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atf1216's review against another edition
3.0
I do love collections and like most, there are some stories I enjoy more then others. In this one, “Something Worth Landing For” was by far my favorite and it was really the only one I wanted more of.
livres_de_bloss's review against another edition
2.0
Overall thoughts: I didn't like this. It was full of lame, saccharine "romance" stories only loosely connected to the war (usually with the war simply provided as a background for a cheesy romance). I thought this would have more substance. This is written for bored housefraus that want to over-romanticize war and experience nothing of the realities of it. If I'd known this was romance, I wouldn't have bothered with it.
I've broken this review down into brief sections on each story. My average rating for this collection of stories is 2.11 which is pretty terrible.
Daughter of Belgium: 2-stars
Amélie wasn’t particularly bright or endearing. The fact that she goes from hyper-aggressive with Lars to swooning in a few short pages was rather lame.
The Record Set Right: 2-stars
A colossal misunderstanding that leaves the reader wondering what the whole point of the story actually was.
All for the Love of You: 3-stars
Trite dialogue aside, this was a sweet story. I liked Daisy a great deal!
After You’ve Gone: 1-star
This was ridiculously bad: unbelievable and completely melodramatic.
Something Worth Landing For: 3-stars
This story was a bit more interesting and engaging than its predecessors. The circumstances of the “romance” where far-fetched but at least they were different.
Hour of the Bells: 2-stars
Trite with a cop-out ending.
An American Airman in Paris: 2-stars
This is just lewd. The story isn’t all that interesting; it’s just graphic sexual descriptions.
The Photograph: 2-stars
The plot was very weak and I didn’t find the story engaging or interesting.
Hush: 2-stars
I’d totally rurn out of steam by this point. This just felt like more of the same. It was “okay” but nothing that I’ll remember.
This book was a true slog and I'm glad to be done with it.
I've broken this review down into brief sections on each story. My average rating for this collection of stories is 2.11 which is pretty terrible.
Daughter of Belgium: 2-stars
Amélie wasn’t particularly bright or endearing. The fact that she goes from hyper-aggressive with Lars to swooning in a few short pages was rather lame.
The Record Set Right: 2-stars
A colossal misunderstanding that leaves the reader wondering what the whole point of the story actually was.
All for the Love of You: 3-stars
Trite dialogue aside, this was a sweet story. I liked Daisy a great deal!
After You’ve Gone: 1-star
This was ridiculously bad: unbelievable and completely melodramatic.
Something Worth Landing For: 3-stars
This story was a bit more interesting and engaging than its predecessors. The circumstances of the “romance” where far-fetched but at least they were different.
Hour of the Bells: 2-stars
Trite with a cop-out ending.
An American Airman in Paris: 2-stars
This is just lewd. The story isn’t all that interesting; it’s just graphic sexual descriptions.
The Photograph: 2-stars
The plot was very weak and I didn’t find the story engaging or interesting.
Hush: 2-stars
I’d totally rurn out of steam by this point. This just felt like more of the same. It was “okay” but nothing that I’ll remember.
This book was a true slog and I'm glad to be done with it.
beastreader's review against another edition
2.0
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.
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.
lisawreading's review against another edition
3.0
Fall of Poppies is a collection of stories by popular historical romance writers. The stories all center around Armistice Day, November 11, 1918. All stories have to do with love and loss, the damage done by war, and the power of love to keep hope alive.
The collection is a bit uneven, with some very moving stories and some that are just okay. It does get repetitive after a while, so I found it best to read other things in between the various stories in this collection.
In my opinion, the strongest, most affecting stories here are:
The Daughter of Belgium by Marci Jefferson
The Record Set Right by Lauren Willig
All For the Love of You by Jennifer Robson
And perhaps my favorite:
Something Worth Landing For by Jessica Brockmole
The collection is a bit uneven, with some very moving stories and some that are just okay. It does get repetitive after a while, so I found it best to read other things in between the various stories in this collection.
In my opinion, the strongest, most affecting stories here are:
The Daughter of Belgium by Marci Jefferson
The Record Set Right by Lauren Willig
All For the Love of You by Jennifer Robson
And perhaps my favorite:
Something Worth Landing For by Jessica Brockmole
norwayellesea's review against another edition
4.0
Every once in a while, I like to leave my “romance genre” comfort zone and read something a different. Fall Of The Poppies is an interesting collection of short stories, all set around the end of World War One in 1918.
