I really enjoyed this book. I warmed to the characters and enjoyed seeing them develop
The friendship and romance elements in this book were so heartwarming
Can’t wait for the next instalment

Fantastic, absolutely love this series. Great characters and plots. Can't wait to read more! Hope the next one arrives soon.

Evie Bishop lives in Oxford with her parents Dora and Stan. Her family come from humble stock, working class and she’s lucky to have finished high school. Evie's awarded a math scholarship at Oxford University, when tragedy strikes her family and she’s unable to attend. Evie’s devastated, instead she decides to contribute to the war effort and joins the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force as an Ops room plotter.

Her first posting is to the Sussex Coast, High Chalk House, working in The Hole and plotting for the Brimstone Squadron. Evie makes friends with two fellow WAAFs, May Lidford and she’s working as a driver and Jess Holloway who’s also an Ops room plotter. Both May and Evie are extremely nervous, they don’t have a lot of confidence and have left home for the first time. May blushes every time she has to drive or talk to Squadron Leader Peter Travis and Evie gets flustered when she’s around Scottish pilot Alex Kincaid and is it wise to start a wartime romance?

The three girls become best friends, supporting each other through the stress of working in a high pressure environment and a dangerous one. The English Air Force knows the Germans are building up their air power near the coast of France, it’s just a matter of time before they attack, the plotters and Hurricane pilots have to be ready for action. Some odd things have been happening around the base, deliberate acts of sabotage and it’s almost like the German bombers have inside information. Do they have a spy that’s infiltrated the base, and could it be one of the mechanics or one of the Czechoslovakian pilots in Alex’s Hurricane squadron?

I really enjoyed reading The Ops Room Girls, May and Evie are my favorite two characters, both come across as being very vulnerable and both are incredibly strong and brave women. Very interesting reading about the work the Ops room plotters did during WW II and what an important role they had guiding the pilots back to base and keeping them safe in the sky. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, I can't wait to read the next book in the series and five stars from me.

★★★★★ 4.5 stars (rounded up)

As I'm a real sucker for wartime sagas, and there is a slew of them to devour, so I wasted no time in jumping on THE OPS ROOM GIRLS by Vicki Beeby. The author is a new one on me having not come across her before and this can always be risk when you aren't familiar with any of their work. But I needn't have worried as this was a wonderful story focusing on three women who become friends when posted at the Amberton airfield in on the Sussex coast. As the story progresses, it becomes clear that it is primarily Evie's story with the the other two women's stories to follow in "Christmas with the Ops Room Girls" and "Victory for the Ops Room Girls" thus completing the trilogy.

But first we go back to the beginning to where it all began...

Beginning in Oxford in December 1939, a working class girl who is academically gifted, Evie Bishop works in a grocery shop awaiting news of the scholarship she has applied for to read mathematics at Oxford University. Her hard work and dedication have earned the scholarship but when her beloved father falls ill, having never recovered from the mustard gas attacks in the Great War over two decades before, he urges Evie not to give up on her dreams before he passes away. But her mother has other plans believing that after spending money on Evie's private schooling, it was now high time that she paid her way.

Still intent on pursuing her degree at Oxford she is shocked to discover the circumstances that now prevent her from following the path she had carved for herself in those dreams she had promised her father she wouldn't give up on. After exchanging heated words with her mother, Evie slams out of the house and finds herself in front of the recruitment office where she impulsively signs up for the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) to try and salvage something of her independence. Her mathematical ability sees her posted as a Clerk, Special Duties, as a plotter in the Ops Room at RAF Amberton on the Sussex coast.

On the journey south, Evie befriends shy and reserved May who is also on the way to her first posting at Amberton. Upon arrival, the two women meet the glamourous effervescent Jess who gives them a tour of the base and their new digs in an old stately home overlooking the airfield. Together, the women become fast friends as they find camaraderie whilst navigating the male dominated world of the RAF.

