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Girls on the Home Front

byAnnie Clarke

An inspiring wartime story of friendship and courage

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The first novel in the wonderful Factory Girls series. Perfect for fans of Nancy Revell and Ellie Dean.

'A brilliantly written and uplifting WWII story' Nancy Revell, author of the Shipyard Girls series

‘A delightful authentic-feeling saga’ Peterborough Telegraph

‘Highlights the strength of women during the toughest of times…Clarke’s love and respect for her family’s roots really shines through’ Culture Fly

'Beautifully written, the warmth shines from every page and the layers are as deep and rich as the coal seams the men work upon.' Frost Magazine
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August 1941: As war sweeps across Britain and millions of men enlist to serve their country, it’s up to the women to fight the battle on the home front.

Fran always thought she would marry her childhood sweetheart and lead a simple life in Massingham, the beloved pit village she has always called home.

But with war taking so many men to the front line, the opening of a new factory in the north-east of England presents an opportunity for Fran to forge a new path.

Against her father’s wishes and with best friends Sarah and Beth by her side, Fran signs up to join the ranks of women at the factory. It’s dangerous work but as the three friends risk life and limb for their country, they will discover that their lives are only just beginning…
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Look out for the next book in the series, Heroes on the Home Front, available now!

A brilliantly written and uplifting WWII story. Annie’s latest novel set in a north-east pit village really does draw the reader in and conveys what it must have been like to be a woman working in a munitions factory during the Second World War. The three main female characters in the novel, Fran, Sarah and Beth have to endure horrendous conditions, but they do so for the sake of their country and to help their own poverty-stricken families.
Annie Clarke’s descriptions of life on the home front in the tough mining village of Massingham are incredibly realistic, as is her use of the north-east vernacular. Girls on the Home Front is a story of friendship, resilience, community and courage. I’m sure this book will resonate with saga readers everywhere.

Nancy Revell, author of the Shipyard Girls series

About Annie Clarke

Annie Clarke’s roots are dug deep into the North East. She draws inspiration from her mother, who was born in a County Durham pit village during the First World War, and went on to became a military nurse during World War Two. Annie and her husband now live a stone’s throw from the pit village where her mother was born. She has written frequently about the North East in novels which she hopes reflect her love and respect for the region’s lost mining communities.

Annie has four adult children and four granddaughters, who fill her and her husband’s days with laughter, endlessly leading these two elders astray.
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