Goodnight From London

"I don't think I could describe it if I hadn't lived through it. It's as simple as that. The fear of the bombs is real enough, and if there's a man or woman in London who isn't scared ruing the raids I'd like to borrow some of their courage. It's their good humor that surprises me. How this city can paste a smile on its collective face and still get to work more or less on time, still get the jobs done that need doing, and apart from a wobbly moment here or there, still find things to joke and sing and laugh about, I haven't yet figured out. When I do I'll let you know..." ~ Dispatches from London by Miss Ruby Sutton, September 31, 1940."

To work abroad covering the results of the war in London is a dream come true for Ruby Sutton, a news correspondent for the American, a paper in the states. Now she will take her love of bringing readers right into the action while working for Picture Weekly as a staff writer along with sending back her stories for her own column with the American. It would be the job opportunity of a life time and with no family back home to miss her, she was the right person for the job. Now it would be time to let readers back in America what was happening as Hitler continued to barrage London in nighttime attacks known as the Blitz. Sharing with readers what it felt like made her stories sensational, desired and desperately read as well as selling quite a bit of papers in both places. Only the last thing she ever expected to face was losing those things closest to her.

Like most of victims of the war, she too, will be faced with the greatest challenge. As an orphan, she gave up hope long ago as well as forming any close relationships with men or women. It was the very reason she was sent to London, she had no ties at home. Now working with Mary, her photographer assigned to her, they will have to face the worst things war had to offer. Seeing places that have been leveled when the day before they might have walked the very street that had faced being bombed. It is the very reason that her articles resonated with readers. Even though they didn't have to face the things Ruby saw, they felt as if they were right there with her. It doesn't hurt that she has Captain Bennett to show her around when she gets to London and offers to contact her whenever he is in town. Yet just when it seems like Ruby is about to get a second chance at life, the war will remind her that nothing is guaranteed and tomorrow is just an illusion.

I received Goodnight From London by Jennifer Robson compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers. In accordance with the new FTC Guidelines for blogging and endorsements, you should assume that every book reviewed here at Reviews From The Heart was provided to the reviewer by the publisher, media group or the author for free and were received, unless specified otherwise. I absolutely love the little tidbits that close some of the chapters, bits and pieces of the wonderful articles that Ruby writes as well as some real life examples of woman reporters covering the war across the pond. It's that basis for historical facts that make novels like this one worth reading. It's so much better than history books, even though there is much fabricated to make readers connect with the characters, but I truly love Ruby's sense of adventure and responsibility to do what very few women were able to do. Take readers into the heart of what she was seeing, from sitting in a shelter while bombs were being dropped or simply interviewing those who had lost everything. I'd give this novel a 4.5 out of 5 stars and can't wait to read more from her in the future.

For more information about Goodnight From London, Jennifer Robson or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Goodnight From London by Jennifer Robson

You can find Jennifer Robson on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Goodnight From London, please visit William Morrow's website. 

After the War is Over

Ever since being captivated by Jennifer Robson's novel Somewhere in France, I couldn't wait for the sequel to follow. I savored every world and nuance of After the War is Over and found myself transported to in time to the early 1900's both just before World War 1 and afterwards. The novel parallels the relationship between military nurse Charlotte Brown and Edward Neville-Ashford who is still recovering from his war wounds. In the first novel we knew that they were acquainted but never really understood the story aside from the fact that Charlotte was his sister Lilly's governess before the war. Now the reader has a chance as it toggles back and forth through chapters to get a past and future look at the relationship they both have. I didn't understand it at first because I wasn't paying attention to the dates that appeared in certain chapters. Once I did, it was much easier to enjoy the story.

It tells how Charlotte came to become Lilly's governess despite all her education at a university. Not what one might expect for a woman who has gone to school. You would expect her to work using her educational skills she has acquired but jobs were far and few and to keep food on the table, she accepted an advertisement for governess. We also see where the animosity stems from in regards to Edward's mother and his two older sisters towards Charlotte.

But as the nation of England emerges from the impact and effects left behind during the war, Charlotte is now working for helping those who are in need working for Miss Eleanor Rathbone as a city councilor at Granby Ward. Miss Rathbone's work as a ward councilor was only one of the many hats she wore, she was a committed suffragist and defender of women's rights beyond the voting booth and where Charlotte is able to share her viewpoints in helping women achieve what she hopes to someday, the equal treatment of people everywhere especially after the war. She sees families everywhere that are struggle to make ends meet despite the governments claims that they are helping. She soon becomes the voice of the people she works with every day when the articles she writes for the Herald are published.

