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The Amazing Interlude
Set during World War I, The Amazing Interlude is a haunting romance and mystery story involving a young woman, Sara Lee, who joins the Red Cross, travels to Europe and finds her life changed forever.
MP3 CD
First published January 1, 1918
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About the author
Mary Roberts Rinehart
547 books424 followersMysteries of the well-known American writer Mary Roberts Rinehart include
The Circular Staircase
(1908) and
The Door
(1930).
People often called this prolific author the American version of Agatha Christie. She is considered the source of the phrase "The butler did it," though the exact phrase doesn't appear in her works, and she invented the "Had-I-But-Known" school of mystery writing.
Rinehart wrote hundreds of short stories, poems, travelogues, and special articles. Many of her books and plays were adapted for movies, such as The Bat (1926), The Bat Whispers (1930), and The Bat (1959). Critics most appreciated her murder mysteries.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Ro...
People often called this prolific author the American version of Agatha Christie. She is considered the source of the phrase "The butler did it," though the exact phrase doesn't appear in her works, and she invented the "Had-I-But-Known" school of mystery writing.
Rinehart wrote hundreds of short stories, poems, travelogues, and special articles. Many of her books and plays were adapted for movies, such as The Bat (1926), The Bat Whispers (1930), and The Bat (1959). Critics most appreciated her murder mysteries.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Ro...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
January 3, 2021
The prose style is special.
At the start, humorous innuendos abound. Humor is used to make the reader curious. Later it is the plot, the events that occur, which grab your interest. How will this end?
Mary Roberts Rinehart (1876 – 1958) was an American writer, often called the American Agatha Christie. Her first mystery novel was published fourteen years before Christie's first novel in 1920.
The prose, the tone of the novel, creates an atmosphere of enigma. The author is famed for her mysteries and while this is no conventional mystery, where who did what must be solved, it has nevertheless a mysterious feel to it. Possibilities are hinted at. You find yourself needing to find out what choices will be made.
Consider the word interlude in the title. What does this word say to you? Are we given a state of being that will continue, forever, or are we observing simply an interruption, a break from the norm?
Even the humor has the reader questioning how the words should be interpreted. What is said is not said outright.
This book is a mystery, a mystery of its own kind.
Answers to the questions asked become clear as one reaches the end.
The central character is Sara Lee Kennedy. She is nineteen, living with her aunt and uncle in what is today Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The starting date is December 20, 1914. The First World War has begun, but it will be several years before the United States joins. Her uncle dies, living accommodations must change. She has a steady boyfriend, he wants to marry, should she? And…….what about the war? How does she, how should she and how do others feel about that?
One can also classify this as a coming-of-age story. At the start Sara Lee is young and naïve; she has no idea of what she wants from life. She is not politically involved. She does not question the social mores of the day. Women get married, their job is to make their husbands’ lives neat and sweet.
One can classify this as a book of historical fiction too. Readers learn about the German occupation of Belgium during the war, the battles that ensued, the strategical flooding at the Belgian coast, the flight of King Albert I to that tiny portion of land kept in Belgian hands, the blockade at Dunkirk and Callais, the first time usage of gas and the suffering of the dying and wounded.
One can classify this as a love story too.
It is all of these things, written in a prose style that engages, that has the reader fervently looking for answers.
Is the story believable? I am convinced the events could unroll as they do.
The story told has you pondering different national traits—American, British, French and Belgian.
Laurie Klein narrates the audiobook marvelously. Seriously, the narration is fantastic. With a deft hand, no, I should say with a deft to tongue, she uses different dialects, different accents. Her pacing enables listeners to appreciate the humor, catch the hints and the subtleties implied in the writing. I have given the narration five stars.
Do try something by this author. You simply must experience, firsthand, how she writes. There is a mood created that is unique.
At the start, humorous innuendos abound. Humor is used to make the reader curious. Later it is the plot, the events that occur, which grab your interest. How will this end?
Mary Roberts Rinehart (1876 – 1958) was an American writer, often called the American Agatha Christie. Her first mystery novel was published fourteen years before Christie's first novel in 1920.
The prose, the tone of the novel, creates an atmosphere of enigma. The author is famed for her mysteries and while this is no conventional mystery, where who did what must be solved, it has nevertheless a mysterious feel to it. Possibilities are hinted at. You find yourself needing to find out what choices will be made.
