New York Times bestselling author Hazel Gaynor has joined with Heather Webb to create this unforgettably romantic novel of the Great War.
August 1914. England is at war. As Evie Elliott watches her brother, Will, and his best friend, Thomas Harding, depart for the front, she believes—as everyone does—that it will be over by Christmas, when the trio plan to celebrate the holiday among the romantic cafes of Paris.
But as history tells us, it all happened so differently…
Evie and Thomas experience a very different war. Frustrated by life as a privileged young lady, Evie longs to play a greater part in the conflict—but how?—and as Thomas struggles with the unimaginable realities of war he also faces personal battles back home where War Office regulations on press reporting cause trouble at his father’s newspaper business. Through their letters, Evie and Thomas share their greatest hopes and fears—and grow ever fonder from afar. Can love flourish amid the horror of the First World War, or will fate intervene?
Christmas 1968. With failing health, Thomas returns to Paris—a cherished packet of letters in hand—determined to lay to rest the ghosts of his past. But one final letter is waiting for him…
Make sure you read the "About the Book" section at the back as it describes how 2 authors co-wrote this wonderful book. You read letters that are sent back and forth between two friends, two siblings, two friends, etc. that describe what is happening in their lives during World War I. It reminded me of Letters From Skye - kept me reading and totally engrossed.

I am taking this to the August meetup at Cravings to pass on to the next reader. This is a new book to Book Crossing and it kind of fits the theme for August as it is about letters written during the war years - 1914 - 1918!!

Just picked up at last meeting. Haven't read it yet

I loved how this book was written in the form of letters going back and forth between the people involved from soldiers, to civilians. Sometimes the letters would not get to their destinations on time or ever, and subsequently the ending of this story was sad to me.

to be read

The story is told through letters between and among all the characters in the novel. Set in World War I times, it tells the thoughts and feelings of those fighting the war and those who are waiting at home for them. Its hard to tell which would be worse - the fighting or the waiting.

Picked up at a recent bookcrossing meeting.

Taken to the December meeting!

To the finder:
Calgary has an active group of BookCrossers that meet to swap books and discuss book crossing every second Saturday of the month at 11am at Cravings Market on Fairmount Drive SE. We always love to meet new crossers, so please join us any time you like!

Caught at local meetup.

Cute story, I liked how WWI was included but did not detract from their story, and didn't feel "glossed over". I love stories told through letters, and I loved the inclusion of telegrams. Will return to book box on next cycle.

Adding to book box 2 for the next reader.

Collected from book box 2 and saving till December.

It is November and picked this up to read as it has Christmas in the title.
This book hit me on so many levels. First it is about the war and the tragedies and deaths. It was remembrance day while I was reading it. We went to memorial drive and saw all the crosses and watched the service from the field of crosses. This book makes it feel like I was living what happened to the men and women we were remembering. Then the comments the characters make to each other saying will life ever get back to normal. I feel myself thinking this all the time re the covid pandemic. We know life did get back to normal, eventually, so hope for us as well. Lastly there is the death and devastation of the Spanish flu pandemic, which brings it back home again to our current circumstances.

Sing-song came over for a visit so we traded books.

Back in my hands now.

Stopped at Barb's to do a porch book exchange. She returned a couple of books to me.

Picked up from zoo meet up!

Had a delightful meetup at Calgary Zoo. Had books displayed in trunks before the visit to the Zoo. There were THREE BookCrossing babies there! I ended up taking home more books than I was able to pass on!