Lots of twists and turns, surprises and some confusing moments. Overall, I enjoyed The Girl Without a Name. It did not wow me but did keep me engaged for the most part.
The story is told between two time periods in England....the 1930’s to 1950’s and present day.
The author certainly did in depth research when writing this historical fiction. The historical aspect is quite intriguing.
Thank you to NetGallery, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Ruby was once a child war evacuee she meets Stevie! They meet again in their teens and become sweethearts during the WWII bombing of England! However, Ruby never gives up her virginity! Then Stevie is called up for Foreign Service and expects to marry when he returns even though he never formally asked.
He returns, but he is different and he is dating wild women and stops seeing her and gets a lady pregnant!

Years later Stevie has a stroke as a old man. He starts to try and convey to his daughter something about the picture in his wallet. It’s a picture of Ruby in her 20’s way after his father married his mother. What is it about this picture is dad is trying to make her understand? What is the point?
There is a secret, The lady hasn’t been seen or she hasn’t talked to family for years? What does her dad know about this? Did he have something to do with it?

The author does a superb job in putting in twists and turns that keep you going from one scenario to a next guess! I loved the character development and the storyline!

I definitely would recommend this book!

I received an advanced copy from NetGalley and these are my willingly given thoughts and opinions.

I love a good historical fiction book. But this one has a different slant. While it begins during WII and the evacuation of the children to the countryside, it encompasses the record of the British assisting in the handover of Palestine to Israel and tackles the tough issues of PTSD.
It is the tale of one young woman searching to find out what really happened to her father during this time period and the search for the identity of the mysterious young woman in the photo of his wallet.
The author has created both a heartwarming and tragic story of two star crossed lovers. The ending will have you turning pages as it spirals towards a shocking ending! This book is well written and is sure to be a hit with fans of this genre.

This book captivated me from page one- it is set in the 1940s/50s/ and 2004 (present day). When Ruby first met Stevie in the country as a child escaping from the war, it was love at first sight. They went through so much together and while I adored Ruby, Stevie got on my last nerve! He had a rough life and went through things I cannot imagine but I wasn't happy with how he started to treat Ruby. Ruby was an incredible character- one of my all time favorites. The twist at the end was perfect and I was so happy to see where it went. I highly recommend!

I have decided to give this book a low 4 stars. I felt that the story started off as a page turner and the pace got slower towards the end. It was interesting reading about the evacuation in World War 2 and what London was like in the 1940s and 1950s. Stevie’s time in the army was an intriguing and emotional read. I think I would probably have enjoyed this book more if it had been a bit shorter.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

Throughout the novel, 'The Girl Without a Name' kept me rivetedly reading hoping for Ruby to overcome her circumstances. As a young girl, she was sent away to the Devon countryside to escape London's bombings. While living there, Ruby fell in love with the peaceful setting and people she encountered

When she was ripped away from her adopted home, her life fell into pieces. While those in charge should have helped her build a better future, Ruby felt like a missing puzzle piece attempting to snap into place but she wasn't the right fit.

I love historical fiction and was soon captivated by the story. That being said, at the half way mark I became disillusioned with a protagonist's actions. I was so upset that it slightly soured the story. Thank you #NetGally for the early read in exchange for an honest review.

Until the second section, I was looking forward to writing the review and sharing that I endorsed the book. Where I can understand the author's reasoning depicting dissociation and PTSD, I I was shocked by what transpired. Without giving anything away, taking love out of the equation, Ruby deserved better. While I was fuming about the chain of events, I encourage readers to finish the final chapters before making your decision. You'll just have to read #TheGirlWithoutaName to discover the truth.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

2004: Billie's father Dick suffers a stroke. As he recuperates, she finds a faded black and white photograph of a young woman in his belongings. She doesn't recognize the woman and her father is unable to speak clearly enough to tell her who it is, but it is not her mother. Billie decides to try to uncover the mystery.

World War II: As German planes begin flying overhead in wartime London, young Ruby is sent away from her London home to live with strangers in the safety of the Devon countryside. Among the children sent on the train with her are mischievous Stevie and his older sister Joan. Ruby and Stevie become fast friends despite their very different experiences living with families in the village. But eventually they return to their lives in the city, and lose touch with each other for a few years.

