After the War

by Anita Frank

May, 1945. When bells ring out for Victory in Europe, young wife and mother Gwen wonders if her world is about to change.

Six years ago, she married Jack – not out of love, but to keep a secret. On their wedding night, hoping to atone for events in his past, Jack promised he would leave for the war the following day and never return.

But Jack is coming home, unable to keep the promise he so faithfully made, and full of hope that he may at last win a place in Gwen’s life and her heart.

As events of the past return to haunt them, threatening all they hold dear, Jack and Gwen find themselves facing their greatest battle yet.

To win, they will have to stand together and fight as one.

In this sweeping historical story with huge heart, Anita Frank weaves a glorious tale of love and loss, secrets and promises.

Genres: Historical Fiction, World War II, Historical, Fiction

508 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 21, 2022

About the author

A farmer’s daughter from Shropshire, Anita Frank studied English and American History at the University of East Anglia before moving to London to work in media analysis and communications. Frank currently lives in Berkshire with her husband and three children.

Reviews

[Karren Sandercock · Rating 5 out of 5]

All over England the church bells are ringing on the 8th of May 1945, the war in Europe is over and people are celebrating. Gwen Ellison feels confused and apprehensive, she’s spent the last six years running her fathers farm in Berkshire, with the help of her land girl Nora, housekeeper Muriel and kindly neighbour Ted. Gwen has a young son Tom, six years ago she married Jack Ellison, she hasn’t seen him since, Jack promised he would never return and will he keep his word?

Jack Ellison left Newcastle in a hurry in 1939, he caught a train and arrived in Berkshire, near the village of Helvedon. Jim Hughes offers him a job, he needs someone to help him over the summer on his farm, and in exchange is a food and board. Jack knows nothing about harvesting crops, milking cows, drenching sheep, he learns quickly and enjoys living in the countryside. Both Jack and Gwen have secrets, when Gwen can no longer hide hers, Jack offers to marry her and on the day war is declared.

Jack keeps a photo of Gwen and Tom in his pocket during the war, he’s wounded many times, and he manages to make it to the end and Jack returns to Berkshire. At first Gwen thinks Jack hasn’t kept his part of the deal, when a person from her past starts stirring up trouble, Gwen needs Jacks support and she sees another side to her husband.

I received a copy of After the War by Anita Frank from Edelweiss and HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed reading about living and working on a farm in England during the 1930’s and 1940’s, how much it changed in a decade, with the use of machinery and the impact the war had on farmers and their families.

A story about secrets, over coming past mistakes, friendship, the possibilities of love, and making a fresh start. The characters of Gwen, Jack, Tom, Jim, Muriel and Ted are all wonderful, they made the story a memorable and moving one, and I highly recommend this post World War Two novel, a nice change of pace and a different wartime narrative and five stars from me.

[Erica · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars, rounded up to 3.

The story follows the lives of Gwen and Jack who marry each other at the start of WWII to keep a secret. Jack promises Gwen that he will not return from the war, so the marriage should remain a sham for their whole lives. Now, the war is over and Jack did not die in battle, so now Gwen is living in dread that he will be returning.

This is one of those difficult books to review because on one hand I was so bored for the first half, but on the other hand, the second half was very engaging. The main problem with this book is the length and pacing. The story should really be paired down 100-150 pages. There is no reason to spend so many chapters explaining the backstory of this novel. 40% of the first part of the book was not needed for me to understand the plot or to like the characters. I skimmed so many of the early chapters because it was constant descriptions of farm life. I don't need to know that information for the story the author promised in the synopsis. The book didn't even feel like it was about "after the war" because there were so many chapters dedicated to the past.

I think the past chapters could have been done in 50 pages and then the author could have given us more time watching the characters' relationship develop. The author could have cut out most of the farm descriptions and allowed more time between Gwen and Jack to flesh out their relationship.

Another issue I had with the story was how the troublesome characters vanished so easily. There was hardly any real strife before they were so easily thwarted. Even the potential love rival (who was her father's age, disgusting!) had a lackluster arc that finished in such a weird manner. All the drama of the book felt like a long episode of Downton Abbey.

I think that if the book could have focused less on the back story and more on the development of the characters' relationship, then the novel would have been more enjoyable. It's difficult to recommend this book because the first 150 pages are just boring. It's a lot to ask someone to just get through 1/3 of the story for it to actually pick up. Personally, I wouldn't recommend this to patrons unless they wanted to spend a long time reading detailed descriptions of the setting, even though the second half of the book was intriguing.

