used to. In fact it was easy to forget that I was reading an actual book and not having a conversation with friends. I know that might sound odd to some. For me, the story hit the ground running and maintained a fairly steady pace throughout. I love the way in which Helen makes the reader feel as though they are part of the story and at the heart of the action. That’s how I felt at any rate. Helen has clearly done a lot of research into the period of the Second World War and this shines through in her writing an makes the story that bit more authentic.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘A Wartime Secret’ and I would recommend the book to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Helen’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
December 5, 2022
This book was atmospheric and authentically portrayed the WW2 period with brilliant attention to detail. I loved some of the character's turns of phrase, their dialogue and ways of speaking, and although there are quite a few characters, they were all distinct from one another. Maggie's personal journey was believable and sympathetic and I was rooting for her to find happiness - the ending didn't disappoint.
Will very much look forward to reading Helen Yendall's next book!
Will very much look forward to reading Helen Yendall's next book!
January 19, 2022
It is WW2 and Maggie takes a new job at Rosman's Merchant Bank. On her first morning she is late because the siren goes and she gets stuck on her bus. When she arrives at work she finds the whole bank is planning to move to the country for the duration of the war. Maggie is sure she will not be able to go as her overbearing and bullying father will not allow her to leave. Her mother, who is German, has already been taken away by the authorities and Maggie is tasked with looking after her father and running the house. At the last minute however, she finds the courage to leave and makes a last minute dash to the station, jumping on the train as it leaves the station.
Life at Snowden Hall is very different to Maggie's previous life in the east end of London. She makes friends with Charity, a very well heeled land girl and with Ray Maguire, the happy-go-lucky bank employee who helped get on the train. Ray helps Maggie meet up with her sister Violet who has been evacuated to a farm not to far away. Meanwhile a secret project being undertaken by Lord Ashford threatens to reveal Maggie's German roots, until she comes to realise that she can actually help the war effort with her understanding of the German language.
This a happy, heartfelt story based on some true happenings in the past. The writing style makes easy reading and the story bowls along at pace.
With thanks to Netgalley and HQ for a chance to read an arc in return for a honest review.
Life at Snowden Hall is very different to Maggie's previous life in the east end of London. She makes friends with Charity, a very well heeled land girl and with Ray Maguire, the happy-go-lucky bank employee who helped get on the train. Ray helps Maggie meet up with her sister Violet who has been evacuated to a farm not to far away. Meanwhile a secret project being undertaken by Lord Ashford threatens to reveal Maggie's German roots, until she comes to realise that she can actually help the war effort with her understanding of the German language.
This a happy, heartfelt story based on some true happenings in the past. The writing style makes easy reading and the story bowls along at pace.
With thanks to Netgalley and HQ for a chance to read an arc in return for a honest review.
April 7, 2022
This has one of the most enticing openings I've read in a long time - 'Maggie Corbett lay face down on the open platform of the number 56 bus ... ' which was a great introduction to the believable and feisty Maggie. I've read a lot of books set in WW2 but I learned two new things from this one: 1) some companies relocated from London to the country, in this case (as you can see in the lovely cover image) to very grand houses. What a gift for the writer, to have different classes cheek-by-jowl in a way they would not be in normal circumstances. 2) there are villages which became known as Thankful Villages after WW1 because all those who were in the armed forces in that conflict came home.
There are several enjoyable story strands in the book – I particularly liked the one with his Lordship and his childhood sweetheart. If I have a gripe it would be that the urgency for Maggie to find her sister seemed to come and go and when she was able to see her it was a bit anti-climactic. But the era was well conjured up and the characters were memorable - I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with Maggie et al.
There are several enjoyable story strands in the book – I particularly liked the one with his Lordship and his childhood sweetheart. If I have a gripe it would be that the urgency for Maggie to find her sister seemed to come and go and when she was able to see her it was a bit anti-climactic. But the era was well conjured up and the characters were memorable - I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with Maggie et al.
March 9, 2022
‘A Wartime Secret’ is Helen Yendall’s debut and a well-written WWII story with an unusual premise based around the workers of a bank relocating to the country to escape the London Blitz. At first, Maggie, our main character, seems an innocent and almost annoyingly naïve at times, but she’s honest and tenacious, and becomes more enlightened and worldly as the story progresses. The opening was gentle, almost cosy, but for me the final third of the narrative stepped up a gear with pace and depth as Yendall’s writing excelled when Maggie experienced the true horrors of the Blitz on returning to London. This part of the book merits the 5 stars of my review because the atmosphere and emotion is portrayed with heart and genuine emotion.
Some of the secondary storylines were worthy of more exploration and expansion. A minor grumble but I felt the ending a little rushed and I really would have loved to read more details of what happened to the other characters as well as Maggie, because I cared about them too.
