I enjoyed this collection/collaboration! The stories were nicely told and I enjoyed most of the characters. The ending was lovely. I have been thinking about hope since I finished the story. Highly recommend!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Liberty Scarf is an historical novel in three parts, featuring interconnected stories by Aimie K. Runyan, J'nell Ciesielski, and Rachel McMillan. Compelling and inspirational, each of the stories in this novel is thoughtfully written, cleverly connected, and truly engrossing. All three stories contain well-developed characters, detailed settings, unexpected romance, and plenty of gripping history.
 
With stories that are set principally in England, Belgium, and France during WWI, this novel will captivate readers who enjoy stories infused with courage, self-sacrifice, perseverance, and hope. Linked by the silken threads of a very special scarf, these narratives reveal uncommon love stories, unforeseen friendships, significant struggles, and indomitable dreams. Page after page, the intricate design of the scarf inspires those who appreciate its beauty beyond a mere accessory. The scarf becomes a palpable symbol of hope and love in a season of extreme adversity.

Deftly written from beginning to end, this touching book is quite riveting. The fictional world and the characters created by these collaborative authors are genuinely captivating. Real emotional connections with the characters in each story is nurtured through their authenticity, perseverance, and courage. The characters' setbacks, successes, motivations, fears, and dreams are certainly intriguing and thought-provoking. Their honest vulnerabilities as well as their earnest persistence are thoroughly meaningful and inspiring.

Unflinching and filled with plenty of heart, The Liberty Scarf is moving and memorable. Its three stories are detailed, immersive, and worthy of attention. It is a unique and special novel that I recommend wholeheartedly.

*I was given a copy of this book from the publisher/author and from NetGalley. A review was not required. The review I have written is voluntary and contains opinions that are entirely my own.

This was a great story! I loved that each of the women were very different, and all going through their own set of challenges. Their romances were all well-developed, too. The connection of the scarf was really fun, and I liked that the quote, "Hope is the thing with feathers" was woven throughout as a theme without being too repetitive or trite. It was interesting to read the stories as separate short stories, then have them come together in the end.

This is my first read by these authors and since it is a single book instead of 3-1, I wasn't quite sure how it would go having multiple authors telling a story. Rest assured, they did it in a way that worked beautifully. This read takes you on a journey of this one Liberty Scarf and how it wove together 3 couples during WWI.
Iris Braxton longs to design and create her own line of scarfs, instead of illustrating someone else's work and when she meets a Captain Conrad Jones, she gains the confidence to try along with other things. Then Geneviève Tremblay, a French-Canadian immigrant, working as a US Army Signal Corps to serve as a bi-lingual operator meets a French officer who captures her heart when she was engaged to another and gives her a gift to remember him by, a certain Liberty Scarf - Can she give up a secure future for her and her family and risk it for true love? And lastly, Clara Janssens, a Flemish Nurse, working in hospital, when Roman Allaire, an Alsatian violinist, playing on the front lines, is severely injured and a certain Liberty Scarf was so gingerly wrapped as a tourniquet becomes her newest patient.
These three strong female leads have you drawn in from the start - the only "downside" was once ones story started, I hated it when it "paused" to start the next. The authors did a good job working together to piece three stories into one and if they had decided to instead, make this a 3 book series, it would have made it a 5 star read in my book.

I loved this book! It follows three women during WWI and how they are involved in their own ways. It is centered around the “Liberty scarf” one of the characters designs and they all connect with the quote on it. “Hope is the thing with feathers” Each woman faces her own challenges in the world but all resonate with the quote for different reasons. As the story progresses, their lives start to intertwine. A beautifully written book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the ARC.

4.5 / 5.0 Stars
Six lives bound together in World War I, all by the existence of a special Liberty of London scarf. (Having visited Liberty in London, one easily understands how special a gift such a scarf can be.)

