Yet Another Realistic Fiction Of WWII. Lane does a tremendous amount of research for all of her WWII historical novels, then takes licenses where needed to tell the story she is trying to tell within that setting, and this tale is no different. Yet again Lane manages to bring a spotlight to a particularly deadly role in the war, that of the female motorcycle dispatch riders in the UK -where in the author's note Lane reveals that of the 303 women killed in the line of duty (of 100,000 serving), roughly one third of them were these very riders.

And yet, even in this realism we also get a remarkable sense of who these characters are and some of their all-too-real motivations, as is also typical of a Lane tale. You're going to fall in love with these women and their men, and that makes the tragedies of war all too real for the reader as well.

The only modicum of anything remotely negative here is likely at least parts of the epilogue, where Lane falls into tropes all too common in romance books (which this could *maybe* qualify as, as well?)... but here again, given the events of the years immediately after the war... even this particular thing is more real than not, and thus contributes to the very "mostly accurate" depiction Lane strives for and achieves.

Ultimately this tale does exactly what Lane set out to do - highlight these women most have never really known about, and tell tales of their lives that are all too plausible in every respect. Very much recommended.

Soraya M. Lane has become one of my all time favorite authors. Over the years, I have read many of her books and have never been disappointed. When I saw that she had written a new book, The London Girls, I was so excited to read it! All of Soraya M. Lane’s books, so far, have brilliantly linked an aspect of World War II with strong female protagonists. I really enjoy her books because I always learn something new about this period in history and it almost always revolves around something accomplished by women. The London Girls was no exception. It was well paced and the character development was brilliant. I felt like I had a real connection with each and every one of the characters by the time I finished reading The London Girls. The images that Soraya M. Lane created and portrayed throughout this book were so very painstakingly vivid and real especially those that centered around the devastation of The Blitz. The London Girls took place in London in 1941 during The Blitz.

In The London Girls, Soraya M. Lane, portrayed the brave and heroic efforts of female motorcycle dispatch riders that were recruited during World War II. These female motorcycle dispatch riders were essential to the war effort in delivering time sensitive classified memos throughout England. When the men who had been performing this very crucial job we’re needed at the front, the Navy decided to recruit and train women Wrens to replace the men. Some women were also recruited as ambulance drivers.

When the order came down from the Navy for Wrens to apply for the positions of motorcycle dispatch riders, three very different women applied. Ava, Olivia and Florence were excited about the prospect of being selected for one of the positions. Unfortunately, Florence did not have what it took but since she was so skilled at driving she was recommended to become an ambulance driver. Ava and Olivia were both granted spots. Olivia had been the only one of the three that had actually ever ridden a motorcycle before. She grew up as the only sister of three older brothers. Her older brother Petey had taught her. The three women started off as strangers to each other but quickly forged beautiful friendships with each other. They each put their lives in danger every time they rode their motorcycles through the darkened streets of London to deliver a top secret memo that could possibly help sway the war in favor of an allied victory. There was always the fear of German planes dropping bombs in their path or not seeing an obstacle in the road and crashing the motorcycle or the unthinkable. Ava and Olivia pledged from the start that no matter what happened they would deliver the memos even if it meant running to their destinations.

Then there was Florence who insisted on taking her ambulance out as soon as the sirens began to sound. The sirens warned those that heard them to take cover and get to the nearest shelter immediately. Florence felt that if she waited for the all clear siren to sound it would be too late to help those that were trapped, stuck or severely injured. Her ambulance was often right behind the fire trucks. She put herself in harms way every shift she worked. The bombs that fell over London produced so much rubble from the houses that collapsed and fires became abundant all over London. The ambulance drivers bravely entered houses that could collapse at any moment in the hope of saving even one life.

Each one of these brave and courageous women, Ava, Olivia and Florence, experienced their share of personal tragedies, trauma and challenges. They each wanted to do their part, though, in serving their country. They knew the risks they were taking but did their jobs professionally and proficiently. Through Ava, Olivia and Florence the true meaning of friendship, courage and love were exemplified and realized. They displayed compassion, grit, determination, strength and courage.

I really enjoyed reading The London Girls by Soraya M. Lane. I still find myself thinking about the characters. They really left a lasting impression on me. I had not been aware that there were female motorcycle dispatch riders during this war. So often, these women’s contributions are swept under the rug and not acknowledged. I so appreciate that Soraya M. Lane discovered what these women accomplished during World War II, researched it and made me aware of how these women did what they did selflessly and bravely. In her author’s notes, she mentioned some of the actual people she based her book on and some of the actual places and occurrences that really happened. She also clarified her leniency with some of the dates she used in the books so that they would fit in the context and timeline of the book. Soraya M. Lane is a masterful storyteller. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishers for allowing me to read this ARC of The London Girls by Soraya M. Lane through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Publication is set for November 8, 2022.

