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    Fall of Poppies: Stories of Love and the Great War
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    Fall of Poppies: Stories of Love and the Great War
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    Fall of Poppies: Stories of Love and the Great War
    Ebook368 pages7 hours

    Fall of Poppies: Stories of Love and the Great War

    By Heather Webb, Hazel Gaynor, Beatriz Williams and

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    Top voices in historical fiction deliver an unforgettable collection of short stories set in the aftermath of World War I—featuring bestselling authors such as Hazel Gaynor, Jennifer Robson, Beatriz Williams, and Lauren Willig and edited by Heather Webb.

    On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month...

    November 11, 1918. After four long, dark years of fighting, the Great War ends at last, and the world is forever changed. For soldiers, loved ones, and survivors the years ahead stretch with new promise, even as their hearts are marked by all those who have been lost.

    As families come back together, lovers reunite, and strangers take solace in each other, everyone has a story to tell.

    In this moving anthology, nine authors share stories of love, strength, and renewal as hope takes root in a fall of poppies.

    Featuring:

    Jessica Brockmole

    Hazel Gaynor

    Evangeline Holland

    Marci Jefferson

    Kate Kerrigan

    Jennifer Robson

    Beatriz Williams

    Lauren Willig

    Heather Webb 

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateMar 1, 2016
    ISBN9780062418562
    Unavailable
    Fall of Poppies: Stories of Love and the Great War
    Author

    Heather Webb

    Heather Webb is the award-winning and USA Today bestselling author of ten historical novels, including her most recent The Next Ship Home, Queens of London, and Strangers in the Night. To date, her books have been translated to eighteen languages. She lives in Connecticut with her family and two mischievous cats. 

    Read more from Heather Webb

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    Reviews for Fall of Poppies

