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Publishers Weekly
10/21/2013Robson’s first novel examines the dynamic between love and duty in the midst of historical tragedy. As the story begins in 1914 England, Lady Elizabeth “Lilly” Neville-Ashford is under her domineering mother’s thumb. Countess Ashford is determined that Lilly marry another member of the aristocracy and has no qualms about interfering when Robert Fraser, a surgeon from a working-class background and the best friend of Lilly’s brother, Edward, shows the young woman kindness and interest. When WWI begins, Edward and Robert both sign up promptly to serve, and Lilly breaks with her family to do the same. She becomes an ambulance driver on the front lines in France, and when the chance comes to be assigned to Robert’s field hospital, she jumps at it. The love that grows between Lilly and Robert is colored by their proximity to war and death, as well as by the duty they both feel to their country. Robson’s skillful ability with detail and setting firmly relates the grotesqueries of war without gratuitous gore. Her deft touch as a storyteller keeps readers engaged in the story of the lovers, as well as illuminating the bigger picture of the war raging around them. Agent: Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency. (Jan.)
Overview
In the dark and dangerous days of World War I, a daring young woman will risk her life to find her destiny.
Lady Elizabeth Neville-Ashford wants to travel the world, pursue a career, and marry for love. But in 1914, the stifling restrictions of aristocratic British society and her mother’s rigid expectations forbid Lilly from following her heart. When war breaks out, the spirited young woman seizes her chance for independence. Defying her parents, she moves to London and ...