July 1947. Britain is still gripped by rationing, even as the excitement of Princess Elizabeth’s engagement sweeps the nation… In the Woolworths’ canteen, Freda is still dreaming of meeting her own Prince Charming, and Sarah's idyllic family life is under threat with worries about her husband, Alan. The friends must rally round to face some of the toughest challenges of their lives together. And although they experience loss, hardship and shocks along the way, love is on the horizon for the Woolworths girls.
Author: Elaine Everest
Publication Day: 30th April
Published By: Pan MacMillan
Links: UK: Amazon Waterstones
Our Review
I was delighted to read Wedding Bells for Woolworths as I really wanted to catch up and see what the original Woolworths girls had been getting up to.
Things had changed a lot for Maisie, Sarah and Freda and their boss Betty as three of them were married with children. Freda the youngest of the group found herself in a bit of a scrape due to perhaps misguided loyalties and subsequently risked the amazing friendships she had built with the other girls.
The story is set in post war Erith against the backdrop of Princess Elizabeth’s wedding and the Olympics being held in London. Although the story is fiction I found it even more interesting because of the snippets of history that were weaved throughout.
There is a troubling incident that happens which escalated as the story unfolds and becomes extremely shocking which totally pulled the rug from under my feet. I really don't want to give the game away so I won't say any more about that.
I love how Maisie manages to make clothes for the girls out of bits and bobs and I can really see the outfits in my imagination.
One of the things I love about the Woolworths series is that it gives the reader a glimpse of a more innocent and simple way of life, people didn’t have much but they shared what little they did have. The matriarch of the family Ruby was amazing as usual and still looked after everyone she came in contact with and treated them like they were her own.
There are lots of happy moments to look forward to with Wedding Bells for Woolworths but there is also heartbreak as things don't work out quite as well as they should do for some of the characters. It really does show that life isn't all plain sailing. I have thoroughly enjoyed the Woolworths series and The Teashop Girls by the same author.
Sincerely
Book Angel x
About the Author
A former Woolworths Girl herself, Elaine Everest is from Kent and she grew up listening to stories of the war years in her home town of Erith, which features in her bestselling Woolworths Girls series. A former journalist, Elaine has written over sixty short stories for the women's magazines and she used to run the Romantic Novelists Association blog. When she isn't writing, Elaine runs The Write Place creative writing school in Hextable. She lives with her husband, Michael and sheepdog Henry.
A former Woolworths Girl herself, Elaine Everest is from Kent and she grew up listening to stories of the war years in her home town of Erith, which features in her bestselling Woolworths Girls series. A former journalist, Elaine has written over sixty short stories for the women's magazines and she used to run the Romantic Novelists Association blog. When she isn't writing, Elaine runs The Write Place creative writing school in Hextable. She lives with her husband, Michael and sheepdog Henry.
Hello I am so delighted I located your blog, I really located you by mistake, while I was watching on google for something else, Anyways I am here now and could just like to say thank for a tremendous post and a all round entertaining website. Please do keep up the great work. pg slot
ReplyDelete