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I'll Be Seeing You #1
Home Front Girls
Dear Glory,
Loneliness is built into the fabric of this war, isn’t it? I say a little prayer before I stick my hand in the mailbox. The “Rockport, Massachusetts” stamp on the front of an envelope means the clouds will part, revealing a brilliant sun….
It’s January 1943 when Rita Vincenzo receives her first letter from Glory Whitehall. Glory is an effervescent young mother from New England, impulsive and free as a bird. Rita is a Midwestern professor’s wife with a love of gardening and a generous, old soul. These two women have nothing in common except one powerful the men they love are fighting in a war a world away from home.
Brought together by an unlikely twist of fate, Glory and Rita begin a remarkable correspondence. The friendship forged by their letters allows them to survive the loneliness and uncertainty of waiting on the home front, and gives them the courage to face the battles raging in their very own backyards. Connected across the country by the lifeline of the written word, each woman finds her life profoundly altered by the other’s unwavering support.
Filled with unforgettable characters and unbridled charm, Home Front Girls is a timeless celebration of the strength and solidarity of women. It is a luminous reminder that even in the darkest of times, true friendship will carry us through.
Previously published as I’LL BE SEEING YOU.
Loneliness is built into the fabric of this war, isn’t it? I say a little prayer before I stick my hand in the mailbox. The “Rockport, Massachusetts” stamp on the front of an envelope means the clouds will part, revealing a brilliant sun….
It’s January 1943 when Rita Vincenzo receives her first letter from Glory Whitehall. Glory is an effervescent young mother from New England, impulsive and free as a bird. Rita is a Midwestern professor’s wife with a love of gardening and a generous, old soul. These two women have nothing in common except one powerful the men they love are fighting in a war a world away from home.
Brought together by an unlikely twist of fate, Glory and Rita begin a remarkable correspondence. The friendship forged by their letters allows them to survive the loneliness and uncertainty of waiting on the home front, and gives them the courage to face the battles raging in their very own backyards. Connected across the country by the lifeline of the written word, each woman finds her life profoundly altered by the other’s unwavering support.
Filled with unforgettable characters and unbridled charm, Home Front Girls is a timeless celebration of the strength and solidarity of women. It is a luminous reminder that even in the darkest of times, true friendship will carry us through.
Previously published as I’LL BE SEEING YOU.
329 pages, Paperback
First published May 28, 2013
225 people are currently reading
16369 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 971 reviews
January 19, 2013
I have to be honest with you, Goodreads readers.... I wrote this book with Loretta Nyhan. But Goodreads does not have a PEN NAME function yet. So of course, my review is biased! But hey, if you don't LOVE your novels, how do you expect others to love them? :) ~Suzanne Palmieri (Suzanne Hayes)
March 18, 2022
I loved this book! Set during WWII on the home front, Rita and Glory start exchanging letters. On the service they couldn’t be more different. Glory is a young wife with small children from New England. Rita is a mature woman with her husband and son off to war who lives in Iowa. They will make you laugh, bring a tear to your eye and even frustrate you. They are both perfectly imperfect. Through it all, they remain committed to each other and create this amazing friendship. They were blessed to find each other.
Does anyone know why the book title changed from “I’ll Be Seeing You” to “Home Front Girls”?
Does anyone know why the book title changed from “I’ll Be Seeing You” to “Home Front Girls”?
May 21, 2013
Originally posted at Novel Idea Reviews
RATING: 3.5/5
I don’t know what it is, but I usually find myself liking books told through letters. I think it’s an especially good medium for historical fiction; it works like a charm for The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society, for example, and that’s one of my favorite reads (and re-reads) ever. There’s something about letters back and forth that makes a story so much more personal. It’s a quality that I think is becoming steadily overwhelmed in a world where snail mail isn’t anyone’s primary method of communication any more. But I’ve had pen pals my entire life, and finding a letter in the mailbox is still a lot like Christmas for me. That’s why it was easy for me to appreciate the easy warmth of the friendship between Rita and Glory, and although it lacked the magic of Guernsey, I still found it to be an enjoyable read.
One of the best things about this story being told in letters is the fact that the book itself was actually also written through letters. The authors are long distance friends and pen pals who decided to write something together, and it all began with one letter written in character. This letter prompted a response, and so on, until the whole story just unfolded. As of the interview in the last few pages of the ARC, the authors had never met in person. For me, this explained why the letters between Rita and Glory felt so authentic; they really were letters, and they have the feel of being an extended conversation back and forth. Layers of the two women’s separate lives are peeled back a little more with every opened envelope.
I loved that the authors mentioned that this book is very much about waiting. Both Rita and Glory are wives left on the home front while their husbands are shipped out to fight a war, and they both feel more than a little bit isolated as a result. There are many differences between them — Rita is old enough to be Glory’s mother; Glory is the mother of two young children while Rita has a grown son also fighting overseas; Rita is pragmatic and fairly set in her ways, while Glory is young and impressionable. Even so, I liked their unconventional friendship. I also really liked Rita as a character. I loved that she was outspoken and wise, that she was so keen to dispense advice but willing to learn new things at the same time. She had a strong personality and neither denied it or feared it.
Um… but I didn’t like Glory. I wanted to. I really hoped she would grow on me as the story went on, and that she would grow into herself, but by the time the book ended I was still pretty frustrated with her. I was well and truly annoyed. She makes some crazy stupid decisions, and I don’t really like to excuse them with the fact that she’s young because I feel like that kind of insults all the rest of us who are young as well. Being young doesn’t mean it’s okay for you to follow through on ridiculous, hurtful choices. I thought she was selfish and flighty and I hated the little love triangle she created for herself because all along, it was clear to me that she could have stopped all the drama from happening. It frustrated me that Glory constantly bemoaned what an idiot she was being and yet DID NOTHING ABOUT IT. She makes some very selfish, ultimately damaging choices and I began to suspect that she just really liked the drama too much to let it go and live a peaceful life. (Sorry, I’m being vague on purpose because I don’t want to spoil the story! Suffice it to say that Glory ticked me off throughout.)
