I barely moved for two days while I was reading this book and I spent a good amount of that time with my heart in my throat.

The book opens in Liverpool. It’s 1935. Viv Bryne is 18-years-old. It’s her wedding day and she’s miserable. She’s marrying a man she barely knows because she’s pregnant and it’s what is expected of her. Her family is working class Catholic, while her husband-to-be, Joshua Levinson is a Jewish jazz musician. The one shining light at the end of this grim tunnel is that at the end of the day she will be a married woman, able to escape her mother’s cruel judgment.

Five years later, at the start of World War II millions of children are being evacuated from city centres to the relative safety of the countryside. Facing pressure from the parish priest, her mother, and her sister, Viv makes the difficult decision to send her daughter, Maggie to stay with a wealthy couple in the country. It was supposed to be the right decision. Maggie was supposed to be safe…

The scenes with Viv and Maggie basically destroyed me. Julia Kelly has written about motherhood with such authenticity. I especially appreciated the contrast between Viv’s strained relationship with her mother and the undeniable bond between Viv and her daughter. I’m certain I will be rereading this book in the future. The Lost English Girl comes out on March 7 2023 and is available for preorder now.

Simon & Schuster Canada provided me with an ARC of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I cannot express how excited I was to get an early copy of this book. Thank you so much @simonshusterca and @netgalley for making this possible!

Viv is a Catholic whose parents are not open minded and who are only concerned with appearances rather than their daughter’s well being. Vic’s boyfriend, Joshua, is Jewish, with a far more open minded family. When Viv falls pregnant, each is forced to make a decision that will change their lives. Relationships are further tested when the War arrives and children must be evacuated.

Viv starts out as a meek character who is easily bossed around, but as the story moves along, she gradually finds her strength and ability to speak her mind and stand up to people. Had she done so earlier, some of the challenges she faced might not have occurred.

The storytelling is rich, evocative and heartbreaking.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Lost English Girl by Julia Kelly is a heartwarming novel set during World War II. In Liverpool 1935, Viv Byrne faces many expectations from her Catholic family. However, Viv finds herself pregnant after a fling with Joshua Levinson, a Jewish man with dreams of becoming a Jazz musician, Viv knows that a quick wedding is the only solution. However, Joshua makes a life-changing decision on their wedding day and Viv is forced once again into the arms of her disapproving family. Five years later when World War II rages,Viv is faced with the hard choice to evacuate her young daughter, Maggie, to the countryside. The Lost English Girl tells the story of England’s many evacuated children, and how a simple choice can change lives and help find forgiceness and the way back to loved ones.

Kelly does a wonderful job creating an inspirational story of a mother's love and courage during World War II. The Lost English Girl had me turning the pages to the very end. This book is an easy 4 stars. I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves historical fiction and family stories.

I received a free advanced copy and all opinions are my own. I would like to offer my sincerest gratitude to Simon & Schuster Canada and NetGalley for the advanced copy.