Michelle Rawlins Books In Order

Publication Order of The Steel Girls Books

Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books

Michelle Rawlins
Michelle Rawlins worked for twenty-five years as a journalist, writing real life stories, for national newspapers and women’s magazines. She is also a blogger and a ghostwriter, writing life stories and memoirs for people. Then she started teaching at the University of Sheffield, which is a job that she loves with all of her heart.

Around that same time, she completed a non fiction book called “Women of Steel”, after spending two years of research on this incredible generation. Following the success of the book, HQ Stories hired her to write a trilogy of fictional novels based on these women.

When she is not busy writing or teaching, she has a crazy cavapoo and two wonderful children, all of whom are very apt at keeping her on her toes.

“Women of Steel” is a non-fiction book that was released in 2020. True stories about loss and love during the Second World War, from the tough Northern women that kept the foundry fires burning.

As the war breaks out, the young ladies in Sheffield had their carefree lives turned on end. With their sweethearts getting sent off to fight, they didn’t have any choice but to step in the shoes of the men and become the backbone of the steel industry of the city. Through companionship and hard toil, they vowed to keep the foundry fires burning and ensuring that the soldiers had the planes, weapons, and ships necessary to secure a victory over Hitler.

Once the men return from the front in 1945, many of these women tragically found themselves being discarded ‘like yesterday’s fish and chip wrappers’. However decades later, this grassroots campaign that is spearheaded by the elderly Women of Steel brought their remarkable tale to light finally.

“Women of Steel” is the final chance to hear these unsung heroines’ voices, while they share firsthand how a group of plucky young women rally together in order to win the war for Britain.

“The Steel Girls” is the first novel in the “Steel Girls” series and was released in 2021. When a war breaks out, friendship is going to see them all through.

Sheffield in 1939. With a war having been declared, these brave ladies are going to step up and do their bit for their country. Nancy, a housewife, never once dreamed that she would wind up in Vickers Steelworks Factory however when Bert, her husband, gets called up to serve, she has to put food on the table for her two young kids.

William, Betty’s sweetheart, has just joined up with the RAF Reserves so she is unable to just sit around and not do anything, even if this means giving up her ambitions to study law at night school.

Young Patty’s relishing the excitement that this war is bringing. However this shop girl is gonna have to grow up fast, particularly now that she is undertaking such dangerous and back-breaking work in the factory.

The Steel Girls begin as strangers yet soon forge an unbreakable bond of friendship while these feisty factory sisters vow to keep this foundry’s fires burning during wartime.

“Christmas Hope for The Steel Girls” is the second novel in the “Steel Girls” series and was released in 2021. With the country at war, will they be able to come together this winter?

Winter in 1939. While December gets closer and with her family facing their first Christmas without Bert, Nancy’s desperately attempting to keep up her kids’ spirits as well as her own. Young Patty should really be excited to be spending her first festive season with sweetheart Archie, however why does she worry that he may be keeping something from her?

Betty’s missing her beloved William at the moment while he continues RAF training however she is determined not to be sitting around wallowing. In the midst of the coldest winter on record and with the introduction of rationing times are even tougher than ever yet Betty’s got an idea to make sure that no one goes without this winter.

And with our Steel Girls rallying around one another, can there still be hope this Christmas?

“The Steel Girls on the Home Front” is the third novel in the “Steel Girls” series and was released in 2022. While the war rages on, can they really be there for one another?

Spring in 1940. With the war raging on, Vickers Steelworks is busier than ever before which proves tough for Nancy since she’s juggling working long hours and looking after her two kids, all as she waits for her husband to get back home safely.

Betty’s determined to roll her sleeves up and joins up with the Women’s Voluntary Service to busy herself and stop fretting about her fiance.

However Patty is left to worry about somebody much closer to home. Archie has been keeping a secret from her, and it is one that puts him in grave danger. Is it going to threaten to pull them apart for good? And with life at war proving tougher than ever before, can these factory sisters rally together and find their way through?

“Steel Girls at War” is the fourth novel in the “Steel Girls” series and was released in 2023. In their darkest of days, they will find the courage needed to carry on.

Summer of 1940. The war’s raging on yet the Steel Girls are fighting some battles much closer to home. Patty, after patching things up with Archie, is miffed when he seems to have forgotten all about her 18th birthday.

Hattie, a new girl, has got a lot to deal with while trading the counter at Woolworths for the Vickers factory floor. However is she keeping a secret and could things be tougher at home than she is letting on?

At the same time, Nancy is beside herself once she gets word that Bert has gone missing in action and struggles to keep it all together. While the Steel Girls come together to be there in Nancy’s hour of need, is life ever going to be the same again for any of them?

One Response to “Michelle Rawlins”

1. Freda: 10 months ago

   Hi love the steel girls series.Will their be a 5th book in the series.

   Reply