And mother hen Gloria signs up to escape her brutal husband, but finds she cannot run from her problems. Meanwhile Rosie is delighted to have her husband safely home but she begins to wonder – what lies ahead for her and her friends when the war is over? It was! Very emotional. I also felt quite nervous when I first started plotting and writing as I knew it had to be the best yet – the series had to go out with a big bang. As I neared the end of the book that apprehension was replaced by a feeling of joy as the women’s stories reached their conclusions – as they ended a chapter in their lives and embarked on a new one. I hope my readers will feel that there’s a real celebratory feel to the final book and an excitement for the future.

During the day, Rosie (head welder) teaches her fledgling group of trainees their new trade, however at night she hides Nancy Revell is a journalist and a writer under a different name (Amanda Revell Walton), and has worked for every national newspaper, providing them with the hard-hitting stories and in-depth features. She’s also worked for just about every woman’s magazine in the country, writing inspirational and amazing true life stories. The subject is near to Nancy’s heart, since she comes from a long line of shipbuilders that were well-known in the area. With a brief break in air raids providing some much-needed respite from the war, things are looking up for head welder Rosie, who has fallen head over heels for Detective Sergeant Miller. But how long can their romance last in such uncertain times?

Secrets of the Shipyard Girls” is the third novel in the “Shipyard Girls” series and was released in the year 2017. While the war drags on, the shipyard girls find they are facing battles of their own. This is the start of a set of thoroughly enjoyable saga stories following a group of women and their families who work in the shipyards in Sunderland, Northern England. Why have I left it till now to discover how good they are, if the rest are as good as this first one I am in for a definite treat. I had a similar, ‘Who do you think you are?’ moment when I learnt more about the men in my mum’s family, who were all shipyard workers and were well known. There’s even a large placard in the Sunderland Museum showing five generation of Revells, most of whom worked as platers. I already knew that my grandfather had died tragically in a shipyard accident when a large metal plate fell on him, but I hadn’t realised that my great grandfather had also died in an identical accident. Yes it was – really interesting. I loved learning about people’s experiences of living through the war, rationing, fashion, culture, and how life changed for women.

It’s the end of an era with Three Cheers For The Shipyard Girls– the last book in the series! How did you feel when you were writing it? It must have been a very emotional experience….

These women didn’t just inspire me to write this series, but they also inspire me as I go about my daily life. Gloria also has a secret that she is ashamed to share with her friends and colleagues as it involves abuse from her husband. Rosie works at the Shipyard during the day and in the evenings at a red light establishment to pay for her younger sisters boarding school fees. There are some secrets going on here and Rosie fears her secret will come out.

A woman welder called Florence Collard. I came across a newspaper article in the Sunderland Echo dated November 1942 which told the story of a shipyard welder called Mrs Florence Collard whose husband was in the Forces, and who returned to Sunderland after being bombed out of her home in Plymouth, only then to be bombed out of her home yet again. She was trapped in the kitchen but rescued. However, that’s not to say I have totally closed the door to future books taking the characters beyond the war.The Shipyard Girls start off as strangers - but end up forging an unbreakable bond of friendship in the most difficult times. There are also a lot of characters so the author does bounce you around a lot along with all the grittiness. And the shipyards are proving tougher than Polly ever imagined, while she waits for her man to return home safely. One of the main girls is working on ship building during the day, and prostituting herself in the evenings in a brothel, to take care of her sister. She says she’s not proud of it, but she does make sex jokes with the madam. Against all odds, Polly's fiancé has finally returned home from the front line. If they can keep things on an even keel, she might get the winter wedding she's always dreamed of.

Polly’s sweetheart Tommy has been declared missing while serving overseas, and although there is no certainty that he is dead, there is no guarantee that he will return home. Now Polly needs her friends more than ever, and the other women welders are ready to rally around her while she waits for news. Victory for the Shipyard Girls” is the fifth novel in the “Shipyard Girls” series and was released in the year 2018. Sunderland in 1942. With the war showing zero signs of letting up. Helen’s thriving in her role as manager of the shipyard. However at home the return of her dad brings a startling discovery that rips her family apart. I think it’s a mix of reasons, but the overriding one which comes through time and time again is the love of the characters – Rosie, Polly, Gloria, Dorothy, Angie, Martha, and Hannah. I receive so many messages telling me that the women welders feel ‘like family’ and that they can’t wait to see what happens to them all in the next instalment. I also have demands that certain characters find love, or others end up taking a long jump off a short pier! And there is something odd about yard manager Helen's newest recruit Bel. But in resolving to uncover the truth, Helen might discover more than she bargained for... More or less. Although when I started the series, I had no idea what the characters were going to get up to and how their personal stories would develop throughout the years the country was at war.

The Shipyard Girls Series in Order (11 Books)

I have recently discovered gardening – something I used to avoid like the plague. I’m a convert and now bore anyone who will listen to me about how wonderful it is to be out in the fresh air, pulling weeds, and creating something with my hands instead of my head. More than a year has passed since Bel's wedding to sweetheart Joe. She knows she has much to feel thankful for and yet there is still one burning desire which she cannot ignore.