Excellent book. Brilliant story and I loved the main characters. I would highly recommend this book.

5☆ Loved every minute of reading this Heart Warming, Poignant Book!

Hattie's Home is a passionate, heart warming story of three very different young ladies struggling with the aftermath of the war in Bermondsey.
As they come together and form a friendship as they battle with life, work, tragedy, heartache, grief, mental health, prejudice and family dramas.

First of all we meet Hattie. She is fiercely strong.
After being in the ATS ( The Auxiliary Territorial Service- the women's branch of the British Army during the Second World War) She is no longer needed.
She comes home to Bermondsey to help look after her mother when she finds out her vision is impaired.

But when she gets home her mother is entertaining her new fella, a Polish man who lives downstairs and completely forgets she is coming.
The house her mum lives in has alot of war damage and the other residents had to move out when the living conditions got so bad the rats moved in!

Then we meet Clara, sweet endearing Clara.
Clara comes home with her baby girl Martha.
Now you see Clara brings shame and scandal to her parents house after she travels too Australia and falls in love with Barry.
Firstly Barry is Black, secondly Barry is a bigamist. He marries Clara whilst already being married to another women.
Bringing outrage and shame on her parents.

So when Clara travels home to seek refuge with her parents.
Her father and mother make it VERY clear they disowned her and they meant it!
Chucking her and baby Martha out on the streets.

You see Clara' s Father is on the parish council and doesn't condone her behaviour calling her a common slut.
It broke my heart to think such prejudice was shown upon that poor baby.
But that is what it was like in those days and Mary Gibson gives us a realistic insight as to what it was like back then.

Then we go on to meet Lou.
Lou really got under my skin. My heart went out to her.
You see Lou lost her husband during the war.
Then her only daughter Sue and lou's parents were killed when a bomb hit their air raid shelter.
Leaving only Lou and her son Ronnie.
Lou is suffering with mental health through grief and PTSD.
Very very heart breaking.

Mary transported me right into the heart of Bermondsey and the damage, heartache and devastation The war had left behind.
The sights, smells, wreckage, the poverty it was all so real.
Yet what shines through is even in such dark times friendship and the community shines through.

Mary has thoroughly done her research and It really shows. She writes with compassion, emotion and sensitivity.
I want to applaud Mary for writing such a powerful yet thought provoking book.
I simply adore books set in the war.

I also loved Mary's writing style, very easy to follow, it had a nice flow to it, and she never once swayed from the loveable London Cockney accent, which I found was written perfectly!

I used to love reading books and listening to the stories my 99 year old aunt told me. I only wish i had recorded her as she sadly passed away last year just before her 100th birthday. (She was the first Lady firefighter In the war)

So when I came across Hattie's Home a real gem of a book, I was swept away with depth and passion of the three young women and their courage to rebuild their lives. A message of hope, new beginnings and friendships.
It really reminded me of the fabulous Catherine Cookson books it was that good.

If like me you are fascinated by the war times and what life was like back then.
Then this is the book for you.
It truly is a compelling, Passionate, Poignant, heart warming, real portrayal of life after the war that is simply a gem to read.

Highly addictive, blew me away.

This is my first book I have read by Mary Gibson and I can't wait to read more

Started this book and literally didn’t want to put it down. Having never read anything by this author I will now be seriously seeking out other novels. The characters draw you in and ya can’t help but get absorbed in the story. Would highly recommend this book and can’t wait for the next installment.

This is not the first Mary Gibson book which I’ve read, and it certainly won’t be the last. Hattie’s Home is a great read on so many levels: the friendship of three women, the working lives of Londoners and the sheer hardship which rationing and lack of basic comforts thrust upon the population.

Hattie returns home to Bermondsey after eight years in the army .. eight happy years in which she has grown as a person and really loved her job. Thinking she was returning to help her mother out, she gets a rude awakening. Clara returns home to her family after having sailed to Australia as a service bride – but with a mixed heritage baby her parents close the door on her. Lou has lost her husband, daughter and parents to the war and has suffered so badly that her son is running wild on the streets. As she gives birth again, she asks the midwife to give her new daughter to another family who can look after her better than she can. Finding each other is the salvation of all three women – but life is by no means easy.

I love that this novel takes up where most finish. The poverty endured is almost unbelievable in this day and age. ‘Bambeating’ made me think that Health & Safety would have had a field day! The indomitable spirit of the characters makes this book compulsive reading. I was glued to it as the story played out.

Highly recommended to all those who enjoy a good read and like to learn something at the same time. This book is packed with details which will both entertain and shock!

My thanks to Melanie Price at Head of Zeus for the arc of this novel. This is my honest, original and unbiased review.