Overall, I liked it very much and I walked away from it with a good feeling. Mostly because of Rita, and because Rita’s story in particular was so satisfying. Rita is the character that probably needs the least amount of development — Glory needs development in spades — and yet it’s Rita who seemed to grow the most by the end of the story. I chose to focus on her because Glory was making me absolutely cross-eyed with fury. The only other character who pissed me off as much was Levi, and that was also directly related to her.
I’ll Be Seeing You was a bit predictable, but thankfully populated with characters that were fleshed out and felt real. Again, being told in letters really added depth and dimension. Because it’s set during WWII, I found myself holding my breath while turning the pages, just waiting for a telegram bringing bad news or a letter confirming the worst. There were many moments that were truly heartwarming and illustrated the power of friendship to pull you through pain, sorrow, and regret. I’d still recommend The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society over this one, but it’s a quick, light read that is both hopeful and optimistic. If you have a best friend, it will make you want to run over and hug her, wherever she might be. If you don’t have a best friend, you’ll ache to have one. Personally, it made me want to write a letter.
RATING: 3.5/5
I don’t know what it is, but I usually find myself liking books told through letters. I think it’s an especially good medium for historical fiction; it works like a charm for The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society, for example, and that’s one of my favorite reads (and re-reads) ever. There’s something about letters back and forth that makes a story so much more personal. It’s a quality that I think is becoming steadily overwhelmed in a world where snail mail isn’t anyone’s primary method of communication any more. But I’ve had pen pals my entire life, and finding a letter in the mailbox is still a lot like Christmas for me. That’s why it was easy for me to appreciate the easy warmth of the friendship between Rita and Glory, and although it lacked the magic of Guernsey, I still found it to be an enjoyable read.
One of the best things about this story being told in letters is the fact that the book itself was actually also written through letters. The authors are long distance friends and pen pals who decided to write something together, and it all began with one letter written in character. This letter prompted a response, and so on, until the whole story just unfolded. As of the interview in the last few pages of the ARC, the authors had never met in person. For me, this explained why the letters between Rita and Glory felt so authentic; they really were letters, and they have the feel of being an extended conversation back and forth. Layers of the two women’s separate lives are peeled back a little more with every opened envelope.
I loved that the authors mentioned that this book is very much about waiting. Both Rita and Glory are wives left on the home front while their husbands are shipped out to fight a war, and they both feel more than a little bit isolated as a result. There are many differences between them — Rita is old enough to be Glory’s mother; Glory is the mother of two young children while Rita has a grown son also fighting overseas; Rita is pragmatic and fairly set in her ways, while Glory is young and impressionable. Even so, I liked their unconventional friendship. I also really liked Rita as a character. I loved that she was outspoken and wise, that she was so keen to dispense advice but willing to learn new things at the same time. She had a strong personality and neither denied it or feared it.
Um… but I didn’t like Glory. I wanted to. I really hoped she would grow on me as the story went on, and that she would grow into herself, but by the time the book ended I was still pretty frustrated with her. I was well and truly annoyed. She makes some crazy stupid decisions, and I don’t really like to excuse them with the fact that she’s young because I feel like that kind of insults all the rest of us who are young as well. Being young doesn’t mean it’s okay for you to follow through on ridiculous, hurtful choices. I thought she was selfish and flighty and I hated the little love triangle she created for herself because all along, it was clear to me that she could have stopped all the drama from happening. It frustrated me that Glory constantly bemoaned what an idiot she was being and yet DID NOTHING ABOUT IT. She makes some very selfish, ultimately damaging choices and I began to suspect that she just really liked the drama too much to let it go and live a peaceful life. (Sorry, I’m being vague on purpose because I don’t want to spoil the story! Suffice it to say that Glory ticked me off throughout.)
Overall, I liked it very much and I walked away from it with a good feeling. Mostly because of Rita, and because Rita’s story in particular was so satisfying. Rita is the character that probably needs the least amount of development — Glory needs development in spades — and yet it’s Rita who seemed to grow the most by the end of the story. I chose to focus on her because Glory was making me absolutely cross-eyed with fury. The only other character who pissed me off as much was Levi, and that was also directly related to her.
I’ll Be Seeing You was a bit predictable, but thankfully populated with characters that were fleshed out and felt real. Again, being told in letters really added depth and dimension. Because it’s set during WWII, I found myself holding my breath while turning the pages, just waiting for a telegram bringing bad news or a letter confirming the worst. There were many moments that were truly heartwarming and illustrated the power of friendship to pull you through pain, sorrow, and regret. I’d still recommend The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society over this one, but it’s a quick, light read that is both hopeful and optimistic. If you have a best friend, it will make you want to run over and hug her, wherever she might be. If you don’t have a best friend, you’ll ache to have one. Personally, it made me want to write a letter.
December 25, 2019
A wonderful book written in letters between two women who become pen pals during WWII. We learn about their secrets, feelings, family and more. The story seems plausible. I do wish it would have ended a little differently.
March 13, 2021
This was a great book. Wonderful exploration of WWII on the home front. Two women become pen pals which helps them to survive and deal with their love ones on the battlefield. Their letters help them to deal with deaths, loneliness and fear. They have a friendship that is one of a kind and will last for eternity. Each letter creates a stronger bond between the two women. They console each other in times of tragedy from across the country by words on paper. They have the war and gardening of herbs and sunflowers in common. They trade recipes and gifts. A must read.
September 19, 2015
4,5/5
Une si belle histoire, si touchante, qui m'a fait refermer le livre avec des larmes d'émotion et d'espoir sur les joues.
Une si belle histoire, si touchante, qui m'a fait refermer le livre avec des larmes d'émotion et d'espoir sur les joues.