Here are my three favourite stories from this historical anthology:
A moving story about a single mum. The Daughter of Belgium by Marco Jefferson – Amelie has lived within the confines of the Cavell Institute in Brussels for three years. Now it is time to move all the patients into another building. Amelie is informed she is to stay behind and use the training she has gained during her time at the institute to look after the only patient who isn't moving too.
Lars Ludvig is not who Amelie thinks he is and finds out they have much more in common that she ever dreamed.
Betrayal. Something Worth Landing For by Jessica Brockmole – A beautiful story of an artist who develops feelings for an injured American serviceman who is being fitted for a mask to cover his facial disfigurement. He then goes back to his home, after been told tragic news about the beautiful young lady who helped him. Years later the woman finds out that the serviceman was told of her death, so she actively tries to track him down.
Compassion and hope. All For the Love of You by Jennifer Robson – A young pregnant woman who is and about to lose her job and home meets a pilot who offers to marry her on a whim. He tells her she can claim Widows benefit if he dies. Neither would have guessed that during the time they wait to become legally married, they both are falling in love with each other.
All the contributing authors are new to me. Each has their own individual style, covering vastly different plot-lines but all share the poignancy of the Great War. The austerity of the era is highlighted, yet, there is an abundance of hope for the protagonists. As a reader, I love any story that leaves me to ponder about what happens next and there is plenty to think and wonder about within these short stories.
4 stars
***arc generously received courtesy of publisher William Morrow via Edelweiss***
Here are my three favourite stories from this historical anthology:
A moving story about a single mum. The Daughter of Belgium by Marco Jefferson – Amelie has lived within the confines of the Cavell Institute in Brussels for three years. Now it is time to move all the patients into another building. Amelie is informed she is to stay behind and use the training she has gained during her time at the institute to look after the only patient who isn't moving too.
Lars Ludvig is not who Amelie thinks he is and finds out they have much more in common that she ever dreamed.
Betrayal. Something Worth Landing For by Jessica Brockmole – A beautiful story of an artist who develops feelings for an injured American serviceman who is being fitted for a mask to cover his facial disfigurement. He then goes back to his home, after been told tragic news about the beautiful young lady who helped him. Years later the woman finds out that the serviceman was told of her death, so she actively tries to track him down.
Compassion and hope. All For the Love of You by Jennifer Robson – A young pregnant woman who is and about to lose her job and home meets a pilot who offers to marry her on a whim. He tells her she can claim Widows benefit if he dies. Neither would have guessed that during the time they wait to become legally married, they both are falling in love with each other.
All the contributing authors are new to me. Each has their own individual style, covering vastly different plot-lines but all share the poignancy of the Great War. The austerity of the era is highlighted, yet, there is an abundance of hope for the protagonists. As a reader, I love any story that leaves me to ponder about what happens next and there is plenty to think and wonder about within these short stories.
4 stars
***arc generously received courtesy of publisher William Morrow via Edelweiss***
bookswritingandmore's review against another edition
5.0
Fall of Poppies combine nine collective stories by nine amazing historical fiction authors into this great collection of literature. The stories focus on the time right when World War I was over. It portrays strong female protagonists that are all searching for something after the war ends. A place to feel safe, a loved one to call their own, a place in this new world. I just adored all these stories so much!
Below I will spotlight two of the stories I loved the most:
A story of a woman that only hopes to get her grandmother's painting from her abandoned house. before she leaves the country that destroyed her family forever. This painting is all she has left to support herself and her daughter Hope when the war is over. Then her plans seem to be ruined when she is left to care for a German soldier she knows nothing about. This story was written by one of my favorite authors in historical fiction. I am addicted to the way Marci Jefferson portrays the woman in her stories. They are all strong regardless of their struggles.
Daisy sits by her fathers death bed as she quietly waits to see her father at piece finally from the pneumonia that will take him to heaven. She has much to do once he has passed. This leads Daisy into her fathers study that she has never even thought about going. Once there she finds a letter that makes it appear that her father kept an important message from her. As Daisy searches for answers to her fathers betrayal, the reader is led to 1918 when Daisy volunteered for a woman who would make masks for the men that came home from war forever scarred by their fighting. This is when Daisy meets a man she can't seem to let go of.
This was my first story from Jennifer Robson but it won't be for long. I am in the middle of reading her latest novel "Moonlight Over Paris." I am quickly falling in love with Jennifer's characters and the way she seamlessly captures the readers attentions with her unique style. A definite must read in this story collection.
