A Royal Visit to Victory Street: A heartbreaking and utterly gripping family saga (The Bryant Sisters Book 5)

Product Information

The entire setting of ‘The Girls of Victory Street’ was excellently developed, the book illustration too. This book felt thoughtful and well-researched. There was a lot of depth to the information the author provided considering how short the book is. The author did not shy away from any of the gritty details. All the characters were so relatable and realistic. I could feel all the emotions the author conveyed through them. This story is written in the third person with different perspectives but mostly Bella’s. The author added tiny details that portrayed gender and racial discrimination, family struggles, and hospitality; the notions people had. I just adore this series!… It just keeps getting better and better… It has drama, history, romance, obstacles, friends, family, and the characters show courage and perseverance through difficult times knowing, and hoping, that things will continue to improve and work out for the best.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Grieving for her sister and lost love, Bella finds a job at the Bryant and May factory, making matches. As bombs begin to fall, Bella gets the workers singing, keeping spirits high amidst the fear. When she meets a handsome American airman, Earl Franklin Jr, Bella’s heart finally starts to mend. Earl encourages her passion and soon she and her friends are offered the opportunity of a lifetime: to travel the country’s army bases, entertaining the troops and singing for victory. They name themselves The Bryant Sisters. Pam Howes is a retired interior designer, mum to three daughters, grandma to seven assorted grandchildren and roadie to her musician partner. Previously, the route to Grassmarket and Lawnmarket was through the steep and narrow lane of West Bow.

The accommodation is surprisingly spacious consisting of a lounge with woodburning stove, contemporary fitted kitchen leading into dining room, three generous sized bedrooms and a stylish shower room. Bella and the other two Bryant Sisters would perform, as they had during the war, as well as her eldest son, Levi, and his two friends. Levi was keen to become a singer and his small band was having success with the concerts they joined in. The admiration Levi held for the new bands from the US as well as locally, with John Lennon doing well saw him anxious not to go on with schooling. He wanted to work to earn money and make his dreams come true. Would they manage to get Victory Street ready in the short time they had? Would their plans be successful?

Victoria Street was designed by the architect Thomas Hamilton in the 19th-century as a way to improve access in Edinburgh’s Old Town. Feature fireplace with woodburning stove and slate hearth. Open plan to: REFITTED KITCHEN/DINING AREA: 5.76m x 5.09m (18' 11" x 16' 8") The book is set in Liverpool and opens in Feb 1939. We are introduced to Bella Rogers who is 15 and lives with her parents Harry, a tram driver, and Mary, a cleaner in a local hospital, and her two younger sisters Molly and Betty. The family make do with what they have and although they struggle at times financially, they are happy and content and the bonds of family shine through throughout this story in both the good and bad times. They are always there for each other as are Bella’s friends Fran and Edie. Initially, I did think how would it have worked having the main character be so young? Could she really carry the entire story at such an innocent and inexperienced age? I would like to thank #PamHowes, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheGirlsFromVictoryStreet in exchange for an honest review. Although there are no filming locations in Edinburgh, this amazing city is known as the birthplace of Harry Potter. It’s the place that started it all and all these Dark Academia streets will make you feel like you’re strolling through Hogwarts!

The story focuses mainly on Bella, but we also learn about her family and friends. It gives us a daily insight into what it was like living through WWII. The main characters are strong and believable. There's romance and drama in this well written book. There were parts of this story that were predictable but that doesn't spoil a book for me. Fans of Historical romance will love this book. Taking the girls around England allowed for different characters to be introduced and Earl was one of them which in turn allowed for various other subplots to develop which led to many conundrums for Bella. But she dealt with things well and rationally even though her heart is torn in two. As mentioned up above it's clear Bobby is the one for her but Alicia a family friend who becomes something more really sets the cat amongst the pigeons and she was an awful character. She was full of jealousy, vindictive, spiteful and just truly horrible. I really wanted Bobby to grow up and be a man and confront his mother and Alicia but it’s like he was too weak to do this. If only he could things could have been so different for both himself and Bella. Instead events mean Bella’s life although happy singing with the girls takes some unexpected turns and it’s how she copes with these and the outstanding support from her family and close friends that makes this an interesting read which shows how you can get through the most difficult of times. Yet another masterpiece by Pam. Thank you for this series it's amazing and I love it!’ Netgalley reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Fran, Edie and Bella were best friends and because they were a singing group they became the Bryant Sisters and were chosen to go around to the various Armed force bases and try to bring up the military morale. This is how Bella met Earl and got pregnant, but she did not know he was already married with a five year old daughter. The book is an incredible drama of choices that we make in our lives and that one thing that we do that will lead us onto various self discoveries of ourselves and those that we love. The dramatic turns that can change in a moment because of one step either way that we make or don’t make which would you do or not do again to change your life over? This book takes us on a journey of how one mans domination changed three girls lives and their families and how they survived and the deaths that they survived and the pain of love. The property has been thoughtfully modernised and is beautifully presented with many individual features. Although she would love nothing more than to marry Bobby, war is soon declared and Bobby's future has already been mapped out for his following in his father's footsteps in the RAF. The two keep in touch via letter when he is seconded to Oxfordshire but when the letters stop, Bella fears Bobby has found someone else and has fallen out of love with her. It is thought to be the inspiration for Ollivander’s Wand Shop!It closed in 2004 and now this is home to a famous Harry Potter Shop called Museum Context.

Meanwhile Earl’s daughter Dianna is adjusting to her new life in Liverpool. Determined to forge her own path, she has her heart set on becoming a nurse. However Dianna soon discovers that the reality of nursing is long hours of gruelling work, performed under constant scrutiny from the dreaded Matron - who seems to take pleasure in making Dianna’s life miserable. When a handsome art student catches her eye, Dianna finds herself at the crossroads between ambition and love. Working at the Bryant & May matches factory after she finished school, Bella Rogers was joined there by her two friends, Fran and Edie. The three girls had been members of the school choir and sang in their tea breaks to keep the workers’ spirits up with the onset of the war – the boss named them The Bryant Sisters. When the three of them were offered an opportunity to sing for the soldiers in and around England, they jumped at the chance. Bella’s little sister, five-year-old Betty had died the previous Christmas and they were missing her terribly. And Bobby, Bella’s good friend and fellow singer from the choir had transferred to another part of England to prepare for his place in the war. With Bella’s dad also doing his bit, and Molly, her younger sister in the country for safety, only her mam was home. With the bombs falling nightly, the cellar was their safe place. Bella didn’t want to leave her mam home alone while she was off singing… As England's answer to The Andrews Sisters, "The Bryant Sisters" continue to travel and perform all over the country, bringing joy and cheerfulness to the troops and keeping their spirits up amidst the dark days of war.In the books, Diagon Alley is described as cobbled and winding and Victoria Street is just like that. Also, this historic street is filled with colourful shopfronts in a rainbow of colours that are home to a variety of Independent boutiques!