The Lost English Girl is a WW2 historical fiction read not to miss! It checked all the boxes for a memorable and remarkable historical fiction read for me. A compelling, rich plot, atmospheric setting, emotional and beautiful storytelling, and strong, well-developed characters abound in this book. It was told through multiple perspectives that added a depth I loved. In fact, I couldn't put it down and was sad to part with it by the end. There are powerful themes of acceptance, forgiveness, and self-discovery woven throughout that really struck with me, alongside accurate and wonderful historical detail. I cannot recommended this book highly enough! A must read.

Many thanks to Gallery Books and Netgalley for the gifted e-copy!

I have to say that I was quite impressed with Julia Kelly's novel, The Lost English Girl. I love reading historical fiction novels so I was intrigued by this one after reading the synopsis and finding out that this book would be about the evacuation of young children in England to safety during World War II. The main character of the novel, Viv, is faced with a difficult choice to have her daughter Maggie taken to safety in the English countryside during the war. She faces this impossible choice with the hopes of keeping her child safe as the war escalates in England and across the world. I loved Viv as the main character of the novel and found her to be written very realistically. She came across as a caring mother willing to do anything to protect her child. I feel as though this novel was well researched and I enjoyed the pacing of it; the author did a great job keeping me interested in the story and the lives of the characters. I think a lot of people will enjoy this historical fiction novel just as much as I did!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review!

Viv Byrne is a young Catholic girl living in Liverpool in 1935. She gets pregnant one night after she throws caution to the wind. The boy is Jewish and is willing to do the right thing by marrying her. But Viv’s mother has other ideas, leaving Viv married, pregnant and alone. A number of years later, the war has intensified and families are encouraged to send their children away to the countryside for safety. It’s with great reluctance that Viv sends her little girl Maggie away.

Maggie is taken in by a wealthy, childless couple who are delighted to have a child to dote on. But as the bombing destroys more buildings and even hits areas outside the cities, chaos ensues. Viv learns that her daughter’s safe haven may not be what it was hoped to be. With no help from her unsympathetic mother, she finds her Jewish in-laws to be the ones who are supportive. In fact, her long absentee husband Joshua may actually be useful when Viv needs help seeking answers.

The story of children sent out of cities during WWII is well documented. This novel has a different slant because of the fate of little Maggie. There’s also the religious aspect of a mixed marriage that adds a further complication and more depth. Readers will be drawn in by Kelly’s story and the characters will endear themselves. Dealing with adversity and loss, Viv shows remarkable resiliency and growth. Lovers of WWII fiction will want to add this to their read soon list.

Overall, The Lost English Girl by Julia Kelly is a compelling and moving novel that explores the impact of war and love on the lives of three people and their families. The book offers a rich and authentic historical background, a captivating and emotional plot, a well-developed and diverse cast of characters, and a beautiful and expressive writing style. The book is a satisfying and rewarding read, that will appeal to fans of historical fiction, romance, and drama. The book also delivers a powerful message about the importance of forgiveness, acceptance, and finding one's true self. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good story with memorable characters and a historical twist.

Julia Kelly used her magic to weave another beautiful story. After a forbidden whirlwind romance, Viv Byrne and Joshua Levinson find themselves married and expecting a baby. Joshua disappears and Viv must return home to raise her daughter, even though it is a tumultuous home. As the war intensifies, Viv chooses to send her four-year old daughter away to the country to keep her safe. Unfortunately the foster parents make it nearly impossible for Viv to come see her daughter and eventually they disappear. We follow a weaving story of love, loss, war, fear, repentance and forgiveness. This is a fascinating look at how many relationships were strained over beliefs and fear. Kelly does a great job bringing them out and eventually having them work out. A very sad and sometimes frustrating (because of characters’ actions), but well told story.

great book great enjoyable story and characters i love it and enjoy every single thing thank you for this story.

Thank you, NetGalley andGallery Books for the advanced copy of The lost English girl in exchange for my honest review.