[Lynne Tagawa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not your ordinary WWII novel. In fact, it's not really set during the war--mostly before and at the very tail end, a dual-time story. Jack and Gwen are married--kind of. He loves her but she married him to give her child a name.

The writing is lush. I am drawn into the story despite the fact that Gwen is unlikeable--I'm rooting for her almost despite myself! And despite the present tense prose (takes a bit of adjustment, like stepping into the cold water of a pool). There are two time lines--one in 1939 and one in 1945. This writer handles the back and forth quite deftly. It was a wonderful way to discover the backstory.

I love the hero. The story opens with him running from the law, and the story reveals the man he truly is. Heroic men are my downfall. Men with the quiet heroism of Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird. Men like Jack.

I would rate this book PG-13. There's adult thematic material, but nothing explicit, no bedroom scenes. A little language. Recommended for all who don't mind this rating.

[Hannah Carey]

Rating: 4 Stars

Highlights:
⭐️ To me this definitely leans more strongly historical fiction than straight romance, but it definitely has a strong romance woven through it and I really enjoyed it (the tense just takes a bit of adjusting too)
⭐️ This book definitely gave me strong Downton Abbey vibes (though different time period) and as a Downton Abbey fan, I enjoyed that.
⭐️ The pacing starts a touch slow, but it really picks up as you get toward the end with a great amount of intrigue and tension.
⭐️ This book covered so many deep, and at times, heavy things, but I loved Gwen and Jack’s love story and seeing them come together despite all of their struggles & trials.

CW: Murder, Death, Abortion (death resulting from that is a touch detailed), War Violence

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really good. I read a lot of WWII fiction, but this one was a bit different. It revolved more around life after Jack came back home: farming, working, the hope of a family. Well written, I will read more of this author. Recommend!

[Breanna Kaplan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first time reading a book from Anita Frank, and the accuracy with how farming, especially during war time, was portrayed was stunning. I feel like I could have run my own farm by the end of the book!
The first half of the book was on the slow side, but once you hit the 50% mark twists keep coming! It's worth it to hang on. Overall this book was well written, and you can tell all the research put in was a labor of love, but the characters didn't quite hit the mark for me. I wish we had more time to see them together. Not just working on the farm, but getting to know each other and developing a relationship. Without that the feelings seemed unwarranted and fleeting.
Thank you to NetGallery for the ARC in exchange for my review!

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy reading historical fiction books and especially those that are set during WWII. This one was a little different focus than what I typically read in this genre with learning about life after Jack returns home. The first half of the book seemed to drag on for me and the back-and-forth focus on pre- and post-war distracted me. However, the second half did pick up and I enjoyed it much more. I wish the relationship between Jack and Gwen was given a little more depth. But it is a good book and a nice addition to the historical fiction genre.

Thank you to NetGalley and HQ Digital for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh how I loved this book. A little slow at the beginning but so interesting at the same time. I spent a lot of time googling things because I couldn’t place it in my brains memory banks.

Throughout the book I had reminders of a different book from that timeframe, Morning Glory by LaVyrle Spencer, which I also loved very much.

The main characters, Jack and Gwen, are so understated that at first you think they’re a tad boring and then you find you are madly in love with them. Especially Jack.😍😘

Great book!

[Priscilla Shaner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really loved this book. I can understand some reviews that wanted a little more at the end. I would’ve loved an epilogue, but it wasn’t necessary. It took a while to get into, but once I was, I couldn’t stop listening to it. I think it would make a great movie or even show.

Great character development. I loved and hated some characters. I rooted for Jack, despised Nora, and wanted to wring Gwen’s neck many times.

I don’t want to give anything away, but this is a book that shows what love looks like.

Enjoy it! Recommend the audio book.

[Trudy Dowling · Rating 4 out of 5]

After the War is a very interesting World War Two story centering around Gwen, a farmer's daughter and Jack, a man on the run. Through these characters, the reader is given a peak into what life was like in a small farming village as they struggle during wartime.

After the War is a book of fiction, but the situations within the book gave me a great starting point to research the war, to gain detail on the truths weaved within the pages. The story became a great conversation starter with family members that lived through it. As they get older; it becomes even more important to ask them what it was like in order to remind us not to ever let it happen again.

Jack flees Newcastle with the help of a friend. He is running from the law, but why? I delved deep into the story searching for details. The author is a master of the tease, giving just enough to hold my interest. What could he have done to make such a drastic decision? Jack's ride ends "somewhere in Berkshire" leaving him doubting his decision. Has he gone far enough? Will he keep going, or can he get lost in a small village?

