Life in the war - Tragedy, hope and a job entertaining the troops. The Bryant sisters stick to each other through thick and thin.

The Girls of Victory Street by Pam Howes is the first in a new series called The Bryant Sisters. It is a fictional, historical saga set in Liverpool as the second World War breaks out.We meet a group of friends, Bella, Edie and Fran. This particular book focuses on Bella's Story.She lives in Liverpool with her family and along with her friends is looking forward to work at The Bryant and May match factory, a typical job for a woman during these times and it means they are able to put money into their respective households, also something that makes them proud.
Bella is also still struggling with the death of her sister and the love of her life is off to war.
Bella and her friends sing to their workmates in the factory to keep morale up, but this ignites into them becoming known as The Bryant Sisters and travelling around the country performing for morale and even meeting famous people of the time, George Formby being one example.
With Bobby away at war Bella meets Earl, an American, who shows her what kindness and love is, until earth shattering information comes to light.
An engrossing tale from one of the most interesting periods in British History, for me anyway. Everything is turned on it's head and I love travelling back in time every time I read a story from that time. I love the camarderie that came about then and the, "We are all in this together", feeling I get. It isn't without it's heartbreaks and anguish either. People like Bella had to grow up so suddenly and lost so much then it was heartbreaking. This is a fantastically weaved story that I raced through and adored being a part of Bella's life for the time I had with the book! Thank you to Bookouture and Netgalley for the copy of the book and having me in the blog tour. Thank you to Pam Howes for bringing The Bryant Sisters into my life, I love them!

The Girls of Victory Street by Pam Howes is the beginning of The Bryant Sisters series. I enjoyed reading this engaging historical novel. I thought the characters were well-developed and the author captured the time-period. Historical events are mentioned along with rationing, Anderson shelters, items in short supply, movies, and popular books. The author definitely did her research for this book. The story focuses on Bella, but we also learn about her family and her two friends, Edith Potts, and Fran Jackson. Bella has a beautiful voice that happens to harmonize with that of the handsome Bobby Harrison. The three girls work at the Bryant and May match factory until they are recruited to perform. I enjoyed reading about the girls’ journey. The story also includes romance, grief, and heartbreak. The Girls of Victory Street is a story of love, hope, friendship, and family. I thought the author provided a realistic story as well as a relatable one. We get to see the struggles people faced before and during the war. I am eager to read the next book in The Bryant Sisters series. The Girls of Victory Street is a charming and touching story with snappy singers, a wronged romance, fine friends, silk stockings, and a wretched war.

Liverpool 1939, Bella is about to leave school. She loves singing & is offered a singing scholarship along with Bobby, the lad she really likes & loves to sing with. Along with her two friends Fran & Edie she goes to work in the Bryant & May match factory. The job may be boring but there is always a laugh & song to brighten their day. When war is declared Bobby is called up & Bella's family is broken up by the war. The girls continue to sing to keep spirits up, word spreads & they end up in ENSA singing for the troupes as the Bryant Sisters. For Bella there is heartbreak ahead.

I really enjoy books following the lives of women in WW2 & Pam Howes books are always sure to grab the reader. Her characters are so easy to like & identify with. This was a lovely read & I can't wait to read the next one. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

This is the first book in the Bryant Sisters series. The characters are very well developed, there was war, love, lose, mieschief and happiness. I absolutely loved this book.

The Girls of Victory Street by Pam Howe is a charming story of an English girl before and during World War II. The lives of she and her family are irrevocably changed by the war and this is her story. Bella is the eldest of three children of Harry and Mary. Theirs is a close-knit and loving family. Suddenly, out of nowhere, the youngest, Betty is hit with diphtheria and dies during routine surgery. It is difficult for the family but life goes on. Bella is chosen to receive singing lessons on scholarship and sing with a semi-professional group, as is her friend, Bobby. Upon the turn of her 15th birthday, Bella quits school and goes to work, in order to help support her family. She and her two friends, Edie and Fran pack matches into boxes but shortly start singing top relieve the boredom. Their co-workers love them and they are asked to perform for the company Christmas party. From their careers boom and their lives change as World War II is in full bloom.

This was a good book, a satisfying look at England during the war. Then ending left me hanging; hopefully there will be a sequel to answer many of the unanswered questions. The plot was good, parts of it old hat, but much of it new and refreshing. The girls were typical girls for the time, and each had stories of their own. Bella was a good character, forced into adulthood a little early and faced with some difficult choices, with which she did a credible job. The peripheral characters were varying degrees of well-rounded, as you would expect, but filled their roles nicely. All-in-all, a charming book, well worth the read. I recommend it.

