War in the Valleys

Wartime in the Valleys #2

by Francesca Capaldi

July 1916. Young mother, Violet Jones, lives a tough life in the Rhymney Valley, caring for 4-year-old Clarice and baby Benjy on her own while soldier husband Charlie fights on the Front Line. But when tragedy strikes, Violet's life becomes even harder. While they may be far from the battlefields, the effects of WWI take their toll on the small mining community of Dorcalon, with food becoming scarce and more and more of their young men losing their lives. With very little money coming in, and two babies to care for, Violet takes in a relative to help make ends meet. But far from easing her burden, it might turn out to be the worst decision she's made. As the Great War takes its toll on the nation, Violet faces her own battle. All alone in the world, can she protect her children, and herself? And will she ever find joy out of the depths of despair? A captivating, emotional saga set in WWI - will tug on your heart-strings and bring a tear to your eye. If you like Nadine Dorries, Rosie Goodwin or Sheila Newbury you will adore this beautiful Welsh saga.

Genres: Historical Fiction

368 pages, Paperback

Published February 25, 2021

About the author

Several years ago, Francesca Capaldi pursued a childhood dream and joined a creative writing class. Lots of published short stories, a serial, and three pocket novels later, she’s now explored her mother’s ancestral history for a novel set in a Welsh colliery village.

A history graduate and former teacher, she hails from the Sussex coast but now lives in Kent with her family and a cat called Lando Calrissian.

Social Media
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FrancescaCap...
Blog: www.writemindswriteplace.wordpress.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/FCapaldiBurgess
Instagram:francesca.capaldi.burgess

Reviews

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

War in the Valleys by Francesca Capaldi is a great historical fiction novel about Wales during WWI.

I really enjoyed the characters in War in the Valleys. Violet is always trying to do what is best for her family. Her kids are her number one priority all the time. Sometimes she makes decisions to try to protect them that ends up alienating her friends.

There is so much drama in this small town. Everyone is paying attention to everyone else. There are many gossips. Lying, cheating, stealing, and going to jail are all present in this novel.

I enjoyed how much the novel focused on all of the struggles especially of women at home during WWI.

I recommend War in the Valleys to fans of WWI historical fiction.

Thank you NetGalley and Hera books for War in the Valleys.

Full Review: https://justreadingjess.wordpress.com...

[Pat Brackenbury · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second book in the series and the series keeps giving ! Loved the story line and I was elated that the heroine had a happy ending

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can’t pinpoint why but this was a much slower-paced book than the first one. I just wasn’t interested at all and hurried to finish it. I’ve got the last two in the series but I think I’ll wait before reading them.

[Jayne Clarke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book

[Grace J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another author new to me .. how did I miss her debut novel?

Whilst her husband, Charlie, is fighting on the front in France, Violet remains at home in Wales looking after their two young children. Struggling to make ends meet, she is left in dire straits when unwelcome news arrives. More than ever she needs her friends but what she gets is a relative who makes it harder than ever to keep those relationships going. Will Violet manage to continue on and work through the despair she feels?

I'm disappointed in myself that I missed this author's debut novel; until I completed this one I had no idea that it was a sequel. This one is a superb read - it caught my attention very quickly and I couldn't read fast enough; in fact, I read on long after I should have been in the land of nod. The author has a real skill at language - somehow I managed to read it all in a Welsh accent! A really solid story, beautifully told and, best of all, it only reveals events of the past to explain those of the present. An absolutely riveting read and a total delight to read. If you enjoy a saga with a strong family base then this is one for you. Highly recommended and, in my opinion, worth a glowing five stars!

