As World War I rages on around her, Adele Savard risks her life daily as one of Canada's sister nurses, otherwise known as the "Bluebirds" from the color of their uniform gowns. When a young soldier gets brought into Adele's field hospital by his brother after an explosion in their tunnel, her once rigid rules about becoming too attached to those she cares for falter. Jerry Bailey quickly gets under Adele's skin once the two learn that they are from the same small part of Canada and when Jerry is finally sent back to the front the two both dream of running into one another again back in their hometown. Spanning more than a century the Bailey family story is uncovered when Matthew purchases the old family home and discovers some secrets literally buried in the walls. Reaching out to Cassie, a local historian, she helps unravel what became of the Bailey brothers upon their return from Europe. I love historical fiction for so many reasons and one of them is that the genre is so vast. Having not read much about Canadian contributions to WWI or the prohibition era I found "Bluebird" so interesting. The WWI POV was my favorite and I grew to be invested in them all. His Fic fans be sure to add this one to your TBR list. Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I adore Genevieve Graham’s writing. This book was fabulous, just like her others that I have read - though I will say The Forgotten Home Child is still my favourite. This was beautifully written, well researched, interesting, entertaining, fast paced. In terms of the dual timeline, you get very little of the present day, which I was not bothered by. I love learning things about Canadian history, and I love how her books are based on true things. I definitely teared up reading this, but unlike other historical fiction books set during war, her books leave me feeling... I don’t know. Hugged, rather than stabbed. Definitely recommend.

Bluebird

4.5/5 Stars

I just want to say thank you to Netgalley for the e-ARC of Bluebird in exchange for an honest review.

Bluebird is a dual timeline story between 1918 and current-day following the story of two relatives that are tied together while history is happening and while the other is trying to uncover it.

The book mostly takes place in the roaring twenties, with only a few chapters in the current day for almost what felt like a pallet cleanser. I personally am notorious for not liking dual timeline novels, but I felt like this one could in fact change my mind a little bit.

There was never a time when I thought I didn’t want to read either part of the story, I was always excited to read Adele’s story and also Cassie’s for the few chapters we were given. My biggest hate with dual timelines is that there is always an open storyline that seems to never close, there’s always a boring timeline and the timeline you really want to read. But with Bluebird, I wanted to read both, they both had me ensnared with their own little plots along with the overhanging plot that covered them both.

The ending of this book truly destroyed me, it was not at all something I was expecting despite being told via Cassie’s timeline to be aware of a major plot in Adele’s. But nothing, nothing prepared me for the rest of the story or how it concludes. I sat there after finishing it doing nothing, just staring at the book until I had to go to one of my friends and yell about it because of how everything ended.

Bluebird was a beautifully written, wonderfully researched novel that was a pleasant surprise and a lovely way to be introduced to Genevieve Graham as an author.

Thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Canada, I received the ARC of Bluebird by Genevieve Graham. This well researched historical novel captured the WWI battlefront of nursing care and the soldiers who were tunnelers, then their return home to Canada amidst the Roaring Twenties era and Prohibition. I learned so much about the Canadian front line nurses, the Bluebirds. The Canadian role in rumrunning was enlightening. I enjoyed the well developed characters in this story and the additional themes of sibling relationships,, women's roles, post war trauma and shell shock, and the impact of the Spanish Flu. Highly recommended for historical fiction fans!

This book was exactly what I was hoping for. Intriguing story, developed writing and engaging characters. Nothing less than I expected. I love picking up Graham's books and learning something new about Canadian history. I knew very little about the whiskey runners and prohibition. It was a different aspect of the war that made it unique and all it's own. I definitely wished for more of Adele and Jerry's story. I really loved them and how it all came together. I am not one to re-read, but I feel like Graham's stories are a likely possibility of a re-read for me.

