A War Apart

by Barbara Whitaker

Anger at her cheating husband spurs grieving war widow Rosemary Hopkins to spend an impromptu night with an overseas-bound soldier. Fearing her small hometown will discover her secret, she makes him promise to not write her. Yet she can't forget him. Eager to talk to a pretty girl before shipping out to fight the Germans, Guy Nolan impulsively implies they're married and buys her ticket. The encounter transforms into the most memorable night of his life when he falls for a woman he will never see again. While Guy tries to stay alive in combat, Rosemary finds work in a secret defense plant and a possible future with another soldier. Will she choose security or passion? Can she survive another loss?

Genres: Historical, Historical Fiction, Romance

458 pages, Paperback

Published November 11, 2020

Reviews

[theliterateleprechaun (on an Alaskan cruise) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Barbara Whitaker’s historical romance, “A War Apart,” is a unique look at risking heartache to take opportunities in the midst of war. At a time when people had little control over their lives, whether in the military or not, it was common for people to make rash decisions and grab opportunities when they were presented. Whitaker explores the possibility that during wartime it was necessary to take a risk on love because people never knew if or when they’d see each other again. There was a sense of urgency in the air with matters of the heart.

Mrs. Rosemary Hopkins has lost her husband during the war….to another woman. Heartbroken, she leaves their home on the base and moves out on her own. Not long afterwards, he dies in a freak accident on base. When she packs up to head back to his parents' home where they’d lived as a married couple, she has difficulty obtaining a train ticket as they are only issued to army personnel. Seeing a beautiful woman, clearly upset, at the ticket counter, Guy Nolan, a soldier, steps up claiming her as his wife and buys tickets for them. This starts a beautiful romance between two people who are seeking to be loved and appreciated for who they are.

Whitaker’s success is due to her unique plotline, her meticulous research and the fact that there’s equal parts of Guy’s battlefield experiences to Rosemary’s contributions to the war effort. This is not a story of a woman at home pining for a man at war, but rather a story of a strong woman who makes her own happiness and seeks fulfilment outside of her current circumstances. When something doesn’t seem to be working for Rosemary, she stops and moves on. You’ll be rooting for the tender romance between the two main characters and hoping that they can achieve the happiness they deserve.

Thank you to Barbara Whitaker, Wild Rose Press, Inc and NetGalley for this advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

[V · Rating 5 out of 5]

A War Apart written by Barbara Whitaker is a stunning romance set during World War II. Rosemary Hopkins had just found out that her cheating husband died during army training and in her grief meets Guy Nolan, a soldier on his way to his orders. After a passionate night together, neither of them can stop thinking of the other.

This was an amazing romance, full of highs and lows, heartbreak and happiness. I enjoyed every moment of it. I'm always a sucker for books set during wartimes but I really enjoyed reading a different perspective than most other WWII novels that I have read. This one focuses more on what is happening in the states at the time and the fighting from the side of the allies rather than the more common concentration camp perspective that I have read. I thought that the writing was great and easy to follow and the characters were written realistically but also had that fairytale romance to them. It was especially interesting reading Rosemary's perspective and how she handled her husband's death and her infatuation with Guy at the same time.

5/5 stars for this amazing read. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a WWII romance. Thank you to Netgalley and the author for this copy to review

[Madeline Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barbara Whitaker’s A War Apart is a riveting novel set during WWII that has been researched to perfection. Whitaker brings history to life with her incredible descriptions and presents us with an entirely plausible way for two people to find love during such tumultuous times where war has pushed them apart. The letters exchanged between Rosemary and Guy were such a sweet way to watch them fall for one another and made the reunion at the end all the more exciting. This is a fantastic book that will draw you in by the heart and stay with you long after you’ve finished reading!

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A WAR APART
BY BARBARA WHITAKER

Barbara Whitaker has written a poignant historical romance that has been meticulously researched during the time period of World War II. She breathes fresh life into her character's and enriches her plot by making this period in time seem to come to life.

Rosemary Hopkins meets Guy Nolan while she is in a train ticket line trying to get home to Tennessee to make it to her husband Jack funereal where she is already afraid the people in her hometown will blame and judge her. She especially fears this treatment from her in-laws. She is keeping a secret that Jack wanted to divorce her because he fell in love with someone else. They were living in California so she hopes that she can keep her business a secret because she fears tongues will wag.

She spends some time with Guy and she also hopes nobody else from her hometown will find out. It seems that during a war that people take more chances with romance than they do during peace when there is no war taking place. Rosemary can't forget about what a nice person Guy Nolan was as he goes off to fight during the war. Will this couple rekindle their romance? You will have to read this wonderful historical romance to find out.

Publication Date: November 11, 2020 Available Now!

Thank you to Net Galley, Barbara Whitaker and The Wild Rose Press Inc. for providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

#AWarApart #BarbaraWhitaker #TheWildRosePressInc #NetGalley

[R.K. Emery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Historical that isn't the same as the typical Historical Romance. We are not as far back in time with this and it takes on the history of our actual ancestors in a time of war.

This is a great escape into a different time. It's crazy how different the issues are than our lives these days.

It's a romance that pulls you in from the beginning. You feel for these characters and really do root for them.

[Vickey Wollan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A War Apart by Barbara Whitaker does a wonderful job of transporting the reader to the WWII era. Folks in those times sacrificed much and had difficult decisions to make. I wanted Rosemary and Guy to find a way to let their fledgling love take roots. Their romance does manage to grow while they are apart. The historical facts presented in this fictional story were well researched. If you like wartime romances then clicking the 'buy now' button is the right move. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

[Lena Diaz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweeping historical saga with a unique, touching love story.

A War Apart, by Barbara Whitaker, is a sweet and refreshingly different historical romance set during WW II. The author weaves in details about the societal norms of that time and the world events of the 1940s in a natural way, transporting the reader back to that era without it feeling like a history lesson. The couple meets early on, then most of the book switches between vignettes of their lives apart, with them not getting back together until near the end. This isn’t the typical formula for a love story, but it works. We feel their love growing for each other through the letters they exchange. And we find ourselves rooting for them to work through their angst and despair and find a way to be together. I read this in one sitting and thoroughly enjoyed it. I was given an ARC (advance Reader Copy) of this book.

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an OK book. I has some issues with the secondary characters...Rosemary's in-laws start out being cold and unfriendly to her and then somehow their attitude changes, but we don't know why or how. Guy's family is pretty one-dimensional. A lot of characters go in and out during Guy's army stint and we don't always get a good introduction to them. Finally, there are a lot of loose ends, such as what happens to Guy's friend Alan? I would have liked an epilogue showing where Rosemary and Guy are after the war.

[C. Gonzales · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved how deep this book goes. It is historical and makes you think about history while also bringing us a great love story.

Characterization is important and I loved the voice and life she gave her main characters.

This story isn't predictable either, which is great. I like that there was a unique approach to how everything unfolded.

Wonderful story and great writing!

[Gina Stamper · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such the perfect blend. You have a wonderful historical setting, a daunting time period in which so many things changed for so many people. You have main characters who find love and then have a insurmountable about of trials and tribulations. It’s well crafted, flows well and engages the reader the entire way through.. Emotional ups and downs along the way.

[Laura Prindable · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Net Galley for a copy of A War Apart by Barbara Whitaker. I'm a little late to the party (a lot, sorry!). This story is about Rosalyn and her life durng the war. She weaves from happy to sad to happy. And she cares a little too much about what others think.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. I enjoyed this book I think there is some subject matters that people might not like. But it is an emotional drama historical fiction book.