Britain’s entry into World War II comes to life through the eyes of three fictional women and that pivotal time in their life. Author Julia Kelly’s treatment in WHISPERS OF WAR is brilliant as she takes what many already know from textbooks — and some facts they don’t — and keeps us engaged.

Although we know the outcome — that Britain and the other Allied Forces defeated Hitler and the Axis Powers — Kelly provides plenty of suspense as we discover how three career women in Britain in the last 1930s were affected.

Nora is a debutante who prefers her job as a secretary for the British Home Office. She does her part for her country by working in the department that organizes and provides support for air raid protection.

Hazel works as a matchmaker for a firm owned by a British aristocrat. Her work is balanced with her role as a wife and homemaker, effectively showcasing the early struggles for working wives.

Marie, the third of this threesome that came together in their preteens at boarding school, is the only one who is not British. A German citizen, she lives with her aunt, uncle and cousin and works as a secretary in the German department of a British university, a perfect use of her skills and fluency in German.

WHISPERS OF WAR effectively outlines the politics of the time as Hitler rises to power and marches into Poland. Author Kelly is most effective when she lets Nora, Hazel and Marie show readers exactly what the politics of the time mean to them.

I admit that I was delightfully surprised to find how easily I was engrossed in this book. After all, I knew the outcome historically, and in the first few pages it was clear the outcome for at least two of the women.

Kelly’s use of flashbacks to tell the story was surprisingly effective and truly suspenseful.

Readers need not know much about World War II, nor even be drawn to that part of history to enjoy this book. The book alone is a captivating look at the lives of women in the early part of the 20th century, perhaps our own grandmothers or mothers. Seeing the society they lived in and how they navigated it was fascinating. The romance both past and present doesn’t hurt, either!

Marvelously written novel of how WWII affected the Europeans. Very well crafted reflecting many layers of relationships. Wonderful read!

3 friends manage different lives in London at the beginning of World War II. While the novel covers familiar ground it also includes the less familiar situation of German immigrants living in Britain during the war and their arrests and internment by the government. German expat Marie worries about her classification, while friends Nora and Hazel try to keep her and her family safe and free. Everyone has secrets to hide and security is not guaranteed in 1939 London. An emotional story of friendship set against the war. Recommended for all fans of WWII homefront fiction.

Received this from Net Gallery and I know there are a lot of books about the war,but with these three friends you just can't go wrong in reading about how it effected their friendships and their families! You feel the emotions of these woman and what they had to go through to survive and in what they believed in! Well researched and a wonderful heartfilled story that you soon will not forget!! I know there are lots of stories like this but the writing of this one has you right there with them!!

Hazel, Nora, and Marie, now in their 20s, have been friends since the age of 12 when they became boarding school roommates. Each of these girls comes from a non-traditional family background. Hazel was the result of an affair her single mother had with a married man; Nora is a debutante who has rebelled against her privileged life; Marie is a german immigrant living with her aunt and uncle because her parents didn’t want to raise her.
As World War Two breaks out London goes on full alert and each of the girls attempt to continue their normal lives while all worrying about what will happen to Marie. Things get messy as investigations begin looking at Marie’s boss as a potential nazi sympathizer who is also connected to Hazel. When the British government begins imprisoning all residents from Germany and Austria Marie ends up in a precarious position that tests the limits of friendship and family.
Today, Nora is the only one of them left, and at the age of 103, she is telling Marie’s granddaughter the story of the girls and their lives and decisions during the war.
It is a great story about discovering who your family is and that it is not always those you share DNA with.
It is a reminder that time is fleeting and you need to spend it with your loved ones while you can.
Use your time for what is good and what you know to be rights. Take risks even if those around you do not understand them. Surround yourself with people who will encourage and support your decisions even if they don’t understand or agree with them.
Don’t waste your life because you never know what is coming. Be sure to leave your loved ones with many memories for the times you are apart.

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC of The Whispers of War. Julia Kelly’s storytelling reeled me from the first chapter and kept me enthralled. Her characters, their friendship and the threat of war surrounding them was so realistic. The flashbacks from the present to the past was beautifully done. I loved this book and will be recommending to my friends that read.

Wow.
When I requested this book it was because I adored a previous book by this author, and now I am even more in awe of Ms. Kelly’s storytelling. Her research into the background of the time period and the different things each character would have gone through is impeccable, and I could not put this book down once I started reading. I work in a library and plan on making the requisitions department order a copy for circulation, because it is AMAZING. Probably one of the best books I have read all year.

The Whispers of War: A Novel by Julia Kelly was a wonderful read. It pulled me into the story so fully, I felt I knew the characters personally. The author tells the story from the viewpoint of 4 women, Marie, Nora and Hazel as well as Samantha who is Marie’s granddaughter. I loved the fact that the three very different women who met in boarding school at age 12/13 remained close friends all of their lives and helped each other through some difficult times. This book touched on family, friendship, love, war and fear. I loved how the separate story of Marie’s granddaughter Samantha was also intertwined and developed. I would definitely recommend this book.

"The Whispers of War" uses three strong women to teach the story of Britain's internment of German immigrants during World War II.
In modern day Canada, a young woman discovers she is executor of grandmother Marie's estate. One duty is to visit London to deliver a package to a 103-year-old woman. Nora, the woman she visits, was one of German-born Marie's best friends.
The scene switches to 1940s Britain where Nora, Marie and Hazel, friends since boarding school, lean on each other through love affairs and challenging jobs and male chauvinists.
Author Julia Kelly has created appealing characters to tell a history that may be new to many.

Three childhood friends navigate the uncertain world of pre-WWII London. Nora, a former debutante, Hazel, a married matchmaker and Marie, a German born expatriate, all must make decisions about their friendship and what they are willing to do to keep it. This was a nice, easy read mainly focused on the ladies and their friendship. Like "cozy mysteries" this book was light on the horrors of war especially the internment of German born people by the British and more about the ladies' journey through this volatile environment. I enjoyed the book and learned some new things.

At the beginning of World War II, three young ladies were actively doing their part to keep London safe from German invasion. Nora worked for the Home Office, in the Air Raid Division, while Hazel was a dedicated matchmaker, determined to bring happiness to lonely men and women. Marie worked for the German Department at the university, and lived in fear of being deported once war had broken out, as she had been born in Germany. Soon all three women were living together in Nora’s home, after Hazel’s separation from her husband and Marie’s eviction from her aunt and uncle’s home because of her cousin Henrik’s interference.

Samantha, the executor of her grandmother Marie’s estate, traveled to London to visit Nora in order to learn more about Marie’s life during wartime. Stunned to realize the depth of the pain Marie must have felt at being forced to give up everything and move to Canada, Samantha was also thrilled to learn more about Marie’s life.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story of friendship, love, and loyalty, and appreciated Samantha’s willingness to discover more about her grandmother’s early life. Told through alternating viewpoints, this novel easily captured my attention and made me care about the characters. Though we learn a bit about Nora and Marie’s later lives, I would like to know what happened to Hazel…but maybe that’s a subject for another book.

In this book, Julia Kelly totally transported me to a time before I was born and made me feel what these three friends were feeling as WWII broke out. I liked all three of the characters and it was fascinating to follow their lives in this time period. The story was told well in three parts, featuring each of the women and all brought together by present time with Marie's granddaughter. I have no idea how authentic the happenings in this book are but they felt real and made for a great story.

I love historical fiction but unfortunately, this one just didn’t “wow” me. It was a little too surface for my preference, I wanted a little more depth. I didn’t connect with the characters or the storyline. It was an ok read but it left me skimming passages and didn’t grab my attention. This made a nice palate cleanser, it was a light and quick read. I prefer more out of historical fiction but a nice read if you are looking for something lighter. Thank you to the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review. 2.5⭐️

I just couldn't put this book down. Three women living in England when war was breakng out with Germany. All had different pasts but formed a vey strong friendship that started in school. All of them had disappointments with life and dealt with it strongly. I loved some of the twists and turns the story took and how the Harlan Club played into their story. The story was strong and learned quite a bit about what went on in England.during the war. That they didn't go into detail about the internment camps did not bother me as that was not what the story was about. It was about 3 strong women who made the best of of life that they could

The Whispers of War tackles the very popular World War II subject matter that we see everywhere these days. For me, it stood out because it takes readers to London just as England declares war on Germany. The story focuses on three women who have been close friends for over seven years. One of them, Marie, is German-born. I enjoyed the book, for the most part, especially learning about the treatment of Germans in England during the war. The friendship between the three women-Marie, Hazel, and Nora-is felt throughout the pages. Their attempts to see Marie safe when the Germans living in England are rounded up, showed heartfelt loyalty between the women, so much so to the detriment of a marriage. Overall, I enjoyed the book and the look into this time period.

Whispers of War is a beautifully written historical novel about three friends in 1939 Britain. The characterizations and historical details were especially well done in this novel -- recommended!

The Whispers of War is the first book I have read by Julia Kelly. I thought it was pretty good. I give it four stars.