Author Julia Kelly takes us on a journey to Liverpool in 1935, where we meet 18-year-old Viv Byrne, who was raised in a strict Catholic home. She finds herself in a difficult situation when she becomes pregnant after a one-night stand with a Jewish saxophonist Joshua Levinson.

To avoid the shame of being an unwed mother, Viv and Joshua hastily tie the knot. But Viv’s overbearing mother offers Joshua a large amount of money to disappear on their wedding day, knowing the child will now be born in wedlock. He agrees and heads off to New York City to chase his dreams of jazz stardom.

Five years later, Viv has to choose whether to evacuate her daughter, Maggie, to the countryside to protect her from German bombs. Over the course of three days, 1.5 million people, including 800,000 children, were evacuated from British towns and cities in Operation Pied Piper.

Tragedy strikes when Maggie’s host family’s house is bombed, while Joshua, who gave up his musical aspirations, returns home to serve in the Royal Air Force. The story revolves around Viv and Joshua’s efforts to reunite and find out what happened to their daughter.

The Lost English Girl is told from the alternating perspectives of Viv, Joshua, and Maggie. The author's commitment to historical accuracy is clear through her portrayal of child evacuations and the stigma surrounding teenage pregnancy and interfaith marriages.

I supplemented the book with audio, but the male narrator didn’t quite hit the mark. The book deserves a 4-star rating for its compelling characters and historical depth.

Julia Kelly has made a name for herself as a solid writer of historical fiction. I had previously enjoyed The Whispers of War, The Light over London, and The Last Garden in England so I was excited to receive an ARC of her latest, The Lost English Girl.

I would suggest going in to this book without reading the summary. I think that the summary takes away from the story because I read this without reading the summary. Yes, the title foreshadows and I think that is plenty to know.

Liv and Joshua have a brief encounter that changes both of their lives forever. For years, the consequences of this encounter shakes their world and that of their families.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A very interesting book about some of the side effects of World War II, like how children were evacuated oftentimes without their parents. And it also exposes how judgmental some families were during that time in history. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in what life was like before and during WWII.

Viv Byrne lives in a very strict Catholic home in Liverpool. She is dating and meets a boy and things get a bit out of hand, she is pregnant and to the shock and horror of her family, the father is Jewish. The couples does the right thing and they marry but then Joshua leaves to follow his musical career. Viv is stuck at home, dealing with her mother's censure. WWII starts, the bombings are intense and parents are encouraged to send their children to the countryside to keep them safe. Maggie is evacuated to a lovely Catholic home in a town expected to be safe. Joshua takes his music career to New York City where it was less than successful. Joining the Royal Air Force, he is injured and eventually returns home to find that his family has befriended Viv. At the war's end, children are returning from evacuation, except Maggie does not return. Viv and Joshua join forces to try to discover what could have happened to her.

I want to apologize for my latte review. But I still wanted to give this book read. But I want to start off by saying by saying that I received arc copy. In return for my honest thoughts and my review.
I can’t believe that I haven’t read anything from this author before. This definitely won’t be the last book I read from her.
I love reading historical fiction. Even through I always need a box tissues when reading. And this book was no exception. I enjoyed the characters and the writing style. This book is told in three POV which sometimes I prefer. Yes this book took me sometime to get through. But I didn’t want this book to end. I wanted to stay in this world as along as I could. Being a mother I couldn’t image the feelings Vivian was going through. The relationship she has with her parents nearly made me sick. The way they treated and talked to Viv. Made me want to come unglued on both of her parents. I felt really bad about Josh unsure want to want. But reading him growing and changing. And wanting to be forgiven. Josh held my heart. I highly recommend this book. I want to thank Netgalley and the author for allowing me to read this beautiful and tragic book.
About Book:
This book is set WW2 times. In Liverpool.
Vivi and Josh coming from two different backgrounds. One night change everything. Her parents pushing Josh away. Causing Vivian to live in hell with her with her parents. Josh was young musician who wanted to play in a big brand.

