The Liberty Scarf
By: Aimie K. Runyan, J’nell Ciesielski and Rachel McMillian
Pub Date: November 19, 2024
Publisher: Harper Muse
I am very familiar with Runyan’s novels and love them. It was nice to be introduced to other authors with this one. I am always amazed that several authors can weave a story together and blend so nicely.
A beautiful scarf connects three very different women in the winter of 1917. I love learning more about our history and the US Army Signal Corps is something I was slightly familiar with as I come from a long line of military. I had never heard of General Pershing’s Hello Girls.
I loved the part about an orchestra in the frontlines to help with morale. I was familiar with USO tours but not this aspect.
This audio was done beautifully. Thank you Harper Muse for this gifted audiobook. I will look for a hardcopy when this one is out in a few weeks.

“Hope is a thing with feathers….”

I really enjoyed this historical fiction, written by Aimie Runyan, J’nell Ciesielski and Rachel McMillan. All three authors did a remarkable job telling each individual story as they intertwined with the “liberty scarf.” I appreciated all three stories and the unique aspects of history that they included. If I had to choose a “favorite” of the stories, it would be Genevieve and Captain Maxime. But as I mentioned before, all were great and did such a splendid job incorporating the story of the scarf and what it meant in each story. The epilogue was the perfect ending.

“I think liberty is as lovely a word as hope.”

I was initially intrigued by this story due to both the premise and the authors. It exceeded my expectations and I am so glad I read it. It is the kind of story that sticks with you as it was both memorable in plot and in character. I also like how it was told in three parts with an amazing epilogue that just brought me joy.
I listened to the audiobook version and couldn't stop listening; I was so invested and hooked. The story follows three couples during WWI and the way a special Liberty Scarf connected their lives. I enjoyed each romance and the different complexities they had as individuals and couples. They all felt so unique and I loved the representation of the different ways men and women served during the war. It was uplifting and hopeful against the darkness of war during this era. I loved the historical aspects as well. The narrator did a great job with each POV and the different accents. I'll listen to it again and recommend it, it was a really good read.
I received an advance listening copy of this novel from Netgalley and Harper Muse. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Written by three authors, and set up in three parts, we follow the stories of three couples. First, we meet Iris Braxton who literally stumbles into Captain Conrad “Rex” Jones' life. Iris is a scarf maker who designed the titular scarf that finds its way into all the other stories. She and Rex, an architect in civilian life, fall in love as they spend time together and when tragedy strikes her family, he is there for her until he’s called away. Second, we meet Genevieve Tremblay, a French-Canadian immigrant who is a telephone operator for the American Signal Corps. She tries to stay loyal to her man at home, but is also falling for Maximilian, a French pilot and they begin to write. Which man will win her heart? Lastly, we meet nurse Clara Jassens, a Flemish nurse, and Roman Allaire, a French violinist as he recovers in her ward. They fall in love until he’s called back into duty as a precursor to the modern USO. In all three storylines, the women must cope with worry for their men once they are called away. Then after the war ends, the story of all of the characters merge in an unexpected way.

Told in vivid detail, the story is one where readers will connect to the characters and feel the character’s emotions. The inflection of the four narrators also helps to drive this home in the audio version. It’s hard not to feel sorrow as the couples are separated, or their fears for their loved ones at home or in war. Plus each woman is clearly a bit ahead of her time by hoping for more than women were allowed back then, but also realizing the ways they were held back. And then the scarf, it twined its way through many lives in the story, starring as a character of its own, and the way the novel was written, this worked out perfectly.

This review is based on the audio advanced reader copy on NetGalley.

This book is beautiful, and the narration helps bring it to life on an entirely new level. It was a joy to listen to.

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.

The audiobook is a beautiful reflection of this intriguing historical tale. There are three female narrators (Ann Marie Gideon, Caroline Hewitt, and Saskia Maarleveld) and one male narrator (Gary Furlong) to enliven the characters. Their voices are pleasing and the European accents are realistic.

