Set in 1918, towards the end of "the war to end all wars" the story tells of the trials and tribulations of 21 year old Emily Bryce. She has been kept close at home by her parents who are still grieving the loss of their son, Emily's brother Freddie. The moment she comes of age Emily leaves her home, becomes engaged to an Australian fighter pilot and joins the Land Army. All very brave moves! Of course things do not turn out the way she hopes, but Emily ends up making life long friends and finding her own path.

This is a very entertaining book featuring a number of engaging characters and a good story. It never reaches any great depths but does give a fair representation of what the people who stayed at home went through during the First War. Set in a rural area, the characters in this book do not endure bombs, but they do live through the deprivations of war and also the huge losses of young men who went away and never came back. All of them were of course brothers, sons, husbands and sweethearts of the women who were left behind to try and keep the country going as best they could.

An enjoyable read with plenty of historical fact mixed in with the fiction. Recommended if this is your genre.

Since discovering Rhys Bowen's cozy mystery series Her Royal Spyness, I've been trying to read all her other books. Last winter, I read my first stand-alone novel by her, The Tuscan Child and loved it. So when I saw The Victory Garden on Netgalley, I knew I had to read.

This might be my most anticipated read of 2019 and I was not disappointed. I would have read it in one day had I not had plans on Saturday.

The Victory Garden started out a typical war story but comes to be so much more than that by the end. Emily is from an upper-middle-class family whose mother wants her to her to marry a titled gentleman. They have already lost her brother and so her parents have tightened the reigns on her independence. However, it is 1918 and the world is changing. Emily, who was privileged enough to attend school is saddened by the loss of balls and society parties caused by the war, but at the same time, she wants to be useful and make a difference in the war efforts. She also doesn't share her mother's desire for a titled position.

As this story is set in England during the final months at WWI, it is about more than the war. It about love and loss, family, changing times, and finding oneself.

I'm a huge fan of Downton Abbey and Emily reminded me of Lady Sybil in her desire for independence. And Lady Charlton had the sharp tongue of the Dowager Countess. The same mingling of classes, women volunteering for dangerous and dirty jobs once filled by men, and the general spirit of a nation at war that we saw during season two of Downton Abbey are found between the pages of Bowen's latest novel.

I loved seeing what the homefront was like for these women. The characters of The Victory Garden come from all walks of life. After a failed attempt to become a nurse like her best friend, Emily joins the Women's Land Army. These women work the farms in the local area of Devon. A few of the women she works alongside have come from their family farms, have spent time in service or worked in factories. Some have lost their husbands in the war and now must fend for themselves. Emily is probably from the highest societal ranks, and they don't understand why she didn't take an office job or another sort of position much more suited to her station. While they are from different backgrounds. All the women see this as an opportunity to improve their lot in life.

I loved all the characters. Bowen made them all feel so real, even the marginal characters that less talented authors use to just fill space felt unique in The Victory Garden. Bowen is a fantastic storyteller. She weaves a tale so superbly that the reader falls in love with the characters and are compelled to keep turning the pages to see how life turns out for them.

The Victory Garden is a must read for fans of Rhys Bowen and anyone who loves charming coming-of-age stories.

Historic Victory. Excellent historical fiction story that really brings its world to life. Feels like a shorter version of Tess of the D'Urbervilles or Gone With the Wind, both of which had similar story arcs and overall tones to their tales of women who learn their strength by having it repeatedly tested. Though it ends on a more hopeful note than I remember (two decades after last reading them) those two ending on. The fact alone that this book can even be mentioned alongside those so highly revered books tells you just how good it truly is.

WWI is raging across Europe and Emily Bryce is nearing her 21st birthday. She is living in the lap of luxury. Her older brother has been killed and her parents seem incapable of recovering from his death. Emily wants to be of service to her country, but her parents, particularly her mother, seldom lets her out of her sight. Emily is bored to tears and cannot wait to be 21 so she can do as she wishes. While visiting a convalescent hospital, she meets an Aussie RAF pilot who survived the crash of his plane and who is unlike anyone she’s ever met before. Emily becomes a land girl after being rejected as a volunteer at the hospital her Aussie has been posted to. While she could have gotten a cushy job at her father’s law firm, she declines the offer to be a land girl and meets several other women, none of whom come a privileged background. While she’s working on the Devonshire estate, she finds a journal from a medicinal herbalist and her life changes.

