276°
Posted 20 hours ago

Three Cheers for the Shipyard Girls: The Shipyard Girls Series Book 12

£3.995£7.99Clearance
ZTS2023's avatar
Shared by
ZTS2023
Joined in 2023
82
63

About this deal

The Shipyard Girls start off as strangers - but end up forging an unbreakable bond of friendship in the most difficult times. At the end of the day, what I really want people to take from this book is the feeling of hope. Hope for the future, hope for your life and hope for yourself.” She's one of the main characters in the original series, but not the main one. I had left her, but I felt that there was more that could be explored with her character. I knew there was morethat we could do with her." Sadly the final book in this wonderful series, as we say goodbye to all our friends and characters, that have become all readers friends for the past six years it's been such a journey and I will be rereading all these books again and again. However, that’s not to say I have totally closed the door to future books taking the characters beyond the war.

But it is the heart in these books. Women from different parts of the town, different classes and circumstances coming together and forging friendships. Indeed this is the theme of the book, support and friendship. The decisions that each of the women take are wholly supported by the others. We see Hannah return to Europe to assist the British Red Cross and to search for her parents imprisoned in the concentration camps. We see Angie marry her Quentin, who when the question of differing classes comes up, is given support by the group of women in overcoming family disapproval. Sunderland, 1942: Christmas is fast approaching, and with it comes a flurry of snow and surprises... I had a similar, ‘Who do you think you are?’ moment when I learnt more about the men in my mum’s family, who were all shipyard workers and were well known. There’s even a large placard in the Sunderland Museum showing five generation of Revells, most of whom worked as platers. I already knew that my grandfather had died tragically in a shipyard accident when a large metal plate fell on him, but I hadn’t realised that my great grandfather had also died in an identical accident. She’s one of the main characters in the original series, but not the main one. I had left her, but I felt that there was more that could be explored with her character. I knew there was more that we could do with her.” A flow of thoughtsNancy Revell is a journalist and a writer under a different name (Amanda Revell Walton), and has worked for every national newspaper, providing them with the hard-hitting stories and in-depth features. She’s also worked for just about every woman’s magazine in the country, writing inspirational and amazing true life stories. And mother hen Gloria signs up to escape her brutal husband, but finds she cannot run from her problems. Nancy has stated that she envisions The Widow’s Choice as being part of a trilogy, so fans, watch this space and be prepared to fall in love with this new world and these new characters. The book is set in Cuthbert Manor, in County Durham. This is all about Angie’s journey.” A novel with hope

Even though victory bells are ringing loud and clear for the Shipyard Girls there's an element of sadness because this is the final part of this epic series of eleven novels which have charted the progress of this stalwart group of women as they survived whatever the war threw at them, whilst at the same time keeping the home fires and the Sunderland shipyards flourishing. In this final novel we meet again with the women who have become such an intrinsic part of the story and hope with the end of the war they can each go on to find the happiness they deserve. As the world war continues the shipyard girls face hardships at home, but work and friendship give them strength to carry on. She said: “I am really excited about this new direction for these characters.” A change in direction for the characters Set in January 1945, after five tumultuous years working in the shipyards in Sunderland, spring is in the air and with it the hope of victory at last. Wedding bells are finally ringing for Gloria but she can’t rest until her youngest son has been safely returned to her.

It’s the end of an era with Three Cheers For The Shipyard Girls– the last book in the series! How did you feel when you were writing it? It must have been a very emotional experience…. I can’t not talk about Helen, especially considering how against her I was when reading the earlier books, it’s amazing how much compassion I feel for her now and I am so deeply invested in a positive outcome to her strand of the story. She shows that perhaps after all a leopard can change their spots. Without doubt, she has to be the best written character even though I love all the girls. I think I am now really connected and deeply invested in her story as she has been through so much and undergone such a transformation from a baddy to a goodie and she is a character for whom you really want nothing but the best for. Her journey has truly been remarkable. She now has a firm place in the group and continues to try and thwart her grandfather’s plans even though it means putting her own wants, needs and love on hold perhaps even permanently rather than just as a stop gap. I know I am not alone in wanting Helen to finally confess to Dr. John how she feels and for him to do likewise but still even at this late juncture there are so what seems like so many insurmountable problems placed in their path most notably her grandfather and Dr. Claire. But as one character says ‘For what is life without hope?’ and that what is everyone that features here must have. Be it hope that the war will reach a positive conclusion without too much more bloodshed or the loss of someone they hold dear or hope that their own personal problems will find resolutions and explanations. The novel remains a celebration though, not just for these characters but also for the end of war in Europe. We hear Churchill's rousing radio speech, Richard Dimbleby's moving account of the liberation of Belsen and we get to witness Sunderland's pride in its industry and own people. We also get to celebrate this fine cast of characters from the secondary players such as Lily, George, Pearl and Bill, characters no longer with us such as Teddy and Arthur and of course, the wonderful shipyard girls themselves. Even better we get to find out what happened to them.

He is from the higher sort of levels of society, and I just thought, there’s a story here. The story begins at the end of the 40s and takes you into the 50s. You watch Angie go through a lot of emotional turmoil. I hope readers will enjoy seeing her grow and develop.

Life remains full of challenges for Gloria, who must face her abusive ex-husband and confront her own guilty conscience about baby Hope’s real father. The secret is tearing her apart but if she admits the truth, she will risk losing everything. And there is something odd about yard manager Helen's newest recruit Bel. But in resolving to uncover the truth, Helen might discover more than she bargained for...

Your books are hugely popular and there’s even talk about them being made into a TV series! What do you think readers love about your books? Meanwhile welder Dorothy has a feeling that her beau Toby is planning to pop the question when he's next on leave. But it seems that her head is being turned by someone closer to home...It will take great strength and friendship if the shipyard girls are to weather the storms to come. Rosie, now happy that Peter is home from his secret missions abroad is finally starting to settle into married life but there is still her own secrets she needs to reconcile to be able to move on. Head welder Rosie is delighted her own husband has returned from enemy territory. But the promise of victory brings more change... Her squad has come so far - what will happen when the war ends? I think it’s a mix of reasons, but the overriding one which comes through time and time again is the love of the characters – Rosie, Polly, Gloria, Dorothy, Angie, Martha, and Hannah. I receive so many messages telling me that the women welders feel ‘like family’ and that they can’t wait to see what happens to them all in the next instalment. I also have demands that certain characters find love, or others end up taking a long jump off a short pier! I cried happy and sad tears throughout this book, it's one incredible, heart-breaking and brilliant right to the end of VE Day 8th May 1945, leaving the building as The Klaxon sounded.

Asda Great Deal

Free UK shipping. 15 day free returns.
Community Updates
*So you can easily identify outgoing links on our site, we've marked them with an "*" symbol. Links on our site are monetised, but this never affects which deals get posted. Find more info in our FAQs and About Us page.
New Comment