This book was sad, happy, and so well written. I could picture the beautiful town, I could feel the emotions and yes, at one point I cried.
Annie is a nurse in England in 1940. She comes home one day to a newborn baby on her stoop. She takes care of the baby while trying to find the baby’s mother.
I read this book in one day! It is that good. I can’t wait for the next book because I can’t wait to read more about Annie. Many thanks to the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Annie is a nurse in a small town with an air base. She keeps busy tending to the people of the town and the airman. When a baby girl mysteriously shows up at her house she knows she has to take care of her and reunite her with her mother. This is almost two stories told together. One is of the baby and the other is Annie. I throughly enjoyed this book. I’ve read many WWII historical fiction books and this one was different. The war was definitely a part of the book but the heart of the book lies with Annie and her story. If you are looking for a story about a resilient woman determined to do the right things you will enjoy this book.

The Ration Book Baby is the first book in the A Village at War series by Ellie Curzon. Ellie in fact is two authors writing as one which I did not realise until the end of the book. Never would I have thought that two people co-wrote this book nor could I attempt to guess what parts they wrote as it flowed very well and was never disjointed nor did it come across as if there were two writing styles. This is a quick read and it’s definitely a traditional war time saga with a lovely, conversational and relaxed style to the writing. I would liken it to Lizzie Page’s Shilling Grange Children’s Home series in terms of its style. The plot is very easy to follow and in my mind the last quarter or so of the book was the best when everything started to come together. Right from the prologue, the reader is taken to the heart of the story and I really appreciated that there was no messing around and we got down to business. Sometimes, I find it boring to have endless backstory before we get down to the nitty gritty of things so I praise Ellie Curzon for just getting on with things. Anything we needed to know and learn about the characters and the setting could follow along at their own leisure.

Annie Russell lives in the village of Bramble Heath with her parents Norma and Henry. She is the district nurse for the area and has been kept very busy since an airbase was established at the edge of the village. One evening there is a knock at the door and Annie finds a hatbox on the step. She looks inside and there is a newborn baby. There is no sign of anyone in the street nearby and Annie surmises the baby has been abandoned. Could the mother be a resident of the village? A young girl who got into trouble and had nowhere else to turn to? Annie doesn’t have the answers but with the help of her parents she will do her best for the baby she names Clara - after the name of the shop on the hatbox - which I thought was a really nice touch. Inside the box Annie finds a ration book but all the necessary identification details have been crossed out so no clues can be gleaned from this. The baby is dressed well and has a little handmade stork as a toy but beyond that there is no further clues as to the identity of Clara’s mother.

Annie is such a selfless character right from the very beginning and why wouldn’t she possess such kind and caring qualities given that she is a nurse but whether she had been in this profession or not I feel she would have been like this anyway. She didn’t hesitate in taking baby Clara in and throughout her quest to find her mother she was just relentless and dogged in her determination. I loved how she knew herself that she couldn’t keep the baby but nor did she want to want social services to intervene. She knew a child’s place is first and foremost with their mother. With the war raging and daily and nightly air raids the world is a dangerous and hopeless place but when the residents of Bramble Heath come together they show that there is love, friendship and support in abundance when we need it the most.

The storyline of discovering who Clara’s mother was didn’t dominate the entire book. Instead it ebbed and flowed and in between we learnt more about Annie and her work in the village and the surrounding areas including the airbase and the hamlet where a Polish community has been established since many families fled the atrocities in their country. The Polish men flew with the RAF at the base and the women established homes in the hamlet. The issue of discrimination reared its ugly head when it came to the Polish community and I thought it was dealt with well although I did want to give the character in question a good hiding much earlier on than when they got their come uppance.

I’ll admit, I did ever so slightly lose interest coming up to the halfway point because I felt there was nothing really happening in that we just read about Annie travelling on her motorbike to tend to different people through her work. It became a little monotonous and the story needed something exciting to shake things up a bit. This came in the form of Wing Commander William Chambers sustaining injuries in a fighter plane crash which Annie is witness too. The pair had enjoyed an easy friendship and it was evident that things could develop into something more if given the chance but there was quite a stumbling block in the way only added to by William’s accident and subsequent injuries. I enjoyed how this aspect of the storyline was handled. It was sensitive and showed how many fighter pilots and soldiers had to cope with what they were experiencing daily and also the fallout of something going wrong.

