Rhys Bowen is one of my go-to writers. Over the past two years, I've worked my way through more than 30 of her titles. While many of her books have a historical context, this is the first of her books to be marketed solely as a historical novel and not as a mystery. I wondered if I'd get bored without the crime component, but I found the book to be just as enjoyable as any of her mysteries. In fact, this book's focus on the characters and their situation, rather than on a crime, might have worked in its favor. The main character, Emily, was a likable heroine who leaves the comfort of her parents' upper-class home in order to volunteer as a land girl during World War I. In another act of rebellion, she falls in love with an Australian pilot. Her parents disown her and she finds herself single, pregnant, and working on the estate of a mysterious older woman. She also discovers the diary of the woman who used to live in the cottage where Emily now resides. (So I guess there was a little bit of a mystery to this book, after all.) While this novel is a light read, there was enough character development and drama to keep me entertained throughout. I read it in 24 hours.

A sweet and calming read.
The Victory Garden by Rhys Bowen is a standalone historical fiction novel set in England during the First World War. I’m a big fan of Rhys Bowen’s mystery series (Constable Evan Evans, the Royal Spyness Mysteries, and Molly Murphy), but I’ve gone back and forth with her standalone historical books. I loved In Farleigh Field, but really struggled with The Tuscan Child. I’m thrilled to say that I really enjoyed this read, The Victory Garden, and found it quite enchanting!
Our main character is Emily, a wealthy young woman who is at a crossroads. Her brother has been killed in the war, and she wants to do her part to support the cause, but is unsure of how exactly she wants to help and feels trapped at home. She ends up volunteering to be a Land Girl, and learns how to work on a farm so that the valuable crops can be harvested as most of the men are out fighting in the war. I’ve always been fascinated by the Land Girls, Victory Gardens, and herbal remedies, so I was quite excited to read this book, and it didn’t disappoint! I really felt I was there working on the farm with Emily, and struggling with her as she loses her fiancé and tries to find her way. Emily was plucky, and she was also a bit naïve, so sometimes I grew frustrated with her.
The synopsis, while not misleading, does basically spell out everything that happens in the book, and Emily doesn’t start to read the diaries about herbal remedies until about 63% through the book, and so I wish that the synopsis that is out there wasn’t quite so detailed as to the happenings of the book. There’s a predictability here, but it’s a good, comfortable predictable. This is a book that you can curl up in front of the fire with on a wintry day and be transported to WWI England.
In terms of the characters, I liked Emily, and I also liked her friends Alice and Daisy, whom she meets when she joins the Women’s Land Army. They were supportive and kind, and helped Emily when she needed them. I also enjoyed Lady Charlton, the imposing Lady who lives at one of the homes that Emily works at. Emily’s parents however I did not like at all! I thought they were quite horrid, and their treatment of Emily was terrible.
All in all, this is a good book with a solid story. The characters are (for the most part) likable and genuine, and there’s a comfort here and I very much enjoyed this! There are a few melodramatic moments, but it was overall quite enchanting!

Bottom Line: Sweet and predictable, but overall enchanting!

What I love most about Rhys Bowen’s writing is her ability to sweep you away to another locale. She engages all of the senses and allows the reader to escape to a different time and place. While reading this I was no longer on my couch, in the midst of a Minnesota winter. I was completely wrapped up in this story, the distinct smell of a wood burning fire in my nose and the damp feel of a stone cottage in my bones. This sweeping saga is beautifully written and I adored the characters, the setting, and the lessons learned. This is the tale of Emily, a young lady in the midst of the first war. She yearns for more yet is held back by her overbearing parents in the safety of her parents estate. When she turns 21 she is able to set out on her own and determined to do something to support the war effort, becomes a Land Girl. These strong women take over the work for the men that are gone fighting in the war and work farms to continue to keep the country fed. This is a far cry from her sheltered upbringing but brings out a strength in her she didn’t know she had and sets her on a different path in life. Emily begins to forge a new path and struggles without her parents financial assistance, yet never giving up her will to do it on her own. This is a fabulous story and in my opinion, Rhys Bowen’s best work yet. For me, The Victory Garden was ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars. Thank you @amazonpublishing for this advance reader in exchange for my honest review.

