Every Tear a Memory

Till We Meet Again #3

by Myra Johnson

Joanna Trapp found adventure serving in France as a "Hello Girl," one of over 200 telephone operators called upon by General Pershing to serve in the Army Signal Corps, but she still mourns her doughboy sweetheart killed in battle. Returning to Hot Springs, Arkansas, she takes a job as a switchboard operator at the Arlington Hotel and quickly discovers that after her experiences overseas, civilian life proves dull.

Thomas Ballard still regrets he was medically ineligible to serve in the war and feels inferior to those who did, especially his war-hero brother, Gilbert. When Thomas finds himself attracted to Joanna, he strives to match her adventurous spirit, when all he really wants is to settle down, raise a family, and earn respect as a successful businessman.

As romance blossoms, can two such different people learn to accept not only their own but each other's God-created individuality . . . or will love change them both?

Genres: Christian Fiction, Historical Romance, Christian Romance, Historical Fiction, Romance

320 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2014

About the author

Native Texan Myra Johnson writes emotionally gripping stories about love, life, and faith. Myra is a three-time Maggie Awards finalist, two-time finalist for the prestigious ACFW Carol Awards, winner of Christian Retailing’s Best for historical fiction, and winner in the Inspirational category of the National Excellence in Romance Fiction Awards.

After living five years in Oklahoma, then eight years in the beautiful Carolinas, Myra and her husband are thrilled to be back in the Lone Star State enjoying wildflowers, Tex-Mex, and real Texas barbecue! The Johnsons share their home with two very pampered rescue dogs and a cat with attitude.

Follow Myra on BookBub, https://www.bookbub.com/profile/myra-..., for deals and new releases.

Awards of note: When the Clouds Roll By, Till We Meet Again, Book 1 (Abingdon Press 2013), won the historical fiction category of the 2014 Christian Retailing's Best Award. Autumn Rains (Heartsong Presents 2009), won the 2005 RWA Golden Heart for Best Inspirational Romance Manuscript.

Myra’s writing career was launched in 1985 when she sold her first short story while taking a course through the Institute of Children’s Literature. Myra later joined the ICL staff as a magazine writing instructor, teaching hundreds of students the fundamentals of story and article structure, plotting, character development, and market analysis. She now writes full-time and is active in her church as well as local and national writers groups.

Myra and her husband have been married for 50+ years. The Johnsons have two married daughters, seven grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter.

Reviews

[Staci · Rating 4 out of 5]

1919 Hot Springs, Arkansas

Sweet conclusion to the series. Joanna is happily living in France after WWI ends and has no desire to return home. When her mother passes away, she feels obligated to help her brother care for their younger sister Lily.

[Faith · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Loraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 3 and the last of this series focuses on Joanna Trapp and Thomas Ballard. Joanna was a "Hello Girl" in World War 1 serving as a switchboard operator. Thomas was exempted from the war due to a heart problem and is a manager at one of the major hotels in Hot Spring Arkansas. When Joanna's mother dies, Joanna is called home to Hot Springs to help her brother raise her wild, little sister, Lily.
When Joanna gets a switchboard job at the hotel Thomas manages, romance is in the air.

All of the characters from the previous two books are once again at home in Hot Springs. I loved Joanna's free and independent spirit and how helpful she was to both Jack and Lily and how close they all became when they learned to help one another. Under Joanna's influence, Thomas became more independent and stepped out in new directions including standing up to his self-absorbed, haughty mother. Thomas, in turn, taught Joanna that sometimes home is the best place to be. It was nice that Thomas got to have his own story as he was the somewhat quiet, shy guy who hadn't stuck out much in the previous books.

Johnson does a good job in this Post World War I book and filled it with interesting and unique characters. I was sorry to see this series end and say goodbye to the town of Hot Springs Arkansas.

