Duty Calls at Goodwill House (Goodwill House #3) by Fenella J Miller
Genre: Historical fiction, Wartime fiction, Sagas, WW2
Read: 23rd July 2022
Published: 26th July 2022
★★★★ 4 stars
DESCRIPTION:
July 1940
With Hitler’s bombs getting closer, WAAF Diane Forsyth is determined to face the oncoming danger and do her duty to support the brave RAF pilots who risk their lives as they take to the skies.
And there’s one pilot in particular Di hopes remains safe - Squadron Leader Freddie Hanover. But with a romance between them growing, Di and Freddie know their duty must always come first. How can they dream of a future together whilst this terrible war continues?
Lady Joanna Harcourt understands Di’s vow of duty – she’s taken one herself. But Joanna also knows that life is terribly precious and that one must make the most of every single day…before it’s too late.
MY THOUGHTS:
The third in this engaging series, DUTY CALLS AT GOODWILL HOUSE sees the return of our favourite characters in Lady Joanna Harcourt and her mother-in-law Elizabeth as well as Millie Thorrington and Di Forsyth of the local RAF base. This book picks up where the previous one "New Recruits at Goodwill House" left off with the story seamlessly continuing after Ted and Millie's wedding and the beginning of Di and Freddie's courtship.
There are many changes coming this time round in the form of a death of a beloved friend and the adoption of twins Liza and Joe. At the end of the previous book, we were introduced to the new Lord Harcourt who had inherited the title from Lady Joanna's now deceased husband, David. Whilst he seemed a pleasant sort at first, it seems he may not be all that he appears, leaving the women frantic about the future of Goodwill House. Meanwhile, measles is running rife in the village with many adults and children falling ill.
In the meantime, they are awaiting the arrival of some Land Girls who will fill the places that the WAAFs such as Millie and Di had left behind once their accommodation had been completed at RAF Manston. Joanna is looking forward to having a house full again.
War continues to rage in and across Europe with the Germans now seizing Guersney in the Channel Islands, leaving Britain fearful that they will do the same to them. So it's imperative that the RAF pilots fight to keep the Germans from invading their country and they do so by keeping them at bay above the channel. But with each scramble comes risks. The life of a fighter pilot is invariably a short one, and this is a risk that both Ted and Freddie take each time they go up. But when Freddies comes acropper when a German fires on him he is left with a quandary - does he make an escape or attempt to land his plane to the best of his ability? And should he do the latter, would he survive the landing?
DUTY CALLS AT GOODWILL HOUSE is an engaging historical saga in which the reader revisits old friends once again as the series continues. I do look forward to seeing what awaits our friends in the next book.
One thing did irritate me slightly was the continual use of the phrase "going for a Burton". A few times maybe, but it seemed that everyone in the RAF or WAAF was using the the term even in their internal monologuing narrative. Not everyone is familiar with the term and would need to google it (as I had to on a previous occasion when reading one of the books in this series) so use of the correct term would be helpful at times also. And one other thing got a little under my skin too. A seasoned writer such as Ms Miller I would have thought her research would reveal that the "Australians" she often referred to as the AAF (Australian Air Force) is actually correctly called the RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force), which was established in 1921 well in time for WW2 and the setting of this series. Just a couple of niggles, but niggles all the same.
Aside from that, DUTY CALLS AT GOODWILL HOUSE is an enjoyable lighthearted read despite the WW2 setting, though it is not grim. I was thrilled to see Lazzy again (a silly name for a dog and should be called by his actual name Lazarus or just Laz) and hope that no harm comes to him despite the threats made.
There is still alot going on in the background of the series but I must say although the story surrounds much of the goings on at RAF Manston, I am more interested in life at Goodwill House, especially as that is where the series is based around.
An engaging saga that would endear many historical and wartime fiction fans but one that is best started from the beginning.
I would like to thank #FenellaJMiller, #Netgalley, #BoldwoodBooks and #RachelsRandomResources for an ARC of #DutyCallsAtGoodwillHouse 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
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