Loved this story of sisters working during the war. The innsights both had was interesting and I lool forward to maybe a second novel featuring them as time goes on.

What an interesting angle The Poppy Sisters takes as it shows readers two different sides of life during WWI. Told through the lives of sisters Phoebe and Celia Robertson, we are given an insight into life at a hospital in France and another into life at a prisoner of war camp in Jersey.
Phoebe is in France as a member of the Red Cross Voluntary Aid Detachment and spends her hospital life caring for injured soldiers newly arrived from the front. Her work includes stripping the men of their filthy uniforms and washing them before dressing them in pyjamas for their hospital stay and it is during the performance of this task that she meets Captain Archie Bailey, who becomes both her patient and the man she falls in love with.
Meanwhile, her sister Celia, a trained nurse, is working with injured German prisoners of war, a job she initially undertakes with some trepidation as her parents and brother were killed not long beforehand during a German Zepilin bombing that destroys their home. Her patient, Oberleutnant Otto Hoffmann, a trained doctor before the war, shows her the human side of the German prisoners and she, too, falls in love. With both romances strictly forbidden by the authorities, the sisters struggle with their feelings as the war continues. I empathised with them both and understood the secrecy they had to endure as their feelings grew. This story shows the human tragedy of war but is also filed with hope. It did drag a little in the middle but was a really interesting and engaging book. I was glad it ended the way it did and was left hoping for a brighter future for these two strong and talented women.

This is the first historical fiction book I've read with a heavy medical fiction side to it. I didn't enjoy the story as much as I expected too, I think it focused more on the medical side than I would have liked. However, it was an interesting perspective into the war and the things that the nurses experienced at the time.

Somewhat predictable, but the characters are so endearing that you enjoy making the journey with them to see what actually happens. You have to love these people. Orphaned sisters are both nurses, serving in different places during WW1. They both fall in love with patients, which is forbidden to do in both places. But that's what makes it so interesting to read. Love it!! Hard to put down all the second half.

I received this book free from the author, publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

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Two sisters serivng in the war. One as a nurse. The other as a voluntary aid detachment. Separated by being posted in different areas. THey are all they have left as their house was bombed with their family in it. Both fall in love with patients.


For me this book was nrealistic. It took me a long time to read as I did not connect with it. I was excited to read it so this saddened me. I wold however read another book by this author.

Poignant, heartbreaking and eye-opening, will have you misty-eyed and fill your heart with warmth and heartbreak!
It's no secret that I adore this era, and Deborah Carr is one of the very best, her books are always full of pure heart and emotion, with vivid and compelling characters who will stay with you for a long time., engaging and heartwrenching story, rich detail and the most beautiful cover I have ever seen!! I adore everything abut this book, so much so I have now purchased a paperback copy for my favourite shelf!
Highly recommended!!

Historical fiction at it's best! I love the medical drama filled suspense. I became a huge fan of the sisters.

Such a compelling story about two sisters who lost family but found hope in new love. Celia and Phoebe, both nurses, fall in love with patients (which is frowned upon). The friendships they build during WW1 and the unbelievable grief is so well written. Definitely recommend for anyone who likes historical fiction.

A good read.The story features two sisters who are both nurses one working in a prisoner of war hospital in France and the other in Jersey both get into relationships that will test them both as they struggle with the casualties of was while trying to deal with their emotions. A nice easy reading story but thought the ending was a bit sudden would have liked to have found out a bit more about Phoebe and Celia's relationships but maybe there will be a follow up book

This is a WW1 story of two sisters, Celia who is a trained nurse working at a POW camp in Jersey and Phoebe who is a VAD working in France.
The sisters are facing very different circumstances but both are facing daily hardships to save the lives of the wounded soldiers in their care.

Phoebe is inspired by the courage and resilience of the British servicemen that are in her care & over time becomes enamoured of Captain Archie Bailey.
Celia is working at a POW camp, struggling with the thought of treating "the enemy" that killed her brother and parents in a bombing raid ... but eventually comes to realise that they are just ordinary men & one in particular captures her heart.

The story was everything you would expect from a Historical Fiction/Romance novel, but was let down somewhat by a weak ending (though it is left open for a possible sequel?).
There are many quite unbelievable coincidences and the characters were not particularly well developed, but it was an enjoyable light read.

An emotional tale of sisters Celia and Phoebe who, after their parents and brother are killed by a zeppelin attack in WWI, join up and serve as nurses. Celia, working at a POW camp on Jersey, finds herself falling for Otto, a German physician who is forbidden. Phoebe, in France, is attracted to Archie, who later disappears, leaving her struggling with her mental health. She spends time in Cornwall where, well, no spoilers. This alternates between the sisters to tell their stories, which are very much in the moment, with little back story. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. While it's light (very light) on nursing during the war and heavy on the romance (no steam though), it zips along in a familiar way that might fit the bill for fans of the genre.

