World War I – Kav's Best Reads

Something Borrowed + Giveaway

In this brand-new novella collection, three renowned Christian historical fiction authors trace generations of wartime romances through a special wedding dress with love sewn into its seams.

“A Heart in Disguise” by Rachel Scott McDaniel

Clara Westlake loves her job as a seamstress in the US “Camouflage Corps,” sewing suits for snipers and contributing to the war effort. But when she overhears a threat against her beloved New York City, the Great War comes too close to home–except no one believes her forewarning. She must recruit Marcus Reeves, a childhood friend searching for his purpose after suffering a devastating war injury. As they search for answers together, they may also uncover a love that lasts.

“A Letter to Eli” by Allison Pittman

Bette and Alice are lifelong friends, trying to make a good life for themselves in New York City while World War II rages. It’s never far away from their thoughts–not with Alice’s fiancee serving at sea, in danger every minute. That’s a worry Bette doesn’t envy. Then a secret letter reunites her with her soldier ex-boyfriend, now wounded and back in the States. But can the innocent love these two had before the war be rekindled in the face of tragedy?

“A Daffodil in the Dress” by Susie Finkbeiner

Kate Becker and Ike Finch have worked together at his family’s bookstore since Kate’s husband died in the early days of the Vietnam War. She has her daughter, Eloise, to take care of and bills to pay, and this job was a godsend. A second love is not in the cards, especially not with the world still teetering on the edge of insanity. But when Ike brings little Eloise special flowers one spring day, Kate begins to look at him as more than an employer. Is falling in love again worth the risk?

My Review:

published in 2024

What an exceptional novella collection – three stories tied together through one dress, and not in the way I expected! In fact, I’m a little miffed about what that poor dress went through! I loved the way each novella highlights a different kind of Homefront story from three different wars. It was interesting to note the similarities and differences for each of our heroines.

A Heart in Disguise by Rachel Scott McDaniel – I’m pretty much gobsmacked over how the author managed to deliver this caliber of story with such a short word count. Novella length with the heart and breadth of a novel! Intrigue, danger, romance with a World War I New York City backdrop! So many exquisite details enrich the story and I love the origins of the wedding dress!

A Letter to Eli by Allison Pittman – There’s a bit of an epistolary spin to this WWII romance which was unexpected (both for me and the heroine!) and it was such a great plot twist. A story that celebrates friendship and sacrifice and finding hope in the impossible.

A Daffodil in the Dress by Susie Finkbeiner – Such a sweet, heartwarming, hope-stirring love story! Ike is certifiably swoonable. Not only is he a hero who loves reading – he owns a bookstore! Be still my heart. And the way he relates to Kate’s little girl just turns me into mush! Kate’s loud, boisterous family, especially her opinionated mother, adds an extra layer of ‘feel good’ to this amazing romance.

I listened to the audio edition of this book and thoroughly enjoyed Pilar Witherspoon’s narration. She’s an incredible narrator and I appreciate the talent it takes to make so many different characters shine in a novella collection like this. If you are an audio book fan, this is would make an excellent listening choice.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

US – available in print or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada – ebook or audible (if available) — winner’s choice

International – ebook copy if you have a US Kindle account.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Something Borrowed, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday August 30 2025

The Liberty Scarf + Giveaway

In the midst of a seemingly endless war, a scarf connects three women in the cold winter of 1917 . . .

As an ambitious scarf maker, Iris Braxton spends her days surrounded by color and luxury not often seen during the dark days of war that promised to be over by Christmas. That promise has come and gone for three years with still no end in sight and her days continue in a monotony of rations and threads while she spins a dream of becoming Liberty’s first female pattern designer. She hasn’t the time or interest in rakish soldiers, but the temporarily-on-leave Captain Conrad Jones is persistent–and before long his charm wins her over. But war is cruel and all too soon Conrad leaves once more for the Front, but not before vowing to meet again in Strasbourg, France, the most magical of Christmas cities. Iris begins stitching small messages into each of the scarves she makes in hopes that one will find a way into Conrad’s hands to let him know she’s thinking of him. And when she receives word that he’s wounded in Strasbourg, she rushes to his side. Along the way, she passes a woman wearing one of her scarves . . .

Geneviève Tremblay, a French-Canadian immigrant, is a telephone operator living in Lewiston, Maine. Her beau is a member of a prominent family who has helped to Americanize her in a community often unfriendly to Canadians. As part of this effort, she enlists in the US Army Signal Corps to serve as a bi-lingual operator. Along the way, she meets a French officer who makes her question whether losing her identity is too heavy a price for acceptance.

The Clara Janssens, a Flemish Nurse, and Roman Allaire, an Alsatian violinist, are chosen to play for an orchestra providing morale on the front lines. This is a world they’ve never known, far beyond their routine provincial and countryside lives–and the expectations in those towns. Their love of music creates a spark between them, but the destruction of battle and the fulfillment of a promise threaten their romance. Still, the appearance of a kind stranger and the unexpected gift of a treasured scarf bind them long beyond their stolen moments and offer them a future beyond what they could have even hoped.