Consider the word interlude in the title. What does this word say to you? Are we given a state of being that will continue, forever, or are we observing simply an interruption, a break from the norm?
Even the humor has the reader questioning how the words should be interpreted. What is said is not said outright.
This book is a mystery, a mystery of its own kind.
Answers to the questions asked become clear as one reaches the end.
The central character is Sara Lee Kennedy. She is nineteen, living with her aunt and uncle in what is today Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The starting date is December 20, 1914. The First World War has begun, but it will be several years before the United States joins. Her uncle dies, living accommodations must change. She has a steady boyfriend, he wants to marry, should she? And…….what about the war? How does she, how should she and how do others feel about that?
One can also classify this as a coming-of-age story. At the start Sara Lee is young and naïve; she has no idea of what she wants from life. She is not politically involved. She does not question the social mores of the day. Women get married, their job is to make their husbands’ lives neat and sweet.
One can classify this as a book of historical fiction too. Readers learn about the German occupation of Belgium during the war, the battles that ensued, the strategical flooding at the Belgian coast, the flight of King Albert I to that tiny portion of land kept in Belgian hands, the blockade at Dunkirk and Callais, the first time usage of gas and the suffering of the dying and wounded.
One can classify this as a love story too.
It is all of these things, written in a prose style that engages, that has the reader fervently looking for answers.
Is the story believable? I am convinced the events could unroll as they do.
The story told has you pondering different national traits—American, British, French and Belgian.
Laurie Klein narrates the audiobook marvelously. Seriously, the narration is fantastic. With a deft hand, no, I should say with a deft to tongue, she uses different dialects, different accents. Her pacing enables listeners to appreciate the humor, catch the hints and the subtleties implied in the writing. I have given the narration five stars.
Do try something by this author. You simply must experience, firsthand, how she writes. There is a mood created that is unique.
December 21, 2016
Sara Lee is a young woman who decides to serve in the Red Cross in Belgium during World War I taking care of wounded soldiers. As she serves she starts to understand that her life is in The Amazing Interlude that we all must pass through to find ourselves.
November 19, 2012
This book came to me through Project Gutenberg. I thank them especially for the work they do.
Sara Lee, a young American girl, went to the battlefront in France during WWI. There she started the little house of mercy where wounded soldiers found succor for a few hours each night. A young Allied spy used the little house and Sara to send messages to headquarters. Through the spy and Sara Lee, contrasts between nationalities were made. She was engaged to an American but fell in love with the spy. The once in a lifetime love they shared proved them both to be honorable and brave. Mrs. Rinehart's books have stood the test of time. She writes of things as pertinent today as they were in the early twentieth century. She had a command of language that never goes out of style.
Sara Lee, a young American girl, went to the battlefront in France during WWI. There she started the little house of mercy where wounded soldiers found succor for a few hours each night. A young Allied spy used the little house and Sara to send messages to headquarters. Through the spy and Sara Lee, contrasts between nationalities were made. She was engaged to an American but fell in love with the spy. The once in a lifetime love they shared proved them both to be honorable and brave. Mrs. Rinehart's books have stood the test of time. She writes of things as pertinent today as they were in the early twentieth century. She had a command of language that never goes out of style.
September 28, 2015
Romantic adventure story, but far more than just a romance. Sara Lee, who is more in love with her Fiancee's picture than his person, feels compelled to leave 1914 Pittsburgh and travel to war-torn Belgium. She raises a little money and then founds a soup kitchen just behind the Belgian trenches. She is assisted by a Belgian spy and his driver, a displaced nobleman.
The author was a war correspondent, and the scenes set in London and the front are very realistic. A bestseller in 1918, her tale is well written and paced. The main character learns that she is her own person, and this contrasts well with what society expects of her - quite different than today. Another comparison is made between the insular American politics and the European inevitability of their involvement.
I really enjoyed this book for those aspects and for the story itself. It puts a very human face on the early days of the Great War - Sara Lee and other characters feel compelled to serve. It is freely available on Project Gutenberg and an excellent audio recording is available from Librivox. I found this on my friend Michael's list of under appreciated female authors, and agree completely with him that this is a hidden gem. Recommended!
The author was a war correspondent, and the scenes set in London and the front are very realistic. A bestseller in 1918, her tale is well written and paced. The main character learns that she is her own person, and this contrasts well with what society expects of her - quite different than today. Another comparison is made between the insular American politics and the European inevitability of their involvement.
