The Surplus Girls: An enthralling saga of love and bravery, perfect for fans of Lyn Andrews and Lily Baxter

Somehow the setting just doesn't manage to ring true, it all feels a little more late 1940s than early 1920s and I can't put my finger on why. Yes it has situations that are very much of the time but it just all feels so much more "modern" than it's supposed setting. Good job then that this is a book about people first and foremost. Belinda Layton is having a tough go of it, her father turns out to be a ne'er-do-well who is rapidly dragging his family down with him. Her eldest brother seems to think she should move back home to "do her bit" now he has moved out and her beloved fiance dies during the First World War. Throw in a supervisor at the mill with wandering hands and a lecherous eye and she has to do something. A chance meeting with her old teacher, Miss Kirby, leads her to the door of the Misses Hesketh and their newly minted Secretarial School and the perfect opportunity to pull herself out of the mire. To be honest I got a little fed up with Belinda and her relentless optimism. She is everything a "Northern Girl" is supposed to be but it just feels overdone. Throw this against the foil of a worn down Mother and a surly sister and she starts to look even more "saintly". It does become wearing after a time. Strangely the people I found myself wanting to know more about, the Misses Hesketh, we are only given the odd tantalising glimpse of. In the blurb it is mentioned that this is intended to be the first of a saga so hopefully we will get to learn more about them. It isn't a bad read or a boring read it just is. THIS IS AN HONEST AND UNBIASED REVIEW OF A FREE COPY OF THE BOOK RECEIVED VIA READERS FIRST.

This is a great read, and in preparing for this review post I've discovered it's first in a trilogy so now I'm really excited! Belinda Layton was looking forward to a rosy future with her fiance, Ben, until the horrors of the first World War put paid to their plans. Bel finds herself living with Ben's mother and grandmother who have more than most .. but life is hard. Four years after the war has finished and they are still in deepest mourning and expect Bel to follow suit, but she's young and wants a better future for herself - is that so wrong? As you probably know by now, I have a fondness for domestic fiction set around both world wars, and this is an excellent example of something that little bit different. Polly Heron spins a fine tale, showing an understanding of the hardships of the working classes and how hard it was for anyone, but especially women, to better themselves. Society was very different almost a century ago, and the author demonstrates this perfectly in a wonderful story of a young woman who wants just that little bit more, aiming for a better life than her mother before her. This is a well written, enthralling read which captivated my attention from first to last. I found myself rooting for Bel and, despite the setbacks she faces, desperately wanted her to succeed. A riveting read, fully worth four shining stars and recommended by me as a series well worth following.