This is a not a story for the faint of heart.
This is a not a story for someone looking for a flash in the pan sort of tale.
This is a story for the dedicated reader. The reader who loves nothing more than getting lost between the pages, pouring over someone else’s lives, experiencing their greatest joys and sorrows, traversing the world both in time and place...while never leaving the comfort of your favorite reading spot.

The story of the Fry sisters is intense, taking us from their mother’s eventful past to present day for them all, as war breaks out across their homelands. Each sister will follow her own path, much like their mother before them, but they all do it with a shared inner strength and conviction for what they believe in...including their feelings towards love. Their mother, Christina, is understandably jaded by life, but only learns the true meaning of the word, and feelings associated to it, once it’s too late to be shared. Etta follows her artistic desires and holds close to her heart tragic truths best shared, all in the name of love, and being loved, though it seems belief in a thing, or in love, even that which seems fated, can pull through. Jessie comes to terms with her own colored prejudices just in the nick of time, but her path towards a fulfilling future was no less littered with obstacles. Celie was perhaps the one I felt for the most, not only because there were so many things kept from her, but her ending, her story rather, while pleasant, still broke my heart. I’d feel wrong if I left our Gerald, their father. He was such a kind-hearted man, and only wanted what was best for his girls. It was clear that his heart beat, his essence beat within each of them, come what may.

All in all, the Fry sisters were a remarkable trio, as were their parents, fellas, and friends made along the way. There is nary a soul not worth mentioning, but that would remove some of the beauty for all of you with their introductions, so I’ll leave you to discover the rest on your own. Suffice it to say when I found out it was the beginning of a saga, I was rather pleased, and more than happy to leave a spot on my wish list for whenever that title becomes known.

First Initial Thoughts

This story follows 3 sisters in the Fry family. The beginning of the book is set right before WWI started.

Cecelia is the oldest. She is in love with a man named Max, a German soldier. However, society and her family are reluctant to have Cecilia date a German. Especially as tensions grow stronger with Germany and Britain. While Cecelia is the oldest, I found her to not be the typical oldest child. Though, she was very involved in the women’s suffrage movement and wants a better future for women in society.

Jessie and Etta are twins. Jessie is just turning 18 and she wants to be an Army nurse. However, her mom doesn’t think that is the best choice for her. She thinks that Jessie should be a nurse at the local hospital until she finds a suitable husband. Jessie thinks otherwise. She wants to travel the world and has no intentions on marriage. She gets the chance to travel the world when her position in the Queen Alexander’s Army brings her to Egypt. Then she meets Dr. Khalid. She is smitten. Will she remain single forever?

Etta is the total opposite of Jessie. Jessie, I found to act more like the oldest child than the youngest child. Etta, however, clearly acted as the youngest in the family. Etta is an artist and soon starts to hang out with like-minded individuals despite her mother’s objections. She soon falls in love with Carlos, an Italian, and things go a little out of control. Etta was seen as the hope in the family in her mother’s eye. Will she be able to hold onto that innocence?

Setting

This book spans so many different countries and places. From the outskirts of London to Capri to the exotic lands of Egypt, this story will keep you on your toes in terms of the setting. Adrienne brilliantly researched each place for the time period she wrote the stories in. Due to her amazing writing skills and research, you could envision each of the places as you read the story.

Final Thoughts

First off this book is nearing 500 pages so it is a long book. However, Adrienne has such a way with words and creating a story that you find yourself 200+ pages in before you know it.

What I liked about this story is that she wrote about issues that girls face not just today but also in the past. Coming of age can be a hard time for young women and when you combine that with love it can be even more complicated. Each sister while each one was very differnet, was learning about love in a very tuburlant time. WWI was just starting and many didn’t know what to expect or what was going to happen. But they could hang to one thing, and that one thing was love. Love, is what brings us together and keeps us going.

Another unexpected story line in this story was with Christina, the girl’s mother. Christina was seen as the strict mother. The mother who was traditional but wanted the best for her daughters. She was kind of hard to get to know at first but we get a backstory to a time when she was also young and in love. We get clues that Cecelia may not be Henry’s (Christina’s husband) biological father. What happened to Christina when she was young? What made her grow so cold?