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read, reviewed and loved the first book in ‘The Valleys’ series which was called ‘Heartbreak In The Valleys’ and it was released earlier this year. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a copy of the second book in the series. Well ladies and gents, the wait is over because the second book in ‘The Valleys’ series is called ‘War In The Valleys’ and it has just been released. It is another corker in the series and I thoroughly enjoyed every single minute of it but more about that in a bit.
As soon as I read the first word on the first page, that was it. I was back in ‘The Valleys’ and I found that I just couldn’t put the book down. My Kindle wasn’t exactly glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it travelled everywhere with me. I couldn’t bear to miss a single second of the story. I had taken to the main character of Violet Jones that well that I just had to keep reading to find out what life had in store for her. I cared about her and about what happened to her. I couldn’t turn the pages quick enough as I seemed to race through the story. I managed to read the book in just under a day, which is pretty good going for me. For me, ‘War In The Valleys’ was a gripping, tense and emotional read that kept my attention throughout and had me on the edge of my seat.
‘War In The Valleys’ is extremely well written. The author knows how to grab your attention from the start and draw you into what proves to be an emotional story. I found that I went through every emotion that Violet went through. Francesca describes the pit village so vividly and realistically that I felt as though I had been transported back in time to when the pit villages were at their busiest and the pits were open. In a way through Francesca’s work, I felt a connection with my ancestors. Fair enough my ancestors weren’t working in Welsh mines but they were working in most of the pit villages of the North East Of England, so by reading books such as this I felt that I had a greater understanding of what they had to live through and the conditions that they had to endure. Francesca has clearly done a lot of research into coal mining and the First World War and this shines through in her writing. I felt as though I was part of the story and that’s all thanks to Francesca’s very vivid and realistic storytelling.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘War In The Valleys’ and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I will be reading much more of Francesca’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

[Shreedevi Gurumurty · Rating 5 out of 5]

July 1916. Young mother, Violet Jones, lives a tough life in the Rhymney Valley, caring for 4-year-old Clarice and baby Benjy on her own while soldier husband Charlie fights on the Front Line. But when tragedy strikes, Violet’s life becomes even harder.While they may be far from the battlefields, the effects of WW1 take their toll on the small mining community of Dorcalon, with food becoming scarce and more and more of their young men losing their lives.With very little money coming in, and two babies to care for, Violet takes in a relative to help make ends meet.But far from easing her burden, it might turn out to be the worst decision she’s made.As the Great War takes its toll on the nation, Violet faces her own battle. All alone in the world, can she protect her children, and herself? And will she ever find joy out of the depths of despair?The Pals battalions of WWI were specially constituted battalions of the British Army comprising men who had enlisted together in local recruiting drives,with the promise that they would be able to serve alongside their friends, neighbours and colleagues, rather than being arbitrarily allocated to battalions.Rhondda Valley is a former coalmining area in South Wales, previously in Glamorgan.It embraces 2 valleys – the larger Rhondda Fawr valley (mawr) and the smaller Rhondda Fach valley (bach).It is most noted for its historical coalmining industry, which peaked between 1840 and 1925.Miners' institutes,aka Workingmen's institute, are large institutional buildings that were typically built during the height of the industrial period as a meeting and educational venue.In Britain, they were owned by miner groups who gave a proportion of their wage into a communal fund to pay for the construction and running of the building.As WWI went on,German submarines targeted commercial shipping and Britain's reliance on imported food led to shortages.There was no way to meet demand and prices rose, which disproportionately affected the poorest.For those not fighting,media and politics made it clear that their patriotic duty was to secure Britain’s food supply through allotments.

[Laura Nelson (Tangents and Tissues) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review written November 2020

It’s no secret that I loved my first visit to Dorcalon back in June earlier this year. So, as you can imagine, I was excited to read the news that the author would be releasing the follow up later in the year. I think my emotional equilibrium had just about returned to normal when I picked up WINV, but not for long... *snorts*

Quick side note – WITV completely works as a standalone, but to gain the full reader experience I’d recommend reading HITV first if you’re like me and want to know everything!

It was as if I’d never been away *sighs*. I immediately picked up from where I left off. You just can’t forget some characters, and, in this case, it was a whole village of them. I’ll admit I have my favourites...

What was that?

Oh, which were my favourite? Well, that would be telling *winks*.

Violet may be the main focus in WITV (and, oi, what a journey!), but I love all the secondary storylines that run parallel and how they interconnect.

I know I’m at risk of repeating myself, but can I admit something? *winces* I ran the full gamut of emotions – again! The Mommy had a few remarks to make about the faces I was pulling as I was reading. Pfft! That will teach me to keep her company when I’m engrossed in a book.

*shrugs* Who am I kidding? That’s an everyday occurrence around here, lol.