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

The book is about the stories of three fearless women.

Both Olivia and Ava worked as dispatch riders driving motorcycles to deliver top secret messages to the British military. Florence, an ambulance driver during the Blitz, saving from those that she could from rubble and fires in and around London.

Doing dangerous jobs, facing scary situations as the bombs were thrown on London. The three women had gone through personal tragedies, but the friendship they shared helped them through it all.

I highly recommend this book.

Soraya M. Lane could publish her grocery list, and I would still love it😅😂❤️
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The way the story just fluidly go from one scene to another was just spectacular, if we're talking actual plot, it wasn't really dense or full of subplots, but it felt like everything was written in such a vivid way that truly made me feel as if I was there with them.
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Soraya writes the best relationships ever, she focuses so much on the human connection between her characters and knows how to proceed with each's story.
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The characters were so loveable and brave, they gave so much pride of female power, each one of the three girls touched a certain place in my heart, I truly can't think of a better trio.
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The ending was so bittersweet, I loved having closure, but I mourned the end of an amazing book.
* I received an ARC of this book through netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review *

The London Girls by Soraya M. Lane is a standalone story set during World War 2.

I have read many books set during the war and this is the first one that has broached the subject of female motorbike dispatchers. Historically based, with some artistic licence, explained in an author's note at the end of the story, I was emotionally invested in this book from start to finish.

The three women, strangers when they met at recruitment for motorbike dispatchers, each had a particular reason why they wanted the job. Each of them was very different, yet the women bonded quickly.

Following their stories had me running a whole gamut of emotions. One moment I would be laughing, or sighing, the next I would be reaching for a tissue. This book had the perfect balance of light and dark so that I never felt an overwhelming sense of sadness despite the time it was set in and the hardships faced.

Soraya M. Lane has now been added to my list of authors whose books I must read. I hope they will all be as good as this one!

Historical fiction fans can't go wrong with this book. Loved learning about these daring motorcycle drivers. I was thoroughly immersed in the chapters. A fantastic read!

Book Title: London Girls
Author: Soraya M. Lane
Publisher: Amazon UK~ Lake Union Publishing
Genre: WWII - Historical Fiction
Pub Date: November 8, 2022
My Rating: 4 Stars

They are daredevils who risk their lives to deliver top secret messages/documents in one of the most dangerous cities in Britain. They are told
“You deliver the documents, even if it kills you”.
This story follows Olivia, Ava and Florence who are known as “The Flying Wrens”. Olivia and Ava who are WWII motorcycle dispatch drivers. Florence was an ambulance driver during the Blitz, rescuing survivors from the rubble and fires around London. All three women had extremely dangerous jobs, exposing themselves to truly scary situations through the bombings inflicted on London.
(Review from the author)I'm so excited to share my next historical WWII novel with you all.
From the moment I read about women riding motorcycles in London during the war, delivering classified memos all over England, I knew I had to write a story about them! I was also fascinated by the female ambulance drivers who risked so much to drive their ambulances as bombs fell on London, and in the direct aftermath of destruction.

Personal Note: I am sure I am not alone in stating I never heard of the female motorcycle dispatch riders~ so yes! this was definitely interesting.
I really am not a fan of WWII novels. This is my second Soraya M. Lane Historical Fiction. I read and love "The Italian Daughter" and now call myself as a fan!

I love reading the Author’s Note as well as her Acknowledgements.
In her Author Notes she tells us that her inspiration is history but worked in some of her creative imagination. She does site what was fact and what is creative writing. She tells us in her Acknowledgements that her desire is to give a voice to women. Based on facts she explores the war from the female perspective.

Want to thank NetGalley and Amazon UK ~ Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read this early eGalley.

In this book we mainly follow 3 courageous women during ww2, 2 as motorcycledispatchers and one as a ambulance driver.
For me this book was abour surviving, tragisk loss, family, the strong bond between women and some rays of sunshine.
What is it about me and reading books about strong women? I Just devoured the book. It makes me feel good inside , people standing up for themselves and eachother. I highly recomnend this book.
Thank you to netgalley for letting me read this e arc in exchange for an honest opinion

Soraya M. Lane has written another great book that takes place during WWII. This time it is about the female motorcycle riders that deliver time sensitive messages. I was not aware that these brave women put them selves in such danger to deliver messages. These women should be remembered with honour and the world should know about their bravery.

