Thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for a copy of this novel in return for an honest review.

Duel timeline story set in Poole in Dorset.

1941
Peggy Symonds puts her knowledge of the waters to good use. Working alongside the RAF with the flying boats in the harbour, she is asked to undertake a special mission. Peggy has been entrusted in finding a suspected German spy. She must choose between the man she loves and her country as she undertakes this task.

1998
Rebekah Martins is originally from Brisbane, but is now living on Brownlea Island, where she works with nature and loves her life.
She meets Paul, a newcomer to the island and a historian with whom she makes a connection.
Together they discover a lost letter from the war years, and arr determined to deliver it - fifty years later. But Rebekah also discovers that the lost letter is not the only secret that the island has been hiding, and her discoveries are about to change her life in unexpected ways.

I was interested to learn about the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) and its role during WW2. The author presents the life of the fishing community of Poole in Dorset and the RAF station nearby in the 1940's very well.

The writing becomes a little rambling at some points, and I would have liked to learn a little more of the characteristics of the people, and a little less of how to cook mussels and make a cup of tea!
Nevertheless, the story is pleasant and I am glad to have the opportunity to read it. This book would suit people with a knowledge of the areas it is set in, the RAF and BOAC, and WW2 fiction.

The story has a dual timeline and is told from the two main charters perspectives Peggy Symonds and Rebekah Martins, set in 1941 and 1998. A story about war, love, family, sacrifice, refugees, fear, coincidences, history, starting over, and discovering the truth. When finding a lost letter from the Second World War era, there is a mystery to solve of what happened with the hope of delivering the letter to its recipient. My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my review.

Started well, was in tears at the beginning. But then it got a bit long winded and I found myself bored . Thanks net galley for the early read

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the eARC.
A dual timeline story set in Holland, England and Australia. during WWII and 1998 that has interesting facts about the war, as well as the horror of war. It's also a romance.
But the descriptions of the surroundings in which the story takes place were very long, which became boring and I couldn't get invested in the characters, except Hans. Otherwise it's a good story.

What an interesting visit to Poole and the Dorset coast of England!
WW2, Flying Boats, air raid shelters and spy missions….combined with detailed descriptions of Poole and Brownsea Island, past and present. Bonus trip to Australia, too!

I enjoyed this look back in history and I liked all of the characters.

Advanced reader copy courtesy of the publishers at NetGalley for review.

This was such a lovely dual time-line read. I know Poole very well so that made it all the more enjoyable. I found out a lot of interesting things about Dorset during the war and was sad to finish it. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Sooo good ….loved the anguish and emotional pull of the characters!!
Rebekah and Peggy are sooo tough ….also the resilience of Hans was astounding !!

The book opens with a compelling prologue by Peggy, instantly drawing me in and sparking curiosity about what would unfold. However, despite the strong start, the early chapters felt like there was a focus on excessive descriptions and context, which I felt detracted from the character development. Unfortunately, this focus on description made it difficult for me to truly connect with the characters or become fully invested in the storyline. While the initial hook was strong, I felt that the story ultimately struggled to maintain momentum, leaving me disconnected and disengaged.

This was such a lovely book. It's the perfect book to curl up with in an afternoon. The story was cute and easy to follow and had a good cast of characters. I highly recommend it to other readers.
💝 Thank you to netgalley, the author and publisher for my arc ebook copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Peggy is the daughter of a fisherman, she knows the waterways of Poole like the back of her hand and she helps transfer passengers and supplies from the flying boats and is a member of the British Overseas Airways Corporation. The area is strategically important to England and the RAF is stationed nearby and the pilots fly over protecting ships and their homeland. Peggy is asked to try and locate a possible German spy, and by doing so she has to choose between her country and the man she loves.

The story has a dual timeline and is told from the two main charters perspectives Peggy Symonds and Rebekah Martins, set in 1941 and 1998 and it’s easy to follow.

Rebekah is from Brisbane, Australia and loves her job working as a wildlife ranger on Brownsea Island, known for its wildlife and red squirrels, woodlands and walking trails. Rebekah meets historian Paul and he’s visiting the island for the first time and the Dorset coast. Rebekah shows him around, he stunned by the beautiful views of Poole Harbour and the Isle of Purbeck. They discover a lost letter from the Second World War era, they want to solve the mystery of what happened and hopefully deliver the letter to its recipient.

I received a copy of The Island Girls by Rachel Sweasey from NetGalley and Boldwood Books in exchange for an honest review. The author grew up in Poole and now lives in Brisbane, Australia and she perfectly blends facts about both countries in the engrossing and well written narrative. Full of vivid descriptions of Poole, Brownsea Island and Brisbane and Queensland.

A story about war, love, family, sacrifice, refugees, fear, coincidences, history, starting over, being sun smart, and discovering the truth. Ms. Sweasey has defiantly improved the quality of her writing in her second book and the flow of the plot. I did read and enjoyed her debut novel The Last Boat Home and certainly I noticed the difference. I highly recommend The Island Girls, for fans of dual timeline fiction with a touch of mystery and romance, and for readers with an interest in English war time history, the Dorset Coast and land now owned by the National Trust and five stars from me.