I was invited to read a free ARC of The Girls of Victory Street by Netgalley in exchange fore a fair and honest review. All opinions and interpretations contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #thegirlsofvictorystreet

World War II serves as a backdrop for this novel, which is ultimately a study about resilience and how life carries on even as it seems to be falling apart. Heartfelt and honest, it was a quick and thoughtful read. Bella and her family face quite a few challenges, war or no war. I really enjoyed Bella’s “professional” trajectory. I’m a big fan of the Andrews Sisters, so I imagined them quite often throughout the book. I thought the message of music as a relief from the personal strains of life was also a good one. For a detailed review, please visit Fireflies and Free Kicks. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a digital ARC of the book.

I am a historical fiction lover and the era I read the most is WWII so I really loved this book. It was so good I read it in one day! The characters are complex, relatable, and likeable (well...some of them are). The relationships are complicated and keep the reader's interest. The storyline is fantastic because you never know what will happen next. Can’t wait to read the rest of the series! Thank you to @netgalley and @bookouture for the ARC of this book!

This is the first book in the series. It follows the Bryant Sisters. The story mainly focuses on Bella but we also follow her sisters and friends.
The characters are well developed and there is romance and drama throughout the book which is well written.
At times it was a little predictable but it didn’t spoil the book.

At the beginning of world war 2., in Liverpool. Three young girls Bella, Edie and Fran are on the verge of leaving school and starting work at the Bryant and May factory. Whilst working in the factory the girls sing to cheer up the other workers by singing. They are so good that their boss asks them to sing at the Christmas party and when he introduces them christens them The Bryant Girls.
They are offered the chance to join ENSA and entertain the troops. When Bella discovers her sweetheart Bobby has been tricked into marriage by a jealous girlfriend she has no hesitation and the 3 of them jump at the chance, and so unfolds the story. We follow them all over the country meeting some warm characters.

What a FABULOUS book, my pages were on fire as I turned them I couldn't get enough of their story and the people they meet.
This book has love, romance, passion, sadness and warmth.
I cannot wait for the next instalment of their story.
Praise for Pam Howes at this well thought out story a real page-turner.
Thank you Pam and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

The Girls of Victory Street is the first in a new series entitled The Byrant Sisters from Pam Howes. I’ve really enjoyed Pam’s books in the past. She writes such fantastic characters and over the course of well-developed series, she really takes you on a journey. This new book proved to be an enjoyable and quick read. It’s a family saga set during World War Two with just the right amount of drama, deceit, romance, family life and friendship to have the reader rapidly turning the pages to see what would happen next. The chapters are short which really gives it that just one more chapter kind of feeling and that’s what happened to me and before I knew it, I had sadly reached the end.

The book is set in Liverpool and opens in Feb 1939. We are introduced to Bella Rogers who is 15 and lives with her parents Harry, a tram driver, and Mary, a cleaner in a local hospital, and her two younger sisters Molly and Betty. The family make do with what they have and although they struggle at times financially, they are happy and content and the bonds of family shine through throughout this story in both the good and bad times. They are always there for each other as are Bella’s friends Fran and Edie. Initially, I did think how would it have worked having the main character be so young? Could she really carry the entire story at such an innocent and inexperienced age?

But I needn’t have had any worries as the author clearly had everything so well planned out as she effortlessly moves forward months and years keeping the pace of the book just perfect. If a chapter moved forward in time it was noted at the beginning of said chapter and not in any way did this feel disjointed or that the book was jumping around too much and that’s the sign of a very good author. You could have easily become confused, but this didn’t happen for me and instead the story felt natural and flowed extremely well. I don’t think having Bella remaining at age 15 throughout the entire book would have worked at all, I just wouldn’t have believed half of the things that she went on to experience.

Bella is soon to leave school to start working to earn some money to help the family out as was common for most girls her age to do. But before she left school she was afforded a great opportunity to sing with a group as was her close friend Bobby. It’s clear from the outset that these two had feelings for each other but as they come from different backgrounds and as the signs of war loom ever larger it’s evident their path to be together if at all will be a very rocky one. I was proven right on this and I am excited to see how the author will develop this aspect of the storyline in future books given all the obstacles and situations that are currently left in their path. The cliffhanger ending certainly eluded to this.