October 18, 2015
Je viens de le refermer.. Mes larmes coulent encore.. Ce roman est vraiment bouleversant.. Sans doute celui qui m'a le plus émue jusqu'ici.. Rita & Glory vont horriblement me manquer.. D'ailleurs, elles me manquent déjà.. Un livre merveilleux qui me laissera un souvenir impérissable... ❤️❤️❤️
January 1, 2018
good writer of this book loved it.
November 30, 2016
J’ai trouvé le démarrage un peu lent rapidement compensé par le très bon équilibre de ce roman épistolaire.
Dans le fond, les lettres sont parfois courtes et parfois longues, parfois légères et parfois graves ; elles évoquent aussi bien recettes de cuisine, intimité des secrets du coeur, confidences de voisinage, conseils de jardinage, profondeur de la solitude, etc.
Dans la forme, les échanges entre Glory et Rita s’intercalent avec les V-mails aux soldats (Robert, Toby & Sal), les courriers avec Roylène, les diverses missives non envoyées…
Le passage d’une lettre à l’autre est fluide, on ne s’ennuie jamais.
J’ai appris 1001 choses sur la vie des épouses de soldats américains durant la seconde guerre mondiale : V-mails, recyclage, censure, effort de guerre, permissions, tickets de rationnement, USO, étoiles dorées, traduction des lettres de prisonniers, etc.
Il y a une vraie crédibilité dans l’évolution personnelle des protagonistes (principaux comme secondaires) et je me suis ainsi attachée en profondeur à Roylene, Rita, Glory et les autres : leurs joies et leurs peines sont devenues les miennes et j’ai plusieurs fois été émue aux larmes…
J’ai beaucoup apprécié la transformation progressive de cette correspondance anonyme et légère en amitié profonde, bienveillante et sans jugement.
Mon seul souci avec ce livre, anodin au début mais qui a fini par devenir assez perturbant, concerne la compréhension de la qualification de certains faits ou sentiments par les personnages. Est-ce un souci dans la traduction ?
Par exemple, pourquoi une telle "honte" de Rita lors du "funeste" dîner avec Charlie et Irène ? de quelles "pensées honteuses" (p.76) parle-t-elle le lendemain ? comment peut-on qualifier un hôtel de "miteux" et ensuite décrire l’"adorable" chambre (p.294) ? etc. De la même manière, disputes, réconciliations et insultes entre Rita et Mme K. m’ont souvent laissé interloquée !
Ce n’est pas un problème fondamental, mais il a gêné mon ressenti (sur les réactions et la cohérence des protagonistes) trop régulièrement pour que je puisse l’occulter.
Les dernières pages, touchantes, laissent une porte ouverte pour imaginer une jolie fin optimiste. Un roman "feel good" sur la force de l’amitié, le féminisme, le courage, la solidarité et l’extraordinaire capacité humaine à transcender ses propres faiblesses.
Citations
"Il n'y a rien de mal à être romantique, Glory. Cela signifie seulement que vous voyez le monde à travers un filtre plus tendre."
"L'absence est un vide lancinant qui refuse de vous lâcher. Comme une écharde qu'on ne peut pas enlever. Un mal de dents qui vous élance. La douleur est là, qui me guette."
"Je me libère de ton absence. De cette soif que je n'ai jamais pu étancher de ton vivant. Je me libère de l'idée que je peux encore te plaire ou te mécontenter. De la terrible angoisse que j'éprouve à la pensée de te ressembler un jour. Et aussi de ne jamais y parvenir."
Dans le fond, les lettres sont parfois courtes et parfois longues, parfois légères et parfois graves ; elles évoquent aussi bien recettes de cuisine, intimité des secrets du coeur, confidences de voisinage, conseils de jardinage, profondeur de la solitude, etc.
Dans la forme, les échanges entre Glory et Rita s’intercalent avec les V-mails aux soldats (Robert, Toby & Sal), les courriers avec Roylène, les diverses missives non envoyées…
Le passage d’une lettre à l’autre est fluide, on ne s’ennuie jamais.
J’ai appris 1001 choses sur la vie des épouses de soldats américains durant la seconde guerre mondiale : V-mails, recyclage, censure, effort de guerre, permissions, tickets de rationnement, USO, étoiles dorées, traduction des lettres de prisonniers, etc.
Il y a une vraie crédibilité dans l’évolution personnelle des protagonistes (principaux comme secondaires) et je me suis ainsi attachée en profondeur à Roylene, Rita, Glory et les autres : leurs joies et leurs peines sont devenues les miennes et j’ai plusieurs fois été émue aux larmes…
J’ai beaucoup apprécié la transformation progressive de cette correspondance anonyme et légère en amitié profonde, bienveillante et sans jugement.
Mon seul souci avec ce livre, anodin au début mais qui a fini par devenir assez perturbant, concerne la compréhension de la qualification de certains faits ou sentiments par les personnages. Est-ce un souci dans la traduction ?
Par exemple, pourquoi une telle "honte" de Rita lors du "funeste" dîner avec Charlie et Irène ? de quelles "pensées honteuses" (p.76) parle-t-elle le lendemain ? comment peut-on qualifier un hôtel de "miteux" et ensuite décrire l’"adorable" chambre (p.294) ? etc. De la même manière, disputes, réconciliations et insultes entre Rita et Mme K. m’ont souvent laissé interloquée !
Ce n’est pas un problème fondamental, mais il a gêné mon ressenti (sur les réactions et la cohérence des protagonistes) trop régulièrement pour que je puisse l’occulter.
Les dernières pages, touchantes, laissent une porte ouverte pour imaginer une jolie fin optimiste. Un roman "feel good" sur la force de l’amitié, le féminisme, le courage, la solidarité et l’extraordinaire capacité humaine à transcender ses propres faiblesses.
Citations
"Il n'y a rien de mal à être romantique, Glory. Cela signifie seulement que vous voyez le monde à travers un filtre plus tendre."
"L'absence est un vide lancinant qui refuse de vous lâcher. Comme une écharde qu'on ne peut pas enlever. Un mal de dents qui vous élance. La douleur est là, qui me guette."