I highly recommend The Liberty Scarf to audiobook listeners. Many thanks to Netgalley for a complimentary copy of this audiobook. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

It’s 1917. Iris works in the paint department at Liberty's, colouring in other peoples designs. What she really wants is more colour and to have her designs made into scarves. One evening she is trying to catch the owner and show him her designs, but is distracted. Thankfully, she ends up talking to Captain Conrad, a junior architect working on the new design for Liberty’s - he says he’ll show the designs to the owner for one dance on Christmas Eve. Not one for fussing with soldiers, but this seems too good an opportunity to turn down and she agrees.
Geneviève is a French Canadian telecoms operator living in Maine, who volunteers to help the war efforts as she is fluent in French and English and is an experienced telecoms operator. She is the oldest of six children. She finds herself in France. She is given a beautiful scarf by Maxim, who is trying to woo her, despite her reticence because of her family back home. She loves the scarf but loses is during an air raid and a gentleman has an injured arm - she uses is at a tourniquet.
Clara is a nurse in Belgium and although she shouldn’t have favourites, she’s intrigued by Roman - a violinist in the war efforts.
On Christmas Eve 1918…….
Wonderfully read, I loved the war story from three females perspectives. Moving and emotional.

Gobsmackingly good! Exceptional storytelling. And what a surprise to discover that this is one continuous story written by three authors. I went into this read assuming it was a collection of novellas set in different eras, instead, the authors cover the same timeline from different characters’ perspectives which makes a stunning impact.

Each author’s story flows seamlessly into the next one — but oh the cliffhanger endings in the first two! They have distinctive styles in both plot and characterization but the stories mesh beautifully into a cohesive whole by the end which made ‘The Liberty Scarf‘ such a rich, emotional read.

Love the diverse settings (US, England and Europe) and the historical insights each brings to the story. There’s even a French-Canadian heroine! (says this Canadian reader proudly.) I love learning about history in my fiction and these authors captured elements of WWI that I wasn’t aware of which made the read that much more interesting.

Oh — and there’s a bit of the epistolary novel within these stories as well which I absolutely loved. While mostly told in ‘real time’ there are letter writing components too and those glimpses into the characters’ inner most thoughts were priceless. Such a great way to enhance the story!

I listened to the audio edition of this book and really enjoyed the multi narrator performances. Anne Marie Gideon, Gary Furlong, Caroline Hewitt and Saskia Maarleveld did an incredible job. Such a rich, rewarding listening experience.

My thanks to Harper Muse Audio and Net Galley for providing me with an audio edition of this novel.

Wow! This one was really different!
And, how lucky am I that I just read another 5++ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ book??!!!

WWI story that revolved around 3 young women and their part in WWI and the lives they touched along the way!

Genevieve, Clara and Iris lead three very different lives at the time of the setting in this book...1917-1918.

We begin when Iris meets Rex. She works in a scarf factory, but also dreams of 'designing' scarves of her own. When she literally 'walks into' Rex, an ember is ignited that neither of them saw coming...especially in the light of the war that is looming. He is an architect, and as fate would have it, is now working on the Liberty Building...the one where the famous scarves are made and sold.

Then we meet Genevieve. She is a Canadian who's recently moved with her family to Maine and has become a telephone operator...one who is very good at what she does. She's from a family who needs to work hard for any and everything that they have, and her paycheck supplements her Dad's to cover costs for their family. When she is asked to become an operator for the war, she hesitates (due to the cost of the uniform needed), but then goes ahead, as her beau's family offers to cover the cost (they are wealthy, and insist on it)... She is shipped out, and so is Peter, her beloved.
While out in the field, she meets Maxime...who is a handsome and sweet soldier... but she is spoken for already. In any case, they become friends, and keep corresponding via letters when he is shipped out. She knows this can go nowhere, as her heart is promised elsewhere.

Lastly we meet Clara, who is a nurse in the field. She meets Roman, a gifted violinist, when he is admitted to her hospital in bad shape. She spends much time with him, telling him stories of home. He is NOT responsive, and she is not sure if he ever will be, or if he even hears her, but she continues day after day, in hopes of bringing him back to life...

Through all three women and these men, there are these ‘Liberty Scarves’ that somehow appear in each of the scenarios...and somehow seem to link them all together. I KNOW it sounds crazy, but it is the most sweet, heartwarming, lovely, beautiful set of stories that you absolutely need to add to your TBR list. There were moments where my heart was soaring and flying, and others where I was outright sobbing...but in the end, it was worth it all!

“HOPE IS A THING WITH FEATHERS” !!🪶 🪶
One of the best quotes I’ve ever heard!!

5++ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ✨✨✨💫💫💫 for me!

