This is one not to miss. A truly beautifully written book. One scarf from a humble and simplistic background links together three women during WWI. This scarf sees it through three couples in time of heartbreak and woven in joy. Messages stitched with hope into the fabric of the scarf.
I loved meeting the couples and felt the emotions they went through the resilience and fortitude on the front line of not only the battlefield but also life.
The three stories are beautifully woven together and full of detail. A must read again book.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

I really enjoyed this book by Aimie K. Runyan, J'nell Ciesielski, and Rachel McMillan.

Three unique stories, all tied together by one beautiful scarf with its own lovely story.

I love how the scarf tied it all together and after finishing the book, I love how each story ended leaving the reader wanting more. I will admit while I was reading I wasn’t too happy about this! Something told me to just keep reading and I am so glad it did. The epilogue was beautifully done and now I need to see what it other books these three amazing authors have collaborated on. I also need to go check out their individual works as well.

The characters in this book were wonderful and the way they each found strength within themselves during wartime was intriguing to follow. We never really know how strong we are until we have to be and above all, this book reminded me of that.

Thank you to Harper Collins and Austen Prose for the copy of this book. All
Opinions are my own.

** “Hope could flourish and sprout magnificent feathers and soar above the treetops, leaving the safety of the nest behind until it was time to roost once more.” **

Authors Aimie K. Runyan, J’nell Ciesielski and Rachel McMillan once again join forces to bring us the delightfully inspiring “The Liberty Scarf,” a WWI era story of three women and the message of hope behind a scarf that weaves their tales together.

Iris Braxton has bigger dreams than just being a Liberty & Co. paint girl. She longs to design the beautiful scarves the company sells. And not only to design them, but to be the company’s first woman designer. A chance encounter with the handsome Capt. Rex Conrad, an architect, pushes her closer to her dream, as well as a chance at love.

Genevieve Tremblay finds herself heading to Europe to serve in the American Signal Corps, an exciting job relaying important war messages. When she meets French pilot Maxime Auvray, she questions the life path she thought she left behind in Maine. But with a Liberty scarf to remember Maxime by, what will Genevieve really desire for her future?

When nurse Clara Janssens meets the intriguing violinist Roman Allaire in a hospital, she finds herself deeply drawn to him. With the help of her friend Annelise, who has a deep love for fabrics and an imitation Liberty scarf, they nurse Roman to health, all while also nursing a relationship between Clara and Roman.

But when war separates each of the three couples, will they be able to overcome the trials that follow?

Enhanced by letters and journal entries, the three authors brilliantly weave together a plot featuring three separate tales, all that will eventually intertwine. They develop characters that are fascinating and flawed and relatable, as well as a couple who are truly loathsome.

They also fill “The Liberty Scarf” with several great themes, like “bridging unique perspectives to make a whole”; the ability to see what we are capable of; life is too short for regret; the possibility of miracles (“Her mother always told her to trust that the era of miracles hadn’t expired two millennia ago, and she has to trust that there was just enough magic in the world for another.”); accepting fear and carrying on despite it; and not everything has to be perfect to be beautiful. Of course, the main theme is hope, as Iris includes Emily Dickinson’s famous words in her scarf: “Hope is the thing with feathers.”

Fans of historical fiction, World War I stories and authors like Kate Quinn and Kristy Cambron will love “The Liberty Scarf.”

Five stars out of five.

Harper Muse provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

The Liberty Scarf
I love historical fiction, and “The Liberty Scarf” did not disappoint. The idea of three authors writing this story from the perspective of three different women during WWI all interconnected by a scarf that holds so much symbolism was so unique. I listened to the audiobook while following along with the ebook. The narrators did a fantastic job, and I would recommend this book.

With this second collaboration between these three authors, I think they’ve really found their groove. Now, yes, this could easily be considered a romance novel, but despite the fact that romantic relationships for these three women seem pretty much at the forefront, there’s also a whole lot of other things going on here. What is more, although these three stories could easily stand alone as novellas (should I include it in #NovNov24?), they’ve cleverly connected them all through the titular object, in some very inventive, and different ways.