Evie and Jess work together in the Ops Room, otherwise known as "The Hole", overseered by the formidable Flight Officer Ellerby, nicknamed Hellerby for her fierce and imposing presence. But after a nervous and fumbling start, Evie soon earns the respect of her commanding officer as one of the base's best plotters. Although she is not on the battlefields, her skills and knowledge are essential in relaying information from the observers to the pilots in the air as they work at plotting the course of both British and enemy aircraft. It is a learning curve for Evie but it is one in which she excels whilst serving her country as well as finding a sense of purpose.

One of the officers also overseeing operations in the Ops Room is Squadron Leader Alex Kincaith who, despite his discontent at being grounded, soon finds himself noticing new girl Evie...and she him. Of course, Jess had already given her the lowdown on Kincaith who was apparently known for his grouchiness as well as his good looks. But behind the facade lays the burden of a deep guilt and anxiety that eats away at him constantly. He longs to regain his squadron and redeem himself but over half of them were lost on their last mission. When he receives word that his squadron is being reformed his excitement is short-lived when he also learns that he is acquiring ten Czech pilots to replace those that were lost in France. The Czech airmen have escaped their occupied country to England in the hope of flying for the British in their fight against the Germans. The only problem is, their English is limited to non-existent. And while Alex can speak Czech, thanks to his paternal grandmother, the pilots must be fluent enough in English for radio transmission before they take to the skies. Evie and Jess are tasked with teaching the Czech airmen English in preparation for battle.

Whilst Evie is serious about her work as a WAAF, she soon finds herself falling in love with the scowling Scot but it takes a week of sick leave as well as trip to Oxford for the pair before they admit their true feelings for each other. Upon returning to the airbase, Evie finds herself worried for Alex whenever he takes to the skies to battle the Germans. She knows it's his job but in his field there are no guarantees and Evie fears losing him. She finds herself losing concentration when plotting courses which can prove dangerous and even cost the lives of their men.

Then when it appears there is a saboteur in their midst attempting to cripple their planes, Alex intends to uncover the traitor before any more lives are claimed. Desperate to help, Evie and her friends put the ears to the ground in the hope of picking up tidbits of information that could help lead them to the fifth column adversary. But will Evie's involvement come between her and Alex's budding relationship?

I loved the characters of Evie, May and Jess and their supporting love interests in Alex, Peter and Milan. Throughout the course of the book the reader can see Evie really come into herself, finding the confidence to stand up for herself as well as her fierce loyalty for her newfound friends. Growing up, Evie never had friends and was also an only child. Her time at Oxford High School may have given her the qualifications for the scholarship she gained but it also left her the target for the upper class rich girls who made her time at school a misery. Joining the WAAF allowed her to gain more experience and qualifications as well as friends, something which she had never had. And as a result, Evie treasured them dearly. The friendship between the three girls is a delight for each of them for different reasons.

THE OPS ROOM GIRLS is an enjoyable and easy read and a perfect segue for expanding on the other girls in the next two books. We love and laugh with them and we also cry with them as they each navigate life in a male-dominated field. The inclusion of a little mystery afield gave this delightful wartime saga a real twist which I personally enjoyed.

I wasn't sure what to expect when starting out with this book, fearful that the wartime saga had been overdone in the slew of them already on the market, but I must say I was pleasantly surprised. THE OPS ROOM GIRLS is a satisfying read that will have you turning the pages eager to discover what happens next. I admit that there were the usual cliches where Evie self flagellates and second guesses herself in her relationship with Alex and vice versa which I think wears a little thing when so many heroes and heroines appear to do the same every time. It is predictable to say the least and I would rather this not happen with every book. Still, it didn't dissipate my enjoyment of the story that unfolded...particularly that nice touch at the end.

A compelling read, THE OPS ROOM GIRLS sets the theme for the rest of trilogy with stepping into May's and Jess' shoes respectively with the forthcoming books that will undoubtedly follow their stories. I look forward to reading more about Evie, May and Jess.

The perfect easy read for fans of wartime sagas and fans of Pam Howes, Nadine Dorries, Rosie Clark and Fenella Miller.

I would like to thank #VickiBeeby, #Netgalley and #Canelo for an ARC of #TheOpsRoomGirls in exchange for an honest review.