2 sisters, separated by war, Phoebe and Celia. They have recently lost family loved one and are nurses in 2 different situations. I loved these 2 women and the love stories they have.

The story gives you a realistic idea what it was like in England, France and the island of Jersey during The Great War, the wounds and medical procedures, comradery and friction between hospital staff, bond between siblings, bravery and having to being stoic and treating prisoners of war and show them compassion. Two sisters, having recently lost their parents and brother in a Zeppelin bombing raid, they work through their grief as nurses. With a fine cast of characters, this novel was well researched and well written. Highly recommended.

Two sisters, having recently lost their parents and brother in a Zeppelin bombing raid, work through their grief as nurses in Carr’s novel of World War I. The story alternates chapters between events narrated by Celia, a trained nurse posted at a prison camp hospital on the Isle of Jersey, and her younger sister Phoebe, a VAD who works at a hospital for allied wounded in France. Though cover and packaging identify this as historical fiction, the book straddles the line between that and historical romance, as recreation of the time period takes a back seat to the ups and downs of the sisters’ romantic lives. Although, understandably, nurses were forbidden to develop romantic entanglements with their patients, both take the dangerous step of falling in love with men initially under their care, Phoebe with architect Archie and Celia, even more perilously, with German doctor and prisoner of war Otto. As the war years drag on, their new friend Jocasta, the widowed sister of the surgeon at Phoebe’s hospital, offers respite to both sisters at her home in a tiny Cornish village, helping them cope with the grief of losses, the stress first of nursing the desperately wounded, then victims of the devastating Spanish flu epidemic, and the uncertainties of loving soldiers in the midst of a war that will wipe out almost a whole generation of men.

This is a book about 2 sisters, both nursing in the First World War. There was nothing to dislike about the story but I did not find it a page turner in any way. Unfortunately I felt the whole thing was a little tame.

A riveting story, rich in historical detail. Skillfully communicates some of life’s bittersweet verities.
Many thanks to Harpercollins UK and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion

This was good but a little slow for me and focused more on the romance element and less on plot so it was ok but not really my jam .
Thanks to Netgalley and author for letting me review this boo

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a fantastic change from other historical fiction on the shelf. Instead of focusing on World War Two, Poppy Sisters is based in World War One, looking at the nurses as they weave their way throughout the whole war. I loved the relationship development in this book and the research done by the author added to the authenticity of many scenes within the narrative.

However, the chapters were very short and not well developed. If the author had made the chapters longer it would have given her a chance to introduce more descriptions and build up the characters and scenes far more. For this reason, while I did enjoy the story, the book fell flat for me.

I’m looking forward to read more by this author.

This historical romance takes place during World War 1. Phoebe works in France as a VAD, and Celia works at a POW camp in Jersey. Both sisters work hard, and both fall in love with one of their patients. Of course, there are complexities presented by the war, and in one case by the fact that the love interest is a German prisoner.

Two fairly small things stood out to me: First was Jocasta - a young widow who Phoebe befriends and who is just a beautiful person. Next, the descriptions of trench foot and how much the soldiers suffered from the filth on the battlefront.

I felt like this story was heavier on the characters' feelings and the romance than on the war effort. I enjoyed the story.

I had previously read and enjoyed the 'Mrs Boots' series by Deborah Carr, and this was something very different, but equally as enjoyable.

Phoebe and Celia are sisters, separated by War, but united by grief. They have recently lost their beloved parents and Brother and have each thrown themselves into work to help others, but also distract themselves from their own losses.

Phoebe is a VAD at a base hospital in Etaples, France, treating men who have been injured at the front. Celia is a nurse at a Prisoner of War camp on the Island of Jersey.

Phoebe is inexperienced and at times feels overwhelmed by her role, but she knows that she is doing a good job, even if it is only helping her new patients settle into their surroundings and become less frightened.

Celia is more experienced, she knows her way around a hospital ward. She knows that she is doing the right thing, but sometimes she questions her feelings for the men in her care. Should she care so much how the enemy are feeling?

Both are suddenly and unexpectedly drawn to patients that they know they cannot and should not have feelings for. Phoebe's is an almost instant attraction, whilst Celia's is less obvious and more of a surprise. Particularly as the man in question is an enemy soldier.

But we cannot help who we fall in love with, and in times of war, does it really matter all that much. Surely it is better to live for the moment, than regret later?

This is a beautifully written book, and I wonder if there would be a sequel, as I would like to know more about our wonderful characters futures. Or maybe I should just use my imagination ...

In any case, I look forward to reading more from this author.