War Brides

By: Helen Bryan

Narrated by: Tavia Gilbert

As war moves ever closer, the sleepy English village of Crowmarsh Priors settles into a new sort of normal: Evacuees from London are billeted in local homes. The nightly German air raids become grimly mundane. Rationing curtails every comfort. Men leave to fight and die. And five women forge a bond of friendship that will change their lives forever in this engrossing novel of loyalty, loss, and love in the shadow of World War II.

With the hardships of war intensifying every day, the women band together to defeat formidable enemies and find remarkable strength within themselves to help one another. It is a war-forged loyalty certain to endure years and distance. When four of the women return for a celebration 50 years later, their mission is not simply to commemorate or remember. They’ve returned to confront a traitor whose actions cost countless lives — and to avenge one of their own at last.

©2011 Heley Bryan (P)2012 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

A Story of the Women and Children on the Homefront

The setting in pre-war and WW II England. A group of women who may never have known each other otherwise end up in the English countryside to escape the Blitz. Good historical fiction.

People who have no knowledge

Of regional English accents should NOT narrate stories set in England. Even if I hadn't lived in London I think This would *still* be excruciating. The story isn't bad but dear God—the narration!

War Brides, War Times

What made the experience of listening to War Brides the most enjoyable?

The excellent reading by Tavia Gilbert. She did a fantastic job of all the different accents.

What was one of the most memorable moments of War Brides?

Tavia's cockney accents.

What about Tavia Gilbert’s performance did you like?

Everything.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No, not really.

Any additional comments?

I was disappointed by the ending - there was not enough explanation of Frances's disappearance. I also thought that the literary device of bookending the novel with the present day was very clunky. It was good to listen to but it is not great literature.

Great story about friendship, love, and survival

What did you love best about War Brides?

The characters in this book were so interesting. The author did a great job of describing how these woman, who were thrown together by chance and were coping with extraordinary circumstances, had a bond that lasted a lifetime.
The ending was a little weak, but did help to tie some things together.

Mystery in history

Would you listen to War Brides again? Why?

Yes, because it has enough information that I could listen again to get more details on the story.

What was one of the most memorable moments of War Brides?

The ending when the four brides are reunited and the mystery of where the what happened to the fifth one is revealed.

Which scene was your favorite?

The scene when the women were trying to rescue twin sisters of one of the brides.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No extreme reaction. Just learned more of what it was like during WW11.

Any additional comments?

I was attracted to this book because my mother was a Navy Nurse in WW11. I wanted more history of what it was like. The book gave me that and also a mystery to boot.