"Je me libère de ton absence. De cette soif que je n'ai jamais pu étancher de ton vivant. Je me libère de l'idée que je peux encore te plaire ou te mécontenter. De la terrible angoisse que j'éprouve à la pensée de te ressembler un jour. Et aussi de ne jamais y parvenir."
October 22, 2014
I was drawn into this story by the emotional warmth of the two women who corresponded by mail during World War II. Matched as pen pals, Glory, the Massachusetts mother of two young children, begins corresponding with Rita, a woman twenty years older in Iowa. They were both worried about the military men they loved--Glory's husband and Rita's husband and son. The two women laugh and cry, ask advice, and offer emotional support. Women in their hometowns grouped together to roll bandages, knit socks, talk about women's rights, and serve refreshments to soldiers. Some women took over the jobs left vacant by the men joining the military. Rita and Glory both grew victory gardens, and added sunflowers for some emotional sunshine. There were days when they were overcome with fear for their men, and people dreaded the sight of the telegraph delivery boy walking up their street. Temptations also existed for the lonely women with their husbands far away. Some women with German heritages also had to worry about others looking down on them with disrespect.
The two authors of this book have never met, and wrote the first draft of the book together by e-mail correspondence. Suzanne Hayes wrote the letters from Glory and her Massachusetts family, as well as some poetry. Loretta Nylan wrote the correspondence from Rita and her family and Iowa friends. The early letters come across as genuine letters. By the end of the book, quite a bit of dialogue was included in the letters, giving the book a more intimate feeling. "I'll Be Seeing You" tells about hardship and friendship. The engaging characters, and interesting home front history kept me reading late into the night.
Since rationing was in effect during World War II, book clubs might find it fun to use one of the wartime recipes for refreshments at their meetings. Sugar was rationed so molasses, honey, maple syrup, and corn syrup were substituted in the recipes for baked goods.
The two authors of this book have never met, and wrote the first draft of the book together by e-mail correspondence. Suzanne Hayes wrote the letters from Glory and her Massachusetts family, as well as some poetry. Loretta Nylan wrote the correspondence from Rita and her family and Iowa friends. The early letters come across as genuine letters. By the end of the book, quite a bit of dialogue was included in the letters, giving the book a more intimate feeling. "I'll Be Seeing You" tells about hardship and friendship. The engaging characters, and interesting home front history kept me reading late into the night.
Since rationing was in effect during World War II, book clubs might find it fun to use one of the wartime recipes for refreshments at their meetings. Sugar was rationed so molasses, honey, maple syrup, and corn syrup were substituted in the recipes for baked goods.
December 17, 2015
Après une carrière de journaliste, Loretta Nyhan se consacre désormais à l'enseignement de sciences humaines ainsi qu'à l'écriture. Petites Recettes de bonheur pour les temps difficiles, coécrit avec Suzanne Hayes, est son premier roman. Auteur d'un premier ouvrage, The Witch of Little Italy, Suzanne Hayes vit avec son mari et ses trois filles à New Haven, dans le Connecticut. Après s'être rencontrées via le blog de Loretta, les deux femmes ont fait le pari fou de coécrire une œuvre sans jamais se rencontrer (jusqu'à la publication), à la manière de leurs personnages.
États-Unis, années 1940. Glory, enceinte et déjà mère d'un petit garçon, souffre de l'absence de son mari, parti au front, de l'autre côté de l'Atlantique. À des centaines de kilomètres d'elle, Rita, femme et mère de soldat également, n'a pour compagnie que la fiancée de son fils. Une lettre, envoyée comme une bouteille à la mer, va les réunir. Entre inconnues, on peut tout se dire. Recettes pour lutter contre la morosité, conseils de jardinage, échange de confidences, de potins de voisinage et de secrets plus intimes... Unies par un inébranlable optimisme, Glory et Rita vont partager une intense complicité épistolaire et comprendre que même dans les temps les plus difficiles, ce sont les toutes petites joies qui font que le bonheur finit toujours par trouver son chemin...
En voilà un roman qui fait du bien ! Dans un style simple et accessible à tous les lecteurs, Loretta Nyhan et Suzanne Hayes nous régalent de la correspondance chaleureuse et optimiste de Rita et Glory. Véritable tour de force littéraire, Petites recettes de bonheur pour les temps difficiles est un roman épistolaire écrit à quatre mains, à la fois grave mais aussi plein d'humour et enjoué, que l'on regrette presque de terminer. Les personnages sont si attachants, si émouvants, et la forme épistolaire tellement authentique et sincère que l'on ne peut tout simplement pas s'empêcher de tourner les pages ! On se prend très facilement au jeu de cette improbable correspondance et on se surprend même à attendre fébrilement des nouvelles de Glory et Rita comme s'il s'agissait réellement de véritables amies !
Rempli de sentiments nobles, qu'il s'agisse d'amour, d'humour ou d'amitié, Petites recettes de bonheur pour les temps difficiles, est un petit roman parfait se détendre et tout oublier ! Un «feel good book» tout tendre et plein d'humanité, à lire et à faire lire sans hésiter !
États-Unis, années 1940. Glory, enceinte et déjà mère d'un petit garçon, souffre de l'absence de son mari, parti au front, de l'autre côté de l'Atlantique. À des centaines de kilomètres d'elle, Rita, femme et mère de soldat également, n'a pour compagnie que la fiancée de son fils. Une lettre, envoyée comme une bouteille à la mer, va les réunir. Entre inconnues, on peut tout se dire. Recettes pour lutter contre la morosité, conseils de jardinage, échange de confidences, de potins de voisinage et de secrets plus intimes... Unies par un inébranlable optimisme, Glory et Rita vont partager une intense complicité épistolaire et comprendre que même dans les temps les plus difficiles, ce sont les toutes petites joies qui font que le bonheur finit toujours par trouver son chemin...