[Shreedevi Gurumurty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joanna Trapp found adventure serving in France as a “Hello Girl” for the Army Signal Corps, but she still mourns her doughboy sweetheart killed in battle. Returning to Hot Springs, Arkansas, she takes a job as a switchboard operator at the Arlington Hotel and quickly discovers that after her experiences overseas, civilian life proves dull. Thomas Ballard still regrets he was medically ineligible to serve in the war and feels inferior to those who did, especially his war-hero brother, Gilbert. When Thomas finds himself attracted to Joanna, he strives to match her adventurous spirit, when all he really wants is to settle down, raise a family, and earn respect as a successful businessman. As romance blossoms, can two such different people learn to accept not only their own but each other's God-created individuality . . . or will love change them both?The Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa is a resort in the Ouachita Mountains of Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas, home of Oaklawn Race Track and the Arkansas Derby. The Arlington's design inspired the Baker Hotel in Mineral Wells, Texas. The hotel is located at the north end of "Bathhouse Row".On September 5, 1913, a fire broke out on Church Street a few blocks southeast of Bathhouse Row, near the Army and Navy Hospital. The fire burned southeast, away from the hospital, until the wind reversed an hour later. Racing toward the business section, it destroyed the Ozark Sanitarium and Hot Springs High School on its way across Malvern Avenue. Along the way it consumed a lot of important infrastructure."Till We Meet Again" is an American popular song. The music was written by Richard A. Whiting, the lyrics by Raymond B. Egan in 1918.Written during the Great War, the song tells of the parting of a soldier and his sweetheart. The title comes from the final line of the chorus.Hello Girls was the colloquial name for American female switchboard operators in World War I,they served in France primarily.

[Ellen White · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joanna found a purpose in life by going over to France. The tragedy of war and the lost of her boyfriend, she still keep busy. Putting off reading a letter her brother had written, opening to find her mother was gone. Leaving her brother to try and handle the fifteen year old Lily.
He expected her to come home, toe the line, e available, and to straight the girl out. She was twenty eight and working at night. This was not my favorite story in the series.

[Doreen Nicolet]

Didn't like

[Iola · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joanna Trapp, a former “Hello Girl” with the Army Signal Corps in World War One, isn’t pleased she has to leave her beloved France and return home to care for her much-younger sister following the death of their mother. Her brother Jack has unrealistic expectations of her ability to handle Lily, and Lily … well, she’s not at all pleased. Joanna is pleased when she’s offered a job as a telephonist at the Arlington Hotel, and enjoys building a friendship with the manager, Thomas Ballard.

Joanna captures Thomas’s attention the moment he sees her, and while she’s happy to be friends, she’s adamant there will never be anything more between them. What’s not apparent is why (and I have to admit, as a reader, I wasn’t all that clear either to begin with).

Every Tear a Memory is the third book in Myra Johnson’s Till We Meet Again series, and I hope it won’t be the last. It follows When the Clouds Roll By and Whisper Goodbye, and is also set in Hot Springs, Arkansas. We get the opportunity to catch up with the characters in the previous books, but Every Tear a Memory can easily be read as a standalone novel.

Thomas has featured in previous books in the series, and always came across as a likeable man, so it was good to see him get his own story. Joanna and Lily are new characters, and both were well-written. Lily seemed like a typical overwrought teen, albeit one who can’t retreat into a virtual world of Instagram and Twitter as her modern counterparts do.

Joanna was perhaps a woman ahead of her time, in that she’d been given a responsible and necessary job to do, and it seemed like a step backwards to return home where little had changed. It was also a turnaround on the normal story, where man goes off to war (and loses some of his faith in God) while the woman stays home and has to help him rediscover himself and his faith. I enjoyed that.

One of the things I most like about Myra Johnson’s books is the research. Her books always make me feel as though I’m in the time and place she’s writing about, yet I never get the feeling I’m being told, “Look how much research I’ve done!” (which I have with some other authors, especially when writing about foreign locations). The scenes in France all came across naturally, with a restrained horror that made me see the battlefields in a new way—not as peaceful green fields, but as blood-soaked battle locations.

