4.5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
I have long been a fan of Jennie Jones' contemporary romance novels and I was thrilled when she branched out into historical fiction last year, I believe an author should be free to move around the genres and not be pigeonholed into having to write in one genre.
The Girls from Fitzroy was a fabulous read, I was immediately transported back to VP day and could see the celebrations that would be happening in the streets, where rich and poor for that moment could mingle to celebrate the end of the war. And it is this celebration that is the catalyst to changing both Maggie and Lil's lives because as the author put it in her author talk I attended "they would never have had the opportunity to meet, crossing the demarcation line from the rich north side of Fitzroy into the slums of South Fitzroy just wasn't done, especially for two young ladies like Maggie and Lil".
Maggie is the instigator of the friendship that forms between her and Lil, she is feeling stuck in a family she doesn't fit, whose expectations for her to marry rich and produce children don't fit how she wants her life to go. I loved Maggie, she was headstrong to the point of reckless at times but she knew her mind and was determined not to be married off unable to forge her future.
Lil on the other hand has no expectations for her future, her life is about getting by, keeping a roof over her and her family's heads and enough food on the tablet to keep them alive. Her life is very different from Maggie's and she is reluctant to form a friendship with someone from the upper society.
But the whirlwind that is Maggie is also a force to be reckoned with and as their friendship grows they both experience misfortune that changes their lives and forms a bond that helps them survive and eventually flourish.
Learning about life in the slums of Fitzroy made me grateful for what I have today but also showed me how some things continue. The poor, uneducated, or unfortunate people even in today's society often find it hard to rise from their situation and are often blamed for being there in the first place. In The Girls from Fitzroy, we see how people with compassion and heart can bring about change and opportunities for those in need, and that kindness can be a lifeline for others. The world needs more of the kindness given by Maggie and Vasilios, a wonderful side character who had forethought and compassion and taught Maggie so much when she was in need.
I loved the ending of this novel, the changes in some of the characters brought about by Maggie's misfortune, a misfortune she took hold of and twisted into positives. It was a satisfying ending and I was sad to say goodbye to all of the characters I'd grown fond of.
I can't wait to see what Jennie Jones writes next.
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Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Australia for a copy of this novel in return for an honest review.
About the book
An unlikely friendship between two young women from opposite ends of Fitzroy sparks lifechanging transformations they could never have anticipated.
Melbourne, 1945. Born into a well-to-do family, Maggie Johnson wants freedom from her parents' strict conservative beliefs and their unbending desire for her to marry the right sort of man. Instead, Maggie longs to forge her own path in life. Lil Kelly, who lives in the slums, works tirelessly to care for her mother and sister. Lil looks for contentment wherever she can find it, not daring to dream of more.
When their paths cross during the exhilarating celebrations of Victory in the Pacific Day, they form a secret friendship. Determined to help lift Lil out of poverty, Maggie finds herself in need of her friend's help when her own carefully ordered world collapses.
As Maggie discovers the strength and vibrancy within the close-knit community of southern Fitzroy, Lil is inspired to take a chance and look beyond the only life she has ever known.
In a world where destiny is dictated by the street where you were born, can Maggie and Lil find the courage to pursue their dreams and follow their hearts?
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