Fate has him rescuing Gwen from a runaway horse. For him everything changes in that moment. His decision to stay for awhile opens up so many storylines. I was given glimpses into class divides. I actually gained understanding of my own granddad, a crotchety old man whose opinions were never kept quiet. Total respect needs to be given to those that put food on the tables. The author's descriptions of farming during that time period were mind-blowing. WarAg made it even more difficult.

Jack's solution to his past and he desire to help Gwen is to volunteer before he is conscripted. He didn't plan on coming back. He didn't believe he would survive. His death wish made for a few detailed, action packed battles.

During Jack's time at war, Gwen continues to work the farm. The reader learns of struggles. The reader learns of ways the war changes the way farming is done. There is so much more detail than any textbook I have read.

The way the story is written kept me invested in the characters. The "I didn't see it coming" moments had me excited to see what happened next. When fate intercedes yet again I was giddy to see how the story would end. I can honestly say "I didn't see it coming" but I was so happy that it did.

[Chanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a bit of a different take on my normal WW2 historical fiction where the bulk of the story takes place in the English countryside right before the war begins and then following.

Throughout 'After the War' I continuously found myself linking it to two other books I have read through the years, 'Love Comes Softly' by Janette Oke and 'A Tale of Two Cities' by Charles Dickens. Love Comes Softly given that when Gwen and Jack meet, Gwen is in love with another man. But when trouble comes it is Jack who steps in to save her reputation. Realizing that Gwen will never love him, and that his past will not allow him to stay on her farm, he enlists and spends the next 6 years at war, promising Gwen he will never return. But Jack does not keep his promise and returns from war when Gwen finds herself needing him again. This time though, can she allow herself to see Jack for the man he is? The one who has always loved her?

I reference 'A Tale of Two Cities' in that Gwen's neighbor, Ted, has also always had feelings for her and time and again says he'd do anything to protect her and her family... If you've read the end of 'A Tale of Two Cities' and the end of 'After the War'- you'll get my connection between the two books.

All in all- I enjoyed the book, but at times struggled. The beginning I felt dragged on and was difficult at times flipping back and forth pre-war to post-war. The book's Part Two flowed much easier and held my interest.

My biggest beef comes with the ending and not feeling satisfied as a reader where things were left. After all this build up for almost 500 pages between Jack and Gwen, I'm left with (while poetic) a scene of Jack remembering his part of the D-Day battle. Honestly an epilogue a few years into the future would have made me happy enough and tied the story up in a nice little bow, instead of leaving me ho hum at the ending.

[Amanda Bruner · Rating 4 out of 5]

"After the War" is a remarkable historical fiction novel that distinguishes itself from other World War II books on the market. While it does cover the period before, during, and after the war, the primary focus is on a group of individuals, including Gwen, her father Jim, neighbor Ted, land girl Nora, housekeeper Muriel, Gwen's son Tom, and the riveter-turned farmhand-turned soldier-turned back to farmhand, Jack. Adding an air of tension and conflict, there's also the entitled wealthy landholder, Gordon.

This story immerses the reader in the authentic ethos of the time, where values, morals, and reputations held immense significance. It paints a vivid picture of the societal norms, particularly the ostracization of women who found themselves facing unplanned pregnancies. Gwen, in this case, experiences a poignant love story that leads to an unexpected pregnancy and forces her to make a difficult decision. Jack, on the other hand, seeks refuge from his past and finds purpose on the farm, supporting Jim and Gwen in their efforts to maintain the land and animals. He's well aware that his duty lies in enlisting as soon as the war is declared, which he eventually does.

The novel excels at portraying the strong emotions that ran as an undercurrent throughout this era. Gwen emerges as a resilient and formidable woman, embodying the strength that many women were compelled to exhibit during those times when able-bodied men were away at war. She steadfastly defends her son, Tom, and upholds her convictions, standing tall in the face of rumors and innuendos.

I'd like to express my gratitude to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for affording me the opportunity to read and review this book. Please note that my opinions are entirely my own.

[Jessica Higgins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Secrets always have a way of reemerging no matter how much effort goes into keeping them.

Jack needs to escape from his past in Newcastle. Putting as much distance as he can, he arrives in Berkshire. There he meets a friendly farmer who offers him a job to help oversee the farm. Even though he knows nothing of the work, Jack accepts his offer. There he meets the farmer’s daughter, Gwen, who is hiding a secret of her own, a pregnancy. Jack offers to marry her and, on that day, war is declared with Germany. After marriage, Jack enlists and promises Gwen that she will never see him again.