This story was absolutely extraodrinary. I was blown away with the imagry, setting, and story lines of each of the 3 sisters. I couldn’t put this one down till the very last page! This is the first book in the series so I am excited to see how the story progresses in the next two novels.

Would I Recommend?

Yes! There are brief moments of intimacy but overall the book is pretty clean. If you enjoyed Downton Abby for its family drama, you will definitely enjoy this story about 3 sisters coming to age, dreaming about their future all amongst the outbreak of WWI.

Firstly, let’s take a moment to fully appreciate just how gorgeous this cover is. It speaks to my WW1/Historical Egyptian loving heart and makes me go all soppy. Come on, thought look at it. Isn’t it gorgeous, I love how it fits with the story, especially that of Jessie.

I loved the sound of this book instantly, I felt instant in tune with it I am a big WW1 historical/romance fan and I have a huge love of anything Egyptian (I blame my obsession with The Mummy’ 😉) so yes I jumped at the chance to review it, despite being buried alive by a toppled Everest sized tbr pile (it didn’t help that found a charity shop selling books for 50p – yes, I did go overboard- but enough about my binge buying).

This tells the stories of three sisters Cecelia, Jessie and Etta, just as war breaks out in 1914 each woman must face trials and uncertainly swirls around them like the smoke wafting off the battlefields which change their lives completely. Cecelia has fallen in love with Max, who just happens to be a German soldier, theirs is a forbidden love. Jessie has always been a free-spirit wanting adventure and has an urge to help so she enlists as a nurse to be posted to Egypt and Gallipoli where she with unimaginable loss and finally we have Etta who having fallen in love with an Italian, she elopes having found she is pregnant but she is faced with far more problems than an unwanted pregnancy as an unmarried woman.

Love in A Time of War is a beautifully written story, I can’t say I was blown away as I found parts a little drawn out and long-winded – or maybe it was me, but it felt heavy in particular parts, again it may just be me attempting to speed read when I had other things going on. But apart from my personal misgivings, this book is beautiful and hugely emotional, you feel so much while reading; love and loss is mingled with drama and fear for what’s to come.

It took me a while to settle into the story as I said earlier I had issues with how heavy parts were, but then we have the lighter potions with the sisters, the Fry sisters really bring the story together, I felt so much for these three women. They are so courageous in their actions and their love, at times it’s heartbreaking as they each face incredibly hard times, they must make choices that will impact their lives. For me it was Cecelia who made my heartbreak so many times, her love for Max is pure and perilous, their love is forbidden they are supposed to be enemies they are wearing opposing uniforms (so to speak) and their love for each other is scorn on from the world around.

I felt every heartbreak, every joy, every tear and smile, the emotion bursts of the page and you feel everything these three women will settle on your heart. Even though I haven't read this author's work before her writing is full of real unapologetic emotion, there is so much love and passion interlaced with rich and captivating history. The history is so immersive, that is the aspect of the story which drew me in instantly, it’s clear that Adrienne Chinn did a huge amount of research into every aspect of the book, the history and knowledge and passion for the story pours off every page.

Overall, despite my personal reservations about the heavy feeling that hung over certain parts, this is a dazzling and heart-breaking story of absolute love, there is a beautiful unspoken message of acceptance and taking chances on what your heart truly desires.

I was drawn in from the start by quality of the language in the prologue. The descriptions of the scenery on the Island of Capri took me back to a holiday visit which I remember fondly.

Adrienne Chinn has managed to create an eclectic group of characters, all of are crafted and developed.

The book covers a plethora of historical, geographical and social themes in a tale which makes excellent use of the dual timeframe. On this occasion being set in 1890s Capri and in various locations at the outbreak of the Great War.

I won't go into detail about the storyline for fear of spoiling the plot. Suffice to say that the author has captured the sense of time and place in this fast paced novel which charts the lives of one family.

There are sufficient twists and turns in the narrative to keep the reader engaged right to the end. Enticingly there are a few loose ends which make me look forward to the second book in the trilogy.

