I was not able to finish the book, but I enjoyed it for what it was. But I wished I had downloaded it again and could continue reading it.

Jonathan and Elizabeth are a married couple who move to Wivenhoe from London with their two children, just before WWII so that he can work as part of the Admiralty at the Shipyards before WWII. Elizabeth is an unhappy heiress who is not used to caring for the kids or the house and will be expected to do more there. Her husband is a man before his time and very involved with his kids and family. This is the first in a series and introduces the family and the neighbors as they settle into Harbor House. Soon evacuees from London are arriving to stay with families.




This is an author who I’ve really come to enjoy. I enjoyed reading more about England during WWII on the homefront. This author does a great job of bringing this era alive. This was a solid start and I really enjoyed reading about the family, and there was a bit of mystery with some of the newcomers to town. I’m looking forward to reading the series as we get to know the family as they settle into Wivenhoe. It ended somewhat abruptly, but I expect the next in the series will pick up where it left off. I’m looking forward to reading the next in the series.


Thanks to @boldwoodbooks, @rachelsrandomresources, @netgalley, and the author for this arc.

Wartime Arrivals at Harbour House by Fenella J Miller is a new series for this prolific author. Jonathan Roby had accepted a new position, a promotion, but in order to accept it he needed to move his family. Either things would work out, or his wife, Elizabeth would leave him. At this point either was Ok with him. It is before England entered World War II but everyone know it wouldn’t be long. Elizabeth’s parents had fled to America, which meant her mother’s influence over her was gone. She never liked the fact they had married and as she was unhappy in her marriage, she determined that Elizabeth be unhappy, too. They had two children, George and Elizabeth, who adored their father. They wanted to love their mother too, but she never responded, having been taught that children should be left to their nannies. She was not happy about the move, but went along, having nowhere else to go.

This was a bit of a departure for Miller, a good one. It is about a marriage in crisis; a family in crisis. Things were difficult for a while but Elizabeth came around after many trials. It was emotional to see these children struggle around their mother. It was heart-breaking to watch Jonathan struggle, wanting the best for everybody. Wartime, even this early, was difficult, and that is where Miller’s storytelling skills lie. Once more, she rose to the occasion and wrote an extremely interesting story.

I was invited to read Wartime Arrivals at Harbour House by Boldwood Books. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #BoldwoodBooks #FenellaJMiller #WartimeArrivalsAtHarbourHouse

A good story about a married couple and their children. They live in London during WWII. This was a new author for me. I look forward to reading more of her books.

This is the first book in a brand new series and if this first book was anything to go by then I can’t wait to read the others in the series. I’ve read quite a few sagas based around World War Two and this was one of the best I’ve read. Everything about this book was fabulous, the characters and the story had me totally enthralled. The pace of the story was perfect and never at any time did I feel the story got boring or uninteresting. This is definitely a series that I’m excited to continue with.

In July of 1939, Jonathan and Elizabeth and their two children relocate to the English countryside to escape a potential London bombing. They will be trading out their comfortable and privileged life for the safety of the unknown. Jonathan will start a new job as part of the Admiralty at the shipyards. Elizabeth is the most apprehensive of all. How will their lives change?

Wartime Arrivals at Harbour House is the first installment in a new series by popular author, Fenella Miller. Although I have only read two installments of the Good Will House series, I assume this will be similar: solid research, engaging plot, thoughtful themes, closed-door romance, and no profanity.

We are introduced to Elizabeth, Jonathan, and their two children as Elizabeth struggles to accept her husband’s arbitrary decision to relocate to the country. Theirs is a family of privilege and WWII will require some difficult adjustments. I had difficulty warming up to Elizabeth. She’s spoiled, whiney, and petulant. Her long-suffering, patient, and kind husband is sympathetic but firm. They must move. Well…he took a new position…so now, in addition to wartime worries, they actually have no choice. I admire Jonathan. He’s a strong leader, decisive, forward-thinking and supportive. He goes above and beyond what we would expect a man to do in this era to assist his wife and humor her moods. He’s modern in many ways.

As book one in a series, New Arrivals at Harbour House is not heavy on plot. It’s a solid introduction to the characters, their relocation, and their change in status. Toward the story’s end, we gain glimpses into how this move might affect Elizabeth’s character and behaviors. A change for the better, I hope!

Fans of the author will be enthusiastic about this new series. You will appreciate this warm-hearted story if you love stories of life on the English home front during WWII.

Thanks #NetGalley @BoldwoodBooks for a complimentary e ARC of #NewArrivalsAtHarbourHouse upon my request. All opinions are my own.

