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Love And Other Battles
'Emotional, compelling' 'Compulsively readable' 'Utterly unputdownable' 'A must-read for all fiction lovers' ...
1969: Free-spirited hippie Jess James has no intention of falling for a soldier ... but perhaps some things are not in our power to stop.
1989: Jess's daughter, Jamie, dreams of a simple life - marriage, children, stability - then she meets a struggling musician and suddenly the future becomes wilder and complex.
2017: When Jamie's daughter, CJ, brings home trouble in the form of the coolest boy at school, the worlds of these three women turn upside down ... and the past returns to haunt them.
Spanning the trauma of the Vietnam War to the bright lights of Nashville, the epidemic of teenage self-harm to the tragedy of incurable illness, Love and Other Battles is the heart-wrenching story of three generations of Australian women, who learn that true love is not always where you seek it.
If you loved The Notebook, this is a novel for you.
PRAISE FOR LOVE AND OTHER BATTLES
'Emotional, compelling' Carina Bruce, Herald Sun
'A warm and affecting tale about love and family conquering all' Who Weekly
'Compulsively readable' Kate Cuthbert, Books + Publishing
'Utterly unputdownable, Love and Other Battles is equal parts heartwarming and heart-wrenching. Featuring stunningly real multilayered characters, Tess Woods weaves a bittersweet story of family secrets, epic love and heartache in this absolutely gorgeous new novel' Nicola Moriarty, author
'I loved these strong, flawed and totally relatable women. The way their decisions, past and present, hooked in the reader, is a testament to Tess Woods' writing' Melina Marchetta, author
'Tess Woods has written a timeless story of love's strength and endurance. A must-read for all fiction lovers' Cheryl Akle, Director, Better Reading
'Tess Woods has done it again with emotionally engaging Aussie fiction. Smiling with tears - five stars' Renee Conoulty, Hey Said Renee
'This is contemporary fiction at its finest and I am so grateful to Tess Woods for her bravery in writing a novel that takes readers right into the crux of current social and medical issues, things that so many of us are dealing with but keep quiet about for fear of judgment and contempt' Theresa Smith Writes
'a writer who is a clear figurehead and spokeswoman of our times' Mrs B's Book Reviews
1969: Free-spirited hippie Jess James has no intention of falling for a soldier ... but perhaps some things are not in our power to stop.
1989: Jess's daughter, Jamie, dreams of a simple life - marriage, children, stability - then she meets a struggling musician and suddenly the future becomes wilder and complex.
2017: When Jamie's daughter, CJ, brings home trouble in the form of the coolest boy at school, the worlds of these three women turn upside down ... and the past returns to haunt them.
Spanning the trauma of the Vietnam War to the bright lights of Nashville, the epidemic of teenage self-harm to the tragedy of incurable illness, Love and Other Battles is the heart-wrenching story of three generations of Australian women, who learn that true love is not always where you seek it.
If you loved The Notebook, this is a novel for you.
PRAISE FOR LOVE AND OTHER BATTLES
'Emotional, compelling' Carina Bruce, Herald Sun
'A warm and affecting tale about love and family conquering all' Who Weekly
'Compulsively readable' Kate Cuthbert, Books + Publishing
'Utterly unputdownable, Love and Other Battles is equal parts heartwarming and heart-wrenching. Featuring stunningly real multilayered characters, Tess Woods weaves a bittersweet story of family secrets, epic love and heartache in this absolutely gorgeous new novel' Nicola Moriarty, author
'I loved these strong, flawed and totally relatable women. The way their decisions, past and present, hooked in the reader, is a testament to Tess Woods' writing' Melina Marchetta, author
'Tess Woods has written a timeless story of love's strength and endurance. A must-read for all fiction lovers' Cheryl Akle, Director, Better Reading
'Tess Woods has done it again with emotionally engaging Aussie fiction. Smiling with tears - five stars' Renee Conoulty, Hey Said Renee
'This is contemporary fiction at its finest and I am so grateful to Tess Woods for her bravery in writing a novel that takes readers right into the crux of current social and medical issues, things that so many of us are dealing with but keep quiet about for fear of judgment and contempt' Theresa Smith Writes
'a writer who is a clear figurehead and spokeswoman of our times' Mrs B's Book Reviews
336 pages, Paperback
First published June 17, 2019
41 people are currently reading
750 people want to read
About the author
Tess Woods
7 books246 followers Visit www.tesswoods.com.au
Facebook and Instagram - look for Tess Woods Author
Email Tess at tess@tesswoods.com.au
Facebook and Instagram - look for Tess Woods Author
Email Tess at tess@tesswoods.com.au
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews
June 15, 2019
In 1969, free spirited Jess doesn’t agree with the Vietnamese war and the last thing she wants to do is fall in love with a soldier, but a chance encounter sees her fall for a young soldier about to leave for Vietnam. Twenty years later, her sensible, no nonsense daughter Jamie is looking for a stable home and life but falls hopelessly in love with a musician who eventually leaves her for a career overseas. Now her own daughter CJ has fallen for the coolest bad boy in school and Jamie is worried that history might repeat itself.