This book slips easily back and forth between time periods, from present day (actually 2004) to the late 1930s, through World War II, and into the 1950s. It is clear that the author carefully researched the time periods as well as real-life historical events that have a connection to the story. While I liked the book, there were a few plot holes, wny Stevie appeared to change not only personality-wise, but in name, as he is known as Dick by Billie and her family later on--when did "Stevie" become "Dick?" This is never explained. And the ending fell rather flat for me.

This Book Captivated completely from the end of the first chapter. Events that happened in Devon both in August 1952 at Lynmouth & not so long ago in Bostcastle , which I actually visited some months after the awful event & saw how the Village was still clearing up & also trying to make a living too. This Book illustrates how many men were effected by what we today call PTSD because it wasn't manly for them to talk about their experiences & women were not considered worthy to be told about these things so they bottles it all up , many turning to Alcohol ,others becoming violent towards family members & others such as the Farmer who hurt Stevie when he was evacuated during the War ( his abuser had suffered in the Great War) .
As Stevie's daughter tries to find out what upset her dad & possibly brought on his Stroke ,she begins to unfold a Man she never knew ,a man with secrets , but she knows that one of these holds the answers , Can she find it ,will she find it , you will have to read the Book which I highly recommend & discover the name (s) of The Girl Without a Name ! #<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/11bc11d0026952991f96874534f30a6fb6dbed74" width="80" height="80" alt="25 Book Reviews" title="25 Book Reviews"/>, #<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/ef856e6ce35e6d2d729539aa1808a5fb4326a415" width="80" height="80" alt="Reviews Published" title="Reviews Published"/>#<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/aa60c7e77cc330186f26ea1f647542df8af8326a" width="80" height="80" alt="Professional Reader" title="Professional Reader"/>#NetGalley#Goodreads#Amazon.co.uk#Instagram#fb

I love this cover! I thought the story was good, Stevie was kind of a jerk. It was so sad towards the end and I was so surprised by the twist at the end.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the early copy

Two different stories. Two different time periods. How do they connect?

I finished this book several days ago and I'm still thinking about it. Friendships were forged during wartime but they eventually lead to heartbreak. I was cheering and crying with poor, sweet, naive Ruby all through the book. I held my breath during several parts knowing tragedy was coming. The ending was not expected and had me speechless. I was stunned in a good way!

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

This story is told in two time periods: WWII and the present.

The story opens in modern times with Billie finding her beloved father after he has suffered a devastating stroke which leaves him unable to talk or care for himself. She discovers an old photograph of a girl in his wallet. When Billie asks her father about the picture, he becomes agitated and tries to mumble a name. She is determined to learn more about his background.

We meet the main characters when they are children who are evacuated from London during the Blitz. Their experiences are totally different, but they fall in love with each other. Due to circumstances, they are separated but meet again after the war.

Do we every know all about our parents' lives or how events shaped their characters? Is the past better left behind?

3.5 rating. out of a scale of 5 The book is well developed albeit it a bit too much. The story is about a young lady who is evacuated during WW2 to a country town. She is befriended by an older young lady and is housed with Joan. Joan's little brother Stevie is kind to Ruby and they have a friendship that blooms through tragic circumstances in to a bit more. Ruby is depicted as a star eyed child with no real grasp of life. She lost her father who was absent in her life and then during the bombing of London she loses her mother. Taken in by her Aunt she begins the harsh reality of life in London during and post WW2. Ruby is strong and hard working but still has the idealization of love, romance and being whisked away. She is still in love with Stevie who has been dealt too much of life's reality at such a young age and continues to be dealt a harsh hand.

Parallel to the story being developed in the past is the current story line of a father fallen ill and a daughter who takes responsibility. Her father, Stevie is older and suffers a stroke, which sends Billie (the daughter) on a discovery trip to learn more about her father and his past.

I like the point Billie makes that our parents are always our parents and often we don't take the time to discover who they were in their past lives. Additionally, I like that Billie is conscientious of her father and his time left.

Without providing spoilers I did like the pivotal ending and the portrayal of strength and realization.

