Release Day! The Kew Gardens Girls at War by Posy Lovell ~ My Thoughts #TheKewGardenGirlsAtWar #NetGalley

 Happy Release Day!

Congrats Posy

on the release of

The Kew Gardens Girls at War!

The Kew Gardens Girls at War by Posy Lovell 

Historical World War I Fiction, 448 pages

Published April 19, 2022 by G.P. Putnam's Sons

Inspired by real events, a touching novel about a new class of courageous women who worked at London's historic Kew Gardens during World War II.

In the face of war, gardening is their duty...

When Daisy Cooper's new husband joins the RAF to fight the Battle of Britain, she's terrified she's going to lose him. So when her mother Ivy suggests she join the gardeners at Kew to keep busy, Daisy's intrigued. After all, Ivy worked at Kew during the last great war and made lifelong friends along the way.

Louisa Armitage, not ready to hang up her gardening gloves just yet, and Beth Sanderson, an aspiring doctor looking to make a difference, decide to enlist as well. When tragedy strikes, the women are forced to come together to support one other during their darkest hours. But can the Kew Gardens Girls survive the horrors of war-torn London this time? 

My thoughts about The Kew Gardens Girls at War ~~

(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first line.)

First line—"Kent, Summer 1940 - Louisa heard the engines before she saw the planes. They were high-pitched and droning bees. Angry bees, she thought."

I loved The Kew Garden Girls and was excited when I found out that the author continued their story. As we go back to the Kew Gardens, we get to meet up again with some of the original girls but we also get to meet their other family members and children. The Kew Gardens legacy continues in the next generation. This is a continuation of the first book but you wouldn't need to read the first book to enjoy this one. 

This is a beautifully written historical fiction story that will make you fall in love with the characters and the gardens, even in the midst of the terrible war and all of the tragedy that comes with it. There is a peacefulness and healing to the gardens that made me want to visit and spend time in them. 

The Kew Gardens Girls at War is a definite must-read for all lovers of historical fiction. Amazing writing, beautiful setting, and memorable characters. 

I received an ARC of The Kew Gardens Girls at War from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

 Book #1 was just as amazing. 

You can read my thoughts here.

About the author

Posy Lovell is a pseudonym for British author and journalist Kerry Barrett. Born in Edinburgh, she moved to London as a child with her family. She has a passion for uncovering the role of women in the past. She lives in London with her family and is the author of The Kew Gardens Girls. ~ Publisher website

Connect with Posy/Kerry

Publisher Website | Website | Goodreads | Facebook

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Be sure to check the sidebar for all of my current giveaways!

New Release! The Kew Gardens Girls by Posy Lovell ~ My Thoughts #TheKewGardensGirls #NetGalley

Congrats Posy

on the release of

The Kew Gardens Girls!

The Kew Gardens Girls by Posy Lovell 

Historical World War I Fiction, 317 pages

Published April 20th 2021 by G.P. Putnam's Sons

A heart-warming novel inspired by real life events, about the brave women during WWI who worked in the historic grounds of London’s Kew Gardens.

Can the women of Kew keep the gardens alive in the midst of war?

London, 1916. England is at war. Desperate to help in whatever way they can, Ivy and Louisa enlist as gardeners at Kew, the Royal Botanic Gardens, taking on the jobs of the men who have gone to fight. Under their care, the gardens begin to flourish and become a safe haven for those seeking solace–but not everyone wants women working at Kew.

The pair begin to face challenges on the home front. When a tragedy overseas affects the people closest to them, can the women of Kew pull together to support themselves and their country through the darkest of times? 

My thoughts about The Kew Gardens Girls ~~

(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first line.)

First line—"The bells seemed louder than usual this evening, Reverend Miller thought as he walked around the side of St. Anne's Church. Perhaps the bell ringers were feeling particularly energetic."

To be honest, I haven't really read many books based on WWI, I find myself reading more about WWII. The Kew Gardens Girls gave me an insightful look at an important time and place in London during the war. Based on true events the Gardens brought together a group of people working together to maintain the flowers and vegetables, while also nurturing a strong family bond among the strangers who found themselves working on the grounds. It was a time of great stress for everyone, but they were there for each other. 

There are many wonderful characters and relationships in this story and I found myself transported to the place and found myself among people I came to care about. The Kew Gardens Girls will be a story that I will think about long after I close the book. I highly recommend it for all readers of historical fiction for a glance at an important part of the past. 

I received an ARC of The Kew Gardens Girls and this is my honest opinion.

About the author

Posy Lovell is a pseudonym for British author and journalist Kerry Barrett. Born in Edinburgh, she moved to London as a child with her family. She has a passion for uncovering the role of women in the past. She lives in London with her family and is the author of The Kew Gardens Girls. ~ Publisher website

Connect with Posy/Kerry

Publisher Website | Website | Goodreads | Facebook

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Be sure to check the sidebar for all of my current giveaways!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? April 19, 2021 #IMWAYR

     

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week. It's an opportunity to visit other blogs and to comment on their reads. And ... you can add to that ever growing TBR pile! So welcome everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date. And here we are! 

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This is my birthday week, Thursday marks the day! One of my daughters is coming for a visit that day. We've seen her off and on this past year but have not gone into each other's homes and haven't had hugs. We are both fully vaccinated now and I can't wait to have her here! I'm thinking it will be the  'hug that never ends'. 💖🤗

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you all have a good week. 

Happy reading!

What I'm currently reading

Margreete's Harbor

by Eleanor Morse

Pub date 4/20

Water for Elephants

by Sara Gruen

Narrated by David LeDoux & John Randolph Jones

What I recently finished

The Kew Gardens Girls

by Posy Lovell

Pub date 4/20

Of Kindness and Kilowatts

(Nothing is Promised Book 3)

by Susan Kaye Quinn

Read my thoughts here

The Good Sister

by Sally Hepworth

Read my thoughts here

What I am going to read next

When I Last Saw You

by Bette Lee Crosby

Pub date 5/4

I love Bette's stories!

I really love my reading life!

What are you reading this week?

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Be sure to check the sidebar for all of my current giveaways!