The Hidden Women By Kerry Barrett

Erin

Another dual narrative (2018/1939-1944) that I was unable to put down and a bit of a risk as it was my 2nd WWII era read today. Both Helena and her great aunt Lil were absolutely intriguing characters. Of the latter, I was captivated by Lil's time in the ATA (Air Transport Auxiliary).

Like Helena, I was amazed as more of Lil's story comes out but just like Helena's sister Miranda says( paraphrase) - We think it is that way through modern eyes but we forget the hardships those women faced. As I read, I wondered if a group of women really did what Lil, Flora, and Annie set out to do, but even if it didn't happen, this book was still a very compelling story (even if the romance between two characters was a bit forced) that I wholeheartedly enjoyed from beginning to end.

Thanks to Netgalley and HQ Digital for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Karren Sandercock

Lilian Miles is a teenager, she's taken advantage of by an older married man, becomes pregnant and she handles situation with help from her loving family. Lillian is strong person, she becomes a pilot for the ATA, they transported planes around England during WW II, women played an important role by transferring planes to different areas and it was vital service needed during the war.

So many male pilots where killed during the war they needed everyone of them to defend English skies and take part in the bombing raids over Germany. They didn't have male pilots to spare for transporting planes to different locations or when they needed to be moved to be repaired and women were given the chance. Yes women flew big planes, with no navigational support or radio contact. Lilian and her friends, fellow ATA pilots, formed a secret network to help women in a similar situation to what Lilian found herself in, young unwed mothers or women with an unplanned pregnancy were judged harshly back then had very few legal options and support.

Helena Miles is a research assistant for a celebrity TV show, and even though banned from looking at her own families history, she is influenced by the handsome Jack Jones into looking at her dad's and her great Aunt Lilian's past. As she explores her families past she discovers things that her father had always suspected and secrets about her life her great Aunt Lilian had hidden away. Helena is a single mum herself and her great aunt had always supported Helena and her quirky family when they needed her.

I really enjoyed reading The Hidden Women, I had no problem in following the dual timeline, it's an interesting story about a families life during WW II, how women's roles changed during the war, hidden secrets and of course a new romance begins! I'm a huge fan of historical fiction, The Hidden Women by Kelly Barrett was a wonderful book, thanks to NetGalley for my copy and fours stars from me.
https://karrenreadsbooks.blogspot.com/

May

I truly enjoyed this HF! I believe this network of women actually existed during WWII... and, I’m afraid we may need to recreate it here in the US in the too near future.

My soapbox aside, this is a well told story shifting between WWII and contemporary UK. I like the way Helena’s job lead naturally to her grandmother’s history. I thought the back and forth was well done. The ending was predictable, but I still enjoyed this novel!!

Recommended for WWII fans, as well as fans of quiet, strong, get the job done women!!

Bev Walkling

Many thanks to #NetGalley and HQ Digital team for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was attracted to this book by the cover artwork and by the title. I am a big fan of books that are set in the second World War and find it fascinating to read about the different roles that women were able to participate in meaningfully assisting with what was going on in the war either at home or elsewhere.. In reading this book I learned a lot about the role of women as Air Transport Pilots in the ATA (or Air Transport Auxiliary) I had heard about this before but wasn't very informed about it so imagine my surprise this past week when I went to a play that featured a character who had been an ATA pilot! It was nice to have background information on this!

The book however, is more than just a description of what the job of the female pilots did in the air. It also deals with an important social issue of the time when many women found themselves unexpectedly pregnant with nowhere to turn. This is a very timely topic as it s still of concern today and people tend to have strong feelings on the subject and may not be thrilled with the choices that these women made. The story has descriptions of a young teen being groomed into a sexual relationship without initially realizing that she was being taken advantage of.

The author chose to tell this story using a technique that I am noticing in many of the books that I read these days. It is one that seems to work well where the story is told through a look back through time driven by a connection to a family member.. Helena, the main character from modern times, works in a tv field where she researches the family history of celebrities. When she meets one unusual celebrity she discovers while researching his story that their appears to be a possible connection. to her much loved Aunt Lil. who had been a member of the ATA . A family mystery seems to be involved as Lil has never shared her wartime experiences and Helena's father really wants to know more even if it proves to be upsetting to Lil. Helena ends up on a quest, much like a detective to find out about her aunt's past. There is also a romantic element as she learns to care for the celebrity that she is researching.