The three authors of this book have spun an engaging series of three tales all connected through an exquisite Liberty scarf. Each tale is tender and romantic and celebrates women who know not their own strength in times of war. The voices of the three tales are uniform and it's difficult to determine where each author's own voice comes through in the stories. That is to say, this triune authorship works well as they deliver a uniform and engaging book. The writing is solid. The scene settings are rich and well described. The characters are well developed and the characters' relationships can be challenging yet tender for the most part. The challenges placed by war on young love is palpable. Can a pretty colorful scarf and perhaps love shine through and banish the darkness of war? If sweet and tender historical stories are your jam, then this could well be the perfect book for you.

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

Publisher: Harper Muse
Publication Date: November 19, 2024
Number of pages: 368
ISBN: 978-1400246700

One beautiful scarf is woven through three novellas written by different authors, highlighting the importance of hope, resilience, and beauty during the ugliness of war. Set during WWI, we meet three strong women who have their parts to play in the War, and the men who fall in love with them because of those strengths. Iris, who dreams of designing a scarf for the iconic London store she works for, and Rex, the soldier and (junior) architect, who supports and encourages her, and finally gets her scarf design in front of the right person. Genvieve, a French-Canadian immigrant switchboard operator from Maine who joins Pershing’s “Hello Girls” and heads to France to help the US Troops with communications. Promised to someone from her hometown, a chance meeting with a French officer in London brings her a friend and pen pal who sends her the Liberty Scarf in thanks. Finally, there is Clara who is determined to make a difference as a nurse, who meets a gifted violinist who is part of a small army orchestra that travels around performing to raise the spirits of the Troops. When he’s injured, the Liberty Scarf becomes a tourniquet, and he ultimately passes it to Clara.
Each author creates characters and storylines that had me invested from the start. I adored Genvieve, the confidence she gained the longer she served was inspirational and enjoyed the natural way her relationship with Maxime developed. Iris’s determination to achieve her dream and her growing relationship with Rex, who was determined to make the best of everything, was nicely developed and believable. For me, Clara’s story was a little less cohesive, as I felt a little lost while reading.
Overall, this was a fascinating and satisfying historical read. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys novels set around WWI, and especially those who have read and enjoyed any of the three authors’ previous works.
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to listen to an advanced copy of the novel. All opinions are my own and freely given.

"Hope is thing with the feathers."

The Liberty Scarf, from the best selling authors Aimie K. Runyan, J'nell Ciesielski, and Rachel McMillan, explores the WWI era in a captivating historical fiction narrative that delves into characters, relationships and societal challenges.

Three women, whose lives are connected by the same Feathered Hope scarf, share one goal in life during these trying times, which is to offer hope to others.

Each of these women find solace in offering hope to the civilians and soldiers by way of designing a colorful artistic scarf that represents a brighter tomorrow, delivering the great news that the Great War will soon end and nursing the wounded so they can return back home to their loved ones.

Things I loved:
How the sequence of events unfolded about these three women, Iris, Clara and Geneviève, and the love they found along the way are articulated in three different parts of the book. Readers can follow the storyline with ease.

How the authors crafted their life struggles before, during and after the war and transformed Iris, Geneviève and Clara into strong and brave women. "Hope for me is still a lone feather, drifting on the wind. I have no idea where it will alight. But I have enough faith in myself to know I can find a new path once my time here has come to an end."

How the romantic relationships of the three couples, Iris and Rex, Geneviève and Maxime, and Clara and Roman, did not strip away the complex dynamics of the situations but added another layer of uncertainties of whether or not their love will survive after the war. "...there's his way of looking at the world and all its possibilities for beauty and hope that I once thought was a vision that belonged to me alone."

Overall
By far, The Liberty Scarf is one of my favorite historical fiction reads of 2024.

It is a profoundly moving and well-crafted historical fiction that all readers.will enjoy. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Austenprose for a copy of The Liberty Scarf in exchange for an honest review.