A lovely book with enough depth and story to keep me interested. I love books set in WW2 and this didn't disappoint, started off a bit slow but soon became very engaging. An enjoyable educating read..

The Ops Room Girls is the debut novel from Vicki Beeby and it follows three young women who join the WAAF-Women’s Auxiliary Air Force during WW2. It was the second book that I had read in a number of months that featured the work of women in the operations room and prior to this I knew nothing about the incredible work these women did. For nearly half of this book I was interested but there was nothing really gripping me, or nothing in particular that set it apart from other books in this genre, but then all of a sudden there was a turning point and things just clicked with me and the book took on a whole new level of deception and intrigue and a sense of working as a team to solve a problem that if allowed to continue would have serious repercussions. From that moment I really became hooked and found this book to be a great read and by the time I reached the end I definitely knew that I wanted to hear more from these girls.

Evie Bishop lives in Oxford and is hoping to study a maths degree at university. She has worked hard and when she is offered a scholarship she feels her dreams are about to come true. I loved that Evie was a bit different from the norm and wanted to better herself through further education. She was lonely and bullying during her school years meant a lack of friends, she hoped that university would change all this for her and help her break through the class barrier. But luck was not on Evie’s side as her father Stan, who had never fully recovered from a mustard gas attack during the first war, takes ill and passes away. Evie knows she can’t go on to do her degree now that her circumstances have changed. Her mother seemed a bit cold and aloof and when she says it’s time Evie pays her way. She knows her dream is gone or maybe it could just be put on hold for the moment? Evie pushes her own needs aside and volunteers for the WAAF. I thought she was so selfless in doing this as it was an entirely new experience for her.

Her life changing decision pushed her out of her comfort zone and presented many challenges both emotional and physical but her mathematical talents would be put to good use as when she has completed her training she is chosen to go to the RAF base at Amberton in Sussex and is tasked with working in the ops room. Here she is on the front line so to speak. Yes she is not on the battlefields in Europe but her knowledge, talent and skills are pivotal in relaying information to pilots in the air and plotting the course of both enemy and British aircraft. It’s a steep learning curve for her but she wants to use her talents to serve her country and in doing so she hopes she will find a sense of purpose and comradeship. Her work as a plotter means people’s lives depend on her accuracy and she soon comes to learn through the two new friends she makes that sharing a problem and being able to laugh about it with someone else makes all her own personal issues weigh far less heavily.

To a lesser extent than Evie, two other girls did feature and I am hoping that in subsequent books that these two may feature more heavily. Of course they were present and did have an important role to play but here the story did really centre around Evie and her experiences. When Evie arrives at the base she meets Jess Halloway, an actress who is glamorous and exuberant. There is a real sense of daring and fun about her, she takes her work seriously but you get the impression that she enjoys the good times too and always has her eye on a new man to keep herself entertained when not on duty.

May has used this new opportunity to get away from her family as her life is dominated by her father and brothers. She doesn’t want to get mixed up with any men and she comes across as being shy and vulnerable. I wanted to know more about her past experiences and why she was so reluctant to become involved with anyone. It was as if she was down trodden from shouldering the burden at home and this new sense of freedom, opportunities and life experiences afforded to her well I hope she embraced them with open arms. But I could tell that wasn’t going to be easy for her. She develops a fondness for Squadron Leader Peter but seems so reluctant to act on it and given what her mother experienced with her father which is alluded to but never discussed in detail you could understand this but are all men really to be tarnished with the same brush.

Squadron Leader Alex Kincaith featured heavily throughout the story and I was glad to really get a male perspective on events at the airbase on the ground and in the air. He is wrestling with a burden as the last time his squad went in the air it ended in disaster. Guilt and anxiety eat away at him and he wishes to redeem himself. I loved the friendship that you knew could turn into something more between Alex and Evie and I desperately hoped that could give into their feelings and allow it to become something long term. Alex had been grounded ever since but is desperate to get back in the air so when a Czech pilot lands at the base and he is believed to be an enemy this sets in motion a crucial part of the plot and this for me is when things really took off after what was a very slow start.

