Pretty good, but a little trying too hard play on my emotions. May I was simply in the wrong frame of mind to read?

I enjoy reading historical fiction books that are set during WWII. The characters are well developed and this story will tug at your heart. I was not familiar with the Women’s Land Army. So I enjoyed discovering about it. Edie’s willingness to fight to end the horrors of WWII was admirable. Life on the farm makes for some touching moments.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. If you love WWII stories this would be great for you. It is emotional and heart warming. Highly recommend

# Edie's Home for Orphans by # Gracie Taylor is published in the UK as # Edie's Home for Strays. A heartwarming tale. A untold story of animals needing a home during the war. Definitely a comfort read.
Thank you for the advance copy,
#Netgalley, # Gracie Taylor, and # Avon Books UK

This was such a moving read for me.

So heartbreakingly beautiful.

I look forward to more from this author.

World War II is the setting and long-orphaned, young adult Edie looks for her place in the war effort. When friends are able to escape the bombings of London by signing up to serve, Edie finally finds her place as a Land Girl for the farming program. She is assigned to the home of reserved woman, Prue, in the countryside. Prue is widowed and her only son is serving in the Navy. She is wary to get close to anyone. Edie enters the household and warms up to bring new life to Applefield Manor.
As one of her assignments, Edie works at the sheep farm of a nearby bachelor farmer. His reputation, though, is shady and his manner is brusque. Plus, two Italian war captives live and work at his farm, which doesn’t help with the farmer’s relations with town.
Edie realizes that many in the village community are also “orphaned” in some way or another, including a slew of animals that new to be rehomed.
I appreciated the slivers of light in the story, told during a challenging period of history.

Edie's home of orphans was a very delightful read I thought I was going to be crying like there was no tomorrow (and I did) I was happy to learn that Edie was a very pleasant character with a very huge heart, she was kind to everyone including the animals. I enjoy her story a lot.

The secondary characters Prue, Jack, and Sam were great, my favorite characters as Tilly, I think the story wouldn't be great without a Tilly on the equation. all of them, every story was another great story to learn.

This is the story of Edie a young woman trying to fight and help to finally put at end of the evilness of the war, but due to some complications, Edie has to change her plans a little and help in some other ways. that's when we begin to know Edie's story.

This was a very pleasant surprise that really made me smile, and as everyone said it was very heartwarming

I loved Edie!!! When she doesn’t get to help with the war effort like she hoped, she makes the best of it as a land girl. What follows is a cantankerous Rue, 2 little girls, and a puppy. What it ends up is pure joy for the readers.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley.

Edie’s Home for Orphans by Gracie Taylor is a sweet historical novel. Edie Cartwright wants to do her bit for the war effort, but her health precludes her from joining the WRENs (Women’s Royal Naval Service). She learns that she can join the Women’s Land Army (become a Land Girl). Edie is assigned to Applefield Manor in Cumberland where she will work part-time helping Prudence Hewitt’s gardener, Jack and spend the rest of time at Larkstone Farm. Edie is mystified when she learns that only four people live in such a large home. Soon, two evacuees join the household much to Prue’s dismay. The siblings have had a rough time of it and need love plus reassurance. Edie hopes that the children will help soften Prue’s heart and open the doors to the manor. All lost strays need a sanctuary. Edie’s Home for Orphans is a charming, inspirational tale. It has great characters that include Edie, Prue, Jack, Sam, Tilly, the siblings, and a variety of animals. I liked seeing the characters develop over the course of the story. There are good descriptions of Cumberland, and I thought the author captured the feeling of the war especially how everyone wants to help. I enjoyed learning about the Women’s Land Army. Food was needed to feed the soldiers as well as those at home. With the men off fighting, women were needed on the farms. In Edie’s Home for Orphans, we get to see that there is more than one type of family. The story does contain some mild foul language (less than ten words). I enjoyed Gracie Taylor’s debut novel. I look forward to reading this author’s books in the future. Edie’s Home for Orphans is a heartwarming, uplifting historical novel.