Monday, December 2, 2024
Wartime Arrivals at Harbour House



The family was in turmoil when Jonathon Roby announced to his family that they were moving to a small village community in the country. How could they give up all that they know and love?

Elizabeth, his wife, was making it much more difficult than it needed to be.

Elizabeth was very difficult to like. She was detached and cold. Was she a product of her own upbringing? Her husband, Jonathon, was quite the opposite. Thank goodness for their childrens' sakes. How in the heck did those two get married?

Valuable lessons were learned. Sacrifices had to be made. But with these sacrifices, the family did learn what was most important.

At times, I just wanted to shake Elizabeth. She was driving me crazy. I might have left her in London.

An interesting story set in during WWII.

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the digital copy of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book is the start of a new series by author Fenella J. Miller, whom I’ve featured before with her wonderful Goodwill House series. I was afraid that this book series would be too similar to the other one because they’re both about WWII on the home front in England, but I couldn’t have been more wrong!

There’s a big setup to the family’s move to Wivenhoe and their new home, Harbour House. The dad and husband, Jonathan, just makes the decision for the family without discussing it with his wife, Elizabeth. Their relationship is complicated enough without having this fact thrown in. Elizabeth is from high society and a different way of life and is very formal with their two children. When Jonathan not only tells her they are moving to Wivenhoe and will have to do without some of her servants, but she is also ticked, in an upper-class lady way, of course.

Fenella J. Miller has a way about bringing the WWII experiences to the reader that makes them thoroughly enjoyable and sobering at the same time. The country is on the cusp of war with Germany, and this snapshot into how one family uproots themselves to move to a safer place really comes home to me. I could not imagine what these families went through, and I am thoroughly engrossed in how they adapted because of the situation at hand.

The drama and conflict that arises each step of the way really pulls you into the story further. No longer living in a posh house, they’re living in Harbour House with much less help than they had before, in a lower-class town, and have to get the kids adjusted to a new way of life. There are plenty of bumps along the way, and I can’t wait to see how this series unfolds. Highly recommend!

Great easy to read book, most were likeable and realistic. Story needed a bit more excitement and cliffhangers.....this may be due to the authour having a series about Harbour House. Enjoyed but, as stated, falling a little flat towards the end.
Many thanx to NetGalley, the author and publishers for allowing me to read and review this book.

This is the Roby family story, Elizabeth, Jonathan and their two children. Elizabeth is used to being waited on and hasn’t a close relationship with her children or even her husband, at times. This is all due to her own upbringing. I did feel sorry for her at times, she was so out of her depth and hadn’t been prepared for the changes that would come in her life. Jonathan had a very different childhood and had a close relationship with his children. There are lots of changes to come for the whole family and I enjoyed how they changed their attitudes, particularly Elizabeth. This was an enjoyable read, the characters were likeable and this is just the start of changes that are to come. The story moved along at a good pace and there was plenty of action to keep my interest. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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

This WWII saga is the first in a series, and follows the Roby family, who decide to leave London and move into Harbour House. The author brought the characters to life in a way that meant I took an interest in each character. Initially, I felt that I connected with Elizabeth more than Jonathan, but a little later on, my feelings changed. I appreciated Elizabeth's strength of character, but I felt Jonathan was more caring and compassionate. I think my favourite character was their son George; I found him endearing, and he made me smile.

I enjoyed getting to know the Roby family, and something about their story went to my heart. In some ways, I felt they represented everything that a family should be, supporting each other through difficult times. It was heartwarming to read, and I would be interested to know what happened next for the Roby family.

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

Great start to a new ww2 series

This is another good ww2 story by Ms Miller, starting a new series. The characters are well developed and the storyline is interesting, the writing style is direct and not complex. Perfect for your leisure reading!

Thank you to the publisher who lent me a time limited e-arc via netgalley with no obligation. This review is optional and my own opinion.

This was a great new series by Fenella J Miller.Is about a family the R0by's that move to a small village away from London just before WW2 is announced as Jonathon has work has moved him. Elizabeth ,mother ,is one that has never had to do anything for herself and that includes the 2.children. She doesn't look forward to moving too a small village where she doesn't know anybody.They have 2 children Emily and George ,Emily acting like her mother and George living it .When war brakes out they get 2 evacuees and them the problems start.Loved reading this book.Thank you too Netgalley and Boldwood.

I liked this book. It gives you a good story about an upper class family and the changes that take place when war comes.

Thank you for the chance to read this ARC

I have read other books by Fenella Miller and looked forward to the start of her new series.

I have lived in Essex and knew of Wivenhoe though not the village in detail. I do know Essex County Hospital in Lexden Road as my youngest daughter was born there 30 years ago. So I did have a minds eye picture of the surroundings.