I loved how Bella as the years progress, and her life changes beyond all recognition, stayed true to her roots and that for her family and friends always came first. She works in the match factory alongside Fran and Edie and here is where the Byrant Sisters are born. Bella was a down to earth girl who never took anything for granted and appreciated all the wonderful opportunities that came her way. Yes, the family suffered tragedy with the loss of Betty at such a young age but they bore their sorrow stoically and were determined to whether whatever storms came their way.

As war is declared and Harry and many men including Bobby and his father enlist, the lives of the women left behind are changed forever. Time and time again when reading books set in this genre, I am reminded just how amazing these women and families were. I have the utmost admiration for every man and also the women who worked and fought on the war front but those that remained at home deserve just the same amount of respect and admiration. They had to cope with air raids and the introduction of bomb shelters and gas masks, rationing, food shortages and many young children including Molly were evacuated to the countryside as it was believed to be safer there. All these problems and so many more but they bore them all with grace and dedication because they knew it was all for the greater good of their country.

Bella was forced to really grow up when war was declared and even though she was only around 18 or so when this book ends I felt she was much older than that. That she had become wiser and confident in her own skin, I totally forgot that she was still so young. It was like I was reading of a different character from the young girl I had first met, and this is what I think really helped to make me feel as If I was on a journey with her. When Basil who works for E.N.S.A – Entertainments National Service Association sees herself, Edie and Fran performing as the Byrant Sisters, he knows he is onto a winner and soon they are travelling with other entertainers all around camps and bases throughout England. Singing is Bella’s passion and she thoroughly enjoys her time travelling with the girls but at the same time worries for her Dad’s safety away fighting and her mother still in Liverpool.

Taking the girls around England allowed for different characters to be introduced and Earl was one of them which in turn allowed for various other subplots to develop which led to many conundrums for Bella. But she dealt with things well and rationally even though her heart is torn in two. As mentioned up above it's clear Bobby is the one for her but Alicia a family friend who becomes something more really sets the cat amongst the pigeons and she was an awful character. She was full of jealousy, vindictive, spiteful and just truly horrible. I really wanted Bobby to grow up and be a man and confront his mother and Alicia but it’s like he was too weak to do this. If only he could things could have been so different for both himself and Bella. Instead events mean Bella’s life although happy singing with the girls takes some unexpected turns and it’s how she copes with these and the outstanding support from her family and close friends that makes this an interesting read which shows how you can get through the most difficult of times.

The Girls of Victory Street was a very good read and a promising start to what I presume will go on to be at least three books, well I’m hoping so anyway. Although I do think the blurb gives away far too much of the story, it could have been shorter and still the essence of the book would have been conveyed. My advice is don’t read the blurb before reading the book because you will be on the look out for certain things. I didn’t read the blurb because really I would read anything that Pam Howes publishes and therefore I was surprised at what unfolded rather than waiting for it to happen. The author has a natural storytelling ability and deeply understands how the war affected the lives of ordinary everyday people. This doesn’t tend to read like a history book as too often some books in this genre do. Instead a paragraph or two every so often filling in the reader as to what is happening worldwide with regard to the events of the war was slotted in as necessary. This meant the story could really focus on Bella and her friends.

I did think the ending came about rather abruptly almost like the author had reached the cut off point and had to stop. There was a cliffhanger of sorts because I know there is a lot more to come from Bella and we had only reached March 1943 by the end of this story. The rather sudden conclusion only served to make me want more from these set of characters especially Fran and Edie. I understand Bela is the focus but even a few chapters from either of the other two girls’ perspectives would be great.

The Girls of Victory Street is a very well written story that will have you really engrossed during the time you spend reading it and I am looking forward to the continuation of Bella’s story in the hopefully not too distant future.

What a really enjoyable World War II Historical Fiction family saga story. The story begins in Liverpool in February 1939 where Bella Rogers lives with her parents and two sisters, Molly and Betty. Bella and her two friends, Fran and Edie, are great singers and once they are out of school and the war is progressing, they travel and entertain the troops. Lots of drama, heartbreak and happiness takes place in all of their lives as the war continues. Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC of this wonderful book in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks go to the publisher and Net-Galley for the complimentary copy of The Girls of Victory Street by Pam Howes for the purpose of reading and reviewing prior to publication. My Opinions are my own and no one has influenced them.

The Girls of Victory Street is a well-written novel set during WWII with compelling characters and an emotionally charged plot. The pacing pulled me in from the first page and kept me engaged until the last.

Bella Rogers’s character appealed to me from the start. Her love for sweet Betty, and the pain she feels when she dies, touched me and brought me to tears. Her heartbreak over losing Bobby, especially since it was to such a conniving female, tore at my heart. Her love for her music made us kindred spirits.