In this multigenerational story of three women and the men they loved, Tess Woods shows us that love can indeed be messy, causing us to make bad choices, and that sometimes the best kind of love can be found when we’re not looking for it. In this exploration of mother-daughter relationships, long kept family secrets will all be exposed as the women struggle to help each other cope with their choices and problems. CJ could be anyone's teenage daughter, struggling with the expectations of her first boyfriend and the heartache that follows. This was an engrossing read about three strong women supporting each other in the midst of difficult and emotional times. 4.5★
With thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for a digital ARC of the book.
In this multigenerational story of three women and the men they loved, Tess Woods shows us that love can indeed be messy, causing us to make bad choices, and that sometimes the best kind of love can be found when we’re not looking for it. In this exploration of mother-daughter relationships, long kept family secrets will all be exposed as the women struggle to help each other cope with their choices and problems. CJ could be anyone's teenage daughter, struggling with the expectations of her first boyfriend and the heartache that follows. This was an engrossing read about three strong women supporting each other in the midst of difficult and emotional times. 4.5★
With thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for a digital ARC of the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 20, 2019
Tess Wood’s third novel, Love and Other Battles , brings to our attention the lives of three generations of women.
In 1969, nurse student Jessica James met Frank Stone, a nasho, a military recruit about to be sent to Vietnam to fight alongside the Americans. Jessica opposes the Vietnam War and she’s not very fond of those who serve in the military. Regardless, their attraction is undeniable.
In 1989, Jess’s daughter, Jamie, meets a struggling musician, her complete opposite, whom she falls deeply in love with.
In 2017, Jamie’s seventeen-year-old daughter, CJ, is swept over her feet by her first boyfriend, an aspiring musician, just like her. As the mother of a teenage girl, albeit younger than CJ, I appreciated Wood’s realistic depiction of the struggles and challenges that teenagers face in our fast-moving world. I got both teary and anxious at times.
Tess Woods has again written a compelling, emotional novel about life’s many small and big battles, in part caused by intergenerational secrets and the societal norms of the time.
Many thanks to HarperCollins Publisher for sending me an advanced reading copy.
In 1969, nurse student Jessica James met Frank Stone, a nasho, a military recruit about to be sent to Vietnam to fight alongside the Americans. Jessica opposes the Vietnam War and she’s not very fond of those who serve in the military. Regardless, their attraction is undeniable.
In 1989, Jess’s daughter, Jamie, meets a struggling musician, her complete opposite, whom she falls deeply in love with.
In 2017, Jamie’s seventeen-year-old daughter, CJ, is swept over her feet by her first boyfriend, an aspiring musician, just like her. As the mother of a teenage girl, albeit younger than CJ, I appreciated Wood’s realistic depiction of the struggles and challenges that teenagers face in our fast-moving world. I got both teary and anxious at times.
Tess Woods has again written a compelling, emotional novel about life’s many small and big battles, in part caused by intergenerational secrets and the societal norms of the time.
Many thanks to HarperCollins Publisher for sending me an advanced reading copy.
September 29, 2019
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Love And Other Battles by Tess Woods. (2019).
Three generations of women, three heartbreaking choices, one unforgettable story.
1969: Free spirit hippie Jess had no intention of falling for a soldier but sometimes we can't stop these things.
1989: Jess's daughter Jamie just wants a simple life with marriage, children and stability but then she meets a struggling musician and the future becomes more complex.
2017: Jamie's daughter CJ falls for the coolest boy at school and the worlds of these three women turn upside down.
Wow. This is my first taste of this author, and I'm disappointed that I missed her first two books (need to rectify that quickly!). A very engaging storyline that switched between the three main ladies in their respective timelines as well as the present for all three. All three were very likeable and in a word, brave; brave in their life battles and choices. The narrative is quite heartbreaking at times but also uplifting at other times. It includes the Vietnam War, the bright lights of the Nashville music scene, teenage self-harm, first loves and incurable illness so as you can imagine the book is definitely emotional. There is a final reveal at the end of the book that just pushed my emotions over the edge and had me both crying and thinking wait how did I even miss this; it was extremely well done.
Can't praise this book highly enough and I very strongly recommend it!
*www.facebook.com/onewomansbbr
Love And Other Battles by Tess Woods. (2019).
Three generations of women, three heartbreaking choices, one unforgettable story.
1969: Free spirit hippie Jess had no intention of falling for a soldier but sometimes we can't stop these things.
1989: Jess's daughter Jamie just wants a simple life with marriage, children and stability but then she meets a struggling musician and the future becomes more complex.
2017: Jamie's daughter CJ falls for the coolest boy at school and the worlds of these three women turn upside down.
Wow. This is my first taste of this author, and I'm disappointed that I missed her first two books (need to rectify that quickly!). A very engaging storyline that switched between the three main ladies in their respective timelines as well as the present for all three. All three were very likeable and in a word, brave; brave in their life battles and choices. The narrative is quite heartbreaking at times but also uplifting at other times. It includes the Vietnam War, the bright lights of the Nashville music scene, teenage self-harm, first loves and incurable illness so as you can imagine the book is definitely emotional. There is a final reveal at the end of the book that just pushed my emotions over the edge and had me both crying and thinking wait how did I even miss this; it was extremely well done.
Can't praise this book highly enough and I very strongly recommend it!
April 4, 2020
I have never read anything by Tess Woods before. Generally, I shy away from historical fiction and I am not sure why – I actually really enjoy the majority of them when I read them! But for some reason the genre doesn’t appeal to me the way thrillers, sci-fi and others do. Having said that, I am so glad I got this little gem!
