This book had likeable characters and it had a warm, family feel to it, both at home and in their working environment. There was also the way people did extra voluntary work to help out and also the food rationing. It also reflects the attitudes of the day towards how people acted. However, I had guessed the plot of the story and I felt as though I was waiting for the characters to catch up! It does have a sweet romance. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I'm reviewing this as part of a tour with Rachel's Random Resources.

This is part of the Foyles Bookshop series, and I was interested in reading this, as I read one of the previous books in the series and enjoyed it. The story takes place during WWI, and follows those who work at Foyles Bookshop, and their families.

I loved the atmosphere of the bookshop, and of the story in general. I enjoyed the friendships between the characters, and how supportive they were of each other. Rosie was the character I felt the strongest connection with, but Sam was the character who most made me smile.

This book tugged at my heartstrings In the most wonderful way. It wasn't long before I became invested, and I couldn't stop reading until I'd finished.

I think that books, and places like bookshops, can bring comfort when we feel lost or confused, and while the story is about people rather than books, Foyles Bookshop is a place that speaks to me, through the author's writing.

Thank you to Rachel's Random Resources, and to the author and publisher, for the opportunity to read and review this.

It’s 1918 and WW1 is on, Rosie has said goodbye to her fiancée Alfie. Rosie is busy working in the bookshop and helping Alfie’s brother to teach the school children to read. When Alfie arrives home on leave, it’s not the homecoming she was expecting.
This was a lovely book, Rosie is a caring helpful person and is perfect for this story. The plot was interesting and I liked the secrets that’s in the story. It was an easy read and looking forward to reading the next books in this series.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy.

The Foyles Bookshop Girls’ Promise by Elaine Roberts is about a bevy of young women but focuses on one: Rosie. It opens with Rosie at sixteen saying good-bye to her boyfriend, Alfie, who is trying to convince her to say good-bye “properly” as they may never see one another again. She pushes him away and he takes off, only to have his younger brother, Sam, arrive to comfort Rosie. Fast forward to four years later. No one has heard from Alfie for quite awhile. His mother received a telegram saying he was missing in action, presumed dead. Both she and Rosie remained steadfast in what all considered her engagement. She was now working at Foyles and volunteering in Sam’s classroom, where he was a teacher-in-training. They were friends. Everyone said Sam was in love with her but he’d never said anything and there was Alfie. It got complicated as her best friend, Fran, had gotten pregnant back then and refused to name the father. She also refused to see Rosie and had for years. Rosie kept trying, but to no avail.

One day Alfie reappeared, but seemed to have no regard for Rosie. Now she was really upset. Was she engaged or not. She knew she didn’t want to marry him, but she was a woman of her word. Meanwhile things were happening in her life: at work and at home. The war might finally be coming to an end, but they’d been saying that for years, so who knew? And the Spanish flu is beginning to rear it’s ugly head, so life is far from easy. It was a fun read. A bit of an emotional rollercoaster, but fun. That time in England’s history is so interesting for the common people. Times have changed a lot and their lives were so different, so much simpler in many ways. This was a good book, full of emotion: regret and love. I enjoyed it.

I was invited to read The Foyles Bookshop Girls’ Promise by Boldwood Books. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #BoldwoodBooks #ElaineRoberts #TheFoylesBookshopGirlsPromise

this is book 2 in a series about WW1. it can be read as a standalone. Rose is awaiting news from her boyfriend Alfie, as he is fighting in the war. but she hasn't heard from him in a long time. is he still alive?

This is book 2 continuing during WW1 and the girls in the books shop. Enjoyed the story and can’t wait for the next.

Roses life is in turmoil waiting for news of Alfie… this story will mess with your emotions, it is a great read

I was a little bit disappointed with the book. Did it still have the strong friendships? Yes . Did it still have the likeable strong characters? Yes. But for me it became.a sweet love story, and compared to the other books in the series, it was too mild i.guess. Will I continue reading the series? Yes i Will. Thank you to netgalley for letting me read this e arc in exchange for an honest opinion

I had high hopes for this and marginally enjoyed the story. However, it felt very wooden and rudimentary. So much of the dialog was expository and elementary. I identified the baby's father right away; I am unsure if that was supposed to be a mystery or if Rosie was intended to be portrayed as entirely naïve - either way the ridiculousness of that piece of the story was a distraction. I also found that the multi-year AWOL was pretty unbelievable and Alfie's horrible personality did not jive with some of his dialog which taken solely by itself did not reflect his actions. Finally, it felt like current views (women aren't solely to "blame" for unintended pregnancies, etc) were unnaturally forced into conversations between the younger generation and the grandparent-generation. While absolutely true, I have a hard time imagining a teenager in the early 1900s making those comments.

This is the second book in the Foyles Bookshop Girls series and it is as good, if not even better than the first book which I thoroughly enjoyed.

This book focuses largely on Rosie Burrows. Her fiance is missing in action during wartime, and despite her doubts about whether he really is the man for her, she is determined to wait for him. She must believe that he is alive and will come home.

Rosie hasn't spoken to her best friend, Fran since Alfie (her fiance) went to war. She can't understand why they have fallen out, and she tries constantly to get Fran to see her, talk to her, and let her help with her baby, who sadly she had out of wedlock.

There are a lot of emotional moments in this book. Some of the time I wanted to cry, other times I was laughing out loud.

The story was paced out perfectly so that there wasn't a dull moment, and I love that although the war plays a large part in the story, the book didn't just focus on that part of it. The staff of the bookstore are like one big family and each one's story always entertains me. There is drama, romance and mystery, all things that make a book a perfect read for me.