#TheLibertyScarf by #AimieRunyan, #JnellCiesielski and #RachelMcMilan and narrated beautifully by #AnnMarieGideon, #GaryFurlong, #CarolineHewitt and #SaskiaMaarleveld.

Thanks so much to #NetGalley, #HarperMuse and #HarperCollinsFocus for an ARC of this delightful audiobook! **** RELEASE DATE IS SCHEDULED FOR 11/19/24...SO 👀 LOOK 👀 FOR IT THEN!! ****

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I absolutely adored listening to the Liberty Scarf, written by Aimie Runyan, J’Nell Cieseilski, and Rachel McMillan. It is a compelling historical fiction novel that links three women to one scarf during WWI. Each author was responsible for one woman’s story, and together, they were entwined superbly! The story begins with a scarf maker who weaves messages into her scarves. We then have a bilingual telephone operator. And finally a Flemish nurse who helps wounded soldiers. Each woman finds peace, friendship, hope, and love.

What made this audiobook extraordinary was the four narrators: Ann Marie Gideon; Gary Furlong; Caroline Hewitt; and Saskia Maarleveld. While listening I could easily imagine the scenery and the surroundings, and what each woman was feeling. This audiobook is well deserving of 5 stars. Bravo!

The Liberty Scarf is a collabortion written by three of my favorite authors, Aimie K. Runyan, J’nell Ciesielski, and Rachel McMillan. This book is a collection of three stories that have a connection because of a beautiful scarf.
During World War One, in Europe, we meet different couples who make a connection during the war and there is a unique theme of hope, kindness and service to others among them amidst the horrors of the war.
I loved the clever ending that weaves the stories all together. I absolutely loved all the history included.
The "Hello Girls" as telephone operators was quite fun to read about.
I was so fortunate to get an early audiobook of this story and loved the narration by Anne Marie Gideon, Gary Furlong, Caroline Hewitt and Saskia Maarleveld.
This was such an incredibly beautiful story. This collabortion is excellent.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins Focus for a early audio copy.

The scarf is a beautifully woven tapestry of love, war, and the quiet resilience of women during the darkest days of World War I. This audiobook captivates from the very first word, pulling you into a world of stark contrasts — the harshness of war set against the softness of the personal connections that bind us all together.

The story of Iris Braxton, a scarf maker in London, is deeply moving. She’s not only dealing with the monotonous struggles of war, but also chasing a dream of becoming Liberty’s first female pattern designer. Her relationship with Captain Rex Conrad is tender and realistic, with an added layer of longing as she stitches secret messages into the scarves she makes for him, hoping they’ll reach him on the frontlines. The emotional weight of this connection is palpable, and the narrator does a superb job of bringing Iris’s quiet strength and her aching hopes to life.

In Maine, Geneviève Tremblay’s story unfolds with equal depth. As a French-Canadian immigrant serving as a telephone operator, her internal conflict about identity and acceptance speaks to anyone who has ever felt torn between two worlds. Her connection with a French officer adds an unexpected twist to her journey, and her voice, narrated with sensitivity, captures her struggle beautifully.

Meanwhile, in Belgium, Clara Janssens’ and Roman Allaire’s love story adds a poignant layer to the novel, showcasing the impact of war on relationships and the fleeting moments of beauty that emerge from the rubble. The imagery of the scarf as a symbol of hope and connection across continents is powerful and unforgettable.

The audiobook’s pacing is perfect, allowing each character’s journey to unfold at just the right moment. The narrators give each woman a distinct voice, infusing their performances with emotion and authenticity. The intertwining of their lives, bound together by a simple yet meaningful scarf, is a testament to the power of human connection, even in the most turbulent times.

Overall, the scarf is a moving, rich, and atmospheric novel that will stay with you long after the final page. A perfect blend of history, romance, and the enduring spirit of women who carry hope through even the darkest hours. Highly recommended for anyone who loves historical fiction that tugs at the heartstrings.

This WWI-era novel is a refreshing take on wartime women's fiction. 'The Liberty Scarf' follows three women from three different countries as they each navigate captivating romance and how they can make a difference in a hurting world.

If you enjoy reading clean historical romance, then I recommend this book to you! The authors do a great job of balancing the POVs for each woman and her love interest.

Special thanks to HarperCollins Focus and Net Galley for a complimentary copy of this audiobook. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

If you’re looking for your next historical fiction book, pick up The Liberty Scarf. The audiobook was wonderful!

