The White Dove

by Rosie Thomas

Born into an aristocratic family, beautiful Amy Lovell leads a whirlwind life of extravagant parties and debutante balls. But Amy, curious about the world beyond the narrow confines of her class, is ill-suited to a life of indulgence. Eagerly embracing a nursing career, she is drawn into the radical politics of the day. As the spectre of war looms, Amy's bittersweet love for the proud miner Nick Penry - a love which defies the differences between them - leads them to the conflict in Spain, where love and pain become inseparable agonies.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Romance, Historical Romance, Civil War, Spain, Historical

633 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1986

About the author

Janey King, née Morris was born on 1947 in Denbigh, Wales, and also grew up in North Wales. She read English at Oxford, and after a spell in journalism and publishing began writing fiction after the birth of her first child. Published since 1982 as Rosie Thomas, she has written fourteen best-selling novels, deal with the common themes of love and loss. She is one of only a few authors to have won twice the Romantic Novel of the Year Award by the Romantic Novelists' Association, in 1985 with Sunrise, and in 2007 with Iris and Ruby.

Janey is an adventurer and once she was established as a writer and her children were grown, she discovered a love of travelling and mountaineering. She has climbed in the Alps and the Himalayas, competed in the Peking to Paris car rally, spent time on a tiny Bulgarian research station in Antarctica and travelled the silk road through Asia. She currently lives in London.

Reviews

[Naksed · Rating 1 out of 5]

600 pages and no HEA *groan*

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amy is a contented child in a wealthy family in 1916. The book is about her growing up, and this plot intertwines with that of a miner struggling to make ends meet in a small village. Some harrowing experiences during the wars, but a hopeful future emerges. Mostly pleasant to read, if nothing special.

[Marjorie Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

This took me a long time to finish and I'm not sure why. The characters were vivid and realistic, interesting things happened to them, I could really imagine many of the events and places that were portrayed in this story, and I did care what happened to the characters.

So why was it such a struggle to pick it up and complete it? I think it was simply too long. Some of the historical and political detail could have been edited out, as could some of the scenes and situations, without losing anything. I like to learn about the characters, and hear how they lived their life, and what happened to them, not live every moment with them, and find out every single thing they did every single day. Slight exaggeration perhaps, but it did feel as if a good editor would have helped.

[penelopewanders · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, I think I've read this, but it ends in a strange way so I think I have to double check,despite the fact that there are ads after the last page. Pages could have been removed (inadvertently, of course) I suppose. Maybe I'll have to check with the bookseller, as I see I bought this used on amazon.

I had read one other Thomas and have enjoyed them both thoroughly although this was a terrible tear-jerker. Long time since I'd read such a moving account (or any account, for that matter) of the Spanish civil war. All the Welsh coal pits... excellent read.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It's characters were intensely likeable, and the story that unfolded was complicated and memorable.

[Bowerbird · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rosie Thomas is always very readable, and I did enjoy this book. My only criticisms, at times a bit over-political and maybe a fraction too long. The contrast between the well-to-do life style of Amy and that of Nick was well portrayed and Nick's charisma still charms Amy in spite of their social divide. Nick is a miner trying to improve the quality of life for the community he lives in. But Amy finds a debutante's role rather meaningless and her decision to become a nurse gives her a different view of society between the wars.
The terrible plight of the miners in the Rhonda develops into a hand-to-mouth existence as unemployment takes its toll. Inevitably Nick leans towards communism, eventually driving him to join the ranks of those fighting in Spain. (We can look back and know what is to come of course and are aware that the fracas in Spain is only the warm-up.)

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was recommended this book many years ago and it remained on my 'to be read' pile. I did enjoy it, partly because of who recommended it, when at the time I was staying in Wales.
It tells the story of Amy Lovell, who was born into a privileged lifestyle. Amy is curious and realizes there is more to life.
This is a love story, that somehow manages to travel to various corners of the world. It covers love, loss, war and Amy's willingness to start her nurse training, something that gave her a better glimpse of life and something that the family didn't stop her doing. This beautiful woman found life difficult as she navigated her way.
An easy read that was very satisfying. A cosy read.

[Katewollaston · Rating 5 out of 5]

An historically perceptive and interesting good read

Through a compelling and absorbing story of individuals coming together from very different social backgrounds the reader learns a great deal about the social divisions of the early 20th century and at the same time enjoys a jolly good read.

[David Burns · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars ** The White Dove ** Read in Roseau, Dominica (May 2022); in AirBnB library.

[Helene · Rating 3 out of 5]

A complex story and engrossing read. The dip into 1930’s Britain and Spain were eye opening, but a struggle to feel affinity for the protagonist, her family and her passions.

[Lysbeth Van Valkenburg-Lely · Rating 3 out of 5]

Leuk boek

[Pauline Bicknell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bit slow to get going. Enjoyable. Unputdownable as the story unfolded

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read

Great writer who tells a good story. Really cannot go wrong with any of her books. Always feel well researched with characters you can believe in

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pleasant read

[Denise B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too long and the ending was disappointing for me.

[Heather Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good solid Rosie Thomas saga. Tears and laughter and all in between. I enjoyed this book.

[Maureen BOOTH · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good read from Rosie Thomas. Spanish Civil War brought into story, and a love story without a happy ending.

[Mo]

For a time back in the 80’s & 90’s, my reading material of choice was frequently bodice rippers, historical fiction, and regency romances with a few contemporary best sellers thrown in for good measure. Most of them were pretty steamy (blush) &/or overly romantic, but I read them during a time in my life when I found myself as a single parent, and these books fit the bill. I found them to be highly entertaining.

I recently donated a slew of them, but I wanted to catalog them all the same. So if there is no rating here from me, it means that I don’t remember anything about the book other than I obviously read it. If there is a rating, it must have been in some way memorable for me.

I only wish that GoodReads had been around years ago so that I had some idea of the many books I have read – there were thousands! I did own a copy of this book, but most others came from the library because back then I could never have afforded the 100+ books I generally read in any given year.

And by the way, I still read bodice rippers – just not quite so many as I used to!

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

May favorite book EVER. It is set from World War I through the Spanish Civil War in England, Wales and Spain. I learned so much history from it, but the love story is compelling and heart-wrenching. I hated for it to end.

[LindyLouMac · Rating 3 out of 5]

http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/3...

I read this in 2007

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5/5

[Colin Mac · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good read, but not her most gripping. Took quite a while to get involved, but worth 3.5 stars by the end.

[Chris Parmenter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book

Fantastic couldn't put it down really enjoyed it highly recommend this book mist if her books are good please read this

[Dpic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful story telling.