Jiri Stepanek it turns out has had enough of what he has witnessed on his home soil and is determined to join the British and play his part in bringing about the downfall of Hitler. Alex is put in charge of this new squad with several more pilots from different countries and Evie and Jess are tasked with teaching them English. I loved seeing all the inner working of the base and how this was but one base and one small yet vital cog in the overall wheel of battle. There wasn’t too much detail as to over burden the reader and the plot would become lost amidst technical terms. Yet it was evident that the author had done such impeccable research into the subject matter and it gave me an even deeper appreciation for how so many people put themselves on the line during the war. There was the perfect balance between details re the work of the girls and other issues and plots so that none over took one or the other.

When it becomes clear that the Germans really want to bash Britain into submission, I felt the story took on a whole other level. It felt very real, tense, dangerous, anxiety inducing and thrilling. The plot became edge of your seat stuff and I was rapidly turning the pages. Definitely the later half made up for the slow start as a real element of mystery and sleuthing took effect. Things start happening at the base that really shouldn’t and I could see the little clues and tit bits that were being dropped and I thoroughly enjoyed the girls trying to work things out. They went way beyond the call of duty which just shows how deeply invested they were in what they were doing. A real human element and a sense of everyone working together to solve the conundrum was evident and I lapped up every minute of it. Being a historical fiction book and having the added element of trying to solve the enigma was just brilliant and it really made all three girls step outside of their comfort zones and rash opinions you have formed of them initially were definitely turned on their head into perhaps more positive and admirable ones.

Evie, Jess and May form a close bond and friendship and they bring out the best in each other and stick with one another in times of trouble and strife. Alongside the mystery to be solved before disaster strikes that will leave irreparable damage is the love stories for each girl and I enjoyed this but for me trying to have the good triumph over evil to uncover the secrets hooked me far more. So despite struggling to get into The Ops Rooms Girls initially there was a real turning point for me which made me really really enjoy this book and it left me certainly wanting to read more from this trio. Christmas with the Ops Room Girls was published in the last months of 2020 and it’s one I didn’t get round to reading over the festive season but I hope to rectify that as soon as possible.

A wonderful book about three women who come together during World War Two. Evie, May and Jess are well-rounded characters, each with their own personal battles to cope with as well as having to face traumatic events during their time working in or around the ops room. A lovely escapist read.

Thanks to Canelo and NetGalley for an ARC copy in return for an honest review.

A lovely read. A little different from my usual reads as this had a little twist with intrigue and mystery becoming part of the storyline. We become involved in the lives of Evie, May and Jess as they start their careers at the beginning of WW2, as their lives intertwine on the ground of the air base where the girls are stationed. The characters are strong and as the book progresses you become involved with their struggles and their successes, I look forward to joining them again.

OXFORD - DECEMBER 1939

This novel started well for me, then became predictable. The book is well written and the descriptions of the Ops Room under fire was enjoyable. The romantic parts I skimmed over, but interested enough to complete the book.

Oxford, December 1939 is where we are introduced to Evie Bishop. Evie won a scholarship in maths at Oxford. After the death of her beloved father who encouraged her education, her bereaved mother cancelled Evie's scholarship as she wanted her to stay at home. Evie was so enraged by her mother's actions she signed up with the WAAFs and left home. Her posting took her to the Ops Room and meeting of two other WAAF recruits, May & Jess. We learn of their friendship, love, secrets, and danger of wartime.

This book will be popular with some readers.

I WANT TO THANK NETGALLY FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO READ AND ADVANCED COPY OF THIS BOOK

Wow book one of a series set in WW2. This book tells the story of Evie a young girl trying her best to get the best education possible. After the death of her beloved Father, and her Mum going behind her back to refuse a scholarship to Oxford. Evie feels she has no choice then to leave her home behind. On the spur of the moment she finds herself joining the Waaf. Evie soon makes friends with Jess and May. Together their adventures give us readers a page turning delight. I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading the next book.

I greatly enjoyed this story following the lives and developing friendship of three WAAFs during WWII. The women were all likeable and driven by their own motives. Clearly well researched, the story evoked a great sense of period and portrayed the high stakes under which the men and women lived. I loved the Sussex setting, living in the area with family who served locally, I picked out and recognised key places. With friendship being the key theme, there’s also love, danger, mystery and intrigue – plenty to keep the pages turning and to hold your attention from beginning to end.

