An intriguing book full of action, suspense and romance set in WW2. the characters are well developed, and you can find yourself caring about them. A great read for the historical romance fan.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Please Come Home by Elaine Johns is the story of English military people on the home front during World War II. Anna Golding lived with her aunt, her very cold and demanding aunt. Her mother was dead and her father didn’t want her. She would soon be eighteen and could do what she wanted. She was going to leave home and join the WAAF (Women’s Auxiliary Air Force). She did and her life changed for the better. She enlisted with her friend and one of her aunt’s servants, Edna, but they were soon separated. Anna was excellent in math and was eventually selected to continue her education and become a plotter-she kept track of where planes were. Another in her unit was chosen, also, Mary, a frightened young woman who was to become Anna’s good friend. During training, Anna met Mary’s brother, Jimmy, who was to become the love of her life, but not before the war intervened in frightening ways.

Jimmy was a big lug of a man, also good with math and was a navigator. That he flew didn’t frighten him but it terrified Anna. The death rate among people on planes was very high. She was sent to London to a large facility and loved her job. She didn’t miss “home” at all. What she did miss was Jimmy but they kept in touch by mail. Anna was a strong character, overcoming her upbringing and becoming part of Jimmy and Mary’s family. She had never known a family’s love before and she reveled in it. The war continued on as wars do and tragedies happened. She hung in, as did Jimmy. She learned some horrifying things about her family, but did meet a cousin who made her very happy. It was not a safe time, but it was a good time. She had transferred to Cornwall to be closer to Jimmy and she loved it there. They were both good characters and the descriptions of their jobs and the things that happened opened new windows into WWII in a gentler manner than many books. It was a good read. I can’t wait for the sequel.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Please Come Home by Bookoutre, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are solely my own. #Netgalley #Bookoutre #ElaineJohns #PleaseComeHome

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this eARC.

I am a fan of historical fiction, particularly if set during WW1 and WW2 and thought Please Come Home would be a book I'd like. I certainly enjoyed this book, I think it is beautifully written, it flows well and I found that I really cared and rooted for the main characters Anna and Jimmy. For me, the authors vivid descriptions of her characters and places had them jumping out of the pages and becoming alive in my mind. The story takes place in the first two years of WW2 and is a very good read which I feel portrays the era and the uncertainty of war so well. Add in family drama and romance and you've got a gem of a read here. At times though this read felt just a little to long and descriptive for my liking and I think could be slightly shorter without the plot or story line being affected and I felt the ending was abrupt. Saying this though, this is still a good read and if you enjoy historical fiction I'd recommend this.

4 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

An emotional WWII love story. Anna wasn't raised with much- especially love. She joined the WAAF for a sense of belonging, duty, and adventure and it suits her. And then she meets Jimmy. He's a pilot and, well, that's a tough road. He's got a loving family though, a family that wraps her in, especially after something dreadful happens. There is an unresolved plot line involving Anna's friend Edna but on the while this is a good read. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. For fans of the genre.

Set against the early days of WWII, Anna didn’t know a lot of love growing up. Rejected by her father and reared by a stern aunt, Anna creates a new home when she joined the WAAF and makes new friends.
I focused on her romance with Jimmy. I’ve been seriously dosing up on romance lately. There’s just something about love stories during WWII that get to me every time. The desperately short courtships, the need for contact and something to live for, and intrepid fear of potential loss.
I did find one aspect of the story that was incomplete which concerned Anna’s friend Edna. The question of was she or wasn’t she was not answered.
A good WWII tender romance.

Elaine Johns has written a page turner. Historical fiction. Realistic characters in a setting of war. Family and friends. Love and romance. I liked this book, and I like this author. Curl up in a comfy chair…be transported back in time. Thanks to Netgalley.

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for a honest review.
Firstly WW2 romance books are one of my favourite kinds to read and this one didn't disappoint. A beautiful book telling a tale of war, friendship, love and family whether its your own or the one you choose. Anna is an amazing character who though her work in the WAAF explores women's roles during that time period and how it effects her choices. Complex emotions and feelings are explored as the war plays out but through it all is a beautiful love story. I couldn't put this book down!

This is a beautiful story about Anna and Jimmy who both live during WW2.
This story follows Anna as she joins the military with a friend , and eventually gets separated from that friend . She meets new friends and falls in love with one of her friends brothers Jimmy. She and Jimmy fall in love slowly ( I mean it is war time) but then their whole life becomes the other person.
There were some sections of the book that came out of left field and didn’t seem to connect to the rest of the book. Like her old friend Edna having an affair with Anna’s dad. I’m not sure how that connected with anything else in the book and I had to search back through the book to see if I had missed something ?
There were a couple of sex scenes . I wouldn’t say it was graphic but I wouldn’t say the book was 100% clean either.
The ending made me feel a bit let down and felt too soon.
I enjoyed hearing from Jimmy’s perspective from time to time. Even though life was tough he was always thinking about Anna. I loved the little gifts they gave to each other to show they were thinking of each other. Jimmy’s family was amazing to her and became her family . Despite wartime Anna and Jimmy fight for each other and for their love.

Excellent… I was totally involved in the story, the characters and their lives. Emotional and poignant… beautifully written and so evocative. A truly fantastic read!

Cornwall, England, 1940
Please Come Home is an addictive and heartbreaking historical fiction story that is also so very heartwarming. The love story within the story was touching and deeply emotional.
Hardships of war
Strength of love
Will dreams come true?
Must read series for any historical fiction fans…….
Than you to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Please Come Home is a story about Anna and Jimmy, both doing their duty to their country. Their love story captured my heart, and my only complaint about this book is that it wasn’t longer! I would give this book 10 stars if I could. I am an avid reader of historical fiction, but I’ve never read a book from the viewpoint of someone who was part of the military. I found it very interesting. This is definitely going to be recommended to all my friends!

"The war made heroes, big and small and silent ones, like these women, quietly working away with no thought of medals or fame. The backbone of the country." This quote sums up this lovely wartime romance between two ordinary people determined to do their part in the war effort. This is the first book I've read about the WAAFs who became "plotters." They were exceptional women with an aptitude for math and they did all of the calculations in their head in a split second! I loved the main character, Anna, the product of an unhappy, lonely childhood who was determined to forge her own path in life as soon as she turned 18. This story covers only the first difficult years of the war but it illustrates how incredibly resilient women are and that family isn't only based on blood ties. This book rang true for me as my parents were married during WW II and one of my uncles was a navigator on a bomber like Jimmy. Sadly, he didn't survive the war. I wasn't aware of this series so now I look forward to reading the others!

"Ordinary people who had become extraordinary" was my favorite quote from this book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the digital ARC. All opinions and the review are my own.