Edie wants to serve overseas during Wartime, but she is not healthy enough so she is placed as a land girl in a country village. Edie is a full glass type of girl and the lady she is placed with is definitely a half empty or empty pessimist type of person.
Two children are soon placed there and with the help of animals and neighbors Edie is trying to restore Prue’s glass to being full !
The amusing behavior of the characters and secrets will keep the readers interested in the characters and the storyline. It gets slow in parts, but picks up.

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

Edie’s Home for Orphans is a beautiful story of finding a place to belong even in the hardest of times.
Edie is a young woman from London, who wants to serve her country some way during WWII. Instead of the excitement of serving in the woman’s army due to medical issues, she is sent to be a Land Girl in a small farm town: The work is tiresome, the people are cold and her desire to help seems pointless. Little by little, her kindness and determination warm the hearts of those around her, leading to a new family and love.
Each character is memorable. The story was full of ups and downs. It is a story that reminds us of what a little kindness and compassion can bring to those around us, A wonderful story of accepting others and looking beyond judgements and mistakes. ( I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher for my honest review.)

Edie’s Home for Orphans was a delightful story full of wonderful characters with a heartwarming story. I enjoyed it from beginning to end and enjoyed each new orphan that was introduced. It was nice to read a story set during WWII that was as heart wrenching as most books set in this setting are.

Edie is a determined, loving and hardworking young woman who has joined the Land Army as her health does not allow her to do anything else to help the war efforts. When she moves to the country she meets an eclectic group of people that welcome her to their home and lives.

The author did a wonderful job in creating the characters in the book. They are all easily likeable and I found myself routing for all of them. The story covers several storylines yet they are all intertwined. This is just am enjoyable and heartwarming book.
Thank you to Netgalley and Avon Books UK for the opportunity to read this book. .

A WW11 book with great emotions and a very well written story that makes you want to read, read, read. This brings live alive when reading this as things like this happened all over the country, people were so lucky if they found themselves in a good safe place during the war years. I am giving this 4.5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this ARC

Such a sweet book

This is such a sweet book about, well, let's call them misfits, during WW2. The characters are all a bit of social outcasts, who, I guess it's not too much a spoiler, finally get it together. A new Land Girl arrives at her assigned residence to find a widow with a large property. She works at the property and a nearby farm. And that's all I am going to tell about the plot, except to say that, this is a book that may give you a little cry, but will be definitely heart-warming.

Thank you to the publisher who lent me a time-constrained e-arc via Netgalley with no obligation. This review is optional and my own opinion.

Sigh. What a sweet story. It's WWII and Edie, who had TB as a child, finds herself assigned as a Land Girl. No one at Applefield Manor thought she would last, especially not Prue, but turns out. it's the perfect thing for her. The arrival of two child evacuees changes things up for everyone and then there are the animals. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Nice characters and a positive outlook make this a good read about the Homefront.

What a great warm hearted read, and yet, it takes place during wartime in England, WWII. Bombs are being dropped in London, but this is the the rich farmland of the north.
Edie, is a young woman who wants to join her friends in the war effort by joining the WRENS, but because of some health problems ends up going to the Land Girls, someone who works from dawn to dusk to put food on the table.
Expect the unexpected here, when Prue opens her home to take in Edie, her life is about to change forever.
Assumptions many, hard work, yes, and a bit of romance, prisoners, animals, and a delightful crow.
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Avon Books, and was not required to give a positive review.

I never noticed that this was a different version of Edie's Home For Strays and i requested both copies. I have already read and reviewed Edie's Home For Strays but I will leave a copy of my review for it here:-

On the Home Front, one girl is determined to make a difference. Edie's hopes are dashed of serving overseas are dashed when she's sent to be a Land Girl in a sleepy Cumbrian village.

Prue has shut the world out since her son went away to fight. Yet when she's asked to take in a Land Girl and two little evacuees from London, she has no choice. Edie's heart breaks seeing the children's cold welcome. But when the evacuees take in a puppy, even Prue can't say no.

