They’ll come together to do their bit for the war.
Jane Hadley has nothing to lose when she runs away to join the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force. Whatever faces her in war-torn London can’t be any worse than staying at home with her abusive father…
The city is nothing like she could have imagined, but she’s soon on the move, travelling from base to base for her top-secret training. Making … base for her top-secret training. Making plenty of new friends along the way, it doesn’t take long for Jane to embrace her growing confidence – especially under the attentive eye of dashing Officer Oscar Stanton.
Life as an independent woman is as rewarding as it is exciting, until Jane’s father tracks her down and it crashes to a halt. Jane will need all her new-found strength to find her way back to the frontline – and to the man she’s fallen for…
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The Girls in Blue by Fenella J. Miller transports readers back to 1939 when war is declared in England. Jane Hadley has been waiting for this day. Jane has been beaten by her father regularly for years. With war declared and her eighteenth birthday the next day, Jane can finally escape. With help from the vicar and his wife, Jane departs the next day for London where she volunteers for the Women’s Air Auxiliary Force (WAAF). She trains with Charlotte and Nancy who become her close friends. Unfortunately, Jane is given a different assignment after training. On the first day at her new location, she has an accident and meets a handsome RAF pilot. Oscar Stanton would like to be more than friends, but Jane will not allow herself to get close to any man. Jane trains for a top-secret position and enjoys life in the WAAf. Her biggest worry is that her father will find her. One day Jane’s biggest nightmare comes to true. The Girls in Blue is an appealing and poignant historical novel. The author has an engaging writing style. I began reading and I was surprised by how quickly the book flew by. I could tell the author did her research for this book. I enjoyed an inside look at the WAAF. Also included are details on RAF pilots, their assignments, and war events. It is terrible what Jane endured at the hands of her father (it will have you in tears). I liked the developed and charming characters. The Girls in Blue focuses on Jane with chapters from Oscar’s point-of-view as well. Oscar is a delightful character. He is a cute RAF pilot with a big heart. This is an emotional story that will touch your heart. While I would have liked an epilogue, I understand why we did not get one (part of a series). I hope we get updates on Jane, Oscar, and Charlotte in the next book. I look forward to Nancy’s tale in The East End Girl in Blue. The Girls in Blue is a gratifying historical novel with a toast threat, dog drama, trust troubles, a vicious father, and horrendous hikes.
The Girls in Blue is the first book in the series of the same name by Fenella J. Miller. The three girls of the title are each introduced within this story that focuses mainly on Jane Hadley as she escapes her abusive father to join the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) as Britain first enters World War II.
As the story moves between Jane and the pilot she meets, Oscar Stanton, we see both her introduction to the WAAF and Oscar’s experiences as an officer. As their acquaintance begins to deepen, Jane reacts in fear and a pattern starts to emerge of her shutting things down between them only for events to bring them together again. And there are quite a few occasions where danger and injury occur, at times in such quick succession that the story nearly verges on melodrama.
With characters that are quickly drawn, this is a slightly frothy affair that doesn’t explore too deeply below the surface, while still dealing with heavier topics. I did have some questions come to mind about the official secrecies act and Jane’s adherence to it, and could have done with several less references to her father – the villain of this story – as “that man.” But it is a quick, entertaining read that leaves the reader unsurprised by the inclusion of a slang dictionary in the series bibliography yet ready to eagerly dive into the rest of the series.
This is a romance, a coming of age story, and an interesting look into British military life in the early years of World War II. I’m looking forward to continuing the series and if you are looking for a diverting read that is easy on the history lessons, with romance and peril, and don’t mind a bit of language and mentions of premarital intimacy, you might also want to give it a go. If historical fiction set during World War II is a favorite, Fenella J. Miller might just be your new comfort read author.
This review refers to an ebook I voluntarily read through my library’s Overdrive service. No review was required and all opinions expressed are my own.
I would like to thank Aria and the Netgalley website for allowing me to read this book.
It is about Jane Hadley who, with nothing to lose, joins the Wommen’s Auxiliary Air Force. She finds herself in London where London is destroyed by war. It is no worse than if she stayed at home with her father.
London is not what she imagined, she goes from base to base to continue her top secret training.
She meets a lot of people and gains confidence. Except that her father will find her.
I read this book in one sitting and was immediately hooked on the story, which was so gripping, captivating, addictive, full of intrigue, suspense and twists and turns with very endearing characters. I can’t wait to read the whole series.
I love WWII Historical Fiction and this was different from the usual ones that I have read. The story takes place as the war is just starting when Jane Hadley, an 18-year-old who has been severely abused by her father all her life, seeks shelter with their vicar and joins the WAAF. It isn’t long before Jane meets pilot Oscar Stanton who immediately falls in love with her. The story revolves around Jane and the female co-workers she meets and makes friends with, but it always manages to come back to Oscar who she is having a hard time learning to trust after her abusive relationship with her father. I really enjoyed this book but I did not care for the character of Jane.
Thank you NetGalley and Aria Books for the ARC of this very interesting book in exchange for an honest review.