Along with the story of great friendships formed and new and lost love it was a most enjoyable book.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this publication in exchange for an honest review.

I greatly enjoyed The London Girls by Soraya M Lane. One of my favorite genres is WWII fiction, especially if it involves strong female leads. This novel ticked all my boxes and provided me much enjoyment. I love how the plot moved forward through three different female perspectives. It was refreshing to see the storyline progress through a variety viewpoints and experiences. I also appreciate that the author tackled the subject of female messenger motorcycle drivers during the war. This is a role I have not heard about, so I found it very educational. and am interested in learning more. In addition, depicting a dangerous male dominated profession filled by women is both empowering and inspiring. My only criticism is in regards to the ending. I feel that the outcome for one of the characters was somewhat sexist and directly conflicted with the themes of female independence, empowerment, and sponsorship. Even so, this was still a great read and recommended for fans of historical fiction.

I am a forever fan of Soraya M. Lane and her WWII novels. This is another captivating article written by Soraya that is an absolute page-turner and is hard to put down, I finished it less than 24 hours!

Set in London during the infamous Blitz that began in 1940, three women find themselves scrambling to do whatever they can to help the war effort in London. Ava, Olivia and Florence are all apart of the WRENS, yet when a new and unique opportunity arises to becoming motorcycle dispatchers and be apart of the program that delivers top secret messages all over London, the three answer a calling they feel deep within. The London Girls is a tale of bravery, perseverance, duty, womanhood, love and loss, and so much more.

I absolutely adored the bond, friendship and sisterhood that these three women developed and Soraya did such a good job at bringing it to life. As the reader, I felt the gut-wrenching heartache that was inevitable in the women's lives during that time as well as their own personal battles they fought. I smiled during their happy moments and felt a depth of sadness when they grieved and lost. I think it is fascinating when an author can make the reader feel such emotion for the characters.

I'm a sucker for anything related to WWII, London, the Blitz - so sign me right up. This is the first book I've encountered about the female motorcycle dispatch riders and ambulance drivers of wartime England, so kudos to the author for finding a unique niche in a topic (WWII) that has been explored to death in historical fiction.

Multiple protagonists can be tricky - they are often reduced to a trope (the funny one, the smart one, etc.) and remain one-dimensional throughout. That's not the case here - each of our three heroines is a full-fleshed human being we come to know and care about. I like brevity - I don't want to feel that a 300-page book could have been condensed into 200 pages without losing something essential - and I didn't feel that way here. The pacing is right, the imagery and detail are vivid, and the book is well-researched. Keep in mind that this is historical fiction and not history (i.e. based on a true story, and not the true story). For example, some historical details (dates of speeches) were wrong, but the author explains (in a wonderful endnote that provides fantastic historical context) that these details have been changed to fit the book's timeline.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK/Lake Union Publishing for this ARC.

What a great book and I must say one of the reasons is that it wasn't overly long and drawn out as some books can be.

This is a wonderful historical fiction book about The Blitz, London, 1941 and what the women did for the war effort. Olivia, Ava and Florence are all strong, courageous and find the support and friendship they need in each other during such tumultuous times.

The author has brought to life this story, a story we have heard before, a war we all know but she has given us a story we can relate to, one in which we can feel the emotion and fear in and one that immerses you into London in an era we have only ever read about.

This book is so real, the characters are so real and it is a book I just couldn't put down. I highly recommend it to any lover of historical fiction or anyone who wants to read a great story.

A really good read about how woman became more empowered during the second world war, taking on risky jobs previously only done by men ,but also finding & forming great friendships & strengths even after great personal losses. #NetGalley, #GoodReads, #Amazon.co.uk, #FB, #Instagram,# <img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/358a5cecda71b11036ec19d9f7bf5c96d13e2c55" width="80" height="80" alt="100 Book Reviews" title="100 Book Reviews"/>, #<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/ef856e6ce35e6d2d729539aa1808a5fb4326a415" width="80" height="80" alt="Reviews Published" title="Reviews Published"/>,#<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/aa60c7e77cc330186f26ea1f647542df8af8326a" width="80" height="80" alt="Professional Reader" title="Professional Reader"/>.

Wow! What an wonderful and brilliant story! I wish I could give this more than a 5 star rating. Not many books reduce me to ugly crying but this one did. It was an emotional rollercoaster and I loved every minute of the story.

