Synopsis
After the loss of war, can there be hope for the future?
Manchester, 1922.
Belinda Layton is a surplus girl. One of the many women whose dreams of marriage perished in the Great War, with the death of her beloved fiancé, Ben. After four years of mourning, she's ready to face the future, even though Ben's family is not happy to see her move on, and her own only cares about getting hold of her meagre factory wages.
Then, Belinda joins a secretarial class and a whole new world opens up to her as she quickly finds herself drawn to beguiling bookshop owner Richard Carson. But after all the loss and devastation she has experienced, can she really trust him with her heart?
The first in a quartet of sagas set during the early 1920s, following three Surplus Girls - those women whose dreams of marriage perished in the Great War, after the deaths of millions of young men, and the new lives they forged for themselves.
Publisher information
- Publisher: Atlantic Books
- ISBN: 9781786499677
- Number of pages: 400
- Dimensions: 197 x 128 x 26 mm
- Languages: English
Customer Reviews
View all
Step back in time
This book looks at the aftermath of World War Two. Despite their reputation as the ‘roaring twenties’, they were actually incredibly tough times to live th... READ MORE
A touching tale
During the first World War Belinda Leyton loses her fiance, it is now 1922 and she stills lives with the shadow of her loss while residing with his family ... READ MORE
A little underwhelming
The Surplus Girls is the first book of a trilogy set in the 1920s. The title is based on how women lost their husbands (and fiancées too) during World War ... READ MORE
A pleasant and engaging read about an interesting time for women
I love a saga and that period after the First World War is such an interesting one, both for returning soldiers and the women who all of a sudden found the... READ MORE
Heart-warming tale
This is the story of Belinda, one of the many women who became known as surplus after WW1 stole nearly a whole generation of men.
It's always fascinating ... READ MORE
Enjoyed
Thank you to Corvus Books and Readers First for a review copy of this book.
This is the first book I've read by Polly Heron (aka Susanna Bavin) and I'm lo... READ MORE
Eventful saga focusing on the female lives that were irrevocably changed by WWI. Informative & involving.
This is the first in a trio of sagas set in the aftermath of WWI when the devastating loss of young men on the frontline irrevocably changed the lives of t... READ MORE
Her Lasting Love
You maybe asking yourself "what is a surplus girl?", well its a term where after the first world war many thousands of girls and women lost the love of the... READ MORE
A good read
I really enjoyed this book and read it in a couple of days.
It is the story of Belinda, a Surplus Girl, who is hoping to better herself by taking evening... READ MORE
Nostalgic
Set in Manchester 1922, Surplus Girls tells the story of Belinda Layton, who is trying to get on with her life without Ben, the fiance she lost in the war.... READ MORE
Cool
This book is attractive because by looking at the front cover you know straight away that it is about history and isn't about the present. I love it when t... READ MORE
A touching tale
During the first World War Belinda Leyton loses her fiance, it is now 1922 and she stills lives with the shadow of her loss while residing with his family ... READ MORE
Cool
This book is attractive because by looking at the front cover you know straight away that it is about history and isn't about the present. I love it when t... READ MORE
A Strong Storyline
This book is set in Manchester,England starting in 1922, the start of the book talks about different families until they join together.
The main character ... READ MORE
Out Of The Mill
Somehow the setting just doesn't manage to ring true, it all feels a little more late 1940s than early 1920s and I can't put my finger on why. Yes it has ... READ MORE
Just Wow!
I truly adored this book. Being from Lancashire I love that the setting was Manchester as it made me think of the sadness and grief through the hard times ... READ MORE
Moving on from loss
Right at the end of the 1914-18 war, Belinda’s man was pulled into the French earth to feed the poppies. For 4 years she mourned, this is the heart warming... READ MORE
Lovely And Heart Warming
I'm really glad to have read this book. For me personally it had some sort of educational value because I'd never given much thought to how the lives of wo... READ MORE
An interesting read
This is the first novel in a trilogy of books about the first world war. This is the first novel I have read by this author and not my usual genre but I fo... READ MORE
Another lovely read
The story is set just after World War 1 in Manchester, England. There are several characters in the story but Belinda Layton is the character that I like t... READ MORE
Lovely
This book based in Manchester in 1922 tells the story of Belinda Layton. After losing her fiance and love of her life, Ben, in the war Belinda has spent f... READ MORE
Left out Girls
The Surplus Girls........
A truly delightful read...I couldn't wait to keep picking it up to read more and so, sadly, finished it very quickly.
I do find... READ MORE
Brilliant historical tale
Belinda Leyton lives with her fiancé's mother and grandmother.
The trio are in mourning for the son who died and left their dreams and futures in ruins.
Bu... READ MORE
When Belinda loses the man she loves, what can she do to survive?
Following the First World War there was thought to be many “surplus women” who would not have the chance to marry and have families because of the large nu... READ MORE
A very good read
The storyline and the characters of this novel were engaging and I couldn't put it down once I got emerced in the story. My own great aunt's fiance was kil... READ MORE
Great way to start 2020
This was a great book to read coming into 2020. Thank you to readers first for the advanced copy.
This book follows the story of Belinda who lost her fianc... READ MORE
Lovely tale
Belinda Leyton has lost her fiancé during the first war and she is in mourning alongside his mother and grandmother but she is still a "Surplus girl" one w... READ MORE
A lovely read
I love to read historical fiction and this book is set in world war 1.
It is set in Manchester in 1922 and is based around the story's of 'the surplus gi... READ MORE
Interesting times
This is set at such an interesting time in our history and although there are glimpses of feminism they are brief and fully in keeping with the era. Belind... READ MORE
Loved it!
A fantastic read for anyone who loves historical post 1st World War fiction. The story is a little slow at times, but a really lovely story overall, perfec... READ MORE