Lil's story is told throughout the book in her own voice and it was fascinating and painful. The whole story really grabbed me and kept me reading to find out what would happen next. The book shed a light on why some people don't want to talk about their wartime experiences but perhaps talking is just what is needed.

Kerry Barrett did an excellent job in crafting this story which was inspired at least in part by Mary Ellis, the last surviving pilot from the Air Transport Auxiliary who died at 101 while the author was in the process of writing the book. Lots of her experiences were apparently reflected in the novel. This is a book which should make a reader think and reflect on the times and the issues these women faced. They were not always well-received by their male co-workers and were held to very high standards. Although the book may have some triggers for sexual assault survivors and deals with the topic of abortion, I would highly recommend it to those interested in this time period and can see it would make a great book for a book club to discuss

Joanna Park

The Hidden Women is a fabulous dual timeline mystery telling the story of some truly courageous women which I thoroughly enjoyed!

The two timelines are both very interesting and well developed which is quite unusual for me as I normally find I favour one or the other. They both feature strong, independent women which I always enjoy and I found that I warmed to both Lilian and Helen as their story develops. I was perhaps slightly more drawn to Lilian as I felt that the time period her story was set in meant she had to go against society more. I also loved the secret service she carries out whilst working with the ATA as she helps women in need which society otherwise judged and forced them into horrendous situations.

The story is told in alternate chapters between Helen and Lilian with each character’s name clearly labelled on each chapter so the reader can’t get confused over whose story they are following. I felt it was quite an easy, absorbing read that drew me in from the first pages. The mystery surrounding what happens to Lilian is hinted at early on and was very intriguing so ensured that I kept reading as I needed to find out!

This is the first book I have read by this author and I’m very excited to read more from her in the future. If you like dual timeline stories set in WW2 with an intriguing mystery about an emotional subject then you’ll love this book.

Huge thanks to Izzy from HQ Stories for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book via Netgalley.

Nessa

Having loved Kerry's previous book, I just knew that I wanted to read her next one and so glad that I did.

This has been a truly wonderful, heartfelt and emotionally charged story from start to finish. I loved how the story was told in two time frames, past in 1940 and present 2018. I especially loved the historical element as I learnt a few things that I never even knew, like women flying the planes even spitfires, just wow.

I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know all of the characters and seeing how their lives played out, there were some emotional moments which bought tears to my eyes and then there were some shocking moments too.

I just loved loved reading this story and so didn't want it to end.

Laura • lauralovestoread

A dual narrative perfect for fans of historical fiction! I really enjoyed this one. A well to.d story that bounces back and forth between contemporary UK and WWII.

A captivating story that takes you from 1944 England to current time of 2018. Lilian, the main character, is a strong heroine who becomes a pilot. We see so much loss of the male pilots, killed during war, and the women were needed to help fight the war.

I’ve read so many wonderful books lately with strong female leads, and found myself really proud to be a woman!

There are twists and secrets that are revealed that I really enjoyed too!

*Thank you to netgalley and publisher for this complimentary book. All opinions are my own

Kim

What a wonderful read set in two timescales.
Lillian flew airplanes to their delivery destination in the war and with friends also set up a network of help near the airbases. She's a wonderful character and she's related to the other main female character in the modern part of the book.

Helena works for a tv company that researches celebrities history and one of her cases unearths her aunts name. That sparks curiosity and it is fascinating to read both sides of the story and see how the story weaves together.

I am keen to read more by Kerry Barrett.

Nic

Many thanks to NetGallery, the publisher and author, Kerry Barrett, for the opportunity to read and review the arc of “The Hidden Women.”
Kerry Barrett is a new author to me and one I will certainly be reading more books from!
“The Hidden Women” was so much better then I ever expected it to be. The historical aspect was so intriguing to me. At times, I felt like I was right there with the characters.
I did find it difficult to follow with the going back and forth in time.....the first time it happened, it took me by surprise but, then I got in the flow of the writing style and all was well.
I very highly recommend this book.