All these stories were really good. I felt drawn to each plot and was unable to stop reading until that particular story was done. Pick up this collection of war time stories if you are a historical fiction fan like myself.
Below I will spotlight two of the stories I loved the most:
A story of a woman that only hopes to get her grandmother's painting from her abandoned house. before she leaves the country that destroyed her family forever. This painting is all she has left to support herself and her daughter Hope when the war is over. Then her plans seem to be ruined when she is left to care for a German soldier she knows nothing about. This story was written by one of my favorite authors in historical fiction. I am addicted to the way Marci Jefferson portrays the woman in her stories. They are all strong regardless of their struggles.
Daisy sits by her fathers death bed as she quietly waits to see her father at piece finally from the pneumonia that will take him to heaven. She has much to do once he has passed. This leads Daisy into her fathers study that she has never even thought about going. Once there she finds a letter that makes it appear that her father kept an important message from her. As Daisy searches for answers to her fathers betrayal, the reader is led to 1918 when Daisy volunteered for a woman who would make masks for the men that came home from war forever scarred by their fighting. This is when Daisy meets a man she can't seem to let go of.
This was my first story from Jennifer Robson but it won't be for long. I am in the middle of reading her latest novel "Moonlight Over Paris." I am quickly falling in love with Jennifer's characters and the way she seamlessly captures the readers attentions with her unique style. A definite must read in this story collection.
All these stories were really good. I felt drawn to each plot and was unable to stop reading until that particular story was done. Pick up this collection of war time stories if you are a historical fiction fan like myself.
kdurham2's review against another edition
5.0
A fantastic short story collection from authors that I mostly read before and all centered around the end of World War I. From war widows to families reuniting the collection included each group that was involved with World War I and how they coped with the ending.
When reviewing short story collections by multiple authors, I don't tend to review each story but instead talk about the collection as a whole. In this collection one story didn't stand out in a good way or bad way, they actually all worked as a cohesive group. I like when the collection has a focus so each author's work feels like it was meant to go in the collection.
If you are a historical fiction fan that has read just one of the authors included then this is the perfect chance to try out any one of the others that write in this genre.
When reviewing short story collections by multiple authors, I don't tend to review each story but instead talk about the collection as a whole. In this collection one story didn't stand out in a good way or bad way, they actually all worked as a cohesive group. I like when the collection has a focus so each author's work feels like it was meant to go in the collection.
If you are a historical fiction fan that has read just one of the authors included then this is the perfect chance to try out any one of the others that write in this genre.
annalisa4's review against another edition
5.0
I’m happy this is my first read of the year! It is all center around World War One. Even if it was different authors, they all flowed beautifully together
100pagesaday's review against another edition
4.0
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.
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.
novelesque_life's review against another edition
4.0
RATING: 3.5 STARS
2016; William Morrow Paperbacks/HarperCollins
(Review Not on Blog)
Nine historical fiction writers get together and put out an anthology of love stories set in World War I. Each story is a standalone from each other and other than the theme are not connected. For me, some stories were a bit stronger than others - writing and interesting wise. While almost every author is on my TBR list, I have not yet read anything by these authors. Lauren Willig and Beatriz Williams have moved up on my list and I am looking forward to Heather Webb, Hazel Gaynor and Jennifer Robson's novels. This is a perfect collection for those who are interested in historical fiction, light on romance war tales, of women during World War I. These women write primarily historical fiction so if you are interested in the genre this is one way to see how the authors write. Fall of Poppies is also a great book to keep nearby when you only a moment to read.
***I received an eARC from EDELWEISS***
2016; William Morrow Paperbacks/HarperCollins
(Review Not on Blog)
Nine historical fiction writers get together and put out an anthology of love stories set in World War I. Each story is a standalone from each other and other than the theme are not connected. For me, some stories were a bit stronger than others - writing and interesting wise. While almost every author is on my TBR list, I have not yet read anything by these authors. Lauren Willig and Beatriz Williams have moved up on my list and I am looking forward to Heather Webb, Hazel Gaynor and Jennifer Robson's novels. This is a perfect collection for those who are interested in historical fiction, light on romance war tales, of women during World War I. These women write primarily historical fiction so if you are interested in the genre this is one way to see how the authors write. Fall of Poppies is also a great book to keep nearby when you only a moment to read.
***I received an eARC from EDELWEISS***