I should mention that the first two stories were particularly fascinating, and beautifully written. Not that the last one wasn’t well written, because it was. But I have to admit that the romance part in that story was a bit more prominent than in the other two, and the level of angst was at a higher level than what I personally prefer. That said, I’m sure that those who enjoy a good “are they; aren’t they” type of romance will find it just as absorbing as the other two stories. For me, however, Iris’s ambition, combined with a lovely level of wit and humor, was more engaging for me. In addition, I really loved how Genevieve was so dedicated, especially knowing how her need to be useful to the war effort was stronger than her desire to help her family financially.

These authors also built foils for these women into each of these stories. Iris has to convince the owner of Liberty & Co. to use her designs, Genevieve has her boyfriend who isn’t really suited for her, but his wealth would help her family, and Clara has a patient who is a mean misogynist that only sees women as sex objects to be taken advantage of. In this way, these three not only have to content with the Great War waging around them, but their own personal wars within their own circles. That they fight these battles on their own terms, without letting their romantic interests get in the way of the eventual outcomes, was something I very much appreciated.

In short, I really enjoyed this book, and found it better than their debut collaboration. That it is a WWI story and not another WWII one was certainly a plus for me. Also, that the timelines are mostly parallel as opposed to being set during different eras was even better. It was like having a 3D view of separate aspects of the same war, that made the whole book come alive. I’m therefore very warmly recommending this book, and giving it 4.75 stars out of five.

One scarf with a message of hope lifts up three WW I couples in this collaboration novel. Here are four things I loved:

🧣World War I setting. That period is not as well covered as the second world war.

🧣The Liberty scarf. Designed by one of our main characters and worn with hope and love by the other two.

🧣Three women (Iris, Genevieve, and Clara) with three different vocations: artist/designer, Signal Corps, and nurse).

🧣The Epilogue ties it all together quite neatly.

These are three new to me authors. I was most engaged by Iris's story. Genevieve's was also quite engaging. The Clara section really bogged down the narrative for me. Seemed unnecessarily cryptic at times and so many letters! I generally enjoy the epistolary, but some of the letters were sent and some not sent. Hard to keep track!

Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

A beautifully written historical novel that weaves the lives of three women during WWI. A beautiful scarf connects them and is a testament to love sacrifice, and resilience. The writing is reminiscent and rich in detail. A wonderful read.
Many thanks to HarperCollins Focus and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

“Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul, and sings the tune without words, and never stops at all.” Emily Dickenson
A beautiful story of love and hope amidst the turmoil of war.
“Everything need not be perfect to be beautiful.”
Like the textile represented in the title, the three authors have woven an exceptional tale of hope and resilience during a time of upheaval in WWI. The descriptive details kept my interest as I watched the characters grapple with the difficulties that they faced in the time of war. I liked the way it was written in three parts for the three couples and a bit of mystery until the reveal at the end. Three different stories meshed together at the conclusion in a unique and satisfying way.
*A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Harper Collins through NetGalley. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are mine alone.*

This book is such a powerful read, all tied together by a scarf that connects three different stories. It’s full of romance, hope, and so many beautiful love letters. The history woven into the narrative really pulls you in, and I honestly didn’t expect to feel so immersed in these characters’ lives—whether it was hiding in a theater basement or feeling the raw fear of war. Each story brings its own unique love story, but all are deeply affected by the war, and that scarf weaves through it all.

I found myself completely hooked on the letters between the characters. It was like waiting to see how their casual chats would slowly turn into declarations of love, hope, and dreams for the future. If you're a fan of historical romance, this collection is definitely for you! And the way the stories all tie together at the end? So satisfying.

***I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Ok, I seem to be in the minority on this, so maybe this was just a case of "it's not you, it's me". The book is told in three sections. The first section is the story of Iris Braxton & Captain Rex Conrad. It goes into how they met and fell for each other, and her ambitions to become Liberty's first female pattern designer.. The second section is about Geneviève Tremblay,, who enlists in the US Army Signal Corps to serve as a bi-lingual operator. The third section is about Clara Janssens, a Flemish Nurse, and Roman Allaire, an Alsatian violinist, who meet in a Brussels palace-turned-hospital . I really enjoyed Iris & Rex's storyline, but the other's..... not so much. They were all tied together loosely at the very end, but when the storylines switched between characters it was jarring, and I was not prepared for the previous storyline to just abruptly end like that. It just didn't feel like it went together seamlessly.

It's difficult to rate a novella collection of three stories when you've enjoyed two but not so much the third. Given the nature of the electronic ARC format, I couldn't tell which author wrote which story (which might be better in the long run for this review).

I did enjoy how all three couples were united by the Liberty scarf. None of the authors shied away from the tragedies and gruesome aspects of war, which made the stories realistic. The grit, hope, and fortitude the women and men in the stories had in the midst of terror were encouraging and sobering. I really enjoyed Iris' unrelenting desire to bring hope and beauty to a world being torn apart and Rex's unwavering belief in her was uplifting. Genevieve's loyal and steadfast commitment to her work as a switchboard operator in the war front was admirable and Maxime's philosophical take on life and war was thought-provoking. Clara and Roman's story got me confused in the timeline but I appreciated how Roman's story intersected with Genevieve's to tie the stories together. Roman's service also highlighted that not all men at the war front were necessarily soldiers.

I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Harper Muse via NetGalley and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are my own.

A treasure of a book. Brilliantly and beautifully written, gently woven together. Three special and unique couples to get to know and love in stories taking place during WW1. Heart melting and heartbreaking, a lovely scarf and its design lightly tie them together. This is a keeper, should be a classic, would make a lovely and thoughtful gift.

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

#TheLibertyScarf #NetGalley #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #AimieKRunyan #JnellCiesielski #RachelMcMillan #HistoricalFiction #HarperMuse #HarperCollinsFocus

This is a really interesting written book by three different authors, each writing a different perspective of a female’s part in WW1. I didn’t read anything about this book before diving in so was very intrigued with this magical “liberty scarf”. I wasn’t sure where the book was going at first but it came full circle!

I loved the first two stories but the third one lost me a bit. The epilogue was the perfect bow to wrap everything together. What you were waiting for while reading each story.

This was a fun historical fiction read! I enjoyed the characters and the different plots. There were times where I felt confused or. unsure about what was going on, but always found my way.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this audio ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a beautifully woven set of stories from three different authors, following the creation and impact a liberty scarf has on those who come in contact with it. The stories are told of three different women in different places, but the narrative is brought together expertly. This is another excellent history novel that focuses on the bright lights of hope we see when the world is dark. 5⭐

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy. This is my honest opinion of the book.

The Liberty Scarf is the story of three women who come together over a scarf during WWl. While I liked the characters I didn’t like the format of the story. There were three separate stories that came together too conveniently in the last few pages. The three stories were about three different woman who never interacted with each other. As I read the next story I forgot the first story.

All that being said there were parts I did enjoy and would recommend it to readers who like historical fiction combined with romance.

Than you NetGalley and HarperCollins Focus/Harper Muse for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I'll the the outlier on this rare miss for me. Iris, Genevieve, and Clara aren't really linked by the scarf because their stories are more like individual novellas but the scarf is key to the story. There are factual inaccuracies about WWI and the characters are lightly drawn. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Over to others.

Braxton makes scarfs with messages sewn into them, hoping they will find their way to Rex, who is on the front during World War 1. there are three stories that are interwoven. good book.

This was a good book revolving around three women and one scarf. Each story has some romance set against the backdrop of war. It’s a good book for all women’s historical fiction fans

An engaging telling of three women in three Individual stories in the World War I timeframe. Each woman overcomes a struggle for independence in her own way. Each is fortunate to find a partner who respects and supports her talents.

As expected, the classic luxury Liberty brand scarf interweaves each story. I selfishly would prefer even more crossover of the stories. Perhaps that wouldn’t have been as realistic, but it would have made the transition between stores easier. Each story was unique and one of the jewels of the collection is traveling to various locations - such as London, Belgium, and Strasbourg.

I loved that a classically trained musician was included but his story was the most challenging to follow. In this case, we do know in advance of an event that will happen to him. The correspondence detailing his journey seemed a bit fragmented but that might also reflect the actual difficulties in the delivery of mail during the war.

I highly recommend The Liberty Scarf to readers. I love the World War I setting and I’m happy to see more narratives in that era are being published! Historical fiction readers will appreciate learning about the fascinating beginnings of the Liberty product designs and manufacturing.

The audiobook of The Liberty Scarf is excellent. Three female narrators (Ann Marie Gideon, Caroline Hewitt, and Saskia Maarleveld) and one male narrator (Gary Furlong) bring the book to life. Their voices are pleasing and their European accents are realistic.

Many thanks to Netgalley for complimentary copies of this book and audiobook. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.