The Liberty Scarf is a beautifully written collection I absolutely loved! Through these three novellas, an elegantly designed Liberty scarf weaves its way into each story as three women survive the turbulent times of WWI. Letters, sweet romance, & hope find their way into each woman’s life whether she’s on the front lines or waiting anxiously back home.

London: Scarf maker Iris Braxton spends her days copying other people’s patterns into the scarves she creates. She dreams one day of seeing one of her designs produced on a Liberty scarf. When she meets the handsome, wounded Capt. Rex Conrad on temporary leave, he tries everything to get her to dance with him to win a bet. She finally agrees if he’ll show her designs to Mr. Liberty. Their fast friendship grows to more until the war calls again. I loved the delightful banter, Rex’s uncle’s estate, & the sweet romance as Rex tries to win Iris’ heart. I also enjoyed the symbolism of Iris’ design & the way this story set up the others.

Maine: Geneviève Tremblay, a French-Canadian immigrant, is a telephone operator living in Lewiston, Maine. She joins the war effort in the US Army Signal Corps to serve as a bi-lingual operator, mainly to impress her boyfriend’s family who looks down on her humble roots. When she meets a charming Frenchman in London, she questions her choices, especially when she agrees to correspond with him throughout the war. I loved the correspondence between Jennie & Maxime. Though Maxime’s a wealthy wine merchant, he admires Jennie for who she is & is so noble & gallant. He’s a perfect contrast to her arrogant boyfriend.

Belgium: Clara Janssens, a Flemish Nurse, & Roman Allaire, an Alsatian violinist, meet in a Brussels palace-turned-hospital. As Clara nurses him back to health, they form a strong bond. When friendship turns to love, their relationship is threatened by the war & an enemy within. I enjoyed the almost poetic way music was used & referenced throughout this story. I loved their first kiss & the way Clara approached it. Letters also play a huge role & I couldn’t wait to see what happened next.

All three stories were so compelling. The writing was gorgeous & I enjoyed each couple equally. The way a scarf played a role in each story was cleverly woven in. I thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook version. The narrators were fabulous & I loved the way each character was distinguished, making each novella unique. With each story, I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next as each story ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. I loved the way they all came together in the end for a fantastic conclusion. The historical aspects & rich attention to detail made this collection unforgettable.

Highly recommend to historical fiction/romance fans! I received an advanced listener’s copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own & voluntarily provided.

The Liberty Scarf AUDIO by Aimie K. Runyan, J'nell Ciesielski, Rachel McMillan is an enjoyable story taking place toward the end of World War I and is vignettes about three different couples, separated by war. The thread that binds their stories is an expensive art scarf, sold exclusively at Liberty department store in London. The first story is Iris who paints other people’s designs on the scarves. She longs to design them. She meets a man, Captain Rex Conrad, before he is shipped off. The next story is Genevieve, a telephone operator from Maine, although she she is French-Quebequois. Her beau is local, but from a different strata of society and key in the telephone business in Lewiston. They have an informal understanding. She meets a French officer called Maximillian and writes to him after he leaves. The third is a Belgian nurse who meets a violinist when he is under her care after being wounded. Only Genevieve is disappointed by her “fiance” and struggles to locate Max.

This is a wonderful listen, full of strong personalities and interesting stories. War is difficult at best, and keeping in contact nearly impossible. Genevieve has managed to retain her post in Europe, although moving to Strasbourg. She is worried about her family who need her income to survive. She is worried her former beau may cut her out of her job. One asks if any of these romances will continue to fruition. Well, remember this is a romance. It is full of drama, mostly because of the war. It encounters death and mutilation and as well as interesting situations and background on what serving the in war was like. It was excellent. I loved it. It proves love goes beyond physical limitations.

It was narrated by Ann Marie Gideon, Gary Furlong, Caroline Hewitt and Saskia Maarleveld who brought the story to life in an extraordinary way. They did the appropriate accents well, not too pronounced, but enough. It was so easy to get caught up in their renditions of this excellent book.

I was invited to listen to The Liberty Scarf by Harper Collins Focus. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #HarperCollinsFocus #AimieKRunyan #JnellCiesieliski #RachelMcMillan #AnnMarieGideon #GaryFurlong #CarolineHewitt #SaskiaMaarleveld #TheLibertyScarf

War is hard and all three authors in the book bring this out. Beautifully crafted, we have three couples (I liked each one of them) who have hope, dreams and love to give. They lives are intertwined and we get to see how in the end. I was almost not going to read this book but decided to continue. What a mistake it would have been if I had not read it! Lovely, poignant and romantic.