I really enjoyed this book for those aspects and for the story itself. It puts a very human face on the early days of the Great War - Sara Lee and other characters feel compelled to serve. It is freely available on Project Gutenberg and an excellent audio recording is available from Librivox. I found this on my friend Michael's list of under appreciated female authors, and agree completely with him that this is a hidden gem. Recommended!
May 13, 2016
It's so interesting reading a novel about World War 1 that was written around the same time, 1918! The Amazing Interlude by Mary Roberts Rinehart tells the story of a quiet, ordinary girl who has a niggling longing to do something that counts. But with a stubborn, bullish boyfriend and many odds stacked against her, will she be able to go where her heart belongs?
Though the writing style of these old books isn't my favorite (it's more narrative), I do love reading them once in awhile! There's something charming and classical about The Amazing Interlude and I quite enjoyed it! ^_^ War, struggles, tender romance, soldiers, spies, and searching out the heart's longings. An interesting and lovely little tale. If you enjoy old books and World War 1 historical romance, you should definitely give this novel a try!
Though the writing style of these old books isn't my favorite (it's more narrative), I do love reading them once in awhile! There's something charming and classical about The Amazing Interlude and I quite enjoyed it! ^_^ War, struggles, tender romance, soldiers, spies, and searching out the heart's longings. An interesting and lovely little tale. If you enjoy old books and World War 1 historical romance, you should definitely give this novel a try!
May 20, 2016
16 MAY 2016 - read online here -http://americanliterature.com/author/...
Available at Project Gutenberg here - http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1590
and Librivox, too.
I loved this book! Never underestimate the determination of a young woman with a plan!
Available at Project Gutenberg here - http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1590
and Librivox, too.
I loved this book! Never underestimate the determination of a young woman with a plan!
April 21, 2017
Well, I picked up this free-for-Kindle book by Mary Robert Rinehart because I really have enjoyed her mysteries. I didn't realize until I started reading, though, that this was not a mystery, but instead a romance, set during the early years of WW1. The protagonist, a brave, caring, and smart young girl named Sara Lee Kennedy, decides to leave her life behind in the USA to help at the front lines in Belgium, at a time when the German army had forced many Belgians into exile, and the war had already become stuck in the quagmire of trench warfare. Along the way, she meets a brave young Belgian soldier who becomes her constant companion, and helps lead her towards a new understanding of life and its Great Meaning.
In some ways, this novel is bittersweet, and in others it's joyful. The characters are constructed with greater depth than what I've read so far in Roberts's novels. They come alive, and their feelings and joys and sorrows all ring true and not forced. I do not read romance novels outside of the classics, and not even much fiction, but I came to love these characters most assuredly and wept more than once during the course of reading.
I would love to read a feminist critique of this book, as Sara Lee faces both the restrictions of the time on her sex, and the recriminations of breaking against them, as well. She is many things in this novel, but a common theme is the right of women to carve out their own destinies against the backdrop of traditional patriarchal society.
In her mysteries, Roberts loves to confound the reader with foreshadowing of things to come. She does the same here, although not as often, and not as maddeningly. We know that things will not always be good, but we're not exposed to that idea over and over again as we are in her mysteries. Roberts has a very clear and concise voice, and her prose is lovely to read without being too ornate.
I absolutely loved this book, which is something I don't say very often. I can't believe this has not been made into a film, because it has all the elements of a great cinematic drama. Roberts's descriptive scenes are wonderful, and makes the various locales come alive in a way that would be well represented onscreen.
Definitely recommended for anyone who loves a good love story set within a historical backdrop.
In some ways, this novel is bittersweet, and in others it's joyful. The characters are constructed with greater depth than what I've read so far in Roberts's novels. They come alive, and their feelings and joys and sorrows all ring true and not forced. I do not read romance novels outside of the classics, and not even much fiction, but I came to love these characters most assuredly and wept more than once during the course of reading.
I would love to read a feminist critique of this book, as Sara Lee faces both the restrictions of the time on her sex, and the recriminations of breaking against them, as well. She is many things in this novel, but a common theme is the right of women to carve out their own destinies against the backdrop of traditional patriarchal society.
In her mysteries, Roberts loves to confound the reader with foreshadowing of things to come. She does the same here, although not as often, and not as maddeningly. We know that things will not always be good, but we're not exposed to that idea over and over again as we are in her mysteries. Roberts has a very clear and concise voice, and her prose is lovely to read without being too ornate.
