NEXT TO LOVE: A GUEST REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

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NEXT TO LOVE

BY ELLEN FELDMAN

ABOUT THE BOOK:

A story of love, war, loss, and the scars they leave, Next to Love follows the lives of three young women and their men during the years of World War II and its aftermath, beginning with the men going off to war and ending a generation later, when their children are on the cusp of their own adulthood.

Set in a small town in Massachusetts, the novel follows three childhood friends, Babe, Millie, and Grace, whose lives are unmoored when their men are called to duty. And yet the changes that are thrust upon them move them in directions they never dreamed possible—while their husbands and boyfriends are enduring their own transformations. In the decades that follow, the three friends lose their innocence, struggle to raise their children, and find meaning and love in unexpected places. And as they change, so does America—from a country in which people know their place in the social hierarchy to a world in which feminism, the Civil Rights movement, and technological innovations present new possibilities—and uncertainties. And yet Babe, Millie, and Grace remain bonded by their past, even as their children grow up and away and a new society rises from the ashes of the war.

Beautifully crafted and unforgettable, Next to Love depicts the enduring power of love and friendship, and illuminates a transformational moment in American history.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Ellen Feldman, a 2009 Guggenheim fellow, is the author of Scottsboro, The Boy Who Loved Anne Frank, and Lucy. She writes both fiction and social history, and has published articles on the history of divorce, plastic surgery, Halloween, the Normandie, and many other topics, as well as numerous book reviews. She has also lectured extensively around the country and in Germany and England, and is a sought-after speaker to reading groups both in person and by telephone.

She grew up in northern New Jersey and attended Bryn Mawr College, from which she holds a B.A. and an M.A. in modern history. After further graduate studies in history at Columbia University, she worked for a New York publishing house.

She lives in New York City and East Hampton, New York, with her husband and Cairn terrier named Lucy.

GUEST REVIEW:

A favorite Guest Reviewer, Steve Capell, is back with a book he told me he liked a lot so I hope you will enjoy his review today. Steve Capell lives with his wife in the Kansas City metro area.Thank you once again, Steve, for a lovely review and I enjoyed your view of NEXT TO LOVE.

My Thoughts:

There were so many things that I loved about Next to Love. I found this novel to really give me a different perspective on the post World War II era in America. While growing up I viewed film clips of service men and women coming home, reuniting with their families, and participating in parades and everything seemed to be absolutely perfect; however, Next to Love paints a far different perspective on this homecoming. I have read a number of WWII novels and majority of them usually cover the war front … I found this novel to be refreshing in that it covered the impact of  the war at home and more importantly the years following the war. I found myself plunged into a sea of emotions while reading this novel. I could identify with these emotions of despair, hopelessness, rage, and anger -- and the antithesis of these emotions love, caring, hope, and yearning.  The writing was heartfelt and emotional -- I truly wanted to reach out, help, and hug these families as they struggled. I could tell from the detail of the writing that Ellen Feldman had done first-class research as the novel is rich in historical facts. Character development was very good and detailed. The novel flowed well for the most part; however, I found some of the transitions between the life stories of Babe, Millie, and Grace came rather abruptly and some of periods of time seem to change rather drastically. I feel this novel could have been a bit longer in length to allow for better sequencing of the time and better transitions.  Ellen Feldman tells an important story that is well worth reading.

Who should read this novel?

There is no doubt that if you enjoy historical fiction, especially historical fiction around the post World War II era, then this novel will be ‘your cup of tea’.  This novel would also appeal to readers who enjoy romance; however, beware as this novel depicts some lovely romantic beginnings with some not so lovely tragic endings. I would suggest a box of Kleenex might be the perfect accompaniment as you read this amazing novel.

I have given this novel a 4 rating out of 5.   

GIVEAWAY

THANKS TO ERIKA AND THE GOOD

FOLKS AT RANDOM HOUSE, I HAVE

ONE COPY OF NEXT TO LOVE, TO

GIVE AWAY TO ONE LUCKY READER

 
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