I loved this book from page one. It is well written and the characters well drawn, especially Emily. Bowen’s descriptions are rich in detail, from the drawing room of her parents’ home to fields of Devonshire. She even throws in some humor as when Emily and her fellow Land Girls change from their every-day clothes to the uniforms provided by the government and they find a certain freedom in discarding their corsets.

If you love historical fiction with a bit of romance and mystery coupled with the indomitable spirit of women, you’re going to love this book.

I stopped reading the review pitch once I saw ‘WWI’ in the description, which was basically the first line in the summary. I have read a lot of stand alone novels by Bowen and have been impressed with her writing and historical research.

Her stand alone books have mostly been set in WWII, but WWI is truly my favorite period in historical fiction, so seeing that this book was set during that time earned this book and instant and enthusiastic, ‘yes’ from me.

I have consistently enjoyed reading Bowen’s books, whether they are one of her historical mysteries or her stand alone novels. She as an incredible gift for writing vastly different content and managing to keep all of her heroines fresh and interesting.

Summary

As the Great War continues to take its toll, headstrong twenty-one-year-old Emily Bryce is determined to contribute to the war effort. She is convinced by a cheeky and handsome Australian pilot that she can do more, and it is not long before she falls in love with him and accepts his proposal of marriage.

When he is sent back to the front, Emily volunteers as a “land girl,” tending to the neglected grounds of a large Devonshire estate. It’s here that Emily discovers the long-forgotten journals of a medicine woman who devoted her life to her herbal garden. The journals inspire Emily, and in the wake of devastating news, they are her saving grace. Emily’s lover has not only died a hero but has left her terrified—and with child. Since no one knows that Emily was never married, she adopts the charade of a war widow.

As Emily learns more about the volatile power of healing with herbs, the found journals will bring her to the brink of disaster, but may open a path to her destiny (summary from Goodreads).

Review

This novel started toward the end of the war rather than the beginning which caught me off guard. So many writers tend to start at the beginning of the war and pace their story in time with the war. While it caught me off guard, it was nice to not relive the entire war beginning to end. This allowed the audience to focus mostly on Emily’s story rather than getting carried away in the vastness of the period. I know when I read a WWI novel I inevitably end up down a rabbit hole researching the war, and with this book picking up with the war already established, help keep me on track with the characters and story.

I was most intrigued by the ‘land girls’ angle. That was one aspect that I wasn’t familiar with and was eager to learn more about. It provided a new historical interest for me and I was eager to continue reading about it. I enjoyed Emily’s character and the romantic bits with Robbie, but the story over all lacked the heavy hitting emotional impact that I was expecting in a book with this setting and content.

It was a pleasure to read and I eagerly picked up this book whenever the opportunity arose, but I just didn’t feel like it reached above and beyond the average novel of the same period. In some ways I was grateful for that. I wasn’t in the mood for an overly heavy, emotional novel, but at the same time I almost expect to be taken on a roller coaster of emotions.

In the end, Bowen’s writing and experience writing believable stories with memorable characters and romance mixed in, made me give this book a solid four stars. What can I say, I’m a sucker for the WWI era and all the romantic drama one expects from books in this period!

Book Info and Rating

Kindle Edition, 347 pages
Expected publication: February 12th 2019 by Lake Union Publishing
ASIN B07FDDPFPN
Free review copy provided by Lake Union Publishing in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.
Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Historical fiction, WWI

I love a solid historical fiction and this one is. Set during World War I, Emily Bryce is turning 21 and is ready to be a part of the efforts of the war despite what her parents want her to do - find a suitable boy and marry him! She goes against her parents wishes and enlists to be a land girl where she helps out on farms where the men have gone off to war.

I love it when I read a historical fiction book set in a time and a place that I have read about before but takes a unique viewpoint and makes me think about the time and place in a whole new way. I didn't know anything about the land girl program before this book and didn't even think about how the farmers survived while their sons and even the husbands went far to fight the war. I know I have said it before but I love it when I learn something when reading a historical fiction but it isn't obvious until I am done reading the story!

