I liked The Wartime Sisters. The book gives a good look at what it was like women during World War II.
I give this book four stars.

The steady plot moved quickly - I didn't want to put it down!

The Springfield Armoury is a real place with a long history. The story of Ruth, Millie & Lillian is fiction based on true stories of many women who worked there rolled into their characters and situations. Events in the story actually happened, like the On To Victory dance.

Ruth & Molly Kaplan are Jews, born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. The hopes and dreams of their mother shaped their relationship as sisters and who they each became. With the outbreak of WW 2 Ruth's family moves to Springfield, Mass. when Arthur's hired to develop better guns. When Millie must follow Ruth to Springfield their relationship goes through many trials for both of them and the C.O.'s wife, Lillian Walsh, plays a pivotal role in their lives.

Gripping ending.

The Wartime Sisters is a Historical Fiction. It has real life situations, locations and people that the story revolves around, although the actual plot and characters are fiction.
The plot was deeply emotional and a page turner. The relationship between the sisters, Ruth and Millie was heartbreaking from the beginning. Ruth, the older of the siblings is studious and mature from an early age. She also is plain in her physical features. Millie was beautiful from birth, irresponsible and extremely sensitive. Everyone was attracted to Millie and put Ruth in the shadows. Their parents treated their children differently and this resulted in Ruth’s desire to escape the world she lived in her parent’s house. Both siblings love each other, but they are so different, it was difficult to maintain a healthy relationship. The upbringing they had molded the adults they become. Just as Ruth begins her life as a married woman, and thinks she has escaped her sister, life intervenes and her future is changed. Millie was preconditioned by her mother to think she was destined to be adored by her husband and would have a wonderful life.
The plot explores the relationship of the siblings, the relationships with their spouses and friends and how all of their lives change due World War II.
The author does a fantastic job of creating the world that exists in this story. The plot is developed so well and it is definitely a page turner. The descriptions of the locations are very clear and let the reader see a visual of the settings in their mind. The characters are deeply developed and brought out so many emotions in me as I read the book; joy, sadness, anger and disgust. I flipped/flopped on my opinions of the some of the characters as I read. That showed me that you don’t know a person until you know all that they lived through to make them the person that they are at present.
This book was an emotional journey that I honestly struggled a bit to get through, but the journey was worth the outcome of having this story in my consciousness. I want to thank St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read the ARC. I wanted to share my opinion of this book with others.

In “Wartime Sisters”, Lynda Cohen Loigman tells the story of two estranged sisters who are thrust together, first through the tragic loss of their parents and again with the backdrop of the Springfield Armory at the beginning of WWII. They attempt to achieve a détente while living together on the base, but the wounds of their childhood war are made fresh by the battles of living at Springfield. The sisterhood found goes beyond those created by blood and includes “sisters” created by choice, or perhaps circumstance. The return of someone from their past threatens to reveal dark secrets that each sister is desperate to keep.

The historical setting of Springfield Armory was one that I have not read about before. I found the factual information compelling as Cohen Loigman described the daily lives of those working in the armory factory creating pieces of weapons while never seeing the whole weapon come together or understanding their role in the bigger picture of the war. A vivid picture of the social and economic structure of the time was engrossing.
This was a most enjoyable read.

I really love books that deal with live for those left stateside during World War 2. The Wartime Sisters is probably one of my favorites. The authenticity of the descriptions from clothes to houses to food was terrific! Loigman introduces us to sisters born three years apart but circumstances make those years seem much more. Ruth is the “smart” one and Millie is the “pretty” one. Through a series of maneuvering and deception the sisters go separate ways until the war brings them together and not in a good way. I really enjoyed the twists in the story and found myself cheering for both sisters at different times. The Wartime Sisters is a book that will keep you engrossed from beginning to end!
I voluntarily received a copy of this book from Netgalley.

Many thanks to The #NetGalley team at St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read an e-galley of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I have a fascination about reading books set in wartime and in particular set in the time period of World War Two. This novel is set in the USA primarily at the Springfield Armory which is an actual place. The author clearly researched the era and the location before writing and although she made minor changes in dates to assist with the story flow, she stuck as close as possible to descriptions and events that actually took place in the time period in which the story is told. Ultimately , however, the book is a story about relationships. I have read several books recently that focused on the difficulties that can arise between siblings when the second child to arrive appears to be the most loved child.

