Sunderland, 1942
With the war showing no sign of abating, Helen is thriving in her role as shipyard manager. But at home the return of her father brings a shocking discovery that tears her family apart.
Gloria is shouldering the burden of a terrible secret. If the truth comes out there could be dire consequences, and it will take all her resolve to resist the pressure around her.
Meanwhile Rosie is throwing herself into her work, taking on as many shifts as she can. Anything to keep her mind off the fact that she hasn’t heard from her sweetheart in months…
With life in the shipyards tougher than ever, will the strength of their friendship see them through to victory?
Many thanks to Random House UK, Arrow publishing via NetGalley for my copy of Victory for the Shipyard Girls to review and to Sharon for having my review on the blog.
Victory for the Shipyard Girls, book five in Nancy Revel's Shipyard Girls series, sees an uncertain future for all the women involved in what is turning out to be an engrossing series. Centred around a group of women working in one of the Sunderland shipyards during World War Two each book has been going from strength to strength. This story sees the continuation and development of many previous storylines which have keenly held my interest right from when we were first introduced to an incredible bunch of women who keep going no matter what life throws at them. Not only have they to contend with the constant worry and danger that the war brings with it but also they have many personal problems to cope with on a daily basis right there in their homes and their place of work.
The story picks up directly from where we last left the women but for those new to the series I love how the author uses a conversation between two characters as a means of bringing new readers right up to date with all the goings on and the endless trials and tribulations that seem to present themselves at every corner. Just as one hurdle is overcome along comes another to throw things way off balance and upset the apple cart. This means of bringing us up to date also serves as a brief refresher for those who have journeyed with the girls since the very beginning.
What I love most about this series is that there are real gritty storylines that the reader can easily lose themselves in, some of which have been brewing since the start and others are new little plots slowly starting to make themselves known. The author never shies away from the harsh realities of the time and shows that during a time of such unrest, upheaval and heartache that everyone left at home had to keep enduring and keep fighting. Just because there was a war on didn't mean everything ground to a halt now that thousands of men were abroad fighting. No the women stepped into the breach and took it upon themselves to keep everything going in the most testing and nerve racking of times.
There was less focus this time on the actual jobs the women did with the ships and I was glad of this, as we had had plenty of previous descriptions of this, and now the more we progress through the series we can focus on specific characters and all the sneakiness and heartache that is ongoing. Several times over I have changed my opinions of certain characters and that's thanks to the way Nancy Revell writes. One minute she has you feeling sympathy for someone and the next I detest them and their actions because of the consequences and fallout that occurs in relation to characters I am deeply invested in and want nothing but good things to happen for. There are always so many surprises and twists and turns thrown which crop up when you least expect it and they keep the story flowing wonderfully as you rapidly turn the pages.
So what of this group of women embracing a very much male dominated world? Well of course they go to work every day and contribute in building and mending ships for the war effort and although the fighting may be across the sea there is still plenty going on in Sunderland that keeps them on their toes. Gloria had a chance at happiness but it was so cruelly snatched from her grasp, that's all thanks to Miriam who is married to Jack. Miriam's family have run the shipyard for years with her daughter Helen now in charge. Miriam is a character I really hate and I have no problems in using that word, she is manipulative and is playing such a game that will ruin and destroy people's lives. She is an expert at blackmail and has such ammunition that at the moment she is keeping close to her chest but Gloria knows if Miriam reveals all her secrets that her friends lives will be ruins.
Gloria couldn't cope with the guilt if this happens and if that meant sacrificing her chance to be with Jack so be it. Gloria is so selfless, always putting others before herself. Her own needs get pushed to the side and although she desperately wants to listen to her heart and do the best for baby Hope she looks at the bigger picture and takes all things into consideration before making an informed choice. I love Gloria as a character she is loyal steadfast and fearless and I am desperately hoping that in future books some sort of resolution can be found for her situation.
Helen is a character I warm to one minute and then by the next chapter she does something which leaves me very confused and also upset because her actions always have an affect on others. In this book we really got inside her head and although to the women who work for her at the shipyard she appears to be made of steel and they stay clear of her, in a way beneath it all life is not that great for Helen. She is confused, alone and very much burdened. She feels abandoned by her father but really his absence is due to her mother's scheming but Helen does not realise this. There is a lot going on underneath Helen's eyes but she can't see it because she is lost in her own world of sadness. She just wants to feel, special, loved and cherished and I think a lot of her actions in this story were a cry for help and she made rash decisions. If she had been thinking straight I doubt she would have gotten involved in the tangled mess she found herself in. Helen needs a solid form of love in her life – a relationship where she can turn her anger, jealousy and bitterness into something positive and life affirming. She certainly needed to change her character and demeanour and in a way grow up and face things head on. I still foresee plenty for her to deal with in future books.
Naturally nice things do happen to the women in this book and I loved how Rosie and Gloria began to work together to help their friends out. Each girl in the group has things to hide, especially things that may be going on at home, and thanks to Miriam both Gloria and Rosie are well aware of these. I thought it was subtly slipped in how the two joined forces and thought of creative and helpful ways to overcome these problems. Little seeds were sown and then they sat back and over time we'll see them start to bloom. I do feel sorry for Rosie though that having such a positive event right at the beginning of the book with her marriage to Peter and the time she spent with him lasting so fleeting in that he has now embarked upon secret war work in France. I feel every bit of her longing for his safe return. I think as a character she has come such a long way since book one. She is more open and willing to accept help and advice and now she is returning the favour whenever she can. One thing I definitely want to know more about is what exactly is going on with her sister at boarding school? There have been teasing hints over the last several books and I feel we need to get to know this girl as she hasn't made an appearance to date.
There are several storylines all running alongside each other, although they are not difficult to keep track of, and perhaps the most intriguing of all this time was that of Bel and her mother Pearl. Over the course of the last two books I feel this aspect of the storyline although it started off as a slow burner it suddenly sprung to life here and at one point I was left open mouthed at what was revealed. It all gels so well together but then we as the reader are aware of the bigger picture that the majority of the characters are oblivious too. We know that if certain things get out in the open then the cat is well and truly set amongst the pigeons and the repercussions will be far reaching and lead to devastating consequences and trauma, hurt and horror for many.
My fifth visit to the shipyard girls was every bit as enjoyable as the previous four books. It's a book where you pick it up and before you know it you find yourself half way through so lost do you become in all the goings on. Each character brings different assets to the story and they all bare their heart on their sleeve and in doing so I have come to really enjoy this series. By the end I am always left wanting more and hate having to say goodbye for a while. Victory for the Shipyard Girls certainly left us dangling on tender hooks with scenes that could lead you to draw any number of conclusions. Sadly I'll have to wait until March 2019 when Courage of the Shipyard Girls will be published but if you haven't previously read of this special group of women I suggest do so.
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