Christmas with the Queen is a cozy historical romance that would be perfect for fans of The Crown or anglophiles in general. The royal family are a backdrop to this romance, but it’s not about them directly. It’s also a blend of historical fiction and romance that I think will work for non-romance readers. The book alternates between VE Day in 1945, and the “present” day in the 1950’s. The book opens in 1952 with … Continue reading Christmas with the Queen by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb →
Poppy Redfern and the Midnight Murders is a mystery set in a small English town named Little Buffendon in 1942, just after the US joined WWII. Poppy, who lives with her grandparents, is the local Air Raid Warden. Her job is to walk through the village late at night and remind folks to put their blackout shades in place lest there be an actual aerial attack. The community has been dealing with war rationing, food … Continue reading Poppy Redfern and the Midnight Murders by Tessa Arlen →
TW/CW: sexual assault. I enjoyed The Gown: A Novel of the Royal Wedding by Jennifer Robson, mostly because it tackles a subject that is dear to my heart: why is traditionally-female created art (think quilting, embroidering, knitting) labeled “a craft” and of less than value than male-produced art? As a historical novel, a full third of the narrative I found to be unnecessary, which meant there were parts of the book I had to slog through … Continue reading The Gown by Jennifer Robson →
His Very Own Girl is a historical romance set in England during WWII. The protagonists are an American medic (Joe) and an English pilot (Lulu). Lulu flies for the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATS), ferrying planes from one airstrip to another. I could not stop picturing Lulu as Peggy Carter, but with a pilot’s license, which means of course that I adored her. Joe is a less sympathetic hero in the sense that he is quite … Continue reading His Very Own Girl by Carrie Lofty →
Trigger warnings for the explicit and implied deaths of children and animals, torture, PTSD, and sexual assault. The Unwomanly Face of War is an oral history of women who fought for the Soviets in WWII. These women filled an incredible variety of roles. In addition to the famous Night Witches, the women who gave interviews for this book were sappers, partisans, underground resistance fighters, nurses, surgeons, antiaircraft gunners, front line soldiers, tankmen, telephone and radio … Continue reading The Unwomanly Face of War by Svetlana Alexievich →
Happy Wednesday! Can you believe it’s June? How are we halfway into 2016 already? First, I’d like to give a big, huge thank you to the romance community. It’s been about a week since Redheadedgirl and Sassy teamed up to start a GoFundMe, and over $7000 has been raised! So thank you to those who have donated, those who have shared the GoFundMe page, those of you who have sent positive vibes and prayers. Seriously, all … Continue reading Links: Color Palettes, Knitting, & Cocktails! →
The four initial facts you absolutely need to know about For Such a Time by Kate Breslin are as follows: 1) It is an inspirational romance. God, faith, and the Bible (actually, a ‘magic’ Bible** that seems to show up whenever the main character needs to see it most) make regular appearances. 2) It is set almost entirely in the Theresienstadt concentration camp during World War II, and deals extensively with the horrors of the … Continue reading For Such a Time by Kate Breslin →
This HaBO is from Jacqui, who is looking for a WWII romance she read and lost long ago: Many years ago, back when I was unencumbered by mortgages, debt and other responsibilities, I came across in my local library this book set in World War 2 (or perhaps just before, my memory is a little hazy) about a young woman who sets out from her country home to go to university in the big city … Continue reading HaBO: WWII Heroine Finds Herself and Possibly Medicine →