This family saga paints a lovely, and at times, a heart wrenching look at a close family. I felt like I not only got to know Bella, but the rest of her family as well. I particularly enjoyed her mother and her ability to love unconditionally.

Ms. Hawes has clearly done her research and gave just enough historical detail and descriptions to make this an enthralling reading experience. I made a trip to England four years ago and traveled through Cornwall. We came upon a bombed-out shell of a church and asked why it was still there, and the tour guide explained that it remained that way so they never forgot the devastation England suffered during WWII. That made a lasting impression on me. Her descriptions of several scenes pulled me to that moment time and again as I read this book.

If you enjoy historical fiction that shows family love and how war affects a country and its people, then you will love The Girls of Victory Street as much as I did. I will be reading other books by this talented author. Happy reading!

The Girls of Victory street.(The Bryant Sisters 1) by Pam Howes.
The first line of chapter one grabbed my full attention. The author’s description were so vivid and real.


The book cover is beautiful too. I am an aesthetic person who appreciates beauty especially in book covers.


This is a heartbreaking but enjoyable story. Every emotions the characters experienced were written so perfectly you can’t help feeling them too.
War is terrible.


I love the three friends, Edie,Fran and Bella. Their friendship almost made me go green with envy.


Wow! I had an adventure traveling around Europe with the Bryant sisters.


I agree, war is disastrous but one need to make the most out of it.


I ENJOYED this book so much.


5 stars rating, please.


I can’t wait to read more books by the author. I love her style of writing.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bookouture through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are mine.

★★★★ 4.5 stars

I am excited to be part of the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for the first in what promises to be an exciting new series.

The first in a new series by Pam Howes, THE GIRLS OF VICTORY STREET is set in Liverpool and begins just prior to the outbreak of World War 2. It is an engaging tale that is a lighthearted and quick read, but thoroughly enjoyable.

Liverpool 1939: Bella Rogers is preparing to leave school upon turning 15 to find work and bring in the much-needed extra wage for her family when she and her childhood sweetheart Bobby Harrison are both invited to train with the Maia choir with a promising career ahead of them. In the meantime, Bella finds work in the packing department of the Bryant and May match factory, alongside her friends Fran Jackson and Edit Potts, whilst training two nights a week with the choir.

Although she would love nothing more than to marry Bobby, war is soon declared and Bobby's future has already been mapped out for his following in his father's footsteps in the RAF. The two keep in touch via letter when he is seconded to Oxfordshire but when the letters stop, Bella fears Bobby has found someone else and has fallen out of love with her.

Tension and despair are rife within the factory, so the girls decide to bring some cheerfulness by singing as they worked to help keep everyone's spirits up. Soon the factory was singing along with them and applauding their talent. When the boss calls them into the office one day, they fear they have done something wrong but instead are asked to sing at the factory's Christmas party, at which they are introduced as "The Bryant Sisters" in honour the factory in which they work.

When the three are offered an opportunity to join ENSA - The Entertainment National Service Association - and sing for the soldiers in and around Britain, they jump at the chance. However, as they are still underage at 16, their parents' permission must be obtained which is given wholeheartedly and with enthusiasm. Excitedly, Bella writes and shares her news with Bobby but is distraught when he never responds.

Soon the girls are travelling all around England and into Scotland, performing for the troops to keep their spirits up just as they had done back at the match factory. But with Bella's dad away fighting, her younger sister Molly evacuated to Wales, there is only her Mam at home and Bella worries for her as bombs fall nightly in and around the country.

Then when the girls arrive at Brize Newton RAF base in Oxfordshire, the base where Bobby is, Bella is nervous she will come face to face with him and fears she can't trust herself not to burst into tears. But nothing prepares her for the woman who greets them off the coach when they arrive. Alicia, the girl who Bobby's mother desires him to marry. What is she doing here in the WAAF? But when the truth is revealed, Bella is both shocked and devastated but resolves to move on with her life.

As England's answer to The Andrews Sisters, "The Bryant Sisters" continue to travel and perform all over the country, bringing joy and cheerfulness to the troops and keeping their spirits up amidst the dark days of war.

Then when the Americans join the war in 1941 and the girls are performing at the new USAF base, Bella meets the charming Wing Commander Earl Franklin who accompanies them on the piano during performances. Bella becomes smitten but there relationship is not all that is seems. It becomes a heady time for Bella, Fran and Edie. But there is tragedy to come and heartache to follow...