I give my thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins (One More Chapter) for a copy in exchange for this review.

A story of 3 sisters living in London in the 1910's. Their sheltered lives are changed by the coming of the war and the travels/relationships that will expand their world. Loved reading about them maturing and growing. Loved all 3 of them.

As the futures of the Fry sisters are shaped by the onset of World War II, from Gallipoli to Italy and beyond, their experiences also shape what their lives will be after the war, and also their relationship with their mother and the secret she has kept from them for many years.

A duel-time line novel visiting far-off lands...

On the cusp of WWI, nineteen-year-old Celia Fry and her younger twin sisters, Etta and Jessie, are young women who have very clear ideas on how they want to live their lives. Living in comfortable means with their parents, Christina and Gerald in Clover Bar, London, none are prepared for the harsh realities of the impending Great War and the locations it will lead them to.

The title and the blurb drew me to this enchanting novel, but it took some time and patience for me to fully digest the initial introduction to all the characters. Once, achieved, I fully embraced the narrative, as we not only follow the Fry sisters but also the intriguing flashbacks from their mother's point of view.

This is the second novel I've read by this author and again, I am blown away by the descriptive details of the various backdrops as these determined young women face up to the realities of adulthood. I appreciated how Ms. Chinn wrote the sisters so that their differing personalities shone through as they embrace the suffrage movement in their own individual way. It contrasts to how their mother is trying to prevent her daughters from making the mistakes she did herself as we learn about her life before she married Gerald.

As you would expect from such a novel, it ends on a cliffhanger… and a promise, leaving the reader craving for what could happen next? Therefore, this first instalment of this evocative trilogy sets the scene of what promises to be a truly memorable saga.

***arc generously received courtesy of One More Chapter via NetGalley***

My goodness, I really enjoyed this one – a wonderfully written and entirely all-consuming story of the lives of three sisters making their way into adulthood against a vividly drawn backdrop of a world in turmoil from the beginning of the First World War. It was one of those rare books where I became so caught up in the characters and their story that I really didn’t want it to end – and I couldn’t be more delighted that this is the first in a planned trilogy, and that I’ll have the opportunity to immerse myself in their lives and experiences once more.

Celia is the eldest, separated from her German fiancé Max, involving herself with the efforts of Mrs Fawcett’s National Union of Women’s Suffrage, writing newspaper articles always hoping that her gender will be recognised, her photographs – a skill learned from her father Gerald – capturing the times and the impacts of the conflict on the home front. The other two sisters are non-identical twins, and live very different lives. Jessie is a nurse, joining the Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service despite her mother’s opposition, eventually finding herself in Egypt in a time of change that is reflected by her own life choices. Etta is the flighty one, a fledgling artist caught up with the Bloomsbury set, falling in love with artist Carlo and finding herself alone in Capri with a young child when the war tears him away. And Capri is where her mother Christina’s story began – it’s cleverly laced through the story of the sisters, along with the layers of secrets that explain her protectiveness of her daughters and her fervent wish (or maybe that should be vain hope…) that they will all follow a conventional path to marriage and motherhood.

The writing really is exceptional – the locations are far more than a backdrop, the era and settings quite wonderfully brought to life with vivid and detailed descriptions, along with a realistic recreation of the conventions of the time. And the story-telling really is tremendous – the three sisters are distinct and well-drawn characters, and the author wraps their stories around each other in a way that is a real pleasure to read. There’s a strong romance element to all three stories – beautifully and convincingly done – and the emotional content has a very sure touch.

This is a book that really has a bit of everything – drama, romance, conflict, heartache, rich historical detail, wonderfully drawn locations – and “swept me away” doesn’t begin to do it justice. It’s also a book that made me feel, and really deeply, for its characters – there were times I was in tears at the desperateness of their situations, but the moments of joy were perfectly handled too. And although the sisters’ stories (and their mother’s) are largely complete by the book’s end, it leaves a few intriguing threads to be picked up and followed later – I enjoyed this book so much, and I can’t wait for the next one!

