Another beautifully written book in the Mrs Boots series by Deborah Carr. This time, the focus is on the Great War and the Boots family predicament as some of their children and employees go off to War, and others to more dangerous occupations to help with the war effort.

The Boots ethics and morals are consistent and they still want to help their employees and families in any way that they possibly can.

A lovely addition to the series.

Highly recommended.

Mrs Boots Goes to War
by Deborah Carr

A fabulous book about the philanthropist Mrs Florence Boot of ‘The Boots Empire’ during the hardship of Ww1 and the work her and her family did for their girls and the people in need.

A fabulous read which was beautifully written a most incredible woman and her family to help those most in need at the darkest time their lives. 4.5/5

A beautiful mix of fiction and nonfiction has gone into this book. This is the reason I enjoy historical fiction so much, what I can learn from it. With this author's books you feel as though you are right involved with all that is going on. I will be looking for more by this author.


I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Deborah Carr is a brilliant writer. I had high hopes for this one and wasn't disappointed. LOVED it. Great characters & beautiful writing.

Many thanks to NetGalley and to the publisher for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

It has been way too long since I read the first two books in the Mrs Boots series, "Mrs Boots" and "Mrs Boots of Pelham Street" , but I soon picked up the story finding myself once against immersed within life with the Boots at St Heilers House in Nottingham.

The first book introduces a young Florence Rowe on the island of Jersey where she was born and grew up working and living above her father's stationery shop, before meeting Jesse Boot. The couple marry against her mother's staunch wishes, as she did not want to see Florence tied to an older husband and ultimately becoming his nursemaid. But the marriage of Florence and Jesse was the beginning of the Boots pharmaceutical empire that Britons still know and enjoy today. The second book expands on their growing empire as well as their family which sees them move to a much bigger house which they name St Heilers, in honour of Florence's roots on Jersey. The growth of their business sees them opening more stores with Pelham Street being their main base. Now in this third installment MRS BOOTS GOES TO WAR, a new challenge meets Florence and her family with the onslaught of the Great War.

Seven years prior, Jesse had been knighted for his service as a businessman with his expanding empire, and Florence was therefore now known as Lady Boot. Now the year is 1913, the old Queen Victoria has passed in 1901 as has her successor King Edward VII in 1910 and now King George V reigns. Tensions are rising in Europe with rumbles of a war in their midst whilst Florence and Jesse welcome the marriage of their eldest daughter Dorothy to Captain Wilfrid Bruce. By the time September 1914 has come around, war has broken out and Florence is shocked to learn her only son John has enlisted and is being sent to France just four weeks after his marriage to wife Margaret.

Meanwhile their youngest daughter Margery is restless after both her older siblings have married and in light of both her sister and sister in law expecting their first children. Margery had contemplated joining the suffrage movement prior to the war and wanted to make a difference to others in life, thus leading her to announce her determination to go to Northern France to help in her own way with the war effort. Florence now has to resign herself that two of her children will be so close to the Front, where danger is most imminent. But it's where she feels she can truly make a difference. After all, that is how Florence and Jesse raised their children.

At home in Nottingham, Florence finds herself dealing with many of "her dear girls", as she always thinks of them, handing in their notice with the lure of higher wages being offered in the nearby munitions factory. She has heard of the "canary girls", so nicknamed for the yellow pallor of their skin handling such toxic chemicals causes. However, the work is extremely dangerous and Florence can't help but fear for the young girls who leave her employ to take on such perilous work for a few extra shillings. But then she remembers that these girls are from working class families and every extra they can earn helps. Even so, Florence continues to help out the families of her employees in any way that she can throughout the difficult times they are all facing.

At the news of the alarming gas attacks inflicted on their men in France, Jesse came up with the idea of producing some kind of gas mask to help their men if ever they come under further attacks. This leads to the production of many other items they can offer the men at the Front. In this way, Jesse and Florence feel they at Boots are doing their own bit for the war effort with the people they employ to manufacture these products also.

With all the changes, Florence continues to remain positive despite and help others where she can, despite her own fears for her children. When the war begins to come a little too close to home with Zeppelin raids over the country, it seems only a matter of time when tragedy will strike someone close to them. For a war that everyone would be over by Christmas that first year, it just seems to continue throughout the coming years with no end in sight thus plummeting those left at home into despair. Florence does her level best to remain positive though it is tough. Her one shining light, besides her work with the Boots empire, is her grandchildren and the delight they bring her whenever she sees them with Jesse being her strength.

Together, Florence and Jesse are stalwarts in their partnership, going from strength to strength as their empire booms despite the decimating war in Europe. As a woman, Florence was many years ahead of her time and other women, a philanthropist in her own right with a partnership that was unique bringing a pharmaceutical empire to the forefront of a nation who still enjoy it today.

Based on the actual story behind the Boots empire, MRS BOOTS GOES TO WAR continues where the other two books left off and taking readers into a much darker time for Britons and for Florence and Jesse themselves. In this third book, Jesse is far more infirm than he has been previously with his health having deteriorated to the point he was physically limited in his capabilities. But his handicap did not stop him from continuing with the Boots empire. And as there was no mention in the Author's Note at the end, I have to wonder is there to be a further chapter to the Boots story? As Jesse lives a further decade and thensome after the end of this book...with Florence seeing yet another war come and go, another two Kings come and go, almost reaching her ninth decade herself. I would love to read more of Florence and her family, as I feel though this is a fitting end there is still more to be told.

There was more than one occasion I found myself getting a little emotional and shedding a few tears, as is usually the case when the senseless act of war is concerned. But what touches me most is the strength of the family unit Florence and Jesse have built within their children as well as in their stores and factories.

MRS BOOTS GOES TO WAR is well written and incredibly well researched that I was captivated from the very beginning. The author really brings each of the characters to life as well as the period itself. I felt as if I was living through WW1 myself it felt that real. It is also interesting to draw the parallels between the onset of the Spanish flu at the end of the war with our own pandemic we face today.

Whilst this is a series, MRS BOOTS GOES TO WAR can suffice as a standalone if you haven't read the other books. But to appreciate it in its entirety, I thoroughly recommend going back to where it all began...when Florence was a shop girl in Jersey and meets a man thirteen years her senior who comes to the island for his health. And the rest, they say is history.

I absolutely love this series and, while I hope for more of Florence and Jesse, this one does offer a fitting end should the series finish here. MRS BOOTS GOES TO WAR is a thoroughly enjoyable read that was light and easy that is emotive and inspiring. I have no hesitation in recommending to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

I would like to thank #DeborahCarr, #Netgalley, #OneMoreChapter for an ARC of #MrsBootsGoesToWar in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

This was a brilliant read and is being featured on my blog for my quick star reviews feature, which I have created on my blog so I can catch up with all the books I have read and therefore review.
See www.chellsandbooks.wordpress.com.

It was a great novel. Loved reading it and the writer is great. Would most likely read again and recommend to others.

This was an interesting story but I didn't realise it was book 2 in a series, I did finish it but I think I needed to read the first one, overall great writing and did enjoy it anyways.

Thank you to Netgalley and One more chapter for a copy of this book for review.

I did not realize this was the third book in this series. I had not read the first two but this book was great as a stand alone as well, though it may have meant more to me if I had read the first two and been given a more in depth history of the family.

I really enjoyed reading about the Boots family and the love and devotion they have for others. It seems that Mrs. Boots and Sir Jesse have always worked hard and fought for good causes. They have been successful in business and have used that success to help others in any way they could. This book covers WWI in France and England. It is a great depiction of just how difficult war is on everyone. How a mother worries for her children as they go to war and fight for their country or go and help as nurses and support staff. It also shows just how devastating war is for everyone and the sacrifices that must be made. I loved the relationship Mrs. Boots has with her children as well as with her many employees that she works with. Mrs. Boots sees a need and seeks to find a solution to help. This is book that offers a lot of hope to many who have been through hardships of many kinds. It doesn't matter if that hardship is from war, from physical or emotional loss, or from a pandemic, there is always something we can do to help one another with the hardships of life.