Julia

The Hidden Women by Kerry Barrett is a gripping contemporary and historical novel that will have your emotions shot to pieces.
The book celebrates the groundbreaking achievements of the first female pilots in WWII. Their bravery and courage is to be admired. They are very much modern women seeking equality with men in an age of inequality.
The Hidden Women explores the underground network of women who stood up for and helped other women, at the risk to their own liberty. Unwanted pregnancies in the war years were not uncommon, helping these women with secret adoptions and more was not. Brave women risked prison to help those with nowhere to turn. This novel is a tribute to those brave women who helped those whom society preferred to judge rather than love.
The dual timeline explores how attitudes have changed. The reader is treated to two different voices in the two time periods. Both are in the first person so we become intimately acquainted with both women and their gutsy personalities.
The women in the novel are strong in comparison with the men who seem weak and some of whom take advantage of the minors in their charge.
A unique and cleverly constructed plotline links the two time periods. I was enthralled from the start.
The Hidden Women was a fabulous read. It certainly makes the modern reader thankful that times have moved on from the 1940’s. Thank you to all the brave women who helped those whom society condemned. May we never judge others harshly for their situations but love and support them.
Kerry Barrett is a new author to me. I shall definitely be seeking out more by her.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

Emma Crowley

Kerry Barrett is back with another dual time-line story called The Hidden Women. Slipping back and forth between the war years and the present day it follows Helena Miles as she attempts to uncover a family secret kept hidden for many years and as the surprises and revelations come thick and fast in the first half of the book she comes to realise a woman she already has the utmost of respect and admiration for just gained even more in the eyes of Helena and her family.

The chapters throughout the story alternate between Helena and her Great Aunt Lillian. I presumed the majority of Lillian's chapters would be set during the years of service she gave during the war but they also focused on several years before and gave us a glimpse into her teenage years in a quite sleepy English village. It did take me a little while to settle into the rhythm of the story as it did jump around a bit. Having chapter headings telling us what character said chapter would focus on proved to be very helpful as we didn't always return to the period we had been reading of before. But once I found my bearings with regard to the overall picture I really did enjoy this story as my love of history really was piqued and a lot of the aspects that were being explored and dealt with were new and interesting to me.

We first met Helena as she makes a huge decision with regard to the next stage of her life. Having received no support from her boyfriend Greg when she imparts some life changing news she decides to go it alone and what a brave and admirable decision she made. Fast forward three years later to 2018 and Helena works on a television programme who research the family tree of celebrities. Yes this idea may have been exactly like the programme Who Do You Think You Are? but that didn't bother me at all as the author gave a truly fascinating insight into what research is undertaken and how they go about uncovering little nuggets of information that may have been kept hidden for numerous years.

It was evident from that the character of Helena was so passionate about her job and she adored every aspect of it. I really loved Helena as a character, she loved her job but was also really trying to make a go of her personal life in raising her young daughter Dora on her own. She knew when she needed the support of her family and wasn't afraid to ask for it, even though said family were an eclectic bunch. But it's when actor Jack Jones becomes the latest celebrity to feature on the show that Helena's life becomes turned upside down as connections become apparent between Jack and Helena's family history.

Helena must wrestle with her conscious and her code of discipline at work when it comes to researching personal family matters. But also her loyalty to her Aunt becomes severely tested when faced with a predicament that if Helena forges ahead with a more detailed investigation than the apple cart could be forever upset and the dynamics of her family changed. Maybe for the better but who knows, Helena was faced with an impossible situation. Her father wished to know more, and her sister urged her on too, but Helena always stopped and thought about the consequences of her actions but would her inquisitive nature be too much to quash and will she go ahead and click that all important button that could lead to numerous shocks or would it bring many pleasant surprises?

I enjoyed that things weren't straight forward for her and that she grappled with her decision because really nothing in life is ever that clear cut and straight forward. I enjoyed the interactions between Helena and her family and how they coped with what was being discovered but I think the situation with regard to Jack and Helena was fairly rushed and was mentioned every now and again just to add some romance to the story. If I'm being perfectly honest it really didn't need it as the other storylines were more than strong enough to carry the entire book through to its conclusion. Yes it was nice to see Helena find some happiness, and Jack was needed at the beginning as the catalyst to fuel Helena's investigative fire, but after that the relationship felt too forced and it all developed rather quickly and then aspects of it were mentioned in one paragraph, glossed over and then forgotten about. Helena and Jack weren't the sole focus here and their relationship could have easily been omitted.

