East London, 1943. Georgina St John-Smythe – George to her friends – is usually the life and soul of any party. But as the East End of London prepares wearily for another wartime Christmas amid nightly bombings, she is finding it hard to muster her festive spirit, still hurting from a recent romantic betrayal.
But everything changes when she meets handsome Captain Reverend Guy Moncrieff…
Forced to leave the army after a life-altering injury, Guy is struggling to settle into his new role at a bomb-damaged little church in the centre of the East End.
Romance is the last thing on his mind, but when he and George are thrown together to organise a special Christmas Eve carol service that will give their incredible, irrepressible community a chance to shine, the closeness that develops between them surprises them both.
But just as George begins to dream that a future with this kind, generous man might be possible, she is falsely accused of a terrible crime that threatens not only her happiness with Guy, but her future in the Women’s Auxiliary Airforce.
Can the East End Girls rally behind one of their own to right this wrong?
And as the bells ring out on Christmas Eve, can George and Guy put the past behind them and make a fresh start together? Or is it too late for a happy ever after?
Christmas with the East End Girls by Jean Fullerton is published on 2 October, 2026.
Have a look at Historia’s list of over 200 books coming out in 2026 and explore more of this year’s new historical fiction.
