“Acts of Love and War weaves together two highly dramatic stories. The love story . . . [keeps] the reader guessing. . . . The war story concerns the heroic efforts by Lucy and fellow aid workers to save the children. . . . The stories of both the refugees and their protectors are told with honesty, insight and a tenderness that cannot fail to move the reader.”
—Historia Magazine
“An all-too-timely emotional gut-punch of a novel that creates a world of peace and philosophy, belief and resistance. Rendered in pure poetry, Brookes’ threads of poignant grace connect the lives of three unforgettable characters. . . . Immersive and humane, Acts of Love and War . . . cements [Brookes] as one of historical fiction’s most lyrical and intelligent voices.”
—Rachel McMillan, author of The Mozart Code and The London Restoration
“A meticulously researched journey into war-torn Spain. . . . Fascinating, insightful, and poignant.”
—Genevieve Graham, #1 bestselling author of Bluebird and Letters Across the Sea
“Emotionally captivating and authentic, Acts of Love and War is an unforgettable story of how love is refined and defined when thrust into the crucible that is war. . . . This is a war story that absolutely needed to be told.”
—Susan Meissner, bestselling author of The Nature of Fragile Things
“A vivid, immersive novel about a remarkable woman helping refugees in a bitter, heartbreaking war. I couldn’t put it down.”
—Gill Paul, bestselling author of The Collector’s Daughter
“A love story with a twist; a war story with a difference. . . . Inspired by the real lives of aid workers, International Brigaders and Spanish civilians, Maggie Brookes has crafted a beautiful, compelling story of hope and humanity in war.”
—Nikki Marmery, author of On Wilder Seas
“A gripping, panoramic tale of the very human cost of war, beautifully blending brutal history with timeless questions of love and conscience. . . . At once epic and intimate. Be prepared to lose your heart in the simmering heat of war-torn Spain.”
—Miranda Malins, author of The Rebel Daughter
“A heartrending but inspiring novel that sheds a light on the hidden heroes of the Spanish Civil War. . . . It swept me up and kept me hooked until the very end.”
—Katherine Clements, author of The Crimson Ribbon
“Told with honesty, insight and tenderness, a moving and unputdownable story of bravery and endurance in the face of the hurts inflicted by both love and war.”
—Judith Allnatt, author of The Poet’s Wife
“I knew little about the Spanish Civil War and Maggie Brookes brought it home to me with beautiful, searing clarity. Deft, assured and humane.”
—Ann Morgan, author of Reading The World
“Extraordinary events sensitively told.”
—Lucy Jago, author of Nets for Small Fishes
“Brookes’ extraordinary empathy for all of [her characters] triumphs during a time when being needed is a form of happiness.”
—Janet Somerville, Toronto Star
“I insist you read this intelligent empathetic novel. You won’t regret it.”
—Frost Magazine
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