After his father dies suddenly, Edward finds himself the newest Earl of Cumberland and with it all the responsibilities that come with managing the family estate. He soon realizes how much death taxes are due and how his father has managed to leave him with more debts that he knows what to deal with all while still suffering from his war injuries which are driving him to drink to eliminate the pain. Edward realizes that the only way he might be able to get out from under the financial problems would be to marry a wealthy American heiress but he can't seem to forget Charlotte and how much he cares for her. But that is not an option that either of them can entertain.

I received After the War is Over by Jennifer Robson compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers for my honest review. Aside from receiving a complimentary copy of the novel, I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions contained in this review are strictly my own. For fans of Downton Abbey will absolutely LOVE this one. But if you haven't read Somewhere in France, pick that one up first. You will definitely love Jennifer's attention to detail especially in contrasting the very different lifestyles of Edward and Charlotte both pre and post WWI. I easily rate this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars and now I can't wait to read the next novel to follow soon. This novel does contain one sexual scene that might not be suitable for younger readers but overall I LOVED it! This novel is slated for release in January of 2015.

For more information about After the War is Over, Jennifer Robson or where you can preorder a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

After the War is Over by Jennifer Robson

You can find Jennifer Robson on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on After the War is Over please visit William Morrow's website. 

Somewhere in France

Lady Elizabeth Ashford wants to know what it feels like to fall in love. Tired of all the boring and stuffy suitors her mother finds suitable for her, she withdraws into the comfort of her brother's Edwards childhood friend, Robert Fraser. On the night of the ball she finds that after seven years of being away from one another and the games they spend time playing, they have both grown up quite a bit. She finds Robert charming and handsome but knows that her aristocratic parents will never let her marry a surgeon. They want her to marry and have children, but Lilly wants more out of life. She wants to travel and marry for love and not for money. She thinks Robert might just be the person she could fall in love with, if only her mother didn't intervene.

She learns after an unexpected quick departure that her mother had told Robert to forget setting his sights on Lilly. She was engaged to be married and they were only stalling on the announcement while waiting for the celebration of her brother Edward's wedding to die down. Her only ally is her brother Edward who truly wants to very best for his sister. However soon the war rears its ugly head and the men are thrust into battle in France during the Great War. Believing it will be over sooner than later, Edward takes up corresponding with his sister encouraging her to join in the effort to help. Knowing the campaigning for supplies to ship out is something more suited to her mother, she finds solace in learning to drive cars from one of the men in her families employ.

Yet once again Lilly is called out for her inappropriate behavior, first in corresponding with Edward and later Robert but in also taking up driving a car. Not the type of behavior for any lady. So Lilly does the unthinkable and moves out of her families home and influence and moves in with Charlotte Brown, a women who has tutored her as a young woman and now serves in the war helping out. She encourages Lilly to find something admirable to do. She moves to London and takes a newly formed position as an ambulance driver for the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps or WAAC's since they need more men on the frontlines and she does know how to drive.

Soon love grows between her and Robert as they continue to correspond during the war and they find that just the simple letters are enough for them to get to know one another. Robert continues as a surgeon in the war now and tries as best as he can to reassure Lilly that the war will be over soon and even that her brother Edward faces no harm considering his deployment status as a Lord. However soon the war continues longer than expected and Lilly wants to know if there is hope with Robert and gets assigned as an Ambulance driver for the 51st, the same division that Robert works as a surgeon in. But all is not fair in love and war and it will take a miracle for Lilly and Robert to survive.

I received Somewhere in France by Jennifer Robson compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own. The love story and historical background are amazing and so beautifully put together. It reminded me of Downton Abbey a bit when the war entered the series and the youngest daughter left to be a nurse and learned to drive a car. In both instances the family believed the influence of the driver was at fault and had them dismissed. There are a few instances of profanity as Lilly encounters the military leaders who aren't used to having a female in the war but that is to be expected. There is the portion of the novel when Lilly and Robert meet at a hotel and end up making love with neither of them married. It may offend some readers and that is why I feel I should caution readers about the content. It was something that happened quite a bit during the war when people who fell in love didn't expect to see one another again. With that being said, I easily give this one a 4 out of 5 stars and can't wait to read more from Jennifer Robson in the future. This is Jennifer Robson's debut novel but definitely not her last. Historical romance fans will definitely LOVE this one.

For more information about Somewhere in France, Jennifer Robson or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Somewhere in France by Jennifer Robson

You can also find Jennifer Robson on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Somewhere in France, stop by William Morrow's website. 

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (December 31, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062273450
• ISBN-13: 978-0062273451
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.2 x 1.1 inches