“Two Wars and a Wedding” is a historical fiction book by Lauren Willig. This book takes place in both 1896 (mainly in Greece) and in 1898 (mainly in Cuba). This book mainly follows Betsy - in 1896 an aspiring archaeologist turned nurse, and in 1898 a Red Cross nursing volunteer. This book was a really nice break from WWII historical fiction as, based upon the dates and locations, it focuses more on the Greek/Turkish war and the Spanish/American war. Before reading this book, I knew about Clara Barton’s Red Cross efforts (Lady with the Lamp from the US Civil War), but I didn’t know that at the age of 77 she traveled to Cuba. There were a lot of things I liked about this book, besides not covering WWII. Ms. Willig pretty accurately describes the issues facing women who wanted to be archaeologists in the 1890s - either marry an archeologist (and I liked the mention of Mr. And Mrs. Emerson) or start lower than low on the totem pole by not digging. I did like the inclusion of Mrs. Schliemann, too, as she brought Betsy some down to earth, though disheartening, advice. I greatly enjoyed the Author’s Note regarding who Betsy was based upon (it’s two people). I cannot say that I always liked Betsy - she rather took life by the horns and then tried to shoehorn it as she wanted it to be, but while impulsive and headstrong, Betsy did a lot of maturing before zipping off to Cuba, so that was nice growth. There are a number of memorable side characters, including Kit and Holt. A very enjoyable historical fiction book.

Lauren Willig has knocked this one out of the park! In late 1800's, Betsy, a spoiled socialite from Smith College has a goal of being an excavator when most females are excluded. Determined to forge her own way, she finds herself as a nurse in the Greek War and shortly after a nurse in Cuba during the. Spanish-American War. Love interests, female friendships, and devastating events occur.
Letters to her best friend, descriptive conditions of field hospitals and conditions at battle draw you right in to the setting and her story.
Thank you to netgalley for the ARC!

I picked this one up because I wanted to read about an aspiring archaeologist. But instead I got the story of a brave young woman who finds herself working as a nurse during two wars. Two Wars that tend to be lesser known to history. And I loved the strong female friendship that you got with this book. Something that tends to be missing a lot in fiction.

Thank you to Net Galley for an early copy of Two Wars and a Wedding by Lauren Willig

The settings of the Greek/Turk War and the Spanish-American War during the closing years of the nineteenth century may not be what comes to mind when reading Lauren Willig's title Two Wars and a Wedding. Even regular readers of historical fiction may find much to learn as they follow Betsy Hayes between these these two separate yet nearly simultaneous wars. A multitude of real-life characters present themselves including Clara Barton, Teddy Roosevelt and William McKinley.
Betsy wants to develop her love of archeology, but women in this field face more than discouragement. When the opportunity arises to help the wounded in the Greek/Turk War, she finds things out about herself that she did not realize such as her compassion for others and her determination to right the wrongs of war she is able to. These will stand in good stead when her work shifts to Cuba's war for independence from Spain and the aid of the Rough Riders. Amidst this backdrop of multiple wars, Betsy will come to know real love. She will also learn that even the deepest of secrets can be handled when shared with someone you trust. And her anger at some of the misplayed aspects of the war will result in real change for future doctors, nurses and soldiers.
While Betsy Hayes is a fictional heroine, she is based on the real-life characters Harriet Boyd Hawes and Janet Jennings. nurses and humanitarians of this time. Willig has provided additional reading material suggestions on all aspects of this fascinating time.

Two Wars and a Wedding by Lauren Willig is a great historical fiction that leads us through some fascinating and challenging events during the late 19th century.

This book mainly takes place from 1896-1899 (and a bit up to 1904). Here we follow Betsy Hayes as she becomes a fervent supporter of nursing the wounded and a voice to those who are vulnerable ( wounded, ill, and distressed men on the front as well as women wanting to help report and take care of these men). How she stumbles into this role from a Classics major in Greece trying her best to be accepted (fairly I might add) as a fellow archeologist and her desire to be included in local digs, is the largest part of the book.

The author sheds light on not only true women that were inspirations for these characters, but also the roles that America played within the Greek/Turkish war and the Spanish/American War in Cuba. It was fascinating to learn more about some of these conflicts, the horrible situations involving some of the unacceptable treatment of the wounded upon the Albania, Seneca, and Concho.

This book is a real gem to have been crafted about real women, real historical figures, real wars, and the real consequences that took place on all sides. To have all of that along with an intriguing storyline, memorable characters, action, suspense, and romance…really makes for an enjoyable and memorable book.

I highly recommend.


5/5 stars

Thank you NG and William Morrow for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 3/21/23.

Betsy, a nurse, heads to Cuba with her friend ava and Clara Barton. they are there to help during a war., very interesting story. I enjoyed it very much.

This book is told in dual timelines, from the perspective of Betsy Hayes who is a recent graduate from Smith College, and an aspiring archeologist. The first timeline takes us to 1896 Greece, where Betsy is part of the American School, attempting to receive equal treatment and opportunities as her male peers, and eventually ending up nursing men at the front during a conflict between Greece Turkey. The second timeline takes us to 1898 Florida and Cuba during the beginnings of the Spanish American War, Betsy joins the Red Cross to nurse again.