The Victory Garden by Rhys Bowen is a story of love, loss, forgiveness and perseverance set during World War I in England. The story begins in May 1918 as Emily feels trapped in her secure, fancy room and wants to do more for the war effort. She is allowed to accompany her mother to the convalescent home next door to provide treats for the men. She is only to follow her mother and not interact with any of the men. One day while her mother is otherwise occupied, she sees a young Australian pilot and talks with him. He later sneaks into their garden to see the flowers his mother loves not realizing who lives in the grand house. He sees Emily and they again have a pleasant talk and plan to meet again. Needless to say, this is not the man her parents envision for her. Her mother expects her to marry a man with a title or at least on their economic level. Will Emily oppose her parents at the risk of being on her own when she turns 21?
There is a lot going on in this book. Emily and her parents are definitely at odds over what her life should be. Emily is very strong-willed and knows her heart. There are many strong women in this story who are doing all they can to support themselves and their families as most of the men have gone off to war. I found the characters to be very realistic and could feel the pain as they struggle to survive physically and emotionally. The story lasts past the end of the war so some of the men return. Will all be welcomed or will they be able acclimate back into family life after horrors of war? These issues are handled very well within the story line. Most questions are answered by the end of the story yet some the reader must use their imagination as there are hints but not a yes or no answer. I give this book 5 of 5 stars.
I received an advance copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Rhys Bowen succeeds again with her current historical fiction set in England during World War I. Emily Bryce is determined to help with the war effort despite her family’s over protective attitude following her brother’s death on the front lines. Her best friend is a nurse on the front but Emily’s family will not even consider her going overseas, so Emily investigates a local nursing assignment after falling for an Australian pilot who is hospitalized near her family home. When that doesn’t work out she becomes a “land girl” as part of the land army helping farmers and land owners in their garden’s and fields.

Life takes a tragic turn when Emily is disowned by her family, finds out her fiance is killed saving a village by going down with his plane, and discovers that she is pregnant from their one sexual encounter. Emily must make a new life for herself while working as the gardener at small estate owned by a widow and leaning on the support of her new “land girl” friends.

I quite enjoy Rhys Bowen's historical fiction, especially the Royal Spyness series, but I also liked the Tuscan Child. The Victory Garden is fine, but not my favorite of Bowen's work. The story is about a young woman from a wealthy family during WWI in England. Emily wants to contribute to the war effort like her friend who is a volunteer nurse, but her wealthy parents want to control her and follow the traditions they're clinging to in this time of change. The book follows Emily as she enlists in the Women's Land Army and sets out to make a life for herself as a modern woman in a country whose young men are pretty much all gone. I love the premise and the setting, but wanted a little more grit to the story.
Emily creates a new family with the women she meets in basic training for the Land Army. They learn to do the hard work of farming, but much of the day-to-day detail is glossed over in favor of the romance between Emily and a wounded pilot in the Royal Flying Corps. A lot is glossed, actually. I wanted to see the relationships between the characters more than I did. Emily is kind of a Mary Sue character, too, which is disappointing. She's too good to be true and everybody loves her, but it read to me like she got by on her accent and manners and the privilege her upper-class background afforded her. While we read that she endures hardships, they're so glossed over that I felt like she was Jane Eyre, with nice things kind of falling into her lap (I am an unrepentant Jane Eyre disliker; don't @ me). It might sound like I hated this book, but I liked it enough that I wanted it to be better. The characters needed more development and I wanted less telling and more showing of what they went through.

I received this from netgalley.com in exchange for a review.

As the Great War continues to take its toll, headstrong twenty-one-year-old Emily Bryce is determined to contribute to the war effort. Emily’s lover has not only died a hero but has left her terrified—and with child. Since no one knows that Emily was never married, she adopts the charade of a war widow.

A quick and easy read, rather predictable.

3☆

This is a wonderful book by Rhys Bowen. She writes a lot of historical mysteries and I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this book. It's beautifully written and I loved it.

Set during WWI, the book tells the story of the Land Girls and focusses on Emily, a girl from a well-off family who gives it all up to join and help the war effort. The life stories of the girls were interesting and kept me reading the book in one sitting. There's a nice love story when Emily meets a wounded soldier too.

I highly recommend this book. Thanks to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is my second book by Rhys Bowen and I am thrilled to have found this author.
These books transport me and I get engrossed into the story and I can’t put it down !

Another fabulous book from author Rhys Bowen. Her books are always favorites and this one did not disappoint. Characters that you learn to care about. I did not know much about the farm girls that helped keep farms going during the war when so many men were gone. Truly a great book. 5 stars for this one.

A stand alone novel by a mystery author, The Victory Garden is historical fiction that emphasizes the sacrifices of the women left behind during WWI. Emily Bryce is an appealing character, rebellious and strong minded, joining the Land Girls to do her part in England. As Emily suffers loss, she develops a strength that helps her and her fellow Land Girls survive and grow. I enjoyed the book and recommend it. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Rhys Bowen knows how to write historical fiction and this book was no exception.
It's engaging and entertaining. one those books that keep you hooked till the last page.
The cast of characters is likeable and relatable, they're well written and tridimensional. I like how their relationship were written and their bonds and friendship.
The book is well written and I liked the mix of serious story and humour.
The historical background was well researched and I was happy to learn more about the land girls.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC

This was my second book by this author and I loved this story of resilience of theses characters in times of war!, very highly recommend this book!

