Erin McKenzie

I was wary about reading a lesbian romance set around World War I. Both because what was going to happen to the characters (not that a modern book couldn't have those prejudiced too). Also, I wasn't sure if I was ready for the intensity of the war itself. I shouldn't have worried about the former, and while the latter was really well done, a lot of it in fact was very intense.

It's about Joanna and Ellie. Ellie signs up to be a Volunteer Aid person and she winds up under the tutelage of a grumpy and standoffish actual nurse, Joanna. They get closer and closer and a relationship blossoms. But, it's World War I, and so it's not a super smooth journey from point A to point B for the two women.

It was an amazing novel and even though I sometimes had to put it down (darn work), I did not want to. Not by a long shot.

I was given this ARC by Netgalley on behalf of Bold Strokes Books.… (plus d'informations)

I had to read this. I'm contractually obligated since I'm a librarian.

In all seriousness I picked this one up because the blurb said that it had a librarian in it, but, once I read it, there was definitely much more substance than just librarian awesomeness in this book.

The librarian is Valerie. She was once in the foster care system and decides she wants to become a foster parent, even though she's still not sure how she feels about the system as a whole.

Paige is a foster care caseworker. She meets Val at the foster care class and then just as they're getting closer she becomes the caseworker for Val's first two foster kids (siblings).

That throws a kink in their relationship, although it also means that they start seeing a lot more of each other and getting closer in different ways.

Then everything changes for Val once again, and then with that change it's like dominoes for the two of them. Good dominoes and some less good dominoes.

The librarian stuff was pretty okay. I really liked the characters too. Sasha and Jen were fun (would have loved more of their story) and I really, really liked the character of Connie. She was amazing and in my opinion she stole every scene she was in!

I received this book via Netgalley thanks to Bold Strokes Books.… (plus d'informations)