World War I, aka The Great War, was supposed to be “the war to end all wars.” Shame how that worked out… It was the global conflict spanning the years 1914 – 1918.
The Star of Camp Greene by Joy Callaway
In 1918 Charlotte, Broadway star Calla Connolly’s dreams of honoring her fallen fiancé on the French front are dashed when she contracts the Spanish flu at Camp Greene. Stranded by a secret she’s sworn to keep, she finds unexpected love and purpose among soldier-musicians—forcing her to choose between the past she mourns and the future she never imagined.
When the World Fell Silent by Donna Jones Alward
In 1917 Halifax, aspiring army nurse Nora Crowell and grieving young widow Charlotte Campbell are each fighting for a better life. When a devastating explosion rocks the harbor, their lives collide in unexpected ways—leading to heartbreak, hope, and a chance at redemption.
The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club by Helen Simonson
In the summer of 1919, Constance Haverhill—suddenly jobless and without a home—finds herself swept into the lively world of Hazelbourne-on-Sea, where she joins a spirited circle of women defying convention. As the freedoms gained during the war begin to slip away, Constance and her new friends must fight to shape their futures in a rapidly changing world. A witty, heartwarming tale of friendship, resilience, and finding one’s place in uncertain times.
Canary Girls by Jennifer Chiaverini
In WWI Britain, thousands of women risk their lives working in munitions factories, including young April Tipton, footballer’s wife Lucy Dempsey, and advocate Helen Purcell. Amid dangerous work and growing health concerns, the women find camaraderie and courage on the soccer pitch as part of the Thornshire Canaries. Canary Girls is a powerful, spirited tale of resilience, friendship, and the unsung heroines behind the war effort.
The Witch’s Lens by Luanne G. Smith
As World War I rages, witch and photographer Petra Kurková discovers she can capture souls on film—an ability that draws her into a secret mission against supernatural horrors resurrected by the war. Joining a team of sorcerers at the cursed front lines, Petra must confront dark magic, hidden truths, and her own untapped power to save both her husband and a world on the brink. A haunting, magical tale of war, witchcraft, and awakening.
When the World Goes Quiet by Gian Sardar
In 1918 German-occupied Belgium, Evelien agrees to a risky mission for the resistance in exchange for a letter from her long-lost husband, casting doubt on his presumed death. As she navigates danger and forms a surprising bond with a wounded soldier who shares her love of art, Evelien must confront where her heart truly lies—and what kind of future she’s willing to fight for.
The Stolen Child by Ann Hood
In this moving novel, a dying World War I veteran and a restless young woman travel through France and Italy to uncover the fate of a child left in his care decades earlier. Their journey through galleries, villages, and the mysterious Museum of Tears reveals long-buried secrets and unexpected redemption. A poignant tale of love, regret, and the search for forgiveness.
Murder in the Bookshop by Anita Davison
In 1915 London, bookshop worker Hannah Merrill is shocked to find her best friend murdered among the shelves. With a coded message and a growing list of suspects, she teams up with her bold Aunt Violet to solve the mystery—before she becomes the killer’s next target. A twisty, World War I-era cozy mystery perfect for fans of Agatha Christie and Verity Bright.
The President’s Wife by Tracey Enerson Wood
In this gripping historical novel, widowed socialite Edith Bolling unexpectedly becomes First Lady—and later, the secret acting president—after marrying Woodrow Wilson. As World War I rages and Wilson’s health collapses, Edith quietly takes control, navigating politics, secrecy, and sacrifice to protect both her husband and the nation. A powerful portrait of a woman who shaped history from behind the scenes.
The Wildes: A Novel in Five Acts by Louis Bayard
Told in five sweeping acts, The Wildes reimagines the tragic unraveling of Oscar Wilde’s family through the eyes of his wife Constance and their sons, from Victorian scandal to the trenches of World War I. As Wilde’s affair with Lord Alfred Douglas shatters their world, the novel traces the emotional fallout and search for identity across generations. Richly imagined and emotionally resonant, it’s a poignant tale of love, loss, and legacy.
The Housekeeper’s Secret by Iona Grey
In 1911, housekeeper Kate Furniss hides her past behind a polished façade at Coldwell Hall—until a mysterious new footman ignites a forbidden romance and threatens to unravel everything. As secrets surface and war looms, their story unfolds across the sweeping contrast of Edwardian elegance and World War I’s brutal trenches. A poignant tale of love, identity, and the past we can’t escape.
The Story of the Forest by Linda Grant
In 1913, young Mina wanders into a Baltic forest and stumbles upon a group of revolutionaries, setting off a journey that spans emigration, idealism, and reinvention in Liverpool. The Story of the Forest follows a family from Latvian flour mills to post-war Soho, exploring how myths, memory, and migration shape generations. From Orange Prize winner and Booker-shortlisted Linda Grant, this is a tale rich in humor, history, and resilience.
The Liberty Scarf by Aimie K. Runyan, J’nell Ciesielski & Rachel McMillan
In the winter of 1917, a single scarf weaves together the lives of three women—a British designer, a French-Canadian telephone operator, and a Flemish nurse—each navigating love, identity, and loss during the Great War. As their paths cross through war-torn Europe and across continents, the scarf becomes a symbol of hope, resilience, and unexpected connection. A sweeping tale of courage, romance, and the enduring power of small acts in the face of vast conflict.
The Porcelain Moon by Janie Chang
In the final days of WWI, Pauline Deng flees an arranged marriage in China and finds refuge with Camille Roussel, a French woman trapped in her own unhappy life. As their bond deepens in the quiet town of Noyelles-sur-Mer, a dangerous secret threatens to upend everything, forcing a life-altering choice. A powerful story of identity, forbidden love, and the hidden history of the Chinese Labour Corps in France.