Graham (At the Mountain’s Edge) provides an immersive look at the trench warfare of World War I and the dangers of bootlegging in post-war Canada. Adele Savard, a Canadian World War I nurse serving in Belgium, cares for Corporal Jerry Bailey after he is injured in an explosion while planting mines in a tunnel. Though the connection between them is intense, Jerry returns to battle and Adele carries on with her nursing duties, enduring the sparse living conditions and mud-filled fields. After returning home to Canada following the war, Adele is hopeful that she and Jerry will meet again as they had discovered that their hometowns were close to one another.

Adele resumes nursing again, determined to recover some of the purpose she discovered near the trenches. Jerry and his brother John survived the war but were devastated upon their homecoming after learning that some family members were not so fortunate.

Adele and Jerry meet again after she starts dating Ernie Willoughby, though she senses that something is off about Ernie and his possessiveness of her. Adele learns that Jerry and Ernie are bootlegging rivals and Ernie harbors blame against Jerry for the drowning death of his brother years before. But Ernie’s ruthlessness knows no bounds as he becomes determined to exact revenge against Jerry for taking Adele away from him and interfering in his whiskey business.

Fast forward to present-day Canada when assistant museum curator Cassie Simmons is contacted by a man renovating a home and finding whiskey bottles inside the walls. When he gives Cassie the address, she realizes it was the home where she grew up, the home that holds some devastating memories.

Graham expertly weaves the two storylines together, carefully adding historical facts into the narrative and instilling the characters with authenticity. Part love story, part mystery, this fast-paced novel will entice historical fiction fans.

Well research historical novel during the Great War and postwar Prohibition about a young nurse, a soldier, and a family secret that binds them together for generations. Brothers from Canada sign up and end up working as “Tunnelers”. Very dangerous work digging underground to lay explosives under the enemy. After an terrible accident Jerry ends up in a clearing unit and is cared for by Adele a nurse front Canada. Only the best are chosen to serve and they are called “Bluebirds” as they are dressed in Blue from head to toe. They forge an intense connection. When the war is over Prohibited is in full swing. The brothers use their father’s whiskey recipes and they are up to their necks in this dangerously profession. Will John and Adele meet again? You will need to read it to find out! Also enjoy learning how liquor was transported from Canada to the US. Fascinating.

Bluebird was an interesting, well-balanced glimpse of an era and subject I knew little little about. Set in The Great War, Bluebird follows the lives of Adele, a Canadian Nursing Sister and Jerry, a Canadian soldier, working as a tunneled. Adele nurses Jerry after a life-threatening injury, he returns to his war, she to hers, and of course the reader knows full well they’ll meet up again after. Which of course they do. The story of their romance is shaped by the era of prohibition and Jerry’s involvement in that world. While the romance segment of the story is strong, the history element is woven in deftly, adding additional interest to the story. The narrative is told in past and present voices, featuring Adele’s great-granddaughter as the present day perspective. The author included a fascinating afterward packed with historical references pertaining to the war, prohibition and the unique relationship between Canadian bootleggers and thirsty Americans across the border. As a huge history fan, I almost found the end-of-book notes more compelling than the fictional telling.

Between 4-5 stars for this one!!

Present day- Cassie Simmons loves a good historical mystery, as well as her own family history. When the two meet, she is ready for the ride. This book is set in two time periods, which I always enjoy. WWI and present day. Another interesting note, this is the second book this year that has dealt with the pandemic of 1918- so I feel I have learned a lot about that time period.

1918- Jerry is on the front lines, working as a tunneler (another thing I just learned about- fascinating and terrifying work!} When he is injured, he is sent to a medical facility (tents in the country) and is tended by a "Bluebird"- the nurses serving the wounded. I loved learning about Bluebirds. Had never heard of this before and I love the history behind it. It used to be nuns that would serve as nurses, but when the need was larger than available nuns, they recruited civilians to help. In order to keep things easy and possibly for safety reason, these nurses dressed like the nuns as well- in the blue cloaks. Adele is one of those volunteers, and when she is assigned to Jerry, they find an unlikely connection in hometown as well as an emotional connection. It was a joy to watch that connection grow. But when he is sent back to the front lines, there is little hope of seeing each other again. We are fortunate to watch the opposite happen back home.