En voilà un roman qui fait du bien ! Dans un style simple et accessible à tous les lecteurs, Loretta Nyhan et Suzanne Hayes nous régalent de la correspondance chaleureuse et optimiste de Rita et Glory. Véritable tour de force littéraire, Petites recettes de bonheur pour les temps difficiles est un roman épistolaire écrit à quatre mains, à la fois grave mais aussi plein d'humour et enjoué, que l'on regrette presque de terminer. Les personnages sont si attachants, si émouvants, et la forme épistolaire tellement authentique et sincère que l'on ne peut tout simplement pas s'empêcher de tourner les pages ! On se prend très facilement au jeu de cette improbable correspondance et on se surprend même à attendre fébrilement des nouvelles de Glory et Rita comme s'il s'agissait réellement de véritables amies !
Rempli de sentiments nobles, qu'il s'agisse d'amour, d'humour ou d'amitié, Petites recettes de bonheur pour les temps difficiles, est un petit roman parfait se détendre et tout oublier ! Un «feel good book» tout tendre et plein d'humanité, à lire et à faire lire sans hésiter !
June 30, 2014
When two women from divergent backgrounds begin corresponding with one another, an unlikely bond of friendship is forged. Set on the home front during WWII, Rita and Glory write letters to one another. In them they reveal to one another their hopes, fears, dreams and stories of the family, friends and neighbors. They share heartache, love, loss, sacrifice, joy and recipes. The book is written solely letters. The story captures the heart and spirit of the women of the 1940s and the indelible bonds of friendship.
June 15, 2020
2-1/2*
This is an epistolary novel.
During WWII two American housewives from across the country become pen-pals. They exchange frequent letters sharing recipes, gardening tips and such.
As time goes by the letters become more intimate talking about family, fears for their loved ones and their very intimate and personal thoughts and feelings.
Some of it is sad (there is a war going on after all) but also funny and inspirational. While some of it feels mundane to me I’m sure in the context of a war it must have meant a great deal to these women.
This is an epistolary novel.
During WWII two American housewives from across the country become pen-pals. They exchange frequent letters sharing recipes, gardening tips and such.
As time goes by the letters become more intimate talking about family, fears for their loved ones and their very intimate and personal thoughts and feelings.
Some of it is sad (there is a war going on after all) but also funny and inspirational. While some of it feels mundane to me I’m sure in the context of a war it must have meant a great deal to these women.
January 8, 2020
*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
Fields of the dead
And through it all, two women wrote
intentions
dreams
loss
on paper with steady hands.
Home Front Girls is a story of the power of the written word, as letters are exchanged between two very different women, from one American state to another, in the heat of World War II. It is a story that opens our eyes to the home front experience, to the women left behind, while their loved ones fought in a war that they may never return from. Home Front Girls is a tale of unconditional support, the sheer loneliness of remaining home during wartime and the comforting feeling of a letter from a friend in these hard times.
Home Front Girls is a dual authorship novel penned by Suzanne Hayes Loretta Nyhan. These two writers both took on the roles of a lead character and bounced back the letters that would form the essential backbone to this novel, via email. Extra flourishes were added, in the form of secondary characters, telegrams and recipes. What emerges is a narrative that relies on the pure force of a letter to unveil a story of sacrifice, patience, anxiety, hope, fear, loss, heartache, support and above all, friendship. Joined by the power of fate, these two very different women find that the letters they pen to one another proves an essential outlet and a form of much needed support in a dark time. Home Front Girls commemorates the strength of the human spirit and the power of companions to change our lives.
In my attempt to complete the first book of the year for one of the challenges I set for 2020, the Backlist Book Challenge, I succeed in banishing not one, but two books from my backlist title pile – inadvertently! I purchased the wartime themed novel, Home Front Girls in November of last year. I then discovered upon reading Home Front Girls, that this book was originally published in 2013, under the title, ‘I’ll Be Seeing You’, a novel that I also had languishing on my TBR shelves. Therefore, for round one of this challenge, I technically, succeeded in evicting two books from my crowded shelves – what a great feeling!
Epistolary novels have gained in popularity in recent years, thanks to titles such as The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society. This memorable novel outlines the war experience for those on the home front. The dual penmanship of Suzanne Hayes and Loretta Nyhan has produced Home Front Girls. This is a story told through the main device of letters, along with telegrams and recipes. Home Front Girls outlines the American WWII experience, with a specific focus on those left behind at home to carry on with life’s duties.
Home Front Girls brings us an interesting dynamic. Glory and Rita, the two leads of this novel, are two very different women, contrasted in age, circumstance and location. However, a wonderful twist of fate brings them together and this unexpected friendship offers plenty of rewarding moments, surprises and shocks. These women trade their thoughts on everything, from gardening, to cooking, relationship issues and illness. There are moments of joy, but also despair. The desperation, the longing, the indeterminate nature of the war, and the isolation is felt deeply and conveyed well in Home Front Girls.
While I appreciated the well-drawn characters that hold up this tale, along with the secondary characters set, I was unable to develop a strong and lasting connection to Glory and Rita. I’m not sure why this was the case with Home Front Girls. Overall, I think was really a case of wanting to like the book more than I actually did. However, the authentic narration, believable period detail, extra flourishes in the recipes and clear references to the restrictions experienced by these home front women, pushed this one up just a tad more for me rating wise.
If you tend to skip the extras at the close of the novel, I do urge you to read both the updated April 2019 Postscript in the Home Front Girls version. Both Home Front Girls and I’ll Be Seeing You contain a Reader’s Guide, based at the back of the book. This bonus section highlights questions of discussion for book clubs, along with a conversation with the two author of Home Front Girls.
Home Front Girls is a compelling testimony of the importance of the written word at time of great peril. The reliance on friends, both near and far, during a time when humanity was tested to its very limits forms the backbone of this novel. I recommend this one to historical fiction fans, who have a particular interest in home front and the female experience of war.
Fields of the dead
And through it all, two women wrote
intentions
dreams
loss
on paper with steady hands.