Before reading this book I was a Rhys Bowen fan and I will continue to be after reading this one. There are a few times when I wouldn't mind a sequel to see where these characters are a few years after I close their story and this was one of them! I wouldn't mind checking back in on Emily Bryce a few years from now and see where she is and what is going on with her a few years after this story concluded.

Rhys Bowen has written a lovely standalone piece of historical fiction set during the last months of World War I. I spent a wonderful afternoon immersed in her story and living with her characters. My favorite wasn't Emily, as might be expected, but the octogenarian Lady Charlton, who is a mass of contradictions and more than capable of surprising all those around her. However, there are enough characters in the book for readers to each have their favorite.

Over many years of reading, I have found that I don't care much for static characters and complete predictability in my series fiction, but I don't mind it at all when I read a standalone novel. There's really nothing new under the sun in The Victory Garden. I knew what was going to happen before it did, and there was only one bit of shocking news. But I didn't care. It is very enjoyable to read a story in which good things eventually happen to good people who have faced great adversity. Sometimes your heart needs to be fed more than your mind, and The Victory Garden is a satisfying main course.

Set during WWI but not really a WWI story, this is the tale of Emily, who fell in love with Robbie, became pregnant, and found herself alone- but not alone because she's part of a community of women. Bowen has a nice touch with this light (despite the really serious concerns) historical fiction. Emily's work with the Land Girls, her discovery of an old trunk with journals dating to the 1850s, and her relationship with her parents (boo hiss to them!) all add to basic plot line. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. It's well written and enjoyable reading.

I enjoyed learning more about the work of the Land Girls during the final years of WWII in England. This was a pleasant story, with likable friendships among the women. I would have liked more depth in the main characters. The story never really caught fire for me.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Victory Garden provides a fascinating and compelling look at life on the home front in England during World War I. The story really feels like three separate vignettes examining various aspects of it, all told through the eyes of Emily Bryce -- a girl whose desire to contribute to the war effort clashes with her upper class family's ideas of proper behavior. The writing has an almost dreamlike quality to it, weaving its way through Emily's romance with a convalescing Australian pilot, through her time as a land girl, and later as she settles in a small village with a dark history. The inescapable darkness and horrors of the war follow her through each stage, along with several other threats posed by superstitious and vindictive gossips, but the book at its heart is a testament to the power of endurance and strength of community.

Thank you to Lake Union and Netgalley for providing an ARC for review!

I enjoyed reading this book. It was a little different than most about the Great War. The ones I’ve read before are mostly dark and even somewhat depressing. This one does tell of the hardships of war and certainly doesn’t glamorize it at all. But it tells of the “Land Girls “ and how a group of them, as miss-matched as they were became best friends. Emily is more or less the heroine of the story. She has lived a privileged life. Her older brother volunteered for the war right after it started and was killed after only a couple of weeks. Her parents became more overprotective and when she wanted to volunteer to help in some capacity threatened to disown her. But Emily meets a young man from the convalescent home next to her parents home and then volunteering she does. It’s an interesting story and the characters are interesting. I would recommend this book to family and friends. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy for my honest review.

Rhys Bowen specializes in historical fiction with a heavy side of romance. This time, she turns her attention to the last year of WWI. Emily is a young lady of means, at a loss of purpose when she meets a young Australian flyer recuperating at the hospital next to her home and they quickly fall in love. Once she turns 21, she signs up to be a land girl, much to the consternation of her parents. It doesn’t take long for her to end up engaged, pregnant and her fiancé dead.

This book is heavy on romance and drama, light on historical issues. Don’t expect to learn anything about England during WWI. In fact, anyone expecting historical fiction, steer clear. I found the story formulaic, but I did enjoy Emily and the other characters. This is a sweet novel and it is enjoyable as long as you aren’t looking for anything deep.

This is the third Bowen novel I’ve read. I enjoyed In Farleigh Field but barely tolerated The Tuscan Child. I’m coming to the conclusion I’m probably not the intended audience for Bowen.

My thanks to netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for an advance copy of this book.