I really enjoyed this story. It is clean, I learned a lot and it had a great ending. Would recommend this one!

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A very well written book! Finding the beer bottle in the wall was the start of a interesting story! I love how it went back in time to tell how the Bailey's Best was made and what became of them.

Moving back-and-forth between the last years of World War I and early 1920s to modern day Windsor area, this book explores life for nurses and soldiers during the war, touches on the Spanish flu epidemic in the aftermath, and does a decent job of conveying the frenetic energy of the early 1920s.

There’s a good bit of Prohibition history worked into the narrative, including the basic differences between US Prohibition and Canadian, especially Ontario's, liquor laws . I also appreciated the mention of how the War Amputees Association got started.

The modern story takes a while to pick up suspense, but with the point of view character working in a local history museum, it adds some interesting details about how old artifacts, and especially paper ones, are handled to preserve information about where they came from and how they ended up where they were found.

The writing is confident, the characters interesting and suitable for their roles. Jerry, as the soldier turned bootlegger, has a good heart and a good mind, and I found myself rooting for him and Adele, his Bluebird/nursing sister, all the way through. There was lots of potential for suspense and dark, seedy underbellies of Prohibition, but every incident was tidied up and prettied up, with the result that most of the suspense oozed away every time it seemed to be jacking up.

I'd give this three stars out of five, as it wasn't an unpleasant read and did a decent job of introducing Prohibition history to readers unfamiliar with the era.

#Bluebird #Netgalley #Prohibition #Windsor #Detroit #DetroitRiver

Local historian Cassie Simmons finds herself caught up in the mystery of some old, unopened whisky bottles found hidden in the wall of her former family home. As the story unfolds, readers are transported back in time to World War 1 when Cassie’s great grandparents met in a casualty clearing station in France. Who is behind the hidden stash of bottles, and will the handsome new owner who is renovating the house become something more than just a friend? The author weaves a masterful tale of danger, love, and sacrifice during the time of bootleggers and speakeasies that will keep the pages turning.

Bluebird by Genevieve Graham is a look at life during the Great War and the roaring twenties that followed as people tried to figure out what was next. Adelle works as a nurse in Belgium during the war when she meets Jerry, a tunneller who sustains facial injuries. Though she tells herself not to get too attached to her patients, she can't help it with Jerry. They just seem to gravitate towards each other. When Jerry returns to the battle lines, she hopes to some day see him again, as they are from near the same area. The war ends and they both return home, but three long years pass before they find each other. But the world is not always a friendly place. As prohibition continues, rum running and illegal speakeasies populate the area, causing danger when one isn't careful. Discover love and hope along with Adelle and Jerry as they try to make their way through it all
Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Historical fiction author Genevieve Graham has once again given us a wonderful fictional story based on Canadian history!
Set during the Great War and postwar Prohibition this is the story of a young nurse, a tunnel digger (soldier) and a family secret that binds them together for generations to come.
Genevieve Graham has stated "My goal, my passion, is to breathe life back into Canadian history"!
And she certainly did that with this unforgettable novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

What can I say about one of my ABSOLUTE FAV AUTHORS? Except that Genevieve has done it again and written an incredible Canadian-based Historical Fiction story with always a happily ever after that leaves you swooning.

Want to know about Canadian "Bluebirds" that assisted in the war? Or how about Prohibition during those times that existed in Canada? How about the WarAmps and how they began? Add in a love story, some family secrets and you've got an amazingly woven story about love, loss, secrecy and so much strength.

It hits you in the heart and gives you all the feels.

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Genevieve Graham and Simon & Schuster Canada for providing me with an eARC of this publication which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

4.5 Stars

I do love a historical fiction novel that has different POV chapters and different timelines that sets up and solves a mystery. Cassie is in today’s time as a museum curator that discovers a secret stash of Prohibition-era whisky labeled Bailey Brothers’ Best inside the wall of the house she grew up in (discovered by the handsome new owner). We then go back to WWI in 1918 and meet Jerry & John Bailey, and Adele the nurse who takes care of Jerry in a Belgium field hospital where feelings spark between them, as they discover they are from the same hometown. But when Jerry is well enough to get sent back to fight they are separated and each one comes home to Windsor, Ontario wondering about the other.

The POV chapters are from Cassie, Jerry & Adele and tell a rich, suspenseful story which became a complete page turner for me. The story is based on actual real events and the author has extensive notes about the history and inspirations in the back. I was picturing the uniformed men and war images from the movie 1917 during those scenes, as well as images from Peaky Blinders which was apparently also an inspiration for Tommy’s PTSD.

I loved Adele’s agency and desire to work as a nurse during a time when a woman had few choices but to get married and have children. I was also very invested in the love story between Adele and Jerry, and the relationship between the brothers was also so special. The resilience they all showed post WWI was inspiring. There’s a family tree graphic in the back which I stared at for a while (I love books with extra infographics!) I love genealogy and it was cool to see how everyone was tied to each other.

If you like historical fiction, this book would make a great beach read for the summer!

**Thanks to NetGalley / Simon & Schuster for the ARC**

Genevieve Graham quickly became a favourite author of mine, after only reading 2 of her novels, because she taught me so much about Canadian history I had never learned. Once again, with Bluebird, she takes us on a journey through Canadian history, but adds in a beautiful story to make it interesting.

As a disclaimer to this review, I will admit that for a brief minute I was horrified that I wasn't going to enjoy this book and would abandon it, simply because I really don't care a whole lot about whiskey or prohibition. In saying that, by the end of the book, I had discovered a small inkling of interest in both of those topics and I'm SO glad I finished the book. What a gorgeous story, with incredible characters that really get into your heart. I loved both Jerry and Adele's journeys - also I will admit that I was a little let down with Cassie's chapters and the present day, however I did enjoy learning about the connections and seeing how it all played out.

I simply love the Canadian history brought to life through fiction. I love the research and the information Genevieve puts into her work and I truly can't wait for more, and to read her entire backlist... whenever I find the time!

Always a favorite ! I have to say I think Graham might be one of the absolute best in the historical fiction genre. A Must buy / at the very least borrow and read with every one of her books !

A brave female heroine, wartime (WWI) struggles, AND some dangerous prohibition era boot-legging? Yes please!

The story begins in modern day when a museum curator is made aware of a cache of prohibition-era whiskey found in the walls of a very old home in Windsor, Ontario. And so we’re taken back to 1918 Belgium…

It’s WWI, and two Canadians from nearby hometowns are brought together by happenstance and begin to form a strong connection: Jerry, a tunneler for the Canadian army and Adele, a nurse who bravely volunteered to go overseas and help fight the war in her own way.

The two lose touch after Jerry returns back to the warfront, and they return home separately to Windsor. Upon returning, both of them find a much different home than they left. It’s the the start of the roaring 20s and prohibition is alive and well, making way for organized crime as well as lucrative business opportunities.

When Jerry and Adele reunite years later, Jerry is in the throes of running a boot-legging business with his brother, and Adele is working as a nurse, though she’s had plenty of exposure to the risks of the Jerry’s business, having had to patch up men injured from the dangerous line of work.

This is the first book I’ve read that focused on Canada’s part in the war as well as their part in boot-legging during prohibition, so I really enjoyed the new perspective on these two significant, historial events. It also reminded me of my love for prohibition-era stories.

I think the story could have either done without the modern day curator’s piece sprinkled in, OR it should have incorporated more of that story into the book. It just felt a bit forced, especially at the end of the book.

However, that’s a small critique to an otherwise great story. This was my first book by Graham, but it won’t be my last. I think historical fiction lovers will really enjoy this book and its characters.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really like historical fiction and this was a wonderful story and my first by Genevieve Graham. It was also a great introduction to WWI from the viewpoints of a Canadian nurse and soldier. It covered the time period of Prohibition after the war. as well. The characters were well developed and the story interesting from beginning to end. I look forward to reading more from this author. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.