New Recruits at Goodwill House (Goodwill House #2) by Fenella J. Miller
Genre: Wartime sagas, Historical fiction, WW2
Read: 4th April 2022
Published: 7th April 2022
★★★★ 4 stars
DESCRIPTION:
May 1940
There are new residents at Goodwill House – WAAF drivers Camilla ‘Millie’ Cunningham and Diane Forsyth, both eager to do their bit for the war effort and excited to be helping the brave boys who fly.
And when Millie meets dashing and heroic Spitfire pilot Ted Thorrington, they strike up an instant connection. But with Hitler gaining more ground in Europe, there is danger brewing across the Channel in Dunkirk and Ted is required to fly more and more dangerous sorties, risking his life every time.
With their hearts and lives on the line, the courage of the girls in blue will be tested like never before…
MY REVIEW:
Having thoroughly enjoyed the first book in this delightful new series, "The War Girls of Goodwill House" which had a Downton-esque feel to it, I was excited to dive into NEW RECRUITS AT GOODWILL HOUSE and revisit the charming characters in residence there. Although we have bid farewell to a couple of much-loved ones from the first book, we meet some delightful new ones in this installment as well as meet up with the recurring characters.
It's 1940 and Goodwill House is receiving a new influx of WAAFs to be stationed at the nearby Manston RAF base and while their accommodation is being constructed, the girls will be billeted at the lovely home of Joanna Harcourt and her estranged, and newly returned, mother-in-law Elizabeth, the Dowager Lady Harcourt. Having never met her sharp-tongued mother-in-law who was much estranged from her husband, David, Joanna was not prepared for the bitter retorts or judgement on how she ran Goodwill House in Lord Harcourt's absence. The Dowager arrived towards the end of the previous book and had words with Joanna's daughter Sarah, which thus lead her to jump in her fiance's car and leave Goodwill House in the dead of night for London and train to become a doctor. As this had always been Sarah's intention, it was an expected departure but not so abruptly. I must admit, I missed Sarah and Angus in this installment. They were mentioned in passing on occasion but neither appeared at all, which was unfortunate.
The story thus picks up shortly after Sarah and Angus' departure for London as two new WAAFs, Camilla "Millie" Cunningham and Di Forsyth, are the first to arrive at Goodwill House. Both young women joined against their parents' wishes and have just completed extensive training to become drivers, ferrying airmen, officers and other WAAFs about the base or to and from wherever they needed to go. Both women are the first of the WAAF drivers to arrive and are lumbered with the heavy lorries in the Motor Pool used for transporting groups of airmen around the base. But being billeted at Goodwill House is far more comfortable than the bare essentials the RAF provide them with on base. Millie and Di will find themselves missing the creature comforts when their accommodation, in the form of Nissen huts, are completed.
Goodwill House comes alive with the women billeted there. Soon after Millie and Di's arrival come a further influx of WAAFs, two of whom prove to be a little dishonourable to the uniform they wear and the country they represent. In light of a little insubordination and impropriety, Millie is promoted to Leading Aircraft Woman where the other WAAFs are therefore under her charge. A bit of heroism from Lazzy, the Wolfhound puppy found in the derelict Victorian wing of Goodwill House, highlights his obvious hidden talents as well as the dog himself. Di had never been much of a dog person after being attacked by one as a child but Lazzy coming to her rescue one night changes her fear and gives her a newfound appreciation for the much loved pup.
Meanwhile, Joanna and her mother-in-law reach a turning point in their somewhat estranged relationship and it isn't long before they find connection and a common interest together, discovering that despite thinking they had little in common that they are actually more alike than they knew. When the Ladies Harcourt then receive some distressing news, together they unite to encounter their troubles head on and to hopefully bring an end to the hardship they are now confronted with. Will this be the end of Goodwill House as they know it?
We rejoin the twins that Joanna took in and employed for kitchen, housework and outdoor duties, as well as new and old ones who pop up from time to time. Romance is also in the air for Millie when she meets Flying Officer Ted Thorrington but is unsure whether she wants to commit to a fighter pilot knowing their life expectancy is extremely low. Will they find happiness in each other or will the war claim yet another casualty?
An engaging read, I did enjoy NEW RECRUITS AT GOODWILL HOUSE but sadly not as much as the first one, which I loved. I think perhaps the storyline was far different to that in the first book which was more medically based and featured Joanna's daughter Sarah and her own romance with Flight Lieutenant Angus Trent from the nearby RAF Manston. This time the story centred more around the RAF base and those within whereas the first one was more predominantly with Goodwill House. I did enjoy revisiting those who live at Goodwill House, particularly the twins and the newfound relationship between Joanna and her mother-in-law. And of course, it was a delight to meet up with Lazzy again (named Lazarus having been near death when he was found and brought lovingly back to life in the first book).
NEW RECRUITS AT GOODWILL HOUSE was a relatively fun read and quite an easy one to meander through. I did find the ending a little abrupt but assume it will be picked up in the third installment - by which time readers will probably have forgotten where it in fact did leave off. That is the disadvantage of leaving the end of a book in a series up in the air. While some things were resolved, the new underlying storyline was not but rather left open to address in the next book. I would have liked some resolution at least even if it continued in Book 3. But as it stands it's a loose end that will just flit away and be forgotten by the time the next book does come round.
There are many more possibilities to come in the next book and I can't wait to read them. I do hope to see something of Sarah, and maybe Angus? But I won't be holding my breath. I will however see where the next takes us when Goodwill House opens it doors to the services once again...this time, to the expected Land Girls maybe? Whatever it is, I look forward to it. And hope to see Millie, Ted, Di and Freddie put in an appearance again as none of them seemed to have gone anywhere just yet.
An enjoyable quickish read perfect for fans of wartime sagas.
I would like to thank #FenellaJMiller, #BoldwoodBooks and #RachelsRandomResources for an ARC of #NewRecruitsAtGoodwillHouse in exchange for an honest review.
MEET THE AUTHOR:
Fenella Jane Miller was born in the Isle of Man and is the bestselling writer of eighteen historical sagas. She also has apassion for Regency romantic adventures and has published over fifty to greatacclaim. Her father was a Yorkshireman 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.
Social Media links:
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
She has over twenty five Regency romantic adventures published plus one Jane Austen re-telling and one YA romantic fantasy.
Fenella lives in a small village in Essex with her British Shorthair cat.
Social Media links:
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
No comments:
Post a Comment