Engrossing and emotional as it seems the real war is between the sisters who have a complex dynamic with each other. A very good read! I voluntarily read this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

he Wartime Sisters was a book that allowed me to learn something new, while keeping me engrossed in the tumultuous relationship between sisters. It wasn’t a long book but it packed a lot of emotional drama.

I was totally intrigued by the Springfield Armory in Massachusetts, which I never knew existed. The descriptions of the design, the gardens, the daycare and shops were so well done. I easily pictured it in my mind. The workers were so important to the war effort and hiring so many women was a key attribute. It was evident that the Armory was well-researched.

Aside from the historical setting is a story that will tug at your heartstrings. Two sisters are raised and treated quite differently from one another since a very young age. Friends, chores, boys and study hours differed for the girls based on rules their mother set in place. This caused more than just a fissure in their relationship. The author did a great job at showing this rather than telling about it.

After a long estrangement, circumstances bring them back together, each holding secrets from one another. Here we see how their inner thoughts don’t match what comes out of their mouths, because being honest is just too hard. Loved the minor characters in the book. All were developed just enough to make them interesting.

Overall, it’s an easy book to read that will keep you interested and engaged.

The Wartime Sisters is a fabulous sophomore novel from Lynda Cohen Loigman - (who's debut novel The Two Family House - I loved).

Sister Rivalry, Family issues, Love, Friendship, Religion, and Trust - all wrapped into one novel - this is what The Wartime Sisters will give you. The Rivalry in the book is so realistic - I could completely feel the tension between the two sisters!

LCL clearly did a lot of research in writing this novel and it shows. I walked away from the book feeling not only good about how the story wraps up, but like I learned some things about WWII which I did not previously know.

The book was easy to get into and hard to put down! I would highly recommend to all of my friends who read not only Historical Fiction but Women's Fiction as well!

Job well done, Lynda Cohen Loigman!! Can't wait to see what else you write in the near future!

This story of two estranged sisters during WWII, separated and then reconnecting at the Springfield Armory in Massachusetts, hooked me from the first page. Each chapter is rich with poignant details - alternating between their lives growing up in Brooklyn to their adult world as wartime women and employees at the Springfield Armory. At its core this is a story of the diverging paths of two young women who both struggle to separately establish their own identity and define their own path to womanhood. Some of those struggles are surely relevant today in the world of MeToo, and it's somewhat interesting to see how these same challenges were framed in an earlier era where 'husbands as providers' was not only considered the norm, but valued as the ideal that shaped the dreams of many mothers and daughters.

One of my favorite historical fiction novels in recent memory, i highly recommend The Wartime Sisters to those who love stories that bring a WWII backdrop to a compelling women's coming of age drama. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I loved The Two Family House so I was hoping Lynda Cohen Loigman's next book would be great and it was! Right away I was hooked on the story of sisters Ruth and Millie and their stranded relationship. The addition of the story told from the perspectives also of Lillian and Arietta was great to give a little more backstory into what people were seeing of the Kaplan sisters. The storyline goes back and forth between Brooklyn in the 1930's and Massachusetts in the 1940's, but it was done in the perfect way to move the storyline along. Loigman does mystery in the perfect way, and I could not put the book down because I wanted to know what was going to happen next. I liked learning about what life was like for families during the war and I loved learning in the author notes that the things the characters experienced in the books like the dances, concert and their day to day lives, actually happened. This is a perfect historical fiction read, now I can't wait for Loigman's next book!

I loved the cover, and the blurb at the top of the back cover cemented that I wanted to read this: “In the vein of “The Nightingale” and “The Lilac Girls”….I was hooked.

Ruth and Millie are sisters, three years apart. As they developed, it became increasingly evident that they could not be more different than if they didn’t share both parents. Ruth was the plain, introverted one; Millie was a beauty from her first breath, a risk-taker. Longing for an affectionate bond between them, they had nothing in common. Ruth marries a safe, gentle man…a scientist. Millie falls for a bad boy, gets pregnant, and that’s the good part of her life. Even after their parents are killed in a car accident, the two sisters cannot seem to develop an affection for each other.

As America enters World War II, Ruth’s husband joins the Army, but instead of being sent to fight, her scientific knowledge gets him transferred to the Springfield (Massachusetts, I had to presume) Armory. Millie stays behind in Brooklyn, where the girls were raised.