Ruth and Millie are two Jewish sisters who were lucky enough not to be in Nazi Germany during the time of the war. They lived with their parents in the early part of the story and almost immediately after Millie's birth, young Ruthie could see that her new little sister was treated differently than she was. Comments were made by visitors to the home that severely impacted on Ruth's self-esteem. Millie was the pretty one, Ruthie was the strong one. Things became particularly difficult in young adulthood when Ruth's parents kept inviting young men who were potential suitors around to meet Ruth but they had eyes only for Millie. Millie, on the other hand - loved her sister and wanted to help but her best efforts just seemed to go awry.

Ruth eventually meets her future husband Arthur who only has eyes for her, but she lives in fear that some day he, too will favour Millie. Millie's strongest relationships are with the DeLuca family, neighbours with an ailing mother and 2 young children. Mrs DeLuca seems to be the only person who in any way views Millie as being a capable, gifted individual and upon her death, Millie feels a horrible sense of loss which ultimately leads her to begin dating a very unsuitable young man named Lennie, who never even completed high school and who is the eyes of her mother is a "bum" Needless to say, her mother's hostility just ended up pushing her even more into Lenny's arms and after the sudden death of her parents and a major meltdown, Millie finds herself pretty much forced into a marriage that she isn't really sure she wants. Meanwhile, Ruth and her husband Arthur, a military man, are transferred to Springfield Armory.

When Lenny disappears after failing to successfully enlist, Millie believes that he might in fact be dead. When Ruth invites Millie and her young son Michael to move in with them in Springfield, Millie feels she has little choice but to accept. This is where the bulk of the story is set.

The author did a good job of setting the time period - women are increasingly needed to work in the armoury doing the jobs that men once did. Millie is quickly hired to assemble triggers. The class system in the military plays a huge role in the story. Not only do Millie and Ruth have trouble relating to each other but there are those who feel Millie should not be allowed to live in the higher-up residence or associate with the officer's and their families. This even leads to accusations that Millie or one of her friends might be a spy!

There were lots of twists and turns in the story. Some I expected and some I didn't. It certainly kept me reading whenever I could find a few free minutes. I think this book could be a really interesting one for use in a book club for discussion. I believe that a lot of people would be able to identify with the self esteem issues that both the main characters experienced, and the secondary characters are also fascinating and worthy of discussion. If you are at all interested in what the war may have been like "back home" then this book is bound to be of interest to you. Enjoy!

This book was a captivating and satisfying historical fiction read. I especially enjoyed how the historical setting provided an appealing backdrop for the characters and their relationships. This was so well-written that the characters and the plot seemed completely natural to the time period while also being relevant now. The characters were truly the stars of this book. I also enjoyed getting a taste of life inside the Springfield Armory during the Second World War. I highly recommend this!

I liked this book! Like her prior book, The Two Family House, it is easy to read and I quickly became absorbed in the story and each character's lives. I'm trying to remember the last book I read that didn't switch between two time periods!! It almost seems like a plot requirement these days. This book made the switches very rapidly - often between short chapters - and also switched between characters for each chapter. At first I didn't enjoy all that back and forth but it was easy to keep up with both story lines so in the end it worked fine for me. I also enjoyed the chapters on the supporting characters. Learning their backgrounds was informative to who they were in the current story. Always interesting to learn about a time period and what was going on in one small place in the world during that time.

I loved, loved, LOVED The Wartime Sisters! Ms. Loigman's characters came to life on the pages. I felt what they felt, I grieved and laughed with them. It made me think of relationships in my own extended family, as well as among my friends. I think The Wartime Sisters would be a great book discussion selection. I also think it would make a good literature tie in to a US History course. This is a book I want/need to share with others.

Very well crafted with layers that you must unravel. This is a moving story of two sisters with unresolved issues.
Very insightful views that keep you thinking long after the story ends.

I'm so glad that I got the opportunity to read an advance copy of The Wartime Sisters. I had been meaning to read the author's first book, but hadn't gotten to it yet. After reading The Wartime Sisters, I will be sure to read The Two-Family House ASAP.
I enjoyed the book on many levels; I thought the author did a great job bringing the characters alive, and I learned a lot about the history of Springfield during the war. Being from Massachusetts, I was surprised that I was unaware of this history, and I hope to visit the area and learn more. The family relationships seemed very authentic, and I appreciated being able to see both sisters' points of view. I've observed similar family dynamics in people I know, and the book made me sympathetic to both parties. It's interesting to recognize that what happens in one's childhood home carries over into adult relationships.
I highly recommend the book and think it would be a great choice for book discussion groups.

