A historical tale focuses on three women whose key roles as telephone operators helped lead the Allies to victory in World War I.
Chiaverini’s latest opens with Gen. John Pershing’s 1918 call to arms for the “young women of America” to enroll in the American Expeditionary Forces in France. It was no secret that the most talented telephone operators at the time were female—the job required nimbleness, steady nerves, and a “smile in her voice"—and who better to translate French and English phone commands than American “hello girls”? New Jersey resident Grace Banker feels called to enlist on account of her French studies at Barnard, and her strong sense of patriotic duty soon promotes her to chief operator of the Signal Corps’ First Unit to France. Valerie DeSmedt, a Los Angeles resident, hopes to honor her hometown of Brussels, which recently bore the kaiser’s devastating onslaught. French singer Marie Miossec has only been in America for two years because of her father’s transfer to the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, and she dashes a career in opera in order to aid the two countries she calls home. These three women, along with their fellow “switchboard soldiers,” embark on a harrowing journey to France in wartime, experiencing the dangers of U-boats, outbreaks of the Spanish flu, and sexism: “You’re a fine soldier, for a girl.” Chiaverini weaves the intersecting threads of these brave women’s lives together, highlighting their deep sense of pride and duty: “I might have said something about wanting to slap the kaiser,” says one operator named Cora, “and since the army wouldn’t let me carry a rifle, I’d fight the Germans with the telephone.” Grace, Marie, and Valerie are strong characters, and their tender romantic relationships fit neatly among details of their war efforts. While a bit overlong and fraught with extraneous day-to-day minutiae, Chiaverini’s story will strike a chord with history buffs, and many will be surprised that such an essential crew of soldiers went virtually unrecognized after the war.
An eye-opening and detailed novel about remarkable female soldiers.Pub Date: July 19, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-06-308069-0
Page Count: 464
Publisher: Morrow/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: July 12, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2022
Categories: HISTORICAL FICTION | GENERAL FICTION
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A wistfully nostalgic look at endings, beginnings, and loving the people who will always have your back.
43
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Exes pretend they’re still together for the sake of their friends on their annual summer vacation.
Wyn Connor and Harriet Kilpatrick were the perfect couple—until Wyn dumped Harriet for reasons she still doesn’t fully understand. They’ve been part of the same boisterous friend group since college, and they know that their breakup will devastate the others and make things more than a little awkward. So they keep it a secret from their friends and families—in fact, Harriet barely even admits it to herself, focusing instead on her grueling hours as a surgical resident. She’s ready for a vacation at her happy place—the Maine cottage she and her friends visit every summer. But (surprise!) Wyn is there too, and he and Harriet have to share a (very romantic) room and a bed. Telling the truth about their breakup is out of the question, because the cottage is up for sale, and this is the group’s last hurrah. Determined to make sure everyone has the perfect last trip, Harriet and Wyn resolve to fake their relationship for the week. The problem with this plan, of course, is that Harriet still has major feelings for Wyn—feelings that only get stronger as they pretend to be blissfully in love. As always, Henry’s dialogue is sparkling and the banter between characters is snappy and hilarious. Wyn and Harriet’s relationship, shown both in the past and the present, feels achingly real. Their breakup, as well as their complicated relationships with their own families, adds a twinge of melancholy, as do the relatable growing pains of a group of friends whose lives are taking them in different directions.
A wistfully nostalgic look at endings, beginnings, and loving the people who will always have your back.Pub Date: April 25, 2023
ISBN: 9780593441275
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Berkley
Review Posted Online: Feb. 23, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023
Categories: ROMANCE | CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE | GENERAL ROMANCE | GENERAL FICTION
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Through palpable tension balanced with glimmers of hope, Hoover beautifully captures the heartbreak and joy of starting over.
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The sequel to It Ends With Us (2016) shows the aftermath of domestic violence through the eyes of a single mother.
Lily Bloom is still running a flower shop; her abusive ex-husband, Ryle Kincaid, is still a surgeon. But now they’re co-parenting a daughter, Emerson, who's almost a year old. Lily won’t send Emerson to her father’s house overnight until she’s old enough to talk—“So she can tell me if something happens”—but she doesn’t want to fight for full custody lest it become an expensive legal drama or, worse, a physical fight. When Lily runs into Atlas Corrigan, a childhood friend who also came from an abusive family, she hopes their friendship can blossom into love. (For new readers, their history unfolds in heartfelt diary entries that Lily addresses to Finding Nemo star Ellen DeGeneres as she considers how Atlas was a calming presence during her turbulent childhood.) Atlas, who is single and running a restaurant, feels the same way. But even though she’s divorced, Lily isn’t exactly free. Behind Ryle’s veneer of civility are his jealousy and resentment. Lily has to plan her dates carefully to avoid a confrontation. Meanwhile, Atlas’ mother returns with shocking news. In between, Lily and Atlas steal away for romantic moments that are even sweeter for their authenticity as Lily struggles with child care, breastfeeding, and running a business while trying to find time for herself.
Through palpable tension balanced with glimmers of hope, Hoover beautifully captures the heartbreak and joy of starting over.Pub Date: Oct. 18, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-668-00122-6
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Atria
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2022
Categories: ROMANCE | CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE | GENERAL ROMANCE | GENERAL FICTION
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