4.5 / 5.0 stars

What a spectacular and exquisitely written story highlighting the valiant service of the British WRNS - Women's Royal Naval Service - through both World Wars. The story features two women, a generation apart, serving their country through war service permitted of women. Both women against their respective personal odds, seek to find their place and set their marks in the world.

1917 - Marion Hoxton, an orphan and near mute, ages out of the orphanage and is set to serve the WRNS as a typist. She is soon drawn to the call as a dispatch rider and finds herself training and dispatching carrier pigeons in France, just a few miles from the enemy lines.

1940 - Evelyn Fairchild, a young debutante born with a handicap, seeks to prove herself normal and capable. She is drawn to speed. After "acquiring" her friend's motorbike, she descends upon the WRNS and offers her services as a dispatch rider. First things first, she must prove physically and mentally worthy to serve. She has never backed down from a challenge and she sure won't be starting now.

Both women face tremendous odds, rise above the fray and serve bravely. They are valiant Wrens of a unique sisterhood representing all the brave women who served in the WRNS during both wars.

Although I have read references to the WRNS in other books, this story is delivered with a greater depth of understanding. The research which went into its writing is vast and voluminous. The writing is highly descriptive and evokes one's emotions through its delivery. The characters are well developed and relatable. It's a great story and I highly recommend it to fans of historical fiction.

I am grateful to author Jenni L Walsh and her publisher, Harper Muse, for having provided a complimentary copy of this book. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.

Fascinating learning about female Wren dispatch riders delivering messages during both WW1 and WW2 via motorcycle. I have read before about homing pigeons being used but not the motorcycle piece. So many lesser known roles of women in these wars. I’m so glad their stories are now being told.

There were parts of the story that were a little slow for me at times but overall I loved the parallel and intersecting pieces of Marion’s story and Evelyn’s as their lives and services play out in tandem during WW1 and the beginning of WW2, and then coming together.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are solely mine.

Another book about subject matter dealing with the World Wars about which I know nothing! Women played many important roles during these two wars. Bravo to the author for bringing this information to all of us.

Moving and captivating, The Call of the Wrens kept my eyes glued to the pages. I’ve read so many WWII novels and each one takes my breath away and The Call of the Wrens was no different. I loved learning about the Women’s Royal Naval Service and their part in both WWI and WWII. Though fictional, I loved the storyline of the two leading women and how it all comes together at the end. Also, a must for me with historical fiction novels is a good, detailed author’s note at the end that details how much of the story was fictional and what was true; Walsh checks that box too. For fans of the Nightingale or Rose Code, you will enjoy The Call of the Wrens.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Call of the Wrens if a fantastic historical fiction about a group of brave and determined women during the World Wars.

If you're not familiar with Walsh's writing, she is fantastic at writing a story that flows. She creates characters that and endearing and likeable. Ones you can glean strength and strong character from.
And The Call of the Wrens is no different!

I'm so glad I got to read about the Wrens, because theirs was a story I had never heard of!

This unforgettable novel gives readers a glimpse into the past lives of the WRENS, the Women's Royal Naval Service, who were actually motorcycle messengers during WWI and II. It's a part of history that was completely unknown to me until I read this fascinating tale told from two points of view, Marion and Evelyn. The Call of the Wrens has it all for historical fiction buffs, an epic war-torn timeline, stories of two strong women, female friendship, topped off by memorable, heart-wrenching, tear-jerking romantic scenes that will keep you turning that page until sadly, the book comes to an end.

For me, a book is good when I learn something new. The Call of the Wrens by Jenni Walsh did this. The Women's Royal Navy Service (WRENS) was a group of women during WW1 and WW2 who wanted to make a difference and feel accomplished. This story focuses on two motorcycle dispatch riders, and how their lives are forever intertwined by their choices. A unique and good story which brings new awareness to another group of unsung women who made a difference.

I really loved the twists and turns of this book! Showing how women were involved in both the First and Second World Wars, seeing the trauma it caused them, and how they dealt with and overcame it.

5 ⭐️

Both beautiful and heart-wrenching, The Call of the Wrens is a story that will stick with you for a long time. There are so many scenes that touched my heart and a few that had me close to tears. I’ve held a record of never crying while reading a book, but this book almost made me break that record. Marion and Eddie’s story—don’t even get me started, and then there’s Percy and Evelyn 😭🤍 I’m so grateful to have been allowed an eARC of this amazing book—and I can’t wait to purchase a physical copy when it releases.

(Content rating: 5 ⭐️ No language, sexual content, or inappropriate scenes/disturbing content)

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for an eARC of The Call of the Wrens. All opinions are expressly my own and in no way was I required to leave a positive review.

Thanks to HarperMuse and NetGalley for the free e-ark in exchange for an honest review.

This story spans both WWI and WWII, depicting the contribution of the WRENS - the Women's Royal Navel Service. I did not know the history of the WRENS, and the heroic efforts of the women who went to war as message couriers riding motorcycles and doing other jobs as needed. The grit of the characters, their depth and development really gave a lot to the overall book. I loved the adversity that the women had to overcome in their lives prior to signing up for the WRENS. Also there is a bit of romance and strong female friendships.