I absolutely loved this book, which is something I don't say very often. I can't believe this has not been made into a film, because it has all the elements of a great cinematic drama. Roberts's descriptive scenes are wonderful, and makes the various locales come alive in a way that would be well represented onscreen.
Definitely recommended for anyone who loves a good love story set within a historical backdrop.
March 25, 2014
What an amazing journey this novel is. Wildly improbably, ludicrously romanticized, but so heartfelt and absorbing nonetheless. I have really enjoyed discovering Mary Roberts Rinehart's works over the last few months, and I am amazed at the variety of writing she could do. Mystery, comedy, and this poignant romance. I know I will read this novel again and agonize with Sara Lee as she braves the dangers of war and falls in love with a man who is worthy of her.
July 13, 2020
4* The Circular Staircase
4* The Amazing Interlude
TR The Case of Jennie Brice
TR The Breaking Point
TR Through Glacier Park In 1915
TR The Man in Lower Ten (Miss Cornelia Van Gorder, #1)
TR The Bat (Miss Cornelia Van Gorder, #3)
TR When a Man Marries
Free download available at LibriVox.
A quite pleasant reading.
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1590
4* The Amazing Interlude
TR The Case of Jennie Brice
TR The Breaking Point
TR Through Glacier Park In 1915
TR The Man in Lower Ten (Miss Cornelia Van Gorder, #1)
TR The Bat (Miss Cornelia Van Gorder, #3)
TR When a Man Marries
Free download available at LibriVox.
A quite pleasant reading.
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1590
July 6, 2013
This was an interesting story of a young American woman who wanted to help the soldiers during WWI prior to US involvement. It is interesting to see how forward thinking she is in the care of others in traveling and helping near the front, but how in her personal life she is not. A slow start, but a surprisingly great read. I would recommend this book.
December 26, 2014
I loved this book. It was written around 1918 with the backdrop of World War 1. I could not put it down. It is also FREE on Gutenberg.org. Highly recommend.
December 14, 2018
I loved this book. I love the way the author captures the feelings and emotions of the characters, and the setting is described in such a way that it feels so real. One can almost hear the boom of the big guns in the distance and the shuffling tramp of weary and wounded men coming up the road.
Honestly, I was worried that I was to be disappointed because Saralie was so docile and un-rebellious; but things turned out fine. I did wish that there was a more complete and satisfying ending, but how much more satisfaction can be had during a war?
I felt sorry for Harvey. He had such potential. If he wasn't selfish, things might have been different for him. As it is, he's the one responsible for messing up his life. I wonder what he would do, now that he wasn't to have what he wanted; would he answer the call for help?
Henry was always a favourite name of mine, but it looks so much better spelled "Henri". I think Henri was very brave, very chivalrous, and very adorable, as was Jean and René. Harvey could never know what "foreign" men were like if he just sat at home; I'm sure if he did get out to the other side of the world and meet them, he would find them as respectful and respectable as himself (over even better).
Like Belle, I love Saralie for her admirable courage and her will to do something, no matter how small. I suppose one does not have to be a doctor or a nurse to help out during a war; one can cook and bake perhaps, and even learn how to bandage wounds and other first aid measures. That is comfort enough for the poor soldiers and much appreciated.
Although this book did not focus much on either the romance or the espionage (or the war, for that matter), it was one that tugs at the heartstrings and makes you want to just hug the characters into your heart. The result: I loved it.
Honestly, I was worried that I was to be disappointed because Saralie was so docile and un-rebellious; but things turned out fine. I did wish that there was a more complete and satisfying ending, but how much more satisfaction can be had during a war?
I felt sorry for Harvey. He had such potential. If he wasn't selfish, things might have been different for him. As it is, he's the one responsible for messing up his life. I wonder what he would do, now that he wasn't to have what he wanted; would he answer the call for help?
Henry was always a favourite name of mine, but it looks so much better spelled "Henri". I think Henri was very brave, very chivalrous, and very adorable, as was Jean and René. Harvey could never know what "foreign" men were like if he just sat at home; I'm sure if he did get out to the other side of the world and meet them, he would find them as respectful and respectable as himself (over even better).