The story follows 3 women...Ava, Olivia, and Florence. All Wrens at the start of WWII working in an office. But when a memo comes out that women are needed for motorcycle dispatches all 3 sign up for recruitment. Only one has motorcycle experience but it doesn't stop the others. Two of them make the cut but the third proves herself to be just as valuable outside of the office. I'm not one to breakdown the story and ruin key aspects so I'll say read the synopsis that the author writes. If you like historical fiction then I really think you will love this book. I know I did! I highly recommend the story but I also recommend that you have a box of Kleenex with you because it is an emotional rollercoaster of a story.

To pick just one character to like is really hard because I loved them all. Ava for her tenacity to become a motorcycle dispatcher, Olivia for her love of motorcycles and bravery, and Florence for her grit to survive after losing her family and becoming one of the first people to arrive on a scene of a bombing. All three show that women can do what men do just as well and even better than a man.

Soraya Lane's writing is impeccable and totally brilliant with historical fiction. I felt like I was there within the pages watching everything unfold. It felt like I was a friend of all 3 women. She made the story come alive...I was totally invested until the end. I will be looking for the rest of Soraya Lane's historical fiction books. This is the 4th historical fiction book I have read and enjoyed by the author. I also love the explanation of the book at the end about how many Wrens lost their lives in WWII and how many were motorcycle dispatchers. Soraya also explained that some of the historical aspects were changed, dates of speeches, to fit in the timeline of the book.

Highly recommend this book. I can't say this enough....it was truly a wonderful and magnificant story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for allowing me to read an advanced digital copy of this book. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. These are my words and my words alone they may not be eloquent but they are from the heart.

The London Girls by Soraya M. Lane is the story of three young girls during the London Blitz in 1941.

Olivia, Florence, and Ava decide that they could be of help as couriers in London, delivering highly classified materials across the country. Remember, there were no cell phones, the internet, or anything that would make communications instantly available. The girls had to be able to ride motorcycles to get through the streets during the bombing and damage. Florence is accepted as an ambulance driver due to her driving skills, however, not so much on a motorcycle. Olivia and Ava are selected as couriers.

The girls are sent out during horrific conditions during the actual bombing of London and other areas of the country. They have to ride as quickly as possible to deliver orders to Army, Naval, and Air installations. The work is dangerous, not only because of bombs falling and debris but also because of the blackout. They have to ride on roads with no headlamps. This can cause serious injuries due to crashes. Even during these harrowing experiences, the girls find time for romance.

This book was so very interesting to read. I was blown away by the courage and strength of the three girls and their service to Britain. I know this was fiction, but obviously, there were couriers at work during this time. I was happy to read about their adventures. I love to read all of Ms. Lane’s books. They are worth my time.

Once again soraya Lane has delivered yet another outstandingly brilliant book, its full of charm, characters that deliver so well can highly recommend for anyone who loves historical fiction.

This was such an interesting take on women serving in England during WW2.
The story follows WRNS Ava, Olivia and Flo. They each take on duties normally held by men before the war. Ava and Olivia become motorcycle dispatch riders. Flo takes over as an ambulance driver. This frees up the men to serve a the front lines. These jobs are extremely dangerous as they involve driving during the blitz when London was bombed endlessly. The women become the best of friends during a time when tomorrow isn’t promised.
If you love a good historical fiction based on actual events then this is one to read.
Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the chance to read and review this wonderful book !!

What I admire the most about Soraya Lane’s historical fiction novels is that she gives a voice the the brave women who served their countries during WWII, and she sheds light on the unique roles these women played. The London Girls tells us the stories of three of these courageous women. Olivia and Ava were dispatch riders who drove motorcycles to deliver important, top secret messages to the British military. Florence was an ambulance driver during the Blitz, rescuing survivors from the rubble and fires around London. All three women had extremely dangerous jobs, exposing themselves to truly scary situations through the bombings inflicted on London. I was instantly drawn to these women, who had also suffered through personal tragedies and challenges, but their spirit and their friendship kept them going through it all. I was in awe of these women and all they endured, and I shed tears for their pain and for horrors and waste of war.

Thank you to NetGalley for a review copy in exchange for an honest review. Soraya Lane has once again written a book that has swept me into the story and made me cry. This book follows Florence, Ava, and Olivia as they attempt to become motorcycle dispatch girls during WWII. The job is brutal and dangerous as they deliver memos to blacked out places around London during the Blitz. “You deliver the documents, even if it kills you”. This book has it all - a rich historically true aspects of the story, three kickass females whom you can’t help but root for, and a bit of romance. I couldn’t put this book down, even with a knot in my stomach and needing to know what happened. Highly recommend this book for the little known aspect of women riding motorcycles to deliver top secret memos during WWII and a great story of friendship and found family.