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Secrets of the Homefront Girls
- Narrated by: Gina Murray
- Length: 14 hrs and 14 mins
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Publisher's Summary
A new series from best-selling author Kate Thompson.
Stratford, 1939.
Britain may be at war, but on the home front keeping up morale and keeping up appearances go hand in hand. For the young women working on the lipstick production line at Yardley's cosmetics factory, it's business as usual.
Headstrong Renee Gunn is the queen of the lipstick belt - although her cheeky attitude means she's often in trouble. When Esther, an Austrian refugee, arrives at Yardley's, it's Renee who takes her under her wing and teaches her to be a true cockney.
But outside of the factory, things are more complicated. Lily, Renee's older sister, has suddenly returned home after six years away, and is hiding a dark secret. Meanwhile Esther is finding life in England more difficult than expected, and it's not long before Renee finds herself in trouble, with nowhere to turn.
In the face of the Blitz, the Yardley girls are bound together by friendship and loyalty - but could the secrets they are hiding be the biggest danger of all?
Critic Reviews
"A compelling saga set around the tenacious women of the East End." (Daisy Styles)
"Kate Thompson's wartime novels always strike a chord and Secrets of the Homefront Girls is no exception. You can almost smell the Yardley violets drifting over the factory as the girls live lives complicated by the trials and tribulations of war." (My Weekly)
"Kate Thompson is a skillful and humane storyteller who lights up the sooty face of the old East End with tales full of drama and human interest." (Annie Murray)
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What listeners say about Secrets of the Homefront Girls
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Anonymous User
- 18-12-2022
Brilliant, Educational and Heartwarming
Absolutely loved this book. I smiled and cried all the while. What a wonderful story teller and Kate Thompson creates the most lovable characters. On to her next title!
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- Colette McNeill
- 15-02-2022
A wonderful story
I loved evrry minute of this book. Kate brings the East End families and the Yardley girls to life. Based on actual experiences of war time, it's an insight to the courage and resilience of the best generation
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- Karen Harris
- 17-07-2022
Up The Yardley Girls
So enjoyed listening. Such stoic women. Please KateThompson write more of these books. Beautiful narration.
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- Anonymous User
- 06-08-2019
WW2 Britain told from the perspective of working class women
I throughly recommend this book if you are interested in the life and times of women in WW2 Britain , it is well researched and I learned quite a lot especially the bombing in Canning Town which I had never heard about. The author’s writing really made me feel like I was living through this time.
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- Louise Pearson
- 03-07-2022
FABULOUS Read, Amazing Women
I've read many a book about the home-front in England during the 2nd World War! The characters in this book however, are a stand-out, as is the description of the blitz! Such a worthwhile read, and a great way of learning about a brand of women and of neighbourliness which are long gone! I highly recommend it!
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- Monica
- 18-03-2024
Too hard to listen to.
I gave up on this book at chapter 7. I have listened to a number of Kate Thompson’s books and loved them. I so wanted to like this one but the narrator was woeful! The volume and speed of the character’s voices was all over the place.
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