Annie, above anyone else in the book, was always so encouraging, dedicated and supportive in her every thought, action, word and deed. She’s just an all-round generally nice person who deserves a happy ending seen as she always does so much for everyone else. I felt that she was the glue that held people together. She was always on the go and was so proud of her work and full of confidence. I will admit when it came to uncovering who Clara’s mother was that I guessed fairly early on and it was only by pure chance that I did as one little line/action stood out to me for some reason and I kept remembering it the further I read through the book. Knowing who it was didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the story in fact I was quite chuffed that I had guessed correctly and wanted to know the finer details around Clara arriving on Annie’s doorstep.

Overall, The Ration Book Baby was an enjoyable and easy read with community and working together through the toughest of times being the main themes. Annie is a character whom you admire, encourage and root for all the way. The mystery of baby Clara’s origins kept the plot moving along nicely despite a bit of a lull at the midway point but the last quarter or so lots happened and it kept me turning the pages keen to see would things pan out successfully or not. This story offers something that little bit different from the usual WW2 historical fiction that I normally read and therefore I found it refreshing and a change from what I am used to. Given this is book one in the series and the war is nowhere near its conclusion I am sure there is a lot more to come for Annie, William and the residents of Bramble Heath and I look forward to seeing what Ellie Curzon has in store for them in the future.

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

This book is a fabulous start to a new series.

On the night of the Battle of Britain, a baby is found on the doorstep of Annie’s home. But there’s no sign of the mother.

With the help of William, she begins to find out who the mother is.

The story was very well written and kept you turning the pages wanting to find out what happens next.

I can’t wait to see how the story progresses.

I highly recommend this book.

Annie is a district nurse living in Bramble Heath during the war. No one would know of the village except now there is an air base in the village. One evening Annie opens her door and finds a hat box from Miss Clara's shop with an infant inside and only a ration book with the name crossed out as the only clue to the baby's identity. Part of the book is taken up for the search for baby Clara's mother before the baby is surrendered to social services and the other is the budding friendship between Annie and the Wing Commander. I have to say the story was somewhat predictable but the characters were so lovely and the setting and the war were shown well. The book was easy to read and I needed to know who the mom was and that kept me going.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for providing me with a digital copy.

I thoroughly this audiobook.
The plot and narrator had my attention right from the start- the characters are written with warmth and emotion, and the narrator exudes these wonderfully.
The plot? As a World War Two story, there are many shocking and painful to listen to, which are expected. But this story held me in its grip during the entire time I was listening to it. It was interesting, powerful, and the story lingered in my mind long after finishing.
I hadn't read any books by Ellie Curzon prior to this and I can't wait for the next one in the series!

Fantastic start to a new series and I can’t wait for the next instalment.
Annie finds a baby on her doorstep on the night of the Battle of Britain in her little village but who is the mother? She embarks on solving this mystery with the help of wing commander William.
This is a well written story which pulls you in this was read in one day couldn’t put it down.
Highly recommended

I wasn't starting another series. Nope. I really wasn't. But this one was just calling to me. A baby left on the doorstep with nothing but a ration book in the midst of a war. Throw in a little romance as well as the mystery of said baby's parentage against the backdrop of bombs and I was sold. THE RATION BOOK BABY is a delightfully heartwarming read and while I ummed and ahhed over it at first, I'm glad I took the plunge and added it to my ever growing TBR list.

Set in the village of Bramble Heath, district nurse Annie Russell opens the door one evening to discover a hatbox on her doorstep with a newborn baby nestled inside. There is no clue as to where the baby came from or whose it may be. Nothing but the raggedy stork hand sewn with love and a ration book to go...and even then, those gave nothing away. Annie's own mother now a retired midwife Norma and her father semi-retired constable Henry welcomed the new addition whilst Annie made enquiries in the village and the nearby RAF airfield.

But something about the little raggedy stork and the ration book told Annie that someone had given up their own ration book so that the baby would not go without. A little investigation lead Annie to the Polish hamlet on the outskirts of the village. But the immigrants, having fled their own war-torn country, barely spoke English and those that did gave away no secrets. So if there was anything to tell, no one was telling. Annie however is determined to find the mother before social services come to claim the baby.

As word spreads of the baby left on Annie's doorstep, the village bands together to provide everything the little one needs - from clothing, napkins and toys to milk, bottles and food. Even a pram and a crib. Baby Clara, who Annie names after the milliner's box she was found in, wants for nothing. All the villagers love her.