    4/5

    56 ratings20 reviews

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    • 3/5
      A nice collection of short stories all set near the end of the First World War. All of the nine authors did a good job in this anthology. I enjoyed these pieces. Nice work.
    • 4/5
      I waited anxiously for this one to arrive from February's Early Reviewer selections, and now that I have, I've devoured it like a box of Russell Stover Valentine chocolates. I was initially attracted by the prospect of a [Jennifer Brockmole] short story since I loved her [Letters from Skye], but have been introduced to a fleet of authors, mostly new to me, who describe the WWI era and its everyday-life effects vividly and sensitively.The stories touch on soldiers adapting to wicked war wounds before the advent of cosmetic surgery, bereaved spouses, couples in love separated by the confusion of crossed letters, hasty war marriages, curfews, telegrams, jazz clubs, shell shock, Armistice Day, troop trains, and how wonderful an American lollipop tastes to a Belgian child who's been raised on short rations. Normally, I don't care for reviews that include a "Fans of .... will love ...." but I'm going to break the rule here. If you liked Anne Perry's WWI series or are a devotee of Maisie Dobbs, this series of well-written period pieces should shoot straight to your sweet spot.
    • 3/5
      "A Field of Poppies" is an interesting anthology of nine short stories about love amid the ruins of World War I. I was not familiar with any of the authors of the chapters, but I enjoyed how the thread that ran throughout was Armistice Day (November 11, 1918) - a date that was about to happen, or had just happened as each of our stories opens.From love lost to love found, through childbirth, reminiscence, pain, injury, recovery, fear and the deprivations of war, and accidental discovery that links the modern generation to the past, each author tells a story rich in detail. The human experience, the will to survive, and how love gets us through life is a basic theme throughout the book.I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the WWI era, and to those who are lovers of historical fiction and romance. Overall, I enjoyed it.
    • 4/5
      What a fabulous collection of stories. This book is a MUST for all lovers of historical fiction as all the best voices in this genre wrote for this book. I really love short stories books from time to time because you can read a little and then set it down to come back later. I kept this book in my purse and would read in between my errands and appointments. It is a wonderful collection and would definately recommend it.
    • 4/5
      This is an anthology about love and war, just as the title suggests, but it's not the sappy, tear-your-clothes-away kind of love. It's all kinds of love. Not just the man-woman love but also the mother-son love.The first story, The Daughter of Belgium, focuses on a young woman in occupied Belgium who has been hiding her daughter from the invading soldiers. Her life has been pretty much destroyed. When charged with caring for a German soldier, she's rather conflicted. I didn't like this story. I gave it two stars on Goodreads. The love was instant, came out of nowhere, and the story seemed pointless. I took nothing away from it.The Record Set Right by Lauren Willig was terrific. It's about love...gone wrong...when misunderstandings get in the way. What I liked about this tale is that in the end, the woman ended up on top. She dodged a bullet, perhaps. She's not bitter or even remorseful, but a bit self satisfied. She did well for herself and success is the sweetest revenge. I felt this had a strong feminist tone.All for the Love of You was unique as it showed us the intricacies of facial masks for those wounded. I loved this, the story of the shop, the people running it, the way the soldiers are respectfully treated. Interesting things came up, such as training your face not to react in a manner that makes these men feel worse than they already do. I enjoyed this. Can't say I cared for the romance though. I wasn't "feeling" it.I enjoyed Something Worth Landing For by Jessica Brockmole so much I immediately set out to obtain her novel. The hero tells the tale, and he's such a likable guy. And the woman involved is so sassy even in her grief. They made me chuckle and root for them. This was a unique and very quick romance yet I "felt" it along with them. An American Airman in Paris...did not do much for me. It felt weird--both the hero's obsession with the girl who'd lived in his house and his sexual stuff. I didn't finish it. After You've Gone...I found the narrative unengaging and did not finish that one either.The Photograph was also a good tale. I could feel the love between the characters, however fleeting. The story was probably the most unique as it involved a British soldier not on the frontlines but in Ireland fighting in a conflict the rest of the book doesn't explore and also touching on the hostilities between the Irish and British. It's a tale of forbidden love.In both Hour of Bells and Hush, the love of a mother for her children is explored. I enjoyed the former as the mother sought revenge and instead received a surprise.Overall, the book is worth the time and read. You may find an author you've never read before and as a result, get more books on your to read, as was the case with myself and Jessica Brockmole. I can't wait to get my hands on her novel now.
    • 4/5
      This book of WW1 stories was an excellent read. My grandfather served in WW1 and for that reason, that time period and all that surrounds it holds an interest for me. These stories gave me a peek into what it might have been like for persons touched by the Great War. I will recommend.
    • 4/5
      I received this book from the LT Early Reviewers giveaway. Fall of Poppies: Stories of Love and the Great War is an anthology of stories about World War I. They revolve around Armistice Day (Nov. 11, 1918) - "where were you then?" and "what happened before and after?". I liked all of the stories but one stood out from all the rest: All For the Love of You by Jennifer Robson. It's about a young woman who meets an injured soldier at her place of work and forms a unique friendship. Circumstances out of their control determine what happens next... until one day when they meet again. I loved the story and will definitely look for more from author Jennifer Robson. Recommended to fans of historical fiction/romance especially with a Great War theme.
    • 2/5
      I enjoy reading stories set in WWI and WWII time periods. Thus the reason I wanted to read this anthology. Plus, I was familiar with some of the authors featured in this anthology. The stories I really connected to the characters in and could not stop reading were The Daughter of Belgium by Marci Jefferson, The Record Set Right by Lauren Willig, and Hush by Hazel Gaynor. Yet the rest of the stories in this anthology I either could not get into or only semi liked. I was saddened that I could not get into this story An American Airman in Paris as I am an aviation buff. Don't let the title of this anthology treat you as not all love stories have to be about couples. In fact, some of these stories were about families. Which is just as important. Although I did not care for most of the stories in this anthology, I did find myself a few new authors.
    • 4/5
      A beautiful anthology. Sad, but incredibly well written.
    • 3/5
      I am not a big fan of short stories but I like reading books about WWI and WWII so I decided to give this one a try. As with most anthologies, several were very good and others not so much. I don't think that they were bad, just that they didn't appeal to me.This book had short stories by nice excellent writers. They all centered around November 11, 1918, the day the the Armistice was signed ended what was called the Great War. They were about the great losses suffered during this war - as with all wars - to the families that were left behind when their husbands and sons went to fight the enemy. My two favorites were The Daughter of Belgium about a young woman who needs to get back into her family home to retrieve a painting so she can sell it and start over again and Hour of the Bells by Heather Webb and a woman's reaction when she fears that her husband and only son have died in the fighting. (Thanks to LibraryThing for a copy of this book for a fair and honest review.)
    • 4/5
      I read this collection of historical fiction short stories because I've recently been reading works by some of its contributors: Heather Webb, Jessica Brockmole, Hazel Gaynor, Jennifer Robson, Beatriz Williams, and Lauren Willig. Like any collection of short stories, some are better than others.The stories are all set around the time of Armistice Day, the end of World War I, November 11, 1918, and all involve some sort of love - romantic, maternal, etc. There's a good mix of characters and settings across the stories.If I had to pick a favorite, it would be Jennifer Robson's "All for the Love of You," which was especially interesting as the story involved the creation of realistic masks for soldiers with facial wounds.The other stories are: "The Daughter of Belgium" by Marci Jefferson, "The Record Set Right" by Lauren Willig, "After You've Gone" by Evangeline Holland, "Something Worth Landing For" by Jessica Brockmole, "Hour of the Bells" by Heather Webb, "An American Airman in Paris" by Beatriz Williams, "The Photograph" by Kate Kerrigan, and "Hush" by Hazel Gaynor. All worth reading.
    • 4/5
      I received this book for free through the Reading Room’s giveaways.Like most short story collections, I liked some stories more than others.The Daughter of Belgium; I thought this was a solid first story. It wasn’t super romantic but it got me excited for the rest of the book.The Record Set Right: I liked this story but I was so confused at first. I had a hard time figuring out how everyone was related and what happened in the past. But once I got to the end, I understood it.All for the Love of You: This was my favorite story. It was so romantic. Plus I learned a lot of about the masks that were made for soldiers with damaged faces. After You’ve Gone: I didn’t love this one but I did appreciate the fact that it was the only story with people of color. Something Worth Landing For: This was written by Jessica Brockmole who I am familiar with. I read her book Letters from Skye and loved it. This story also features letters. Overall, this was another solid story.Hour of the Bells: This story was different because it was about love between a mother and her son. It felt a bit out of place in the collection.An American Airman in Paris: This was written by Beatriz Williams who I am also familiar with. I read her book, The Secret Life of Violet Grant. Both that book and this story talk about sex frequently. This story by far had the most frank discussions about sex out of all the stories. I honestly didn’t like this story. I just couldn’t connect with it.The Photograph: I really liked this one. This story focused on the British’s occupation of Ireland during WWI, which I liked because it offered a different perspective on the war. Hush: I also really liked this one. The author (Hazel Gaynor) did an amazing job. It was so beautiful to read.Overall, I liked how these stories showed what it was like living through WWI. It highlighted the fears that young men had when they went off to war, as well as the struggles civilians had to go through.
    • 4/5
      Armistice Day: November 11th, 1918…. The end of the Great War…. A date to remember… each story a different perspective of that day….There are nine short stories total in the collection, each one different but centering on the moment the war was over. There are stories of love and loss from the perspective of Germans, Belgians, Americans and the French. There are stories about husband and wives, mother and sons, father and daughters, brothers-by-blood and brothers-in-arms. There are stories based on that one day, the events leading up to that day, and looking back on that day. WWI is often overlooked due to the infamy of WWII events so it was an appealing theme. The topic is thought-provoking and while I enjoyed it, short stories are often just that—short! While reading the nine different accounts I had mixed feelings— some I was sad that they were over so quick and others felt rushed and abrupt—still I was happy I read the collection.
    • 4/5
      When I see a collection of stories from authors I have read and enjoyed before, I am pretty much guaranteed to want to add it to my collection. The nine short stories in Fall of Poppies, edited by Heather Webb, are written by authors I have either read and enjoyed before or by popular women's fiction authors who I have in my to be read stacks. So there was definitely no passing it up. That the subtitle of the collection is Stories of Love and the Great War made it just that much more appealing.Each of the stories is short, fleeting but complete. They are from many different perspectives, soldier, mother, widow, lover, wife, giving a rounded view of the aftermath of this war that rocked the world. No one in the western world was untouched by it and Armistice Day, which anchors all of the stories here, was a day of great celebration. Some of the stories are hopeful, telling of love finally winning, and others are heart-wrenching. All of them, though, tell of the need, the struggle, and of how to make a life after the upheaval and horror of war. Each story's main characters have survived, battered, bruised, frightened, or worse, but they are all alive and they all have a strong determination to move forward even as they carry the physical and emotional after effects of the war. Many of the stories feel sepia-toned and carry a sense of melancholy, even those that end happily. Each has the feel of a time long past, of remembrance and memory. The stories are brief but moving and are a great way for a historical fiction reader to try out the authors included here as all are strong entries about love, loss, and the trauma of war.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Set at the end of WWI, "Fall of Poppies: Stories of Love and the Great War" is a collection of short stories from nine top historical fiction authors. Loss and renewal, reunions both poignant and bittersweet, and a real feeling for the varying emotions of the time are all captured in this anthology. The authors and their works include: Marci Jefferson--"The Daughter of Belgium"; Lauren Willig--"The Record Set Right"; Jennifer Robson--"All for the Love of You"; Evangeline Holland--"After You've Gone"; Jessica Brockmole--"Something Worth Landing For"; Heather Webb--"Hour of the Bells"; Beatriz Williams--"An American Airman in Paris"; Kate Kerrigan--"The Photograph"; Hazel Gaynor--"Hush". The diversity of the authors' voices and storytelling styles adds a richness and depth to this evocative collage of a turbulent time in human history. Review Copy Gratis Library Thing