As usual in my reviews I won't rehash the plot - plenty of other reviews like that out there!

I really enjoyed this book - the author's style is easy to read and flows well, and the plot was well thought out. There is a nice mixture of friendship, romance, history, and intrigue to keep the reader interested throughout. The characters are so well described that you can picture them all.

I was pleased to discover that this is the first in a series, so I will now be looking out for the sequels.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC. All opinions my own.

This engaging story follows the lives of three young women during WW2. All are part of the Women's Auxillary Airforce (WAFF). Evie, Jess and May have different backgrounds and personalities, but they gravitate together when they meet on an airbase in Sussex. This friendship sustains them through adventure, danger, intrigue and romance.

The characters are believable and likeable. The story's excellent sense of period brings WW2 to life, highlighting the sense of community and the tragic consequence of war. This is a charming story, One that involves the reader in the women's lives. It's easy to imagine the airbase and its occupants as the author uses sensory imagery well. It would make a good television series.

I received a copy of this book from Canelo via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

It’s 1939 and Evie Bishop manages to get a scholarship to study mathematics at the Oxford University, unfortunately a loss in her family will turn everything upside down and will crush her dream. This brings Evie to join the WAAF to still make something purposeful with her life. In Amberton she will find love and friendship.
This was such a compelling book I couldn’t put it down. I loved how the main character, Evie, in such a challenging environment, finds the self confidence that she couldn’t find before, it’s nice to see her transformation throughout the whole book. The love story in the book it just felt dreamy and super romantic, I felt their feelings and imagined their reactions. But what made the book stand out to me was the mix of romance, historic but even suspense details present in it.

An interesting read which has obviously been very well researched. The story of 3 friends during World War 2 is well written and a compelling read.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

Evie Bishop is a working class girl in Oxford in 1939. She has just won a scholarship to read Maths at the University. Before she can take up the offer her father dies. Her mother tells her she could get herself a good job in a bank & has refused the scholarship. Evie is furious & whilst trying to walk off her anger sees a recruitment for the WAAF & signs up. Before long she is sent to a base near the South coast. On the train journey she meets May, another recruit & along with Jess, another WAAF the girls become close friends & share the ups & downs of their lives.

This was a terrific well researched book about an area of war work I knew very little about. I've seen the bit plotting table & markers in films, but it was really fascinating to find out what was really going on. Tha characters were interesting & the story kept going at a good pace. It was a good satisfying read. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review it.

A good historical fiction, gripping and entertaining.
The historical background is well researched and vivid, the characters are lively and interesting, the plot flows and kept me hooked.
I strongly recommend it.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

The ARC of this book was kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. #TheOpsRoomGirls #NetGalley.
This book was a pleasant surprise! It was well written and well paced, with loveable characters. I particularly enjoyed the development of the main three girls, it felt genuine and not too rushed. There was enough mystery left surrounding their pasts, so much so that I would eagerly read a book from both Jess's and May's perspective. Some scenes felt a tad repetitive, for example, the constant emphasis on Evie's worries about Alex while he was flying and she was stuck in the Ops Rooms. However, the dialogue felt fresh as did the progression of the story. I see myself picking up the next book once it becomes available, all in all this was an enjoyable read!

What can I say?

Brilliant! Gripping! Full of characters that I grew to care about - most important, of course - and a flow to it that made it impossible for me to put down.

From a heart-warming and heart-stopping scene post Dunkirk - if you don't have tears in your eyes at reading this scene, you're not human! - to the way the author describes the duties undertaken by the ladies (ex-RAF reviewer with a big interest in this period), I can't think of a place the author went wrong. The characters have charm, but also realism. I can't wait to catch up with them in the next in the series.

My thanks to both Canelo and Netgalley for allowing me to read this wonderful novel!

Excellent, I loved everything about this book, its got a bit of everything, friendship, romance, action and adventure. Throughly enjoyed meeting all the characters and can't wait to read what become of them all