Louise's War by Rosie Clarke is a moving historical novel set in England and France during the WWII. This is the second book in the series, which reads as a standalone.
Blurb:
Louise's War
Caught between enemy lines - can they survive?
1914, Hampshire
Jack Barlow has a dream. For generations his family have been in service at Trenwith Estate. If he can survive the ravages of war, he'll return home to build his own mechanic business and become master of his own destiny.
Louise Saint-Claire, is battling against the odds to run her family farmhouse in German occupied France after her abusive husband is taken prisoner by the Germans. She is determined to survive this brutal and bloody war.
But fate throws Jack and Louise together when she finds the wounded British soldier and she decides to risk eveything to keep him safe.
What chance can one woman and one man have when caught between the Frencg Rsistance and the German army?
Previously published as Love and War by Linda Sole.
Though the book is titled Louise's War, it's much more than just Louise's story. In fact, we follow lives of four young people as their storylines are intertwined.
Jack Barlow comes from a family who's been in service at Trenwith Estate. Both his parents and younger sister Rose worked for the Trenwiths. While his parents still adhere to the old-fashioned views on their social standing, Jack hopes to establish his own business one day, as a mechanic. If he manages to survive the war, he won't be returning back to work for the Trenwiths.
"He was going to improve his education all round, because when the war was over he wanted to be his own man... He would serve his time in the army, keep his head down like Rose said, and then, when it was all over, he might be able to set up his own business."
Rose Barlow, his younger sister, has similar dreams of her own. Not satisfied to work any longer for the manor house, she wants to expand her horizons and train as a nurse.
"Rose had no intention of returning to service after the war. She was hoping the voluntary services would let her join the nursing section, and in time she might even apply to be a nurse".
Luke Trenwith joins the army as he knows he has no choice. His father says he won't prevent him doing his duty, as long as he remembers that his true duty is with the estate.
"All his life he had been reminded of his duty to the estate, his own desire to be an artist dismissed as mere fancy or a waste of time". Luke would never be free to follow the life he preferred, he is expected to run the estate and marry a suitable young lady to raise the next heir.
Yet his heart is yearning for beautiful Rose. "Rose wasn't for him. The divide was too great; the prejudices on both sides too entrenched to overcome..."
Louise Saint-Claire is living on the farm with her violent husband Jacque. Her life is full of misery. Whene her nasty husband is taken prisoner by the Germans, she is left to manage the big farm on her own. The work is hard and relentless, and nearly impossible for one person to manage.
Louise dreams of moving to Paris to open her own cafe, but her dreams have to be put on hold. The German occupation makes everything more complicated, and who will look after the animals on the farm if she leaves?
One night a wounded British soldier stumbles upon her farm. This puts both of them in a perilous situation, and Louise understands the risks.
"Louise knew it was dangerous. If the Germas discovered that she was harbouring the enemy she would be shown no mercy, but at this moment she didn't care."
Amidst tragedy and devastation, love begins to blossom. Will Louise and Jack be able to stay together, when the German army and French Resistance are making the chances of their survival nearly impossible?
Louise's War is a compelling, captivating novel. The author vividly imagines how the war has touched the daily life at the front in France and back in England. It is an enduring tale of love and loyalty, loss and challenges, fulfilment and courage. History, and its characters, come alive .
This post is part of the blog tour for Louise's War.
Many thanks to Rosie Clarke and Rachel's Random Resources for my e-copy of the book!
Purchase Link - https://mybook.to/Louiseswarsocial
Author Bio –
Rosie
Clarke is a #1 bestselling saga writer whose most recent books include The Mulberry Lane series. She has
written over 100 novels under different pseudonyms and is a RNA Award winner.
She lives in Cambridgeshire.
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