It was a good book overall, I didn't love the writing style, though I think it was representative of the time.

I was given a copy of Mrs Boots goes to war by Deborah Carr by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This book is the 3rd in a series, which is based on true events. When the great war begins Florence Boots finds her children go to war and along with her employees. Florence tried to help in ways she can, developing and supporting her staff. A good story for historical fiction fans

Well written and informative but not a page-turner for me. If I hadn't received this book via Netgalley I would probably have set it aside and not finished reading it. For a reader who enjoys historical, fictionalised autobiography this would be an excellent choice but I'm not that reader.

This book is a good example of historical fiction. I am not a big fan of books set during WWI, but the author does a good job of describing that particular time period. Florence was well developed and the author allowed you to see Boots as a truly compassionate individual. While you could read this as a standalone, it would be very beneficial to have read the first three books in the series.

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

This historical fiction story was so enjoyable. I did not realize it was a series when I started reading and I enjoyed it so much that I must now go back and start at the first. I think the writing was well researched and I appreciated the fine detail.
Many thanks to HarperCollins UK and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

The third in the series yet the first I have read takes us into World War I and is told from the perspective of Florence (Lady) Boots, wife of Jesse Boots, the chemist and owners of the Boots empire. Not having read the first two in the series did not dampen my enjoyment of this story, yet I will be reading the earlier to get to know the backstory that wasn’t provided, and to see the challenges that faced this couple – both personal and business wise. Florence is a woman far ahead of her time, and her three children, now grown, are all making their marks in the world in ways unexpected. Yet with her husband’s health declining, and the ramp up (and start) of the war now facing her, Florence is faced with several upsetting developments and her determination to do “all they can” for both the men at war and those on the home front are paramount.

With her son enlisting she’s devastated: her eldest daughter has just married, and the company is facing several personnel shortages as men are leaving to fight the war, expecting (as they did) that it would all be over in a few short months. From finding girls leaving the sales and production floors to work in armaments, to her own worries about her son – her youngest daughter announces her determination to go to France to help the war effort. With all the changes, we see how Florence (although well off) does her level best to remain positive, help others, live with restrictions and find new ways to help further the war effort – from brainstorming new ideas for the stores with her husband, to finding people to work in production, to cheering on or supporting staff who’ve had losses and suffered deprivations. The research is impeccable and gives a view into the sacrifices that even the ‘right minded’ people, although well off, suffered – from worries about family and friends, to the small joys that arrived in the form of wives, husbands, grandchildren and hope for more and better, Florence remained a stalwart champion of her ‘girls’ on the shop floors and production, her family and those around her.

Unique for her true partnership with her husband – who gave her both kudos and trust with ideas, running departments and finally becoming the “person in charge’ Florence was light-years ahead of other women of the age, and felt far more modern than one might expect. Based on the actual story of Boots Chemist shop, the development of the characters, the heart and the actual detailing of advancements and products created just to help the war effort, not to mention her own family’s sacrifices in serving – both in the military and as in the case of her daughter, opening a spot for soldiers returning home with wounds or for short leaves to get a ‘taste of home’ and a kind word. Truly this was a bit difficult to absorb all the challenges and losses but leaving readers with a sense of life going on and that never to be discounted admiration for those who steadily and constantly worked from the background to help win the war for Britain.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=” https://wp.me/p3OmRo-aUt /” > <a> I am, Indeed </a>

Last year I read the first book in the ‘Mrs Boots’ books, titled Mrs Boots. I loved it and couldn’t wait to read the next book but then somewhere along the way I must have missed the second book. This one then came up for review (this third book) and I instantly realized that I must have missed book two (I thought this one was book two).

I should have probably set this one down and gone back to read the second book so that I could fully understand the scope of the story and all that had happened from book one until now, but I didn’t. It took me a few chapters to realize I missed a book but by that point I was already wrapped up in the book 3 story that I just kept reading.

If you love historical fiction, the Ms Boots books are wonderful. They have rich historical details as well as a wonderful story. I felt like these books could be read as stand-alones, I mean I inadvertently skipped around, but I am going to go back and read book two because they are so well written and full of historical detail that’s interesting and fun.

