For fans of history, women's fiction, and romance, Rhys Bowen's The Victory Garden includes all 3, and more! The story is set in the period just before the end of World War II, and the subtext, which is Emily's story and her love story with Robbie, informs the framed and much larger story, which is how females had to struggle to survive during the long period of War, because their male counterparts had gone off to fight the WAR! Next the embedded, interesting story throughout this carefully planned out captivating novel is the SISTERHOOD STORY. Bowen, like in THE TUSCAN CHILD, has created a female protagonist that is multidimensional; however, Emily is much more independent, yet charismatic (80% of the story captures her sisterhood with the female Villagers and the Women's Land Army, an army created for women to make themselves feel "useful"and needed because their fathers, brothers, husbands, fiances, and grandson's have gone off to fight the WAR) leaving them behind to fend for themselves), any way they can! Emily's story becomes the main story when she is chosen, due to her CLASS (She comes from a middle-aged family and her father is a JUDGE), to tend after an older lady and her big, beautiful garden that once was alive and thriving, but now has gone to the weeds, like the weary 21 year old girls sent for to tend it. The heart of Emily's struggles lie here, the story set now at this older woman's estate comprised of a main house, and a tiny cottage for Emily and her two colleagues, which is in effect a grey stone slab. Emily's story, one of hardship, lies here and the novel really takes off when she becomes part of her surroundings, and of course this soon-to-be replanted GARDEN! Readers hang in there because this story is one of a woman's passions and how she finds herself, and that I dare say is Rhys' talent for creating a poignant tale, centered around one strong young woman who is brave at heart and inspires everyone around her, and Bowen ultimately inspires readers alike!

This is the first non-mystery book by Rhys Bowen I have read. I am a huge fan of her mysteries because I love the accessible style, her capable ability to render a historical setting and world to life and her characters. Such memorable characters.


The Victory Garden proves that Bowen can write with easy elasticity in any genre. While I found the book lacked a certain emotional depth; it was still a worthy snapshot of one woman's experience during a time when women were seen to have much more agency ( while the men were at war) and yet little ability to decide their own fate at all. It is in the crux of this double standard we find Emily, a 21 year old who works as a land girl and back breakingly does her bit for the war effort even while mourning the soldier she loved and lost.


It is the female friendships and sphere that rounded out Bowen's usual talent for character and I was impressed by how quickly I fell into their world, their quirks and dialogue.


This is not so much a romance between a woman and a man; rather a woman and possibilities when all seems hopeless and uncertain and the makeshift community she becomes a part of.

With thanks to Netgalley for the early review copy.