My Review:

Gobsmackingly good! Exceptional storytelling. And what a surprise to discover that this is one continuous story written by three authors. I went into this read assuming it was a collection of novellas set in different eras, instead, the authors cover the same timeline from different characters’ perspectives which makes a stunning impact.

Each author’s story flows seamlessly into the next one — but oh the cliffhanger endings in the first two! They have distinctive styles in both plot and characterization but the stories mesh beautifully into a cohesive whole by the end which made ‘The Liberty Scarf‘ such a rich, emotional read.

Love the diverse settings (US, England and Europe) and the historical insights each brings to the story. There’s even a French-Canadian heroine! (says this Canadian reader proudly.) I love learning about history in my fiction and these authors captured elements of WWI that I wasn’t aware of which made the read that much more interesting.

Oh — and there’s a bit of the epistolary novel within these stories as well which I absolutely loved. While mostly told in ‘real time’ there are letter writing components too and those glimpses into the characters’ inner most thoughts were priceless. Such a great way to enhance the story!

I listened to the audio edition of this book and really enjoyed the multi narrator performances. Anne Marie Gideon, Gary Furlong, Caroline Hewitt and Saskia Maarleveld did an incredible job. Such a rich, rewarding listening experience.

My thanks to Harper Muse Audio and Net Galley for providing me with an audio edition of this novel.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a print or ebook copy. Winner’s choice.

US – available in print or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada – available in print or ebook or audible (if available) — winner’s choice

International – ebook copy if you have a US Kindle account.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of the The Liberty Scarf, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday November 16 2024.

The British Booksellers + Giveaway

Inspired by real accounts of the Forgotten Blitz bombings, The British Booksellers highlights the courage of those whose lives were forever changed by war—and the stories that bind us in the fight for what matters most.

A tenant farmer’s son had no business daring to dream of a future with an earl’s daughter, but that couldn’t keep Amos Darby from his secret friendship with Charlotte Terrington . . . until the reality of the Great War sobered youthful dreams. Now decades later, he bears the brutal scars of battles fought in the trenches and their futures that were stolen away. His return home doesn’t come with tender reunions, but with the hollow fulfillment of opening a bookshop on his own and retreating as a recluse within its walls.

When the future Earl of Harcourt chose Charlotte to be his wife, she knew she was destined for a loveless match. Though her heart had chosen another long ago, she pledges her future even as her husband goes to war. Twenty-five years later, Charlotte remains a war widow who divides her days between her late husband’s declining estate and operating a quaint Coventry bookshop—Eden Books, lovingly named after her grown daughter. And Amos is nothing more than the rival bookseller across the lane.

As war with Hitler looms, Eden is determined to preserve her father’s legacy. So when an American solicitor arrives threatening a lawsuit that could destroy everything they’ve worked so hard to preserve, mother and daughter prepare to fight back. But with devastation wrought by the Luftwaffe’s local blitz terrorizing the skies, battling bookshops—and lost loves, Amos and Charlotte—must put aside their differences and fight together to help Coventry survive.

From deep in the trenches of the Great War to the storied English countryside and the devastating Coventry Blitz of WWII, The British Booksellers explores the unbreakable bonds that unite us through love, loss, and the enduring solace that can be found between the pages of a book.

My Review:

Stunning…but my heart hurts. So, the kind of emotional read that twists your innards into pretzels and pummels your heart into a misshapen lump…to start off anyway.

I knew going in (from the synopsis) that there would be a doomed love scenario, I just wasn’t prepared for how bereaved I would be. Kudos to Cambron for creating such engaging characters. Easy to love and root for even though you know it’s a train wreck waiting to happen. And then it’s twenty-five years later.

And my heart still hurt.

The dual timeline is written so artfully and the way the author feeds us bits of pertinent information gradually is delightfully frustrating. I wanted to know everything NOW but at the same time enjoyed the anticipation. So, well plotted and beautifully written.

And my heart stopped hurting…though it still aches a little.

Two wars. Two love stories. The miracle of finding faith and basking in hope in the midst of the horror of war. Breathtakingly beautiful prose. Deeply emotional. So easy to live and breathe in every detail right along with the characters. A story to savour and hold on to even after you reach the end.

I really enjoyed the audio edition narrated by Barrie Kreinik. Well performed and easy to listen to. Her performance enhanced my appreciation of these characters and their story.

My thanks to Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio and Net Galley for providing me with an audio edition of this book.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY

ebook copy available to anyone with a US Kindle account (.com)

Canadians will have a choice of receiving an Amazon.ca gift card towards the purchase of an ebook OR the option of an audible.ca edition.

If you would like a chance to win an ecopy of The British Booksellers, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday April 6 2024.

