A review by shereadstales
Sisters of the Great War by Suzanne Feldman

adventurous emotional tense 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

4.0

 Thanks to NetGalley and MIRA/Harlequin for the digital galley of this book.

Ruth and Elise Duncan of the Baltimore Duncans long to escape their society lives. Ruth longs to be a doctor, but that’s not befitting a young woman, so she signs up to be a nurse in Europe during The Great War, and Elise wanting to do her part (and with a knack for tinkering with cars) joins up as an ambulance driver. Both women confront the horrors of war and the truths of their hearts during the backdrop of World War I.

I’m not always up for “Women’s Fiction” or “Historical Fiction,” not because I don’t think these books have a place, but they are largely about straight, white ladies and their struggles, romances, etc. But hey, make one of those characters queer, and that’s how you get me. Though I was a little disappointed that the growing romance between the two ladies didn’t get as much page time as Ruth and her beau, a doctor in the war effort, I’m not going to complain too much.

I really enjoyed the pacing, the back and forth between the sisters and their points of view from the transporting and treatment of so many soldiers. I didn’t mind the straight people romance. Ruth’s love is a positively decent man who wants to support her and actually trusts her to become a doctor, maybe the only man on earth who does.

It’s worth reading if you’re into historical fiction, even if you’re not 100% into the queer content, it’s too tame for my tastes, if that tells you anyway, and there’s some solid characterization. I really cared about these ladies and the people they cared about, and I wanted them to come through the war to find even a smidge of happiness.