THE camaraderie and friendships shared by women during wartime makes a charming read.

Land Army girls made a crucial contribution to the war effort - looking after the land while the lads were away fighting for their country was imperative in keeping fodder on plates and maintaining the landscape.

It is also a subject on which Yorkshire author, Jenny Holmes, is well versed having written about the exploits of the Land Army Girls in her previous tome ‘Wedding Bells for Land Girls’ which I previously had the pleasure of reviewing.

As with her previous tale, Jenny, who was brought up in Harrogate, draws on personal experience through the jobs of generations of her family.

Interestingly, a chapter in her latest book ‘A Christmas Wish for the Land Girls’ is dedicated to her mum, Barbara Holmes, who served in the Land Army after joining in 1943 at the age of 19.

Black and white images of Barbara proudly sporting her uniform and taken in the back garden of her family home in Beckwithshaw village outside Harrogate demonstrate her contribution to this vital cause at a time when communities up and down the country were facing the daily challenges presented during the war years.

The mother-of-two daughters who has been writing fiction since her early 20s and has had a series of children’s books adapted for the BBC and ITV, also refers to the ‘glamour’ of being a Land Girl - despite working largely on the land and in jobs that would otherwise be designated for the boys, Land Girls rolled up their sleeves taking on roles such as ploughing, digging and weeding.

They laboured in all weathers - and even took their seat behind the wheel of the tractor when required!

Personal experience through family members have evidently inspired Jenny’s books. The author talks about the similarity between her mum and one of the book’s characters, Grace, who continued to live at home to help her father run the village pub, with her two older sisters Connie and Sybil, and twins Joan and Myra. Brother Walter was in the RAF and Ernest had joined the army.

Having had the pleasure of reviewing some of Jenny’s previous books, there is a familiar thread to the plots in these interesting and entertaining reads which capture perfectly the essence of women working together for a common good.

Weaved within the relationship woes you expect when girls get together and the things they get up to - the dabbles with a ouija board bringing to the fore a character from the past...... are the firm friendships that were made and treasured during such testing times when community spirit was truly tested.

‘A Christmas Wish for the Land Girls’ has that feel-good factor at a time of year when we’re all feeling festive and preparing for one of the busiest socialising times of the year - a get together for family and friends.

Set in Winter 1942, the story focuses on pals, motorbike riding Brenda and fellow two-wheeled fan Joyce, who have joined the Women’s Land Army working on farms in the Yorkshire Dales.

Like so many within the local communities, the lasses are doing their bit towards the war effort, and all the while life goes on but

this book not only gives a fascinating glimpse into the life of the Land Army girls, it also demonstrates the strength of the local community and how true community spirit can be demonstrated when it really matters - in this case, the disappearance of a child evacuee in the snow.

The question is can their wish for all their loved ones to stay safe this Christmas be granted?

Find out in this lovely, heart-warming read. Certainly a gift recommendation for your Christmas stocking.