The Victory Garden by Rhys Bowen
I have read several of Rhys’s books and have enjoyed all of them, this one is another really good read. I will not go back over the description of what happens, what I will go over is why it was so enjoyable. I love historical fiction and had heard of Land Girls during the war, but I was not sure of what they did. The research covering this was excellent. Ms. Bowen has a true knack for describing scenery and situations, I could envision the onion fields, potato patches, the cottage and the blizzard. I came to really care about Emily, Robbie, Alice, and the rest of the characters, it felt like I was right there with them in the village drinking at the public house or the hospital with the soldiers.
This one grabbed me in the first chapter and I would hurry back to learn where it was going, completely believable, all of it. I highly recommend.
I was given an advanced copy from Lake Union Publishing through Net Galley for my honest review, this one is a high 5****’s. Excellent read, highly recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC ecopy for my Kindle.
Historical fiction about WWI and the role women played on the home front in England along with a little romance made the book an interesting read.
Emily is a privileged, young lady who lives with her parents on a country estate. Her brother was killed in the war, and her parents are even stricter with her after his death. Shortly before her 21st birthday, she meets an Australian fighter pilot who is recovering from wounds suffered when he was shot down by an enemy plane. Inviting him and his friends to her 21st birthday party and falling in love with him only makes her more determine to break all strings with her parents and do something worth while for the war effort. Her parents object to the pilot even though he's a fighter for England, but they don't object to her doing something for the war effort. They want her to have an office job, but she becomes a land worker. Disappointed in her choices, her parents tell her she is an embarrassment to their family and that she's no longer welcome in their home.
Emily's story continues with success and heartbreak, but overall, it's a good story of women's roles in WWI. The only part I didn't like was the ending, it seemed rushed and unsettled.

My first novel by Rhys Bowen and I loved it! Set during the Great War in 1918, Bowen gives a fictional account of what hardships and sacrifice many went through during the war.

Emily, the main character is portrayed as a strong, independent woman who is not afraid to follow her own path in life. Emily cultivates the friendship of many diverse women and makes somewhat of a family out of those who have no one else.

Although many in the story have suffered loss, this is not a sad, depressing tale, but one of hope and resilience. Many have heard the phrase “it takes a village” and this was certainly the example throughout the book.

I loved the descriptions of the English countryside, villages and especially the little cottage where Emily created a temporary home. For readers who like historical fiction and clean reading without disturbing war descriptions, this is an excellent choice to read.

I have two other novels by Rhys Bowen on my reading list, so I will certainly look forward to reading those in the near future.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for allowing me to read an advance copy and give my honest review.

The Victory Garden is yet another wonderful historical fiction novel from Rhys Bowen. It will appeal to fans of Land Girls as it follows Emily Bryce joining the Women's Land Army to assist in the war effort against the wishes of her parents.

After falling in love with a pilot, Emily knows it is time to start living her life apart from the fears of her parents. Though her choices do not turn out like she expected, and she finds herself alone and with child, Emily decides that life must go on. She owes it to the man she fell in love with to survive and create a life for herself and their unborn child. Emily's journey is inspiring and touched by a little mystery. She meets people who influence her actions and support her decisions, but ultimately help her transition into a thriving independent life.

I loved how Rhys Bowen captured Emily's voice as she stands against her parents to fulfill what she believes is a higher calling. I felt invigorated as she fought to make her own way and saddened by her loss. The Victory Garden is one of those stories that stay with you long after reading because you wonder how the characters fare until the end of their days. The loss of their unique voices and compelling stories lingers long after the end of the story. If you enjoyed Bowen's previous works, In Farleigh Field in particular, then you will no doubt enjoy The Victory Garden!
*ARC provided in consideration for review*

The Victory Garden by Rhys Bowen
Source: NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing
My Rating: My Rating: 4½/5 stars

As every avid reader knows, there are characters you simply adore from the minute they make their appearance in a book. For me, Emily Bryce is that character and I devoured her story in a single day.

At the tender age of twenty-one, Emily makes the bold and brave decision to defy her wealthy parents, leave the comfort of her posh country home for a life devoted to helping others. As the Great War rages on, Emily longs to do her part for the war effort, to help those in need, and to ease the suffering of others. While Emily is determined to make her own way and marry the man she loves, an Australian fighter pilot, her parents are determined to keep her at home or cut her off completely. The depth of Emily’s devotion to her calling and her love are such that she willingly walks away from her safe and cozy life and walks right into the world of back-breaking labor, harsh conditions, and a heartbreak she never imagined possible.

As a land girl, Emily learns the ins and outs of life on a farm and with her fellow land girls helps keep the community fed through their efforts. The work is hard, the hours are long, but the skills are invaluable and will serve Emily for the rest of her life. As it happens, Emily’s newfound skills take her into the home and employee of the most irascible Lady Charlton who not only takes Emily in, but helps her heal from the broken heart she has most recently suffered. What’s more, Emily isn’t the only land girl to come to Lady Charlton’s quaint little village; with two of her best friends alongside her, Emily quickly becomes a part of the community and finds a family she never expected to have.

The life Emily is carving out for herself isn’t at all easy, but it is hers and she’s proud of her confidence, her growing skills, and her ability to stand on her own two feet. Unfortunately, not everyone is pleased with Emily’s presence and just as she’s becoming comfortable in her new world, it is once again upended and threatened. With nothing to do but turn to her friends, Emily makes the best of yet another awful situation and prays she’ll come out standing on the other side.

The Bottom Line: I simply couldn’t put this book down and read it cover to cover in a single day! Emily Bryce is no simpering, spoiled brat with an attitude of entitlement, but a young woman who knows her mind, her heart, and her soul and is willing to stand and fight for all. I rather admired Emily and her determination and that admiration only grew as her story unfolded. From the moment she left the comfort of her family home, Emily faced tremendous heartbreak (more than once!), conditions quite unfamiliar to her based on her station in life, and a whole host of people she would have never been permitted to associate with in her former life. With kindness, compassion, and shear determination, Emily proves herself at every level and earns the friendship and respect of the women she serves with and alongside. While the first part of Emily’s story is certainly interesting, I found her time at the Charlton estate to be fascinating. Despite all she has suffered, Emily blossoms at the Charlton estate and finds herself and her place in the world. Her evolution is swift, but it is completely realistic and born out of necessity. Another aspect of this read I very much appreciated is the system that builds up around Emily; she and the other land girls are friends, confidantes, and trusted companions no matter the circumstances. What’s more, this small group of women open their circle to include the other women of the community who, like them have given so much to the war effort. At every level, this is a wonderfully written book that tells the story of fictional characters most assuredly based on real people. I found everything about this book interesting and though it is sad for much of the read, there are moments of pure joy that carry you through the sadness. Just as moments of pure joy most assuredly carried the women in Emily’s world through their own moments of sadness.

I expected more from The Victory Garden. I heard a lot about this book before I read it. I tried several times, but unfortunately, I couldn't get interested in the story. It didn't hold my interest at all. I skimmed through. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

The Victory Garden by Rhys Bowen explores the upheaval of World War 1 and the far flung impact on the people in England. Hardly one family was left untouched by loss, and if not loss - men who return who are deeply scarred by the experience.  Class barriers begin to tone down, women take on new roles - and The Victory Garden gave me the reader a taste of that.

Emily - the main character was someone I came to really like and admire. She is a middle class woman with a Judge as a father. Her mother is very cognisant of class and was rather a sad case to behold. Because they had lost their son in the first year of the war they kept a tight hold on Emily and would not allow her to help out in the war effort. And the question of them is - when the chips are down "Does family matter?"

When Emily turns twenty one though all that changes and she sets off to become a land girl. The work is hard, but she is willing to give it a go and in doing so forms meaningful relationships with women of lower class and means.

The story moves along at a good pace and I found myself picking up the book happily at any chance I had. I loved the journey Emily had to take to find herself and her place among community. And she is supported by a very likeable group of people. I don't want to give away all that happens to her so no more.

If you enjoy books about the English countryside, people banding together in hard times and a heroine who 'comes of age' then I think you'd enjoy this.

This book by Rhys Bowen is what I would maybe describe as WWII chick lit. The book focuses on female relationships and hardships throughout the war, but unlike other similar books it is not about the bombings of London or the actual fighting. As an American I think of it as the Rosie the Riviters of the English countryside. It had a hint of gothic and mystery without feeling forced or overworked. Overall I enjoyed it!