Like Belle, I love Saralie for her admirable courage and her will to do something, no matter how small. I suppose one does not have to be a doctor or a nurse to help out during a war; one can cook and bake perhaps, and even learn how to bandage wounds and other first aid measures. That is comfort enough for the poor soldiers and much appreciated.
Although this book did not focus much on either the romance or the espionage (or the war, for that matter), it was one that tugs at the heartstrings and makes you want to just hug the characters into your heart. The result: I loved it.
September 26, 2009
An innocent and true young woman, Sara Lee, propelled by a sense of service, leaves her comfortable life and her fiancé Harvey in Pennsylvania to open a soup kitchen on the front in Belgium during World War I. There she meets a mysterious Belgian officer who aids her in her endeavor and in doing so falls in love with her.
A bestseller in 1918, The Amazing Interlude was based on Rinehart’s experiences as a war correspondent, so the scenes in London and war-torn Belgium are authentic. For a modern reader, what we learn incidentally about World War I is a bonus to this otherwise enchanting romance.
What was surprising about this book, to me, is that it's really more than the romantic story it's billed as. It's about a woman's growing awareness, despite society's norms, that she is her own person and needs to make her own decisions and not do what is expected.
A bestseller in 1918, The Amazing Interlude was based on Rinehart’s experiences as a war correspondent, so the scenes in London and war-torn Belgium are authentic. For a modern reader, what we learn incidentally about World War I is a bonus to this otherwise enchanting romance.
What was surprising about this book, to me, is that it's really more than the romantic story it's billed as. It's about a woman's growing awareness, despite society's norms, that she is her own person and needs to make her own decisions and not do what is expected.
December 8, 2020
I love love LOVED this book.
Setting: WW1
A young, rather naive American woman leaves her fiance behind to tend a soup kitchen for the men on the front in France.
While in London getting her affairs in order she comes under the care of a mysterious Belgian soldier who takes it upon himself to get her across to France safely. It becomes clear over time that he is involved in military intelligence; who he is and what he does she never quite knows and he can't tell, but a romance of the very angsty kind ensues.
Then her fiance calls her home...
This would make an amazing movie but I don't want that to happen because they would ruin it. So enjoy as is. Well worth the read!
Setting: WW1
A young, rather naive American woman leaves her fiance behind to tend a soup kitchen for the men on the front in France.
While in London getting her affairs in order she comes under the care of a mysterious Belgian soldier who takes it upon himself to get her across to France safely. It becomes clear over time that he is involved in military intelligence; who he is and what he does she never quite knows and he can't tell, but a romance of the very angsty kind ensues.
Then her fiance calls her home...
This would make an amazing movie but I don't want that to happen because they would ruin it. So enjoy as is. Well worth the read!
April 30, 2025
2011: A hidden gem, this book deserves to be much better known. As a book about the First World War, it makes an important counterpoint to the likes of All Quiet on the Western Front. Rinehart's simple, straightforward prose anticipates Hemingway in its cleanness of line. Real moral quandaries faced by real people! A terrific surprise of a book.
2025: OK, I might have oversold it a bit.
2025: OK, I might have oversold it a bit.
June 16, 2012
After a slow start I really got into this book. I wanted the heroine to stand up for herself more and so I had to keep reminding myself that's how women were back then.
December 12, 2023
I checked out this WWI historical fiction (slash) romance as an audiobook through LIBBY. It was beautifully narrated by Shelly Frasier. The author doesn’t take a wrong step; from newspaper articles, to bombs dropping, shipping blockades, stowing away, spies… somehow the novel moves very quickly from an idea to reality and an innocent girl is suddenly in harms way.
The story begins in Pennsylvania with an attractive 19 year old American named Sara Lee Kennedy. She’s been living comfortably with her aunt and uncle, but abruptly finds herself having to consider other options upon her uncle’s unexpected death. Under the circumstances, she accepts a proposal from an American who has been pursuing her for awhile. She isn’t in love, but it was a sensible decision and he would be a good provider.
Sara Lee and her uncle had been interested in the news of the war in Belgium from the beginning. Her uncle had brought up the possibility of adopting a war orphan and lamented that he was not 20 years younger. After he dies she developed an unusual preoccupation about how she might be of service to the war effort. Her fiancé, Harvey, shows little interest in the war (aside from the stock market) as America is not yet involved, but she joins the Red Cross as a volunteer. He tries to dissuade her, but she is determined.