Six years later, victory bells are ringing across England. Jack has been wounded many times but remains alive and decides to return home to England. Gwen wonders if Jack will return and when he does, they find that one of the greatest challenges of their lives will be adjusting to married life. As trouble arises, they find they must work together and trust one another to make it through life.

The first part of this story really drug out, but the second half flew by in a flash. There are a lot of references to farm life that get monotonous and could turn readers away, but hopefully they will give it a chance. Also, as the title states, this book is not about the war. It is about what happens to Gwen and Jack after the war. This is also when the tension really gets going moving the story along. There is also not much romance in the book. Even so, the ending is worth the read!

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

[Kayla Lambert · Rating 4 out of 5]

After the War by Anita Frank is an uncommon sort of love story that takes place before and after World War II. For those historical fiction fans that are looking for something that takes place during the war, this is not that sort of story, however, the way the author crafted the story of Gwen and Jack is very interesting and still gave off the vibe of being a wartime story.

Gwen finds herself in an unfortunate predicament due to her reckless and naïve decision making. On a whim, she marries Jack, for safety and security instead of love. Jack promises to keep her most darkest secret, in exchange for a few letters throughout the war and a picture to remember Gwen by. Jack also promises to never come back for Gwen, but as the bells ring throughout the world signaling the end of a war, Jack breaks his promise and he comes home, and although Gwen is initially angered by this, she realizes she needs Jack more than ever. Will Jack remain true as Gwen's darkest secrets start to unravel?

I found the authors writing style to be very descriptive, which helps gives the reader a clear visual, but the first half of the book is definitely slow to start and does not pick up the pace or become very interesting until the second half, but once it picks up, it's hard to put down. I found myself hating Gwen for about 95% of the book because of her arrogance, stubbornness and poor decision making, but that's also what made the second half of the book so well! This is a unique WWII historical fiction novel, but well-worth the read!

[Kayla Lambert · Rating 4 out of 5]

After the War by Anita Frank is an uncommon sort of love story that takes place before and after World War II. For those historical fiction fans that are looking for something that takes place during the war, this is not that sort of story, however, the way the author crafted the story of Gwen and Jack is very interesting and still gave off the vibe of being a wartime story.

Gwen finds herself in an unfortunate predicament due to her reckless and naïve decision making. On a whim, she marries Jack, for safety and security instead of love. Jack promises to keep her most darkest secret, in exchange for a few letters throughout the war and a picture to remember Gwen by. Jack also promises to never come back for Gwen, but as the bells ring throughout the world signaling the end of a war, Jack breaks his promise and he comes home, and although Gwen is initially angered by this, she realizes she needs Jack more than ever. Will Jack remain true as Gwen's darkest secrets start to unravel?

I found the authors writing style to be very descriptive, which helps gives the reader a clear visual, but the first half of the book is definitely slow to start and does not pick up the pace or become very interesting until the second half, but once it picks up, it's hard to put down. I found myself hating Gwen for about 95% of the book because of her arrogance, stubbornness and poor decision making, but that's also what made the second half of the book so well! This is a unique WWII historical fiction novel, but well-worth the read!

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great historical fiction novel!

This book was a bit different than other WW2 books in the market today. It does take place before, during and (yes, the title) after the war, but the main focus isn't about the war itself, but some specific people: Gwen, her father Jim, neighbor Ted, land girl Nora, housekeeper Muriel, Gwen's son Tom and riveter-turned farmhand-turned soldier-turned back to farmhand Jack. Throw in an entitled wealthy landholder, Gordon and you've got a story.

I found this story to be true to the time period. Morals and reputations were held in very high regard, and women who "got in trouble" were often ostracized. In this case, young Gwen falls in love with Gordon, thinking they have a future and what she winds up with is a baby and a difficult decision to make. Jack is running from his past and finds his place on the farm, helping Jim and Gwen maintain the acreage and animals. He knows he is going to enlist as soon as war is declared, and he does.

I enjoyed the strong emotions running as undercurrent through this book. Gwen was a strong woman, as many were forced to be in those days, with the able-bodied men off to fight for their country. She also had strong beliefs and an even fiercer protection for her son, Tom, and would defend him to the end. She held her head high throughout, didn't bow to the rumors and innuendos.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.

[Barb · Rating 5 out of 5]

After the War by Anita Frank was a wonderful story. At first, I was not that interested, but after the second chapter, I was definitely into the story. This is a story of secrets, many secrets. Gwen’s story is heartbreaking, at least for her. Jack is on the run from an imagined law-breaking. They meet at Gen’s father’s farm after he saves Gwen from a fall from a horse. He helps her back to her home and after speaking with her father is offered a job since Gwen is unable to help out.