World War I is the backdrop for three stories by three authors, all interconnected by the fine silk scarves of the Liberty Shops of London. The stories begin with Iris, a dreamer who hand paints stamped silk scarves for the Liberty Shop. What she really wants is the opportunity to catch the owner's eye with one of her own designs. When a chance meeting with a young soldier/architect gives her such an opportunity, she produces a scarf design that will add sparks of color and hope to many feeling the dark emotions of the war. Genevieve is a French-Canadian who has never been truly accepted in the small Maine village her parents moved to when she was a child. But her intelligence helped her secure work as a telephone operator, and her bi-lingual abilities lead her to France, where she and other young American women work long hours as operators, passing coded messages between military leaders. But before the women begin their assignment in France, they have a few days in London, and while there Genevieve visits the Liberty shops, and by chance helps a Frenchman select a scarf for his sister. Clara's story begins as Belgium is forced out of its neutrality and she volunteers as a nurse. Raised without friends, Clara finds comfort and solace in caring for the wounded soldiers and in making a grand friendship with a nurse named Annaliese. Annaliese defies the strict uniform code by concealing a scarf under her collar, a replica she has made of the now famous Liberty scarves. Both Clare and Annaliese come to care deeply for one particular patient, a musician who succumbed to pneumonia while entertaining the wounded. How these three stories weave together to a post-war, Christmas ending I will leave for readers to discover on their own. All three stories seem to end abruptly, but readers simply need to wait until all three stories have been introduced for a satisfying ending. Although I liked all three stories, I did feel that not all three were equally easy to follow, hence the 4 star rating.

I loved this books so much! The characters, especially my favorite Iris, were written so well. The story was plotted out well, and I felt like the pace was perfect. I couldn't put if down. I love the different aspects of women's careers that the book covered in such an interesting way. It was an epic novel of historical fiction that I highly recommend. I can't wait for more from this author.

Thank you Net Galley ARC and Harper Collins Focus/Harper Muse

The Liberty Scarf
Aimie K Runyan, J'nell Ciesielski and Rachel McMillan, authors

Three different stories of three different couples are brought together during the war and tremendously times all by the beauty of a scarf.

The stories are all written with grace, dignity and beauty. I enjoyed how they eventually twined together yet each couple had their own ending.

Historical fiction about WWI! This is a good one.

This book has three different authors that each tell a story about a strong female character during the war. The women all have interesting jobs during the war that have historical significance. Then all three stories come together at the end of the book after the war is over.

Do you like to wear scarves? Do you have a favorite one? I liked the wearing scarves trend of last decade, but now I only wear a scarf when it’s cold with my jacket. I have a soft red one that is my favorite.

The Liberty Scarf is three wonderful stories set during WWI that are all tied together by a scarf. The first story is set in London. Iris works for Liberty Scarfs and dreams of being able to design scarves of her own. Captain Rex Conrad is a wounded soldier back in London to raise funds for the war effort. His friends bet him to ask out the first women who enters the door and that woman is Iris. They start a relationship, but when Rex is called back to serve on the front, they make plans to meet again. When he is wounded again, will they be able to reunite?

The second story is of Genevieve Tremblay. She is dating the wealthy Peter, but his family does not approve of her as she is from the wrong side of town as a Canadian immigrant living in Lewiston, Maine. She is a telegraph operator and she enlists in the U.S. Army Signal Corps. On her way to France, she has a brief stopover in London and meets a dashing French captain named Maxime. Maxime and Genevieve start to correspond, and he sends her a scarf that Iris designed. But with Peter still in the background, will Genevieve and Maxime’s friendship be able to turn to romance?

Clara Janssens is a nurse in Brussels where she meets violinist Roman. They bond over their shared love of music and continue to write to each other when Roman returns to the front. His letters take a turn and Clara wonders, will their love still be the same when the war is over?

My thoughts on this novel:
• This novel is made up of three separate novellas and one epilogue.

• Many parts of these stories take place during the Christmas season. I loved reading this leading up to Christmas in real time.

• I liked the comparison of two designers in the first story. Iris wanted to design scarfs while Rex was an architect who wanted to design buildings.

• I enjoyed how the Liberty scarf was woven throughout all three stories. "Hope is a thing with feathers that perches in the soul."

• I really loved the strength of the characters in each of the stories and how they are trying to make it through the long and bloody war. Their romance stories were also delightful.

• I greatly enjoyed the epilogue which not only tied up all the ends of these stories, but also linked them even more together.