For me by far the strongest aspect of the book was Lillian's story as it took me back in time to the war years but the author provided a totally different slant to all the WW2 books I had read before. It was fresh and innovative and had me hooked. Yes the topic may be a divisive one depending on your viewpoint in relation to the subject matter but I felt it was dealt with such sensitivity and tact and the women involved were courageous even if it came about through previous real life experiences. We meet Lillian as she works for ATA (Air Transport Auxillary). She transports planes recently made in factories to airfields and bases all over Britain. She is a woman amidst a few others working in a man's world but it is a role she relishes and enjoys. She feels she was made for this, yet the reader can sense a hardness surrounding her, a wall she has built up, a secret she is hiding and one she would not like to come to light for fear of the repercussions. Lillian is harbouring two big secrets and over the course of the story as we learn more about her and her background, my respect and admiration for her grew and grew.

Countless times she places herself in danger in order to help others. If her manoeuvres alongside two others had been discovered it would have meant a very serious outcome for all involved. As Helena in the present digs deeper into Lillian's past the reader does become aware as to what happened during the war years and an incredible story unfolds. Some aspects were kept secret until the later stages of the book but I guessed fairly early on what had happened and why the need to cover it up. Lillian proved to be selfless person and a young woman with a strong and clear head on her shoulders. She suffered loss and heartbreak but sacrificed her emotions to help others. I would never have given any thought in the slightest as to the subject matter the story focused on and in some ways things like that still go on today and have little changed. The respect the various characters had for Lillian will inspire respect in the reader too and that makes her someone you won't forget in a hurry. I felt her initial situation before the war was awful and certainly not of her own making but it is how she handles this and moves forward with her life and attempts to help others that makes her a stand out character.

Overall I enjoyed The Hidden Women. It is a quick read, partly because of the short and snappy chapters moving back and forth through time, and also because you become engrossed in the storyline and as keen as Helena to reconcile the past with the present and to find the answers to so many questions. The reader wants to know what motivates Helena and Lillian and that is revealed with the help of present day situations. We also want to know how it affected Lillian for the rest of her life. Saying that I would have liked a little bit more mystery as I felt things came to light a little too quickly. I would have loved a little more investigation and not for things to be so apparent fairly early on. That big moment of jaw dropping, shock and surprise didn't materialise for me which I normally look for towards the end. If things had been saved for the last quarter or so then that would have happened and I would have been left deeply satisfied. Still The Hidden Women is well worth a read as it has brilliantly written characters and a plot that is interesting and informative.

Carolyn Stumpf

5 stars! I loved this story of love, loss, acceptance, and courage!
Lil is an ATA flyer in the early 1940s at the young age of 16. She is incredibly brave and strong-minded, and together with two friends, grows a small existing network of people who will help young girls have abortions or have their babies and then place them into loving families for adoption. Lil is such a loveable character... so multi-faceted and so courageous.
In present day, her niece, Helena, works for a familial research television show and stumbles upon her aunt’s history. This leads to unearthing family secrets and brings the family closer together than ever.

What a beautiful story! Bravo!

Farah Strevens

An enjoyable read

Really enjoyed this book and it made me cry. It has a dual plot line that interweave with each other very well.

Sheila

I thoroughly enjoyed this book about the brave women who worked behind the scenes of the second world war and the law. I have not heard of the Attagirls, so it made fascinating reading. Their secret and illegal sideline of organising abortions and adoptions was a shock. It challenged my personal views and aroused disturbing conflicting feelings. I'm apt to believe that my views are set in concrete, but they are only slightly chipped and not fractured. The novel handled sensitive and contentious material superbly. The format is 1944 with Lillian Miles and the present with Helena. What struck me most in the present era was how much I envied Helena's job as a genealogy researcher. I would love to have done that job with or without the unpretentious and clumsy Jack (cf Michael Crawford) so, I hung onto every detail. There are some interesting characters although I thought none of the men was worth their salt. I recognise that was intentional. I would be wary of recommending it to some of my friends because of its content. Thank you to NetGalley and HQ Digital.

Heather Donovan

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. It was better than I was expecting it to be. The dual storylines which are so common in historical fiction these days worked well together. As most of these stories have a surprise 'reveal', I was quite pleased when the potential one in this story wasn't a surprise; it was revealed early on and incorporated well into the story.

