Thank you @Harper Muse and this author for including me on the tour of The Call of the Wrens by Jenni L Walsh.

Published on November 15, 2022

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ From the writing to the characters to the story, this book will captivate you from the start!

A dual timeline story that alternates between Marion during WWl and Evelyn during WWll with their experiences in the WRENS (Women’s Royal Naval Service) This is the woman’s division of the Royal Navy where women carried out non-combat duties during both wars. Both women were motorcycle dispatch riders, which was one of the most dangerous jobs.

Marion grew up bouncing between orphanages and was often called a mute because she rarely spoke. She coped with her situation by reading books. At the age 18, she is told by the orphanage she will have to move out and find work as she aged out. So it was suggested that she join the WRENS, which she then proceeded to do. Will this job finally give her a sense of place and worth?

Evelyn was born with a club foot, so was often told she couldn’t do something because of it. So when she got her driver’s license, it was the freedom she was looking for. Evelyn raced cars until WWII. Her parents wanted her to find a husband and start a family, but she felt differently. Despite her mother’s disapproval and with the help of her friend Percy, Evelyn becomes a WREN. Will this give her the freedom she is looking for?

With each having faced their own challenges, how will these women handle their duties? Will this be the job they finally feel valued?

A powerful story of how women played an intrigual part during WWl and WWll. It showed their bravery and resiliency, especially those who were the motorcycle dispatch riders.

An unbelievably well researched and well written book that will leave you feeling blown away by the story that Jenni L Walsh chose to tell! I highly recommend it for anyone who loves Historical Fiction. A great book club pick as well, as it will lead to many interesting discussions!

I will be posting my review on Instagram on 11/22/22 as that is the day I signed up to post! Of course posting my review on retail sites and Facebook the day it publishes.

This is a two-pronged tale of the British Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS) or Wrens, a group of women who performed support services during WWI, WWII and beyond. Marion is an orphan who joins the first group of Wrens when she is aged out of her orphanage in 1917, having nowhere else to go and no real means of support. Evelyn snags her childhood friend’s motorbike and runs away from home to join the Wrens in 1940 before her parents can enter her into a finishing school for proper young women.

The story is very detailed and moves back and forth between Marion and Evelyn each chapter, which can be occasionally confusing. Each of the women has a debilitating defect that makes the Wrens very challenging and each of their love interests adds interesting levels of tension and excitement, including a good couple of twists near the end.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for my honest voluntary review. Overall this is a good story with actual events detailed from both World Wars and the Wrens program. At times I felt the momentum a bit sluggish, moving day by day through each war and the conclusion drags on more than necessary to wrap up an already lengthy tale.

The Call of the Wrens is my first time reading a novel by Jenni L. Walsh. I really enjoyed it! Here are the things that I loved the most:

-The strong female characters. They found their own paths in life, they had a strong desire to help others and do what is right.
-The Dual Timeline is done very well. I don't think I've ever read a book that encompasses both World Wars, but this one did it beautifully. Both storylines were captivating!
-The concept of found family. This is one of my favorite types of book. I love when characters can find their people!
-The Wrens were amazing! I had never heard of the Women's Royal Naval Service, and I found every aspect so fascinating. I will definitely be doing some more research on these brave women who stepped up during war time!

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys dual timelines, historical fiction, and strong female leads.

Thank you to Harper Muse, NetGalley, and Jenni L. Walsh for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest personal opinions!

This book has dual timelines. The first one is before the Great war and during the Great war , the second timeline is set during ww2. In this book we follow the courageous women in service during ww1 and ww2. Mainly Marion during ww1 and both Marion and Evelyn during ww2.
For me this book was about resilience, loss, courage, hard choices and of course the wars.
I really liked the book, you felt Connected with the Main characters, you could almost hear the sound of the bombe. I could cry with them during hard times. So yes read this book please

Moving between WWI and WWII, the story of two women from very different backgrounds who find themselves working together to help win the war as they travel around the country on motorcycles delivering messages often with the help of carrier pigeons. We learn about the sisterhood that develops, the secrets that are kept, and the grief that often never leaves them.
A gripping read based on the real British women who played this important part in defeating the Germans.

In The Call of the Wrens, by Jenni L. Walsh, the reader is transported to England and Europe during with both WWI & WWII. This dual timeline story follows two orphans, Marion and Eddie, as they find love and purpose as motorcycle messengers during WWI. Evelyn was born with a club foot. She has endured multiple surgeries and wants a life of adventure, if only her mother would quit dictating what her life will be. When she secretly joins the WRENS, she becomes a messenger in London, just like her biological mother.

There are multiple twists and turns in this story of survival, love, and finding your own way in a dangerous world. It was a good read. I was able to read this book on #NetGalley.