This is a wonderful story that I consumed in a couple of days! Highly recommend!!

I adored this book. Both timelines feature determined, endearing women and the elements of danger/adventure were perfectly pulse pounding! So grateful to have been an early reader.

The focus on the WRENS, combined with two love stories, would appeal to a wide audience of women. However, , i thought the writing was cumbersome and often simplistic. Insertion of expressions used in the 1940s seemed random and stilted.. Then there were phrases and figures of speech that were more contemporary. It took a long time to get to a climatic event ( the death of a main character)- and the description of this event was sketchy. i wanted to know more about what happened. The mother/daughter connection was pretty predictable.;it also didn’t feel realistic. In the final chapters, the prose turned into letters from one character to another, which was jarring.

This book will likely appeal to many female readers, It just was not for me.

Another good novel about WWII. I had never heard of the WRENS until this book. These women were brave and risked everything to help their country. The connection between Evelyn and Marion was a nice surprise.
I was also glad that the orphanages were not betrayed as horrible as I have read about in other books. They definitely weren't good but it was home.
This is the first book I have read by Jenni L. Walsh and I hope to read more.
Thank you to NetGalley!

This is just marvelous!

A perfect novel for fans of historical fiction! An entirely different point of view that newcomers to the historical fiction genre and even veterans would love and enjoy! I am so glad to have found this novel because it has strong women and the author outdone herself! This will certainly be added to my collection and be shared to others. Definitely deserving of a spotlight!

This book highlights WRENS—Women’s Royal Naval Service—in both WWI and WWII. Fearless ladies who ride motorcycles to deliver messages. The main story lines revolve around Marion and Evelyn.

Marion Hoxton is an almost-mute orphan who is forced to join the WRENS or be homeless in 1917. Her best friend Eddie insists on coming with her with disastrous consequences. Evelyn Fairchild was born with a club-foot and went through several surgeries until she was a teenager to correct it. Her parents want to treat her like she’s made of glass, but when she learns about the WRENS she knows she can be more than a debutante.

Walsh weaves an unforgettable tale with story threads from different times coming together for a powerful conclusion. It’s a beautiful and unforgettable book. I learned so much about a topic I was unfamiliar with prior to this book. The author has clearly researched the topic and incorporated that knowledge into the book to keep the plot moving forward. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in WWI and WWII history.

I received an e-arc of this book through Netgalley.
I read a lot of historical fiction so I have heard of the Wrens before, but this book did a nice job of showing more in-depth what these women experienced in some of the positions. Marion grew up in an orphanage and never really felt like she fit in until she became a wren. I really liked the timeline of the book and it was filled with adventure, some romance, and lots to keep me interested through to the end.

The Call of the Wrens is a beautiful tribute to courage, resilience, and strength. Told through the voices of Marion and Evelyn, this sweeping story spans two world wars. It is breathtaking and heartbreaking on every page.


The undertaking of telling these stories that were important in history while weaving compelling story of love, friendship, compassion and secrets is daunting for any author. Jenni Walsh handles it with lyrical prose, compelling characters, and a story that grips you from the first page.

There was never a moment that I was taken out of the story it was 💯 transporting in time and place.

The Call of the Wrens is a historical novel following timelines in WWI & WWII.

I loved following Marion and Evelyn thru war and was surprised how their lives ended up intertwining. Was not expecting that twist!

The Call of the Wrens was different then most historical fiction books I have read as it was about a part of the 2 World Wars I had never heard about. The Wrens (Womens Royal Naval Service) where women could volunteer and do jobs that men were unable to do due to having to be on the front lines. These women were amazing and also found themselves in harms way many times.

If you love historical fiction this book is a must read! I can’t wait to read more from Jenni!

3.5 stars
The Call of the Wrens by Jenni L. Walsh introduces readers to a world of brave women during World War II who rode motorcycles to deliver messages across and through enemy lines. Being an avid reader of World War II novels, I have never heard of motorcycle riders. Bicycle riders, yes, but not motorcycles. The first thirty percent of the novel was setting up understanding the two heroines and their lives before they are thrown in the dangers of the World Wars. At times, it seemed to be going nowhere. Walsh was leading up to the war, but it seemed a lot of time to spend in the backstory that could have been sprinkled later on in the actual story. Story felt realistic and unique, but it did drag for a while and not keep my attention for long. There was a romance in the past timeline, but I did not know if I liked it or not. Felt realistic enough to go with the story, but I did not care about their relationship at all. Walsh does a good job at crafting the novel. Her writing was nicely done, but I need more movement in my stories to capture my attention. Overall, The Call of the Wrens by Jenni L. Walsh was a unique and different storyline, but the plot needed more action.

I received a complimentary copy of The Call of the Wrens by Jenni L. Walsh from Harper Muse Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

A beautifully written story about the WRENS of WW1 and WW2 and the connection Marion and Evelyn discovered. I loved the way the story developed, describing the duties they each were assigned during each war, and the way their paths crossed and the connection that was found. A wonderful read during a horrid and cruel time in history . Tears were shed and my heart skipped a beat, but a story that was thoroughly enjoyed.