#netgalley #TheLibertyScarf

The Liberty Scarf
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
What a Beautiful story for December & Christmas. The Authors collaboration together is perfect. I loved it! A beautiful Scarf connects three different woman in the Winter of 1917. It was really enjoyable. I loved hearing & learning about more history through the story. Truly a great treat. It made me look & feel my scarfs. LOL The Audio was great!!
Thank you NetGalley!

Brilliant! I expected the scarfs to be a part of each story in some form, but not the way they entagled at the end. Exhilarating plot twist/ending. I was especially hooked with the first to novellas and groaning at the cliffhanger endings, but so worth it. I rate those first two 5 stars and the last story 4 stars. All had strong women desperately holding on to hope in such a dire time. All had a swoony romance that made me sigh with contempt at the end.
The narration was spot on!

The Liberty Scarf follows 3 different women during World War 1 over the winters of 1917-1918. Beautifully written, this story shows the resilience of those who endured the Great War and still found hope and love during such great hardships.
The way the authors wove the 3 separate stories together through the Liberty Scarf made for such a lovely story. The audiobook was so well done with different voices for each of the women and the men they encountered throughout their time serving in the war. I felt transported into that time period and I will definitely be adding these authors other reads to my TBR list!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse Audiobooks for the ARC audiobook. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

“The Liberty Scarf” was extremely well written and tied the three stories together in a way that I was not expecting for the ending. Hearing the emotions of the narrators and the experiences that they were having as a result of their careers and the impact of the war on those careers pulled me into their stories as a participant and not just an observer. The historical side of the novel brought into the limelight parts of the war that I had never considered - the role of operators, the impact of designers, and the army’s musical groups.

Title: The Liberty Scarf
Author: Aimie K. Runyan, J’nell Ciesielski, and Rachel McMillian
Narrated by: Ann Marie Gideon, Gary Furlong, Caroline Hewitt, Saskia Maarleveld
Publisher: Harper Muse
Length: Approximately 9 hours and 58 minutes
Source: Review Copy from NetGalley and Harper Muse as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour. Thank you!

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.

• The audiobook was wonderful. I enjoyed the different narrators for the different parts of the story. For example, the first story was narrated alternatively by Rex or Iris, or by two different voice actors.

• 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.

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 narrators did a good job of giving the characters a voice. I found myself immersed in the story.

THE LIBERTY SCARF by Aimie K. Runyan, J'nell Ciesielski, and Rachel McMillan is a work of historical fiction set on both sides of the Atlantic during WWI. This novel has three parts and they all share the connection of a beautiful Liberty scarf. Thoughts of Liberty fabrics and the main store's gorgeous building in London were some of the reasons I so liked this book. The heroines were strong women and self-reliant. In the first section, readers meet Iris who aspires to be a designer for Liberty, and Rex, a wounded soldier/architect. The second part is my favorite and features Geneviève Tremblay. Jenny, as she is called, is a telephone operator who faces prejudice in the States because of being a French Canadian. Ironically, it is her native language (and operator skills) which makes her especially valuable in the war effort in Europe where she meets Maxim, a vintner. The third part of the novel tells the story of Clara, a nurse, and Roman, a violinist. The three stories connect eventually in December 2018 and combine romance and history; as the publisher says, THE LIBERTY SCARF is "a testament to the resilience of women and the enduring power of hope and unity in the harshest of times." Emily Dickinson's "'Hope' is the thing with Feathers" is an oft-quoted reference and there is reflection about having faith and courage to find a new path. The authors' notes further explain their writing to celebrate unsung heroines like the telephone operators. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Ann Marie Gideon; Gary Furlong; Caroline Hewitt; and Saskia Maarleveld; I would definitely recommend. 4.5 stars

The Liberty Scarf: A Story of Three Women, and a Scarf That Binds Them Together was written by three talented authors, Aimie K. Runyan, J’nell Ciesielski and Rachel McMillan. It took place during World War I during 1917-1918. I listened to the audiobook that was narrated extremely well by Ann Marie Gideon, Gary Furlong, Caroline Hewitt and Saskia Maarleveld. It was about three very brave, ambitious and caring women, the men who came to mean everything to them and a scarf that connected all of them in a beautiful way. The Liberty Scarf took place in London, Lewiston, Maine, France and Belgium.