Some of the secondary storylines were worthy of more exploration and expansion. A minor grumble but I felt the ending a little rushed and I really would have loved to read more details of what happened to the other characters as well as Maggie, because I cared about them too.
February 19, 2022
My thanks to NetGalley and publisher HQ, HQ Digital, for the electronic copy.
Now, this is a "nice" story which would make a decent Sunday afternoon film. Set in 1940 during WW2, we follow several months of Maggie Corbett's life. She's a young East End girl - a bi-lingual shorthand-typist working in a munitions factory. Her younger sister Vi has been evacuated to goodness knows where; equally her German mother has been interned and she knows not where. She's at home with her bully of a father, and her cat, Tabby.
When the munitions factory gets bombed-out she gets a job with Rosman's Merchant bank in the City, only to quickly find out the owner, Lord Joseph Ashford, had decided to move its operations, and staff, to their mansion in the Cotswolds. Of course Maggie's father won't hear of it, but when Maggie finally receives a postcard from Vi, giving her address in Gloucestershire, she packs her things, along with Tabby, and just makes the train in time.
Maggie feels like a fish out of water, her female colleagues are sophisticated, have clothes she could only dream of. Ray Maguire, in charge of the moving arrangements and newly-promoted, seems to take Maggie under his wing, although he too is unsure of his new duties. Gradually Maggie makes friends and is determined to get to visit her sister to make sure she's alright. Ray is on hand to help her.
When she encounters a young boy in the house and converses with him in German she immediately regrets it - what if her colleagues found out! However, Lord Ashcroft has some secrets of his own and they agree to help each other.
This is a story about friendships forged during wartime - friendships that could only be formed then with people from either end of the social spectrum. It has lots of feel-good moments, inevitable sadness and heartbreak but humour too. I just wished there was another "episode" to come.
A pleasant read.
Now, this is a "nice" story which would make a decent Sunday afternoon film. Set in 1940 during WW2, we follow several months of Maggie Corbett's life. She's a young East End girl - a bi-lingual shorthand-typist working in a munitions factory. Her younger sister Vi has been evacuated to goodness knows where; equally her German mother has been interned and she knows not where. She's at home with her bully of a father, and her cat, Tabby.
When the munitions factory gets bombed-out she gets a job with Rosman's Merchant bank in the City, only to quickly find out the owner, Lord Joseph Ashford, had decided to move its operations, and staff, to their mansion in the Cotswolds. Of course Maggie's father won't hear of it, but when Maggie finally receives a postcard from Vi, giving her address in Gloucestershire, she packs her things, along with Tabby, and just makes the train in time.
Maggie feels like a fish out of water, her female colleagues are sophisticated, have clothes she could only dream of. Ray Maguire, in charge of the moving arrangements and newly-promoted, seems to take Maggie under his wing, although he too is unsure of his new duties. Gradually Maggie makes friends and is determined to get to visit her sister to make sure she's alright. Ray is on hand to help her.
When she encounters a young boy in the house and converses with him in German she immediately regrets it - what if her colleagues found out! However, Lord Ashcroft has some secrets of his own and they agree to help each other.
This is a story about friendships forged during wartime - friendships that could only be formed then with people from either end of the social spectrum. It has lots of feel-good moments, inevitable sadness and heartbreak but humour too. I just wished there was another "episode" to come.
A pleasant read.
October 5, 2023
Maggie Corbett is about to start in a new job at the bank in war-torn London, in 1940. She is told that the entire operation is moving to Snowdon House in the Cotswolds for the duration of the war (based on a true story of a bank that operated from Upton House – now a National Trust property). Her mother is missing, her little sister evacuated, and her demanding father drunk for much of the time, so she throws in her lot and goes as well, all the while trying to keep her half-German heritage a secret.
There she jogs along with the other employees, the loud ones, the flirts, the funny ones, meets the land girls, Lord and Lady Ashford and their dashing nephew. Before long, Maggie's skills are put to better use than typing letters.
The storyline outlines in the back cover copy end up being rather damp squibs: one phone call and a bike ride solve those not-so-mysterious mysteries, and even Maggie's fluent German isn't a big disaster but a major asset. The love story has a small but easily seen twist and the resolution is a shift that didn't convince me in the end.
This is a gently WWII novel, with some nice touches but it's unlikely to grip you in any meaningful way. If that's what you're looking for then this may be it.
There she jogs along with the other employees, the loud ones, the flirts, the funny ones, meets the land girls, Lord and Lady Ashford and their dashing nephew. Before long, Maggie's skills are put to better use than typing letters.
The storyline outlines in the back cover copy end up being rather damp squibs: one phone call and a bike ride solve those not-so-mysterious mysteries, and even Maggie's fluent German isn't a big disaster but a major asset. The love story has a small but easily seen twist and the resolution is a shift that didn't convince me in the end.
This is a gently WWII novel, with some nice touches but it's unlikely to grip you in any meaningful way. If that's what you're looking for then this may be it.
October 10, 2022
I was pleased to win this book in a competition run by the author on twitter. But even more pleased now I have read it! I absolutely loved Maggie's story. Wartime fiction at its best, with all you would expect in a story set in 1940: Land girls, evacuees, blackouts, the Home Guard, rationing, air raids and internment. The story is mostly set in a country house where a city bank has moved its staff, but takes in London too, and the contrast between life going on much as before for the rich in a posh hotel and the dust and destruction in the bombed out streets of the East End. Everything felt authentic, with touches of humour, romance and fear - a wonderful mix of the heartwarming and the gripping! I willed Maggie on as she escaped from her bullying father, tried to hide her cat on the train, made new friends, learned to ride a tandem, worried about her little sister, rescued a child, and did her best to hide the family secret that she knew could jeopardise everything. A great cast of characters, and a lovely ending. Highly recommended.
January 19, 2022
This is an excellent highly readable book. I devoured it in two sessions, which is a record for me! The author deftly weaves her characters into the satisfying plot. All their emotions and actions ring true. In a few skillful words you will experience the terror of the blitz, together with those more personal horrors of being an outsider, or losing at love. The main character, Maggie, develops wonderfully during the course of the book and I would like to know how life treats her in her future. Her early feelings of inadequacy and being out of place are described so evocatively, you feel the same way yourself. This talented author achieves all this with the lightest of touches, making this book so addictively readable. With any story it is important that you care about the people in it, even those that may not be likeable and this is certainly the case here. A brilliant book, which I shall be happy to recommend.
January 22, 2022
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, #FB,#NetGalley,#GoodReads,#Instagram,#Amazon.co.uk,This Book is full of delightful characters, it embodies the warmth & strength of those from the East End of London during the Blitz ,it shows the true depth of friendship & the willingness to help one another no matter what walk of life you came from. It is just a delicious book to read & I highly recommend it .
February 13, 2022
I loved this book from the first page where the heroine is found face-down on the floor of a bus, uncomfortably close to someone's heel. It's an air-raid and the book felt immediate and vivid from that moment on.
Maggie is an East End girl with a dangerous secret at a time of war: her beloved mother is German. Her sister Violet has been sent to the country as an evacuee, her mother has been interned and Maggie is left to manage her overbearing father.
Maggie works for a bank which is relocated to a stately home in the Cotswolds - apparently this is based on fact - and we're all delighted she goes with the bank.
The novel has the style of a saga: a range of characters including friends and enemies for Maggie, plots and sub-plots to be unravelled, and an underlying love story. A fantastic debut novel.
Maggie is an East End girl with a dangerous secret at a time of war: her beloved mother is German. Her sister Violet has been sent to the country as an evacuee, her mother has been interned and Maggie is left to manage her overbearing father.
Maggie works for a bank which is relocated to a stately home in the Cotswolds - apparently this is based on fact - and we're all delighted she goes with the bank.
The novel has the style of a saga: a range of characters including friends and enemies for Maggie, plots and sub-plots to be unravelled, and an underlying love story. A fantastic debut novel.
January 9, 2022
Last year I read (and found thoroughly riveting) the non-fiction book Our Uninvited Guests: The Secret Lives of Britain’s Country Houses 1939-1945 by Julie Summers and so I was interested to read a fictional story inspired by one of those houses. I wouldn’t myself have described this book as ‘gripping’ and I did think from the book blurb that it was going to be more adventurous than it actually turned out to be. I think as a novel it was slightly underwhelming, however it was eminently readable and evoked the flavour of the war years and I think many readers will enjoy it. A clean wholesome read.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
April 14, 2022
'A Wartime Secret' is the kind of story you can get very easily absorbed in. The period detail and language are really authentic (my Mum grew up in London in WW2 so it was very familiar and felt 'right') without being overplayed.
Helen Yendall has created a cast of interesting characters and woven a great story with threads that are universal and yet also very poignant for a wartime setting. There are complex family histories and friendships, the self-doubt of youth, and the complexity of love in its different guises.
I loved the settings of London and the Cotswolds and the believable journey of Maggie, the protagonist who experiences life-changing events in the early years of the war.
A great read!
Helen Yendall has created a cast of interesting characters and woven a great story with threads that are universal and yet also very poignant for a wartime setting. There are complex family histories and friendships, the self-doubt of youth, and the complexity of love in its different guises.
I loved the settings of London and the Cotswolds and the believable journey of Maggie, the protagonist who experiences life-changing events in the early years of the war.
A great read!
January 22, 2022
I really enjoyed following the progress of Maggie - her transformation from a timid young woman to someone with so much more confidence was really convincingly drawn. I also enjoyed the WW2 setting of the book and all the well-researched detail that added to it. Maggie's relationship with the people around her - including the two possible love interests - contributed to much of the sympathy I felt for her in her insecurities. I particularly liked the roles of the tandem which almost has its own story, and Maggie's cat, who travels from London to the Cotswolds in a large bag and who won my heart!
October 2, 2024
Wartime London, Maggie lives with her mother, drunken father and younger sister. When her German mother is arrested and interred, Maggie is left to care for her sister and try to hold down her job in a bank. London becomes more at risk and Maggie's young sister, Violet, is evacuated.
All of the staff at the bank where Maggie works are moved to the countryside residence, Snowden Hall. Maggie is worried about Violet, she feels uncomfortable with the grandeur of their new workplace and something just isn't as it seems.
Great friendships form, the east end spirit ever present and the mystery solved. Great read which is based on a true story.
All of the staff at the bank where Maggie works are moved to the countryside residence, Snowden Hall. Maggie is worried about Violet, she feels uncomfortable with the grandeur of their new workplace and something just isn't as it seems.
Great friendships form, the east end spirit ever present and the mystery solved. Great read which is based on a true story.
January 14, 2022
Lovely WW2 book that is a lighter read than a lot of this era but still with a very interesting story that is apparently based on a true story. Maggie is a great character who defies her father to follow her job and goes to live in the Cotswolds as her mother has been imprisoned for being German, a secret that she wishes to keep, and finds out that she is close to where her little sister had been evacuated, can she find her. Good interesting read that certainly kept my attention
January 25, 2022
Helen Yendall tells a fine story here and finds some more unusual aspects of World War II: a bank that moves to the countryside, a main character who is half German and some detail about British people receiving Kindertransport children. The characters are well-drawn. Main character Maggie is offered some important secret work because of her fluent German. I would love to know more abut that.
March 11, 2022
I have just finished reading A Wartime Secret by Helen Yendall and thoroughly enjoyed the novel. Join Maggie and the bankin employees as they move from the bombing city to the countryside. Will it be drama free. Definitely not! A good read. Thanks to#NetGalley for the advance copy in return for an honest review.
April 29, 2025
I've been enjoying the historical fiction genre of WW2. Here is another story of how the war changed the life of a shy, innocent young woman. I got caught up in Maggie's story and also appreciated how much we got to know supporting characters. I was a little disappointed, then that the end came to a rushing halt. There is so much more of Maggie's story to learn.
January 19, 2022
I loved this book! The story was peopled with believable characters and I really cared how events would turn out for them in the end. Maggie and Ray were especially likeable and I desperately hoped for a happy ending for them both. There were a few laughs along the way, alongside the vivid description of how difficult life must have been during WWII. The author had clearly done a LOT of research. A very enjoyable read and a heart-warming story.
February 28, 2022
A Wartime Secret is hard to put down.
A fun and easy read. Character development was excellent, all the players in the novel quickly become old friends. I do hope there will be more books by this author soon.
A fun and easy read. Character development was excellent, all the players in the novel quickly become old friends. I do hope there will be more books by this author soon.
March 13, 2022
An enjoyable read.
This was a happy story even though taking place during the war. The references to what was going on around the characters was historical and enjoyable. Friendship and romance flourished.
This was a happy story even though taking place during the war. The references to what was going on around the characters was historical and enjoyable. Friendship and romance flourished.
March 27, 2022
A lovely read. It paints a vivid picture of what it was like to live through the blitz, while remaining a truly heart-warming read. I loved Maggie and her wee cat. If you enjoy historical fiction around World War II, then I highly recommend.
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April 1, 2022Simply awful
I am a very big reader, and love World War two stories but this is the single worst book I have read in at least 10 years. It would take me hours to point out all the loose ends this author left but suffice to say I will not read this "Author" again.
I am a very big reader, and love World War two stories but this is the single worst book I have read in at least 10 years. It would take me hours to point out all the loose ends this author left but suffice to say I will not read this "Author" again.
April 16, 2025
I listened to this book on audiobook and it fell a little bit flat for me. The build up to leaving London and welcoming party were very good but after that there wasn't much draw. It was a nice enough listen on a long drive but overall not much pull. 2.5 rounded up to 3
March 17, 2022
It took me awhile to get into this book..The beginning and middle part were slow and kind of boring..The ending, however, was very good..Just took awhile to get there...
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