Summary
The world is at war and her country needs her.

When Florence’s son, John, announces that he has enlisted, she is horrified but determined to hold her family together during the oncoming hardships they are to face.

Men are returning to England wounded, with many more not returning at all, families are struggling, and Florence’s ‘Dear Girls’ are risking their lives in new and dangerous jobs. Florence might be older now, but she has no intention of sitting back on her laurels while others fight for King and Country. She knows what needs to be done…

Review
WWI is my absolute favorite time period for historical fiction. I mean the Victorian era has a special place in my heart but WWI really marks a massive social shift and I love seeing how that unfolds in historical fiction books like this one. I think that is one of the big reasons why I didn’t put this book down when I realized it was the third book in the series instead of the second. I was already wrapped up in the time period and how the war was impacting Florence and her family that I just kept reading. Deborah Carr does a marvelous job bringing this time period to life.

Florence was such a great character throughout this series. I loved her in the first book, but in this one her compassion and caring really came through. I loved how this book focused on the contributions that Boots made to the war effort and providing care to the soldiers. It was interesting for me and one of the reasons I enjoyed the first book. I don’t really know much about the family and the pharmaceutical empire so it was cool to read and learn about.

While I might have picked this one up out of sequence, I think the author does a fantastic job getting readers caught up with all the things they might have missed in previous books. I don’t think that readers will feel lost in the story and this could stand alone but for me I loved seeing the character and historical development from book one until this one. If you can read the books in order then do, but if not it’s not a deal breaker I don’t think. While this book has a lot of history to dwell on, it doesn’t feel ‘history heavy’ which I think is great for readers. There’s enough to sink your teeth into if you are a history fan but there is plenty of character development and plot for readers who maybe like less history and more plot. Either way this is a great series and I think readers will love it!

Book Info and Rating
Kindle Edition

Published February 19, 2021, One More Chapter

ASIN : B08NV16CQT

Free review copy provided y publisher, One More Chapter, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.

Rating: 4 stars

Genre: historical fiction

How lovely is Mrs. Boots??? This is the third book in this trilogy, and I really enjoyed it! I love Mrs. Boots and her fabulous attitude. I think this was a wonderful historical fiction that had me entranced by the history and the characters!

Mrs Boots Goes to War is Book 3 of a trilogy. Perhaps I should have read the first two books beforehand. This book chronicles the lives of the Boot family and how their business faired during the First World War. It is an interesting read and well researched. However, I found the characters a bit far fetched and one dimensional. Mrs Boot never loses her temper. She never says a cross word to anyone, despite running a large business in tough times. The story documents the problems Boots would have encountered during the war, staff shortages, materials etc and does it well. Perhaps if I had read the first two books, I would have understood Mrs Boots and her husband better, but as a standalone book, their characters were just too good to be true.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy in return for my honest review.

The idea of following the history of Mrs Boots and the Boots store in the war in Nottingham is great. The information covered, between bombings, factory work, front line service and the emotional trauma of families torn apart as members were caught up in France is well detailed. The life of Mrs Boots and of shop workers at that time is great. The telling of the story is rather cold, a lot of information is covered and the book jumps time period with not enough invested in the characters or feelings as time moves on. The novel came across as a historical text rather than a tale to get invested in and I was unable to empathise with the characters as I never got to know them.

Oh my goodness what an amazing book I like books that are based on true events and certainly this book does not disappoint.

This is the story of Florence Boots who helps run Boots with her husband Jesse, they are such a loving couple they try their best for the people who work for them.

Florence and Jesse are trying their best to help the country during the First World War coming up with equipment for the troops.

Florence was born before her time and never forgot her roots she is down to earth.

I certainly recommend this book and the previous books of her.

I have absolutely loved this series. Mrs Boots is a wonderful character, supporting her husband creating his pharmaceutical empire that we still enjoy today. I had no idea about it's history. This book concentrated on their contribution to the war effort with supplying medicine and protective equipment for our front line soldiers. It leaves me with great respect for the company .