Even though he knows nothing about farming, he soon realizes that he enjoys the work. Gwen is not keen on him staying though. She has a secret that will eventually lead her to have to make a difficult decision. To that end, she and Jack marry, and Jack joins the war. He promises never to return because Gwen marries him to protect her secret.

I loved this book! Although it was hard to read at times because of the difference between the English colloquial speech and what I am used to. The story was not a new one, but the approach to telling it caught me in and held me to the end. I will be looking for other books by Ms. Frank because I like her style of writing and know that her books will be some of my favorites.

You can find this review on my blog at https://wp.me/p2pjIt-H0.

[Monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must have started and stopped this book 5 times. It was always staring back at me in my kindle library. Glad i finally succumbed. Part one of this book is tedious. We learn that Jack and Gwen have married only to preserve her respectability for falling pregnant while unmarried to another man. The story cycles back and fourth between Jack's arrival on Gwen's family farm and her anticipation/dread of his return. There is far too much detail on farm life. Overall, it's probably 100 pages too many. However part 2 picks up the pace. The focus is on Jack's return and the conflict that ensues. I don't really care for Gwen. She treats Jack like crap for litterally the entire book and fails to see it is his love for her that was behind all his actions. Yet I never see any qualities in her that would make Jack love her, but as the saying goes, love is blind. Jack is too good to be true, selfless to a fault. The supporting characters all add depth to the story. There was enough suspense and conflict to keep things interesting. It's a love story without romance. Oh and no dual, modern day timelines, that's always a win for me! Overall I highly recommend the story minus the farm details. Very different type of WWii historical fiction.

[Laurie Dulle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book and will look for more by this author. I love her writing style, descriptive, informative and interesting regarding background and content of period.
Conveys the emotions and thoughts of the characters so well. At times I wanted to shout at the character to say something different - but the author conveys the character's feelings so well that I found myself thinking - Yah - I would have felt that way too.
If you want a book that you look forward to picking up, and carve out time to read (even when you know you should be on another task) - read this book!!!

[Sylvia Abrams · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book has a slow start with shifting points for view and moving between 1939 and 1945 as the author sets up her plot lines. Part II has much more tension after the return of the male protagonist, Jack. The setting in rural England was genuine. However, I did not have much sympathy for the female main character, Gwen. I couldn’t decide how much this was historical fiction and how much family saga. With the clever plot twists in the final chapters, the novel had a satisfying conclusion.

[Adrienne Folkerts · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not want this book to end and would delight in a sequel! One of my favorite shows is the new Masterpiece Theatre - All Creatures Great and Small. This book felt like an extension to the charming village and characters in that show. I was drawn to the love story in this book and the beautiful writing. I read a lot of WW2 historical fiction and thought this angle of after the war was quite interesting. And I love dual timeline narratives. The story has stayed with me long after.

[Michelle Hathorn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this story. It takes you back to hard times and heartbreak. The story line was great. I was so involved with it I didn’t want it to end. The characters were wonderful. I do wish there would have been one more chapter to see the response from Gwen after Jack explained everything that happened. Looking forward to reading more books by Anita Frank.

[Kw · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book. I could hardly put it down, and wished it was longer. Seriously, I would have loved to have had a few more pages, but it ended perfectly in my imagination, which I think is what the author intended.

[Dian · Rating 5 out of 5]

very well written

The story wove through the time before the war and after. The author created characters so believable as they struggled with painful choices that had changed their lives in every way. In the end there were a few things unanswered. Long but worth the time.

[Carol Beveridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a lovely read, the kind of book you might take to a hospital waiting room, i.e., it doesn't require much concentration and is non-violent. One could say it's over-long, but you get good insight into rural life during WWII in a foreign country close enough to the action.

[Barbara Moon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story

Very well written. I recommend this book. Y characters feel real. I liked all the farm descriptions. I liked all the sacrifices.

[Tisho Jessop · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. Maybe a little longer than necessary but it kept me engaged and wanting to learn what would happen next.

[Melitajr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful, descriptive story. Wonderful characters including the kindest, most loyal and selfless male MC I've ever met.

[Vikki Vaught · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great characters and a great plot. I am so glad I found this one in Chirp. The narration was amazing. Happy reading and listening!

[Nicole | elocinrhom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely a slow burn. Took me forever to get through the first half of the book. Part of that, admittedly, was life getting in the way but I also just wasn't hooked yet. But the second half picked up and while it was predictable, it was still a good book.