London, 1940. Josie Banks arbeitet in einem Teehaus. Es ist für sie der Himmel, nach fünf Jahren nur Hausfrau wurde ihr Mann Stan einberufen und sie konnte ihn überzeugen, dass auch sie einen Anteil zu den Kriegsanstrengungen beitragen muss. Früher war sie mal in einer Kleiderfabrik beschäftigt, aber dann sah sie das Schild, dass dort Unterstützung gesucht wird. Aber es benötigt einige Überzeugungsarbeit bei der russischstämmigen Besitzerin und eine Probewoche bis sie anfangen konnte. Ihr Mann ist nicht einfach, meistens kritisiert er nur, was sie alles falsch macht und dazu gehört auch, dass sie noch nicht schwanger geworden ist. So ist sie froh, dass er 1940 endgültig eingezogen wird, obwohl er im Lebensmittelbereich arbeitet. Aber sie fühlt sich auch schuldig, dass sie so eine Erleichterung empfindet. Josie war eine gute Schülerin und sollte eigentlich Lehrerin werden, aber dann starb ihre Mutter im Kindbett und sie musste sich um die zahlreichen Geschwister kümmern. Sie hat dann später den erst besten Mann geheiratet, der sich für sie interessierte, um den Umständen zu Hause zu entkommen. Nach der Rettung von Dünkirchen kommt ichr Mann Stan erstmals plötzlich heim, aber nur übers Wochenende bis zum nächsten Einsatz.

Dann begannen auch in London die Bombardements. Eines Tages trifft es dann auch den Teesalon und seine Besitzerin, es gibt nichts zu retten, und Josie braucht eine neue Arbeit, um sich finanziell über Wasser halten zu können. Doch einige Tage später wird auch ihr Zuhause getroffen und sie verschüttet, sie wird zwar schnell gerettet, hat aber ein gebrochenes Schlüsselbein und ihr ganzes Hab und Gut verloren. Eine Krankenschwester hat Mitleid mit ihr und lässt sie zunächst in ein Konvent verlegen, später wird sie aufs Land evakuiert. Trotz ihrer widrigen Lebensumstände lernt sie hier ein ganz anderes Leben kennen mit vielen neuen Perspektiven, Ideen und neuen Freundschaften. Es gelingt ihr ein ganz anderes Leben aufzubauen und Josie weiß bald nicht mehr, ob sie überhaupt jemals in die Stadt zurückkehren will. Aber es warten noch manche Wendungen und Schicksalsschläge auf sie.

Die Protagonistin Josie ist sympathisch und nachvollziehbar. Die Geschichte lebt auch durch ihre zahlreichen interessante Nebencharaktere. Man erfährt viel über das englische Leben während des 2 Weltkrieges, über die Entbehrungen und Mühen der Bevölkerung. Man bangt und hofft mit Josie mit und die Erzählung fliest schnell dahin. Vor dem aktuellen Hintergrund des Krieges in der Ukraine ist das Buch schon fast grausam aktuell.

Ein interessanter historischer Rahmen. Das Buch konnte mich gut unterhalten.

Told from the perspective of a woman initially living in London during WWII, it follows her as she loses everything and gets sent to the countryside for evacuation. It was great to read about her growth and getting to experience new lifestyles and learn what she wanted out of life. It was also interesting to learn more about what it would have been like to be a civilian in England at the time, something I had little to no knowledge of. It's full of characters both enjoyable (Mike, the Badgers, Lottie) and characters that made me want to slap them on the regular (Stan, Kathleen). The ending seemed a bit rushed and easily concluded - I would have liked to have seen it be more fleshed out. Could have cut some of the descriptions of food to do so! Overall it was a pleasant, enjoyable read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Rhys Bowen writes the Royal Spyness series, and stand alone. This "alone" title has to be one of her best!
Josie Banks is a character that will not give up, no matter what. Faced with the loss of everything during a Blitz coming raid, Josie is sent to the country side. An area as alien to a Londoner as going to Mars. However, her grit and determination sees her through many challenges. This is a wonderful glimpse into the hardworking and determination of one woman to overcome what ever fates sends her way. One of Ms. Bowen's BEST !!! Looking forward the audio version.

