The Wars Between Us

The Olason Chronicles #3

by J.A. Boulet

Meet Zachary Olason, a bad boy struggling on the brink of alcoholism. During the Great Depression, Zack loses himself and spirals into nights of debauchery, riots and drunkenness. His twin brother, Adam, thinks lowly of him as his entire family struggles to help him.
But Zack is determined to make a mess of his life.
Until he meets a beautiful petite woman, half Cree and part British, who helps him to grow into a better version of himself.
Then just as he thinks life is getting better, he sinks to the bottom of hell. Will he survive from his own self-destruction?
The only way he sees out is to join the Canadian Navy.
The Battle of the Atlantic will either teach him or break him.

THE WARS BETWEEN US

With action packed adrenaline and steamy love scenes, The Wars Between Us will keep you gripped to your seat on a ride of addiction, unwavering love and the fight to stay alive during WWII.

310 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 18, 2021

About the author

J. A. Boulet is the passionate author of many historical fiction, family sagas and historical romance novels. She's a first generation Canadian, the youngest child of war-ravaged European refugee parents. Her father was a high-ranking soldier who fought bravely during the 1956 Hungarian uprising. He escaped and was granted asylum in Canada. Ms. Boulet’s mother also fled from the revolution shortly after. The couple met, fell in love and built a family in Saskatchewan.

1956 Love & Revolution, J. A.'s fifth historical fiction novel, was released on June 5, 2023 in memory of her late parents.

Raised in a refugee family with strong morals, J. A. used these bricks to build the foundation of her own determined path. Ms. Boulet began writing poetry at a very young age and progressed to short stories and novels easily. She quickly became a history geek and became fascinated with ancestry and the rough path of immigration. J. A. continues to publish one to two books annually. She writes with an unsettling realism, grabbing your emotions and refusing to let go. Five more books are planned for publication between 2023 - 2029.

Ms. Boulet currently lives in Niagara Falls, Canada with her two teenaged sons and a crested gecko named Mossio. Follow her on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Reddit.

You can learn more at:

Website: https://jaboulet.ca

Twitter @ love_walk_life

Instagram: jabouletauthor

Reviews

[Gina Rae Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Wars Between Us struck a chord deep in my heart.

I thought I was full invested in the story during the Great Depression at the beginning but was positively mesmerized by the second half of the book.

Watching Zach’s struggles with alcohol was absolutely heartbreaking. It’s tragic the way alcohol becomes a demon to some people. I come from a family with it’s share of alcoholics and I felt the author portrayed this part of the storyline accurately and with a gentle pen. She never shied away from the truth, yet always showed the glimmer of hope.

The same is true of the Navy portrayal. I learned so much from the book about the battles and intense dedication of the seamen who gave their lives to help in the war effort. Once again, my heart broke for the lives turned upside down during this period of time.

That’s a lot of heartbreak in one story, but it doesn’t take away from the joys of the Olason family and their hopes for future generations.

This historical fiction tale is filled with enough facts to make the characters seem real. I grieved with them and shared their joy in the simple pleasures that define their family.

Although I have read the earlier books in this saga, I feel it could be as powerful and entertaining as a stand-alone story.

I highly recommend The Wars Between Us to fans of family sagas, WW2 tales, and historical fiction, especially from a Canadian point of view.



I also reviewed Books One & Two of The Olason Chronicles on my website, ginaraemitchell.com

The Strong Amongst Us by J. A. Boulet

The Strong Within Us by J. A. Boulet



Thank you to J.A. Boulet and Goddess Fish Promotions for providing me a digital copy of the book. This review is my honest, unbiased opinion.

[Nancy (The Avid Reader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Wars Between Us is the third book in The Olason Chronicles and this third book is Zachary Olason’s (Zack) story. I have been anxiously awaiting this third book The Wars Between Us to see where all the character’s stories take us next.

I fell in love with Zack’s grandfather, Nath in book one The Strong Amongst Us of The Olason Chronicles as we were introduced to Nath when he first journeyed to Canada from Iceland.

