I must admit it took me a couple of chapters to really get into this book. The main character Belinda is very likeable right from the start; a hard working young lady who’s always done what her family wanted regardless of her own capabilities and who is grieving her partner after the war too. The story depicts a ‘surplus girls ‘ life post war very well. A phrase I hadn’t heard of before this book and had never tea given much thought to but Bel and girls like her must have struggled at this time. I’d really recommend this book to anyone who lived during or after the wars as the book describes this time really well even down to what the rich and the poor would eat. I’d definitely read another book from this brilliant author.