World War I Love Stories

Love Stories

by Gill Paul

For the soldiers who fought in it, World War I was truly ‘the war to end all wars’. But the febrile atmosphere it generated caused many lovers to declare themselves long before convention would have allowed earlier. These engaging love stories range widely across nationalities and social class.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Biography, World War I, War

192 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Gill Paul is the international bestselling author of thirteen novels, many of them reevaluating extraordinary twentieth-century women whom she believes have been marginalized or misjudged. Her novels have reached the top of the USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Toronto Globe & Mail charts, and have been translated into twenty-three languages.
Her latest novel, Scandalous Women (2024), is about trailblazing authors Jackie Collins and Jacqueline Susann battling their way to the top in the misogynous boys' club of 1960s publishing. A Beautiful Rival (2023) is about the infamous feud between beauty tycoons Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein. Jackie and Maria (2020) was longlisted for the Historical Writers’ Association Gold Crown. The Collector’s Daughter (2021) was named a Times ‘historical novel of the month’ and The Manhattan Girls (2022), was reviewed in The Sun as a “sweeping, evocative tale” and in The Book List as “Witty, emotional and intelligent”.
Gill also writes historical non-fiction, including A History of Medicine in 50 Objects and a series of Love Stories. Published around the world, this series includes Royal Love Stories, World War I Love Stories and Titanic Love Stories.
Gill lives in London where she swims year round in a wild pond, and speaks at libraries and literary festivals on topics ranging from Tutankhamun to the Romanovs.

Reviews

[MKF · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent book but it failed in keeping my complete interest except in a few stories.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gill Paul is an accomplished author, she specialises in history and has written over thirty books. World War I Love Stories is a beautifully presented collection of intimate stories, accompanied by photographs, snippets of actual letters and diary entries recovered and preserved by those left behind.

Although some of the couples are more well-known, such as Ernest Hemingway and the nurse that he fell for whilst in hospital; each one of these couples have their own moving and remarkable story to be told. From all walks of life and from different parts of the world, and indeed from opposing sides in the War - these couples are all very human and Gill Paul expertly retells their love stories. Not just the facts, but also their characters, their emotions and their often horrific experiences during what was supposed to be the war to end all wars.

For me, the thing that makes this book very special are the accompanying photographs and the opportunity to read the actual words written by the couples during these times. Gill Paul's research has been meticulously done; tracking down ancestors of the couples and being able to personalise each of the stories with an intimate glimpse into their personalities.

[Reza Amiri Praramadhan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even in a moment as grim and savage as World War I, love could still grow and blossom. This book is a compilation of stories about couples who had been separated, and some of them acquainted with each other through the war. Most of them came from Britain and its Empire, with at least two couples are Americans. Almost all stories ended tragically, which saddened me. But overall, all the love stories were interesting and inspiring, I wish I could learn more about similar stories from German, Russia or other belligerent nations not featured.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A realistic look at what war and the resultant hardships can do to life and relationships. Loved reading these accounts. Kept me interested until the end.

[Shakerra Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a great book, though at times my interest strayed a little, though always pulling me back.

[Kaelene · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was interesting. It was a good mix of stories--some happy, some sad.

[Georgi_Lvs_Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Gill’s work!

These stories kept me intrigued throughout. Easy to devour.

I’m looking forward to reading World War 2 love stories.

[Nightwitch · Rating 2 out of 5]

Competently written and well-illustrated; however, the stories themselves varied from wildly uninteresting (boy meets girl, boy goes to war, boy comes back from war, boy and girl get married) to extremely depressing (boy meets girl but eventually abandons her for someone else; girl actually isn't interested in boy and so marries someone else; boy meets girl but is forced to marry her older sister with whom he is miserable for the rest of his life), which wasn't really what I was looking for when I read a book which billed itself as true-life love stories. Similarly the stories themselves seem superficially researched and many provide little real insight into people's motivations or thoughts, so it's very difficult to get attached to any of the people profiled.

[Charlie Weaver · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written and enjoyable, but very sad. I wish they could have somehow found a few more stories that ended a little happier or favourable.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

The writing was mediocre and sentimental and the "love stories" were often pretty shitty examples of relationships that made me feel sorry for those involved (usually the women).