Bramble Heath is a small village with a nearby RAF airfield. The pilots are a mix of English and the Polish immigrants who now call Britain home. Both who fight the German Luftwaffe and protecting the country from their constant raids. Among them is Wing Commander William Chambers who commands a squadron and partakes in the dogfights in the air, one of which sees him critically injured.

When Annie saw the parachute amidst the burning spitfire and its German counterpart, she had no idea if the injured party she rushed to give aid was friend or foe. She was shocked to discover it was William and he was barely conscious. She kept him alive until the ambulance and doctor arrived and they whisked him away to hospital. She had no idea if he would survive.

And yet she still had the mystery of baby Clara's parentage. With Ewa remaining tight-lipped about who the mother may be, Annie must draw on all her resources to find her before social services swoop to claim her as abandoned and adopt her out.

I have read many sagas set during wartime, featuring the RAF and air raids and the like, but THE RATION BOOK BABY had something of a different feel to it that sets it apart. Maybe it's the mystery of the baby being left on the doorstep, I'm not sure. But it was certainly a refreshing tale that offered something different and yet it was heartwarming and heartbreaking all at once also.

I thoroughly enjoyed THE RATION BOOK BABY and was delighted to learn when I reached the end that there is more to come and I look forward to meeting up with Annie and William again in subsequent books soon.

I would like to thank #EllieCurzon, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheRationBookBaby in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

I liked the small village and most of the people in it.
Annie finds a baby in the box and won’t rest until she figures out who little Clara’s mother is.
She also becomes acquainted with the dashing William, someone she has a lot of affection.
I liked it when William gave Jaime the what for and wondered why no one else hadn’t done that prior.
Annie is the proverbial Brit during WWII: cheerful, stoic, determined, and calm.
I suspected who Clara’s mom was and the ending was a nice wrap up.

What a delightful start to a new series!
The Ration Book Baby is a historical novel with the setting in a very small village at the beginning of World War II.
The story revolves around a young nurse and her parents that find a newborn baby left on their door step. The baby is wrapped in a blanket in a hat box from a store called Miss Clara’s Millinery and there is a ration book under the blanket. Not knowing why the mother would abandon their baby unless it was completely necessary, they decide to keep the baby hoping the mother will come back for her. They name the baby Clara. Can they find the mother before social services takes the baby away?
I really enjoyed reading this story. It is a heartwarming and heartfelt story that had me smiling, laughing and crying.
I am definitely looking forward to the next book in the series.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and the authors for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

Cannot remember reading any book by this author but I will be looking for others! Thoroughly enjoyed this book, kept interest all the way to the last page!
Was lovely to read about a different side during WW2 and the difficulties experienced by many Polish escapees. The way in which some treated them was shocking and many had a fear of people in authority. Lovely story with some strong female characters.
Many thanx to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book

The story is set in World War 2 in a small village close to an airbase. A baby is left on nurse Annie's doorstep and she tries desperately to trace the mother before the baby is taken into care. Could the baby belong to someone from the local Polish community?
This is also a charming love story set against the backdrop of the hardships of war.
Recommended as an easy to read, feel-good story.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an e-arc. All opinions are my own.

The Ration Book Baby by Ellie Curzon is a delightful historical novel to start a new series.
The action is set during the early years of World War II, near an air base in the South East. We follow a young nurse and her family, as well as the English and Polish airmen and their families.
The RAF functions as a family. Any losses are keenly felt by both the men and the local village.
We see that even in war prejudices and injustice still exist as not everyone greets the Poles with kindness. Grief and loss have distorted a viewpoint – but that is no excuse for poor behaviour and choices. Without the help of the Poles, Britain may well have lost the battle for the skies.
Prejudices against unmarried mothers force a baby to be abandoned. Kind hearts take the baby in as the search for her mother begins. We see the village pull together to help the ration book baby. “A kind gift in the face of so much tragedy… The world wasn’t a hopeless and dark place.” Kindness sows’ seeds of hope.
War leaves scars – physical and mental. We witness a character trying to heal from terrible burns. The mental scars are awful. Fortunately, there are those who surround him who remind him that inside, he is still the same man they know and love.
I adored The Ration Book Baby and cannot wait for the subsequent books in the series.
I received a free copy from the publishers via Net Galley. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

The Ration Book Baby, by Ellie Curzon

Beautifully and emotively written, this is an uplifting story centred around an abandoned baby and a whole village taking her into their hearts, during WWII.