What can I say about The Whispers of War by Julia Kelly except that I truly loved it. Although I have several genres of books that I really like, my favorite has always been historical fiction and this new novel hit all the right notes for me. The story takes place in England during WWll, and centers around three young women, Marie, Nora and Hazel and tells a heartrending story of love, war and friendship.

Marie, Nora and Hazel have been the closest of friends ever since they were roommates at Ethelbrook Boarding School. Beautiful and smart, all in their own right, the girls were deemed misfits in one way or another by their families or peers. Marie, though German, was sent to live in England by her parents under the guidance of her beloved aunt and uncle. Never feeling truly loved by her parents, her aunt and uncle become the parents she never had. Nora, independent and often outspoken, came from a prominent family. But her independent and outspoken nature often left her on the outs with her mother and acquaintances. Hazel, had a loving, flamboyant mother, but her reputation posed a problem for Hazel making friends. When the girls are assigned to be roommates at Ethelbrook, they become fast allies, inseparable as time goes by.

As Marie, Nora and Hazel graduate and start careers, the three remain close friends and confidants. Despite their busy lives, they reserve the last Friday of every month to have drinks at the Harlan, a prestigious club of which Nora is a member. There they discuss their work, families, lives and loves. But trouble is brewing in Europe and Hitler is on the march. Poland has been invaded and England has been drawn into war. During The Great War, England arrested and impounded German immigrants deemed suspicious or German sympathizers. Marie is cognizant of this fact and begins to fear for herself and her aunt and uncle. When it becomes apparent the war will not be ending soon and Hitler sets his eyes on England, the Home Office starts tribunals and every German alien has received a ranking. Marie has been given her ranking and it is not what she hoped. As time goes on and war in Europe rages, each young woman faces her own personal battle, Nora’s career, Hazel’s crumbling marriage and Marie’s impending impoundment or possible deportation. But despite their own personal battles, the women are determined to ban together and help Marie avoid arrest no matter the cost. With time running out and the odds stacked against them, it becomes clear Marie must leave the country if she is to avoid arrest and keep her freedom.

I loved the characters in this book. Nora’s strength, Hazel’s cleverness and Marie’s innocence and compassion. I loved the bond of friendship these women had, they were like family to and for each other. I loved the way the author took the reader from present day to the past in order to relay Marie’s story. It was so well done. However, of all the characters, I liked Nora the best. She was independent, outspoken and driven. She was fiercely loyal and unafraid to take chances. She was basically a woman before her time. This is the first book I have ever read by Julia Kelly, but it won’t be the last.

If you are looking for a great read or new historical fiction then look no further than Julia Kelly’s novel - The Whispers of War. You will get lost in the pages with heartwarming characters, beautiful friendships and great storytelling.

I want to thank the publisher Gallery - Pocket Books and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this book The Whispers of War by Julia Kelly. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.”

I read Julia Kelly’s first novel, “Light Over London” and enjoyed it enough to make me want her read the author’s sophomore effort.

As the cover suggests, this is a story of women’s friendships. Marie, Hazel and Nora have been friends since they were twelve years old and were roommates at boarding school. Although I don’t recalling Kelly specifying their ages, they seem of be in their early- to mid-twenties.

The time frame is August 1939 to June of 1940, with a bit of now thrown, and is set in England. The story opens with Samantha, Marie’s granddaughter, going to England to visit Nora after Marie has died, wanting to know more about her grandmother. That felt rather contrived and didn’t need to be there. The book would have worked well, if not better, had it been deleted.

Then the novel is divided into three parts, each focusing on one of the friends. Marie has lots to worry about. She was born in Germany but England has been home since she was twelve. Her German accent is still pronounced and gives her heritage away the moment she opens her mouth. Nora comes from a wealthy family. She defied her mother by marrying for love and not a better social status. Hazel, also married, is a matchmaker. She is the more gregarious of the trio.

As the whispers of war blow across the waters from Germany, Marie is the most worried about what could become of her, especially since her family still resides there. Nora goes to work for The Home Office. I never truly understood what she did, but it didn’t interfere with the story. Hazel tries to balance work and home.

This is a novel of women who would sacrifice everything for each other. Their bond is unbreakable, although it gets a little frayed at times.

“The Whispers of War” receives 3 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

At its core, this book is one of friendship between Nora, Marie, and Hazel, watching as the Nazis wage war on Germany. I enjoy books of this time period. While I enjoyed it, it didn't quite meet my expectations. The characters were okay, but they weren't as developed as I'd expected. The pace was a bit slow at times. The historical details were interesting. The flow between POVs is smooth and nicely laid out so as to not confuse the reader. I really enjoyed the author's note.