Ruth’s life on the base is bucolic and well-order; Millie’s husband becomes increasingly violent. It doesn’t upset her when Lenny joins the Army, but soon she is a widow with a small child. When the two sisters finally reunite, Millie and her son come to live with Ruth and her family. While Ruth plays Officer’s Wife, Millie gets a job in one of the Armory’s factories. Then a truth from the past begins to haunt the sisters, forcing them to lean on each other.

This story has the dueling timelines that I like, but they seem off. Here’s one of many examples: The narrative speaks of Ruth’s twin daughters, but readers aren’t even aware that Ruth has married. In the next chapter, the reader gets the backstory. The past and present don’t seem to line up as they should. That’s the reason, “The Wartime Sisters” receives 5 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

Great book about sisters and their relationship! I enjoyed the story, but the end was kind of abrupt.

Wartime Sisters is a fiction novel written about two sisters who have a tumultuous relationship. It alternates between the different perspectives of the sisters growing up and then during WWII. While much of the story takes place in the Armory in Springfield, MA, the war didn't really come across as a focal point in the book. Despite that, I was still captivated by the story, and Loigman writes in a way where you can really feel for the characters and the challenges between them.

Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for an ARC of this book.

This book grabbed my attention based on the title. I've had a contentious relationship with my sister, so this had me intrigued. The story is presented from the view of each sister. They each are able to tell their side of their life story as the story unfolds. It was really amazing to hear some of the issues I've dealt with, being described in this book.
I was drawn to the story and really enjoyed the storyline and characters. I would definitely recommend this book to others.

I fell so deeply in love with Ruth and Millie. They were so well rounded and likeable, despite their clear differences. I think anyone who has a sister close in age could easily relate to their dynamic of caring but also feeling as though the other sister has the upper hand somehow. I loved how the storyline wove from the past to the present and from each sister or main character to the next. It helped you truly grasp how each character felt and why. You found yourself sympathizing with each one of them, even when they were at odds with each other and gain a better understanding of their reasonings and actions.
On top of casting the reader right into the heart and soul of each character, Loigman drew me right into life at the Armory. I could easily picture it all and it honestly felt as though I was right there with the sisters the entire time. Although the ending became more obvious as the book drew on, it never hurt the plot to know that something was about to happen.
I devoured this book and felt myself missing each of the four main women when I was finished. You know it's a great book when you have a hard time starting another because you miss this one so much. The Wartime Sisters is definitely a new favorite!

Historical fiction--which I quite like.

Two sisters raised in Brooklyn. Jewish. Ruth, the older, smart one. Millie, the younger, pretty one. Little in common. A relationship complicated by sibling rivalry. Favoritism. Secrets and lies. Jealousy, etc. You know the set up. Many stereotypes. [sisters, husbands, parents, officers' wives, even Arietta--the cook--my favorite character.]

Leap forward to the early days of WWII. One good marriage, one not. Then from Brooklyn to Springfield, Mass., the Armory. Ruth as an officer's wife [with children]. Millie, as a widow [read on, the one twist], with child. Sometimes more interesting here-with the details of life at the Armory, the housing, the women, soldiers, the war [peripherally], and so on, but to me--still predictable.

A fast, pedestrian read though I was often bored and could have walked away at any time. Flat. I didn't feel the love that many others did. So, a 2.5 but reluctantly not rounding up to a 3 though it was fast and the writing was ok.

A sparely written look at the complexities of sibling relationships, this book intersperses past and present scenes in the lives of two sisters on an American military base during WW2. While the main focus is on sisters Ruth and Millie, the sibling relationship between two brothers forms a subplot. There are, for contrast, women with no siblings whose backgrounds could not be more different, and who yet end up in the same place at the same time. An understated theme throughout is the ways in which life in military families differs from that in civilian families. The historical sense of place and time is woven into every scene. A worthy read.

This was a great novel about the complicated relationship between two sisters during WWII. Most of the novel took place at the Springfield Armory in Massachusetts. It was really interesting to learn more about one of the large armories in the United States during the war. I never really knew much about them or what occurred there and it was described so well throughout the book, I felt like I was there. I really enjoyed this one. I was provided an ARC from Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.

I've waited two years for Loigman to write another book, having loved her debut, The Two-Family House. This one did not disappoint! I was immediately engaged in the lives and challenges of Ruth and Millie. But I came to understand that "sisters" is not only about our blood relatives, but the community of women that surround us. I learned much, was greatly invested, and I hope she comes out with another one soon.

