In this new and fascinating World War II historical fiction novel, Molly Green brings the War Office to life through the eyes and experiences of Katharina Valentine, a shorthand typist in the basement where the Cabinet War Rooms are receiving and sending out information critical to the war effort. Dealing with the Blitz, the suspicion of German immigrants and people of German descent, and the high level of secrecy surrounding the War Office and the Cabinet War Rooms, Green brings this intense and secretive space to life in vibrant and incredible detail. Katie, working for Winston Churchill himself, has no idea what is in store for her here -- more career advancements, a romance with Baxter Edwards, and vital, secret, and meaningful work -- but it could all disappear when a jealous colleague threatens to reveal a secret about her family (that is covering up other secrets even Katie doesn’t know). With so much at stake, readers will love this fascinatingly detailed insight into a World War II space not as discussed in historical fiction, and Katie is a brilliantly complicated and charming protagonist who readers will love. Exciting, powerful, and occasionally intense, this is a great new addition to the World War II historical fiction genre.

a jealous colleague threatens to expose information about her family that could put her in violation of the Official Secrets Act, Katie faces serious repercussions.

Sometimes you need to have a series to have a saga and sometimes you can have it all within one book. Katherine is employed in the War Office and an opportunity to work within the Cabinet War Rooms comes up.

For Katherine, this is a chance to progress and have a more vital part of the war. Deep beneath the streets, she doesn’t know what she will ever have to do and when sickness causes her to work more closely with Winston Churchill, she finds herself in the thick of it. Like any office there is romances and jealousy and it becomes apparent that something in Katherine’s past could cause her trouble.

An excellent read and another aspect of the Second World War told in such rich detail and information, I felt I was present.

Katie finishes her training at a secretarial training school and leaves wanting to do more with her life, especially with war just being declared. She applies for a job at Whitehall and is happy to get it, but when she has to take some family documents along to be accepted, family secrets are revealed that Katie just can't believe are true. Within a short time Katie is promoted to what is known as the "typing pool" which she is not very pleased about, but after being there for a short while she realises that she is in fact working in the secret tunnels under Whitehall, where none other but Winston Churchill is working too. The first time she bumped into him she was completely tongue tied. But soon he almost becomes a regular occurance in her day to day working life, making her often feel like she's a bundle of nerves. But what makes her day working there worth it, is a certain man who she is immediately drawn to, but when the war takes a turn Katie finds herself being shipped overseas on a top secret mission but what has become of her now boyfriend? Is he lost to her?

A great story set in London during WW2 full of camaraderie, friendships and relationships. The work of the staff who spent their days working in Churchill's War Rooms was interesting. The characters are really good, there is good community spirit (well most of the time) and I found it really enjoyable to read, I have read most books by Molly Green and this like the others has been a superb book. A well deserved five star read.
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This book was amazing! The attention to detail in this book was very good and I loved the main female characters. She added so much to the story!

Another great read by Molly Green.
This one is based around Churchills cabinet office and I really enjoyed this light read .

A wonderfully well written book. The attention to detail about the men and women who worked within the War Office during WW2 was outstanding. A truly beautiful story about the budding romance between Katharina (Katie) and Baxter. Katie’s home life is turned upside down when a closely guarded secret is finally revealed. A book well worth reading. You won’t be disappointed.

I thoroughly enjoyed this historical novel which kept me immersed throughout. The story was so descriptive and it felt as if I was there with real characters. Set in London and telling how people lived their lives through the horrors of WW11.
Katie was not perfect which made the story relatable. It showed her idiosyncrasies as well as her assets.

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Another fantastic book by Molly Green, her books really highlight the fantastic work that women did during WW2.

Katherina was working at a Greyhound racing track, looking after the dogs when her Aunt died, leaving her a lump sum of money and instructions to use it to take a secretarial course and then get a job at the war office. War is looming and Katherina is desperate to do her bit, so takes her aunt's advice and enroles on a course.

When the war starts she applies for a job at the war office but there are a few complications before she gets the job. As her mother is German she wants to keep this quiet from the people she works with.

The story follows Katherina's journey during the war, even being closer to the prime minister.

The book gives a good account of what went on during the war, but introducing a fictional character that represents all the women working in the War office at that time.

I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone that loves this era to read it.

