I enjoy reading WWII historical fiction books. This one was a different twist in that it gives a dual perspective … from England and Germany. The characters are well developed and you are drawn into the story and the lives. The amount of research the author did is obvious. The three main characters, Fred, Viola, and Annie, make choices. And it is interesting to see the results of those decisions. An emotional read that will appeal to those who enjoy books in this genre.

Thank you to NetGalley and Aria Publishers for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

Much drama in this WWII novel of a woman, her lover, and his sister. It's 1939. Viola loves Fred, who is half German, HIs sister Anne has, unwisely, gone to Germany to see their grandmother and then Fred, even more unwisely, follows her. Poor Viola finds herself alone and pregnant but she's also able to help the war effort. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC.

Even if it's well written the story didn't keep my attention and fell flat.
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

It was a good book and kept you guessing what was going to happen next.

We have Viola who is at Cambridge University who falls in love with Fred who is half English and half German they want to become engaged but will her Father let them.

Anna is Fred’s sister who has returned to Germany to look after their Grandmother Whois ill. Fred has to go to Germany as he is worried Anna won’t get home if war breaks out. We see what happens to them over the years while they are in Germany.

Viola does her bit for the war but circumstances happen and she ends up in Scotland to see out the rest of the War. Will Fred and Viola ever find each other again.

I really enjoyed this book.

A delightful story. For Viola Baxter, the year 1939 promised to be a great year. However, this did not happen. Fred, the man she fell in love with, is half German. They met at the university in Cambridge as if destiny was playing a part in their lives. The relationship gets complicated by the moment the Second World War begins. Not only they had to worry about this massive event, but also about Viola's father, who was against the relationship. To add more complication to their relationship, Fred had to travel to Germany to bring his sister home. However, this trip will make him and Viola look suspicious. I loved this story because of the relationship between Fred and Viola. I liked that at all times, the couple was clear about what they wanted. It is evident that they lived challenging moments and that they had to overcome many obstacles. It is the first book I read by Jan Casey, and I can say that I enjoyed it until the last page. I thank NetGalley and Aria & Aries for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

While this could have been a compelling story set in a different time period (perhaps another war or less written about period of history), I found that it was only a middling World War 2 novel. Because there are so many convicting and heart wrenching historical fictions (taking place in England and on the continent), I didn't find myself invested in this story or characters. While the espionage and out of wedlock pregnancies were obviously intended to build tension, I didn't ever feel that the characters were in much danger. I also felt that the first half of the book (and war) dragged, then the second half of the war, including both pregnancies, births, and next few years, were rushed at the end, resolving issues in unsatisfying ways.

I took a wee while to get into this book but once I did was desperate to see how it panned out. On one side we have Viola, brother Robert, her parents and love of her life Fred who goes to Germany to see to his sister Annie. Fred gets stuck in Germany when war strikes and being half German is expected to do his bit for the country. Annie keeps a logbook which proves really interesting.
On the other side of the world Viola is going against her families wishes and missing Fred. Very interesting reading it from both sides rather than just your own country. Recommend it.

Jan Casey,she is new to me. After reading this book of hers,it will not be the last. This story shows so much emotions in it and it is so very well written that you not only actually feel the emotions but the fantastic characters come alive and they become real to you. You can see all the research that went into this story as it surrounds the beginning of WWII,and the only thing that Germany and England know is that war will be here just a matter of time and now it's who can you trust or not and what side of this war are you really on! Follow these three Fred,Viola and Annie to see what choices they make,why and see how these choices turned out! Such a wonderful heartfelt story of choices,love,war and why these choices had to be made and see how much family really means in a war where so many will lose all the way around! Received from Net Gallery,thank you so very much and I will be reading more of this author's works! So should you!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Aria & Aries, and Aria for the opportunity to read and review this book before it's publication date! This in no way affected my review, opinions are my own.

DNF @ 15%

I wanted to like this one - I love multiple POVs in Historical Fiction and was intrigued at having two women's POV instead of a woman and a man - but I couldn't get into it. The writing was descriptive and lush but at times felt almost too much so? It just wasn't working for me. This isn't to say that it won't work for someone else, though!

WWII is about to erupt an Viola Baxter has found her soulmate, Fred Scholz. He is not only a fellow college mate, but unfortunately he is half-German and her father is not allowing them to announce their engagement.

Annie Sholz is returning to Germany because her grandmother is seriously ill and now Fred feels he must try and retrieve his sister no matter what happens to him over in Germany.

How do the women maintain their opinions of war when they are in different countries? Viola is missing Fred. and worried about his safety.

The author digs down into the deeper emotional state of mind of sentiments of people who were against those who were not involved with a group, but guilt by blood. The book is full of fervor and the characters grow from beginning to end! I could not put the book down!
I definitely would recommend this book!

I received a free advanced copy from NetGalley and these are my willingly given thoughts and opinions.

It is 1939, Viola Baxter meets Frank Scholz while at Cambridge university. They fall in love and desperate to get married. Frank is half German and asks Viola’s father for permission to get married at the time war breaks out. But, in the time of Hitler, her father refuses and because he is going to Germany to bring his sister home and to see their grandmother who is every sick.
Annie doesn’t anticipate what happens when she goes back to Germany with Fred. The war breaks out and herself and Fred cannot leave Germany and come home leaving them both in danger.
Viola does her bit for the war effort and becomes a translator for the war office while she waits for news of Fred.
This is a beautifully written and descriptive story how woman lived and made sacrifices during the war. Not only in Britain but it also showed what horrors that German women had to go through too. With the sacrifes they made and the starvation of the people while Hitler and his soldiers lived in style. This is an unusual WW2 book as I have not read two sides of the war in the same book. I did enjoy this book but some parts were overly descriptive and I would like to have more action than description. 4 stars from me.

"Women at War" by Jan Casey
Release date: 2.4.2021

Viola Baxter was waiting for her best year yet! 1939 was supposed to be her year -- marrying her beloved, Fred Scholz. The only issue is that Fred is half-German; her father would not grant his permission. Fred needs to return to Germany to bring his sister, Annie, home.

Annie Scholz returned to Germany to help her ill grandmother. She didn't realize that it would mean she couldn't return home, and that her brother would feel inclined to come back to help her.

While in Germany, Fred and Annie cannot leave. As dual citizens, they are in a difficult spot on where their allegiance lie.

What descriptive writing!

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this in response for an honest review.


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Fred and Viola. want to be married. Her parents have said, "no". They are living during the time of Hitler. They are against everything he stands for. Fred is half British and half German. If he goes back to Germany he will have to fight for Hitler. He has to go back. His grandma and Sister, Annie are there. He must try and bring them over. Viola doesn't want to be separated from Fred, but he has to rescue his family.
Fred has to fight for Hitler, he is stuck in Germany.
This is a story of war. It is also the story of the young women that lived during this war. The heartache of losing loved ones. The hardship of raising children when there isn't any food available. It is also a book of strength and courage. It's about people sharing everything they have, even if it means going without. It's a story of courage and hope. Well written.

I am a historical fiction nerd. And i was really looking forward to Reading this book. It was beautifully written. And i guess you go to know more about the german daily life under ww2. I also liked that the book followed to strong female Main characters.
Thank you to netgalley for letting me read this e arc in exchange for an honest opinion

Jan Casey, in her historical fiction novel, “Women At War” to be published February 4, 2021, examines the loyalties of two women when their countries are at war.

Viola Baxter and Fred Scholz met at Cambridge University and, eager to marry, Fred asks Viola’s father for permission. Unfortunately, Viola’s father forbids them to marry when he learns that Fred is heading to Germany to bring his sister, Annie, back home. Heartbroken, Viola makes a bad decision that changes the course of her life. When faced with a tough choice, Viola’s loyalty lies with family.

Annie Scholz discovers that she’s unable to return to the United Kingdom after caring for her grandmother in Germany. Anxious at endangering her brother, Annie is willing to do whatever it takes to wait it out and not call attention to themselves. When she seeks solace in a childhood sweetheart, she is forced to make a difficult decision. Like her sister-in-law to be, Annie’s loyalty lies with family.

The first thing readers will notice about this book is the wonderfully descriptive writing. Not only is it a treat for the senses, but it is also a welcome change for logophiles. Finally, an author who refuses to ‘dumb down’ to appeal to the masses. I loved phrases such as “spurious shambolic mess” and words such as “taciturnity.” I love to ‘dig in’ to a novel and it’s rare these days to find one that allows me to do so. Despite the superior writing, I felt the book lacked ‘something’. I wonder if it lacked passion, not the steamy kind, but the strong emotions of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I’ll admit that I sighed when I discovered that this was another WW2 novel about a pregnant girl as there seem to be so many of them on the market this year. However, the author was able to highlight how this pregnancy affected the family and the sacrifices involved in pledging loyalty to family. War changes everything and it was refreshing to read about two strong women who stepped up to the plate when facing the pressures of war. Surrounded by loss and devastation, they fostered love and contributed to shaping a better future for those who remained.

Thanks to Jan Casey, Aria & Aries, and NetGalley for this advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I love this book, as I do enjoy books on the Second World War it a subject I’m interested in as my parents told me lots of their stories about their experiences. This book drew me in straight away and I just wanted to keep on reading until I finished it. A lovely story. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

For Viola Baxter, 1939 was supposed to be a wonderful year. After meeting and falling in love with dashing Fred Scholz at Cambridge University, they planned to marry and start their new lives together. When Annie Scholz heard her beloved grandmother was seriously ill, she wasted no time rushing to Germany to be by her side. She didn't realise it meant she would not be able to return home to the UK, or that her decision would endanger her brother, Fred, as well. This was a great book and thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book.

Poignant, warm, gut wrenching and hopeful, this book is just beautiful. I stayed riveted the entire time and could not put it down, oblivious to anything going on around me. Though fiction, stories like this were undoubtedly commonplace during WWII. It was moving and descriptive, so much so it was easy to visualize and empathize with the characters.

Viola Baxter is a young woman in England with a wondrous future ahead, including marrying the man she deeply loves. But a lot can change in a matter of hours. Her life goes from hope and joy to crushing defeat and trials. Her father disagrees to the marriage, much to their shock, reasoning that since Fred is half German it wouldn't work, especially with the impending WWII. But that is merely the beginning.

Annie Scholz is Fred's sister and in Germany caring for their ailing grandmother. Fred departs for Germany to rescue his sister but they both find themselves unable to leave and get caught up in one horror after the other. As dual citizens they are in a precarious position as they cannot show favour to the Allies. Understandably, Fred's departure from England also throws his fiance, Viola, into a downward spiral, a despairing tunnel she just can't see her way through. Brother and sister are both caught up in living double lives out of necessity as the war rages on all around them; Viola moves to London where she has no memories with Fred.

The dark hideousness of war is depicted very well here. Believable and horrific yet with glimpses of light and hope even under the worst imaginable circumstances. We are also introduced to other characters, some despicable, others tender and compassionate. War changes everything. But we see the inspiring steadfastness of these women who will not give up.

Historical Fiction readers, this is a brilliant and immersive read. I loved it.

My sincere thank you to Aria & Aries and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this moving and courageous book in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated.