From the New York Times bestselling author comes a remarkable novel of three women whose lives have been torn apart by war. For fans of The Nightingale, Wives of War and Lilac Girls, The Lost Soldiers reveals the strength, love and courage found even in the darkest of times, and the ultimate triumph of hope. In the summer of 1919, British Ruby is mourning her beloved husband Bertie, missing since … is mourning her beloved husband Bertie, missing since 1916. His grief-stricken parents ask one last task of her: travel to the Belgian battlefields to find Bertie’s grave, and with it the peace that will come with knowing his final resting place.
Alice, an American, knows in her heart that her brother Sam is alive – but after he signed up under a false name, no news has been heard from him since he arrived in Belgium. Leaving her life and her fiancé behind in Washington, Alice sets sail for Europe, promising herself that she will not rest until she finds her brother.
Martha has risked everything to travel to Belgium. A German, she knows she will be met with neither sympathy nor understanding. But her son lies somewhere in Belgian soil, and her husband’s dying wish was for his grandfather’s bravery medal to be passed down to his son. It is a promise Martha will do anything to keep.
When the lives of these three women collide, they begin to question whether that which unites them could be greater than their differences. As an unlikely friendship blossoms, their story reveals their untiring determination to find out what happened to the men they love, no matter how painful the truth.
What readers are saying about The Lost Soldiers:
‘Simply beautiful… Enthralling… The emotional impact of this book is enormous – I cried so many times, and ached at the injustice and unfairness of it all. But it’s also immensely uplifting… This lovely book will remain in my memory for a very long time to come.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
‘Absolutely beautiful. A wonderful story about love, loss, heartbreak and hope… All the characters and the setting come alive in this stunning story… Brilliant… A book that will stay with me for a very long time.’ Renita D’Silva, 5 stars
‘Heartbreaking… Engaging, compelling and well-written.’ Robin Loves Reading, 5 stars
‘A hugely compelling read with a wonderful insight into the lives of those who lost loved ones during World War 1… Took me by surprise so that I felt very moved and not a little tearful afterwards. Liz Trenow has a real eye for detail so that the settings are described in a way that makes them come to life… Real places and historical events were so skilfully woven into a gorgeous narrative… I really recommend… A moving, evocative, historical read.’ Linda’s Book Bag, 5 stars
‘A wonderful story of human resilience in the face of adversity. It is a joy to read and flows beautifully. I found myself completely absorbed.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
‘Beautifully written… Highly recommended.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
‘Loved this book.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
‘This book was fascinating and I couldn’t put it down.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
Previously published as In Love and War.more
What a wonderful story of tragedy, forgiveness, and humanity. Very enlightening about the reality of war as soldiers experienced it and the suffering of their loved ones. Love and forgiveness wins for both sides of war.
Intriguing story
Shortly after the end of World War I, 3 women meet in a small town in Belgium. All are there to find lost soldiers. Ruby is young, British, and looking for the grave of her husband. Alice, American, is looking for her younger brother who joined the Canadian army under an assumed name. She needs to find him or some trace of him to bring closure. Finally there is Marie, a German woman looking for the grave of her son.
These 3 women from different worlds and with different experiences find they have much in common as their stories overlap.
I have read a lot of books about World War I, but I am not sure I really realized how destroyed Belgium was and how little ground was ever obtained during the course of the war. There was just nothing left and the people suffered terribly. But the Germans also suffered terribly during and after the war. Overall, a good story and very interesting.
This a a beautiful story of war and the heart ache left. The tale is possible in any war, with the allies and the enemies, the horrid damage, and trying to rebuild both communities and personally. Well worth reading!
This book kept me interested from the very first. The characters are interesting and the story line kept uou guessing. I really enjoyed this book.
What an interesting view of the aftermath of WWI. Two widows and an American traveler bond in the search for their loved ones’ final resting place. The writing is lovely, perfectly pitched as are the characters, women of their time in history, unused to challenging the male world or traveling alone, for that matter. Their voices, fears and concerns sound completely authentic to that era.
I thank the author for giving us this look at that period and what was, sadly, a very common condition of the boys and men who’d faught so bravely for king and country and never returned and the resulting impact on their families.
Engaging, beautifully — I might even say —tenderly written, an excellent historical novel!
It is a very different slant on a book about war. I enjoyed it.
Wonderful historical novel about war, timeless. Who are really the enemies??
Enjoyed the story and the characters, but also enjoyed the historical perspective. Learning what it was like at a major battlefield in France after WWI.
I enjoyed it very much and have recommended to friends.
Three young women who lost people they loved in World War I. A husband, a brother and a son. Their bodies have not been returned home and may be there among the thousands of marked and unmarked graves in a foreign land. As they come from America, Britain and Germany to war torn and devastated Belgium, there journey and this book leaves the reader with a sense of the futility and yet the necessity of war. The friendships made and the truths uncovered make this a profound and oddly inspiring read and I will be looking for more of this authors books.
I liked it very much
A terrific read about a time in America (post WW1) that we don’t know much about. Enjoy!