Iris Braxton was employed at Liberty Company in London as a painter. Her true aspiration was to be given the opportunity to be a pattern designer. Unfortunately, back in the early 1900’s only men were considered worthy of such positions. A female pattern designer was unheard of. Iris never lost hope or sight of her desire. One day her talents would be recognized. Therefore, Iris never ventured far without her sketch pad. She never knew when an idea would come to her. Then one day Iris made the acquaintance of Captain Conrad Jones. Their acquaintance began as a dare but soon materialized into a mutual attraction and respect for one another. Conrad supported and encouraged Iris’s ambitions. Their feelings for one another grew stronger as time passed.

Genevieve Tremblay was the daughter of French-Canadian immigrants. They had settled in Lewiston, Maine. Genevieve, her younger brother and her parents lived in a poorer neighborhood in Lewiston. She had a job as a telephone operator. Genevieve’s boyfriend Peter’s family were much more affluent and better connected than her own family. There were times when Genevieve wondered if Peter was embarrassed by her French-Canadian origins and where she lived. When Genevieve learned that the US Army Signal Corps was looking for telephone operators or “hello girls” that were fluent in French she felt that this was her opportunity to improve her status in Peter’s eyes. Once in France, Genevieve met Captain Maxime Auvray one day by chance. There was an instant connection between the two but Genevieve was quick to mention her relationship with Peter. She had no intention of betraying Peter’s trust. For now, Genevieve would settle for being friends with Maxime. Maxime’s family produced wine in France and that was Maxime’s passion.

The third brave, passionate and dedicated woman was named Clara Janssens. She lived in Belgium with her father. When Clara’s mother died, Clara assumed the role of taking care of her father. Clara had trained to be a nurse. Her father finally convinced Clara to go where she was needed. One night, Clara was attending a concert given by fellow soldier musicians to boost the morale of their fellow soldiers when there was an enemy attack and lots of casualties. Clara was at the sight of all the casualties and then at a converted palace that served as a hospital. It was there that Clara began caring for a patient named Roman Allaire. There was something about Roman Allaire that drew Clara to him and allowed Clara to speak candidly to him. She noticed his beautiful violin near his bed. When Roman finally gained consciousness, Clara learned that he was from Strausbourg, France. Roman shared his passion for his violin and music with Clara. It was evident that both Roman and Clara had developed feelings for each other.

A beautifully designed scarf connected these brave women and the men they fell in love with. I enjoyed how the women all discovered each other by the end by recognizing the scarf that had special meanings to each one of them. I think that Aimie K. Runyan, J’nell Ciesielski and Rachel McMillan wrote a very memorable book together about three very strong women. It was interesting how limited women were in their opportunities during this time period. I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook of The Liberty Scarf and highly recommend it.

Thank you to HarperCollins Focus for allowing me to listen to the audiobook of The Liberty Scarf: A Story of Three Women, One War, and a Scarf That Bonds Them Together by Aimie K. Runyan, J’nell Ciesielski and Rachel McMillan.

The Liberty Scarf is a collection of 3 novellas based in WWI. Each story follows a different woman and her experience during the winter of 1918.

1- Iris live in London and works for the Liberty Scarf Co.
2- Genevieve is a French-Canadian immigrant in Maine that is going to France to serve as a bilingual phone operator at the front.
3- Clara is a war nurse from Belgium serving in France.

I really liked all 3 stories. At first, I didn't know it was 3 stories by 3 different authors, but the way the stories connect through a scarf was interesting. I was totally hooked on these stories and loved the writing. The book tells stories of love, romance, and finding hope during war. Really a beautifully written book with lovely characters. I listened to the audiobook, and it is very well done with wonderful narrators.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the audiobook for review.

This was such an enjoyable one! Three couples are connected during the Great War by a Liberty of London scarf. The story is set in the winter of 1917 and is divided into three parts. Each part features a couple's story, and then the three threads connect in the epilogue. I enjoyed this format instead of having to juggle three story lines at once. I love this trend of writing collaborations in historical fiction, especially when the writing is as seamless and as well done as in this book.

After finishing the book, I had to peruse Liberty scarves online, and it was easy to see why the authors took inspiration from these beautiful works of art.