      1 person found this helpful

    • 2/5
      Sadly, this collection of stories by nine different writers was so disappointing that I couldn't finish it. I generally love short story collections, and I've read some great novels about World War I, so this should have been a winner. What put me off after the first five stories was the bad--often REALLY bad--writing, the cliché plot lines, the often downright sappy dialogue, and a string of annoying main characters. Interested in the masks created for facially wounded soldiers? Read Life Class by Pat Barker or The Crimson Portrait by Jody Shields; either is SO much better than "All for the Love of You" by Jennifer Robson. And if you want a taste of sappy, try these line from Evangeline Holland's "After You've Gone":"I suppose I might have moved first, but he was the one to touch me, his fingers sinking into my hair as he swept me into a kiss from the ages. The kind of kiss that Cleopatra must have given Caesar and Mark Antony. One that toppled kingdoms and moved mountains. A kiss that shattered and healed in equal measures. I turned away, entirely overwhelmed by his touch."That may be standard romance fare; if so, it explains why I avoid that genre like the plague.I'm moving on in hopes of finding something more enjoyable (I seem to have hit a vein of mediocre to bad ones lately).
    • 4/5
      Fall of Poppies is a collection of nine historical fiction short stories by some of my favorite authors. Focusing on the effects of people’s lives and relationships after World War I ended, each story digs into a different aspect of love, loss and moving on. Every story brings something different and moving in subtle ways. I did wish that many of the stories were longer and I could have followed the character’s journey even longer! I did thoroughly enjoy every story in the collection, but I did have my favorites. The Daughter of Belgium by Marci Jefferson takes on a single mom, attacked by soldiers and seeking refuge in an Institute where she is able to help patients and take care of her daughter. When the War begins to come to an end, all the patients must move, except one. Amelie is charged with Lars’ care. As she tries her best to take care of Lars, Amelie discovers strength within herself, surprising secrets about Lars and the will to continue on after the War has ended. All for the Love of You by Jennifer Robson was the sweetest story about love lost and found. Daisy, an American living in France with her father, assists at an artist studio. After the War, the studio begins to make masks for the men with facial injuries. Daniel Mancuso comes to the studio looking for a mask for his eye. Daisy helps with the formation of the mask and even paints his eye. Daisy and Daniel fall in love, but are soon ripped apart by Daisy’s father. Years later, Daisy and Daniel get the chance to reconnect. I loved that this story explored what happened to the many men who came out of the War different than they went in and the people who helped them become whole.
    • 3/5
      ***I won this book from Library Thing as part of the Early Reviewers program. It is a book of short stories which take place during WWI. It covers the impact of Armistice Day, November 11, 1918, on the troops of and the families awaiting the return of their loved ones. There are many similarities linking the stories which I think will lend themselves to lively book discussions about the causes of war, its devastating effects on the victims, and the futility, and ultimate result of war. All of the stories share common themes like loss, fear, courage, and danger, but the main ideas running through all are loneliness, romance and love.The first story, “The Daughter of Belgium” by Marci Jefferson, takes place in Belgium after its occupation by Germany. It details the atrocities committed by marauding soldiers against those perceived as their enemies, even though they may be innocent civilians. Amelie witnessed the death of her parents because of her anti-war activities. She has been hidden by nuns. Working in their hospital, she learns how to nurse the victims of the war. When she is charged with caring for a German soldier, she balks, but does her duty. As they discover more and more about each other, their differences grow less important and their love blooms. In the second story, “The Record Set Right” by Lauren Willigs, a young girl is adopted by relatives after the death of her parents. Camilla is only 9 when she arrives at Carrington Cross, England, and immediately falls in love with her cousin Edward. She also admires her cousin Nicholas, but discovers that too late. After Edward returns from the war with devastating facial injuries and Nicholas returns missing a limb all of their lives take a surprising turn.In the third story, “All For the Love of You” by Jennifer Robinson, soldiers returning to Paris from the front with devastating facial injuries are provided with excellent portrait masks from a studio supported by The Red Cross. They were so realistic that they stopped the stares of passersby before they started. Daisy Fields worked there as a volunteer and it was there that she met Captain Mancuso and fell in love with him. Both were Americans in Paris. Before he left for America, Daisy fell gravely ill and never heard from him again. Although she asked her father to help her find him, he refused. This is their story.In the fourth story, “After You’ve Gone” by Evangeline Holland, Morven, a professional dancer is leaving Paris. It is Armistice Day. Her husband Charles was killed in action forcing her to make a living in a disreputable way. In a strange set of