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Sunday 31 August 2014

Adele Parks - Spare Brides

Book Review written by maggie Perkovich & read live on the bookshow on 28/8/14
Always a good writer This author has created a book very in tune with this year's
commemoration of the first war.
Did you know that after it ended in 1918 many many men returned disabled, shell shocked
or otherwise  unable to work ever again.? Their wives and fiancees were shocked and
often unable to cope with the return of their heroes and of course many many were also
killed leaving widows and spare women or as Adele Parks calls them "Spare Brides"
We meet Lydia, rich beautiful who secretly despises her husband for having a "safe"
job that prevented him from fighting in the War.
Sarah and her sister Beatrice helped their sister-in-law to nurse their brother who had lost
not only his limbs but most of his reason for living Paschendale.
Sarah had lost her husband permanently as he had died of his wounds and never came home.
Beatrice who had had an "understanding" with a young man who had also died now felt
that she would never marry at all.
Into this mix arrives a dashing young man who was an actual War hero, much decorated,
but not really of the same class as the aformentioned ladies. Edgar and Lydia are drawn
together despite their disparite upbringings and what follows is a very intense picture
of life after the War. Well written and full of suprising twists and turns I liked it very much.
Well recommended Maggie Perkovic

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