WAR BRIDES by Helen Bryan  a terrific read...
357908
War Brides, by Helen Bryan...was a very good book about WWII  ....and the women behind the lines...and their interesting relationships, interesting because of their different backgrounds.....
4170967
Thoroughly enjoyable! Five independent young women cross paths in wartime Britain, endure the hardship of war, struggle, marry, grow-up and 50 years later re-unite. These are unique stories that captivate, partly because the stories are about the strength and resourcefulness of women. That they are war brides is almost irrelevant to what they really accomplish. I was enthralled by the details of everyday life when everything was scarce and regulated. Describing the difficulties encountered by the village women  preparing a wedding dress and the wedding meal for one of the brides gave life to the story. The author is a storyteller who reminds me of Kathryn Stockett, another writer from the South with a vivid voice for historical fiction. My copy (bought recently) did not have a single editing flaw. The book has tons of wonderful details. This book should be a movie, but Hollywood still is not ready for a good story about women. I was shocked by the ending, as the women re-unite in their old age and complete an unfinished revenge. I started this book on the beach and drove home and sat in my car to finish it!
4720241
Wonderful, historical and fun to read.  Loved the characters.  Couldn't put it down.  Would love to read more Helen Bryan.
4002950
I picked up this book to read because it was about WW2.  Robin Lee Hatcher is now one of my favorite authors.  The way she writes her characters brings them to life, and I found myself wanting to walk into the book and live in the town with the rest of them.  LOVED IT!!
2509431
I loved this book.  It made me smile - It made me cry and mostly, it made me proud to be a woman.  I gave it five stars for all of those reasons.  Set during World War two, it's the story of a group of women who were pilots, navigators,  mechanics and armourers in Russia.  They put up with bad treatment from the leaders and suffered tragedy  after tragedy.  I liked all parts of it.  It was fiction but everything was real.  I would recommend it to anyone who has any interest in world war two.
2954469
I wasn't sure what to expect in Helen Bryans War Brides. Ive always thought of war brides as those who married foreign soldiers during the war and maybe left England and moved away. But these brides come from varied walks of life and meet in an English village near the start of the war. Their lives are shadowed by planes flying overhead and the threat of bombs. And their secrets are many.

Theres an intriguing sense of lifes incompleteness and unexpected connections in this tale. Past memories can be twisted by circumstance. Future dreams can vanish in a moments fear. And the present is all we have. In the end, despite all their efforts to change it, the present will have its way with these brides too.

From Louisiana's genteel disgrace to Londons street-smart theft, from Nazi terror to child evacuees, and from societys assumptions to a womans hopes and dreams, this story tells of the displaced finding place, and of past and future lurking in the wings.

Some depictions ring hauntingly true, especially that of a womans depression after childbirth, and the sense a village coping with its changing generations in a time of war. At other times readers may find it harder to suspend disbelief. But the story moves through twists and turns, bringing characters together then tearing them apart, and revealing how that quest for closure might be as false the desire to control future and past.

War Brides is a tale filled with mysteries, ending with mysteries of human lives, and its a good read, despite its occasional oddities.

Disclosure: A friend wasn't enjoying it so she gave it to me to read.
2776319
This is my first book review despite being an avid reader.  I had to chime in and thank the many other positive reviews that convinced me to try this author out because she is absolutely well worth it.  This has been one of the most enjoyable books I've read in a long time and I'm very much looking forward to reading more in the series.  Just keep in mind it is a war story so get ready to lose some characters you really will fall in love with.
936695
Historical romance set during WWII held my interest throughout and I didn't want to put it down. I highly recommend  this book. I'll be seeking Ms. Harmon's books moving forward.
3115353
Civil War historical novels are of great interest to me!  Ginny Dye is an excellent author and makes her books so interesting  as well as inspiring. I started with her first book, "Storm Clouds ..." and have proceeded thru each one to the one I am currently reading ,"The Last Long Night".  I am not as interested in reading battle strategy, but am more interested in all of the people during the War. Ms. Dye's works certainly fulfill my appetite for this type of knowledge.  Her works are well researched and by weaving facts and characters make for wonderful reading.
77584
The unselfishness and sacrifices of these women helped me to put things in perspective in my life. Their faith, endurance,  and tenacity along with their creativity to make the best of life under difficult circumstances  in World War II England during  the 1940's serve as an example on dealing with life's challenges.
Helen Bryan 's intensive research about the circumstances of the weddings of these War Brides and the longevity of their marriages gives one a greater appreciation of commitment to the marriage relationship.

Would recommend this book to anyone who loves historic fiction
2192981
WWII stories are among my favorites, and War Brides didn't disappoint. My only problem with this book is tha many characters and story lines that I had a bit of trouble keeping up with. Still I enjoyed it and recommend it to anyone who enjoys this genre.
2437833
Gracie and Valerie are both war brides who are on their way to America to be reunited with their husbands. Gracie married Jeff who's living in Barton, a small mountain town. They move in with his parents, because Jeff doesn't have enough money for a place of their own yet. Valerie married Ross, who's working for his father's law firm in New York. They move into a beautiful luxurious apartment. Soon the two women find out that nothing is as it seems and life with their new husbands might not be as ideal as they initially thought...