Not By Sight + Giveaway

Random Retro Re-Read

Gripping Sophomore Novel from a Rising Historical Romance Talent

With Britain caught up in WWI, Jack Benningham, heir to the Earl of Stonebrooke, has declared himself a conscientious objector. Instead, he secretly works for the Crown by tracking down German spies on British soil, his wild reputation and society status serving as a foolproof cover.

Blinded by patriotism and concern for her brother on the front lines, wealthy suffragette Grace Mabry will do whatever it takes to assist her country’s cause. When she sneaks into a posh London masquerade ball to hand out white feathers of cowardice, she never imagines the chain of events she’ll set off when she hands a feather to Jack.

And neither of them could anticipate the extent of the danger and betrayal that follows them–or the faith they’ll need to maintain hope.

My Review:

published in 2015

My ‘re-read’ was courtesy of the audible edition expertly narrated by one of my fave narrators ever — Justine Eyre!

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This one has been hovering on the top of my TBR pile for a couple of weeks. As anxious as I was to read it since I loved Breslin’s debut novel, I was apprehensive too. Why? I dreaded reading that white feather scene. Anyone remember Walter Blythe in Rainbow Valley and Rilla of Ingleside by L. M. Montgomery? He’s Anne and Gilbert’s son — a gentle soul with a poet’s heart. He gets a white feather when he doesn’t enlist in the army as soon as war breaks out. My eleven-year-old heart took a beating over that scene and I still remember it to this day. So, yes, you might say that a former traumatic reading experience hindered my ability to pick up this book. (Now my book nerdiness is well and truly confirmed!)

I’m glad I overcame my trepidation though because Not By Sight is a soul-stirring read I wouldn’t want to miss. It’s definite Downton Abbeyambiance holds huge appeal while the gripping plot kept me spellbound. There are so many twists and turns and downright surprises! And the history revealed — aspects of the British home front in World War I that I wasn’t even aware of made this read all the richer.

I grew to love Grace (after the white feather incident!) She’s passionate about every cause she embraces, from the suffragette movement to supporting the war effort. And though she is from a privileged class, she isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty in order to help either cause. Her naivety at the beginning of the novel gradually falls away as she begins to grasp the fact that not everything can be measured in black and white.

Her hero, Jack, is as brooding as Mr. Rochester in Jane Eyre. I loved their encounters. Witty dialogue highlights Grace’s gumption and humour. Jack is intrigued in spite of himself. But a different kind of intrigue is afoot as well. This is a spy story after all, and Breslin sets her characters (and readers) on a merry chase.

Absolutely loved the scripture tie-in for the book — both in story and title. For we live by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7) It is intricately woven throughout the plot and affects a multitude of characters in various ways. Breathtaking and uplifting stuff.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback copy and available to any reader anywhere in the world so — yay — International Giveaway!

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Not By Sight, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday September 2, 2023

Yesterday’s Tides + Giveaway

In two world wars, intelligence and counterintelligence, prejudice, and self-sacrifice collide across two generations.

In 1942, Evie Farrow is used to life on Ocracoke Island, where every day is the same — until the German U-boats haunting their waters begin to wreak havoc. And when special agent Sterling Bertrand is washed ashore at Evie’s inn, her life is turned upside down. While Sterling’s injuries keep him inn-bound for weeks, making him even more anxious about the SS officer he’s tracking, he becomes increasingly intrigued by Evie, who seems to be hiding secrets of her own.

Decades earlier, in 1914, Englishman Remington Culbreth arrives at the Ocracoke Inn for the summer, never expecting to fall in love with Louisa Adair, the innkeeper’s daughter. But when war breaks out in Europe, their relationship is put in jeopardy and may not survive what lies ahead for them.

As the ripples from the Great War rock Evie and Sterling’s lives in World War II, it seems yesterday’s tides may sweep them all into danger again today.

My Review:

I have no words. Seriously speechless but heart-filled and gobsmacked and wondering what I’m going to do now that this book is over. Yesterday’s Tides (such an apt title — love when a story and title are a perfect match!) is the kind of read that you want to linger over and rush through all at the same time. I mean, I didn’t want it to end but I couldn’t wait to get to the ending!

I love Roseanna M. White’s books, but this might just be her best yet. And such a thrill to encounter some fave characters from previous series in this one! Though, no worries if you haven’t met them, it will totally make sense anyway — just gave me an extra thrill of bibliophile bliss!

And — squeeeeaaaalllll — this is a dual timeline story set in two historical eras. And the way past and ‘present’ mesh together is breathtakingly beautiful and filled with some unique twists. Two heroines. Two heroes. Two world wars. The clash of conflict over race and class. (Gah, but I was spitting-nails-furious in places!) Absolutely stunning. And unputdownable.

I listened to the audible edition expertly narrated by Pilar Witherspoon. Her performance kept me riveted through to the very last world.

Book provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications Inc.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback copy.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Yesterday’s Tides, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday February 4 2023. Offer open to International Readers.