The Lost English Girl by Julia Kelley was an emotional and lovely historical fiction novel. It's a story about motherhood, family, and courage. It was so interesting learning about an aspect of WW2 that I wasn't very familiar with. I loved the multiple points of view and dual timelines. This was my first novel by this author. I will definitely read her other novels. If you enjoy historical fiction, I highly recommend this!

I have read and loved all of Julia Kelly's books and this one did not disappoint! I loved the characters of Viv and Joshua and it was wonderful to follow their love story before, during and after the war. The themes of family and forgiveness had me engrossed from the beginning and the question of how our decisions affect our life, kept me thinking long after finishing the book.
Kelly's books are well researched and thought provoking and I highly recommend them to historical fiction fans!

Vic and Joshua get caught in the drama of an unexpected pregnancy and the conflict between their Catholic and Jewish families’ expectations. All during the early years of WWII, when children are being sent to the countryside to be safe from bombings. Years pass, the characters find their way through their own difficult journeys.

A well researched historical story about what a single woman endured by sending her child away in England during the war. I loved the author’s notes at the back of the book as it wrapped up what really happened to other families during this time. I thought Viv was a marvelous character as she grew into a fantastic mother/woman. The only thing I didn’t like was the jumping around between the time Viv and Joshua met I kept getting confused as to the timeline between then and what was happening with Maggie, it would have made more sense to tell their story in chronological order. A good book club selection and for historical readers.

I really enjoyed "The Lost English Girl" by Julia Kelly, taking place in England during WWII. A story of strong women, deep love for your child, courage and many twists of the plot. Was wonderful! Thank you NetGalley, the author and publisher for the review copy. All opinions are my own.

The Lost English Girl is an engrossing piece of historical fiction. The story centers on Viv and her journey after she gets pregnant by Joshua. Family divisions and World War II each take their toll on Viv's life. The historical background is very interesting and I found myself rooting for Viv. The author does a nice job of portraying the Catholic culture of that time and how few choices many young women felt they had. I appreciate how the author doesn't take the easy out.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book that is now available for purchase.

The enormity and tragedy of World War II was so encompassing that most art about the period is centered around good people making heroic sacrifices to serve their country. In historical fiction author Julia Kelly’s latest novel, The Lost English Girl, the writer makes a different choice, introducing us to characters who are trapped in their circumstances and who put their own needs first. The result is a more soapy—but highly enjoyable—story about two people who grow into their own with the war as a backdrop. It’s a period-specific, but timeless, coming-of-age tale.

For the complete review, click on the link below.

Julia Kelly has done it again! The Lost English girl is a wrenching story about loss and how people survive in a time of war. Joshua and Viv are young in the early 1930's. On their second date, things go to far and she ends up pregnant. Joshua agrees to marry her. The only problem is that he is Jewish and her family is a strict Catholic family. Joshua does marry her but then leaves, and Viv is left at the mercy of her parents and has to raise their child alone. When war threatens to break out, she must make the hard decision to send her sweet Maggie away to the countryside. But, the unthinkable happens while she is there, and Viv must pick up what remains of the pieces of her life and try to move forward, When her and Joshua are reunited after the war, they must decide how to face the future. Told with her signature style and full of extraordinary moments, you won't want to miss the Lost English Girl.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Viv Byrne finds herself in an impossible situation. Pregnant from a brief encounter with a Jewish jazz musician, she knows the only answer is a quick marriage to keep her strict Catholic parents appeased. However, Joshua makes a life changing decision on their wedding day that sets both of their paths on an entirely separate journey.

Five years later, Viv's parents pressure her to evacuate her daughter to the countryside to keep her safe during the German bombings. She reluctantly agrees, but that decision turns out differently than Viv imagined. Joshua has returned from the United States to serve his country in the war. Somehow, much to Viv's dislike, their paths cross again.

The Lost English Girl is a heart wrenching story of betrayal, motherhood, family bonds and war. It was very well written and the characters truly drawn you in. An excellent historical fiction novel full of details and rich descriptions.

I received this book courtesy of the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.