The chapters alternate from the 1896 story line to the 1898 storyline, and initially this leads the book to feel very disjointed, and I had difficulty getting immersed in the story. Once I got about 55% into the book, it started to move more quickly, and I felt more connected to Betsy. From the beginning, you know that Betsy is holding onto personal trauma and slowly, the book reveals what happened to her in Greece to shape who she is in 1898.

I learned a lot historically from this book that I did not already know, and I enjoyed the perspective of a female in a male dominated field, both as an archeologist, and as a nurse at the beginnings of the Red Cross when women nurses were not accepted and respected. The writing, once I was able to get into the story was very good, flowed well, and I enjoyed getting to know Betsy and seeing her grow and change.

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the electronic ARC of this novel for review.

Historical Fiction is my favorite genre and Lauren Willig is one of my favorite authors within that genre, so I was excited to get an ARC of her latest novel, “Two Wars and a Wedding.” The novel’s protagonist is Betsy Hayes, a Smith College graduate who in 1896 is studying at the American School of Classical Studies in Athens, Greece, where she tried unsuccessfully to be included in the archaeology expeditions, but was denied because of her sex. To prove her stamina, she volunteered to be a nurse treating the soldiers injured during the Greek War for Independence against the Ottoman Empire.

The novel alternates between the Greek War for Independence and the Spanish American War in Cuba in 1898, where Betsy is a nurse with the American Red Cross. While in Cuba, she witnesses unfortunate parallels between the two wars in terms of the incompetence displayed by leadership, including the respective Armies’ medical establishments, which initially refused all help provided by the female nurses. During each time period, she encounters a potential love interest: Charles de Robecourt in Greece and Private Holt, a soldier fighting in the Spanish-American War.

I knew almost nothing about either war, so this book proved very educational. Through her well-crafted prose, the author brings the time and place to life. The characters are well drawn and intricate, with scintillating dialog. The details of nursing duties and the soldiers marching could become a bit tedious at times, but I overlooked this minor issue because I love the author’s writing style and engaging characters. I highly recommend this book to fans of historical fiction who love a novel that includes multi-faceted characters, and beautiful prose.

(Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins Publishers for providing me an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review).

This is historical fiction at its absolute finest - with an intricately woven plot that spans years and continents, vivid and meticulous historical details, and complex female characters that you cannot help but root for from the start. Inspired by the astonishing true stories of some remarkable, trailblazing women in late 1800s America that get caught up in tumultuous events of that era, this riveting novel is not to be missed!

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of Two Wars and a Wedding by Lauren Willig.

This was a fascinating book - I do not remember much of what Iearned about history over the year (my Mother, the history teacher, would be very disappointed with me.) So the back story, the two conflicts in Greece and Cuba were mostly unfamiliar to me. The correspondence between Betsy and Ava along with the news reports from Kit helped me understand the situations better and kept me interested in what was going on.

I enjoyed the character of Betsy - strong women are always good. She doesn't flaunt her place in society; instead she tries to use her standing to do things that must have been nearly impossible for many women to attempt at the end of the 19th century. The Greek setting was especially fun with her treks to the various dig sites, and the mentions of the various characters who stole much of the antiquities over the years.

The Cuba story line was equally interesting and the descriptions of the fighting and the terrain and climate seemed quite realistic. The author's description at the end of the book gave credibility to her story and made me want to learn more.

Highly recommend this wonderful book - I found myself wrapped up in the story very quickly and enjoyed it thoroughly.

Two Wars and a Wedding is a great story involving likeable characters with the backdrop of the Spanish-American War, and, in the case of Betsy Hayes, the Greco-Turkish War as well - the two wars mentioned in the title. A classics student, Betsy is frustrated that women are not allowed to take part in the archaeological digs in Greece so she takes a nursing course with her best friend Ava, which she unfortunately fails, but still pulls some strings and becomes a nurse during the Greco-Turkish War and later, during the Spanish-American War. Betsy struggles to overcome many challenges throughout the novel and in the end, finds what she is looking for out of life. I loved this novel!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. Lauren Willig has an easy-to-read writing style and I look forward to reading more by this author.

I was so excited to receive this ARC because LW is one of my favorite authors! This book was amazing. The author is so descriptive and engages the reader on every page. The historical events that she wrote about are not ones that I am very familiar with. It was a very interesting read.

Like Band of Sisters, Two Wars uses a real historical setting to tell the story. I think that Willig has gotten better at giving characters more emotional resonance and it shows in this book. I also enjoyed learning about a different period of history. Long may she continue!

