joanneisreading's review against another edition
4.0
I broke my own rule and read a Christmas story mid-year (I usually savour them in November/December) but it was worth it! The focus isn’t on entirely on Christmas, it’s just a highlighted theme representing hope through out. Two authors combined their efforts and you would never know, they built this heartwarming story of growing romance between two friends, set during WW1. Genuinely enjoyed reading their correspondence as the story progressed.
readbooks_fightpatriarchy's review against another edition
5.0
I first encountered Heather Webb and Hazel Gaynor when I attended a book signing for "Fall of Poppies" (if you haven't read it you should!). They were lovely in person and I thoroughly enjoyed their writing. I was really excited when this book came out and further explored the subject of WWI. 100 years after The Great War, books like this feel as fresh and relatable as if the subjects were in 2017, not 1917. The format of this book, written primarily in letters, flows as quickly and seamlessly as regular prose. The best part of this book was that although I had some ideas about what would happen due to subtle foreshadowing, nothing was predictable.
kelqueen's review against another edition
4.0
What a great book to read at Christmas time! I was immediately drawn into the love affair with Tom and Evie through their letters. And now I have the dream to visit Paris at Christmas time.
mjsteimle's review against another edition
5.0
I had heard good things about this book, but I was honestly surprised by how much I liked it. This is an epistolary novel with letters exchanged between Evie, a spitfire young women in London and, and Tom, Evie's brother's best friend, who is serving as a soldier in France.
At the beginning I suspected that the story would be fairly predictable, and while the overall story did play out as I had suspected, the journey of getting there wasn't boring. I think the thing that makes this book stand out among many others with a similar plot line is how likable the characters are.
I'd put this among Everyone Brave is Forgiven and Lovely War as a trio of similar books that are each good enough to be worth reading, despite their similarities. All three are also fantastic on audio.
At the beginning I suspected that the story would be fairly predictable, and while the overall story did play out as I had suspected, the journey of getting there wasn't boring. I think the thing that makes this book stand out among many others with a similar plot line is how likable the characters are.
I'd put this among Everyone Brave is Forgiven and Lovely War as a trio of similar books that are each good enough to be worth reading, despite their similarities. All three are also fantastic on audio.
thisbookishcat's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
What a fantastic read! I laughed. I cried. I thought of my own loved ones. I imagined what it would be like to have my own amour out fighting in a major war. This is everything and more than I could have hoped for.
I highly recommend this book, especially if you have a box of tissues handy!
I highly recommend this book, especially if you have a box of tissues handy!
saguilar429's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.5
linda_rose's review against another edition
3.0
The whole book was based on letters. Couldn’t get into it so I dropped it.
renwar96's review against another edition
4.0
This story is told mostly by letters written during WW1 between Evie and her friends and family. It is such a sweet sad time, things were so different then and many people were losing their innocence because of the war. Any wartime is terrible, but reading this story from beginning to end you live through the war with them and their growth from young and innocent, to adult's who have had more life experience than any person should have. A must read for anyone who wants a tug a their heartstrings!
bethgiven's review against another edition
4.0
This felt like the perfect Christmastime book for 2020: the grief and trauma of war are not sugarcoated, but the storyline is anchored in hope and courage which are so necessary during hard times. Christmas comes several times during the course of the novel, and I loved the theme of a less-than-ideal holiday while hoping for happier Christmases to come. This book was just a nice balance of the real and the romantic.
I'm totally a sucker for epistolary novels (written in letters), and this was a really good one! Also: there's a whole cast of narrators for the audio version; really well done.
I'm totally a sucker for epistolary novels (written in letters), and this was a really good one! Also: there's a whole cast of narrators for the audio version; really well done.