I enjoyed this book, but it was slow at times. World War I fiction is fascinating to me, and this is no exception!. I loved the way the author brought the stories of the three very different women together. All of these characters are compelling and bring so much to the depth of the story. Liz Trenow is a gifted storyteller. She beautifully shows readers the power of determination and reconciliation.

Thanks to NetGalley and Pan Books for the ARC of In Love and War. All opinions are mine!

I love books that teach me something new. I didn’t know about battlefield tours until I read this book. In this story, Martha, Ruby and Alice travel to Flanders, Belgium immediately after the First World War. Martha is looking for her son, Ruby needs to find her husband and Alice seeks to know the whereabouts of her younger brother. English, American and German, all three men were soldiers who went missing and are presumed dead. The three women seek closure and would like to at least see their graves, lay flowers or get any news of their loved ones.

In Love and War is an emotional read. My heart broke for these women and I kept wondering what news they would get at Flanders. I was especially worried about Martha and her son, Otto who were looking for their loved one in an area where Germans were loathed. Everybody blamed Germany for the war. This made Martha’s trip not only emotional but also dangerous.

The story is narrated by the three women in alternating chapters. This is a story of friendships, love, loss and heartbreak. There were lots of tragic moments in the narrative. A few hopeful ones but mostly, I couldn’t help but feel sad about the effects of war and the devastation that it had caused.

Great character development, a moving story and descriptive writing, all make In Love and War an enthralling, memorable read.

Absolutely LOVED this book!!!! I don't even think my review would do it justice and be able to capture the book properly. This story was about love and forgiveness and brought together people who were unlikely to ever meet. Martha and Ruby were my favorite characters. Martha was so brave traveling to Belgium from Germany with her young son. The war only recently ended and the Belgian people were still recovering and pretty much hated the Germans. By the end I didn't mind Alice so much.

This is the story of Alice, Ruby and Martha who all meet while searching for someone they lost. They are an unlikely trio. Alice is American, Ruby is British and Martha is German. The First World War has just ended. Ruby and Alice meet after signing up for "Tours of the battlefields of Flanders." Ruby's in-laws signed her up for the trip and she was reluctant ant to go. Ruby's husband was killed during battle and wants to find his burial spot so she can ask him for forgiveness. Alice is trying to find her brother. He signed up with the Canadians under a false name and is unable to be located. Martha and her son Otto travel to Belgium to try to locate her oldest son's grave. She has no confirmation of his death but all her letters to him have been returned and he is missing, presumed dead. Ruby, Alice and Martha end up helping each other when they need it the most. Eventually they are able to find out what they needed to about their loved one.

I loved the story, writing style and characters. I loved getting to know Alice, Ruby and Martha. When the book was over, I didn't want to say goodbye to them. I wanted to continue with their story and find out what happens when they all go home. I definitely recommend it and can't wait to read more books by the author. I also loved the cover of this book.

Thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author, Liz Trenow, for a free electronic ARC of this novel.

You are always guaranteed a great read from Liz Trenow- she easily tranports you into another world and time in history. The settings are vividly drawn with wonderful characters. We follow three women and their personal experieces with the recent war.

The story is set in July 1919 and three very different women are searching for three men very dear to them who lost their lives at the battlefields of Ypres in Belgium.

Ruby, was just married and is looking for her husband’s grave. Confident Alice, a loud American is looking for her younger brother and Martha and her son Otto who are also looking for someone close to them. Three very different women who we find are not really that different at all.

The women go to look for their men in the cemeteries around Ypres and beyond and you feel transported there to the battlefields, trenches and feel the devastation of war. Freddie, a British soldier who stayed there after the war is an interesting character who is also searching for who he is. The women grow and change and find out they are in fact stronger than they could ever believe.

The characters and storylines stayed in my mind long after I’d finished the book.

Three miraculous resolutions in five days? The way these happen sounds realistic and plausible and with the time constraints and plot I can see why things had to be so compressed. But in real life it seems – with the ghastly mess things were so soon after the war – that this is probably too fast. Our three women find solace, often from unlikely places and people. The message they – and readers – are left with is forgiveness and the universal need to put enmity in the past to build bridges to peace. Yeah, I was feeling fairly Kumbayaish by the time I finished it. I also felt fairly good about what kind of future the women have. Ruby has found a purpose for her empty time, Alice realizes the worth of the man she left behind and Martha and Otto might just be able to avoid the coming war. B

4.5 Stars

It is a time of peace for a little less than a year in 1919, and three women: British Ruby, American Alice and German Martha, all have very similar goals as they head to Belgium to find the graves of the dear loved men they lost during the war. Under normal circumstances, they would have been enemies of one another, especially after such a horrid war.

Ruby is determined to find the grave of her dear husband Bertie, missing now for several years. Alice is looking for her brother Sam, and her journey is extremely difficult as he enlisted under another name. And Martha is traveling with her young son Otto, desperately seeking news about son Heinrich. With the aid of some kind people, and learning to rely on each other, as well as help from others, they seek to find any news of their lost loved ones.

In Love and War I experienced a dichotomy of emotions: from extreme sadness to pure joy. The story was heartbreaking at times, but I was left with a feeling of fullness as it concluded. I appreciated how, in a very short period of time, the women were able to bond despite the sheer hopelessness facing each of them. The stories were interwoven so well, and I enjoyed the trips with the women as hope began to reign for them. This was an engaging, compelling and well-written read, one that I was able to complete in just a couple of sittings.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.

Absolutely beautiful. A wonderful story about love, loss, heart break ad hope amid war. All the characters and the setting come alive in this stunning story. I lived this book, experienced it and came away changed in a profound way. Brilliant. A story that transports you and makes you think. A book that will stay with me for a very long time.