In this book author Jenni L Walsh stretches her legs. Her previous adult works have been biographical in nature. With The Call of the Wrens, Walsh pays tribute to ALL of the women who volunteered to brave the elements of war to transport messages during WWI and WWII.
Both Marion and Evelyn have emotional baggage. Marion struggled to make friends and fit in her entire life. Not only that, as a child Marion never truly felt wanted or loved. Evelyn was thwarted in her attempts at independence from early on in her childhood, in large part due to her physical disability. Evelyn was granted every advantage and was indulged more than most. She knew she was loved but she sometimes felt like she wasn't heard. Service with the Wrens gave each woman a chance to prove themselves.
Walsh creates a tale of determination, bravery, friendship, and love. Both characters are so relatable that the emotions jump off the page. Walsh places the reader in the appropriate time and place with vivid descriptions and accurate representations. A haunting and beautiful tale that will not disappoint.

I've been reading -- and loving -- Jenni Walsh's historical fiction since her debut with BECOMING BONNIE years ago. THE CALL OF THE WRENS takes her talent for reimagining strong-willed female characters to another level, painting a fascinating picture of an entire real-life army (or in this case, navy) of heroic women most of us know little to nothing about. I loved learning about the role of the courageous WRENS during the World Wars, cracking codes, training carrier pigeons, delivering messages by motorbike as bombs fell over the streets of London and further afield, on the front lines. But I loved Walsh's characters even more: Women with complicated motivations and desires, grappling with heartbreaks and triumphs in the face of adversity, weighing familial obligations and societal expectations against the callings of their own hearts. Walsh kept me glued to the page: Fans of historical fiction won't want to miss this one.

This novel gives readers a glimpse into the past lives of the WRENS, the Women's Royal Naval Service, who were actually motorcycle messengers during WWI and II. The story highlights the bravery and spirit of women destined to forge a path beyond the expectations of their era and circumstance. Excellent!

The Call of the Wrens by Jenni L. Walsh is a fascinating, inspiring, and emotional historical fiction novel!

In 1917 England, Marion, an orphan, joins the “Wrens” during the Great War as a motorcycle despatch rider on the Western Front, assigned to train and deliver carrier pigeons to the front line. Although she finally has a sense of purpose, she and her best friend, Eddie, dream of a better future.

In 1936 England, Evelyn, a society girl, wants to use her automobile racing skills as a despatch rider in WWII. She was born with a club foot and has already overcome so much. Her parents threaten to cut her off, but Evelyn is determined to serve her country.

I love historical fiction because I always learn something new, and this book was no exception! I had never heard of the Wrens (Women’s Royal Navy Service) before, and I loved learning about them through Marion and Evelyn! These motorcycle riding messengers were strong, courageous, and resilient women! The dual timeline/dual POV format made this story even more interesting, especially since it spanned World War I and World War II. Both characters’ journeys were compelling, and despite coming from different backgrounds, they each had to overcome so much. I adored the side characters too, especially Eddie! I will be thinking about this amazing, beautiful, and heart-wrenching story for quite some time!

I'm generally not a massive fan of the dual narrative and dual timeline combination as one character's story is generally more interesting or more thoroughly developed than the other, but that's not the case here - I found both characters and storylines equally compelling. Our two protagonists initially seem to be quite different, but they are of the same ilk: both are much more than they seem to be, and both endure lonely childhoods before finding purpose, belonging, and sisterhood with the Wrens.

I appreciate that the author chose to focus on a little-explored aspect of WWI/WWII historical fiction, that of the fierce female motorcycle messengers. I've also rarely encountered a character in historical fiction who serves in both wars, but of course that was the reality for a certain generation - they survived the Great War, the "war to end all wars", only to be faced with same-but-different horrors just 20 years later.

The historical research is sound, the pacing is right, and the characters are well developed, though the romance aspect is predictable. I found the flow to be somewhat disrupted by the short chapters which force us to go back and forth between the two narratives very frequently - I felt that I was just settling into one storyline right when the second would come along. Finally, I believe that no work of historical fiction is complete without a comprehensive author's note at the end that details their research process and sources, historical elements that have been altered to suit the fictional narrative, and contextual background about the time, place, and people the book is based on - and I had nothing to complain about in this regard.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for this ARC.

The Wrens, or the Women’s Royal Navy Service, were a group of brave women who were sent out to help dispatch messages all over Europe in the middle of a war. These women put themselves in harms way, often traveling through battle fields to get a message in the right hands.

Marion, an orphan, never felt like she belonged until she joined the Wrens during World War I. Having learned how to type while at the orphanage, the nuns wrote her a recommendation letter in hopes that she could secure a future typing important documents with the group as she was officially aging out of the system. Her future took a turn when she ended up helping train pigeons and dispatching messages in France, and an even bigger turn when her only friend from the orphanage Eddie followed her to war.

Evelyn, a socialite, was a lonely child as she was born with a club foot and her mother and father kept her home for most of her childhood between surgeries. With few friends save Percy, a family friend, Evelyn found herself often bored, and by her teenage years rebelled by racing cars against her mother’s wishes. Her disability didn’t hinder her ability to race and she loved feeling “normal” for once in her life. When news of another impending world war came, Evelyn refused to stand by while others volunteered. The Wrens, specifically the dispatch riders could use her skills and she was determined, despite her foot to aide in the war effort in a real way.