London 1941: Edie had had consumption when she was a child. It scarred her lungs and and she was declared unfit for active service. She also lost her job as a school teacher when the Brick Street school was closed due to the war. She becomes a Land Girl and stays in Applefield Manor where Prue Hewitt has taken her in. Prue wasn't happy at having to open up her house for the war effort. Edie, two evacuees and a puppy soon win Prue round. Edie soon makes friends with with the staff at the Manor house and the Land Girls she works with. This is a well written and heart-warming read with plenty going on. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

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This is a story of love and compassion. A young land girl from London, a widowed lady in a large house in the country, a lonesome farmer and two children evacuated from London.

Prudence rambled around on her large home waiting for her only son Bertie to return from the Navy. She asks for a land girl to be sent to help with the work now that her gardener Jack is getting on in age. Edie wanted to join the Wrens to help with the war but her bad lungs kept her out. She volunteered to be a land girl instead and was sent to Prudence at Applefield Manor.

Part of Edie’s job was to work part time at Larkstone Farm for Sam Nicholson. There she met the disagreeable farmer, two more land girls , a lad from the village and two Italian POWs working on the farm. From Sam and Edie’s first meeting who would ever think there would be a romance .

Between Applegate Manor and Larkstone farm there became a refuge for the abandoned. From the unwed mother who is the cook in the kitchen at Applegate Manor, to the two evacuee children Aggie and James, and a menagerie of animals it becomes a sanctuary for animals, land girls and the humans living there.

A charming story of love, compassion, understanding and hope in a country at war. I do recommend this book.

Thanks to Gracie Taylor, Avon Books U.K. And NetGalley for allowing me to read and review an advanced copy of the book.

London, 1941.
Edie Cartwright had consumption as a child, it’s scarred her lungs and she’s very disappointed when Dr Grant declares her unfit for active service. Edie lost her job as a teacher at Brick Street School, it was closed due to the war and like everyone in her age group she wants to serve her country. Dr Grant suggests again about Edie moving to the countryside, her lungs would benefit from the clean air, they desperately need Land Girls, she completes the training course and she finds herself on the way to Cumberland.

The owner of Applefield Manor Mrs. Prudence Hewitt is waiting for her, she’s rather stern and not very welcoming. Edie will be helping the gardener Jack Graham around the estate and she will also be working for Sam Nicholson, caring for his sheep at nearby Larkstone farm. Matilda Liddell is the cook at the manor, she’s friendly and the others take one look at Edie’s slight build and they don’t think she will last two weeks. Edie proves them all wrong, yes she’s sore and tired to start off with and soon she’s feeling the best she’s ever felt and the horrible tight feeling in her chest has gone away.

Prudence isn’t happy when she informed two evacuees are going to being billeted with her and the children are from Bethnal Green. Agnes and James Cawthra arrive, the children are extremely underweight, small for their ages and James is mute. Edie and Matilda make the children feel welcome, it’s not long before Prue and Jack both find a new lease of life and really enjoy having the children around. When the children save a tiny puppy, they keep Coco hidden in the barn, he’s the first of many animals that join Pepper the black crow at Applefield Manor and the atmosphere around the place changes.

Edie’s Home for Orphans is a delightful story about Edie and her discovering how much she enjoys living in the country, looking after animals and being land girl. Her joy is infectious, her kindness thaws the coolest of hearts, including Mrs. Hewitt's and the slightly reserved sheep farmer Sam Nicholson's. I really enjoyed reading about the relationships and friendships in the story, the menagerie of animals and the kindness shown to the Italian POW’s.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, a lovely wartime story and five stars from me.

Edie's Home for Orphans is a beautiful tale.
The pace kept me from enjoying as much as I wanted to.
I kept getting distracted and bored, although I wanted to read it.
It's a sweet story that I might enjoy better at a different time, but it just isn't exactly what I am in the mood for right now.