• I learned a lot of new things in this novel about WWI, for example about General Pershing’s Hello Girls.

• Many parts of the story were told through the letters passed between the main characters.

• The authors’ notes at the end were fantastic and each author described the inspirations for her story.

• There are also discussion questions at the end of the novel as well. I think this would be a great book club selection to discuss, particularly around the Christmas and winter seasons.

Overall, The Liberty Scarf is a beautiful story of three different women and their journey through WWI. The connection via one special scarf, characters, and plots were all very interesting. I highly recommend this novel to any historical fiction lover.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Liberty Scarf. Set during World War I, the story is told in three parts, which are all tied together in the epilogue.

Part 1: London, Iris Braxton is a scarf maker who dreams of becoming Liberty& Co.’s first female pattern designer. Captain Rex Conrad, a junior architect hired to help redesign Liberty’s storefront, charms his way into her heart. When he is called back to the Front, they vow to meet for Christmas in Strasbourg, France.

Part 2: Maine, Geneviève Tremblay enlists in the US Army Signal Corp to serve as a bilingual operator, better known as The Hello Girls. A chance meeting with a French captain at the famed Liberty of London will change the course of her life forever.

Part 3: Belgium, Clara Janssens serves as a nurse in a Brussels palace-turned-hospital, where she meets violinist Roman Allaire. Their mutual love of music creates a spark between them, but the constant threat of war jeopardizes their growing bond.

A scarf, designed by Iris, ultimately connects all three couples.

This is a beautifully written book about finding hope in the darkness of war. Three women from different places trying to find their way during World War I. As they face the horrors of war they find love and when it is threatened they find the strength to have hope. Tying the stories together is a beautiful Liberty of London scarf with the Emily Dickenson quote "Hope is the thing with feathers" embroidered into it. The characters and their stories were compelling and I did not want to stop reading until I knew the outcome. I highly recommend this book for readers that enjoy historical fiction about strong women.

The Liberty Scarf by Aimie K. Runyan, J'nell Ciesielski, and Rachel McMillan ⭐⭐⭐⭐

HarperCollins Focus | Harper Muse
Pub Date: 11-19-24

Thank you @netgalley and @harpermuse for this eARC.

"Hope is the thing . . . "

A story of hope, told in three parts, with a scarf connecting the lives of three women:

🧣Iris, a scarf maker dreaming of being Liberty of London's first woman pattern designer

🧣Geneviève, a telephone operator serving in the Signal Corp

🧣Clara, a nurse caring for the wounded and dying

I don't often read stories set during WWI, but this book might change that! The authors quickly pulled me into each woman's story, leaving me wanting more of each as the focus transitioned from one to the next. The epilogue offers a satisfying reunion with each character and a glimpse into what the future may hold for these women and the men they love.

"No two snowflakes alike. No two wars alike either. The war that Clara lived was different than the one Roman lived, and yet when each individual flake reached the ground, there was nothing to distinguish it from the others. Just a common experience in a common place."

#thelibertyscarf #aimiekrunyan #jnellciesielski #rachelmcmillan #harpermuse #netgalley

“Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune without the words,
And never stops at all”

I’ve long been a fan of Emily Dickinson’s poems. There’s something about her work that causes me to reflect on life. So I found it especially meaningful that the authors chose to use this particular verse as one of the threads which connects all three parts of The Liberty Scarf narrative. Hope‘s indelible influence on the stories being told here felt quite, well, poetic to me, and the poignant mood it left in its wake fit perfectly with the key lives that intersected across the novel. Iris and Rex. Genevieve and Maxime. Clara and Roman. If not for the Liberty scarf inspired by Dickinson’s poem, none of these couples would have met and certainly the six of them would have no connection to each other.