This is a great read. Set in WWII, this story gives more insight into the bombing of London and how refugees left with no home would be placed elsewhere, sometimes in the countryside.
The reality of war plays a large part in this book. Women sending children to safety, women worried for husbands and sons fighting in the war, suspicion of any German looking or sounding person on English soil, high casualties of pilots, spies, and rationed food all play a part in survival of the war.
This is a well written and an engaging read.

Another great piece of historical fiction! I do enjoy Rhys Bowden’s writing and was glad to see this soon to be published book, Where the Sky Begins. I thought I was finished reading about the WWII period, but in RB’s hands new life has been injected into a tried and true era.

Josie Bates was a woman before her time. Forced, by circumstance, into some unfortunate situations - an unhappy marriage, bombed out of her home, evacuated to the British countryside and housed with a crotchety upper crust Brit, Josie made the best of every situation. She even managed to find a vocation and true love.

Ms. Bowen has skillfully revealed more of the hardship and happiness of the war. As with her other work, I found myself captured and held from the start. It is clear the author has researched, but the manner she uses to educate us about some of the wartime events is never dry. A job well done from start to finish.

Thank you #NetGalley and #LakeUnion for a great read.

When Mr Banks is sent off to fight in World War 2, Mrs Josie Banks has no choice but to find a job in a local tea room in London.
Unfortunately when the bombs hit, both her home and the tea room are destroyed -leaving her injured and alone.
She is sent to the English Countryside to recuperate in the stately home of Miss Harcourt and her maid Kathleen.

This is not my typical kind of read, but when I read the description I had to give it a go - and I was not disappointed by my choice!
In the book we meet so many characters that create a village and give a community feel, as well as the RAF soldiers who live
near by!
When Josie put her plans into action and the storyline of Mr Banks and Mr Jonson unfolded I was so happy! Every question answered and a happily ever after to
boot!
Such a wonderful story about such a dreadful time that kept me looking on the bright side

I have been a fan of Rhys Bowen's since her book 'In Farleigh Field', and I have to say each stand-alone book she writes feels fresh and it is always a joy to learn of a new one that will be released! 'Where the Sky Begins' was a different than a lot of the WWII novels being published today, as the scenery is different (Think Downton Abbey WWII) and her involvement with a Canadian pilot. I really, really enjoyed the premise, loved the main characters, believed in the romance (which is important!) and overall spent a very happy day immersing myself into the world created. This is an excellent book and comes highly recommended!

I’ve always enjoyed Rhys Bowen’s books, even though I tend to like her series book more than stand-alones. This was no exception, it was a good read but it sometimes had almost a clinical telling of how the events happened, instead of showing us with details.

Josie Banks starts off in London while her rather condescending husband is fighting in WWII. She works in a tea shop, but after she’s injured in a bombing that destroys her house, she ends up out in the countryside. She’s living with a rather snobby older woman, Miss Harcourt, and her prickly Irish maid, Kathleen, next door to an RAF base. There, she meets fellow villages and airmen, and finds friendship, romance, and acceptance in this village where she initially doubted she’d ever fit in. Add in some mystery and espionage and some hiccups in the way to Josie’s happily ever after, and we have a pretty good story.

I liked Josie and I thought she was a well developed character who really grew into her own as the story unfolded. The romance didn’t wow me at first but as it started to develop more, I found it fit in with the heartwarming theme of the book. The only negative like I mentioned earlier is that there’s some spots where we didn’t get much detail in some spots.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I adore everything Bowen writes and this was no exception. Josie, a wife to a soldier called up during Ww2 flees to the English countryside after being hurt in a London bombing raid. She is billetted with an older curmudgeon and maid who isn't too happy she is there. It is a wonderful peek into wartime country living. A must read!

I'm a big fan of Rhys Bowen's books and this is one of the best. Easy to read and a lovely story. A wartime romance, some spies, intrigue and interesting twists. Thanks to Rhys, netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

What a lovely book about the difficulties of World WR Two in London and England. The book takes us from London being bombed into the countryside and back. A love story in between.

I thoroughly enjoyed this historical women's fiction book set during the British homefront in WWII. First of all, I adored the main character--a smart, hardworking, determined woman who refused to accept limitations based on her social class and the many unlucky life situations she found herself in. It has a little romance and intrigue thrown in as well. The ending seemed a bit rushed, but overall, this was a heartwarming book.