As the story opens, sisters, Cecilia, Jessie and Etta Fry live quietly at the romantically named Clover Bar, in London with their parents, but this is 1913 and the country is on the cusp of war. Each sister will come of age during this time and each will have a very different experience of finding love in a time of war. During this period of great change, the sisters find themselves in exceptional circumstances, each caught up in the war in different countries, and with different expectations.

I enjoyed getting to know Celie, Jessie and Etta, their individual stories are done with a fine eye for historical detail, bringing both time and place to life. There is much to consider, especially the impact of war, the rise of the suffrage movement and the role of the army nurses working in challenging war zones. Whilst I enjoyed getting to know the sisters and became involved in their lives, I also found the parents of the girls, Gerald and Christina, to be just as interesting, especially as, bubbling beneath the surface, are secrets involving Christina, going back to the 1890s. The story does switch timelines to include details of what has gone before which adds a different dimension to the story.

Love in a Time of War is a beautifully detailed, sensitively written, and emotional story about finding love in a time of war. As this is the first book in a proposed trilogy about the Fry sisters there is certain amount of scene setting which, undoubtedly, gets the series off to an interesting start.

Love in a Time of War by Adrienne Chinn is a dual timeline historical saga, set in 1891 as well as before and during the WWI. It's a sweeping and dramatic novel, crammed with romance, emotion and heartache. It follows the lives of the three Fry sisters, Cecelia, Jessie and Etta.
There is a certain Chekhovian theme, of a conflict between illusions, dreams and reality, which could be traced through the storylines of all Fry women (mother and daughters). All the Fry ladies are educated and refined, but unlike the Chekhov's Three Sisters, Cecelia, Jessie and Etta are able to change their lives.
The portrayal of the war is unflinching and moving.
Set against the catastrophic and poignant historical backdrop, Love in a Time of War is a captivating exploration of the spirit of the women forging new lives during and after the WWI. Immersive and moving.

I tried very hard to enjoy Love in a Time of War by Adrienne Chinn. It should have been easy: the characters were interesting and the historical and geographical settings were fascinating. But I just couldn't get past the use of the present tense. For me, it made the book feel facile and simplistic. And whatever the truth of that, it was an impression I just couldn't shake.

I was first introduced to the writing of Adrienne Chinn when I read The English Wife in 2020 and I remarked then on the author’s ability to enable the reader to navigate multiple timelines. Love in a Time of War is a little more straightforward, moving between events in the years 1913 to 1919, with occasional trips back to the 1890s.

Love in a Time of War is the first book in a trilogy featuring the Fry sisters – Cecilia (Celie) and non-identical twins, Jessica (Jessie) and Etta – and their mother, Christina. The author has created distinct personalities for the three sisters. Celie, the eldest, is clear-headed, thoughtful and has a strong sense of justice particularly when it comes to the question of women’s suffrage. Etta is more headstrong, fired up by the desire to become an artist and willingly immersing herself in a bohemian lifestyle. Jessie is the most serious of the sisters, determined to put her nursing skills to use and resist the pressure to follow the conventional path of marriage and motherhood.

The latter is the path their mother Christina is determined they should follow. She appears almost puritanical in that respect, indeed one might say hyprocritical given what the reader learns about her early life. Being more generous, perhaps her actions are driven by a genuine desire to prevent her daughters making the same unwise decisions that she did in allowing her heart to rule her head. Whatever her motivation, it seems to have the opposite effect to that she intended as both Celie and Etta become involved in relationships with men who do not make ideal husband material in the eyes of Christina. Even Jessie, who was my favourite character, eventually embarks on a relationship with a man who for many reasons would probably not be welcomed with open arms in the Fry household. (I’d have welcomed him in any day!)

A character I’ve not mentioned so far is the sisters’ father, Gerald. He was the character with whom I empathised the most. Having done his best to provide a stable home for his daughters, encourage their interests and be a devoted husband, I was intensely moved by his discovery that all is not what it seems in his marriage. In keeping secrets from her family, I was reminded of the quotation from Marmion by Sir Walter Scott, ‘O what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.’

