As a lover of historical fiction, I had heard/read so many stories of the Red Cross orphans, so this one definitely grabbed my attention. As an orphan herself, Kitty signs up to do her part to help the Red Cross and the war efforts. She meets lifelong friends in Joan & Trixie and spends most of her time nursing soldiers and helping the orphaned children. She meets Michael, a Canadian doctor, and finds herself falling for him. The was such a moving and heartfelt tale of the times. The characters are endearing and believable, and you are easily drawn into and invested in the story. Definitely one to check out for the historical fiction fans. Thanks so much to Glynis Peters, the publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this e-arc.

⭐⭐⭐

I was so conflicted while reading this! This historical fiction (a favorite genre of mine) was so different than the ones I'm used to and have read in the past. The reason historical fiction is one of my favorite genres is because they are REAL feeling. Heart ache, death, loss, love.. highly packed action. This was more of a soft core historical romance, for lack of better words. More of a historical romance to me.

I loved Kitty. I loved Michael. I love the strength the females had in this book. How hard they worked and how passionate they were. I loved how the story focused around Kitty and her nursing and how devoted she was. I loved how love was found during the war. I found myself rooting for them.

But, I wanted just a little more. Like I'm used to with my historical fiction. Some action. I felt everything tied together a bit too clean for this era and war time. I also feel like the ending was abrupt and out of nowhere, but do realize this is a series.

I enjoyed it, although not a favorite war book. I look forward to the next book to continue their lives!

The main thing I enjoy in a novel are the characters, and this novel has many strong characters. Kitty, the main character was herself an orphan and along with Jo, Belle, and Trix,and they volunteered for the Red Cross. Kitty, Kitty's friends were an important component spending her time as Red Cross nurse, also living through the Blitz. Kitty shared the loss of her brother during Dunkirk and the ladies felt pity for her, something she was against. Eventually Kitty meets the highly attractive Canadian doctor Michael and they became an item. Michael and Kitty's relationship added some romance to the novel. Im not a fan of romance, this was enough for me.
Trixie was described as a "mad scientist" and she was mad smart and eventually and she eventually she chose midwifery after Red Cross.Belle, who was whimsical and had the appearance of a girl of privilege and she jumped in and out of the group.. My first impression was that Belle would be a fun character. Unfortunately, Belle was no a part of the group of ladies. Trixie wrote a letter to her aunt and uncle that Belle lives in a fantasy world and does not fit into the group. Eventually was labeled, "Man-eater, she was considereed to be a snake in the grass.
Finally there was Jo,, who was considered the jokester, "I feel like we'll be friends forever", and she was described by Kittie as having grease under her nails and oil in her hair, which puts Joe in her happy place. She eventually, Jo left nursing and became a driver.
I am was in awe of the strength shown by those women. I would hope I could follow through with these dire situations. My favorite genre is historical fiction and the common elements are WWII located in Great Britian during the Blitz.
Thank you One More Chapter, Glynis Peters, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange
for an honest review.

I devoured this book!

The mix of the story and all the characters made me just want to read more and more. I cannot wait for the sequel to come out. I want to know more of where everything is going and what’s next.

This is absolutely a book that I am already excited to read again!

A great story about the growth journey between characters during a time of chaos! I really loved this story even though it seemed a bit rished at times.

With so many stories about WWII, I found this one interesting because it follows three nurses that become best friends. The different turns their live took held my interest and I really enjoyed the authors style of writing.

Glynis Peters is a new author to me and I hope to read more of her books. I was engaged throughout and she has a writing style that I enjoyed.

Thank you to #netgalley and #harper306,onemorechapterbooks for allowing me to read the eARC of this book. All opinions expressed above are my own.

I have had a fascination with World War II since I was in middle school. When I saw the cover of The Red Cross Orphans and read the description I immediately added it to my TBR list. It did not disappoint. It combines romance with history in way that kept me captivated the entire time that I was reading. It follows a young woman named Kitty Pattison on her journey to becoming a Red Cross nurse in Great Britain during WWII. We experience friendships, falling in love, and even her jealousy. I am a sucker for a good love story so this book was an enjoyable read even with some of the heavier content of the war. I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys historical fiction with a touch of romance.

A great thing about reading a lot of WW@ Historical Fiction is gaining perspective. Authors challenge me to think about many things that aren't really taught in school or are just glossed over. The Red Cross Orphans is no different. Glynis Peters shares a story about the challenges of those victimized in Great Britain. She illustrates the struggles of those that dedicated their lives to saving others.

I didn't realize there were so many overlapping nursing programs. I didn't realize they were mainly on the job training programs. Nurses were moved around out or necessity. I guess when the need is so great, adjustments must be made. Kitty is one of those nurses. After having a hard life, she is ready to do her bit for her country. Kitty brings the reader along as she adjusts to being away from her aunt and uncle, trains to be a nurse, deals with many situations. It is Kitty's dedication and trust that gives the reader so much knowledge.

