Live Each Moment
The Girls Of Bomber Command by Vicki Beeby is a powerful historical novel that I loved. It is set during the middle of World War II mainly on an airbase in Lincolnshire.
As we follow the lives of the men and women of bomber command, we see the fragility of life. “If I have tomorrow” is a phrase a young pilot utters. Whenever the men flew their missions, they never knew if they would return to base – whether it was a leaflet or bomb drop. They lived hard and they played hard. Daredevil antics on the base were a way to unwind and cope with the enormous responsibility that was on young shoulders.
We witness the devastating effects of an aircraft not returning to base. “The crew are like family.” All members hurt if one of their own is lost.
Life is hard for the girls on base. They are friends with the airmen and worry each time bomber command teams take to the air. Even in the middle of the night, they wait for the planes to return, greeting each man with a smile, a mug of tea and a ‘welcome home’. Life was lived on a knife edge for all.
We follow a character whose ambitions had been squashed just because she was a woman. Her dreams and hard work to become a reporter were passed over in favour of a younger, less qualified male. Within the air force, her dreams can begin as she sets about setting up a newspaper for the base. She has a drive and the tenacity to succeed.
Life has dealt two characters bitter blows. Two sisters were orphaned at a young age, being brought up by a grandmother. The older sister became a surrogate mother to the younger one and finds it hard to let go that role, even though both girls are now in their twenties.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Girls Of Bomber Command. It was a powerful read. I was able to learn and appreciate just how fragile life was for the aircrews and the devastating effects for all the serving members when aircrafts did not return. Ground crew worried until all the planes were safely counted in. It was a marvellous read.
I received a free copy via Rachel’s Random Resources for a blog tour. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
JULIA WILSON
The Girls of Bomber Command
With an enemy in their midst, can they still protect their fighters in the skies?
Pearl has given up on her dreams of being a journalist after being denied a promotion because of her gender. Joining the WAAF as a radio telephone operator for Bomber Command, Pearl’s new job at RAF Fenthorpe serves two purposes – providing an income for her grandmother, and keeping a close eye on her younger sister, Thea, an instrument repairer at another Lincolnshire bomber station.
Pearl befriends Met WAAF Jenny as well as Australian pilot Greg, who she guides home safely during an emergency. Pearl’s journalism background doesn’t go to waste, however – a series of thefts from pilots rekindles her investigative fire and she is soon caught up in the mystery.
But when all signs point to the perpetrator being her sister, she finds herself up against the clock to prove her sister’s innocence…
A captivating and heartwarming WWII saga for fans of Daisy Styles and Johanna Bell.
Purchase Links
Author Bio –
Vicki Beeby is a saga author who writes about the friendships and loves of service women brought together by the Second World War. Her first job was as a civil engineer on a sewage treatment project, so things could only improve from there. Since then, she has worked as a maths teacher, an education consultant before she turned freelance to give herself more time to write. She is published by Canelo and represented by Lina Langlee of The North Literary Agency. She was a finalist for the RNA Romantic Saga award in 2021 and won it in 2023.
Social Media Links –
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/VickiBeebyAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/VickiBeeby
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vickibeebyauthor
Threads: @vickibeebyauthor
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