Although the First World War provides the backdrop to many of the events in the book and transports the reader to a number of locations including Italy and Egypt, another constant element is the campaign for women’s suffrage. All three sisters reflect the ideals of the movement, albeit in different ways. Celie’s is the most obvious, becoming involved in organising marches for Millicent Fawcett’s National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies and, later, writing newspaper articles and taking photographs to publicise the vital contribution of women to the war effort, such as those working in munitions factories. Etta’s unconventional lifestyle is a challenge to social conventions that sees her hobnobbing with leading lights in the Bloomsbury Group such as artists Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant, and writer Virginia Woolf. Jessica’s determination to forge her own path in life and be judged on her ability rather than her gender, represents the independence that many women were fighting for.

Those who love the idea of chance encounters will be rewarded by some coincidences that conjure up that famous line from the film Casablanca, ‘Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world she walks into mine’. Indeed at one point, when a family connection is discovered between two strangers, one of them remarks, ‘Small world, isn’t it?’. Quite. However these encounters are pivotal to the storyline, on occasions in quite deadly ways. They also serve to demonstrate that, in war, soldiers on both sides experience the same level of fear and anxiety and face the same moral dilemmas.

As might be expected from the first instalment in a trilogy, Love in a Time of War ends at significant moments in the lives of the sisters. With the war finally ended, what new horizons await them? There will be plenty of readers eager to find out.

The first in what likely will turn out to be a 3-book series, this book follows the 3 Fry Sisters through WW1. Their lives, loves and family relationships are all tried and tested by the war circumstances. Choices are made, bonds are forged, and strength perseveres.

We travel to Italy, Egypt and Canada; the locales are beautiful. Cecelia, Jesse and Etta follow love and adventure during their travels to these places. I don't write spoilers, so I can't tell you the outcomes of each woman's story.

It is a slow ramp story that did take me a bit to get into, but after that it moved along nicely. I look forward to the next in the series.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.

Love In A Time Of War is the first in an expected trilogy which follows the lives of the three Fry sisters. Book one begins just prior to the commencement of World War I when women’s lives were on the brink of incredible change. Adrienne does a fabulous job of portraying, through these three very different sisters, the spirit of all women who went on to forge new lives for themselves during and after this time of war.

‘I’m recommending you for immediate advancement into the surgical specialty. I suspect we may need trained surgical nurses sooner rather than later. The world is not a peaceful place, Fry. I believe war is inevitable.’

Interestingly, it is also a dual time narrative with flashbacks to the sisters mother, Christina, at the same age but in Italy where she grew up. This is probably an aspect I found questionable as with there being three sisters, it added to the number of characters, bringing a lot of dialogue and plot lines to follow. So it does jump around a bit, skipping back to the mother’s timeline which at times upsets the flow of the story. It also makes for a very long book that took some time to establish itself but worked out well towards the end, despite not being a standalone and therefore a future instalment is required.

‘The problem is the past is still alive inside her. She carries it with her every second of every minute of every hour. She will never be free of her past. It stares her in the face every day.’

This book follows these very different sisters through a time of great change - women were now able to leave home alone, travel overseas without a chaperone or take on roles and positions traditionally held by men. Adrienne has strong focuses on the British suffragettes and the role of nursing in the war years. There is, of course, romantic relationships - one Italian and one German - which makes for next level problems given the world situation of the time.

I enjoyed being in different locales - England, Egypt, Italy - and how family secrets were to become exposed. So if this time period appeals to you and you enjoy epic family dramas and are prepared to invest in a trilogy, then Love in a Time of War should definitely be on your reading list.

‘No matter where we are in this world, we’ll always be together, Jessie. You, me and Etta. The three Fry Sisters.’






This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

This is a story about love during a war. The war is talked about but the focus of the story is the woman. I enjoyed reading about the war from this side. One is a nurse who volunteers for the war and I loved her character. She knew what she wanted and was not afraid.

The story changes between the woman and time. I really enjoyed the traditions of the times and how the woman felt while the men were at war. There are many complex relationships and I loved all the support the woman had from family.

Thank you to the publisher for an advanced reading copy.

