Release: August 20, 2020
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Suzanne Tierney Books
Source: Rachel’s Random Resources
Find it at: Amazon, Amazon UK
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In war, she fell in love.
Vera Betts shouldn’t be falling in love with the enigmatic doctor she suspects of espionage. Reeling from her family’s betrayal, faking her nursing credentials, she invented a new name, and run away to the frontlines of the French battlefield. Four years into the Great War and she knows who she is and what she’s meant for—to save the living and sit vigil by the dying. When the cagey-yet-earnest Dr. Nicholas Wallace arrives, so do mysterious explosions destroying hospitals. Even as Nick raises her suspicions, he lowers her defenses. He wants the war to end. Are his acts of sabotage a politically compulsion or a desperate attempt at peace?
In peace, she fell apart.
A year later, Vera is back with her oppressive family, living under her real name, and Nick is on trial for murder. Trapped in grief and guilt, she cannot speak about the past and does not believe in the future. With Nick refusing to defend himself, she ventures to London to understand why he is so willing to embrace the hangman’s noose. Who is he trying to protect? What secrets does he plan to carry to his grave? And why does Nick insist upon hiding her true identity? To save the man she loves, Vera must tear open the past and confront the tragic price for peace.
About the Author:
Writer of lush, historical happily-ever-after tales, Suzanne Tierney believes in true love. But she takes delicious pleasure in making her characters fight, flutter, and find their way to each other. Her books have won numerous awards and she has twice been a Golden Heart Finalist® with the Romance Writers of America.
Suzanne grew up in Oregon, adulted in the San Francisco Bay Area, and somehow ended up in Florida, where she is very much a cold-water fish learning to navigate humid, salty seas. She loves chatting with readers.
Blooms of War Review:
This is a compelling historical fiction with a whodunit mystery, intriguing characters and a charming romance set in WWI.
One of the highlights of the story is the dynamic characters. I loved Nick as the main character because he was mysterious and intriguing. Similarly, Vera is also a strong and complex character who goes through a lot in the story. I really liked Vera and Nick’s gradual romance. It gave the story a warm feeling amidst the turmoil backdrop of WWI. Matty and Gwendolyn were also very interesting.
Moreover, the author does a wonderful job in narrating this historical tale. In addition to the characters, I felt like I learned quite a lot from the story. It is clear that the author did extensive research on the medical field to treat soldiers. For instance, I did not know that Picric acid was used for so many purposes. Also, the story balances the plot, intrigue, mystery, romance and the historical references in a seamless manner. The author also wrote the story in such a way that you feel like the book itself was released in that era.
However, the only reason I gave this 4 stars was because the story was initially bumpy. As the story toggles between the past and the present in alternate chapters, it took me a good five chapters before I got engrossed with the plot. Moreover, the author doesn’t shy away from the gore and gruesome nature in some scenes. While I admire the author for making the scenes very realistic, I found some scenes very graphic and difficult to digest.
Apart from that, this was a beautiful, compelling historical novel and grew on me.
Giveaway:
Book Tour Schedule
I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the Blooms of War by Suzanne Tierney Blog Tour hosted by Rachel’s Random Resources. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!
