Welcome to my stop on Rachel’s Random Resources Book Tour for Hopeful Hearts at the Wartime Hotel by Maisie Thomas– ‘a wonderful and uplifting tale of female friendship’ (Eva Glyn, author of The Dubrovnik Book Club).
296 pages, Paperback
Published
September 15, 2025 by Boldwood Books
About the Book:
Manchester, 1942.
When Kitty Dunbar was forced to confront her husband’s debts and close the family hotel, she transformed Dunbar’s into a storage business for bombed-out families. But with her daughter to support, and relishing her new independence, Kitty is keen to come up with more ways to use the once prestigious hotel.
Sharing her home are former chambermaid Lily, and kind-hearted welfare worker Beatrice, both haunted by past loss. Together, the three women create a new kind of family in the heart of the Manchester Blitz: one built on respect and resilience. When Kitty suggests hosting wedding receptions in the old dining room, her friends are happy and willing to lend a hand – and help to serve ‘Dunbar’s Wartime Wedding Punch’!
But when Lily meets a handsome doctor, and Beatrice comes face to face with an old flame, will hearts finally be mended, or broken once more?
While war rages around them, can these three women find the courage to keep fighting for their dreams?
My Review:
This is book two in the Wartime Hotel series and is yet another absolutely engrossing WWII saga. Fans of character driven historical fiction should scoop up this series. My only complaint is that the writing is so good that I want to savor it AND read it so quickly. The dilemmas of a reader! While this could be read as a standalone, I highly recommend grabbing the first one so you learn each character’s backstory.
This is historical fiction at its finest with an emphasis on just how strong women can be, as well as a celebration of the friendship and support between women. So many details of the time period and setting are beautifully incorporated in this story that I felt I was right there next to these three women. I wish so much I could grab a cup of tea with them.
Five glowing stars for this beautiful, engrossing story!
About the Author:
Maisie Thomas is the bestselling author of the Railway Girls series. She is now writing a new saga series for Boldwood, set in wartime Manchester.
Author Links:
Twitter: @maisiethomas99
TOUR PARTICIPANTS: Stop by the rest of the tour!
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