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3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
This is a beautifully written book about finding hope in the darkness of war. Three women from different places trying to find their way during World War I. As they face the horrors of war they find love and when it is threatened they find the strength to have hope. Tying the stories together is a beautiful Liberty of London scarf with the Emily Dickenson quote "Hope is the thing with feathers" embroidered into it. The characters and their stories were compelling and I did not want to stop reading until I knew the outcome. The individual stories have their own parts and I like the way all the stories are tied together in the epilogue. I highly recommend this book for readers that enjoy historical fiction about strong women.
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
For this review and more, visit www.bargain-sleuth.com
Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the digital copy of this audiobook; I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The Liberty Scarf is three stories in one that are interrelated. Written by three different authors, this book explores the life of three women towards the end of World War One, who are all connected by the same Liberty of London scarf. There’s Iris, the scarf maker, Genevieve, a telephone operator who enlists in the US Army Signal Corps, and Clara, a nurse in Belgium.
While I did enjoy all three of the stories, it is Genevieve’s that shines. She’s a French-Canadian immigrant living in America, whose boyfriend has tried to erase all parts of her “otherness” because the community they’re in isn’t friendly to Canadians. Because she’s bi-lingual, she becomes a telephone operator who meets a French pilot on her way to her assignment who makes her question her relationship with her boyfriend.
Iris and Clara’s stories were good, too. I did think that the ending, with the three women meeting after the end of the war, was nicely done, and wrapped up the story well. I liked the narrators: Ann Marie Gideon, Gary Furlong, Caroline Hewitt, and lastly, Saskia Maarleveld, who has become one of my favorites to listen to. I would give this book four out of five stars.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the digital copy of this audiobook; I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The Liberty Scarf is three stories in one that are interrelated. Written by three different authors, this book explores the life of three women towards the end of World War One, who are all connected by the same Liberty of London scarf. There’s Iris, the scarf maker, Genevieve, a telephone operator who enlists in the US Army Signal Corps, and Clara, a nurse in Belgium.
While I did enjoy all three of the stories, it is Genevieve’s that shines. She’s a French-Canadian immigrant living in America, whose boyfriend has tried to erase all parts of her “otherness” because the community they’re in isn’t friendly to Canadians. Because she’s bi-lingual, she becomes a telephone operator who meets a French pilot on her way to her assignment who makes her question her relationship with her boyfriend.
Iris and Clara’s stories were good, too. I did think that the ending, with the three women meeting after the end of the war, was nicely done, and wrapped up the story well. I liked the narrators: Ann Marie Gideon, Gary Furlong, Caroline Hewitt, and lastly, Saskia Maarleveld, who has become one of my favorites to listen to. I would give this book four out of five stars.
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
hopeful
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I really enjoy how these three stories are all different yet connected together. Iris just wants her sketches and ability to be recognized. The Great War has really taken a lot out of people, and they need hope for the future and life after the war. She finds inspiration for a new design after an unexpected friendship forms. Geneviève does all she can helping her family by enlisting in the US Army Signal Corps, so when she is offered an opportunity to deploy to France she struggles with leaving her family, but knows this is also an opportunity she cannot pass up. She has proven her bilingual skills, quickness and ability to follow direction and it has paid off. An encounter with a French Captain makes her feel seen again. She feels comfortable around him and a few letters back and forth with a friend is innocent, they are in the midst of war after all! When he leaves a parting gift of a beautiful scarf she had been eyeing, she can hardly find the words of thanks for what this mean to her. Clara has become a nurse and although she doesn't always seem to use traditional means, her skills have seemed to have helped many who've come through. When a violinist comes through, Clara feels a longing to be near him and help in any way she can. Taking care of his violin, she visits daily and often spins stories not knowing if he can hear her. As he heals and is getting ready to move on, the two realize what has developed between them. But war needs him and once again a scarf will keep hope alive. Loved the epilogue and how these three stories connected. Thank you to the authors for the complementary novel and to Austenprose PR for the tour invite. This review is of my own opinion and accord.
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, War
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The Liberty Scarf is a beautifully written collection I absolutely loved! Through these three novellas, an elegantly designed Liberty scarf weaves its way into each story as three women survive the turbulent times of WWI. Letters, sweet romance, & hope find their way into each woman’s life whether she’s on the front lines or waiting anxiously back home.
