Book: The Highland Girls at War
Author: Helen Yendall
Publisher: HQ Digital
Length: 369 Pages
Overall Rating: 5/5 Stars
Blog Rating: 5/5 Saltire Flags

1942 Scottish Highlands

The Lumberjills are the new in the Women’s Timber Corps and want to help in the war effort while the lads are fighting overseas. Of course many look at them as a frail pretty face not realizing their potential. This book also is a historical fiction with a romance which I absolutely loved!

This book is absolutely an absolute phenomenal masterpiece I did not want to end! One of the best books I ever read! It made me laugh, cry, and feel so many emotions. A heartwarming story with believable characters I absolutely loved! This book definitely swept me away and I loved it so much! A book I highly recommend!

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. I voluntarily agreed to do an honest, fair, review and blog through netgalley. All words, thoughts, ideas are my own.

This book is set in Scotland during WWII. It is compelling. The characters are well developed. This story deals with romance and sisterhood. The ending left me hanging and the ends weren’t tied up

This was an interesting read. I really loved the concept but sadly something about the writing style didn't fully click with me so I struggled to persevere with it.

A really good wartime fiction read that once I started I didn’t want to put it down. I really felt like I was there in the highlands during that era whilst reading

Great book! Want to read a WWII story that is different? This book is for you!

It was so nice to read a WWII story that was not about death and destruction. This is a book about women volunteering to do their part for the war effort doing a really tough job. Women coming together from all backgrounds and working together to support their country at war. Women that did not even like each other at first, but eventually became family.

This book does not portray these women as saints - they made mistakes. This is a book about relationships between women, men and members of a family. One of the interesting parts of the story were the reasons that the women joined up. Each one joined for a different reason, some good and some bad.

Women in this story were supportive at times, but also hateful and sarcastic. It was great to see women from different classes learning from each other, in a country where class really mattered. This is a story about living life outside of your comfort zone and becoming a better person for it.

Dramatic, compelling and involving, Helen Yendall’s The Highland Girls at War is an enjoyable World War Two saga written in the best-selling tradition of Nancy Revell and Rosie Archer.

The Lumberjills, the newest recruits in the Women’s Timber Corps, arrive in the Scottish Highlands and they aren’t exactly welcomed with open arms by the locals. The hostile reception only serves to make these three very different women determined to prove them all wrong and to show them just what they’re made of – and maybe also to find something that’s been missing from their lives for so long. For Lady Persephone joining the Lumberjills is an opportunity for her to prove to all those people who doubted and dismissed her that she’s more than just a pretty face. The hours are long and the work is extremely hard, but Persephone is determined to stick it out and make the most out of this opportunity – and who knows, maybe also win the handsome Sergeant Fraser round, who isn’t too sure about her abilities!

Grace has joined the Women’s Timber Corps because she is determined to carve out her own niche and to find her own place in the world. Having grown up working on a croft with just her mother for company, the work doesn’t scare or intimidate her in the slightest. But will working with the Lumberjills give her everything she’s always wanted? Or will being so far from home force her to retreat into herself and not make the most out of this chance to serve her country and forge her own path? Meanwhile, Irene is missing her husband dreadfully and she has become a Lumberjill because she is in desperate need of a distraction and hopes to lose herself in her war work – until an unexpected twist of fate leads her to wonder whether she’s made the biggest mistake of her life.

When tragedy strikes, the Lumberjills will need to pull together to triumph over the many obstacles standing in their way. Will they find the happiness they’ve been searching for? Or will this cruel and senseless war lead to nothing but anguish, sorrow and despair?

Perfect for reading curled up by the fire in a comfy chair, Helen Yendall’s The Highland Girls at War is saga writing at its most entertaining. A wonderful story about love, friendship, hope and courage with three strong, flawed, relatable and believable characters, The Highland Girls at War is a captivating historical saga that I loved losing myself in. Helen Yendall writes so evocatively about the Highlands of Scotland and wartime life that readers will immediately feel transported back in time and they will be completely invested in the lives and loves of Persephone, Grace and Irene.

I loved Helen Yendall’s The Highland Girls at War and will make sure to look out for more heartwarming sagas by this talented new writer.

Heartwarming, and heartfelt historical fiction. Looking at WWII not only from the perspective of the Timber Corp, but also Highlanders provides a fresh take for readers.