Kitty seems to fearless as she digs through rubble to find the living. She treats POWs in a hospital, making sure to protect the people of Britain. Her observations shows her to be a valued and dedicated nurse. OF course, like real life, things aren't always easy.

The author brings romance into the story creating anticipation and hope for happily ever afters. Just like war, romance is complicated. Not everyone can have a happily ever after. Hearts are broken. Lives are destroyed. But hope does not die, not even for the orphans of WW2.

Peters has a reoccurring theme in all her titles: orphans. Michael and Kitty meet during medical training in England during WWII. Both orphaned at young ages, they feel a connection instantly. However, lies, distance, and distrust threaten to tear them apart. It’s a light romance, fulfilling, yet not too heavy to entice readers to forget about the real world for a few hours.

An excellent story about WW2 and the women that helped. Three women volunteered to be trained as Red Cross nurses and became best friends. Two of the fell in love, but love during war is hard. It was interesting to see how often they were transferred and how they were trained, not in classrooms much,, but hands on experience. It had to be very hard, but worthwhile work. The characters were very well written - some were nice and some were not.

I got this book from NetGalley and am voluntarly leaving a review

Orphan Kitty signs up to help nurse the wounded during the war. She makes friends with her fellow nurses and meets a Canadian soldier.. good story of war and love.

As my first book by Peters I was not sure what to expect about a novel during this time period. WW2 novels often focus on the actual events of the war and the holocaust. This one surprised me however, by focusing on the aftermath of the attacks. We follow Kitty, a Red Cross Volunteer, as she learns the ropes of nursing to help out her country in their time of need. It is during her training she meets Trix and Jo, friends you enjoy keeping up with throughout the novel, and Michael our slow burn love interest.
I truly enjoyed this alternate take on a time period that I enjoy in historical fiction.

The Red Cross Orphans is the first book in a WWII series that follows Kitty, a young woman who joins up with The Red Cross to train as a nurse during the war. Kitty was orphaned at a young age and was raised by her aunt and uncle. The book follows her assignments with the Red Cross and the people she meets along the way. She makes some great friends and begins a romance with a young Canadian doctor at her first post (who was also orphaned at a young age).

This book was not what I was expecting. When I read books advertised as World War II historical fiction, my mind immediately goes to dark, emotional, tragic stories (The Nightingale, A Light We Cannot See, Sarah’s Key) and this was a much lighter read. It was a light, clean romance with the backdrop of WW II. There were definitely themes of war - air raids, nursing wounded soldiers, separation because of assignments, but Kitty was never truly personally affected by loss or tragedy (maybe because it was early in the war and it was just book one?). The story focused more on the friendships she made, the connections she built and the sweet romance she became involved in. The ending seemed a bit rushed and abrubt, but again, it’s book 1 in a 4 book series so I’m sure it’ll pick up right where it left off and follow more of Kitty’s adventures as the war progresses.

Did I enjoy this book? Yes. Will I read the remaining books in the series? Yes. It just wasn’t what I was expecting and was lighter than your typical WWII novel. It was was easy to read and the dialogue was breezy and quick.

Thanks to @netgalley and @harpercollins for the advanced digital copy of this book. US publication is June 2022.

3 1/2 stars

#TheRedCrossOrphans #NetGalley #historicalfiction #harpercollins #onemorechapter #bookreview #bookrecommendations #kindlereads

Thank you Net Galley for an ARC of The Red Cross Orphans by Glenn's Peters. This was a historical fiction novel with some romance in it. I enjoyed it, reading about Kitty and Michael's journeys. This is a book I would recommend to any historical fiction lovers.

I enjoy reading WWII historical novels as my father was a medic in WWII. As I was only four when he passed, there was no time to share his war stories. I find the history fascinating and say a prayer of gratitude for all those who served and gave their lives for our continued freedom.

As I have an emergency medical background, I enjoyed following Kitty’s plight as a Red Cross Nurse trainee and her services as an emergency team volunteer. I deeply appreciated her heart as a caregiver and the plights of her patients touched my heart deeply. When Kitty said: “I do it in Brian’s name,” tears welled in my eyes.

The friendships Kitty formed with the other Red Cross Nurses, her strong support from her aunt and uncle, and her romance with the Canadian doctor were the threads that held the story together.

I sat on the edge of my seat, page by page. I could not put the book down. I lived through each moment of the story, often holding my breath in anticipation. Each character was colorful, relatable, and well developed. I felt that I got to know each one. I felt that I was right there with Kitty, experiencing the throws of friendship, love, heartache, and the challenges involved in caring for those injured in the war. At the tender age of twenty, she was incredibly strong and resilient in her commitments.

I felt that the ending itself was a cliff-hanger andsomewhat rushed. I suppose there is room for a continuation of the story in another novel. If so, I would be anxious to read such a book, and any other works by this author.

I received this advanced reader’s copy for free from the publisher HarperCollins and the author via NetGalley. This is a voluntary review, and all comments and opinions are entirely my own.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4573597348
AMAZON pending. https://www.amazon.com/review/R2N30FOXWCRVE7/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv