A story of courage, friendship, and the quiet strength of women during WWII.

There are some historical fiction reads that don’t just walk you through the past—they immerse you in it. The English Wife by Anna Stuart is one of those rare gems!

Beautifully written and impeccably researched, this novel offers a dual perspective that is equal parts heartwarming and heartbreaking, focusing on the women behind the headlines of WWII.

A Well Done Dual Narrative
So often in dual POV novels, one voice stands out more than the other—but here, both Clementine and Jenny are fully developed and each compelling in their own right!

Clementine's chapters add fascinating historical insight into life beside Winston Churchill, while Jenny's chapters offer a fresh American outsider’s perspective and a deeply personal storyline of love, ambition, and self-discovery.

Amazing Historical Immersion
Anna Stuart does an incredible job of blending real-life events with fictional storytelling. The London air raids, the political tension, the role of women during wartime—it’s all there in vivid, cinematic detail.

If you love character-driven historical fiction, compelling female friendships, and narratives that bring untold stories to light, The English Wife is absolutely worth adding to your TBR. With just the right balance of historical fact and emotional depth, it’s a novel that feels both epic in scope and intimate in detail.

This book reminded me of why I adore historical fiction so much—it’s not just about the events, it’s about the people. And these two women? They’re the kind of characters that will stay with me for a long time!

I genuinely loved this book so much! Thank you NetGalley for the advance copy!

The English Wife is a historical fiction book based on the life of Clementine Churchill and how she supported her husband during WW2. The story is told through Clementine and Jenny Miller, a journalist working for CBS with her husband Ned. Jenny and Ned become friends of the Churchills, and she is also Clementine's confidante. Jenny and Clementine become involved in women's issues helping the women and families in England and eventually in Russia when they become England's allies. Winston has health issues and Clementine nurses him as well as tries to keep him home to heal and not go into battle. Jenny and Ned have personal issues and all this plays out while the war is raging.

I enjoyed this book, as I really didn't know much about Clementine Churchill. I will be looking for more books about this strong, fascinating woman. I was immediately pulled into her story and enjoyed seeing how she not only supported her husband, but the English women and families as well. Some of the things she did included visiting hospitals and working hard to coordinate relief efforts. She was able to change bomb shelters for better latrines and bathroom facilities and well as get them to be made cleaner with items to help with making them more comfortable considering how long people would be in them. She is strong and capable, and was able to get Winston to listen to her and follow some of her advice about his health and safety. They were soulmates, and I loved how their relationship was portrayed. They became friends with the Roosevelts and visited the US both during and after the war. Clementine and Eleanor were still friends after Franklin's death. Ned and Jenny are loosely based on Edward J Murrow and his wife, Janet Huntington Brewster. I liked how the American couple and English couple looked at things. They were different yet also the same in many things. It was a good contrast, and having the women narrate was a perfect way to show this. The English Wife was an excellent story, introducing me to a wonderful woman who I wish I knew more about. This was an emotional story with humor, suspense, tragedy and more. It is historical fiction, but with a lot of research, events are accurate and much is factual. A book I definitely recommend to those who enjoy historical fiction, especially about strong women. I was able to do a read/listen with the audiobook narrated by Jane McDowell. She did a wonderful job with the voices and storytelling. I recommend this book in whichever format you prefer.

I am a fan of historical fiction and enjoy learning more about historical figures, especially women, so I was looking forward to reading this. Initially I found it a bit dry - almost boring.

I did enjoy learning about Mrs. Churchill and about the time in British around World War II. The writing is very formal, which I am sure is in keeping with the historical time. However, sometimes I found that acted as a barrier to immersing myself in the story.

I think I would have liked this even more if the focus had been solely on Clementine Churchill. The side story that featured other characters didn’t add a great deal to the story for me.

I’m glad I stuck with the story because I did end up enjoying it and learned a lot.

If you are a fan of historical fiction and especially if you are fond of novels set in World War II then you will enjoy this interesting glimpse into the life of a fascinating woman in history. It was interesting to read about world war 2 from the perspective of the British.

The book is a bit long. I think with some editing this could have been shortened and eliminated some of the slower pieces of the story.

The English Wife, the new book from Anna Stuart, provides the reader with a different insight into World War Two in that she focuses on the women behind the men. In this case Clementine Churchill, the loyal and steadfast wife of Winston Churchill. Being from Ireland, I knew very little about Winston except for that he was Prime minster during the war and without his strong leadership and dedication to the cause the war would not have been won. I knew nothing about his wife but now having finished this book I have been given a fascinating and gripping insight into life at the time and of a woman who was loyal and who stood by her husband through thick and thin. The story is told from the perspectives of Clementine and Jenny, a young American reporter who is married to Ned. I enjoyed going back and forth between the two women’s viewpoints as it provided a different angle regarding the same situation and it was interesting to see how they both approached things. The story itself could have felt jarring moving back and forth but instead it all flowed wonderfully. A lot of ground was covered in terms of the span of the book starting in 1938 and ending with the conclusion of the war but at no point did it feel rushed and throughout it I was learning facts and details about the war which I had known before.

This is not a book focused solely on Winston, although because the reader gets to know Clementine so well, we do come to appreciate how dogged and determined he was and also what clever and insightful characteristics he possessed. He could see the much bigger picture that was starting to unfold in 1938 and long before it and expressed his opinions but I felt there was no one that truly believed him. It’s only when he succeeds Chamberlain as Prime minster that he was taken seriously and his astuteness, education, awareness and the strong beliefs he possessed could then come to the fore.

I really enjoyed the fact that the author didn’t bog the story down in facts and detailed descriptions of significant war events. I have read about that before numerous times. Instead, she let the characters do the talking and the reader really got inside their heads as to how they were feeling, how they were torn when things weren’t going well, how best they could support the men and their families but also how could they forge a new path in a brave and uncertain world where women had to take on new roles outside the home.

Clementine Churchill was a remarkable women. Well that’s the word that kept springing to mind as I was delving deeper into the story. She was a family woman through and through, although two specific events in her past had her doubting herself but she shouldn’t have. She had enough love for so many and her generosity, kindness of spirit, integrity, humanity, strength and courage bore her through the turbulent years of the war. She was there for Winston every step of the way but at the same time she didn’t want to stand by and be just a prop for events or to entertain dignitaries etc. I felt her eyes were opened and she became fully aware of the situation on the ground as to how the lives of so many ordinary people were becoming disrupted and destroyed. She didn’t hide away in number ten just wishing the war years away.

Instead, she became steadfast in her involvement in charity work and improved the conditions of bomb shelters. She helped set up a hospital for those women whose men were away fighting and her work with the funds for Russia was incredible. I felt she was a woman who really came into her own when it was needed and she was determined that along with Winston they would weather the storms of his political career and their domestic life. I loved how the author didn’t portray Clementine’s life as being a bed of roses without trials or tribulations. In that way she felt like a person that ordinary people could identify with. Yet, when needed she could throw on her political hat and be there for Winston. Theirs wasn’t a simple relationship but the pride and the ferocity of her love for a man that would do anything to rid the world of Hitler shone through at every opportunity.

Jenny was in a completely different sphere to Clementine, Being American she had a different attitude towards things and she was very much like a fish out of water living in London. Ned as the star reporter for CBS and I thought for a lot of the book he was on a very different trajectory to Jenny and his words and actions demonstrated this. She had to find her place in London whilst he was away reporting and earning great acclaim for his work. What eats away at her is that despite being married for several years she has failed to have a much longed for child. She needed to take her mind off this and when she meets Clementine she feels she is a kindred spirit. Someone she can confide in and the similarities between the pair start to emerge over the course of the book. I did initially think why would a reporter have developed a friendship with the wife of someone so important at the time. Surely, there would have been a barrier of sorts between reporters and the people with such an important role to play in the war. But as the book progressed, I realised the value of their friendship and how it was central to the story as a whole.

Clementine became a role model for Jenny and I think this served her well especially when she had to confront a situation no woman wishes to have come into their life. The war brings out the best in women and both Jenny and Clementine have to adapt to their new roles as do hundreds of thousands of women. Women were stepping out of their comfort zones and doing things they wouldn’t have been allowed to do pre war. But the question was, would this be allowed to continue once the war had concluded? Jenny has a lot to navigate throughout the book. Her emotions are all over the place at times and to be honest I much preferred Clementine and would have been just as happy if the book just focused on her but I did appreciate the comparisons and contrasts that the reader could see between the pair and their husbands.

The English Wife was an engaging, intriguing and compelling insight into the world of British politics and transatlantic dealings at a very pivotal time in history. It felt like a history lesson but in a good way as it was interesting, informative and explanatory in a way that many readers will be able to access. Clementine Churchill has been given a strong voice and through this the story conveys love, loss, the relationship between husband and wife, sorrow, joy, resilience and courage. I was so glad that I read it and was delighted to see that there will be another book in what the author is calling Inspirational World War Two stories and this time it will focus on Eleanor Roosevelt who did feature here but I am excited to see what insights I will get in the future into another historical figure whose husband made an impressive impact on the world.

This was one of those very rare books that I found myself purposely reading slowly so I could soak up the entire book. I’ve always found Winston Churchill rather fascinating, so to read a fictional book about his wife, Clementine, and see the war from her perspective was very interesting.

The character development in this book was impeccable and made it really hard to put down. Clementine, Winston, and clementine’s friend Jenny all shared perspectives throughout this very unique story.

The things Clementine Churchill did were truly fascinating and she was a wonderful woman, who I feel more people should know about.

I was sad to read the last page because I didn’t want the story to end!

To have a take on the war from not only a womens side but from Mrs Churchill was amazing, i never knew how much was done during that time frame and what herself and many other strong women did. The back and forth between British and American gave both sides of the war and what each found important at the time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC Advance Reader Copy of The English Wife by Anna Stuart. This is my first book by this author. The book was well researched and her notes were fascinating.. This historical fiction novel gives a lot of insight into Winston Churchill and his wife Clementine. The main focus seemed to be on Clementine's life and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was an emotional journey and kept me totally engaged throughout the novel. It was a history lesson which included love, loss, heartache, and sorrow. I would definitely recommend this book to others. A 4 star rating from me.

I'm reviewing this via NetGalley, as part of a tour with Bookouture.

This inspiring WWII novel follows Clementine Churchill, in a time that changes everything, as her husband Winston becomes Prime Minister. I was interested in the portrayals of these characters, and I thought it was a very unique idea to have a story that focused on Mrs Churchill, and followed the events from her perspective.

The book also follows another character, journalist Jenny Miller. I found both of them to be strong female protagonists, and I was keen to see how their stories might be connected. I appreciated the touch of romance in the story, and experienced some emotional ups and downs as I read.

I think this would be a particularly interesting read not only for those who enjoy books set in the WWII era, but also to those interested in Churchill as a historical figure.

Thank you to Bookouture, and to the author, for the opportunity to read and review this.

This is a great historical fiction story about Clementine Churchill, Winston Churchill’s wife at the start of WWII, and Jenny Miller, a fictional American journalist who is married to another journalist. It follows both of their perspectives during WWII as they support their respective husbands, support the Brits on the homefront, and find their strengths.


This was an enjoyable read, and it was interesting to learn more about Clementine Churchill, Clemmie for short. During that time, she lived a fascinating life as the wife of the now legendary Winston Churchill. She not only supported Winston, but she worked hard as most Brits did during the war, fire watching, supporting charities, and getting them the support they needed to survive the war. Jenny’s life was interesting as well as she worked with her husband as a broadcaster and developed a friendship with Clementine. They were both navigating the times, dealing with the war and the expectations of women at that time, where most women were expected to stay at home and raise children. I definitely am looking forward to reading more by this author.


Thanks @bookouture, @netgalley, and the author for this arc.

This book was incredibly inspiring. Although fictional, it was fascinating to learn about Clementine Churchill and the in incredible pressure she must have felt.

I also enjoyed Jenny’s character, an American journalist living in London who offered a second POV throughout the story. While her priorities and struggles were different, she offered a look at what other, “normal” women faced during wartime. I really enjoyed their friendship, and loved the message of sisterhood that it added to the story.

Definitely pick this up if you’re a fan of historical fiction!

I enjoyed reading about Clementine Churchill. We learn so much about history through the eyes of the prominent men of the time. But there is always a woman behind those important men. We’ve heard very little about Mrs. Churchill. I liked how Ms. Stuart portrayed her. She was in a position where she was forced to be supportive of her husband, but she still had her own pet projects and used her position to help however she possibly could. I liked that Eleanor Roosevelt had a part in this story also. They seem to be very similar women and I love that they’e shown as friends here.

I also liked reading about Jane. Her husband isn’t in a position of power, although he was a big name in the reporting world of the time, but that doesn’t make her any less important. Her speaking engagements and time with both Eleanor and Clementine show that even a ‘common’ woman can make a difference.

I’m never disappointed in Anna’s books. I can’t wait see what she comes up with next.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for my copies of this book.

I knew, of course, of Winston Churchill, that charismatic prime minister who kept the country buoyant in the face of a German invasion during the dark days of WW2 but I knew very little of his wife, Clementine, who really was the woman very much standing shoulder to shoulder with her more famous husband. We follow Clementine during the momentous years of the war as she takes on a more practical role, her pragmatic approach to getting the job done is impressive, as is her unquestioning support of her husband and the burden he carries. Alongside, is the story of American journalist, Jenny Miller, who together with her husband, Ned, is based in London. Their updates on American radio relay the consequences of this devastating war on the ordinary man and woman in the street. After the attack on Pearl Harbour, in December 1941, the American involvement in the war adds whole different dimension to the story.

I thought this was a fascinating story, beautifully written and authentic in its description of London life during the Blitz. The compelling description of Clemmies’s life, her commitment to duty and public service and also of the strong, loving and resolute relationship between herself and Churchill comes vividly to life. All too often we hear about the lives of the men of WW2, so it’s been a real delight to read about the women, those stalwart women who calmly went about their lives doing whatever they could to make life just a little more bearable. This comes across wonderfully well, and I raced through the story eager to know more about both Clementine and Jenny, both strong woman with really interesting stories to tell.

The English Wife is a superb historical fiction read which had me completely captivated from the very first chapter. Whilst it is a work of fiction it’s based on the true story of Clementine Churchill, who as we all know was the wife of the British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. I had not read much about Clementine so I loved reading all about her in this book. I found Clementine , or Clemmie as she was affectionately known by her close friends and family, to be a wonderful character and she stood by her husband though thick and thin. She was determined to do all she could to help the people affected by war and she will do this by helping as much as she possibly could. From start to finish I was engrossed in this story of Clementine Churchill and I’m so glad that I had the opportunity to read it.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
How have I never learned about Clementine (and it’s pronounced Clem-en-TEEN) Churchill before! This story has dual narrators telling about the period leading up to Britain’s involvement in WWII all the way to V-E Day in England.

Clementine Churchill -Winston’s Churchill’s wife, but oh, so much more than just that title. She’s his love match and biggest cheerleader. She joined the Water Brigade to help out when London was bombed at night by the Nazis. She worked tirelessly for her country and her man.

Jenny Miller- is an American and part of a husband/wife journalism team covering the war for CBS News. Jenny gets stuck covering “women’s social issues” while her husband gets the meatier stories.

These two women form a strong bond- working to fight the Nazi’s AND support their husbands. This book has all the feels AND you will learn about a woman who might not be well known here in America. Many thanks to the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
#TheEnglishWife #AnnaStuart #NetGalley #Bookouture #BooksOnTour #BookLove #Bookstagram #NewBook #ILoveBooks #SummerBooks #BooksSetDuringWWII

THE ENGLISH WIFE by Anna Stuart is an engrossing and inspiring historical fiction novel with dual narrators, Clementine Churchill, the wife of Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Jenny Miller, a fictional American journalist from the beginning of WWII to V-E Day in England. While featuring the life of Clementine Churchill, the author gives the reader insight into two strong, fascinating women during war.

Clementine Churchill knew what she was getting into when she agreed to marry Winston Churchill. They are a love match and while they have the freedom in their marriage to pursue their personal passions, Clementine always will be by his side to support him, and this is especially evident during England’s darkest hours during WWII.

Jenny and Ned Miller are a young married couple who are journalists sent to England to cover the turmoil in Europe for CBS radio. While Ned’s star is rising, Jenny is only allowed to report on women’s social issues. The two soon become known to the Churchill’s and while Winston is interested in Ned’s ability to aide in war correspondence, Jenny becomes friends with Clementine and the two soon are working together on issues for the English war time population while also dealing with personal issues in their homes.

This is a wonderful look at Clementine’s life, not only as Winston’s wife and soulmate, but as a woman who learns she is stronger and more capable than she believes during these terrible years of war. Jenny and Ned Miller appear to be loosely based on Edward R. Murrow and his wife during their time in England. Clementine and Jenny are friends that emotionally bolster each other through personal difficulties, they demonstrate the differences between American and English sensibilities, and they also discuss and display the differences in their beliefs in the liberation of the women. The historical characters and places throughout the novel are well researched and interesting. In just the short number of years this novel covers, Ms. Stuart takes the reader on an emotional journey that is heart wrenching as well as heartwarming and I found it difficult to put this book down.

I highly recommend this engaging historical fiction novel!

Absolutely riveting is this book that demonstrates from the moment of their engagement, Clementine, Winston Churchill wife, was aware that Winston aspired and convinced that he would become Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Both of them loved each other throughout their marriage and that bond helped them greatly through WWII. Fascinating details of the role Clementine performed which included joining the Water Brigade when London was bombed at night by the Nazis, taking charge that bomb shelters hygiene were controlled and became the acting chairperson of providing aid to Russia while they were under siege. A dual story intertwining Clementine and a young woman journalist living in London was exceptional when this storyline is explained in the author’s historical notes: don’t miss this section of the book. Many thanks to #NetGalley and #Bookouture for providing an ARC of this book; the review is my honest review.

I’ve always been rather fascinated by Winston Churchill – I guess many of us were enthralled by the 2017 film starring Brian Cox, and I also remember a wonderful afternoon I once spent at the Churchill War Rooms (an experience I’d very much recommend) which really brought to life the wartime experience. Of course, I’ve always been aware of his wife Clementine – but the major part she played in supporting his wartime efforts and the role she played in her own right have always felt a little more sketchy. This extraordinary book moves her out of the shadows, allowing her star to shine – and I have to say I loved every single moment.

Combining fact with fiction – the depth of the author’s research is exceptional, described in the fascinating historical notes that end the book – we learn that theirs was very much a love match, filled with tender moments, with concerns about the toll his gruelling schedule had on his precarious health, but both of them sharing the same dream of ending the bloodshed and delivering a lasting peace. But we also learn about her more personal involvement – the hands-on rooftop firewatching as the bombs fell, but also the vast amount of humanitarian work she undertook both at home and overseas. Co-ordinating relief efforts, visiting hospitals to see those injured in the bombing, or having lost loved ones, recognising their delight when invited to join her for tea – just a part of seeing how her interventions could make a real difference to ordinary people’s lives. Horrified by the state of the London shelters, she single-handedly drove a programme of change, ensuring they had more sanitary conditions – and her support for those in hardship on the Russian front, raising a significant amount of much-needed funding, even found her on an overseas visit rather than at her husband’s side when VE Day finally arrived.

The book delves into their wider family – the relationships important in both their lives, and some of the detail entirely new to me – but also into their friendships and alliances. I very much enjoyed “meeting” the Roosevelts – Eleanor, of course, was a similar force of nature, totally inexhaustible – and the glimpses into their relationship with the royals, the Queen an absolute delight. There’s also a young American friend taken under Clementine’s wing, Jenny (based on the real character of Janet Murrow), a war correspondent whose own achievements were constantly overshadowed by those of her more flamboyant husband – her personal story, her own struggles and her yearning for a family, provide a nice counterpoint to the Churchills’ own story, reinforcing the issues around the invisibility of female achievement despite their “Amazonian hearts”.

The historical detail – the approach of war when no-one would listen to Churchill’s warnings, the progress of the fighting on its various fronts, the political and practical efforts to end it, the privations at home and the impact on people – are all wonderfully captured, with just the right amount of detail to engage and fascinate. But it’s also very much a personal story, with real emotional depth – an insight into the private lives of public figures, their real-life concerns and fears, their sheer determination to do all they possibly can when faced with such insurmountable challenges. And it’s the most wonderful portrait of an incredibly strong woman, striving to balance steadfast support for her husband and providing care to those she loves with the actions she’s able to take to bring about change and make the world a better place.

This really was an exceptional read, and one that will stay with me – it entirely transported me into its world, bringing to life a magnificent woman who’s largely become a footnote in history, filling me with tremendous admiration for her many achievements. I really couldn’t recommend it more highly…

(Review also copied to Amazon UK, but link not yet available)

I really enjoyed this gripping and inspiring World War Two historical novel.
A story of power, love, courage, history, resilience, strength, war and secrets.
I was totally hooked from page one, drawn into the story and I couldn’t put it down.
Told from the POV’s of Clementine Churchill, Winston Churchill’s wife and Jenny Miller, an American journalist. It’s beautifully written, very well researched with strong engaging characters and immersive setting. It’s an emotional read that tugs at your heartstrings.
I enjoyed reading the authors notes at the end.
Definitely recommend if you enjoy this genre. It’s well worth a read.
With thanks to #NetGallery @bookouture for an arc of #TheEnglishWife in exchange for a honest review.
Book publishes 26 March 2025.

England, 1940: London is heavily damaged as bombs fall over, and over again upon the once beautiful city. When Clementine Churchill arrives at 10 Downing Street, she knows that her Prime Minister husband is alive since the building survived the bombings. Winston Churchill’s always wanted to be the Prime Minister of the country he loves. But when the War began he wondered if he was up to the task.

His wife Clementine always supported her husband, in all of his hopes and dreams. The horrible war has taken its toll on so many. Winston feels responsible for so many things that were out of his control. His new hope is to protect his country and bring home all of his troops.

The English Wife, written by author Anna Stuart, is a wonderful story of hope, courage and love. This is amazing book is based on true events was such a joy to read.

I learned so much about Winston Churchill, but the real shining light of the story was his wife, Clementine. Her unconditional love and support of her husband was so inspiring. She stood by him and did everything she possibly could to make his dreams come true for the country they loved. She was his biggest fan and his shining star.

I loved this book from cover to cover and I highly recommend this five star read.

I feel like I should start this review by saying "we all know all about Sir Winston Churchill, but we know much less about his wife Clementine" but in actual fact I don't know much about Churchill, other than him being Prime Minister during World War II and then again in the 1950s (?). I know that he led a Tory government and liked cigars. So I feel that by reading The English Wife, I've gotten to know him a little better too. Although officially fiction, this book is deeply rooted in historical fact, and many of the events depicted really did take place. The historical notes at the end lay out clearly what is fact and what is fiction.

It seems that Clementine was a truly remarkable woman, and I hope that her strength and forward thinking becomes better known.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable read. I loved the friendship between Clementine and Jenny, and the dual narrative telling from these two strong women worked so well.

This book is technically part of a series, but as far as I can work out they are books with similar themes and some of the same characters, and as such can be read as standalone books, or in any order. I haven't read the other book in this duo (The President's Wife) but will be adding it to my TBR.