Read if you like: WW1 fiction
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The book follows three sisters and their experiences leading up to and during the First World War. Celie is part of the Suffragette movement and also is in love with a German professor. When the war starts, she is afraid she will never see Max again and is unable to contact him. Jessie trains to be a nurse and is sent to Egypt! Lastly, Etta is a young artist who elopes with a fellow artist and follows him to Italy. Their mother also has a secret past that we slowly get to unravel as readers.
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Lots of interconnecting parts as we get to experience the story from multiple perspectives, which I generally enjoy!
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CW: war, death, violence, minor sexual content, racism.

Great WW1 story following the very different lives of three sisters transporting you from London to Italy and Egypt. Forbidden love, historic secrets and romance with the backdrop of the war make this compelling reading and I am looking forward to the next book

The Fry sisters, Cecilia, Jessie and Etta live at Clover Bar in 1913, with their father Gerald and mother Christina. Gerald owns a photography studio, he tries to keep his snobby wife Christina happy and he has no idea she’s kept a big secret from him for years!

Cecilia Fry's studying German, she madly in love with her teacher Max Fisher and he’s only four years older than her, with the outbreak of the war looking imminent, Max returns home to Germany and they promise to wait for each other. Celie helps her father in his photography studio, and he’s busy taking portraits of young men going off to fight in The Great War. Celie has always been interested in photography and she starts writing articles and taking pictures for the Mirror and she wants credit for her work. Years go by, she hasn’t heard from Max, meanwhile Frank Jeffries continues to pursue Celie and he hope’s she will change her mind about the German?

Jessie Fry's studying to be a nurse at Kings College Hospital, and matron puts her name down as a possible candidate to join the Queen Alexandra Imperial Military Nursing Service. When the war breaks out, Jessie's sent overseas, and she’s nurse’s patients on a hospital ship during the Gallipoli campaign. Eventually she's working as a theatre nurse at the General Hospital in Alexandria in Egypt, here Jessie meets Doctor Aziz Khalid, she has to keep reminding herself that she wants to remain single and stay dedicated to her career.

Etta Fry's studying art, much to her mother’s horror and meeting all kinds of bohemian people. Carlos Marinetti’s a struggling Italian artist living in London, they fall madly in love and elope to Italy. Etta and Carlos are living together in Naples, and Carlos joins the second army thirteenth infantry division and a pregnant Etta goes to stay with her mother’s cousin Stefania in Capri.

Love In A Time Of War follows the three Fry sisters through the long war years, it was a time of great change, young women left home for the first time, traveled overseas unchaperoned, employed in jobs that men traditionally did and many decided they were no longer happy working as domestics. Like Milly the Fry's maid, she's starts working in the dangerous ammunition factory, handling TNT and they became known as the canary girls.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley and Harper-Collins UK, I did find the story a little slow to start with and Adrienne Chinn skillfully picked up the narratives pace. The Fry sisters found themselves having to forge new lives during, and after The Great War and over come many challenges. I look forward to the next book in the series and four and a half stars from me stars from me.

This was a new author for me and I wasn’t disappointed.
In Love in a Time of War we follow the lives of three sisters through their chosen paths.
Jessie who decides she wants to train as a nurse, to see different countries and experience some excitement in her life. She may manage them but at cost.
Etta who is mama’s favourite flits about not really settling to anything until she goes off to her uncles studio and then keeps company with free spirits.
Celie who mama has a strange relationship with ( for reasons outwith Celie’s control) goes off to Italy with Carlos.
Once I got used to the family connections I really enjoyed the story and looked forward to each part in turn.
I shall certainly look for more by this author.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this very long but compelling book

the three fry sisters
cecilia
jessie
etta
and christine their mother

the sisters are just about to embark on their lives when the great war starts, each sister will go a different path, one which will frustrate their mother christine

alternate chapters with each sister plus their mothers storyline thrown in the mix does lead to some frustration when each storyline starts to get really interesting and then you turn the page and its the other sister but bare with it all merges together at the end...

todays society wont believe what women had to put with, so many will find this a mixture of disbelief and anger at how women were treated but on the whole an interesting read as you want to find out how things work out for each sister and their mother