London: Scarf maker Iris Braxton spends her days copying other people’s patterns into the scarves she creates. She dreams one day of seeing one of her designs produced on a Liberty scarf. When she meets the handsome, wounded Capt. Rex Conrad on temporary leave, he tries everything to get her to dance with him to win a bet. She finally agrees if he’ll show her designs to Mr. Liberty. Their fast friendship grows to more until the war calls again. I loved the delightful banter, Rex’s uncle’s estate, & the sweet romance as Rex tries to win Iris’ heart. I also enjoyed the symbolism of Iris’ design & the way this story set up the others.
Maine: Geneviève Tremblay, a French-Canadian immigrant, is a telephone operator living in Lewiston, Maine. She joins the war effort in the US Army Signal Corps to serve as a bi-lingual operator, mainly to impress her boyfriend’s family who looks down on her humble roots. When she meets a charming Frenchman in London, she questions her choices, especially when she agrees to correspond with him throughout the war. I loved the correspondence between Jennie & Maxime. Though Maxime’s a wealthy wine merchant, he admires Jennie for who she is & is so noble & gallant. He’s a perfect contrast to her arrogant boyfriend.
Belgium: Clara Janssens, a Flemish Nurse, & Roman Allaire, an Alsatian violinist, meet in a Brussels palace-turned-hospital. As Clara nurses him back to health, they form a strong bond. When friendship turns to love, their relationship is threatened by the war & an enemy within. I enjoyed the almost poetic way music was used & referenced throughout this story. I loved their first kiss & the way Clara approached it. Letters also play a huge role & I couldn’t wait to see what happened next.
All three stories were so compelling. The writing was gorgeous & I enjoyed each couple equally. The way a scarf played a role in each story was cleverly woven in. I thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook version. The narrators were fabulous & I loved the way each character was distinguished, making each novella unique. With each story, I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next as each story ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. I loved the way they all came together in the end for a fantastic conclusion. The historical aspects & rich attention to detail made this collection unforgettable.
Highly recommend to historical fiction/romance fans! I received an advanced listener’s copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own & voluntarily provided.
London: Scarf maker Iris Braxton spends her days copying other people’s patterns into the scarves she creates. She dreams one day of seeing one of her designs produced on a Liberty scarf. When she meets the handsome, wounded Capt. Rex Conrad on temporary leave, he tries everything to get her to dance with him to win a bet. She finally agrees if he’ll show her designs to Mr. Liberty. Their fast friendship grows to more until the war calls again. I loved the delightful banter, Rex’s uncle’s estate, & the sweet romance as Rex tries to win Iris’ heart. I also enjoyed the symbolism of Iris’ design & the way this story set up the others.
Maine: Geneviève Tremblay, a French-Canadian immigrant, is a telephone operator living in Lewiston, Maine. She joins the war effort in the US Army Signal Corps to serve as a bi-lingual operator, mainly to impress her boyfriend’s family who looks down on her humble roots. When she meets a charming Frenchman in London, she questions her choices, especially when she agrees to correspond with him throughout the war. I loved the correspondence between Jennie & Maxime. Though Maxime’s a wealthy wine merchant, he admires Jennie for who she is & is so noble & gallant. He’s a perfect contrast to her arrogant boyfriend.
Belgium: Clara Janssens, a Flemish Nurse, & Roman Allaire, an Alsatian violinist, meet in a Brussels palace-turned-hospital. As Clara nurses him back to health, they form a strong bond. When friendship turns to love, their relationship is threatened by the war & an enemy within. I enjoyed the almost poetic way music was used & referenced throughout this story. I loved their first kiss & the way Clara approached it. Letters also play a huge role & I couldn’t wait to see what happened next.
All three stories were so compelling. The writing was gorgeous & I enjoyed each couple equally. The way a scarf played a role in each story was cleverly woven in. I thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook version. The narrators were fabulous & I loved the way each character was distinguished, making each novella unique. With each story, I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next as each story ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. I loved the way they all came together in the end for a fantastic conclusion. The historical aspects & rich attention to detail made this collection unforgettable.
Highly recommend to historical fiction/romance fans! I received an advanced listener’s copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own & voluntarily provided.
Content Warnings
Minor: Violence, Medical trauma, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
This WWI-era novel is a refreshing take on wartime women's fiction. 'The Liberty Scarf' follows three women from three different countries as they each navigate captivating romance and how they can make a difference in a hurting world.
If you enjoy reading clean historical romance, then I recommend this book to you! The authors do a great job of balancing the POVs for each woman and her love interest.
Special thanks to HarperCollins Focus and Net Galley for a complimentary copy of this audiobook. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
If you enjoy reading clean historical romance, then I recommend this book to you! The authors do a great job of balancing the POVs for each woman and her love interest.
Special thanks to HarperCollins Focus and Net Galley for a complimentary copy of this audiobook. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.