circumstances, she is confronted by a man named Sidney Mercer who recognizes her. He turns out to be a relative of her husband. He is quite good looking, and although at first she rebuffs him, the two are taken with each other. Sidney wants to open a nightclub in Europe where people of color are more easily accepted. He hopes Morven will dance there. However, Morven goes to America, and Sidney goes back to serve his country until he is discharged. As secrets are revealed, the lives of Morven and Sidney find a direction.In the fifth story, “Something Worth Landing For” by Jessica Brockmole, A young soldier, Wes, who is about to ship out to the front, performs an act of extreme kindness for a strange woman called Victoire. At a medical office, he spies her crying. Although she is abrupt with him, when he discovers she is in a family way, he chooses to rescue her. He is expecting to die at the front anyway. This tender love story is told partially through letters Victoire sends to Wes.In the 6th story, “Hour of the Bells” by Heather Webb, we meet Beatrix. The war has taken one of her sons and her husband. When her youngest son decides to enlist, she begs him to stay home. She was of German background, and there was a backlash against her and her son Adrien. When informed that Adrien had also died, she gathers her husband’s dynamite and sets off to avenge both of their murders. As the bells toll signifying the end of the war, a miracle occurs and saves her from committing such a violent act.In the 7th story “An American Airman in Paris” by Beatriz Williams, the stupidity and mistakes of war are highlighted as the reader witnesses the effects of the war on its victims who have suffered loss and deprivation. They hunger for love. The 8th story veers in a different direction, although it is in the same time frame. It is about a family about to attend a ceremony to honor an aunt who was involved in the Irish Rebellion. Behind a photograph of Aunt Eileen is a picture of a British soldier, Clive Postlethwaite. He was not sent to the front, but rather to Dublin to defend England against the Irish rebels. This is a story that tries to confront the prejudices that existed then in order to correct them now.In the 9th story, “Hush”, by Hazel Gaynor, it is Armistice Day, and a nurse has delivered a baby. When the baby refuses to breathe, she pleads with the baby to live. At the same time that this is happening, her son Will is at the front and has been injured. A shell exploded and trapped him under the debris. He, too, was unable to breathe. This story has a mystical quality which connects both the newborn child and her son. Although I found the stories interesting, I also found them to be a bit like fairytales. Some of the love stories seemed contrived, and some of the endings seemed to stretch credulity. Still, the selections truly highlighted the futility of war and its terrible cost to the victims, the families and the soldiers
    • 4/5
      "Fall of Poppies" is a collection of nine short fiction stories that all relate to World War I. I was familiar with the works of some of the authors, but not of the others. Sometimes, World War I fiction turns out a bit overblown, either too devastatingly sad or too unrealistically cheery. Somehow, these women have managed to turn out nine completely different stories that have walked this fine line successfully. In a collection, some stories shine more than others and some are downright painful, but if I had to choose one story from this book as a favorite, I couldn't do it. I found them all equally fascinating, and I finished the book in just two sittings. Recommended.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      I received this book for free through the Reading Room’s giveaways.Like most short story collections, I liked some stories more than others.The Daughter of Belgium; I thought this was a solid first story. It wasn’t super romantic but it got me excited for the rest of the book.The Record Set Right: I liked this story but I was so confused at first. I had a hard time figuring out how everyone was related and what happened in the past. But once I got to the end, I understood it.All for the Love of You: This was my favorite story. It was so romantic. Plus I learned a lot of about the masks that were made for soldiers with damaged faces. After You’ve Gone: I didn’t love this one but I did appreciate the fact that it was the only story with people of color. Something Worth Landing For: This was written by Jessica Brockmole who I am familiar with. I read her book Letters from Skye and loved it. This story also features letters. Overall, this was another solid story.Hour of the Bells: This story was different because it was about love between a mother and her son. It felt a bit out of place in the collection.An American Airman in Paris: This was written by Beatriz Williams who I am also familiar with. I read her book, The Secret Life of Violet Grant. Both that book and this story talk about sex frequently. This story by far had the most frank discussions about sex out of all the stories. I honestly didn’t like this story. I just couldn’t connect with it.The Photograph: I really liked this one. This story focused on the British’s occupation of Ireland during WWI, which I liked because it offered a different perspective on the war. Hush: I also really liked this one. The author (Hazel Gaynor) did an amazing job. It was so beautiful to read.Overall, I liked how these stories showed what it was like living through WWI. It highlighted the fears that young men had when they went off to war, as well as the struggles civilians had to go through.