As always, this book by Rosie Archer was fantastic. I love her style of writing and I found the subject matter fascinating. The second World War has become a bit of a fixation with me in the last few years - the subject matter, and how women made their mark in WWII will never fail to be interesting and inspiring.

It was 1942 and nineteen year old Trixie Smith was on her way from Gosport to Scotland to be trained as a lumberjill, to help with the war effort and once she'd arrived at the lodge she was billeted at, Trixie realised the young girl, Vi, whom she'd sat near on the train was one of the lumberjills as well. Also Jo and Hen, who had been waiting for transport on the last leg of their journey. It wasn't long before the four girls were close friends, learning together. Four weeks was their training period and once they'd been accepted, they'd be posted elsewhere in Scotland to continue their work.

Trixie had met an American sailor in the first leg of her journey, their friendship immediate. They wrote to one another, keeping in touch as the weeks went by, and although they hardly knew one another, Trixie felt Cy was the one. As the girls worked hard at their training, felling trees, and doing things they'd never dreamed of, their exhaustion was complete. But Trixie felt good, rosy cheeked and healthy and her playing of the piano most evenings at the nearby pub, the Yellow Duck, satisfied her greatly. But secrets rippled through the four friends, keeping parts of their pasts from each other. Was signing up as a lumberjill enough to solve the problems of the past?

The Timber Girls is the 1st in The Timber Girls series by Rosie Archer and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to the next in the series when we catch up with the girls again, and find out what their futures will be. Trixie is a strong, kind and caring character, a little naive but genuine. A heartwarming and satisfying read, The Timber Girls is one I recommend.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

One thing I've loved about reading books based in this time period is finding out about aspects of the war I didnt actually know about. I had no idea about the lumberjills and the work they did. I've enjoyed reading about it. There's been a good balance between fact and fiction, some of the facts I've looked up purely because it has seemed interesting to me and I've wanted to know more about it.
I have a feeling this will be a really good series. This was my first book by Rosie Archer and it wont be my last.

A big thank you to Netgalley and Rosie Archer for sending me a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was really happy to be accepted for this one, since I've enjoyed previous books that I have read from the author.

Tired of working in a greengrocers and hoping to give her mum and partner some space, Trixie is determined to make the long journey from her hometown of Gosport to Scotland to join the Lumberjills helping the war effort. Before she leaves Gosport, Trixie meets Cy, an American sailor, and they share a brief moment together before she must leave on her train. Despite being together only for a short time, they have an instant connection and they promise they will be together once the war is over​.

Trixie quickly meets fellow women who have joined the Lumberjills with the newest intake of recruits, and they quickly become friends. I liked how the author made each of the main four friends have a completely different personality and backstory, each with their own reasons for joining the force, which you learn over the course of the book. I liked Trixie, Vi, Hen and Jo equally, you can really sympathise with them and their situations and reading genuine friendships unfold.

I liked that the topic of class divisions, especially between the four friends, discussed and considered in the story. Also, race relations are present in the story, as the love interest of this book is a black man, which I believe is the first time I have read this in one of Archer's books. I think it's fantastic that these things are included in the book, as a LOT of historical novels overlook these subjects, despite them being very important or prominent in the time period they are set in.

I must mention, there are some sensitive topics in the book, including assault and we also have the POV of a prisoner of war. While there is nothing too graphic, it's good to mention these things are there.

The ending feels like there will be a second book in the series, which I hope there will be! I enjoyed reading this one and getting to know all of the characters, I look forward to reading any following books!
5/5

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I loved reading this book, and had never heard of the lumberjills.
The story is set during WW2, where we meet Trixie, who has decided to do her bit for the war, but in a way that’s different to her present life .

We also meet Jo, Hen and Viv her friends, also in training. I’m excited to know what happens next in the lives of these ladies as they go through the war, as this is the first book in a series.

I recommend this book.