I've read Helen before and this is a worthy addition to an unknown part of the war effort women took part in.

I found the premise of the book very interesting. The Timber Corps and the lumberjills were a group I was unaware of until I started reading this novel. The book, for me, started off rather slowly and it took some time for me to become invested in the story. Once the story line picked up I had more of a connection with the characters and their lives. I thought Seffy’s character was a little unbelievable at times. Would a girl that really grew up and had everyone wait on her hand and foot really do some of the things Seffy did and be able to last the Timber Corps? Maybe so but it would have been fairly uncommon. All in all I liked the story and am interested to see what happens in the next installment as a lot was left undone.

Thanks to Net Galley ans HQ Digital for the advanced copy.

Such a fun book about the female accomplishments during WW2 in Scotland. The Lumberjills are all determined to do their bit as part of the Women's Timber Courts. They make friends with the locals and other troops stationed nearby. I enjoyed reading about the different challenges and experiences that they had.

I really enjoyed this book at the start, the story had me hooked and I enjoyed reading about the Lumberjills. Unfortunately for me, it just ended too abruptly, almost like I was missing 4 or 5 chapters from the end. I'm hoping this is because there will be another book and perhaps it'll develop into a series. I guess I'll wait and see.

Unputdownable! I really enjoyed this book mainly cause I was interested in the characters from the off. They were believable and interesting, so was the subject matter. The girls joining up are all wary of one another, some never having worked before others never having been away from home. They learn through hard work and endurance to pull together and work as a team. The fact that there are some Canadian woodsmen working close by helps to make things more interesting!


I’m sure the fact that I live in the area depicted in the story helped as I was able to picture all the places named..
This is the first book I have read by this author and it certainly won’t be the last.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book.

This was a new author to me and thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish! The characters were from very diverse upbringings but shows how they can come together to overcome life's setbacks!

The story kept moving really well and all characters were very believable, being a Scot I enjoyed the few little snippets of my language!!

I look forward to the next book in the series, I really hope there will be one!

Highland Girls at War

Such a heartening read! Three young British women from highly disparate backgrounds have joined the Women’s Timber Corp. They call themselves the Lumberjills. Their forestry work is grueling but they are determined to prove their worth to the locals and a troop of male Canadians working nearby.

Set in Scotland, this WII story features the lesser known Women’s Timber Corp as compared to the Women’s Land Corp. Learning how Canadian troops assisted the British was also a plus.

Helen Yendall has deftly created the main characters. Lady Persephone, Grace and Irene each carry issues and secrets with them. Their authenticity shines. . As their sisterhood develops, we see the depth of their characters. With men working nearby, romance undoubtedly develops.

This story is full of humor, heartache and romance and with the irresistible characters and an engaging plot the chapters fly by too quickly. Oh, if there could be a sequel….

I just wasn't at a place to read this book and hope to try again one day with a clearer mind because I really love WWII historical fiction. I think it was a great idea but its quite long to be honest.

I enjoyed this book, although it started off a bit slow for me. It took me a while to get immersed in the story. I loved the characters of the young girls who left family and went to work in the woods, their determination and yet real feelings were felt throughout the book. I enjoyed their friendship, the joys they shared along with the sorrow.

There were a few characters I didn’t care for in the book, but unfortunately usually every book has some.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The book was enjoyable. I did not realize that there were females working in the forestry industry during the war. The girls are very courageous as they learn a new trade, learn how to work as teams. There is love, and loss and finding oneselves. I liked how the main character was a prima donna but became one of the girls on the team. This book is very different than many other WW2 books I have read due to the fact that it was not based on the actual fighting. Definitely a book I would recommend. I read the book in one sitting.

I do enjoy books which feature a group of women, all different, and these women were certainly that, all thrown together by war and a desire to serve. I had never heard of the lumberjills before but was soon swept up in their lives and work, romances and tragedies. Not the ending I had expected, so bravo to the author for that!

The Highland Girls at War is a detailed fast paced story that has a slow start and enjoyable second half.

