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A review by melissasbookshelf
The Liberty Scarf by Aimie K. Runyan, J'nell Ciesielski, Rachel McMillan
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? It's complicated
5.0
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