A Store at War: The first heartwarming historical romance book in an uplifting WW2 family saga (The Shop Girls, Book 1)

Fourteen-year-old Lily Collins of Midlands, England, shows grit, gumption, and compassion in this uplifting story of family and friends during the blitz in 1941 England. Lily takes a job at Marlowe's department store to help out her mum and finds a second family there. Thanks to Lily's ingenuity and heartfelt efforts, the two families merge into one, producing much joy and hope despite the ongoing war.

Joanna Toye has given is a wonderful six book series, starting with this first book. It’s carefully researched and the author brings in lots of interesting aspects providing insight on what it would have been like living and working in England’s Midlands through WW2. And the characters are marvelously developed…no stereotypes, but real, interesting people. The story arcs are great. I was sad to finish the last book…extremely binge worthy. Here’s hoping Netflix picks this up and another series is on its way.

Lost interest in the story line

The characters were all wonderful, so the author gave a very good look at the way a department store was run in small town England during World War II. Add to that the personal lives of these diverse people and you have a great book. I highly recommend it!

I really enjoyed this book. The character development along with descriptions of the department store made me feel like I knew the main characters. I enjoyed learning how everyone pitched in during WWII, ex: how women replaced male workers in the factories and younger men and women replaced those women in the stores. Also, the minor inconveniences of WWII that we never think about like food ration stamps and how there were no lipsticks for sale because the metal tubes that held the lipstick had to be melted down for the war effort. I wanted to keep reading the next books to find out what happened to the characters, but it will have to wait until I am employed again as I can't afford them right now.

I had never seen a story of WWII oriented totally to the civilian view,and I loved it. Recognizing the privations, rationing, struggles to carry on with a normal life was facinating. I heartily recommend this book!

This book revolves around the life of a young woman who works in a department store in Midlands, England during World War II. It tells of her being hired and the training she was given. It also tells of the rationing that was enforced by a nation at war and the hardships on the people because of this rationing.

I learned a lot about the effects of war on people and the book made me glad that we have not had a war with another country that directly affected people living in this country. This book led me to count my blessings. We live in a land of plenty and have not had to live with rationing of food or products in this country during my lifetime. We are truly blessed.

I enjoyed this book. I hope you enjoy it also.