I have a most wonderful husband and we have now been married 20 years. He gave me this book as an anniversary present because he thought it looked interesting. No doubt the quote on the front "Fans of Downton Abbey will devour this novel!" had something to do with it.

World War I and II continue to inspire great stories. In this book Jennifer Robson shows life during World War I for a young British girl who volunteers to be an ambulance driver. It is a work of fiction but, as the daughter of a historian of World War I, Robson has tried to make it realistic.

Lady Elizabeth Neville-Ashford is the youngest child of the Earl and Countess of Cumberland. At twenty years of age she has never attended school or held a job. Her mother is of the opinion that the only thing she needs to be prepared for is to marry a man of her social equal, just as her older sisters have done. Lady Elizabeth, who prefers to be called Lilly, did manage to get a decent education by prevailing upon her brother Edward to hire a good governess, Charlotte. When World War I breaks out Lilly wants to do her part and she is encouraged in this by her brother's best friend, Robbie Fraser. Robbie is a surgeon and is sent to France to care for the wounded. Lilly dares to write to him to wish him well and in their correspondence Robbie encourages her plans. Lilly decides to learn to drive and gets the mechanic from their Cumbria estate to show her how. When her parents discover this they dismiss the mechanic and Lilly leaves home. As plain Lilly Ashford she obtains a job as a driver in the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) and she manages to be sent to the same station that Robbie is serving in. Although fraternization between men and women is forbidden Lilly and Robbie manage to sneak away occasionally. Robbie is terrified that Lilly will come to harm. Lilly is determined to stay and do her duty. A quarrel ensues and Robbie refuses to speak to Lilly at all.

This book seemed like more of a romance than a historical novel but I am sure the details are accurate. I just would have liked a little more exploration of the characters' emotions. Nevertheless it was a quick and easy read.

I am going to offer it to my sister-in-law to read because she is a fan of Downton Abbey which has just finished so maybe this will fill the gap for her.

I left this book on the picnic table outside of the store. This release is for the 2015 Canada Days release challenge.

Loved the book. It was a great historical novel.