Yendall has created an interesting plot by using vivid imagery and research into some of the roles women played in the war effort. The Highland Girls at War looks into the The Women’s Timber Corp consisting of a small group of young women of different backgrounds, who were also known as Lumberjills. Yendall also looks into the Canadian Forestry Corp who were recruited by the British and also participated in some military training. Both companies were working in the Scottish forests, their responsibilities included felling trees and hauling them to the mill. The writing style is easy to follow with a good mixture of description and dialogue, however there were some parts that seemed rushed. The ending was left open allowing for a possible series, yet leaves the book feeling unfinished

The character development of The Highland Girls at War has a great amount of background information and uses some flashbacks. There are some likeable characters and some characters that I took an instant dislike to, but overall they are well thought out.

At 18 years old Lady Persephone (Seffy) is the eldest child of an earl. She has led a shelter life and comes across a typical spoiled person who is self-centred. When her brothers announce that they have joined the RAF everyone is proud, but she thinks it is a complete disaster and in an attempt to regain the limelight she says that she has joined the WLA. A bet is made that she won't last a month and her allowance is stopped, but Seffy is looking forward to the challenge and is determined to prove them all wrong. Seffy instantly stands out from the other girl, who seems to take an instant dislike to her, yet she perseveres eventually winning them over and becomes a better person.

Grace is shy and sometimes clumsy. Her father died when she was a baby so she lives with mother on the family farm. She applied to the WTC as a chance to get away, much to her mother's dismay. Grace is happy when received her call up papers. As the story progresses the reader sees Grace blossom into a sweet, caring person, who has an amazing inner strength.

Irene is a chatty charmer. She works 2 jobs, one as a waitress in a teashop and the second in munitions. A recruiting march catches her eye as she is serving tea to the regulars. She sees a banner stating that women are needed to tend the land, so she decides to join the WTC. She missed her husband, Jim, who has been fighting in the navy for the past 2 years. As a result she is very lonely and tends to be very flirtatious with other men. At the camp she is made the lead girl from the first day. She takes the role very seriously and keeps the girls in line.

Callum joined the Canadian Forestry Corps (CFC) 9 months ago. And was sent to aid the British, four thousand miles from home. The journey took 10 days via ship where they crossed the Atlantic. His grandparents had emigrated from Scotland looking forward to the adventure in exploring the land. The reader is introduced to the group when one of the men from the camp has seen a group of women some miles away felling trees, everyone excited at the thought of meeting them...

All the women are mainly Scots and townies apart from Seffy who is an English lady. The locals take a dislike to the WTC and believe they are doing men's work, thankfully they slowly warm to them. Both Seffy and Callum have a chemistry from the moment they meet but are in a serious relationship, but they can't resist a good challenge and each other even though they try...

I would suggest reading The Highland Girls at War to people who enjoy historical fiction and women's fiction based around the events and occurrences of WW2, as it is an emotive character driven story of secrets, love, friendship, danger and hardship as the reader discovers heartbreaking world as they follow the brave women who became part of the WTC to help the war effort

Thoroughly enjoyable as an entertaining historical story, this novel also introduced me to The Women’s Timber Corps. I had of course known about the ‘Land Girls’, but this is the first time I’ve learned about the lumberjills (as opposed to lumberjacks)Set in the forests of Scotland during 1942, the story featured several of the lumberjills from all different walks of life, and various social classes, single, married, and widowed. All young, in their twenties, they were taught the gruellingly arduous job of felling trees with axes and bucksaws. Some of the lower class girls were not strangers to hard physical labour, but one of the protagonists of the story, Lady Persephone (Seffy), the daughter of a British Earl, has never had to work for anything. Spoiled by her father’s money and social status, she is rudely awakened by her new career. She is disliked by the other girls, so feels she must prove herself – both to the other girls and to her parents. Scottish born Grace has previously worked on her mother’s croft, so she is the most physically strong of the bunch. Irene‘s husband is serving in the war, so she hopes her new position will help to quell her loneliness and fear for him.

As they learn their dangerous new trade, the girls encounter some Canadian Lumberjacks from The Canadian Forestry Corps, who provide both jacks and jills with some much needed distraction from the war, and from their bone weary daily labours.

This gripping story transports the reader to the forests of Scotland where the work is hard, the sap is sticky, the midges bite, and young hearts are tested in many ways.

Highly recommended to those who appreciate a romantic story with lots of history thrown in. A heart-warming, heart-breaking, and entertaining saga about female friendship, hope, courage, and the cruelties of war.

4.5 stars rounded up