Spanning across three timelines, this story follows a grandmother, Jess in the 1960’s hippy era. She swears she will never fall in love with a soldier, but fate has other plans for her! Her daughter Jamie’s story intertwines with hers as she navigates love in the late 90’s, and Jamie’s daughter CJ is dealing with her own dramas in the late 2010’s when she brings a bad boy home.
Just how these stories interweave and compliment each other is fiction writing at it’s best! What a great story! I loved the jumping between times, I felt SO MUCH for poor CJ, and loved Jess’s story with her soldier love!
Brilliant writing, that is all I can say. I just loved it! I adore a good romance in the book and there were at least THREE in this one! But it wasn’t a romance overload!
It was paced well and the characters had a great depth to them, things weren’t TOO unbelievable and it was just lovely!
And TWISTS AND TURNS! My goodness I was not expecting that big twist at the end there and it was really fitting and AWESOME!
Would I recommend it?
Absolutely! Even if you aren’t a huge historical fiction fan like me, if you appreciate a good drama, some exquisite romances and a darn good story line, then give this one a go!
Many thanks to the author and publisher via Netgalley for a copy of Love and Other Battles to read and review!
For more reviews check out my:
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Spanning across three timelines, this story follows a grandmother, Jess in the 1960’s hippy era. She swears she will never fall in love with a soldier, but fate has other plans for her! Her daughter Jamie’s story intertwines with hers as she navigates love in the late 90’s, and Jamie’s daughter CJ is dealing with her own dramas in the late 2010’s when she brings a bad boy home.
Just how these stories interweave and compliment each other is fiction writing at it’s best! What a great story! I loved the jumping between times, I felt SO MUCH for poor CJ, and loved Jess’s story with her soldier love!
Brilliant writing, that is all I can say. I just loved it! I adore a good romance in the book and there were at least THREE in this one! But it wasn’t a romance overload!
It was paced well and the characters had a great depth to them, things weren’t TOO unbelievable and it was just lovely!
And TWISTS AND TURNS! My goodness I was not expecting that big twist at the end there and it was really fitting and AWESOME!
Would I recommend it?
Absolutely! Even if you aren’t a huge historical fiction fan like me, if you appreciate a good drama, some exquisite romances and a darn good story line, then give this one a go!
Many thanks to the author and publisher via Netgalley for a copy of Love and Other Battles to read and review!
For more reviews check out my:
Blog
June 17, 2019
Love and Other Battles is the third novel by Australian author, Tess Woods. It’s 1969 and, with her pacifist attitude and strong views on the Vietnam War, Jessica James isn’t expecting to fall for a nasho, a national serviceman. Frank Stone sees this peace-chanting, atheist beatnik and calls her “Flower Child”. He is indeed a soldier, proud to serve his country and soon about to be sent, in all likelihood, to Nui Dat. And he’s a Catholic to boot. But there’s just something about him…
When she turned eleven, Nirvana James-Stone announced that henceforth she would be called Jamie, and that she was no longer a vegan. She’d had quite enough of calling her hippie parents by their first names. They would be Mum and Dad from then on. So to find her (very conservative) self, at eighteen, falling in love with long-haired muso Simon Gorenski, is not at all what she’d planned.
Seventeen-year-old CJ Stone is thrilled when the class heart-throb, cool and popular Finn Maxwell singles her out to compliment her on her latest song and ask her on a date. Such a sweet guy, although he is distracting her from study. But does that even matter? CJ wants to become a Country singer, get on stage at the Grand Ole Opry, and maybe even meet her idol, Scott Gunn. And Finn is right there with her. But is he maybe pushing for intimacy a bit too far, a bit too fast?
Woods gives the reader three strong female leads who end up making not-the-best choices under pressure and then have to face the consequences. Her characters are appealing, for all their very human faults. Even if he loves her with all his heart, Frank is a bit of a chauvinist, expecting Jess to compromise on her values without reciprocating. Nor is Jess perfect: in later life, she strongly resists letting go of her life partner despite his negligible quality of life. CJ allows her insecurity and need-to-please to erode her principles, while Jamie isn’t the only one keeping an explosive secret for decades.
The plot is easily believable with some surprises to keep it interesting; it explores many topical themes including self-harm, suicide, single-parent families, and euthanasia. At the end of the story, just as the reader is quite sure they have it all figured out, Woods springs one more sneaky surprise on them. Oh, and have the tissues ready for the final pages. With this one, Woods effortlessly surpasses her previous works, and it will be interesting to see what she does next. Recommended!
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Harper Collins Australia.
When she turned eleven, Nirvana James-Stone announced that henceforth she would be called Jamie, and that she was no longer a vegan. She’d had quite enough of calling her hippie parents by their first names. They would be Mum and Dad from then on. So to find her (very conservative) self, at eighteen, falling in love with long-haired muso Simon Gorenski, is not at all what she’d planned.
Seventeen-year-old CJ Stone is thrilled when the class heart-throb, cool and popular Finn Maxwell singles her out to compliment her on her latest song and ask her on a date. Such a sweet guy, although he is distracting her from study. But does that even matter? CJ wants to become a Country singer, get on stage at the Grand Ole Opry, and maybe even meet her idol, Scott Gunn. And Finn is right there with her. But is he maybe pushing for intimacy a bit too far, a bit too fast?
Woods gives the reader three strong female leads who end up making not-the-best choices under pressure and then have to face the consequences. Her characters are appealing, for all their very human faults. Even if he loves her with all his heart, Frank is a bit of a chauvinist, expecting Jess to compromise on her values without reciprocating. Nor is Jess perfect: in later life, she strongly resists letting go of her life partner despite his negligible quality of life. CJ allows her insecurity and need-to-please to erode her principles, while Jamie isn’t the only one keeping an explosive secret for decades.
The plot is easily believable with some surprises to keep it interesting; it explores many topical themes including self-harm, suicide, single-parent families, and euthanasia. At the end of the story, just as the reader is quite sure they have it all figured out, Woods springs one more sneaky surprise on them. Oh, and have the tissues ready for the final pages. With this one, Woods effortlessly surpasses her previous works, and it will be interesting to see what she does next. Recommended!
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Harper Collins Australia.
April 5, 2021
This book was a surprise. Having read Beautiful Messy Love previously and enjoyed it, the full on roller coaster of this family drama of three generations of women was well written and intense.
The story is told from the different viewpoints of the three women over 50 years, from the Viet Nam War up until near present day with dramas galore. And the granddaughter's journey, CJs is the toughest of them all.
There were two Australian men behaving badly, but at least a few who were not, so maybe there is hope after all.
A few quibbles that took away from the total, but not from the power of the story and writing. The story is about the three women and their striving and ultimate success in overcoming trauma in their lives.
Recommended.
The story is told from the different viewpoints of the three women over 50 years, from the Viet Nam War up until near present day with dramas galore. And the granddaughter's journey, CJs is the toughest of them all.
There were two Australian men behaving badly, but at least a few who were not, so maybe there is hope after all.
A few quibbles that took away from the total, but not from the power of the story and writing. The story is about the three women and their striving and ultimate success in overcoming trauma in their lives.
Recommended.
September 11, 2024
1969: Jess is studying nursing and never imagined she would fall in love with a soldier, but she falls head over heals in love with Frank Stone and he's about to be sent off to serve his country in the Vietnam war. As we know at that time in Australia the war in Vietnam was a very touchy subject, not all Australians agreed with our involvement in the war and the soldiers coped a lot of abuse.
1989: Jamie is studying to be a teacher, when she meets and falls in love with a Simon he dreams of becoming a country singer and making it big in Nashville. Sensible Jamie has wanted is to be married, start a family and this wasn't what Simon had planned at all!
2017: CJ is a friendly, happy teenager she's doing well at school until she falls in love with the bad boy and she can't believe it when Finn Maxwell asks her out on a date. It doesn't take long for her mum Jamie to notice a big change in her daughters behavior and she's very worried.
Love And Other Battles by Tess Woods is a book that explores the complex relationships between three women, a grandmother, her daughter and her granddaughter. Their interactions with each other at times can be rocky, especially as it involves, age groups, personalities and how they deal with the challenging situations they find themselves in.
I found the book very hard to read at times, I almost stopped reading it to be honest and I'm glad I didn't. The story includes subjects I can relate to such as; aging parents, illness, being a parent, and falling in love for the first time. However, I found the parts about drug use, oral sex, peer pressure, body image, self harm and cyber bullying very distressing, confronting and I wanted to strangle Finn.
But, I can understand why Tess Woods included these topics in her book, the story was well written and it had so many interesting layers.
What we need to understand is that being a teenage girl is still really hard and it's actually worse now than when I was a teenage girl in the 1980's. Technology and smart phones have made it easier for photo's and nasty rumors to be spread quickly. Peer pressure is such a powerful weapon, Love And Other Battles has made me very aware of this and well done to Tess Woods for tackling so many difficult subjects and including them in her book. It took me way out of my comfort zone and I gave the book 4 stars.
1989: Jamie is studying to be a teacher, when she meets and falls in love with a Simon he dreams of becoming a country singer and making it big in Nashville. Sensible Jamie has wanted is to be married, start a family and this wasn't what Simon had planned at all!
2017: CJ is a friendly, happy teenager she's doing well at school until she falls in love with the bad boy and she can't believe it when Finn Maxwell asks her out on a date. It doesn't take long for her mum Jamie to notice a big change in her daughters behavior and she's very worried.
Love And Other Battles by Tess Woods is a book that explores the complex relationships between three women, a grandmother, her daughter and her granddaughter. Their interactions with each other at times can be rocky, especially as it involves, age groups, personalities and how they deal with the challenging situations they find themselves in.
I found the book very hard to read at times, I almost stopped reading it to be honest and I'm glad I didn't. The story includes subjects I can relate to such as; aging parents, illness, being a parent, and falling in love for the first time. However, I found the parts about drug use, oral sex, peer pressure, body image, self harm and cyber bullying very distressing, confronting and I wanted to strangle Finn.
But, I can understand why Tess Woods included these topics in her book, the story was well written and it had so many interesting layers.
What we need to understand is that being a teenage girl is still really hard and it's actually worse now than when I was a teenage girl in the 1980's. Technology and smart phones have made it easier for photo's and nasty rumors to be spread quickly. Peer pressure is such a powerful weapon, Love And Other Battles has made me very aware of this and well done to Tess Woods for tackling so many difficult subjects and including them in her book. It took me way out of my comfort zone and I gave the book 4 stars.
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December 15, 2023One of the many things I admire about Tess Woods is how she handles writing about tough topics. Love and Other Battles is a moving and poignant story with many elements at play; the depth of love, family secrets, the way one decision can impact the future and the lives of others. A heart-wrenching, emotional portrayal of life and love that readers won’t want to put down.
August 7, 2019
Bravo Ms Woods Bravo!!
You have delivered an outstanding book and the best book I have read all year.
This was an unexpected but very welcome surprise as it’s been way too long since a book has made me feel so deeply, cry myself to sleep and be the first thing I thought of when I opened my eyes. I must admit I was scared that this book would fizzle the further I read, but it only just got better and I did not want it to end.
Set in Melbourne, this is the story of three generations of women from the same family. Our hippie nurse Jess, her daughter Jamie who is a school principal and the complete opposite of her mum and CJ, her 17 year granddaughter who attends the same school that her mum Jamie is principal at.
It’s told in 3rd person from the POV of each of these 3 women and from a past to present. It sounds busy and confusing but it was perfectly layered and intricately woven like the finest piece of lace. The way the author integrated each individual story seamlessly with the others was so clever.
I’ve seen this book classified as historical fiction and I admit that’s what originally drew me to the book but it’s so much more than that. Whilst it’s starts in 1969 with the debate about whether Australia should be sending troops to Vietnam, most of the story is set in the here and now and deals with issues that people young and old are confronted with daily such as, consent, depression, purpose and choices that can change the course of your life.
Personally Jess was my favourite and each time I cried (and I cried several times) it was for her. I felt a kaleidoscope of emotions and was hanging on every word that concerned her. The last few chapters I cried so hard I couldn’t see the words on the page and when it was finished I just wanted more.
This book resonated with me on so many levels and I can’t praise it enough. This is my first book by this author and I’m on a mission to read her backlist.
For those that have read this book this is for you. I never guessed and I never saw it coming and after finishing the book I went back and read the first few chapters again just to see what I missed.
A big thank you to NetGalley, and publisher Harper Collins Australia for the ARC.
#LoveAndOtherBattles #NetGalley #HarperCollinsAustralia
You have delivered an outstanding book and the best book I have read all year.
This was an unexpected but very welcome surprise as it’s been way too long since a book has made me feel so deeply, cry myself to sleep and be the first thing I thought of when I opened my eyes. I must admit I was scared that this book would fizzle the further I read, but it only just got better and I did not want it to end.
Set in Melbourne, this is the story of three generations of women from the same family. Our hippie nurse Jess, her daughter Jamie who is a school principal and the complete opposite of her mum and CJ, her 17 year granddaughter who attends the same school that her mum Jamie is principal at.
It’s told in 3rd person from the POV of each of these 3 women and from a past to present. It sounds busy and confusing but it was perfectly layered and intricately woven like the finest piece of lace. The way the author integrated each individual story seamlessly with the others was so clever.
I’ve seen this book classified as historical fiction and I admit that’s what originally drew me to the book but it’s so much more than that. Whilst it’s starts in 1969 with the debate about whether Australia should be sending troops to Vietnam, most of the story is set in the here and now and deals with issues that people young and old are confronted with daily such as, consent, depression, purpose and choices that can change the course of your life.
Personally Jess was my favourite and each time I cried (and I cried several times) it was for her. I felt a kaleidoscope of emotions and was hanging on every word that concerned her. The last few chapters I cried so hard I couldn’t see the words on the page and when it was finished I just wanted more.
This book resonated with me on so many levels and I can’t praise it enough. This is my first book by this author and I’m on a mission to read her backlist.
For those that have read this book this is for you. I never guessed and I never saw it coming and after finishing the book I went back and read the first few chapters again just to see what I missed.
A big thank you to NetGalley, and publisher Harper Collins Australia for the ARC.
#LoveAndOtherBattles #NetGalley #HarperCollinsAustralia
July 5, 2019
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We’ve all made mistakes , especially when we’re in love.’
Love and indeed life is a battlefield, to quote one of my favourite 1980s songs by Pat Benatar. I felt like this song could easily be an anthem for the new and compelling inter- generational novel, penned by Tess Woods. Love and Other Battles, the third book from contemporary fiction novelist Tess Woods, gave me goosebumps, made me shiver and it had me nodding my head in deep understanding of the issues that are stake within the pages of this astounding novel.
There are three conclusive threads and three strong female characters that draw together the lines of Love and Other Battles. Beginning with Jess in the late 1960s, we watch on as free spirited Jess falls deeply in love with a soldier, heading off to the Vietnam War. We are then led down Jamie’s path, a young woman living in the year 1989, who longs for a family with her long standing boyfriend, a budding musician. Although Jamie doesn’t quite get what she wished for, this man changes her life forever. Then, travelling to the present day, the reader is introduced to CJ, a teenager who just wants to be cool and popular. CJ’s quest of acceptance lands her in hot water. All three women find their lives are inexplicably linked when the past, a long held secret and the future all collide. Love and Other Battles is about the scars we bear as women and lovers.
I was recently blessed with the opportunity to listen to Tess Woods, the author of Love and Other Battles, speak about her latest book at a local author event. It gave me an excellent insight into the whole writing process. Tess Woods is an author who truly devotes her entire being to her book, which we are also made aware of from her ‘Acknowledgements’ page and dedication. I do know Tess Woods had a desire to produce a novel like her much loved favourite, The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks, and she was also inspired to take on the challenge of writing a multi generational saga. This is a shift away from her work as a contemporary fiction novelist, but it demonstrates her full worth and commitment as a writer dedicated to building on her craft.
It may have been quite a challenge to bring this generational based novel to fruition, but I am so glad Tess was able to overcome any doubt she may have had in branching out into this style of novel. Love and Other Battles really showcases her ability as a writer. The way in which the book gently switches, along with the setting and timeline changes which are never abrupt, ensures that we remain fully committed to all the characters in this novel. I immediately gravitated towards Jamie, being of a similar age and in a similar line of work. However, I could just as easily understand and sympathise with teenage aged CJ, along with her grandmother Jess. I feel that this is entirely down to the commitment and craftsmanship Tess has dedicated to sculpting her characters. At every point Tess has made sure that we have a deep and full understanding of each character’s movements.
By far my favourite aspect of Love and Other Battles was the 1969, Vietnam War based narrative. Like Tess felt in the beginning of the process she undertook to form her novel, I feel like I possess a significant gap in knowledge in regards to the Australian experience of the Vietnam War. This novel worked to build my knowledge and understanding, especially emotions wise of those sent away and those left behind. The inclusion of the letters back and forth to ‘War Flower’ were so touching, as well as illuminating. I wanted more!
There are light, but also dark and essential elements to this novel that I feel really elevates Tess Woods to a writer who is a clear figurehead and spokeswoman of our times. Tess does not shy away from the hard topics. Within her novel and events that conspire around CJ, our present day focal character, we glean a great deal about the sheer range of current issues that plague our teenage population. Although I do not have teenage children myself, it truly made me afraid, but also critically aware of the very real issues our young people must face. No longer are they shielded from public scorn when they make a simple mistake. Unfortunately, any errors of judgement by our young people are now played out in the public sphere – for all to criticise, comment on and ridicule. It is a hard world we live in, and Tess Woods goes far and wide to bring these issues to our collective consciousness.
As love is in the title of this book, it is a focal point. Tess Woods takes a no-holds-back point of view in her focus on love. She opens up the contrast from first love elation and joy, through to the crashing low moments of heartbreak. In dealing with this subject matter, Woods incorporates a thoughtful examination into ageing, terminal illness, medicinal drug use, domestic abuse and self harm. Tess goes to great lengths to ensure her treatment of these areas of contention are valid, respectful and informed. I need to stress that although there is a serious tone to the novel as a whole, there are plenty of moments where the light shines bright in Love and Other Battles.
So, thank you Tess, for the beauty and gift of Love and Other Battles, a novel that is a here and now ode – with impact. This novel goes such a long way in reflecting the life and times of Australian women and the battles that they continue to fight for today, in the past and in the future.
On a final note, I must check out this Nashville series that is subtly referred to within in the novel. And, I am so pleased you finally got to keep your royal references Tess, I loved it!
*I wish to thank Harper Collins Books Australia for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.
Love and Other Battles is book #95 of the 2019 Australian Women Writers Challenge
We’ve all made mistakes , especially when we’re in love.’
Love and indeed life is a battlefield, to quote one of my favourite 1980s songs by Pat Benatar. I felt like this song could easily be an anthem for the new and compelling inter- generational novel, penned by Tess Woods. Love and Other Battles, the third book from contemporary fiction novelist Tess Woods, gave me goosebumps, made me shiver and it had me nodding my head in deep understanding of the issues that are stake within the pages of this astounding novel.
There are three conclusive threads and three strong female characters that draw together the lines of Love and Other Battles. Beginning with Jess in the late 1960s, we watch on as free spirited Jess falls deeply in love with a soldier, heading off to the Vietnam War. We are then led down Jamie’s path, a young woman living in the year 1989, who longs for a family with her long standing boyfriend, a budding musician. Although Jamie doesn’t quite get what she wished for, this man changes her life forever. Then, travelling to the present day, the reader is introduced to CJ, a teenager who just wants to be cool and popular. CJ’s quest of acceptance lands her in hot water. All three women find their lives are inexplicably linked when the past, a long held secret and the future all collide. Love and Other Battles is about the scars we bear as women and lovers.
I was recently blessed with the opportunity to listen to Tess Woods, the author of Love and Other Battles, speak about her latest book at a local author event. It gave me an excellent insight into the whole writing process. Tess Woods is an author who truly devotes her entire being to her book, which we are also made aware of from her ‘Acknowledgements’ page and dedication. I do know Tess Woods had a desire to produce a novel like her much loved favourite, The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks, and she was also inspired to take on the challenge of writing a multi generational saga. This is a shift away from her work as a contemporary fiction novelist, but it demonstrates her full worth and commitment as a writer dedicated to building on her craft.
It may have been quite a challenge to bring this generational based novel to fruition, but I am so glad Tess was able to overcome any doubt she may have had in branching out into this style of novel. Love and Other Battles really showcases her ability as a writer. The way in which the book gently switches, along with the setting and timeline changes which are never abrupt, ensures that we remain fully committed to all the characters in this novel. I immediately gravitated towards Jamie, being of a similar age and in a similar line of work. However, I could just as easily understand and sympathise with teenage aged CJ, along with her grandmother Jess. I feel that this is entirely down to the commitment and craftsmanship Tess has dedicated to sculpting her characters. At every point Tess has made sure that we have a deep and full understanding of each character’s movements.
By far my favourite aspect of Love and Other Battles was the 1969, Vietnam War based narrative. Like Tess felt in the beginning of the process she undertook to form her novel, I feel like I possess a significant gap in knowledge in regards to the Australian experience of the Vietnam War. This novel worked to build my knowledge and understanding, especially emotions wise of those sent away and those left behind. The inclusion of the letters back and forth to ‘War Flower’ were so touching, as well as illuminating. I wanted more!
There are light, but also dark and essential elements to this novel that I feel really elevates Tess Woods to a writer who is a clear figurehead and spokeswoman of our times. Tess does not shy away from the hard topics. Within her novel and events that conspire around CJ, our present day focal character, we glean a great deal about the sheer range of current issues that plague our teenage population. Although I do not have teenage children myself, it truly made me afraid, but also critically aware of the very real issues our young people must face. No longer are they shielded from public scorn when they make a simple mistake. Unfortunately, any errors of judgement by our young people are now played out in the public sphere – for all to criticise, comment on and ridicule. It is a hard world we live in, and Tess Woods goes far and wide to bring these issues to our collective consciousness.
As love is in the title of this book, it is a focal point. Tess Woods takes a no-holds-back point of view in her focus on love. She opens up the contrast from first love elation and joy, through to the crashing low moments of heartbreak. In dealing with this subject matter, Woods incorporates a thoughtful examination into ageing, terminal illness, medicinal drug use, domestic abuse and self harm. Tess goes to great lengths to ensure her treatment of these areas of contention are valid, respectful and informed. I need to stress that although there is a serious tone to the novel as a whole, there are plenty of moments where the light shines bright in Love and Other Battles.
So, thank you Tess, for the beauty and gift of Love and Other Battles, a novel that is a here and now ode – with impact. This novel goes such a long way in reflecting the life and times of Australian women and the battles that they continue to fight for today, in the past and in the future.
On a final note, I must check out this Nashville series that is subtly referred to within in the novel. And, I am so pleased you finally got to keep your royal references Tess, I loved it!
*I wish to thank Harper Collins Books Australia for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.
Love and Other Battles is book #95 of the 2019 Australian Women Writers Challenge
June 16, 2019
Tess Woods is an absolute master of human emotion. She convinced me of this with her first novel, confirmed it with her second, but this one, her third, is next level. Love and Other Battles is a novel for our times. It is a deeply affecting novel that explores the many ways in which a family can fracture and then knit itself back together. This is contemporary fiction at its finest and I am so grateful to Tess Woods for her bravery in writing a novel that takes readers right into the crux of current social and medical issues, things that so many of us are dealing with but keep quiet about for fear of judgment and contempt.
‘She still didn’t know how to keep living. How was she going to start again after what happened?’
What I loved most about this novel was the inter-generational aspect of it. We have three women from the same family: Jess, her daughter Jamie, and her grand-daughter CJ. Being within Jamie’s generation, I thought that she might have been the character I would relate to the most, but in fact, I was able to deeply connect to all three characters and what they were faced with. I find myself at this age unable to muster the interest to read YA fiction, despite the fact that these novels tap into relevant issues that as a parent of teens, I want to know about. Likewise, I have struggled recently to connect to stories that are entirely about retirees. I feel too removed from the characters themselves, yet I’m interested in the issues they are dealing with. By crafting her characters from three generations within the one family, Tess Woods was able to give me the perfect read. Teen issues that are relevant to me as a parent of teens; parenting and relationship issues that are relevant to me right now; and aged care issues that will become relevant in the not too distant future as my parents age and my husband and I also age. It’s a rare thing for a novel to encompass so much with such precision. And by effectively having three focal points, my attention was regularly shifted from one to the other, eliminating the risk of me not being able to connect to a character for the duration. Instead, I looked forward to spending time with each of them, equally, their battles becoming very personal to me.
‘She’d learned enough about Parkinson’s disease to know that it wouldn’t kill him. He could keep deteriorating like this for another ten or more years, barely able to move or communicate, but with his organs doing just enough to keep him alive, trapped in the body that had failed him.’
Love and Other Battles is a serious novel. Despite the book description that talks of each character within the context of falling in love, this story is so much more than that. At times, it’s so real it hurts. But far out, it hits its mark square on. What happens to CJ, and consequently her mother and her grandmother, is one of the most common things that teens and their families are dealing with today. There is a lot of shame, judgement, and recrimination involved and it’s so important that we stop this. Novels like Love and Other Battles serve a purpose within society, opening the flood gates of discussion through the safe medium of fiction. We have to start talking about these issues, because more and more people are being affected, daily, and without support, there is little hope at turning things around. I’m not going to tell you specifically here in the review what the issues are, and not because of #nospoilers. I’m not telling you because I want you to read this book. I want everyone to read this book. And then I want you all to start talking about it.
‘But now, standing face to face with him, she didn’t feel any desire to hurt him. She didn’t have the urge to scream at him. When she looked into his eyes, all she felt was nothing.’