My only complaint was the historical story wasn't continuous; we travelled from 1944 to 1940 and back again - making it slightly difficult to maintain. Otherwise, this was a great book. Easy to read and it sucked me right in from the start. Definitely a recommend from me.

Andrea Nourse

Some secrets are better left out in the open.

While I admit I had completely different expectations for this book than what the story delivered and it took me quite a while to get into the story, once I finally did, I enjoyed it.

Helena, an uptight, Type-A with an interesting job, a wonderful daughter, a chaotic family and a new love interest, was surprisingly relatable. But it was her Great Aunt Lil that captivated me. Lil's story was inspiring, tragic and powerful. I think I could have read an entire book just on Lil.

The one aspect of this book that I wish had been revealed in the synopsis was the potential triggers it contained. This book does cover topics of rape, unplanned pregnancies, abortion, abandonment and postpartum depression.

Deidre

I received an advance reader’s copy from NetGallery. This book has three different plot lines but the author does a really good job of ensuring the reader doesn’t get lost in the shuffle. I enjoyed this book though parts did drag. The story follows Lil as she keeps a secret while being a pilot of the ATA. Her secret slowly unravels throwing her entire life into a tailspin. The book alternates chapter between her and Helena, a historian for a popular TV series. The story follows family drama and trying to figure out the past and how it all folds together. Easy book to fall into and keep you guessing.

Stacy

I enjoyed the story—it was interesting, compelling, and kept my attention. However, some of the storyline was predictable, and some of it was super far fetched—especially the reactions of some of the characters. But that wasn’t distracting enough fir me to not enjoy it!

Leanna Mattea

I love historical fiction, so this was right up my alley. Kerry Barrett writes a very engaging story about women that were trained as pilots in Britain, and delivered airplanes to various airfields, assisting in the war effort. The main character Lillian, has another project that she’s involved in, one that requires courage and could compromise her job and her life.
The author develops an interesting cast of characters, while alternating separate time periods. Helena, Lil’s young niece, takes an interest in her aunts story and as she does her own research, risks alienating members of her family.
This is a well written story of brave women, family love and loyalty and also the secrets that can damage even the strongest bonds. Thank you to Net Galley and Harper Collins for my ARC.

Jenna

Loved this book!

Trick Wiley

Secrets,secrets in a family and you want to know why! The more you did you wonder if you really want to know the secret,will it hurt someone!! The people in this story jumps out at you as in the history and very well written storyline! This is a must read story and makes you wonder does your family have secrets??

Mark Ludmon

An enjoyable page-turner inspired by the women who flew in the Air Transport Auxiliary during World War Two. Switching between the war and the present day, it follows a TV researcher’s blossoming romance with a hot actor and her investigations into her family’s past, uncovering secrets and a hidden history involving her great-aunt.

Jeanie

Excellent read switching seamlessly between 2 timelines hidden women really were the hero's
Can highly recommend this book to family and friends

Ann Aldrich

Once started couldn't put this book down.

This was a story of a young girl taken advantage of, scared and in a horrible situation at a time when women were judged first and the perpetrators ignored. Family stepped in saving her while solving their own heart brake , she then rises past her experience to form a network of women helping women while training and fulfilling a much needed position during the war years. Tragedy again strikes however she is determined to save the many women in need of their help and move on with her life.

Maria McDonald

A thoroughly enjoyable book. Uplifting and compelling, the Hidden Women tells the story of two women separated by generations and joined by blood.
Helena leads a very ordered life and loves her job as a family history researcher for a popular TV show. While researching for a celebrity she comes across the name of her great aunt, Lillian Miles, and her work in the ATA. When she mentions it to her father he pleads with her to investigate further. Every other chapter tells us the story of Lillian in her own words. Both characters are strong, likeable women and the storyline is credible and fascinating. It certainly makes you think about the different lives women led in the 1940s compared to now.

This was my Kerry Barrett book and I am looking forward to reading her others.

Title	:	The Hidden Women
Author	:	Kerry Barrett
Rating	:
ISBN	:	-
Format Type	:	Kindle Edition
Number of Pages	:	289
Publication	:	First published January 14, 2019

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