I always love books set in this era there is something about the charm of the timeline that keeps me reading books like this. The bar is always set very high and this book didn't disappoint. Full of warmth, sadness, joy and above all there is hope. I loved the setting and the tales of the life of midwifes helping the wide variety of women was heartfelt. It really reminded me of 'call the midwife' but with an equally enjoyable cast of characters. Very entertaining and enjoyable.

Mary Vale, the mother & baby home in the Lake District is a refuge for expectant mothers, not only as a place to give birth but a place to escape from the ravages of the blitz. Sybil is a classy lady who had become pregnant by her lover. He sends her as far away from London as possible & she is furious. Stuck in the middle of nowhere with so many 'common' women she is a fish out of water. Rosie in London is struggling. With her husband away at war, her two lively children are running wild & her latest pregnancy is so much harder. Frightened by the doctors that she will die & leave her two children orphans if she doesn't get away she agrees to go to Mary Vale. This family is a great shock to the nuns & others at the home. With the threat of the home being requisitioned by the military the ladies of Mary Vale battle on to care for the women that come there. This is a lovely story- perfect for 'Call the Midwife' fans! Daisy Styles creates some terrific characters & captures the time frame very well. The story is predictable but none the worse for that, A nice gentle read & thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.