Recommended for fans of historical fiction and historical romance. Thanks to NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

[Kathleen E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thursday, November 6, 2014
Every Tear a Memory by Myra Johnson, © 2014
Till We Meet Again series, Book 3

France, 1919. Joanna Trapp is on her way home to Hot Springs, Arkansas, to help her brother Jack care for their teen sister, Lily, following World War I. Joanna served as a "Hello Girls" telephone operator during the war. She will be distancing from more than the Army Signal Corps, but a buried sweetheart.

Hot Springs, Arkansas. Thomas Ballard is manager of the prestigious Arlington Hotel and is in need of a switchboard operator for the late night shift. Joanna fits the bill! She will be home earlier in the day to follow up with her younger sister. Lily isn't thrilled to now have two older siblings trying to direct her life.

Joanna has lasting memories and is glad to have this diversion at work. Thomas has a sorrow of his own ~ his brother, Gilbert, was injured in the war; the war Thomas wasn't medically able to be a part of. Regrets beyond his control.

"She is surprised by the attention from successful hotel manager Thomas Ballard, whose practical nature starkly contrasts her own spontaneous spirit." This quote sums up their awkward unplanned attraction to each other. Those returning to civilian life and those at home both have adjustments. This is such a good story! I liked how their every day unfolded. It would make a good movie script. Letting go of grief and moving on, having someone to truly love you and care as Lily finds as her sister shares with her. A keeper! Excellent writing.

Award-­winning novelist Myra Johnson examines life in post-­WWI America in her inspirational historical romance series Till We Meet Again published by Abingdon Press Fiction. The stories set in 1919 in the bustling Southern resort town of Hot Springs, Arkansas, explore the lives of three couples and their families, all of whom have been deeply affected by the events of World War I. ~*Christian Retailing Best Awards 2014; Fiction: Historical; When the Clouds Roll By*~ Myra Johnson, Abingdon Press!*~

***Thank you to author Myra Johnson for sending me an Advance Reader Copy of her October 2014 release, Every Tear a Memory, Book 3 in her Till We Meet Again series. This review was written in my own words. No other compensation was received.***

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every Tear a Memory is the third novel in Myra Johnson's series Till We Meet Again and takes place about a year after the Great War ends. I'll say here and now it's my favorite of the three stories. Since reading the first book in the series, When the Clouds Roll By, I've had a desire for Thomas Ballard to experience a happy-ever-after. He seemed like such a lonely man.

Thomas manages the Arlington Hotel in Hot Springs, Arkansas. The younger son of an overbearing society matron, he's content with his job, but his personal life lacks the type of happiness shared by others around him: marriage and a family. He believes he's second best to his brother, second best in his mother's eyes, and second best when attempting to enlist in the war. When he takes his future into his hands, grows a beard, and is told he looks like his father, he begins to see that:

Joanna Trapp has a reputation for adventure. She escaped her unhappy home life and spent several years in France. During the war, she was with the Signal Corps, fell in love, and lost her sweetheart to battle. She never planned to return to Hot Springs, but a family obligation drives her home. Joanna deals with what might be considered a form of survivor's guilt. It keeps her from giving up her lost love for a new one, no matter how attracted she is to Thomas, and affects her relationship with God.

This is a story of two people whose friendship and love help heal old wounds. In Every Tear a Memory, the story is deep, the characters sympathetic, the historical setting realistic, the conflict believable, and the ending satisfying. In fact, I highly recommend the whole series.


Disclosure of Material Connection: This book came to me free from the author and the publisher, Abingdon Press, with the hope that I would mention it on this blog. There was no requirement for me to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed above are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

[Dan Curnutt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Christian Novel will explore several Biblical Issues. It will deal with Forgiveness, Guilt, Acceptance, Pride, Arrogance and Moral Character. Each of the issues is done in a way that is subtle through the story.

The characters each have things that they need to deal with. Joanna needs to deal with her past hurts over her mothers depression, the loss of her moral character through gossip and the loss of love through death or neglect.

Jack must deal with his guilt feelings over the way he treated his mother and how he is frustrated and angry over the actions of little sister, not to mention his feelings of abandonment by his older sister.

Thomas must deal with his guilt over not serving in the war, his anger issues with his mother, his feelings of inadequacy in regards to relationships and then eventually with the issue of forgiveness for his attitudes and mistaken thoughts.

Gil has come home from the war missing a leg, he seems to be the most whole member of the story having dealt with his demons and overcome them with the help of his wife Mary.

Mother Ballard must deal with her issues of pride and arrogance, especially when it comes to the woman her boys have fallen in love with who seem to be beneath their social class.

All these issues are woven together wonderfully in a simple story of making life work and accepting God’s hand at work in all areas of your life.

I’m sure you will enjoy the stories that you will find here and come to have good discussions with your book club as you read, think, meditate and then discuss the issues that are written about.

Enjoy!

[R J Mckay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book from Goodreads in exchange for a review.

Joanna Trapp craved adventure almost as much as she loathed her home town of Hot Springs, Arkansas. As one of only a few hundred ‘Hello Girl’s’ who served in France during World War I, she found a life full of excitement and challenge. But she also found sorrow when Walter, the man she hoped to marry, died there. Walter was as much an adventurer as she was. When the war was over, Joanna chose to stay on in France and make a life for herself. She had no plans to return to Arkansas. But when her brother Jack summoned her home to help care for her wayward younger sister Lily, she went…grudgingly, with plans to return to France at the first opportunity.

Dealing with Lily takes all of Joanna’s skill, patience and imagination. Trouble just seems to find Lily. As an escape, Joanna jumps at the chance to work at the local hotel as a switchboard operator. But what a surprise when she discovers she is drawn to the hotel manager. Steady, dependable Thomas Ballard is about as opposite of Joanna as a person can be. And as much as she tried to resist the tug of attraction, she can’t seem to get Thomas out of her mind
.
But how can two people who are so very different, find middle ground?

Every Tear a Memory is a deeply insightful novel. It is touching to see the characters struggle and grow as they face new and harder life challenges. Problems both past and present must be faced head on and overcome, in order for everyone to move on.

[Tonya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joanna Trapp found adventure serving in France as a "Hello Girl" for the Army Signal Corps, but she still mourns her doughboy sweetheart killed in battle. Returning to Hot Springs, Arkansas, she takes a job as a switchboard operator at the Arlington Hotel and quickly discovers that after her experiences overseas, civilian life proves dull. Thomas Ballard still regrets he was medically ineligible to serve in the war and feels inferior to those who did, especially his war-hero brother, Gilbert. When Thomas finds himself attracted to Joanna, he strives to match her adventurous spirit, when all he really wants is to settle down, raise a family, and earn respect as a successful businessman. As romance blossoms, can two such different people learn to accept not only their own but each other's God-created individuality . . . or will love change them both?

--My thoughts. All the characters have proven to be very entertaining and full of life. I have never read a book by Johnson before, so I have come in on the middle of something, but I enjoyed the story none the less. I liked the banter between Thomas and Joanna, pleasant enough and it has lessons in it for all of us.

I could have had a thread more complexity and the girl on the cover just doesn't do it for me, I liked the tag and the car was okay, but the girl isn't what I think Joanna looks like, she looks kind of wrong to me. Just my personal taste, I am a total cover snob. I think my favorite is Mrs. Ballard to be honest. But it was enjoyable enough for an afternoon read!

[Martha · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is a frightful lack of communication in this story, which makes it a little frustrating to read. I always wish people would speak to one another. Lily was one of the most complex enigma's as her siblings and she refuse to communicate with one another. They keep secrets that didn't need to be kept. But then, that is the perfect picture of teenagers at that time in their life.

However, despite this, I found that the story was interesting. Joanna finds a job working as a switchboard operator, which I find fascinating. The prejudice against women was still alive and well in this time period as demonstrated through the story. Women were held to much higher standards than men, not much unlike they are today still.

This book would be appropriate for teens, although it does have a romantic story in it.

This book was provided for me for review by NetGalley and the publisher. The opinions expressed herein are my own.

[Carla Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this lovely conclusion of the “Till We Meet Again” series, Myra Johnson’s stellar talent for weaving a story shines. Joanna Trapp was a character that I was rooting for from the moment she stepped into the scene. What I particularly liked was how Myra kept the characters from the first two books in the series (When the Clouds Roll By and Whisper Goodbye) alive but in the background, giving a sense of being connected. I was also drawn into the Hot Springs, Arkansas setting and appreciate Myra’s attention to detail and authenticity. The younger sister Lily was a delight and I found myself invested in her story almost as much as the romance. A wonderful book that I recommend without reservation.

[Angie Arndt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Myra Johnson knows how to create a sassy heroine with plenty of spunk. And Joanna Trapp is one of the spunkiest. Being unafraid to face the enemy on the field is one thing, but facing one in your own family is something different. Thank goodness Joanna has Thomas Ballard's strong shoulder to lean on.

Well-researched, well-written, with a heart-warming love story, Every Tear A Memory is a wonderful escape to a different time. Even though it's a stand-alone, if you have a chance, be sure to read the first two books in the series, When the Clouds Roll By and Whisper Goodbye.

Thanks so much to the publisher for the opportunity to review Every Tear A Memory in exchange to my fair and impartial review.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was hoping for more from this book. It had a great premise and an unusual leading lady. And for the most part, it was pretty good. I think it failed to capture the time period completely accurately - it never really felt like a post-WWI, pre-Roaring Twenties setting. Details that would put it in that time period didn't feel natural, and so it felt a bit forced. With that aside, the love story was conventional at best. There were a lot of tropes followed, and the twist at the end was so predictable and unnecessary that I almost threw the book across the room. I did like the characters, but the story of Jo's sister Lily was perhaps the most compelling - even more so than the romance. This book is enjoyable, but it doesn't live up to its potential.

[(Jen) The Artist Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

II could tell it was probably a sequel or part of a series, because of side character couples, but it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the novel. It can definitely be read as a stand alone! I haven't read a lot of WWI novels, but the story/setting seemed pretty believable. I think the popularity of "Downton Abbey" has brought interest in the WWI time period, so I would definitely have librarians consider this one to add to their collection. Besides Joanna and Thomas, the side stories with her siblings, Jack and Lily, were interesting as well and make me want to find the next book in the series!

[Disclosure: I received a copy of this novel through Goodreads Giveaways]

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good relaxing read, rather predictable but fun and you learn some bits about WWI as well. It can be read as a stand alone story or you can start with book 1 in the series and work your way through them. I'll go back and read the other two in the series. The whole class issue comes into play as well as the Ballard family and their socialite friends have money while the Trapp aren't on their level plus Joanna had a brush with scandal in her past that the Hegneys and others aren't quite ready to move beyond and their son is the high school star who likes to inform all his mates of his prowess. Will the Trapps be able create a family unit? Read on.

[CJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from a goodreads giveaway.

I enjoyed this book. It's a great story about coming home and finding forgiveness and letting past hurts be laid to rest in order to embrace a new hope and future rooted in love. In this story, Joanna is a young lady who had left home to escape some hurts but finds herself returning home years later after the death of her mother in order to help care for her younger sister. Throughout her journey, she finds that her previous doubts about God can be set aside and are replaced with a renewed trust for what he has for her future.

[Lj · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well written beautiful book in the post war era. I was pulled in from the beginning with the characters, plot and setting , I didn't want to put it down. I loved the heroine's care free spirit and how her sense of adventure made the hero break out of his ordinary. The chemistry and banter between Joanna and Thomas was so sweet and fun and I enjoyed every moment of their tender growing relationship. This is the first book I have read by Myra Johnson and look forward to reading more from this author.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story! I was really caught up in the history and detail, and the main characters' journey to be together. The last 10% or so felt rushed, with a black moment and resolution that didn't quite ring true for me, but a pleasant read overall. Will have to get the first two books in this series now!

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I received a digital review copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

[Irene · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little deferent from my normal read.

[Becky Barnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an interesting and entertaining post World War I romance with solid theology, the perfect beach read, which is where I read it!

[Rachel]

Found a new favorite author once again. There is something about it that keeps it moving and suspense builds in all the right spots. Great read!

[Mackenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 3 of 3
*Amazing! Love Myra Johnson!