Hello! Many thanks, indeed, to NetGalley for having provided me the ARC for Two Wars and a Wedding to review. I really appreciate the chance to read amazing historical fiction, and Lauren Willig never disappoints. Her attention to detail is spot on. Without giving anything away, honestly, one of the best parts of the book is the section with the historical footnotes at the end of the book to put everything in perspective. I had written a paper in school about the Spanish-American War and only know a little about the conflict between the Greeks and Turks. It is often helpful to have historical notes at the outset of a book; however., in some ways, that can often detract from the enjoyment of what is meant to be historical fiction (even though based on real-life events). The dynamics and romance surrounding Betsy and Holt are well-crafted and develop at a lovely pace. It is a brilliant feat of this author that she is able to weave such intricacies around love and war - the beauty of love and the horrible images of war. I felt like I was with Betsy, Ava, Holt and others for their tragedies and triumphs each step of the way. The magnification in this book concerning volunteer nursing, indeed, gives the reader a front-row seat to the challenges that these brave individuals endure - and looks beyond the time in the field for the context in terms of their life 'off the field.' That the author chose two significant hotspots - Greece and Cuba - in which to set this novel was quite smart as well. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning about history as he or she reads a work of historical fiction.

As a former Social Studies teacher and always a historian, I especially enjoy historical fiction, especially one as well researched and engaging as this one. I was very drawn to the story of Betsy and the others who were accidental heroes in saving people involved in the Spanish American War. Betsy represents the brilliance and ambition of a woman, held back by society at the turn of the century. She is not only an aspiring archaeologist, but also a volunteer nurse.

This wonderful story is enhanced by the romance of Betsy and Holt. She is surrounded by other extraordinary women, seeking to have careers. This is truly the start of the feminist revolution that isn’t complete, over a 100 years later.

I enjoyed the novel, but I also enjoyed the historical notes at the close of the book. The author shares the inspiration and true stories of the people who inspired this very fine novel. Willig has the gift of creating a highly readable novel within the framework of a serious historical event.

I do recommend this book as both a great read and an introduction to the unending struggles of women, to ensure their rights. Bravo! Thank you Netgalley for providing this ARC.

Greece and Cuba - 1896 and 1898

Elizabeth (Betsy) Hayes graduated from Smith College where she studied archaeology. She travels to Greece with the hopes of having the opportunity to participate in actual digs, but the archaeologist running the training program doesn't believe women have the stamina to excavate. Despite the support of Charles, French Baron de Robecourt, Betsy is stymied by the intransigence of the leader of the dig. However, all goes further awry when fighting breaks out between the Greeks and the Turks. Despite having little training in first aid, Betsy volunteers as a nurse for the Greek cause. There is nothing noble about what Betsy sees and has to deal with in the uneven battle, including a disastrous shipboard event where it's painfully obvious that no one on board was prepared for the onslaught of wounded soldiers. It's a nightmare for the men, as well as for Betsy, and other medical personnel who are helpless to control things.

From a wealthy New England family, Betsy has rarely had to worry about money. Her best friend at Smith, Ava, who struggled financially, and, despite her intention of becoming a doctor, has, instead, been a companion/nurse for a wealthy relative. Her arrival in Athens is thanks to Betsy footing the bill for Ava's transportation. But the war, and some of Betsy's questionable behavior, split the friends up.

Two years later, a more mature and sober Betsy has arrived in Cuba along with Teddy Roosevelt's Rough Riders to protect the Cubans from the Spaniards. Betsy had heard that Ava was volunteering, and she wanted to stop her from going, however, it's Betsy who ends up on the island, and in the midst of yet another savage war. Memories of the war in Greece haunt Betsy, and she is determined to do what she can with the poorly thought out invasion by the Americans.

TWO WARS AND A WEDDING is based on the real life story of an American woman, a graduate of Smith. Ms. Willig crafts a terrific tale using actual events, many real people who participated in these events, and news reports. Betsy grows into a tough, caring woman who fights for her patients, as well as for herself. The fictional characters are beautifully real, and the wrap up of the story is gratifying. Another excellent historical fiction presentation by Lauren Willig. Don't miss this book, and, if you haven't already read BAND OF SISTERS, do yourself a favor and do so.

Lauren Willig has a talent for shining a light on some nearly-forgotten period in history, making it come alive with rich descriptions and compelling characters who make the past come to life. "Two Wars and a Wedding" is no exception. Betsy Hayes is a bluestocking- a Smith College graduate with a burning interest in the Classics stoked by her doting father. Backed by her family fortune, she travels to Greece to continue her education at the American School in Athens, where she becomes obsessed with the idea of excavation- something women in her time were excluded from. Greece, for Betsy, becomes the catalyst for great change in her life, leading her from the halls of academia to nursing on the wards of a shell-shocked nation, and eventually to the shores of Cuba with Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders. Along the way she discovers a personal reserve of strength she didn't know she possessed, and a capacity for love she believed she was incapable of feeling again. Descriptions of war and battlefield hospitals were realistic, and could be upsetting for some readers.

Lauren Willig is at the top of her game as one of the finest historical fiction authors writing today. This powerful story about two fascinating young women against equally fascinating backdrop. This one has everything -- romance, intrigue, adventure all told with the finesse of a master storyteller!!! Book clubs are going to eat this up!

Dramatic narrative about the Spanish American war from the perspective of the Red Cross nurses under Clara Barton. Exciting and historically accurate.

I love historical fiction and this is no exception. Lauren Willig is a master storyteller. This is the first book that I have read by her and I plan on reading more.