Hopes and Dreams for the Variety Girls (The Variety Girls #2) by Tracy Baines
Genre: Historical fiction, Wartime fiction, Sagas, WW2
Read: 7th August 2022
Published: 11th August 2022
★★★★ 4 stars
DESCRIPTION:
As war is declared can The Variety Girls keep smiling through…
Cleethorpes – September 1939
Struggling to keep their spirits up as the reality of war hits home and theatres are closed, friends Jessie Delaney and Frances O’Leary search for work to see them through until they can sing and dance again.
Frances, once upon a time followed her dreams of becoming a dancer but soon found herself with a broken heart and a precious secret when her lover abandoned her. Keeping her secret from her friends grows more difficult as time passes and their friendship grows..
But with her lover returning to England from a successful tour of America, how long will it be before the truth comes to light?
Secrets aren’t good for anyone and Frances isn’t the only one hiding things from her friends. Ginny Thomspon, another Variety Girl is hoping for the best. But is hope enough?
Can the Variety Girls pull together to help each other through the tough times or will their secrets tear them apart?
A gritty and heart-warming saga perfect for readers of Elaine Everest, Nancy Revell and Pam Howes.
MY THOUGHTS:
The second book in the Variety Girls series sees the story pick up directly where it left off in the "The Variety Girls" previously. This time, however, the story focuses on Frances with Jessie taking a a backseat to this story. It was lovely to revisit my time in Cleesthorpes with the girls once again.
At the close of the previous book, rumours of war had been looming all summer but that didn't deter the girls from putting on the performance of their careers. Jessie was offered a place in a West End show after talent scout Vernon Leroy had come to watch her perform, and best of all, her true love Harry had proposed. But Harry had already volunteered with the RAF so if war came he would be flying some treacherous missions.
Picking up directly after Jessie's doubly exciting news, it's 3rd September and all of Britain has awoken early to await the announcement from London at 11am. And it's the news no one wants to hear but were prepared for - Britain was at war with Germany. And immediately, all theatres were closed until further notice leaving Frances and Jessie and many others out of work. Never one to give up, Frances finds work at the Fisherman's Inn with her kindly landlady and boss Lil, and Jessie at a solicitor's office drawing on her previous experience working in her Uncle Norman's firm before joining the Variety Girls.
When the theatre owner Jack Holland announces that the Empire will reopen, but in a limited capacity, the girls step up and start rehearsing their act to perform between cinema screenings that are also being played. But with the girls' other work committments it soon becomes difficult to pin each of them down to specific schedule. For Frances, Sundays are out and no one can understand why for she remains tight-lipped about it.
Meanwhile in their dressing room is a photograph of her adored little niece Imogen...but what no one knows is that their relationship runs much deeper. And now Frances has received news that the sweetheart, the love of her life, who had abandoned her four years ago for the bright lights of America and promises to write and send her a ticket to join him, is back in England. Frances' heart was broken then and she would not allow it to be again. More importantly, she would not allow Imogen's to be broken. She had trusted Johnny and he had cruelly abandoned her...but had he really? And now that he is back, will her secret finally be revealed?
A delightful tale, HOPES AND DREAMS FOR THE VARIETY GIRLS is about love, life and friendships in the face of war and tragedy. The war is but a backdrop and is, in fact, barely mentioned. The story that unfolds is about love and friendships and secrets. As everyone knows secrets have a way of coming out and not always in a good way.
I certainly enjoyed this tale, far more than the first one I think, though I'm not sure why as they are both equally just as enjoyable and just as well told. And the characters are very likeable...bar one, of course, just as in the first book.
Although HOPES AND DREAMS FOR THE VARIETY GIRLS is the second in the series, it can suffice as a standalone with enough background information that doesn't leave you scratching your head as to what you may have missed. And equally so, as this one is Frances' story and the first one was Jessie's.
A thoroughly enjoyable tale, I can't wait to rejoin the girls in the next installment to see what awaits them...and who will be the focus next time? Ginny, maybe? Or Dolly? I guess we'll have to wait and see.
I would like to thank #TracyBaines, #Netgalley, #BoldwoodBooks and #RachelsRandomResources for an ARC of #HopesAndDreamsForTheVarietyGirls in exchange for an honest review.
MEET THE AUTHOR:
So began her love of live entertainment, and with something of a virtual free pass, Tracy and her sisters got to see many variety performers who appeared in summer seasons and pantomimes on the end of the pier show.
From the age of sixteen, Tracy worked backstage during summer seasons, pantomimes and everything else in-between on the pier. She met her husband when he was appearing with the Nolan Sisters and she was Assistant Stage Manager.
The first two books in the Variety Girls series are set in Cleethorpes, in the square mile that was her childhood home.
Tracy lives in Dorset with her husband and springer spaniel, Harry. Her children and grandchildren live close by.
Social Media links:
No comments:
Post a Comment