What an enjoyable story! I this Rhys Bowen novel you come to know Josie and her life during WWII. Not a typical novel centering around this time period, but instead a peak into Josie's life in London during the war. You will fall in love with Josie and all that she goes through makes her stronger. This is a story about survival, love and war.

This is a very enjoyable book to read telling the story of Josie Banks who leaves London for the countryside after her home is bombed,Josie joins the small local community and makes a home for herself,then her domineering husband returns ans she must decide if she wants the london life or her country life. 5*

It seems as though Josie Banks never catches a break—-but you wouldn’t know it from her always positive attitude. Born in the slums of London’s East End, she is left, at 14, to raise her younger brothers and sisters following her mother’s death. As a means of escape, she marries Stanley Banks, who is soon called up to duty in the Army as the war in Europe Breaks out. Bombed out during the Blitz, Josie is relocated to the countryside where her positive attitude paves the way for her contribution to the war effort.

Through her words and experiences of her richly drawn characters, author Rhys Bowen has captured the spirit of true grit shown by the people of London and throughout Britain during World War II. The sacrifices they made and their fortitude to survive on so little, while at the same time finding the strength to help each other when circumstances might otherwise prove unbearable, is a testament to the goodness in humankind. This is a story we need today.

My thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to become acquainted with this author and read this novel prior to publication

#WheretheSkyBegins #NetGalley-Thanks to Lake Union and Rhys Bowen for this fine WWII novel!

Rhys Bowen is a favorite author of mine, her recent non-series includes many WWII era stories which are written so very well! "Where the Sky Begins" is especially poignant as it illustrates how all classes of people, both in and out of England have been impacted.

Josie grows up in London's East End, helped raise six siblings, was employed and then married. Her
overbearing husband Stan is drafted and she finds a job in a nearby tearoom that she loves. Sadly both the tearoom, and Josie's home, are bombed. She is left injured and eventually is evacuated to the countryside with nothing of her own in the company of mostly children.

Josie begins to try to find common ground with the reluctant elderly wealthy lady, in whose mansion she is placed and is successful. She makes friends in the community, and eventually meets an RAF officer who she becomes good friends with. Stan, meanwhile, who has not contacted her in a year comes there on leave and takes her back to London.

When she returns to Miss Harcourt and the community she has grown to love, Stan is badly injured and she has to go back and care for him. He gets well enough to go out to a pub with his sister which is bombed to rubble and Josie returns to the countryside.

A fairly quick succession of events happens, including Josie being offered a scholarship to university for her mathematical skills. The book ends on a happy conclusion, one that I enjoyed reading

I really enjoyed this beautiful story about resilience and finding yourself when all else is lost.

Josie’s husband is fighting in the war, she has just found a job she loves when a bomb destroys their home and the tea room. This left Josie injured and with nothing to her name. She is such a resilient character throughout this whole story. She is evacuated from London and placed in a home in the countryside to recover. We see her trying to fit in in the small village and open another tea shop to keep the morale of the airmen up. She meets one Canadian airmen who shows her what love could be, but then Stan returns.
Some suspense as it is war time. But an in depth book that looks at hope during the war.


Thank you Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC!

This is a historical fiction story about Josie Banks during the time period of WW2. Josie lives in London and has had to adjust to life after her gruff husband, Stan, is drafted into service. Josie finds herself a small tearoom to work in, and just as she's feeling comfortable, bombings destroy the tearoom, and then her home.

Josie is taken to the countryside for her recovery and recuperation and finds herself in a large house owned by a cranky older woman. She works to find her fit in the house and befriends several members of the community, and some young men who are stationed at the nearby air base. One man catches her eye, and you can feel her internal struggle of wondering what will happen to Stan in the war.

The story contains some suspense, and easily portrays the emotions that Josie feels from her own war experience and worrying about those embedded in the fighting.

I recently 'found' Rhys Bowen and was thrilled to receive this ARC for her new book. I thoroughly enjoyed Where the Sky Begins, the story of Josie Banks who evacuates to the English countryside after her London home is bombed. Josie's grit allows her to join the small local community, meet local RAF servicemen and make a new home for herself. It is only when her dominating husband returns, that she sees how far she's grown and must decide if she still fits into London life.



Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC

This is a very good quick enjoyable book! This author can somehow capture your attention from the first page and before you know it your at the end of an awesome book!.