I laughed, cried, sappy smiled, raged (translation: swore *blushes*) and worried about how it was all going to turn out. Have a stock of tissues handy!

Francesca Capaldi (and the characters she creates) is one of the reasons that I have fallen in love with saga historical romance fiction. Quite simply, she taps into your heart and makes you care.

*sniffs*

Whaaa? You’re not gonna let up, are you?

Okay, okay, *wags finger* I’ll give you a hint and a hint only about one of my favourites. I’m keeping everything crossed there is a Book 3 because I want this character to have a HEA.

Nope, that’s it!

Bye for now.

[Jaffareadstoo · Rating 4 out of 5]

We can never under estimate the poignancy of a community shattered when those who signed up as part of the PALS battalions failed to return home. Whole communities suffered the loss of a generation of young men who left their homes and loved ones behind to fight with boyhood friends in what they thought would be an adventure of a lifetime.

For the small Welsh valley community of Dorcalon, the newly appointed telegram boy is a regular sight as he delivers cream coloured envelopes to unsuspecting households, and for people like Violet Jones life will never be the same again for her and her two small children. However, it’s not just Violet who must learn to cope with life alone, there are others in this small Welsh mining village who are also finding life difficult, money is scarce and jobs hard to find.

Beautifully written, with a heartbreaking poignancy, War in the Valleys brings this war time era into stark focus and describes a dark time when life, for most people, was a real struggle. Violet does what she must to survive and then realises she has to live with the consequences, not just battling through her grief but also finding the strength to go on when someone around her seems hellbent on overpowering her natural good nature.

The other characters who flit into and out of the story are again typical of their time and social class, they pull together in tragedy and yet remain naturally wary of those whom they consider to be their betters. They’re not all likeable, there some are baddies amongst the community who deserve to get their comeuppance whilst others go above and beyond duty and that’s what makes the story so interesting.

Stalwart, stoical and steadfast the people of the Rhymney Valley are well portrayed in a story which tugs away at your heartstrings and which brings the place, people and time to life in a historical saga which captivates from first page to last.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Francesca Capaldi takes us back in time to life in Rhymney Valley in Wales. Dorcalon is a small village where life centres around the mine although the mine is more in the back ground with the author focusing on the residents themselves.

You get a real sense of how hard life was for many during WW1. Many of the men had gone off to fight leaving the women to do more at the mine as well as trying to make ends meet and look after the family home and inhabitants. Violet is one such character that we meet and I felt for this young mother who has so many issues to face. One being her over bearing mother in law who made my blood boil so many times when reading about her.

There is a fair bit of drama that unfolds within the village and it was like watching your favourite soap at times to see if certain characters were going to get away with their actions or if they would be found out. I loved the sense of community and the friendships, although at times some of these were put under strain.

War in the Valleys is another great story by the author that captivated my mind and heart. There is some great characterisation that had me go through so many emotions as these characters lives got under my skin. It’s a great insight into how people lived in those days and didn’t envy the women keeping house without all the mod cons we have nowadays. A must read for historical fiction fans who love to be transported to a time gone by where emotions are high and friendship and hope is strong.

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

[Booklover BEV · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dorcalon Wales,1916, this is the second book in this series.
Violet Jones and her two small children Benjamin and Clarice are coping, with her husband Charlie in the 13th battalion [Welsh] Division and has been sent to the front, she receives a letter from a fellow soldier Dylan Davies how he was a hero and would he pass on the message that he was ok and coping well. Hywel Llwellyn use to be her lodger but Charlie said it wasn't fit to have a single man in the house so after he was shot he moved in with his sister, but Violet knew he always had a soft spot for her. she was eager for Charlie to come home but a knock on the door its young George Lewis the telegram boy. Private C Jones is dead.
Times are set to be a hard struggle from now on for Violet, its going to be a long battle ahead,and I just loved reading her story. the characters, in the community and family make this book it's own. A unique book for readers to certainly enjoy.

[Corinne Rodrigues · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven’t read the earlier book Heartbreak in the Valley, but War In The Valleys reads well as a stand alone book.