This is the story of Elizabeth and Jonathan Roby and their mismatched marriage. They had two children and at the outset of WW2 Jonathan decided that taking promotion to the shipyard in Wivenhoe and taking his family away from the possibility of war in London was ideal.
Elizabeth, used to the better things in life was less sure.

They then took in 2 evacuee brothers - one of whom proved to be a thoroughly unlikeable and unpleasant character - at least he got his comeuppance in the end -helped by the household cat. The differences between these boys and the Roby children, who had had a privileged upbringing as their mother expected, were well highlighted. No-one seemed to seek maternal permission for the youngest evacuee to stay though.

The book was obviously well researched and well written. Personally I could have done with not being told that Elizabeth and Jonathan were well matched int he bedroom and less so in everyday life - the inevitable consequence being another child.

Once again I was disappointed with a novel finishing at 94% and then a chapter from an unconnected book following. This does annoy me somewhat if I am honest.

But that won’t stop me looking out for the next in the series.

A great read, not taxing but with enough oomph to keep me interested to the (surprising) end.

Fenella J Miller is one of my favourite authors, and books like this one are the very reason why. From the very first pages, I was hooked.

I was fascinated to discover how the somewhat spoiled main female, Elizabeth, would cope with the changes her husband, Jonathon brought when he moved the family away from London to a safer place where he had found work.

I don't want to give any spoilers but let's say that the poor woman had to deal with more than just one drama. It wasn't long before I started to like her and by the end of the book, I wouldn't have thought she was the same woman. Her character definitely developed well.

Although a work of fiction, the author does include factual information. I always learn something that I hadn't previously known about the war. This time it was the huge number of children that were evacuated to the country for safety.

The only thing that I didn't like about the book was that it ended abruptly. I know this is the first book in a series so I really hope that their story continues in the next book and onwards. I am invested in the family now and want to know how they endure throughout the war years.

What a great start to this new series. It’s 1939 and on the brink of war being declared Jonathan Roby relocates his family to Wivenhoe in the country from London. Wife Elizabeth has always lived a very privileged life and is not at all keen. This really gave an insight into what life was like for those who moved out of London and you could really tell that Fenella Miller, as always, has done lots of historical research. I loved reading how each character developed and how they adapted to their new life. This was easy to follow and I could imagine all the various locations and events. I thought that each character had depth but that there is plenty more for us to learn about them! Really looking forward to the next one. Thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC

Wartime arrivals at Harbour House by Fenella Miller is set in Britain that's just a few days away from World War-II.

A sweet, tender novel of a marriage strained to almost breaking point, and a family estranged by life choices, upbringing, and outside influences, but who are still very much in love with each other.

A hotly contested move from London to Wivenhoe in the country by Mrs. Elizabeth Roby sets the stage for the family dynamics to play out.

Once at Wivenhoe - her husband Jonathan Roby is involved with his job as the senior Admiralty officer in charge of the Colne River shipyard. A pregnant Elizabeth has to handle her two children, something she's left to nannies until now.

She also has to deal with two boys - Pete and Sammy, recently evacuated from London who are to be staying with the Roby family. Coming from a working class background, the children, especially Pete are a shock to her gentler sensibilities.

Through the ups and downs the little family face, the author has created characters who evolve and change with the situation. The challenges each member faces and overcomes - especially Elizabeth and her young daughter Emily make up a large part of the story arc and give room for character development.

The final denouement is unexpected and a little shocking but in the end there is a happy ending after all. However, knowing the hell about to break loose over Britain in the war years, makes me hope there will be sequels to this novel, following the adventures of the Roby family during the war.

A sweet, refreshing, clean romance within the context of marriage and family and everyday life in pre-war England.

Thanks to @NetGalley and @Boldwood Books, I was given this charming novel to read as an advanced copy without expecting a review. All opinions are mine alone.

The start of a new series from this excellent author. It was an easy read although I did struggle as I had no liking for the main character Elizabeth. I appreciate that the way she was portrayed was part of the story but at times she made me feel miserable and not relaxed which is my prime reason for reading before bed!

I hope that the second book will explore more of the impact of the war and the work of Jonathan as I feel that this would be highly interesting. I look forward to the next instalment!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers and of course the author for allowing me to read an review an Arc copy.

New series

This book starts just before the war and follows a family who relocates from London to a small village in the countryside for the father’s work. The wife is very resistant and the two children are unsure but the son is open. The remaining story is about their setting in, the war starting, taking in two evacuated children and the resulting drama.

This was a good historical fiction, but I will say that I didn’t particularly care for most of the characters and didn’t get invested in the outcome. I doubt I would read the next book in the series.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.