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Glamorous debutantes, heartbreak and discovering just what is worth fighting for in the new historical novel from Sunday Times bestseller Adele Parks.
1914. Vivian, a young, impassioned debutante is hurried into a pedestrian marriage to cover a scandal. War breaks out on her wedding day – domestically and across Europe. Quick to escape the disappointment of matrimony, her traditionalist husband immediately enlists and Vivian has no alternative than to take up the management and running of his estate – after all, everyone is required to do their bit. Even pretty, inadequately-educated young wives.
Howard, a brilliant young playwright rushes to the front to see for himself the best and the worst of humanity; he cannot imagine what the horror might be. In March 1916, when conscription becomes law, it is no longer enough for him to report on the War, it’s a legal requirement that he joins the ranks. Howard refuses, becoming one of the most notorious conscientious objectors of the time. Disarmingly handsome, famous, articulate and informed, he’s a threat to the government. Narrowly escaping a death sentence by agreeing to take essential work on Vivian’s farm, it’s only then Howard understands what is worth fighting for.
1914. Vivian, a young, impassioned debutante is hurried into a pedestrian marriage to cover a scandal. War breaks out on her wedding day – domestically and across Europe. Quick to escape the disappointment of matrimony, her traditionalist husband immediately enlists and Vivian has no alternative than to take up the management and running of his estate – after all, everyone is required to do their bit. Even pretty, inadequately-educated young wives.
Howard, a brilliant young playwright rushes to the front to see for himself the best and the worst of humanity; he cannot imagine what the horror might be. In March 1916, when conscription becomes law, it is no longer enough for him to report on the War, it’s a legal requirement that he joins the ranks. Howard refuses, becoming one of the most notorious conscientious objectors of the time. Disarmingly handsome, famous, articulate and informed, he’s a threat to the government. Narrowly escaping a death sentence by agreeing to take essential work on Vivian’s farm, it’s only then Howard understands what is worth fighting for.
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Reviews
A total smash
A wonderfully absorbing tale of friendship, rich in period detail
A fantastic read
A wonderful book about a group of women struggling to deal with life after World War One. Bright young things and disappointed hopes, it is a heady cocktail of love, class and beaded frocks. Her most accomplished novel yet
There are some seriously fab frocks in Adele Parks' latest novel. Dramatic and swooningly romantic, this is historical fiction with real heart
Want a moving and thought-provoking book about love to warm you up for Valentine's Day? Set in the roaring '20s after WW1, it tells the story of four women trying to find happiness despite tragedy
[Adele Parks'] love of the era shines through in this big romantic tale
Beautifully observed and researched, this builds into a terrific drama of the conflict between individual passions and the demands of war. At the centre is Vivien, shimmering with courage and energy and the unwillingness to conform to stifling social mores
You'll love the drama, the gorgeous dresses, grand houses and, in particular, the handsome but damaged love interest