Annie is a community nurse and her mother is a retired midwife. The tiny baby, who they name Clara, is left on their doorstep and with social services closing in, Annie is determined to find the baby’s mother.

The writing is, quite simply, exquisite. I teared up so many times, I found myself smiling often, and most of all, rooting for Annie, Wing Commander William and of course, baby Clara and her unknown mother.

The hamlet has taken in some polish families too, most of the Bramble Heath villagers welcome them with open arms, but Jamie, a misguided teenager, grieving for the loss of his brother in the war, has a hard lesson to learn about acceptance. I felt Ellie Curzon handles the racial issues incredibly sensitively and realistically.

The characters are well developed and I particularly liked Ewa and her loyalty to her countrymen and women.

I would love to read a sequel to this and see how Bramble Heath fares as the war continues.

Absolutely a 5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Ellie Curzon and Bookouture for an ARC in return for an honest review.

A lovely story for the heart! This novel has everything to feel good: very likable characters, nursing, love as well as a heartbreaking storyline about a baby left at the door of a nurse. I really enjoyed this short novel, perfect as a holiday, easy and delightful read!
I received a complimentary ARC of this novel from NetGalley and I am leaving voluntarily an honest review.

Someone in Bramble Heath has had a baby- and left her on Annie's doorstep. The village is next to an airfield so Annie and her parents think the baby-now named Clara-might have be the daughter of someone assigned there. And there's a ration book, Can they find the parents? This is an "it takes a village" emotional read with a good WWII setting. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A very good read.

Crocodile tears. So many gut wrench tears. I cried for the injured pilots. I cried for those that didn't return. I cried for the horrors of war. I cried for the Polish citizens trying to adapt and be accepted in England. All those tears were worth it when I was reminded that even with all the devastation and loss there was happiness. Reading The Ration Book Baby has given me greater understanding of what my family went through.

Bramble Heath is a small village close to an air base. The people have opened their hearts to the pilots and other members of the air base. Annie, the village nurse, can be seen riding her motorbike as she helps the villagers, the polish people in the hamlet and the airmen at Heath Place. I got glimpses into the challenges of World War 2 England as I rode on the back of her bike.

Annie must deal with a situation that was very prevalent during the war. Like many families, my family had to deal with the results of night time comfort and escape. One evening, a new born baby was left on her parents porch. To keep the baby from going into the system; Annie must find the mother, rather sooner than later. I didn't realize how many challenges the mothers faced until reading this story and using what I discovered to explore the history.

I have frequently heard "it takes a village." Bramble Heath is that village. They honor the pilots successes. They mourn the loss of life. They celebrate and support one another. They come together to help Annie and her parents provide for the baby.

The Ration Book Baby has a bonus story line. Annie finds love and support in the most unexpected way. I became deeply invested in her friendship with a wing commander. I was pleased to see how her strength was such a great support for him. She lifted him up when he was down. She showed how important women were during the war. Not just to help with the war effort but to hold up those that have fallen.

Books like The Ration Book Baby help us remember World War 2. As more and more of our relatives that lived through it pass on; the war becomes less relevant. We need to keep it relevant so we don't make the same mistakes. The book doesn't just tell a story but it shares life lessons. The book is a map, giving direction of where to find out more.

A lovely story with great characters. Baby Clara is left on nurse Annie’s doorstep in a hatbox, Annie is determined to find her mother before the baby is taken into care. The story ties in the characters from William the pilot to Ewa one of the polish neighbours in the area, a great story that’s a mix of romance and whodunit.

The Ration Book Baby (A Village at War) by Ellie Curzon is a sweet mystery with plenty of clean romance. It's a very quick and easy read. My favorite storyline within the book was following the clues towards finding baby's mum.
Annie Russell, an English nurse living near an airbase during World War II, is intimately familiar with the horrifying sounds of fighter planes and gunfire. Her and her parents always worry about what they will find every time the fighting finally takes a break. Then one day someone leaves her a very precious yet unexpected package at her door.
Annie is shocked to find a tiny baby in a hatbox right there on her doorstep. It's immediately obvious that someone genuinely loves this baby. Whoever has left her took the time to tuck her into a handmade blanket and they've even sacrificed their ration book, This leaves Annie worrying about how the newborn's mystery mother will be able to feed herself. She only hopes that she can find a way to help before it's too late.

A captivating story that kept me on the edge of my seat! I loved how the approach to this story was different and had a bit of a mystery as well. Well written with great characters. I was sad to have it end!