I really enjoyed learning about the mining community in Wales during World War 1. The book had me involved right from the start. The insights into how this community coped with the loss of life from the dangerous mines as well as the war. Hunger and hardship were part of their daily life and yet they show strength of character. How Violet manages with the loss of her husband in the war and tries to make ends meet makes a very emotional read. Her friends supporting her despite their own hardships is heartening.

The use of Welsh phrases and the whole story showed that the author had thoroughly researched mining and the First World War and its effects on people in Wales.

I liked the author’s style of characterization and creation of atmosphere and very vivid storytelling.

[Barbara Deeprose · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Good Read

I think I enjoyed this book even more than the first in the series. It is not absolutely necessary to have read the first but I think it is worth while to catch up on the background. I did get a bit confused at times as there are a lot of people in the book but that might just be me. Violet is a young widow with two small children when she hears her husband has been killed in WW1. Worse is to come when her mother in law comes to stay over Christmas and decides she needs to stay indefinitely to help Violet. Gradually Violet becomes estranged from her friends. She desperately needs to get her mother in law out of the house but she seems to have taken over. A good read.

[Marcia Clayton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whilst World War 1 wages on, Violet is busy caring for her children, Clarice and Benjy, in the Rhymney Valley in Wales while her husband, Charlie, fights on the Front Line. When tragedy strikes, Charlie’s mother, Olwen, comes to stay with Violet to help out over Christmas but ends up staying indefinitely. Violet appreciates Olwen’s help in looking after the children to allow her to go out to work but finds her mother-in-law controlling and hard to live with, and she becomes estranged from her friends. I struggled a bit with the Welsh words in this book, but thoroughly enjoyed the story. A well-written and heartwarming family saga.

[Vivien Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

A large cast of characters, many of whom we have met before, battle hardship and loss in First World War Wales in this second instalment of the series. It's a small village community but that doesn't stop it having more than its fair share of crime, vindictiveness, romance and drama. Elizabeth meets a potential suitor, Anwen finally marries, and big decisions about the fate of an abandoned baby bring family discord. This is largely Violet's story however, as she copes with widowhood, young children, food shortages, working in the mine, and an unwanted visitor who makes her life unbearable but won't go away. As Violet's feelings for Anwen's uncle Hywel begin to grow, under her mother in law's watchful eye, and at the mercy of her vicious tongue, can they ever become more than just friends? Well researched and authentic. A not always comfortable read but an absorbing one.

[Kathy E · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another brilliant book from Francesca Capaldi. I enjoyed the first one and was not disappointed with the follow up. I simply loved all the characters in this book to me there was just one character who I hated Olwen, Violet's mother in law. The only downside to these books is if your not Welsh or speak he language there are certain words just just imagine in your Mother tongue(it would be nice if there was a glossary of words). Well it's a well done once again to Francesca Capaldi.

[M.W. Arnold · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am becoming a big fan of this author. Cracking read Francesca! You certainly know how to work my emotions - keep going!

[Mrs Margaret Maher · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good book

I have enjoyed reading this book. What a life these People had full of hard work and wondering if they were going to manage to live on.

[Julia Povall · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read but far too many named characters which don't relate to the plot as a whole.

[Mrs Wendy Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished this book War in the Valley’s again could not put it down so I have just bought book3 and will start reading this and I can’t wait.

[Karen Kingston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Back in June 2020, I shared my review for the debut novel by Francesca Capaldi, Heartbreak in the Valley (http://mentoringmumof2bookreviews.hom...). War in the Valleys takes us back to Dorcalon in Rhymney Valley, starting a couple of months later.

I enjoyed returning to meet the characters, to find out what had happened after the explosion in the mine and the police investigation into racketeering. The primary focus of the first book was Anwen, in this book we find out more about Violet, one of her best friends.

Violet has to deal with loss and a lack of money. Sadly, someone who claims to be ready to help her, is actually trying to undermine her and is making her life more difficult. Violet needs her friends more than ever, but they are also busy dealing with an unexpected addition to the family and working long shifts in a munitions factory.

The losses of local men on the battlefields and down the mine, the lack of food and the poverty could make this a depressing read, but the story is full of community spirit and some humorous moments. I must admit that this is my favourite book of the series, possibly because I knew the characters better this time.

As the granddaughter of a miner, I’m enjoying the series. Thank you Francesca for another well written journey back in time.