Home Front Girls is a story of the power of the written word, as letters are exchanged between two very different women, from one American state to another, in the heat of World War II. It is a story that opens our eyes to the home front experience, to the women left behind, while their loved ones fought in a war that they may never return from. Home Front Girls is a tale of unconditional support, the sheer loneliness of remaining home during wartime and the comforting feeling of a letter from a friend in these hard times.
Home Front Girls is a dual authorship novel penned by Suzanne Hayes Loretta Nyhan. These two writers both took on the roles of a lead character and bounced back the letters that would form the essential backbone to this novel, via email. Extra flourishes were added, in the form of secondary characters, telegrams and recipes. What emerges is a narrative that relies on the pure force of a letter to unveil a story of sacrifice, patience, anxiety, hope, fear, loss, heartache, support and above all, friendship. Joined by the power of fate, these two very different women find that the letters they pen to one another proves an essential outlet and a form of much needed support in a dark time. Home Front Girls commemorates the strength of the human spirit and the power of companions to change our lives.
In my attempt to complete the first book of the year for one of the challenges I set for 2020, the Backlist Book Challenge, I succeed in banishing not one, but two books from my backlist title pile – inadvertently! I purchased the wartime themed novel, Home Front Girls in November of last year. I then discovered upon reading Home Front Girls, that this book was originally published in 2013, under the title, ‘I’ll Be Seeing You’, a novel that I also had languishing on my TBR shelves. Therefore, for round one of this challenge, I technically, succeeded in evicting two books from my crowded shelves – what a great feeling!
Epistolary novels have gained in popularity in recent years, thanks to titles such as The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society. This memorable novel outlines the war experience for those on the home front. The dual penmanship of Suzanne Hayes and Loretta Nyhan has produced Home Front Girls. This is a story told through the main device of letters, along with telegrams and recipes. Home Front Girls outlines the American WWII experience, with a specific focus on those left behind at home to carry on with life’s duties.
Home Front Girls brings us an interesting dynamic. Glory and Rita, the two leads of this novel, are two very different women, contrasted in age, circumstance and location. However, a wonderful twist of fate brings them together and this unexpected friendship offers plenty of rewarding moments, surprises and shocks. These women trade their thoughts on everything, from gardening, to cooking, relationship issues and illness. There are moments of joy, but also despair. The desperation, the longing, the indeterminate nature of the war, and the isolation is felt deeply and conveyed well in Home Front Girls.
While I appreciated the well-drawn characters that hold up this tale, along with the secondary characters set, I was unable to develop a strong and lasting connection to Glory and Rita. I’m not sure why this was the case with Home Front Girls. Overall, I think was really a case of wanting to like the book more than I actually did. However, the authentic narration, believable period detail, extra flourishes in the recipes and clear references to the restrictions experienced by these home front women, pushed this one up just a tad more for me rating wise.
If you tend to skip the extras at the close of the novel, I do urge you to read both the updated April 2019 Postscript in the Home Front Girls version. Both Home Front Girls and I’ll Be Seeing You contain a Reader’s Guide, based at the back of the book. This bonus section highlights questions of discussion for book clubs, along with a conversation with the two author of Home Front Girls.
Home Front Girls is a compelling testimony of the importance of the written word at time of great peril. The reliance on friends, both near and far, during a time when humanity was tested to its very limits forms the backbone of this novel. I recommend this one to historical fiction fans, who have a particular interest in home front and the female experience of war.
June 8, 2013
I’ll Be Seeing You is an extraordinary book. It brings World War II on the American home front vividly to life. The details that Glory and Rita share remind the reader of the fear and loneliness those left behind experienced, of the terror the sight of a telegram delivery struck in their hearts, and of the courage they displayed by getting on with life and doing all they could for the war effort. The recipes they share show how people coped with rationing, and reminders of the scarcity of everything from women’s stockings to children’s toys demonstrate how war affected every aspect of life.
Most of all, the novel celebrates the power of women’s friendship to strengthen, enrich, and transform the lives of women blessed to find friend of the heart and form bonds of intimacy that bridge all differences of age, class, and place.
This is an extraordinary book, made more so by the fact that the two women who wrote it did so through correspondence without ever meeting face-to-face. I love epistolary novels, and this one may be my favorite since Lee Smith’s Fair and Tender Ladies in 1993. If you like women’s fiction that touches the heart and illuminates your understanding of what it means to live with courage and compassion for others and for yourself, I highly recommend I’ll Be Seeing You.
Most of all, the novel celebrates the power of women’s friendship to strengthen, enrich, and transform the lives of women blessed to find friend of the heart and form bonds of intimacy that bridge all differences of age, class, and place.
This is an extraordinary book, made more so by the fact that the two women who wrote it did so through correspondence without ever meeting face-to-face. I love epistolary novels, and this one may be my favorite since Lee Smith’s Fair and Tender Ladies in 1993. If you like women’s fiction that touches the heart and illuminates your understanding of what it means to live with courage and compassion for others and for yourself, I highly recommend I’ll Be Seeing You.
June 27, 2013
I am giving this book my elusive 5 star rating, not because it was superior writing, and not because it was a gripping, page-turning thriller, but because this is one of the most honest books I have ever read.
"I'll Be Seeing You" is a book of letters exchanged between two women during WWII. By the end of this book, you could not convince me that the women and the people in their lives were not real. When I started this book I wondered how the authors, through letters, could devise plot and character development, and enough tension to keep the story interesting and moving forward to fill 300 pages. Let me just say, it was achieved and well done. I was so pleased with the journey I took in reading these letters.
I was also pleased with the insights I received, not only into my own family history (my mother's first husband was killed in WWII), but into life itself. Such as, "Bombs drop from the sky everyday, chaos and mayhem spread over the globe, but we're more afraid of the mines buried deep in our hearts, the ones we hope to never give cause to explode." Or another one, "Passion only lasts when it is married to truth."
While this is not your traditional historical fiction, or even WWII story, it is a glimpse into the lives of those who remained at home while their loved ones fought abroad. It is a testament of the need for love of friends and family when all around the world seems to be dissolving. And even though the story is set in the 1940's, it think is it still a message we need today.