With the promise of a small monthly stipend arranged by the Methodist Ladies' Aid Society, a box of recipes from local housewives, ten days worth of French lessons, and the well wishes from her community, Sara Lee proceeds alone to London. She has no nursing skills, but she is sincere in her desire to help anyway and she soon catches the attention of a young Bulgarian Army officer. His name is Henri and he arranges to sneak her into the war zone behind the Belgian trenches. He then assists her in locating a small house (conveniently along a line of communication) near the front lines, where she sets up a care facility using the donations from the American charity and scanty local resources.
The young officer turns out to be an important and ingenious spy who is also a personal friend of the king. He and a network of friends and agents keep an eye on her as she operates what is locally referred to as “The Mercy House”. She is quite successful even though she eventually begins to use up her own savings to provide the minimum services needed by the soldiers.
From the beginning, there has been a definite connection between Sara Lee and Henri. They seem to be kindred spirits in their passion for the war effort, however she is only vaguely aware of his various clandestine activities. Despite keeping Harvey’s picture on the mantel and referring to him as her fiancé, she begins to develop feelings for the young officer who is hopelessly in love with her.
After several months, a letter to the donors containing updates from Sara Lee’s activities at The Mercy House, including a photo and a request for increased funding makes it to America. Harvey uses it to convince the ladies charity to recall her. Sara Lee regretfully comes home and tries to make a life with Harvey, although there are resentments on both sides. Unable to get any news of Henri, or confide with anybody about her war experiences and concerns, she breaks things off with her fiancé, liquidates her remaining assets, and returns to Bulgaria. The little house is still standing and she is welcomed back where she belongs, however Henri is missing and presumed lost after an illness and being wounded. She picks up where she left off, throwing herself into her work with the soup kitchen and casualty services. Eventually she is happily reunited with Henri. The “interlude” continues on.
The story begins in Pennsylvania with an attractive 19 year old American named Sara Lee Kennedy. She’s been living comfortably with her aunt and uncle, but abruptly finds herself having to consider other options upon her uncle’s unexpected death. Under the circumstances, she accepts a proposal from an American who has been pursuing her for awhile. She isn’t in love, but it was a sensible decision and he would be a good provider.
Sara Lee and her uncle had been interested in the news of the war in Belgium from the beginning. Her uncle had brought up the possibility of adopting a war orphan and lamented that he was not 20 years younger. After he dies she developed an unusual preoccupation about how she might be of service to the war effort. Her fiancé, Harvey, shows little interest in the war (aside from the stock market) as America is not yet involved, but she joins the Red Cross as a volunteer. He tries to dissuade her, but she is determined.
With the promise of a small monthly stipend arranged by the Methodist Ladies' Aid Society, a box of recipes from local housewives, ten days worth of French lessons, and the well wishes from her community, Sara Lee proceeds alone to London. She has no nursing skills, but she is sincere in her desire to help anyway and she soon catches the attention of a young Bulgarian Army officer. His name is Henri and he arranges to sneak her into the war zone behind the Belgian trenches. He then assists her in locating a small house (conveniently along a line of communication) near the front lines, where she sets up a care facility using the donations from the American charity and scanty local resources.
The young officer turns out to be an important and ingenious spy who is also a personal friend of the king. He and a network of friends and agents keep an eye on her as she operates what is locally referred to as “The Mercy House”. She is quite successful even though she eventually begins to use up her own savings to provide the minimum services needed by the soldiers.
From the beginning, there has been a definite connection between Sara Lee and Henri. They seem to be kindred spirits in their passion for the war effort, however she is only vaguely aware of his various clandestine activities. Despite keeping Harvey’s picture on the mantel and referring to him as her fiancé, she begins to develop feelings for the young officer who is hopelessly in love with her.