I received an Advanced Review Copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review. I totally enjoyed this book and it’s main characters. The plot and characters were well developed and had me hooked from the first page. The story flips between the late 1930’s and 1943. I learned a lot about the Springfield, Massachusetts armory , the work they did there and the layout of the facility. The story revolves around two sisters and their love-hate relationship. This is another outstanding novel by Lynda Cohen Loigman, the author of the “Two Family House “ .

Novels set during WWII are my favorite. When I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review I was thrilled. The story takes place during the war and one sister is a war widow and the other’s husband is stationed at Massachusetts’ Springfield Armory. They haven’t seen each other in several years and Millie is now alone with her young son and in need of a home and job and they come to live with Ruth and her family. The story doesn’t focus on the war much, it does go into some detail about how much women helped the war effort by working in such places as the armory, however, in my opinion it is a story about the complex relationship between the two sisters and not an historical fiction novel at all. Ruth has always been very jealous and wary of her beautiful sister, mainly because of the different ways in which their mother treated them. It took a lot for her to open up her home. Because of their past they are now walking on egg shells around each other We eventually realize that Millie is keeping something from her sister, but, Ruth has her own secret too. There are a couple of other female characters in the book which adds to the appeal of the book. All In all, a very enjoyable read!

The was a very good book about two sisters and conflicts between them and how they get through them and learn to love each other. Set during the second World War, and I really enjoyed all the references to that time period. I like learning how other decades were, the customs, etc. The book is well written and I liked the characters, I felt the historical accuracy. One I won't forget!

This is a historical fiction story about two sisters Ruth and Millie that is set during WWII. The sisters were raised in Brooklyn and the older sister Ruth,marries and accompanies her husband to Springfield to begin her married life in the Armory. Millie, the younger sister soon follows when her husband disappears and Millie has no one else to turn to. Ruth has always been jealous of Millie, and has not always been truthful and harbors a secret....will this secret be revealed when Millie comes to town, or will Ruth be able to keep it hidden??? The story describes many of the conflicts that the two sisters have encountered throughout their lives.
The characters were well developed, and the story moved swiftly with a good feel for life during the Armory. I really enjoyed this book. Many thanks to Netgalley and StMartin's Press for providing me a copy of this book for review.

I was impressed by Lynda Cohen Loigman's debut, The Two-Family House, so I was thrilled to see that she had a new novel coming out. This one was even better than her previous one, which is hard to do when a debut sets such a bar for excellent writing.

I couldn't get enough of The Wartime Sisters and I didn't want it to end. Lynda combined sibling rivalry, Judaism, history, and women's issues during World War II to create a mesmerizing story. She really captured the feel of the early 1940's and I got a glimpse of what it was like to be on the home front during a time of enormous strife in the world.

Both Ruth and Millie were easy to connect with. I had a soft spot for Ruth with us both being the older sisters and expected to set an example for our siblings. However, Millie was a sympathetic character and it was good to know that she wasn't trying to steal the attention of men away from Ruth, especially since she didn't welcome it. There was more to her than how she was seen through Ruth's eyes. I liked that some other characters also had a voice in the story and I enjoyed getting to know them too.

Fun (personal) fact: Ruth and Millie's parents names were Florence and Morris. My late paternal grandparents were also named Florence and Morris. Furthermore, their last name was Kaplan and my paternal grandma's maiden name was Kaplan.

I really loved everything about this novel and highly recommend it. It publishes early next year, so be sure to add it to your shelf and move it to the top of your TBR pile as soon as you get it!

Movie casting suggestions:
Ruth: Lola Kirke
Millie: Natalia Dyer
Lillian: Kate Bosworth
Arietta: Keala Settle (This was my favorite part to cast and I couldn't think of anyone more deserving than "Lettie.")
Lenny: Cole Sprouse
Grace: January Jones

When sisters have different looks and talents and are treated differently, there are inevitable problems that result. This is the underlying these of The Wartime Sisters. Can Ruth and Millie finally open themselves and resolve the resentment both have carried since childhood? In the background, the reader also gets a look at the armory in Springfield, Massachusetts during WWII. Loigman gives us insight into the way the world shifted when women went to work by the thousands. The book is well worth the read.