To me, this was the perfect blend of Historical and Women's fiction. I highly recommend this one - and if you read it, be sure to read the author interview at the back. It's fascinating.
"I'll Be Seeing You" is a book of letters exchanged between two women during WWII. By the end of this book, you could not convince me that the women and the people in their lives were not real. When I started this book I wondered how the authors, through letters, could devise plot and character development, and enough tension to keep the story interesting and moving forward to fill 300 pages. Let me just say, it was achieved and well done. I was so pleased with the journey I took in reading these letters.
I was also pleased with the insights I received, not only into my own family history (my mother's first husband was killed in WWII), but into life itself. Such as, "Bombs drop from the sky everyday, chaos and mayhem spread over the globe, but we're more afraid of the mines buried deep in our hearts, the ones we hope to never give cause to explode." Or another one, "Passion only lasts when it is married to truth."
While this is not your traditional historical fiction, or even WWII story, it is a glimpse into the lives of those who remained at home while their loved ones fought abroad. It is a testament of the need for love of friends and family when all around the world seems to be dissolving. And even though the story is set in the 1940's, it think is it still a message we need today.
To me, this was the perfect blend of Historical and Women's fiction. I highly recommend this one - and if you read it, be sure to read the author interview at the back. It's fascinating.
January 27, 2016
Je rêve d'une correspondance comme celle de Glory et Rita. Une très belle amitié que nous voyons se tisser lettres après lettres dans un contexte tellement difficile qu'est la 2nde guerre mondiale. Une histoire qui fait parfois sourire parfois avoir la larme à l'œil. Les personnages sont attachant et le style tellement joli. Je recommande à toutes les personnes aimant les correspondances et les réalités historiques des femmes (dé)laissé pour la guerre.
February 1, 2023
Je ne garderais pas un souvenir impérissable de ce livre mais ca a été une bonne lecture dans son ensemble.
L'écriture, les faits et mêmes les recettes sont fidèles à la période historique.
Les personnages sont attachants et on ne leur souhaite que le meilleur mais je pense que c'est le format épistolaire qui ne m'a pas fait ressentir toute l'émotion des différents évènements.
L'écriture, les faits et mêmes les recettes sont fidèles à la période historique.
Les personnages sont attachants et on ne leur souhaite que le meilleur mais je pense que c'est le format épistolaire qui ne m'a pas fait ressentir toute l'émotion des différents évènements.
September 29, 2017
Solid, beautiful, moving FIVE STARS. This is the most beautiful "love story" I've ever read - a love story to friendship and between friends. I am undone. It reads light and even humorous, but there is so much depth to it. If I could pack all my beliefs about friendship into one book, it would be this one. Glory and Rita (aka Jaime and Elizabeth) demonstrate all that is good about women and friendships, and yet, they are so very flawed. I am quite sure no other book I've read on WWII has given me a more relatable and inside look at what it was like to be a woman waiting and worrying during this time in history.
Don't let the fluffy cover fool or deter you... this book packs an emotional, inspiring, educational, entertaining punch.
My favorite book of the year so far.
Don't let the fluffy cover fool or deter you... this book packs an emotional, inspiring, educational, entertaining punch.
My favorite book of the year so far.
October 14, 2013
This was one of the most wonderful books that I have read since reading Little Women in my youth... The characters and settings are so real. I grew up visiting my Grandparents frequently out in Iowa, and it was like being there all over again, just in a different time. I could even smell the recipes that Rita and Glory shared... I cried at the end, but I think the reason for the tears were just the fact that I knew the end was coming.. The end of the book... I just wish there was going to be another one continuing Rita's and Glory's friendship and also the rest of their story with their children. I just can't say enough how much I loved this book!!!!
September 21, 2015
What a wonderful book! It takes place in 1940 during the war ... two women strike up a beautiful friendship, one in Massachusetts and one in Iowa, through letters. I wasn't sure what this book was going to be about, but I was pleasantly surprised. I wish I had the gift of correspondence. I would highly recommend this book.
January 1, 2016
This was a beautiful book, I loved it!
April 16, 2014
The serendiptious creation of “I’ll Be Seeing You” is more fascinating than the novel itself. Writers Suzanne Hayes and Loretta Nyhan met in writers’ blogs online, became friendly, and began writing each other as women whose husbands were serving in WWII. Hayes wrote as Glory, 23 years old, mother of two young children, living in Rockport, MA, and Nyhan became Rita, of Iowa City, in her early 40s, whose son was also a soldier. The concept took off and the letters became the epistolary “I’ll Be Seeing You.” As of the novel’s publication date, the two authors had not met.
One theme in the novel, that of anxious waiting, reflected the writers’ own experiences with waiting as each was trying to get her career “off the ground” -- so they’ve said -- though they certainly had to stretch to convey, in these letters, the constant worry about loved ones’ safety and the war’s outcome -- as well as the sheer dread of the wartime telegram.
Quite the story of process. As for the product, I felt lukewarm. The parts were there: a good format, fairly appealing protagonists with some interesting secondary characters, suspense, a range of emotional experiences, and the building of a beautiful friendship. The whole Roy/Roylene and Roylene/Toby bits were puzzling, and I never quite got Mrs. K., but these and other little carps were minor annoyances I would have overlooked had I been more invested in the story.
Bottom line: I just wasn’t.
One theme in the novel, that of anxious waiting, reflected the writers’ own experiences with waiting as each was trying to get her career “off the ground” -- so they’ve said -- though they certainly had to stretch to convey, in these letters, the constant worry about loved ones’ safety and the war’s outcome -- as well as the sheer dread of the wartime telegram.
Quite the story of process. As for the product, I felt lukewarm. The parts were there: a good format, fairly appealing protagonists with some interesting secondary characters, suspense, a range of emotional experiences, and the building of a beautiful friendship. The whole Roy/Roylene and Roylene/Toby bits were puzzling, and I never quite got Mrs. K., but these and other little carps were minor annoyances I would have overlooked had I been more invested in the story.