I found this book painfully slow , predictable and not something I can recommend. I have read many books from this time period etc.. was just too slow and dragged out.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of The Wartime Sisters (from NetGalley). All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a very good novel! The emotions and motivations of the characters were so accurate and realistic!!! (They actually closely resemble a relationship in my life--so much so that I was feeling pretty guilty towards the end of the book...It was revealing to see the relationship from both sisters' points of view!). I also appreciated the historical value of the actual armory during WWII. A tapestry of the previously mentioned pieces while mixing in prejudices of foes and unconditional friendships weave this book into one very emotional, heartwarming story--made for a great read! This was the first novel I had read from this author. Thank you to Lynda Cohen Loigman and NetGalley!

The Wartime Sisters is a fascinating glimpse of life during World War II. A wonderful read from Lynda Cohen Loigman.

I couldn’t put this one down. I love this era and the story line kept my interest! I love the separate stories of all the characters. The story between Millie and Ruth was believable and very heart wrenching at times. Thank you NetGalley and to the publishers for a chance to read this wonderful story of family, love, drama and so much more!

I feel so fortunate to have read this book for NETGALLEY. This is a novel that is truly a treasure. It is the story of two very different sisters, Ruth and Millie. Their relationship has been fraught with hostility since their earliest childhood. They were thrown together by the destruction of Millie’s marriage and the climate of America at war.


The novel takes place at the Armory in Springfield, Massachusetts where Milllie flees to the home of her resentful and unwelcoming sister Ruth. Millie is assumed to be a war widow and gets a war job at the armory. Sadly, there are many secrets and the fate of her mysterious husband is one of them.
The author has carefully researched this setting, which makes the book more believable.

Despite the frosty relationship with her own sister, Millie is blessed by other “Wartime Sisters”. It is the commander’s wife, Lillian who sees the terrible sadness in Millie and takes her into her own family. Another sister is Arietta, the cafeteria worker with a golden voice and a golden heart.

This book fits all the pieces together seamlessly, with a beautiful and satisfying ending. I am still drying my tears as I write about this very special book. I can’t wait to share it with my book groups and women’s studies seminars. Loigman managed to create a rich novel with so much to think about, share and discuss.

THE WARTIME SISTERS is a totally engrossing story of two estranged sisters who work in an armory during WWII. Each has a deep secret. One is an officer’s wife, the other a war widow. Tensions grow between them until a mysterious figure returns, revealing long-buried truths. Shows the bravery of women toiling on the home front against the uncertain backdrop of war. From the author of Goodreads Choice Awards semifinalist The Two-Family House. Highly recommended!

Pub Date 22 Jan 2019

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are fully mine.

#TheWartimeSisters #NetGalley

Thank you to netgalley as well as the author/publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

I found this novel to be very humbling and emotional. Two sisters, each with different qualities. Ruth and Millie also have different lives now. One an officers wife the other a widow. Without the sisterly bond that most sisters have, jealousy and resentment becomes an issue. As adults a friendship is what each seek but neither knowing how to get to that point. Engrossing and gripping I found this hard to put Dow. I actually read it twice. The author has done a great job weaving the story and you feel as though you are a part of. It. I will be purchasing copies for family members because I truly love this book.


5++ ⭐️ out of 5

The Wartime Sisters is an engaging novel set during WWII that follows the complex relationship between two sisters.

The Kaplan sisters, Ruth and Millie, are only 3 years apart in age, but unfortunately never grew up with a strong sisterly bond. Ruth was known as “the smart one” while Millie was known as “the looker” and that ultimately was the crux of the matter. As they mature into adults and they become wives and mothers, their issues become more apparent especially when secrets from the past rise to the surface!

I love Lynda Cohen Loigman’s writing style! I thoroughly enjoyed The Two-Family House (if you haven’t read it, check it out), so I was excited to start The Wartime Sisters. From the moment I started I couldn’t get Millie and Ruth out of my head- when I was doing the household chores or out and about, I couldn’t wait to get back to this book! I was really intrigued by the complex and fragile relationship between the sisters and how that played a major part in the decisions they make throughout the years. Lynda Cohen Loigman did a fantastic job with time hopping through the novel to tell the sister’s journey. I also enjoyed the supporting characters and felt they added so much! The Wartime Sister is a 5 star read the I highly recommend. This book would make a great bookclub selection!

A heartfelt story of two sisters estranged from each other. Both have secrets that could destroy their fragile relationship. One sister is academic, rather stern and plan. The other sister is flighty, looking for love and beautiful. Each have their separate strengths. Finding a sisterly relationship is what each desire, but both are afraid.
These are outstanding characters. Wonderful storyline. Recommended!