But thankfully the beauty of this novel is in its homage to the seemingly isolated moments – the turns and twists and choices – that we eventually realize were telling a much larger story of hope all along. A silly bet. A bold dream. A new assignment. A shopping trip. An illness. A kiss. I loved the banter between Iris and Rex, the easy connection between Genevieve and Maxime, the swoony chemistry between Clara and Roman. All three authors are so talented, and they easily had me invested in each of these characters as well as the history being lived out on the pages. Seeing different elements of World War I through the various characters helped the novel come that much more alive, and I especially enjoyed seeing how the arts were utilized as well. From fashion and design to music, art, architecture, and of course poetry, hope sings a beautiful tune through these creative elements, one that shines light into the darkness of war and lifts the heart. Not only for The Liberty Scarf’s characters, but for its readers as well.

Bottom Line: Three women connected unaware by a beautiful silk scarf from the famed Liberty of London, its design inspired by and perpetuating hope. One woman created the scarf. One woman received it as a gift. One woman owes it everything. Despite their differences in station, mission, and personality (from each other and from me), each character felt relatable and captured my heart as well as my attention. The Liberty Scarf is a novel told in three parts, yes, but its three authors – Aimie K. Runyan, J’nell Ciesielski, and Rachel McMillan – seamlessly turn it into a unified story that will have readers solidly invested from beginning to end. (Fair warning… the first two parts pause abruptly but keep reading and it will all come back around, I promise.) I loved the premise of this layered novel, the history I learned (or was reminded of), the vivid scene-setting, the epistolary elements, and of course the power of hope. Perfect for reading when you want to immerse yourself in a story while snuggled up in a warm blanket on a cold day.

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

During WWI, three women and their stories are woven together in this ambitious novel: Iris Braxton wants to become a scarf designer for the famous Liberty's store of London; Genevieve Tremblay works in France in the US Army Signal Corps; and Clara Janssens is a nurse on the front lines. Each woman's story relates to the Liberty scarf in their own way, and this collaboration of authors is unique and engrossing.

Three talented authors seamlessly weave together an uplifting and beautiful story in The Liberty Scarf, a new historical romance novel by J’nell Ciesielski, Rachel McMillan, and Aimie K. Runyan. It’s a vivid, emotional tale that follows three incredible women connected by a scarf during the tragic events of World War I as they each discover themselves and romance along the way.

Expertly woven and researched, The Liberty Scarf blends romance and characterization – ultimately leading to a satisfying conclusion with a message about hope, sacrifice, and never giving up.

While I enjoyed each of the three young women’s stories and discovering how they each connected to the scarf, I admit I felt myself particularly drawn to Geneviève Tremblay’s story about identity and dealing with prejudice—mostly for personal reasons. I’m from Maine, and my grandfather was French-Canadian. He grew up in Maine, and like Geneviève, his first language was French. Needless to say, I wanted Geneviève to move on and away from her prejudiced boyfriend and his family.

Iris and Clara’s stories were equally compelling. Iris reached for her artistic dreams, and Clara connected with others through creativity.
Each love story is also compelling, and the men (Roman, Maxime, and Rex) swoony. I quickly rooted for each couple to overcome the odds and have a happy ending.

All in all, the historical fiction book reminds us to appreciate the beauty around us even in the harshest of times and that love and happiness are always possible. The Liberty Scarf is a true treat to read.

Adaptation Recommendation:
The Liberty Scarf would make an excellent three—to four-part period drama miniseries. Each episode could focus on a different character, and then the women could be brought together, tying everything together by the end. Producers like Bad Wolf or Masterpiece would be a good fit.
It would also work as a standalone film weaving three stories together – much like The Hours.

Content Note: PG-like with war themes, an assault, and closed-door romances.

Overall Rating: 4.5 (rounded up to 5 for Goodreads)
Romance Rating: 5

Disclosure: I was given an advanced reader’s copy from the authors, publisher, and Austenprose via NetGalley. This review is my honest opinion.

I received the audiobook from NetGalley and excited to start listening to the Liberty Scarf. The description made it sound so interesting and something I’d gravitate towards. I really really wanted to like it more than I did. But… it was very slow going. I was expecting the stories to be intertwined and more depth throughout. Each story abruptly ended before starting on a completely different story. Typically these kind of books draw on my emotions but this was very surface level. I did like that it was WWI as it’s not as represented as WWII. The 3 women were each strong and inserted themselves to make a difference during an oppressive time. The scarf connects them.