Great story! Gets better each time I read it. Wonderful characters. Rhys Bowen is a very talented author. Her work is excellent in plot and characters. Wonderful to be able to read this before publication. Am looking forward to the audio in order to savor the story again.

It was a rare treat to be able to read about a young, British, twenty-one-year old woman during World War I. This fascinating story was in large part about a branch of the British service during World War I called the Women's Land Army. The WLA was filled with young women who replaced men in all agricultural jobs in the country. The main character is a sweet young lady who wants to get away from her mother and father's house and chooses to volunteer for her country. Lovely Emily Bryce meets a dashing Australian pilot and falls in love with him while he is recovering from an injury. Life is very hard for Emily but she must be independent and remain true to herself. I love historical fiction and this book did not disappoint me! Rhys Bown is an excellent author and captures the true essence of the Woman's Land Army and life in England in 1918. Fabulous story and great characters make this a five star hit for me!

The Victory Garden by Rhys Bowen will be available February 12, 2019 from Lake Union Publishing. An egalley of this book was made available by the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

The Victory Garden is set during World War I. The heroine, Emily Bryce is the daughter of an upper middle class family. Her mother is determinedly upwardly mobile in the snobbish, social climber, extravagant, pushy, and sticks in the craw sort of way. Her father is a more sympathetic character although he is adamant about what he wants for his daughter and her future. Their two other children have died: her sister died in infancy and her older brother was killed on the Somme during the start of World War I. While many of young men that Emily knows are fighting or have died, she only has one woman friend who is working as a nurse at the front. Emily spends most of her time accompanying her mother to the nearby officer's convalescent home, bringing teacakes and fancy treats that they serve using their family silver to remind the officers of the civilization that awaits them when they return home.

It is by chance that Emily comes across a spirited Australian fighter pilot and the encounter sticks for them both. They find ways to meet and Emily finds herself falling in love with someone her parents heartily disapprove of. But his attitude and support lead Emily to enlist as a land girl when she turns 21. And as a land girl, Emily Bryce gets to know girls of different classes and is pushed to learn how to survive, to thrive outside of her old life. The strength of the book is Emily's friendships with the other land girls and the wealthy elderly lady whom they are assigned to help. As Emily learns what she wants and what she is willing to risk, she grows into herself and into someone that we care about.

An amazing tale set during World War I filled with historical detail that brings the story alive. Rhys Bowen weaves a remarkable tale that leaves the reader filled with hope by the end.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Emily Bryce is the daughter of a wealthy family. Her mother insists on keeping her home and sheltered from the war. While visiting the convalescent hospital, she meets an injured Australian pilot and falls in love, but her mother finds him unsuitable and she's forbidden to see him again. She enlists with the land girls, a group of women trained as farm workers to harvest the crops, milk cows, and keep the farms running while the men are away at war. This allows her to move away from home and keep seeing her pilot. Eventually, he heals and is returned to the front and Emily finds a place she belongs in a small country village.
I had never heard of the land girls and it was really interesting learning their role in the war. I love how the friendships between Emily and the other girls grow and change and how they support and help each other. I kept hoping that Robbie would make a surprise return in the end. This was such a great book that was impossible to put down!

Do you love a good story that is steeped in history? I sure do! You will love The Victory Garden by Rhys Bowen.

Here’s what you need to know:

As the Great War continues to take its toll, headstrong twenty-one-year-old Emily Bryce is determined to contribute to the war effort. She is convinced by a cheeky and handsome Australian pilot that she can do more, and it is not long before she falls in love with him and accepts his proposal of marriage.

When he is sent back to the front, Emily volunteers as a “land girl,” tending to the neglected grounds of a large Devonshire estate. It’s here that Emily discovers the long-forgotten journals of a medicine woman who devoted her life to her herbal garden. The journals inspire Emily, and in the wake of devastating news, they are her saving grace. Emily’s lover has not only died a hero but has left her terrified—and with child. Since no one knows that Emily was never married, she adopts the charade of a war widow.

As Emily learns more about the volatile power of healing with herbs, the found journals will bring her to the brink of disaster but may open a path to her destiny.


This was so well written and I loved every page of the story. The characters were well rounded, their struggles and hardships along with the elements of friendship were successfully braided together to create a remarkable novel. I know The Victory Garden will be very popular when it comes out in February 2019.

I just love Rhys Bowen, and this book is one of my favorites of hers. I’ve read the full Royal Spyness series and am now starting on some of her other historical novels, and this one was just right. As always with Bowen, it was well-written and a bit humorous. The characters were very well developed, complex, and relatable. I really appreciated how this book featured a variety of strong female characters and showed all the different ways that women contributed to the war effort during WWI. The story was also compelling and readable, like everything I’ve ever read from Bowen, and I flew through it quickly, dying to see how it all worked out. I was really invested, and sorry to have the book end. Can’t wait to read more of hers.