After several months, a letter to the donors containing updates from Sara Lee’s activities at The Mercy House, including a photo and a request for increased funding makes it to America. Harvey uses it to convince the ladies charity to recall her. Sara Lee regretfully comes home and tries to make a life with Harvey, although there are resentments on both sides. Unable to get any news of Henri, or confide with anybody about her war experiences and concerns, she breaks things off with her fiancé, liquidates her remaining assets, and returns to Bulgaria. The little house is still standing and she is welcomed back where she belongs, however Henri is missing and presumed lost after an illness and being wounded. She picks up where she left off, throwing herself into her work with the soup kitchen and casualty services. Eventually she is happily reunited with Henri. The “interlude” continues on.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 23, 2013
I first read this book about 45 years ago, and it has always been one of my favorites. I liked it when I was young for the romance, and then later for the history both of the first world war and of the social norms of the time, and lately I appreciate the subtle way the author taught women of that rather repressive era that they must not sit back and allow men to determine their futures for them--especially not men whose ideas of what women should do is extremely limited. This novel was written when the author returned from visiting the front lines of the war in Belgium and France, and her knowledge is translated into an immediacy that is truly gripping. The setting is very early in the war--within the first year anyway, and before poison gas had started to be used. The hero and heroine are idealized, but there are characters with flaws aplenty. The seamier side of society gets a mention, but since the heroine has been sheltered enough not to recognize it, we don't see it clearly either. Enjoy this visit to a world long gone, for this book is a sort of time machine, transporting you to a vivid place and time.
January 7, 2016
Absolutely loved it! Poignant, sensitive, and compelling story of a naive American girl who wants to make a difference in her world and a young Belgian soldier who recognizes her innocence and strives to assist and protect her as she travels to the Belgian Front during WWI. Modern novels don't have such sweet, touching characters anymore. A beautiful period piece of a world that was once gracious before ripped apart by war.
May 14, 2013
Sara Lee, touched by the suffering endured by WWI sOldiers seeks opportunity to go to Europe with the Red Cross to set up a soup kitchen much to her fiance's dismay. Whilst there she meets a Belgian spy and this becomes the interlude in her life...
Read online here:http://www.americanliterature.com/aut...
Read online here:http://www.americanliterature.com/aut...
July 25, 2012
What a delightful surprise. This is the first non-mystery of Rinehart's I have read. I love its whimsical style and its simple yet profound look at life during the "war to end all wars" before the US got involved.
October 23, 2014
This is the story of a young woman who confronts her fears and learns to stand for her principles. It is a tale of a woman's liberation woven into the drama of the Great War. The writing is equal to any of Rinehart's other works.
February 7, 2015
In WWI an American girl travels to the front in Belgium, where she learns the meaning of love, life, and sacrifice.
April 22, 2011
A gentle story about sacrifice in WWI that leads to an unexpected (at least to me) but completely believable output. One of my all time favorite stories.
December 16, 2016
This book was sentimental and a little unbelievable, but well written and perfectly calculated to hit me in all my weak spots. Loved it.
November 17, 2023
Listed as one of the most popular books of 1918, this tale of a young American girl named Sara Lee, who travels to Belgium out of a desire to help when Germany tries to invade, has heart and depth.
Sara Lee lives a quiet life. When her longtime boyfriend, Harvey, proposes, she sees peace and security in a stable future and accepts. However, as she learns more about the war and the threatened invasion of Belgium, she decides that she wants to help. Harvey is dumbfounded when she postpones their wedding and heads overseas.
In a chance encounter, she meets a mysterious man named Henri. When she tells him that she wants nothing more than to go to the front and make soup for the men in the trenches, he makes plans to help her, setting the stage for this wonderful historical romance.
Sara Lee’s sense of moral values and loyalty is at play throughout the story. It is thought provoking and well written.
4 stars.
Sara Lee lives a quiet life. When her longtime boyfriend, Harvey, proposes, she sees peace and security in a stable future and accepts. However, as she learns more about the war and the threatened invasion of Belgium, she decides that she wants to help. Harvey is dumbfounded when she postpones their wedding and heads overseas.
In a chance encounter, she meets a mysterious man named Henri. When she tells him that she wants nothing more than to go to the front and make soup for the men in the trenches, he makes plans to help her, setting the stage for this wonderful historical romance.
Sara Lee’s sense of moral values and loyalty is at play throughout the story. It is thought provoking and well written.
4 stars.
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December 8, 2019This is the kind of book nobody writes any more, but if you like sweet, old-fashioned romances about brave men and good-hearted women trying to make sense of their feelings against a sweeping backdrop of global conflict, then the story of courageous Sara Lee and Henri, the war hero who loves her, is for you. I read it three times back to back. Loved it.
November 10, 2021
Amazing surprising and lovely. Hoopla via dpl
February 20, 2025
An incredibly amazing story. Emotional, brilliant and above all relevant in today's world centered on Trump's dystopia.
August 20, 2025
"you cannot do all the kind work of the world, but you can do your part"
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