A Girl's Guide To Winning The War by Annie Lyons BLOG TOUR #AGirlsGuideToWinningTheWar @1AnnieLyons @headlinepg @RandomTTours #BookReview

 

1940. Whip-smart librarian Peggy Sparks is determined to make sure that her brother Joe returns from the frontline to their London home, which they share with their beloved mother and grandmother. So when she is offered a once-in-a-lifetime job at the heart of the war effort, Peggy jumps at the prospect of making a real contribution to her country.

But when she finds herself working under the fanciful socialite Lady Marigold Cecily, Peggy discovers that those around her are more keen on dancing at the Café de Paris than on ending the war. Writing accounts of her daily life is the only thing keeping Peggy's hopes alive. But when she finds her inner-most thoughts accidentally published by the Ministry of Information, Peggy realises she needs Marigold's help to save her job, and to bring her brother home . . .

From the author of The Air Raid Book Club comes a powerful tale of unexpected friendship, community and two remarkable women who change the course of the war. Full of heart, emotion and drama, it is the perfect uplifting story for fans of Kate Thompson and Natasha Lester.

A Girl's Guide To Winning The War by Annie Lyons was published on 25 July 2024 by Headline. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review as part of this Blog Tour. 

This is an absolutely glorious book that I devoured in just a couple of sittings. If you are a fan of historical fiction with fascinating insight into the world of the Government during the war, featuring some incredibly strong female characters, and showcasing a love of books, then this really is for you. 

Peggy Sparks lives in London with four generations of her family in one house. She works as a librarian and is currently taking part in the Mass Observation Project, where she writes about her daily life during the war. Her twin brother Joe is away overseas fighting, he is much missed, but their regular letters, always signed off by Joe with 'we will meet again', keep her spirits up. 

When Peggy's writing is noticed by those in high places, she is offered a job at The Ministry of Information as a proofreader. Although hesitant at first, Peggy takes the job and this is when her life changes so much. 

The contrast between Peggy's life, her home and her family and most of the other employees at the Ministry is beautifully created. We see how those with money and power deal with war time restrictions, compared to those people with a low income who live in poor housing. When Peggy meets colleague Lady Marigold Cecily for the first time, she is not impressed. Marigold appears flippant and entitled, always late, always out for lunch and appearing to have no real idea of how the war is affecting most people. 

As Peggy becomes more comfortable in her role, she really finds her voice. Her talent for writing is utilised by the Ministry, even if she isn't credited as the actual author. She and Marigold become closer, in fact, Marigold becomes a dear friend to her and her family, they help each other out, using their own experiences to solve problems. 

It is war time though and there are many tragedies and lots of heartbreak along the way for Peggy, her family and the team at the Ministry. There are men who often stand in the way of progression, there are men who stand up for the women, and their is one special person who becomes very important to Peggy. 

This is a wonderful book, dealing with friendships and resilience with the overarching theme of books and the absolute power of words. Packed with characters who are colourful and perfectly created, I loved every page of it. Highly recommended.

After a career in bookselling and publishing, Annie Lyons became an author. 

When not working on her novels, she teaches creative writing. 

She lives in south-east London with her husband and two children and black labrador, Nelson.

www.annielyons.com

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IG @annielyonsauthor