And then Nath’s story was continued in book two The Strong Within Us when we were then introduced to Nath’s second wife, Zack’s grandmother.

The Wars Between Us is just as good if not better than its predecessors. I love all the characters and the worlds that they lived in. The descriptions are all so vivid that I could see each and everyone playing out in my head as if I was right there.

I felt so bad for Zack throughout The Wars Between Us with everything that he had to endure. I kept wondering how any one person could face and deal with so much. The Wars Between Us did keep me in suspense for most of its roller coaster of a ride. Not to mention keeping me in the dark until that one big twist came about. I was shocked and flabbergasted, to say the least. I didn’t know who to feel bad for the most.

I want so bad to say more on that subject but I don’t want to spoil it for you. I want you to be just as surprised and shocked as I was when I first read it. It just about makes the whole story. I know one thing for sure it is definitely a page-turner. That one twists alone will grab you by the back of the neck and keep you hanging on for more of the same.

I do suggest that you set a few hours aside for reading The Wars Between Us as you will need them as you won’t be able to lay it down for one minute once that first page is turned.

I would like to highly suggest that you go now and grab yourself a copy of The Wars Between Us! Oh, wait, have you read book one The Strong Amongst Us, or book two The Strong Within Us yet? What did you say? No, then what are you waiting for go now, please and one-click your copy of all three books today! Trust me you will not regret it. Well, that is if you like historical romance novels with some pretty big twists.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Wars Between Us is Book 3 in a series titled “The Olason Chronicles”. In Book 1 Nathan Olason (Nath) is forced to leave his home in Iceland. Both his journey to Canada and his continued life are full of love and despair, joy and sorrow. Now in The Wars Between Us Nath has a family. A good family and yet one that is a much different picture than when he set out from Iceland long ago. His sons are grown and the Depression touches Canada as it does every place. It touches his sons and affects them in different ways. But deep down they are both hard workers like their father had been. Can Adam and Zack stay on the right path?

This is a well-written book with a smooth reading flow. Its flow of reading is as smooth as air and Boulet makes her characters so real you begin to know each one. More importantly, you become a part of them, of their joy, and their sadness. I am not sure how Boulet accomplishes this. It may be that she makes the story something we can all identify with, something we can feel. I think the other key is that even though this is historical fiction, so much of its timing of political and critical occurrences is accurate. I think it’s what made it more real, easier to “live in the moment”.

This book does contain some romance and romance is not one of my favorite genres. Then again, I’m not sure it’s possible to write this kind of story about people, their struggles, and their accomplishments without a little romance. There are some descriptive romantic scenes in the book. However, I can’t say there was anything that offended or bothered me. It all seemed a part of the story. Another writing talent of the author...many striations in a story put together to make a great book you can’t put down.

I have read all 3 books in this series (The Olason Chronicles). While I read Book 3 last, I did not read the first two in order. Each one can be read as a stand-alone. Each one is a story in and of itself.

I do hope there will be another book in the series.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Wars Between Us by J.A. Boulet is an adrenaline packed, historical fiction, with a love story to top it off. The writing is fantastic. I was captivated throughout, and it definitely kept me on the edge of my seat.

This is set during The Great Depression. It was interesting how this time period affected Jack and the rest of the characters. This is a coming of age story, which makes it more interesting.

This isn’t a light read, however, it’s a captivating story. I enjoyed it very much. Action, love, and great characters. If you enjoy historical fiction, you’ll enjoy this book.

I received a free copy of this book from R&R Book Tours to review honestly on the blog tour. All opinions are my own and unbiased.

[Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Great Depression hit most people hard - and Zack, coming of age during such a hard time, leads him down a rough path. His family is no stranger to hardship, but their love isn't enough to help Zack turn things around before he hits rock bottom. This is a captivating story that will take you through some of the toughest things facing a young man at the beginning of the 20th century. Not a light read by any means, but one fans of historical fiction will undoubtedly enjoy.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This author has the ability to see into the souls of the characters, almost as if they were family members. I've really enjoyed following the Olason's challenges and triumphs and am getting ready to read Origins next (the prequel to the series).