Showing results by author "Fenella J Miller" in All Categories

Flying instructor Ellie Simpson has grown up a tomboy. She's never had an interest in the latest fashions or finding a husband; her only passion is flying her beloved Tiger Moth. But when war is declared, she is no longer be able to do what she loves most - fly.

With harvest approaching, land girl Daphne is busier than ever as she ploughs the fields and tends to the animals with her friends Sal and Charlie. All three girls enjoy the relative peace of Goodwill House…but war is never far away.

July 1940. With Hitler’s bombs getting closer, WAAF Diane Forsyth is determined to face the oncoming danger and do her duty to support the brave RAF pilots who risk their lives as they take to the skies. And there’s one pilot in particular Di hopes remains safe—Squadron Leader Freddie Hanover. But with a romance between them growing, Di and Freddie know their duty must always come first. How can they dream of a future together whilst this terrible war continues?

Life as an ATA pilot is tough, but despite the long hours and danger, Ellie can think of nowhere she'd rather be. Not only does she love flying, but doing important war work, alongside new-found friends, provides a welcome distraction from worrying about loved ones fighting on the front line. Being an ATA girl is definitely exciting but, as Ellie soon finds out, wearing the distinctive blue uniform also means putting her life on the line every time she takes to the skies.

January 1941. As the residents of Goodwill House feel the hard bite of winter, land girl Charlie Somiton is still glad of the warm friendships she has made there. Not just her fellow land girls, Daphne and Sal, but also dashing local G.P. Dr James Willoughby who looked after Charlie when she was injured at work. Charlie likes Dr Willoughby, but she fears that there can never be more between them than just friendship. Because despite her upper-class background, Charlie carries with her a terrible secret that she can never share with James.

The ATA is calling upon its most trusted pilots to deliver precious bombers wherever they're needed. Ellie Simpson, who can fly a Spitfire as well as the boys, is their newest recruit. Giving her all to a job she loves leaves Ellie precious little time for squadron leader Jack Reynolds. And while Ellie is brave enough to take the controls of a Spitfire, it takes a different kind of courage to open her heart to love once again. With her friends and family in constant danger, she realises that their love is strong enough to stand the test of all the hardship the war can throw at them.

Lady Joanna Harcourt and her daughter, Sarah, discover their life of luxury at Goodwill House is over. Because with Lord Harcourt away fighting, the Harcourt girls are facing financial ruin. Lady Joanna is terrified of losing their home, but for Sarah, this means her dreams of becoming a doctor are over. Headstrong Sarah isn’t one to quit! War or not, she’s determined to find a way to save her home and follow her dreams - whatever it takes.

August 1940. As Autumn approaches, Lady Joanna Harcourt is preparing for new guests at Goodwill House - land girls, Sally, Daphne and Charlie. Sally, a feisty blonde from the East End, has never seen a cow before, but she’s desperate to escape London and her horrible ex, Dennis. And although the hours are long and the work hard, Sal quickly becomes good friends with the other girls Daphne and Charlie and enjoys life at Goodwill House. Until Dennis reappears threatening to drag her back to London.

White Waltham, 1943. As Italy surrenders and victory looms on the horizon, Ellie's doing what she does best - flying. And this time, she's rising to the sky in four-engine Halifaxes. Determined to keep doing her bit, Ellie's successes in the airfield mount, but so do tensions with her new beau, Squadron Leader Jack Reynolds. When Ellie and Jack find their dream home, they discover they've bought more than they bargained for. With a cellar full of secrets, Jack and Ellie must stand united in the face of mystery, war and loss

Victoria Bahani, the privileged seventeen-year-old, daughter of the Rajah of Marpur and an English woman, has always believed she would marry an Englishman. And when she meets Captain Henry Hindley-Jones she knows he’s exactly the kind of man she’s been thinking of. But when war breaks out everything changes for Victoria. With Henry away fighting, Victoria must try and find her own path in life and also do her duty for her king and country. Signing up to be a nurse in the Queen Alexandra’s Nursing Corp, Victoria must leave behind the country she loves for a life of danger and duty.

When duty calls, East End girl Minnie Wolton isn’t afraid to do her bit. She’s excited to be joining the ATS girls and although she knows life at the barracks will be tough, she’s not one to quit! She just hopes the other girls are all good sorts. With her husband away fighting, Eileen Ruffel is glad of the break from her unhappy marriage. She just wants to make a success of the ATS girls and maybe find happiness too. Along with the other girls, Minnie and Eileen strike up a firm friendship. The training is hard, but they are determined to prove they are the best new recruits.

June 1942. Grace Sinclair never meant to sign up to the ATS, but when her parents made it clear she had to marry a man she hated, Grace ran away to the safety of the army. But with her cut-glass accent and upper-class ways, Grace finds it hard to fit in with the other girls and begins to think she has made a terrible mistake. Things get worse for Grace when she meets dashing Squadron Leader Chris Holloway who shares sad and shocking news about Grace’s brother. Heartbroken, Grace confides in fellow ATS girl Ruth who offers her a shoulder to cry on.

Elizabeth Roby lives a content and privileged life in London with husband Jonathon and children, Emily and George. But with the outbreak of war, everything changes. Jonathon informs his family that they have to move from their smart London home to the riverside town of Wivenhoe and their new home Harbour House, where Jonathon will do his duty for his country as part of the Admiralty at the shipyards. But Elizabeth is devastated. How will she start a new life in a place she hardly knows, surrounded by strangers?

Having done her duty as an ATS girl, Lance Corporal Ruth Cox is moving on to new challenges and has signed up to work as a gunner girl, helping to keep the skies clear of enemy planes and safe for our brave boys in blue. But on the way to her new barracks, Ruth meets handsome Sargeant Sam Johnson. Ruth isn’t looking for romance, and she knows she has a dangerous job ahead, but there is a connection between her and Sam that she can’t deny.

Since joining the ATS all Clara Felgate has wanted to do is be a dispatch driver and serve with the brave boys abroad, doing her bit for King and country. But almost as soon as she arrives at Camberley Barracks, Clara seems to bring a string of bad luck with her. Captain Perry Harrow shouldn’t even be at the barracks teaching a bunch of ATS girls how to drive. He should be fighting on the front line with his men. Thankfully Lance Corporal Felgate is perfectly proficient, and Perry finds himself drawn to the hardworking ATS girl.

The war continues to rage, but for now, Harbour House continues to keep the Roby family safe from harm. Not so for new lodger Richard Stoneleigh. As one of the few men who can captain a ship, Richard is called to help with the dangerous evacuation of troops from Dunkirk – it’s a perilous voyage that almost costs Richard his life…

As the war clouds gather over Europe, the Roby family are thankful to have started their new life in Wivenhoe safe from German bombs…for the moment at least. And with the safe arrival of baby Grace, family life at Harbour House seems to be settling down. But Emily Roby finds life stifling. She’s not keen on her new baby sister, doesn’t like her new school and feels as though sometimes her parents still treat her as a baby, but also a grown up when it suits them! Emily’s only friend is Nancy, the new girl working at Harbour House.

Jane Hadley has nothing to lose when she runs away to join the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. Whatever faces her in war-torn London can't be any worse than staying at home with her abusive father. The city is nothing like she could have imagined, but she's soon on the move, travelling from base to base for her top-secret training. Making plenty of friends along the way, it doesn't take long for Jane to embrace her growing confidence - especially under the attentive eye of dashing Officer Oscar Stanton.

Even in wartime, East End girl Nancy Evans has reason to hope. She's a rising star in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force, and she'll be walking down the aisle any day now...but then a brutal night of bombing changes her life forever. Newly pregnant and single, Nancy swaps her blue uniform for a pinny, taking on housekeeping duties for handsome village doctor David Denny. And though Nancy tries to stay cheerful and contribute to the war effort in any way she can, it isn't long before she finds herself leaning on David for comfort....

London, 1942. Charlotte Fenimore is back home on a week's leave from the Women's Auxiliary Airforce. She had planned for a week of rest and recuperation. She hadn't planned to fall deeply in love with an irascible detective called Dan Chalmers, a wounded hero of Dunkirk who believed no woman would ever look at him again.