As war breaks out, young women are needed in all sorts of previously male-dominated roles & the timber industry was no different. By 1942, the German occupation of Norway was causing shortages and the British lumber industry needed to be revived so the Women’s Timber Corps was formed.
This book follows four women, from the same hometown of Gosport, who are recruited to be “lumberjills”, working in the timber industry chopping down trees, managing woodland, working in sawmills and more. The days are long & the work exhausting but they are there to support each other.
Trixie is searching for adventure, whilst also giving her Mum & her “lodger” some time to develop their relationship. Vi is running from a turbulent home life and finds the friendship she’s always wanted. Jo is very quiet and seems to be almost fearful of something and has no desire to return home. Henrietta seems to come from a privileged background, but like Jo & Vi she seems to be trying to break away from something in her past.
As the books progresses, we see how hard the work is, how the girls from different backgrounds form firm friendships, how they survive some of the privations of war, meet some interesting characters and manage to integrate with the local community through Trixie’s piano playing in the local pub.
The research is evident and the story gives a good insight into the work of the Timber Corps
It was a quick, easy read but seemed to finish quite suddenly, so I hope there is a sequel … it certainly gave a good introduction to the characters & their backgrounds but does feel unfinished in its current state!

I just loved this book, it was such an easy and interesting read. The detail of what it meant to be a working woman in the war, the tiny details of how to train to be a lumberjill, how to survive a black out, life and friendship between solders, was all fabulous. The romance was a solid thread and one that kept me hoping as i read the book - and the real learning is the strength of friendship in the most unlikely places.

Another great read from Rosie Archer.

She writes very knowledgeably about the different tasks faced by women during war time, and all of them are very entertaining reading. The Timber Girls are not an occupation that most people think of immediately when asked about the war, so it was very interesting to read about their very important role.

I really enjoyed this book as I have all of her others!

A new WWII series by Rosie Archer. I had heard of Timber girls but never read a book about them, so I was intrigued to find out more about them and the work they do.

It is also a love story about Trixie and Cy and a story about friendship. Since it is the first book there is a lot of background and introduction of the characters.

I enjoyed reading about the friendship being formed and I loved some of the side characters.. I would have liked a bit more information and scenes about the work and training they did. That was a bit sparse while there are plenty of pubscenes, but maybe that will level out a bit more in the next book.

This is one of the best books I’ve read in a while, a beautifully written story about 4 girls, their lives and friendship. Trixie, Hen, Jo and Vi all sign up to be lumberjills during WW2, sent to Scotland to learn the trade they forge deep friendships, each of them hiding a secret from their family lives. Trixie meets and falls in love with Cy an American GI on the way to Scotland, they only spend a few hours together but know they’ve fallen in love. This is a wonderful book and I’m really hoping for a second book to finish the story. Well deserved 5 stars.

Trixie Smith lives in Gosport, she’s nineteen, and works at Watts the Greengrocers and plays the piano at the Alma hotel on the weekends. Trixie wants to help England win the war, and in 1942 they desperately need recruits for the newly formed Women’s Timber Corps.

Trixie leaves home for the first time, she travels by train to Scotland, to start her training as a Lumberjill. During her long trip, she meets Cy and American sailor on leave. Trixie has always thought falling in love at first sight wasn’t possible and after the chance encounter she changes her mind. The couple promise to write to each other, both don’t know what the future holds for them and especially during a war.

Trixie arrives at Shandford Lodge, in charge is Maud Styles and they begin the month of training. The young ladies are picked up every morning by Alf, taken to the forest, where they learn all about felling trees, carting timber and making charcoal. Trixie makes friends with three fellow Lumberjills, Henrietta, Joan and Violet, and they support each other through the grueling training. The days are long, exhausting, when they have the energy they go to the local pub in the evening, where Trixie plays the piano and they forget about their troubles and aches and pains for a few hours.

Trixie senses that Hen, Jo and Vi have all signed because they are not happy at home, they don’t reveal why and Jo and Vi are very quiet. As time goes on the young women form a close bond, they have no idea where the friends will be posted after they finish basic training and Trixie hopes the group stays together?