Marion and Evelyn were fiercely independent and their courage in the face of dangerous conditions was inspiring. The lengths they were willing to go for their jobs amazed me, and seeing their paths cross during the Second World War was emotional. Their story is an excellent addition to the historical fiction genre.

Thank you to Netgalley, Harper Muse, and of course Jenni L. Walsh for the advanced copy of the book. The Call of the Wrens is out on November 15th. All opinions are my own.

The Call of the Wrens is a captivating historical fiction novel of courage and resilience. It tells the story of the women who served in the Women’s Royal Navy Service—the Wrens—in both WWI and WWII. Marion is an orphan and joins the Wrens during the Great War; Evelyn is a society girl who joins them at the outbreak of WWII. Both women endured hardships and danger as they worked to help Britain during wartime, as well as facing challenges prior to joining the service. Their stories were equally compelling, and I recommend this emotional tale of love, war, and secrets.

The Call of the Wrens is a dual timeline, dual
POV story alternating between Marion in WW I and Evelyn in WWII. Both stories were engaging and interesting and sometimes heartbreaking. The pacing was well done. I really liked learning about the WRENs and their important, heroic work during the wars. I would have liked a little more from Percy, but that is a small complaint. Overall, I really liked the stories and look forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 / 5.0 stars

What a spectacular and exquisitely written story highlighting the valiant service of the British WRNS - Women's Royal Naval Service - through both World Wars. The story features two women, a generation apart, serving their country through war service permitted of women. Both women against their respective personal odds, seek to find their place and set their marks in the world.

1917 - Marion Hoxton, an orphan and near mute, ages out of the orphanage and is set to serve the WRNS as a typist. She is soon drawn to the call as a dispatch rider and finds herself training and dispatching carrier pigeons in France, just a few miles from the enemy lines.

1940 - Evelyn Fairchild, a young debutante born with a handicap, seeks to prove herself normal and capable. She is drawn to speed. After "acquiring" her friend's motorbike, she descends upon the WRNS and offers her services as a dispatch rider. First things first, she must prove physically and mentally worthy to serve. She has never backed down from a challenge and she sure won't be starting now.

Both women face tremendous odds, rise above the fray and serve bravely. They are valiant Wrens of a unique sisterhood representing all the brave women who served in the WRNS during both wars.

Although I have read references to the WRNS in other books, this story is delivered with a greater depth of understanding. The research which went into its writing is vast and voluminous. The writing is highly descriptive and evokes one's emotions through its delivery. The characters are well developed and relatable. It's a great story and I highly recommend it to fans of historical fiction.

I am grateful to author Jenni L Walsh and her publisher, Harper Muse, for having provided a complimentary copy of this book. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.

Fascinating learning about female Wren dispatch riders delivering messages during both WW1 and WW2 via motorcycle. I have read before about homing pigeons being used but not the motorcycle piece. So many lesser known roles of women in these wars. I’m so glad their stories are now being told.

There were parts of the story that were a little slow for me at times but overall I loved the parallel and intersecting pieces of Marion’s story and Evelyn’s as their lives and services play out in tandem during WW1 and the beginning of WW2, and then coming together.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are solely mine.

Another book about subject matter dealing with the World Wars about which I know nothing! Women played many important roles during these two wars. Bravo to the author for bringing this information to all of us.

Moving and captivating, The Call of the Wrens kept my eyes glued to the pages. I’ve read so many WWII novels and each one takes my breath away and The Call of the Wrens was no different. I loved learning about the Women’s Royal Naval Service and their part in both WWI and WWII. Though fictional, I loved the storyline of the two leading women and how it all comes together at the end. Also, a must for me with historical fiction novels is a good, detailed author’s note at the end that details how much of the story was fictional and what was true; Walsh checks that box too. For fans of the Nightingale or Rose Code, you will enjoy The Call of the Wrens.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Call of the Wrens if a fantastic historical fiction about a group of brave and determined women during the World Wars.

If you're not familiar with Walsh's writing, she is fantastic at writing a story that flows. She creates characters that and endearing and likeable. Ones you can glean strength and strong character from.
And The Call of the Wrens is no different!

I'm so glad I got to read about the Wrens, because theirs was a story I had never heard of!

This unforgettable novel gives readers a glimpse into the past lives of the WRENS, the Women's Royal Naval Service, who were actually motorcycle messengers during WWI and II. It's a part of history that was completely unknown to me until I read this fascinating tale told from two points of view, Marion and Evelyn. The Call of the Wrens has it all for historical fiction buffs, an epic war-torn timeline, stories of two strong women, female friendship, topped off by memorable, heart-wrenching, tear-jerking romantic scenes that will keep you turning that page until sadly, the book comes to an end.