I gravitate towards War novels and was very excited to be approved to read this novel. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this opportunity.

Based on true events, this is a love story involving John and Gertrude, two young people from the working class, 'in service' to Sir Cuthbert Akroyd, working his estate. Akroyd's distant relative, a no-good vile drunk has his eye on Gertrude and when he attacks her, John and John's best friend come to her rescue, setting in motion a series of events where none of them will ever be the same again.

Set against the backdrop of the last gasp of the Edwardian era and taking us to the miserable trench war of World War I's France and Belgium, this novel explores love and loyalty in the face of unspeakable tragedy.

Overall, I enjoyed the novel. However, I did notice more than a couple of typographical errors, which interrupted the flow of my reading. Additionally, and a minor peeve, the novel kept referring to the two male characters by their first names and last names. The first couple of times I didn't pay much attention but after a while it started to get a little annoying.

A good read but for me too much telling as opposed to showing. This story is not only about love but also about a most loyal friendship which makes this novel worth reading. As to lunacy, yes there is quite a bit of that, but not in much depth which would have appealed to me more.
I received a digital ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This novel, based on true events is set during WWI, and not only tells of the atrocities of war, includes a beautiful love story, it also addresses the division between social classes of the era.
There are very descriptive vivid scenes of battle throughout the story, which really bring home to the reader a horrible reality of the brave soldiers of WWII, which they faced daily.
Also, the distinct line of division betweent he social classes is made very clear when Master Davey is simply sent away to the military and becomes a officer after the horrible things he did.
This book is unusual in that it is a novel of friendship, but also a tender, romantic love story set against a desolate background of war, and it is written by a man! Kudos to Mr. Handy for touching the emotional, feeling side of people and not being afraid to dive in and explore!
A beautifully written novel, I am sure many different readers will enjoy, so instead of saying I recommend it for historical fiction lovers or romance lovers, I recommend this one for anyone and everyone. I feel there is something here fo all. Excellent Book!!!
Thank you to Books Go Social and Net Galley for the free ARC, I am leaving my honest review in return.

A remarkable story of love, honour and sacrifice in the face of wickedness. Sometimes we tolerate the intolerable and come out stronger on the other side … Fascinating… A beautiful story that captures your attention and your heart from beginning to end.

'A remarkable story of love, honour and sacrifice in the face of wickedness.' is the first thing I read of the blurb for this book and it caught my attention. I also was drawn to the fact it is inspired by true events and this, to me, always brings a book to life. To think someone lived this life is always interesting.

This book is paced well and not too long so I was able to read it quite quickly. It is about the division of classes and how this affected relationships in this era. It is a love story, it is a war story, it is a life story.

An intense, sometimes harrowing story, but also intriguing and interesting. Well written and well thought out.

A great book.

I read so many reviews on this, and people seem to love this book. I wish I knew what I was missing..

Yes, this was well written, and I can see how people found it moving. But I was actually a little bored. And it read very moody like a gothic romance - but with darker material.

I think the story was really intense, but I never felt that emotional connection to the characters. And then the descriptions of war, and that ending.....

This book was actually depressing to me. It was well written, and a well told story, just not my cup of tea.

Thank you to the author, the publisher and #netgalley for the opportunity to review this book, which did not impact my review.

The setting was the first World War. It was a romance but written by a man, who went into a lot of details about the actual war events. Class divides before and during the war. Some issues were settled but I would have liked a happier ending.

I thought Loyalty and Lunacy a fabulous read. I loved it and it will be getting a very well deserved five plus stars.

This is my first time reading a book by this author. It's diffrent than J actually thought it would be. The writing is very precise and to the point. Friends Peter, John and Gertrude, along with John's adopted dad Mr. Perkins, work on the country estate of Sir Cuthbert Ackroyd. Dave oh I hate him he's a characters that doesn't sit right with he irks me.

A different kind of book that l usually read. I did enjoy it but at times some of the antics from one of the main characters l found quite upsetting. The details of the assault l did not enjoy but the friendship of the three was good. There was an unusual ending to the book but it was memorable to read.

Loyalty and Lunacy is a love story based on true events. Friends Peter, John and Gertrude, along with John's adopted dad Mr. Perkins, work on the country estate of Sir Cuthbert Ackroyd. Unfortunately, Master Davy Christian lusts after Gertrude and threatens the lives of her mother and the young friends.
The war finds Gertrude taking on extra chores at home and sends the menfolk to the front. Will anyone, including Gertrude and John's young love, survive?
This book is quite unusual. It's a love story but also focuses on friendship. The war violence is quite vivid, but the action did keep my attention. The ending was not what I expected, but I appreciated the epilogue and explanation of the story behind this novel. I'm eager to read more Richard D. Handy books. They're action-packed, flow well, vivid, and human.

What a beautifully written heart wrenching story. This one is set in the period of world war one and a lot of dialogue is given over to the details of war which I found so interesting although horrible. This author does a fabulous job of describing the atrocities of war and how horrible it really is for not only the solders but their family. This is not my usual genre but I am so glad I read this delightful book. I highly recommend it.
Thanks to Net Galley for allowing me to read this arc for my honest review.