Unsinkable by Jenni L. Walsh
Tells the powerful, intertwined stories of two women—Violet Jessop, a Titanic survivor and wartime nurse in WWI, and Daphne Chaundanson, a WWII spy shaped by loss and secrecy. Inspired by true events, their parallel journeys of resilience, identity, and courage reveal the enduring strength it takes to face tragedy and claim a second chance. Two eras, two wars, one unforgettable connection.
The World and All That It Holds by Aleksander Hemon
A sweeping, sensual, and deeply human epic following Rafael Pinto, a poetic pharmacist-turned-soldier, and Osman, his fierce companion and lover, as they journey from the trenches of WWI through war-torn Europe to Shanghai. Caught in the chaos of history, their love becomes both refuge and compass. Aleksandar Hemon delivers a richly layered tale of desire, survival, and the absurd beauty of a world in upheaval.
As the Storm Clouds Gather by MB Henry
In 1915, Ilse survives the sinking of the Lusitania and becomes a frontline nurse, while Roland, grieving his father’s death in the Black Tom explosion, enlists to fight. When fate brings them together on the Belgian battlefields, their shared pain—and Ilse’s German heritage—creates tension and unexpected connection. This powerful WWI novel explores grief, resilience, and the healing power of love amid the horrors of war.
Murder at the Front by Lynn Morrison
In war-torn France, 1918, Lady Dorothy’s marriage of convenience turns tragic when her husband is killed during a secret mission—leaving behind a trail of questions and a single survivor, Lord Rex. As Dora seeks answers and Rex hunts a traitor, their clashing missions uncover a shocking betrayal that will alter both their lives.
Hotel Cuba by Aaron Hamburger
Fleeing war and revolution, sisters Pearl and Frieda Kahn set out for America—but are turned away at Ellis Island and rerouted to 1920s Havana. As they navigate the vibrant, unfamiliar world of Prohibition-era Cuba, Frieda chases love while Pearl confronts buried shame and glimpses a life of independence she never imagined. A sweeping, emotional story of resilience, sisterhood, and the search for freedom in a world full of promise and peril.
The Hidden Letters by Lorna Cook
On the eve of World War I, young Cordelia finds solace—and forbidden love—with Isaac, the new gardener on her family’s estate. As war separates them, their bond endures through letters, until they suddenly stop arriving, forcing Cordelia to confront heartbreak and find strength in the garden they once nurtured together. A sweeping story of love, loss, and resilience in the face of war.
Come to the Window by Howard Norman
In 1918 Nova Scotia, as war and the Spanish flu ravage the world, a bride kills her husband just hours after their wedding, shocking a grief-stricken village. Journalist Toby Havenshaw chronicles the aftermath, intertwining Elizabeth’s dark tale with his own poignant reunion with his wife, a war-scarred surgeon. A haunting story of murder, love, and the search for hope amid devastation.
The Castle Keepers by Aimie K. Runyan, J’nell Ciesielski & Rachel McMillan
Spanning generations of the Alnwick family as they battle a family curse threatening their legacy. From Beatrice Holbrook’s social climb in 1870 London to artist Elena Hamilton’s healing work with a wounded soldier in 1917, and Alec Alnwick’s post-WWII mission to transform their estate into a rehab center, this sweeping saga explores love, resilience, and the fight to break free from the past.
A Waltz with Traitors by AL Sowards
In 1918, Czech soldier Filip Sedlák defects to join the Czechoslovak Legion fighting for independence amid Russia’s chaos, while aristocrat Nadia Linskaya seeks refuge from Bolshevik threats. Bound by a sham marriage to secure her safety across Siberia, they face brutal winters, political intrigue, and relentless battles, discovering unexpected love as they fight for their futures and the fate of their nations.
The Body in Seven Dials by HL Marsay
Inspired by the life of Dorothy Peto, the Metropolitan Police’s first female superintendent, this gripping tale follows her and the pioneering Women’s Police Volunteers in 1914 London. As they aid refugees and protect citizens during Zeppelin raids, Dorothy uncovers a murder that challenges the skepticism of Scotland Yard and tests her resolve. Battling prejudice and danger, she must outsmart a killer—and those who doubt her—in a tense, historic mystery.
The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden
During WWI, nurse Laura Iven returns to Belgium to investigate her brother Freddie’s reported death, uncovering eerie whispers of haunted trenches and mysterious forces. Meanwhile, Freddie, trapped with a wounded enemy soldier, escapes the battlefield and finds refuge with a man who offers oblivion from war’s horrors. This haunting historical novel blends war, mystery, and a speculative twist as siblings confront trauma and the question of survival.
The Bookbinder by Pip Williams
In 1914 Oxford, Peggy and Maude work in a university bindery, their quiet lives upended by war, refugees, and the arrival of new possibilities. While Peggy yearns for education and love beyond the bindery walls, her bond with her vulnerable twin sister—and a Belgian soldier—complicates her path. A moving story about ambition, sacrifice, and the power of knowledge in a world on the brink of change.
Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade by Janet Skeslien Charles
In 1918, librarian Jessie Carson leaves New York to help rebuild war-torn France, creating the country’s first children’s libraries and training female librarians—before mysteriously vanishing. Decades later in 1987, NYPL librarian Wendy Peterson uncovers Jessie’s story and becomes obsessed with uncovering her fate. Based on true events, this dual-timeline novel celebrates forgotten heroines, the power of books, and the enduring links between past and present.
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