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

I loved reading this book.

Rosie works at Foyles bookshop and she enjoys it, as well as that she volunteers at the hospital, a way of doing her bit in the war.

Before Alfie, her boyfriend enlisted, she promised him that she’d wait for him, she was only 16 at the time. Now, after 4 years she’s changed and no longer how she used to be.

Then she begins to volunteer at the school, reading to the children, and starts to get close to Sam who teaches at the school, is also the brother of Alfie. But, since Alfie enlisted, she’s not once heard from him.

Then, after not hearing from him for ages, he comes home. But his homecoming isn’t without issues, and it seems he’s not being truthful, what exactly is he hiding? I guessed what it was, and was hoping that it would be correct.

I highly recommend this book.

I loved being back with the characters linked to Foyles Bookshop with this story focussing on Rosie Burrows. It’s 1918 and Rosie has promised to wait for Alfie when he goes off to fight but then he stops writing to her and his family. Then his parents receive a telegram saying his missing in action. Should she wait for him or not? Best friend Fran has also cut off all communication after finding herself a single mother and Rosie has no idea why. To keep busy she starts to help at the local school as well as volunteering at the hospital and working at Foyles. The class she helps has Alfie’s brother Sam as their teacher and it’s obvious that they have feelings for each other. However neither of them admit these feelings. A heartwarming story with a great cast of characters that looks at family, friendship and loyalty. Thanks to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for the ARC

Another fabulous book about the Foyles bookshop ladies by Elaine Roberts. It’s so nice in books that are Sagas as you reacquainted with favourite characters although this one focuses on Rosie. WW1 is still in full swing but the bookshop ladies try and make life as positive as they can even when their own lives are in disarray. Thanks to Elaine and her publisher. Thanks also to NetGalley

Another great addition to this series. 'London, 1918: war rages on, but the girls of London’s Foyles bookshop always have a place to feel safe.' This is what the book is all about and I enjoyed reading this gripping tale of war and those left behind not knowing. It brings together a story of not just war but of friendship, love, community and so much more.

Love the characters and the writing lifts this story right off the pages. It is a heartfelt story and one I could fully immerse myself into. Loved it.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

The Foyles Bookshop Girl's Promise by Elaine Roberts

London, 1918: war rages on, but the girls of London’s Foyles bookshop always have a place to feel safe.

Rosie Burrows loves being part of the Foyles team, and outwardly, she’s a happy young woman, engaged to the love of her life. But inside, Rosie faces a horrible dilemma. When Alfie enlisted, she promised to wait for him to return from France. And she has waited, quietly preparing for him to come home so they can marry. But for years her letters to him have gone unanswered, and now she doesn’t know where she stands.

To keep occupied, Rosie starts volunteering at the local school. She loves reading to the children, and takes solace in her growing friendship with the kind and gentle class teacher. But Rosie knows she can’t allow herself to develop feelings for Sam – she gave her word.
This book is the latest outing by Elaine Roberts , and what a great one it is ! They are getting better and better . The storyline continues to be gripping and the girls struggles during the war are totally believable , you almost feel you are experiencing it all with them.

Heartwarming story about friendship, love and betrayal towards the end of W.W.2. A very enjoyable book. Hopefully there’s another in this wartime saga.

For fans of bookshops and historical fiction. Pick up this novel and you will find it hard to put it down again, and when you have read it, you will find it easy to believe that you have actually been there experiencing the story yourself.
Loved this book so much and I cant wait for the next!

A wonderful book by this lovely author.historical fiction at its best. Enjoyed the setting the story the characters.# netgalley #boldwoodboks.

The Foyles War Bookshop Girls' Promise

Rosie had promised Alfie that she would wait for him when he signed up. But three and a half years have passed with no word from him. Then his parents get a telegram telling them that Alfie is missing in action - presumed dead. Should Rosie still wait for him and see if Alfie turns up?

Set around WWI. All the staff at Foyles Bookshop seem to be either falling in love or getting married, but is Rosie really still in love with Alfie? Rosie is getting closer to Alfie's brother, Sam. Sam is in love with Rosie, but does Rosie feel the same way?

The characters are well-developed and likeable. This story shows how war left families and loved ones in turmoil. Not knowing if their sons, brothers, husband and fathers were alive must have been soul destroying. This easy-to-read story will mess with your emotions.

Published 24th November 2024

I would like to thank #NetGalley #BoldwoodBooks and the author #ElaineRoberts for my ARC of #TheFoylesBookshopGirlsPromise in exchange for an honest review.

At the age of 16 Rosie said goodbye to her boyfriend Alfie who goes off to war. He tells her to wait for him. Three and a half years later and Alfie hasn't replied to any of Rosie's letters and then comes a telegram to say he is missing in action.
It took a while for me to remember who everyone was in the book. Although this is about Foyles bookshop, the shop and the workers are not really in this book much.
Rosie really frustrated me but I suppose she was of the time when women put up with things they wouldn't now. Bullied into waiting for Archie,someone she has never loved and still waiting even though she hadn't heard from him for over 3yrs Really? Because his mother would be upset with her. Would anyone do this even in wartime especially when he wasn't even civil to her before he left ? Rosie doesn't even listen to the girls at Foyles telling her she's being daft it takes a long time for the penny to drop and it has to drop right in her face before she realises what's been happening.
A nice enough story but not as good as the first one.

A nice light romance about two young women and two brothers trying to arrange their lives near the end of WWI. No politics, no war, only life and love.