You are here
Back to topAfter the War is Over: A Novel (Paperback)
January 2015 Indie Next List
“In 1919, Britain is licking its wounds after years of a horrid and merciless war. Charlotte Brown and other women have determined to do what they can to change things by providing financial assistance and offering help where possible to those in need. A newspaper editor gives Charlotte the opportunity to express her views by hiring her to write a weekly commentary, that enables her to speak for the disenfranchised. Soon after, she encounters her former employer, the Earl of Cumberland, who still causes her heart to flutter. In the meantime, Charlotte's articles are getting a lot of attention, and awareness from the upper classes, those who have the power to help, is increasing. Which direction will Charlotte's life take?”
— Nancy Nelson, Sunriver Books, Sunriver, OR
Description
The International bestselling author of Somewhere in France returns with her sweeping second novel—a tale of class, love, and freedom—in which a young woman must find her place in a world forever changed.
After four years as a military nurse, Charlotte Brown is ready to leave behind the devastation of the Great War. The daughter of a vicar, she has always been determined to dedicate her life to helping others. Moving to busy Liverpool, she throws herself into her work with those most in need, only tearing herself away for the lively dinners she enjoys with the women at her boarding house.
Just as Charlotte begins to settle into her new circumstances, two messages arrive that will change her life. One, from a radical young newspaper editor, offers her a chance to speak out for those who cannot. The other pulls her back to her past, and to a man she has tried, and failed, to forget.
Edward Neville-Ashford, her former employer and the brother of Charlotte’s dearest friend, is now the new Earl of Cumberland—and a shadow of the man he once was. Yet under his battle wounds and haunted eyes Charlotte sees glimpses of the charming boy who long ago claimed her foolish heart. She wants to help him, but dare she risk her future for a man who can never be hers?
As Britain seethes with unrest and post-war euphoria flattens into bitter disappointment, Charlotte must confront long-held insecurities to find her true voice . . . and the courage to decide if the life she has created is the one she truly wants.
About the Author
Jennifer Robson is the Globe & Mail and Toronto Star number-one bestselling author of six novels, among them The Gown and Somewhere in France. She holds a doctorate in British history from the University of Oxford and lives in Toronto, Canada, with her husband and children.
Praise For…
“A glorious journey from grief to celebration. Once I started reading, I couldn’t put this novel down. The story is engaging, memorable and beautifully imagined.” — Jeanne Mackin, author of The Beautiful American
“I loved this book! Jennifer Robson is a gifted, compelling storyteller who creates memorable characters. In this novel she perfectly captures the hopes and fears of a generation in the turbulent times of post-war Britain. I look forward to her next!” — Hazel Gaynor, New York Times bestselling author of The Girl Who Came Home
“Robson captures the atmosphere of post-WWI England beautifully, portraying the changing social and political climate, as well as the rebuilding of the country in the aftermath of the Great War. Calmly and compassionately rendered, realistic and romantic, After the War is Over is a wonderful testament to its survivors.” — RT Book Reviews