A beautiful written tale that draws the reader in from the very first page, THE GIRLS OF VICTORY STREET is a story of friendship, love, loss and sacrifice. There is romance, there is heartbreak, there is love, there is tragedy. An enjoyable read that is predictable but I didn't care, as it was simply a wonderfully light read that I could just immerse myself in.

THE GIRLS OF VICTORY STREET bore some resemblence to Rosie Archer's The Bluebird Girls series, a nod to the late great Dame Vera Lynn and a series I also love. THE GIRLS OF VICTORY STREET is just as engaging, just as enjoyable and just as wonderful. I loved every minute of it and after that ending...and eagerly awaiting the next book in what promises to be an enjoyable lighthearted series.

Recommended to fans of historical fiction with a specific interest in the WW2 time period and for those who also enjoyed Rosie Archer's Bluebird Girls series.

I would like to thank #PamHowes, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheGirlsFromVictoryStreet in exchange for an honest review.

An engrossing and entertaining read with some heartwarming and some heartbreaking moments.
I liked the descriptions of the historical background, the relationship between the characters and the plot that flows.
The characters are interesting and likeable.
I liked the story of Bella, even if some parts were a bit unbelievable, and want to read the other books in this series.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

This is the first book in hopefully a long series about the Bryant Sisters. Bella, Fran and Edie are best friends who love to sing. They are all in the school choir together. This first book tells us Bella’s story. It is just before the start of the war and as they leave school, start work at Bryant and May and the war starts it goes through the emotional rollercoaster of Bella’s young life. With the death of her young sister and then the war tearing her family apart Bella has some difficult things to face. Unfortunately this is only the start of all terrible things Bella will have to face before this war is over. Pam writes in a way that draws you into the book so that you feel you are right there with poor Bella. I look forward to reading more of this series to see where it takes these three best friends.

Bryant Sisters Book 1

Set in Liverpool, 1939: Bella Rogers thought her life was just starting; she can't wait to get married to Bobby. War is declared and Bobby is called up. His letters stop leaving Bella heartbroken and lonely. Then her five year old sister dies from a terrible illness. Bella gets a job at the Bryant and May factory. She meets a handsome American airman, Earl Franklin Jr and he encourages Bella and her friends to travel around the country's army bases to entertain the troops.

The story focuses mainly on Bella, but we also learn about her family and friends. It gives us a daily insight into what it was like living through WWII. The main characters are strong and believable. There's romance and drama in this well written book. There were parts of this story that were predictable but that doesn't spoil a book for me. Fans of Historical romance will love this book.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Pam Howes for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second book I have read by this author. I find her books very easy to read and I chew through them quite quickly. The girls of Victory Street is full of likeable and no so likeable characters, Victory Street give you a look into the lives of the working class during WWII and the struggles they endure. At the same time we follow three friends who’s job it is to keep up the troops morale by entertaining them as a travelling trio. Although the story line was a bit predictable at times I do love the authors writing style and will definitely be looking out for The Bryant Sisters Book 2

Working at the Bryant & May matches factory after she finished school, Bella Rogers was joined there by her two friends, Fran and Edie. The three girls had been members of the school choir and sang in their tea breaks to keep the workers’ spirits up with the onset of the war – the boss named them The Bryant Sisters. When the three of them were offered an opportunity to sing for the soldiers in and around England, they jumped at the chance. Bella’s little sister, five-year-old Betty had died the previous Christmas and they were missing her terribly. And Bobby, Bella’s good friend and fellow singer from the choir had transferred to another part of England to prepare for his place in the war. With Bella’s dad also doing his bit, and Molly, her younger sister in the country for safety, only her mam was home. With the bombs falling nightly, the cellar was their safe place. Bella didn’t want to leave her mam home alone while she was off singing…

Their enjoyment of singing to the troops each night felt wrong with the country at war, but they knew it was keeping the spirits of the men up. Basil was in charge of the group – there were others besides The Bryant Sisters – and he kept them moving from one town to the next. When the Americans became involved in the war and arrived in England, Bella and her two girlfriends met some of them, especially the ones who also sang and played in the band. It was a heady time for them. But tragedy was to come and heartache to follow…

The Girls of Victory Street is the 1st in The Bryant Sisters series by Pam Howes and I really enjoyed it. I’m afraid it turned predictable – I was hoping it wouldn’t happen – but apart from that, it was entertaining. I found it very similar to Rosie Archer’s The Bluebird Girls Trilogy, which I loved. The days of the second world war for the women left at home while their men fought for their country, were hard. But they were strong and resilient, determined to “keep the home fires burning” while waiting for their men to return. Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.