I received a copy of The Timber Girls by Rosie Archer from NetGalley and Quercus Books in exchange for an honest review. I always learn something new from reading historical fiction, they needed women to work in the forest industry, because England was short of timber and male loggers. This was due to the naval blockade, Scotland had the trees, and they needed over twelve hundred extra workers to cut them down. I liked the comradery formed between Trixie, Hen, Vi and Jo, I look forward to finding out more about these character’s and in the next installment of the wartime historical saga. Five stars from me, the first book I have read by Rosie Archer, and it defiantly won’t be my last.

All of this book was just a delight! I loved going with the Timber Girls on their adventures and tales of training to become Lumberjills.

We’ve all heard of the land girls, but with wartime reaching it’s height, there’s a real need for wood and timber for the war effort so more and more Lumberjills are needed to meet the demand. This provides the perfect opportunity for our four girls, Trixie, Vi, Jo and Hen to break away from the confines of their lives and contribute to something bigger than themselves.

Trixie relishes the opportunity to expand her horizons and do something for the war effort; giving her mum and her beloved ‘lodger’ the time they need together without her underfoot. She meets her handsome Cy on the train during her dispatching to Scotland to begin her training and there starts the beginnings of love at first sight..

Vi is running from a turbulent home life and finds the friendship and security she’s always wanted and Hen, built from a life of privilege however burning to escape the confines of a life dictated by her family. There’s also Jo, a quiet and reclusive girl, slowly coming out of her shell as she overcomes her tragic past. Each one of these characters has you rooting for them and I simply loved the camaraderie and friendship they all shared with each other.

It was seriously such an enjoyable book and I loved every page. The whole book flew by in no time and I can’t wait to see how it advances in the series. I’m so excited to wait for the next one and see how it will continue to unfold. It was brilliant!

Oh wow I loved this book. I didn't want it to end. It was amazing to find out that girls where becoming lumbargills I never knew this.
I hope this book is the start of a series as I want to know how cy and hobo are?
If cy and trixie get together again.
If the girls do well at the new posting.
So much stuff I want to know.
Please please let tgere be another book.
Thank you so much Rosie archer for another excellent book

I do enjoy Rose Archer books, and i enjoyed this subject i didn't even know there was Lumberjills. The ending was abrupt but im aware this will be a series so look forward to the second part.

Another brilliant book by Rosie Archer i just love her books as she draws you into the story along side the great characters 5*

Outstanding. Started and finished in less than 24 hours. I truly couldn't put it down. Likeable characters, strong storyline with plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader interested.

I love to read books based around the war and learn more about how the country coped during some very dark days.

The story not only gave an insight into the timber corps role but why it was so important. The story also helps to show how people of different backgrounds came together each with their own reason for joining.

I eagerly await the next book in the series! Thank you Rosie!

The Timber Girls by Rosie Archer

You know you are in for a great read when this author brings out another book , and this one is a gem.
They also say everyday is a school day , and I had never heard of the lumberjills until reading this.
Set during ww2 we meet Trixie who decides to help the war effort in a way that's very different from her present life . Along the way we also meet and get to know her new friends who are also training Jo , Hen , and Viv .
As this is the first in a series it is a great introduction and a insight of things to come in store for these ladies as they each individually , and as a group , navigate the trials that living through a war brings.

What a fantastic insight to the fearless girls during ww2 that picked up the mantle and turned their hands to many jobs. This is a great start to I’m sure going to be a fantastic series.
Four young ladies from very different backgrounds Trixie,Jo,Viv and Henrietta (Hen) embark on new adventures being Lumberjills . The start of this series shows the ups and downs they face in their new roles and the circumstances that lead to them joining up.
Can’t wait for the next instalment to catch up with the girls on the next stage of their journeys.
Highly recommended read

Firstly thank you Netgalley for this ARC

Omg Rosie you have nailed it again another start of an amazing series can't wait to read more. Family saga just perfect