After the War Is Over

Robson's second WWI novel (after Somewhere in France) weaves historical detail into a tale of a former military nurse and the man she loves. Charlotte Brown is living and working in Liverpool after the end of the Great War, but believes that she is making little difference in the lives of Britain's poorest citizens. When she returns to the estate where she was once a governess, to celebrate the wedding of her former charge, Lilly, Charlotte realizes that she has never stopped loving Lilly's brother, Edward, Lord Cumberland. When Edward's war injuries threaten to destroy his future, Charlotte agrees to help nurse him back to health, even if it means that her heart might be wounded in the process. Charlotte is an admirable protagonist: a strong woman with compassion and a forthright nature, which is evenly matched with her desire to find love and happiness. Robson will lure readers into this emotionally charged novel from the first page. (Jan.)