I had a strong reaction to this book. I felt sorry for Ruby who knew little love in her life until she became involved with Stevie. Everything was going along fine until about the middle of the book. Then I really began to dislike Stevie. In fact I loathed his character. He was a weasely coward whom I had no sympathy. I thought the story would end one way, but surprisingly it had a different conclusion. The ending was more to my liking than the one I originally thought. It's a decent read.

The story opens in the present day and Billie's father suffers a stroke, seemingly after something he's seen on a newsflash. She discovers a photograph in his wallet and tries to ask her father about it. He becomes agitated and she makes out the word Ruby. She decides to ask her aunt if she knows who this Ruby could be...

Ruby and Stevie met when they were evacuated with his sister Joan to sleepy Devon during WW2. and became friends. When Ruby's mum is killed by a bomb, she finds her perfect life with Mrs Honey in Devon is over. All her aunt and uncle want is a slave to help them run their London pub. Ruby gets a job in a local department store and meets Stevie again. She has some moments of joy before he's sent overseas to do mandatory work in the Armed Forces. When he returns he's a changed man and Ruby has to make a choice.

Meanwhile, Billie, with the help of her Aunt Joan is trying to track down what happened to Ruby and what connections she had with her father after he married her mother. What is the connection to the devastating flood and her dad, and why does Ruby mean so much to him.... There are some twists in the book which I never expected at all. It's a brilliant read which I so recommend.

Set in two different times this story follows the life of evacuees during and after the war,then fast forwards to the present day where a daughter tries to solve a mystery. Watt wrenching at times,heartwarming at times and a big twist.

Thank you for this advance reader copy of this novel. This was a historical fiction that takes place after WW2 and is told in split timeframe. This novel was ok overall but to me the plot felt like it dragged a bit here and there. A good overall novel about a time period and event I didn't know about previously.

They say you cannot judge a book by its cover. It was the cover that attracted me to this book and I am glad it did.

Every time I think I’ve read enough about WW2, along comes another book to change my mind. This story is excellent.

Dual time lines, present day (actually 2004) and war times. Of course the war generated a lot of suffering but one of the most poignant points was of the children shipped away from home in
London to the country side (or Canada) for safety. Traumatic times, especially for younger children.

The present day timeline is a daughter trying to figure out her father's past after he had a stroke and is visibly upset as photos from the war are shown to him in order to help with his rehab. Naturally, the other time line is what happened to him as a young boy, leading up to his time in the armed forces.

Descriptive passages about cleaning up bombed out areas is a quite realistic. It might be a trigger for some.

I really enjoyed how this book followed the evacuated children through the war and further as they grew into adults. Very effectively, the author demonstrated the effects of war in the psyche. Now it is known as PTSD, but it can affect a person until the end of their days.

Finally, the ending was a huge shock. I did not see it coming, though it made me happy.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the advance copy in exchange for a review.

I struggled with this book. It’s a story of war and lovers separated by war. When Ruby’s sweetheart Stevie, goes off to war he comes back not the same. When he left he pledged to love Ruby but things are different when he comes home.

I struggled because Ruby was not a fighter. She took whatever life gave her without complaint, no matter if she liked it or not.

The Girl Without A Name is book that I will think of often. Historical fiction top of the class!

Suzanne Goldring tells the story of Ruby and Stevie and London in the War. The book starts with a devastating flood and no one can figure out why Dick is so devastated that his health is forever changed.


The story starts in 2004 and then goes back to when Ruby, Stevie, his sister Joan are all evacuated to Devon along with many children to keep them safe from the bombings.

I laughed, I cried, I cheered, I loved some characters, others not so much.

You cant help but fall in love with Ruby who really has nothing as she is returned to wartime London.

Suzanne Goldring never lets you down with her story telling.

This book is a don't miss and should go near the top of your TBR pile.

Heartwarming and heartbreaking all at the same time!

THanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the privilege of reading this book

I couldn't put this book down and really enjoyed it. No spoilers but one character I became really disappointed in, but these were different times and life experiences we can never fully appreciate, so some character flaws maybe should be forgiven. The story begins with the evacuation of children from London and from there follows the life of Ruby through childhood and her teenage years in a post war London. It is not so much about the war as the different life experiences people had during that period..I loved it and highly recommend. Thanks to #SuzanneGoldring #bookouture and #Netgalley for the ARC.