Firstly thank you Netgalley for this Arc

What a brilliant book. Family saga based in the war all about Whitehall absolutely worth a read

Absolutely loved this book, couldn't put it down, loved the characters and the storyline was brilliant and kept me gripped to find out what happened next, can not fault this book in anyway 10/10

A very good book which I could not put down. Telling the story of work in Whitehall during the War.

Katie lives with her parents and takes a secretarial course just as the War starts. She ends up working at Whitehall and meets Baxter who every time she meets him he ends up laughing at her. At first Katie doesn’t feel she is doing much for the the War effort but as time goes on opportunities happen and she ends up in an important job.

It was interesting to read about the offices there where it felt you were in a dark claustrophobic tunnel with all the offices there.

I really enjoyed the book and liked the characters I also liked the twist at the beginning of the book. It was well written and also researched.

A wonderful WWII histfic novel reminiscent of the Maggie Hope series. I eagerly followed the gripping tale of the London blitz, Winston Churchill's War Rooms, and the slow burn romance of Katie and Baxter, who work for Winnie. Histficrom fans will adore it!

Katharina Valentine wants to do her bit in the June of 1941 but there isn’t much for women of her class she feels.
She does a secretarial course and lands a job in the war office. She then gets promoted to the underground secret war rooms and ends up working with Winston Churchill himself. She succeeds in ways she could never imagine ut to what cost.
Brilliant ww2 read again by the fantastic Molly Green.

Another enjoyable war time book from Molly Green.

The main characters were very enjoyable and you could get into them/their situations in WW2. Storyline wise it was enjoyable although I did feel that the ending seemed very rushed and could have been played out a bit more slowly/earlier in the book.

Having recently read Kingmaker which looks at the life of Pamela Churchill Harriman, I was happy to read Molly Green's, Courage for the Cabinet Girl which is about the fictional life of Katharina Valentine, a shorthand-typist at the War Office. As with Molly Green's other works set in this period, she brings colour to a dark period of history and usually a romantic element too. A certain Wing Commander Baxter Edwards sets his cap at Katharina but a dreadful train crash gives him a head injury which results in amnesia and him not really recognising his beatiful girlfriend. Molly Green describes perfectly how someone with amnesia feels. I know because as a boy I suffered a head injury which resulted in amnesia. Imagine living with a family you have no knowledge of, it's quite surreal. Anyway my amnesia lasted about a week and then memories returned. Will Baxter's return like mine did? You will have to read Courage for the Cabinet Girl to find out.

This was a brilliant book about Katharine Valentine who worked at the Greyhound track but when her Aunty Judy died her Aunt left her money to go too secretarial college.This she does and gets a job at the War Office.Things start to change in Katharina's life and this tells that story of her German mother working for Winston Churchill and others in the War office..I count out this book down. Thank you to Netgalley and Avon books.

Thank you for the chance to read this ARC in return for my honest opinion.

I have read books by this author before and looked forward to this one as it seemed to give a different slant to the work of women in WW2

It was well written and had obviously been researched but for me it was slightly unbelievable that someone would be plucked from the typing pool and became an assistant to Winston Churchill.

Katie had had an inheritance from the woman she thought of as an Aunt which allowed her to study shorthand and typing. Finding work was less easy but she ended up at the War Office.
She struggled with her home life and the fact her mother was German - except she was her step-mother.

Along the way she falls in love with Baxter - helps him recover his memory after a train crash - and has a Happy Ending.

Although I enjoyed the book it was all a little contrived for me sadly.

Outstanding book which really encapsulated the feeling of what it must have been like living through the war years . The writing was so well crafted,one could feel the claustrophobia and lack of air, working in the bunkers. I loved the imagined interactions with the incredible Mr . Churchill! Against this backdrop of war, bombing, clandestine war work, we have a beautiful love story, sensitively written. I shall look out for more books by this author. I devoured this overnight at the cost of my sleep...but who needs sleep ? Brilliant!

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

I enjoyed reading Courage for the Cabinet Girls.

We read about what the people went through living during WWII, in London.

Katie’s character was relatable, she had some weaknesses as well as strength.

Her romance with Baxter was lovely and the right divergence to all the bad things that were happening around them.

Whilst reading the story you could imagine yourself there witnessing all the horrors of WWII.

I recommend this book.