Bottom line: I just wasn’t.
May 28, 2013
When I first realized this book was written entirely in letters...I thought "uh oh...all telling, no showing."
I couldn't have been more wrong.
Yes, it's all told through letters, but the words draw you into the page. As I read, I stepped back in time, into the lives of two women left on the home-front during WWII. Everything--from their gardens to their recipes to their nosy neighbors all served to totally transport me and draw me in.
Two pen-pals develop an incredible bond. And I found myself comparing these two women to modern-day women on Facebook. We make friendships, incredible ones, through the Internet, so I believe many friendships were made back then via snail mail.
Rita is an older woman. She has a grown son in the Navy and her husband is also serving. She has so much to lose. Her strength helps those around her, as well as Glory across the country. Glory is much younger and at times, stupid, but she's discovering herself.
There's worry and fear and all kinds of guilt in their letters. There's infidelity. There's grief. There's conflicting emotions. There are pregnancies. There's romance. (Now, remember, these ladies are talking about others in their lives too.)
I'm not done. Full review here: http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/2013/...
I couldn't have been more wrong.
Yes, it's all told through letters, but the words draw you into the page. As I read, I stepped back in time, into the lives of two women left on the home-front during WWII. Everything--from their gardens to their recipes to their nosy neighbors all served to totally transport me and draw me in.
Two pen-pals develop an incredible bond. And I found myself comparing these two women to modern-day women on Facebook. We make friendships, incredible ones, through the Internet, so I believe many friendships were made back then via snail mail.
Rita is an older woman. She has a grown son in the Navy and her husband is also serving. She has so much to lose. Her strength helps those around her, as well as Glory across the country. Glory is much younger and at times, stupid, but she's discovering herself.
There's worry and fear and all kinds of guilt in their letters. There's infidelity. There's grief. There's conflicting emotions. There are pregnancies. There's romance. (Now, remember, these ladies are talking about others in their lives too.)
I'm not done. Full review here: http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/2013/...
February 20, 2013
I could not put this book down.What a powerful book for women. It made me value those honest, true friendships. Those people that know you better than you may know yourself. The ones you can laugh with, cry with, pour your heart to....and it does not have to be face to face. It made me think hard about our fast paced world (quick emails, texts,etc...) and how it's nice to just take a moment and slow down. I remember the lonely feeling of living away from home and then seeing that wonderful, uplifting gift - a letter. I feel seeing that written word is more meaningful to the reader. Someone took the time to sit with pen and paper and speak to you. This book brought back so many feelings and memories. I had to pull out that pen and paper and write a good friend - just to tell her how much she means to me. To place a stamp on it and put it in the mail, so that she could have that feeling of excitement. Cheers to the authors on such an amazing piece or art.
October 9, 2015
Un roman pétri d’émotions, de peines, d’amitié sincère et sans contrepartie mais aussi de tendresse, de bons conseils et de complicité. A chacune des lettres, je me suis sentie réconfortée par les douces paroles de Rita et Glory pendant que leur monde se trouvait bouleversé. L’une des choses que j’ai le plus apprécié dans ce livre, c’est l’honnêteté de ton dont font preuve les deux femmes qui ne se sont jamais rencontré. Je me suis énormément attaché à elles, à leur faiblesse et à leur capacité à se relever. Elles m’ont donné beaucoup de force. Plusieurs fois, j'ai senti mon cœur se gonfler. Un roman plein d’espoir, complètement « feel good » comme on nous l’avait prédit.
Un roman à lire, à la manière des deux héroïnes, en sirotant un bon thé ou une tasse. Merci à Victoria pour cette belle découverte dans le cadre du #clublectureMS
Un roman à lire, à la manière des deux héroïnes, en sirotant un bon thé ou une tasse. Merci à Victoria pour cette belle découverte dans le cadre du #clublectureMS
October 4, 2014
Je compterai désormais ce roman comme l’un de mes favoris. Un roman épistolaire absolument magnifique qui nous fait partager le quotidien de deux femmes pendant la guerre. Cette amitié qui nait entre elles, simplement au travers de lettres, est bouleversante et magnifique. Un livre qu’on ne peut qu’aimer en raison de cette histoire d’amitié, de ce soutien et de la manière dont l’une aide l’autre à continuer à espérer, à continuer à vivre. Magnifiquement touchant.
Ma chronique : https://myprettybooks.wordpress.com/2...
Ma chronique : https://myprettybooks.wordpress.com/2...
May 24, 2016
Un roman frais, rempli d’optimisme, de joie de vivre, de petits plaisirs qui nous remontent le moral au quotidien. « Petites recettes de bonheur pour les temps difficiles » est à conseiller à tous les amoureux des romans épistolaires et à tous ceux qui recherchent une lecture cocon, pleine d’espoir.
Ma chronique sur le blog : https://sweetalmondandbooks.wordpress...
Ma chronique sur le blog : https://sweetalmondandbooks.wordpress...
October 7, 2015
#ClubLectureMS, j'ai beaucoup aimé. J'ai ri, j'ai eu mal au coeur mais surtout, je me suis attachée à ces deux bouts de femmes. J'ai peut-être pas toujours été d'accord avec tout, Glory m'a parfois agacé au plus haut point, mais c'est ça aussi s'attacher aux personnages. A la fin, j'avais l'impression que c'était à moi qu'elles envoyaient les lettres.
March 30, 2016
Un très beau roman épistolaire qui nous fait vivre la guerre d'un autre point de vue, celui des femmes restées à la maison pendant que leurs hommes sont sur le front.
C'est une belle amitié qui naît entre ces deux femmes par le biais de lettres où tout type de sentiments se mêlent et où l'échange de recettes de cuisine n'est finalement qu'un prétexte pour partager beaucoup plus...
C'est une belle amitié qui naît entre ces deux femmes par le biais de lettres où tout type de sentiments se mêlent et où l'échange de recettes de cuisine n'est finalement qu'un prétexte pour partager beaucoup plus...
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