Lilly had been fearful, too, but had done her best to hide it when Edward had said good-bye. He, and all his friends, seemed to regard the war as a great lark. To them it was a blessed chance to do, to act, to be forged by the crucible of war into better men. An improbable notion, Lilly was sure, though she could understand its appeal. What had any of them actually done with their lives thus far, despite the riches and privileges heaped upon them?
(from Somewhere in France, page 21)
Somewhere in France is a beautifully crafted novel set during the Great War that emphasizes the horrors of the trenches without actually taking readers inside them and the changing roles of women as a result of war. Jennifer Robson focuses her debut novel on Lady Elizabeth Neville-Ashford, a young woman from an aristocratic family who is suffocating under her mother’s expectations that she marry well. Lilly has longed to pursue an education, travel the world, and put in an honest day’s work, and when Britain is swept up in the chaos of World War I, she hopes to finally have the chance to prove herself.
Lilly is out of touch with the larger world due to her sheltered upbringing, but she is a strong woman with enough faith in herself and enough courage to walk away from the security afforded by her life as Lady Elizabeth. She moves to London, living on toast and tea and the meager salary she earns as a bus conductress. She might not have had the strength to pursue her independence had it not been for Robbie Fraser, her brother’s best friend, whom she has loved since she was a child.
With her brother, Edward, and Robbie’s encouragement, Lilly eventually becomes an ambulance driver and is sent to France, where Robbie is stationed as a surgeon. When Lilly arrives in France, she is no longer just the girl he dreams about but can never have, given her mother’s disapproval of his social status. Their relationship strengthens as Lilly witnesses first-hand the gruesome tragedies Robbie couldn’t put into words for her before, and it is torn apart by the fear and danger of living in a battle zone.
The narrative alternates between the points of view of both Lilly and Robbie, giving readers a glimpse into how their vastly different upbringings shaped their personalities. Robbie didn’t like to focus on how he overcame his impoverished childhood, while Lilly shed her life as Lady Elizabeth because she didn’t want any special treatment. By letting readers get to know Edward as well, Robson emphasizes the different coping strategies used to survive amidst so much hell.
Somewhere in France is at its core a wartime romance, but it is so much more than that. Robson brings to life the battles at home and abroad and shines a light on the women who got their hands dirty and put their lives on the line for the war effort. Robson keeps the narrative off the actual battlefield, but the descriptions of the ambulance runs and the casualty clearing stations are just as powerful as stories told from the trenches. Once I started this novel, I couldn’t stop and read its nearly 400 pages in one sitting. I fell in love with the characters and was captivated by the atmosphere Robson created, and while I haven’t read too many World War I novels, Somewhere in France ranks among the best I’ve read so far.
Thanks to TLC Book Tours for having me on the Somewhere in France tour. To follow the tour, click here.
Disclosure: I received Somewhere in France from William Morrow for review.
© 2014 Anna Horner of Diary of an Eccentric. All Rights Reserved. Please do not reproduce or republish content without permission.
I really wish I had done this tour. 😦 I was too slow. Oh, well, I definitely want to give the book a try at some point.
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Sigh. Well, I do hope you get a chance to read it anyway!
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This book sounds wonderful. I have it on my shelf but haven’t read it yet. You review helped me realize I’m missing out on a great read the longer I wait to pick up this book. I like the setting and Lilly’s desire to do more with her life than look for a worthy husband. An ambulance driver sounds like an exciting undertaking, too.
Thank you for a wonderful review, Anna. I’m going to put this book on my night stand so I remember to read it soon!
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I really liked Lilly, so much so that I didn’t want the book to end! I can’t wait to see what you think of it.
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I really enjoyed this one as well and the front lines focus on those caring for the soldiers injured was so well done. I really loved this.
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I’ve read about nurses during the war before, but never female ambulance drivers so I really enjoyed that perspective. And Robbie’s story reminded me of that WWII book None But the Brave about the medics and surgeons.
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Oh this sounds excellent and writing from the perspective of a nurse I’m sure gives the book an extra dimension. This is going straight to my TBR 🙂
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There are nurses in the book, but Lilly strictly drives ambulances. Other than helping the walking wounded, she doesn’t really have much contact with the patients. Still a fascinating perspective, though!
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Sorry that was supposed to read ambulance driver – I shouldn’t read and type at the same time 😦
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No worries! 🙂
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I do think this one would work for me
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I think you’d like it!
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Anna, this sounds excellent! TLC has a lot of great book tours.
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Yes, they do!
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I’m always amazed that it really wasn’t that long ago that women were expected to “marry well.” This book sounds fantastic!
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No, when you really think about it, it wasn’t that long ago.
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Wow … what a fabulous review, Anna. I will move this title higher on my list.
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Thanks, Beth! I do hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
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Another cover I love with a glowing recommendation from you! You are good (or bad, depending on how you look at it) for my reading list.
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Haha! I try. 😉 I love the cover, too.
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I was waiting for your review on this one and I’m so pleased you loved it because I really want to read it. All the books I’ve read set during this time period have always been good.
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There’s just something about the World Wars that is so fascinating. I hope you love this one as much as I did.
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I am so glad you enjoyed this one, Anna. I really liked it was well. Such a good book!
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I’m so glad we agree on this one!
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Thanks for your input Anna, I will enjoy this one!
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My pleasure! I look forward to your thoughts.
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[…] This novel set around the Great War will go nicely with the others I have from this time period. To ring the changes this book looks at the role of women ambulance drivers in France. Read the full review here […]
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I wish the TLC Book Tours included overseas reviewers. This sounds a fabulous book.
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It was! I’m sorry you haven’t been able to participate in the tours. I hope the book isn’t too difficult to get in your neck of the woods.
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[…] Wednesday, January 22nd: Diary of an Eccentric […]
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You and I agree about most books Anna so I know I’ll enjoy this one!
Thanks for being on the tour. I’m featuring your review on TLC’s Facebook page today.
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Thanks, Heather!
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This one intrigued me but it seemed so much like another book I read last year (can’t remember what that one was, though). Now I’m going to have to think about picking this one up!
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I thought it sounded very familiar to one of the plots in The Passing Bell trilogy by Phillip Rock, so I was wary of reading it, but it ended up being quite different. 🙂
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Somewhere in France sounds like a well crafted war romance. I love TLC tours, they have such great reads. Nice review.
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Thanks, Naida! They do get the best tour books. I think you’d like this book!
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Ooo, this sounds really good to me 🙂
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I bet you’d really like it!
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Good review! I just finished this one and adored it, also in one sitting 🙂
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[…] Somewhere in France by Jennifer Robson […]
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[…] summary: After the War Is Over is the sequel to Somewhere in France, which focused on Lady Elizabeth Neville-Ashford (Lilly), who turned her back on her family’s […]
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[…] I wanted to read it: I loved Robson’s previous novels, Somewhere in France and After the War Is Over. Both made my “best of” lists in the years they were […]
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[…] really enjoyed Jennifer Robson’s trilogy set around the Great War (check out my reviews of Somewhere in France, After the War Is Over, and Moonlight Over Paris), so when I saw that her next book was set […]
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