Gracie is such a sweet girl and I didn't want anything to happen to her. She doesn't deserve what's coming to her at all. I felt so bad for her and was glad that although most things weren't all right some good things were happening as well. Valerie is much more talented than she thought and she soon discovers she can have a life of her own in America. Her husband isn't very supportive, but I knew she would be all right. Both women have to go through a lot. Life isn't just sunshine and happiness and I liked that June Tate didn't avoid the bad moments. She never sugarcoated them or let them be balanced with an exact amount of good. Still the book isn't negative at all.

I found a few editing mistakes, but not enough to be bothered. I liked the story so much that I looked past them and continued enjoying the story. I loved that it isn't heavy and that the story is fast paced. A lot happens at once and Brides of War is never boring. The friendship between Gracie and Valerie is beautiful and that special connection makes the story even better. They both go their different ways, but they never forget each other. I think War Brides is a wonderful read about life, relationships, friendship, finding yourself and difficult but necessary decisions.
1562121
I enjoyed this book very much.  Not only was it a good read it was a story about the war and the author tried to make it as true as possible but still being fiction. Could not put it down. Story line was intriging and the families seemed true to life.  Contained grief, sorrow,love, disappointment and happiness.
4887035
A great read by Kelly Durham who made this story so realistic both with her description of the people involved and the tragedy of the war times. I loved this book and recommend it to others. A traits of lost ambitions and loves but very believable. Loved the story and will read more of her work.
3053147
This was a wonderful novel that took place during WW1 in England.  Nurse Bess Crawford is home after being injured, & while mending, is drawn into a mystery.  This was just an excellent start to a series that I will be continuing without fail.  I loved the history, the atmosphere, the characters---everything.  This mother-son author duo is fantastic!
1049305
In Farleigh Field: A Novel of World War II is by Rhys Bowen.  It is set in England mainly at Farleigh Place, a stately home in Kent.  It belongs to Roderick Sutton, Earl of Westerham.  He and his wife have four daughters: Lady Olivia Livvy who is living at home with her son Charles; Lady Margaret Margot who is living in Paris; Lady Pamela Pamma currently working for a government department; Lady Diana Dido who lives at home and is frustrated at not being able to do anything; and Lady Phoebe Feebs who is only twelve and lives at home.
Pamma, Ben Cresswell (the vicars son), and Jeremy Prescott (son of Sir William Prescott at nearby Nethergate) all grew up together in Kent.  Ben had always had a crush on Pamma but knew that as the vicars son, he didn't fit in her class.  Besides, it was obvious to all that Pamma and Jeremy were always a couple and would eventually marry.  Despite their differences in class, Ben and Jeremy were best friends. Both wanted to become pilots and fly for the RAF in the War.  Jeremy became a RAF flying ace while Ben worked for M15 due to a crushed leg he got when Jeremy was showing off his first airplane and crashed it.  He walked away unscathed while Ben paid the price.
Now the three cross paths in Kent once again.  Ben comes to investigate the death of an unknown man who parachuted near Farleigh Castle.  His parachute malfunctioned and he fell to his death.  Feebs and Aflie ( a boy who was evacuated to the countryside and worked for the Suttons) found the man  and felt it was their duty to find out what happened.  At the same time, Jeremy escapes from a prisoner of war camp and makes his way home.  Pamma is given leave to come home to check on Jeremy.
How do the lives of these three young people as well as Margot. Dido, and Feebs lives intersect and blow up?  Can it be avoided?
The author takes several plots and interweaves them together to create an awesome story of loyalty, friendship, and second chances amid the background of World War II.  It is a fantastic book and you have a great deal of effort to put it down.  I certainly hope the author will write another book following the ending of this one.
4315200
This book was like getting a two-fer deal. There were two stories - one present day and one set during WWII. When their grandmother moves out of her home she asks three of her granddaughters to help clear out her attic. In the process, each is to choose something special to keep. Rebecca chooses Anna Esch's diaries.

Rebecca Lapp Fisher has been leaning heavily on her father and brothers ever since her husband died two years ago. When her father suffers a heart attack, she realizes what her dependence is costing him and begins to look at ways to help herself. When her banker comes calling on top of this, she learns that sticking her head in the sand since her husband's death has only dug her family a deeper hole. When Matthew Byler asks to rent the stable her husband had built before his death, she sees it as a partial solution to her problem.

Matt is looked on with suspicion by the Amish community. He has recently returned to the faith after several years of living in the "Englisch" world. He works as a carpenter with his uncle, taking his cousin's place since that cousin "jumped the fence." He rents Rebecca's stable to pursue his love of furniture making. Matt sees Rebecca's struggles but the suspicion of the community prevents him from stepping in to show his support. It doesn't prevent him from falling for Rebecca, though.

Can Matt and Rebecca overcome their families' objections and find a way into each other's hearts?

For me, the secondary story of Anna Esch and her "come calling friend" Jacob Lapp was equally engrossing. I knew some of the history of the Amish church's CO status in World War II but this book brought home to me, again, what a huge conflict it was for both families and communities. As Rebecca reads Anna's journal from that turbulent time, she begins to see that she has gifts and strengths of her own to rely on.

This book was an excellent read and I would definitely recommend it to both romance readers and WWII history buffs. Perry is spot on with the community reactions to conscientious objectors. By WWII, CPS was offered as an alternative to going to war but COs were still considered cowards. People didn't see that taking that stand was often more difficult and took as much bravery than going to the front lines. (In our community, a young man was hung for taking that stand in WWI. He didn't die but carried the scars on his neck for the rest of his life.)