It’s not all heavy going and nothing but heartache within this novel. There is hope in the form of new beginnings and there’s delight in discovering the sprinkles of Nashville fan fiction throughout. I am a complete Nashville tragic so I picked them all but if you have no idea what I’m talking about right now, it’s all good, it won’t affect your appreciation for the story! With its multiple timelines and genre breaking elements, Love and Other Battles sits firmly in our literacy fiction category by Australian Women Writers Challenge standards. It’s new terrain for Tess Woods but she’s conquered it like a Jedi master. Hats off to you Tess, your talent and emotional response to your subject matter is unmatched.
Thanks is extended to HarperCollins Publishers Australia for providing me with a copy of Love and Other Battles for review.
‘She still didn’t know how to keep living. How was she going to start again after what happened?’
What I loved most about this novel was the inter-generational aspect of it. We have three women from the same family: Jess, her daughter Jamie, and her grand-daughter CJ. Being within Jamie’s generation, I thought that she might have been the character I would relate to the most, but in fact, I was able to deeply connect to all three characters and what they were faced with. I find myself at this age unable to muster the interest to read YA fiction, despite the fact that these novels tap into relevant issues that as a parent of teens, I want to know about. Likewise, I have struggled recently to connect to stories that are entirely about retirees. I feel too removed from the characters themselves, yet I’m interested in the issues they are dealing with. By crafting her characters from three generations within the one family, Tess Woods was able to give me the perfect read. Teen issues that are relevant to me as a parent of teens; parenting and relationship issues that are relevant to me right now; and aged care issues that will become relevant in the not too distant future as my parents age and my husband and I also age. It’s a rare thing for a novel to encompass so much with such precision. And by effectively having three focal points, my attention was regularly shifted from one to the other, eliminating the risk of me not being able to connect to a character for the duration. Instead, I looked forward to spending time with each of them, equally, their battles becoming very personal to me.
‘She’d learned enough about Parkinson’s disease to know that it wouldn’t kill him. He could keep deteriorating like this for another ten or more years, barely able to move or communicate, but with his organs doing just enough to keep him alive, trapped in the body that had failed him.’
Love and Other Battles is a serious novel. Despite the book description that talks of each character within the context of falling in love, this story is so much more than that. At times, it’s so real it hurts. But far out, it hits its mark square on. What happens to CJ, and consequently her mother and her grandmother, is one of the most common things that teens and their families are dealing with today. There is a lot of shame, judgement, and recrimination involved and it’s so important that we stop this. Novels like Love and Other Battles serve a purpose within society, opening the flood gates of discussion through the safe medium of fiction. We have to start talking about these issues, because more and more people are being affected, daily, and without support, there is little hope at turning things around. I’m not going to tell you specifically here in the review what the issues are, and not because of #nospoilers. I’m not telling you because I want you to read this book. I want everyone to read this book. And then I want you all to start talking about it.
‘But now, standing face to face with him, she didn’t feel any desire to hurt him. She didn’t have the urge to scream at him. When she looked into his eyes, all she felt was nothing.’
It’s not all heavy going and nothing but heartache within this novel. There is hope in the form of new beginnings and there’s delight in discovering the sprinkles of Nashville fan fiction throughout. I am a complete Nashville tragic so I picked them all but if you have no idea what I’m talking about right now, it’s all good, it won’t affect your appreciation for the story! With its multiple timelines and genre breaking elements, Love and Other Battles sits firmly in our literacy fiction category by Australian Women Writers Challenge standards. It’s new terrain for Tess Woods but she’s conquered it like a Jedi master. Hats off to you Tess, your talent and emotional response to your subject matter is unmatched.
Thanks is extended to HarperCollins Publishers Australia for providing me with a copy of Love and Other Battles for review.
August 30, 2019
I read most of this novel in the span of one day. I just couldn't put it down. When I had to pause for real life, I wanted to get back to it as soon as possible, as I was worried for the characters.
Love and Other Battles is a powerful story about relationships between significant others and between family members. It deals with current issues, as well as some from previous eras that still make sense for this day and age. Fans of the hit television series This is Us will enjoy this novel, as it has a similar feel and not just because of the Vietnam parts. There's a lot of jumping back and forth between times and we get to see the characters from 1969 and 1989 as they age and change over time. All three main characters were put into tough situations and it was interesting to see how they weathered their storms, both for themselves and for each other. Some parts I did not see coming left me reeling when they hit me all of a sudden. I went through a book hangover that lasted from Saturday night until Wednesday morning, during which time I wasn't ready to start a new book.
Tess Woods continues to impress me with her thoughtful and sensitive writing style and I miss her characters so much afterward. (I still think about characters from her previous novels and I no doubt will continue to think of the ones from Love far into the future.) I already am clamoring to read whatever she writes next. I only wish there had been a soundtrack with CJ's songs to accompany this novel. (Like what Jodi Picoult did for Sing You Home.)
Movie casting suggestions:
Jess (1969): Katherine Langford
Jamie (1989): Daisy Ridley
Jess (2017/18): Stockard Channing
Jamie (2017/18): Saffron Burrows
CJ: Lara Robinson
Finn: Cole Sprouse
Simon: Mark Deklin
Frank (1969): Lincoln Younes
From the review at Chick Lit Central.
Love and Other Battles is a powerful story about relationships between significant others and between family members. It deals with current issues, as well as some from previous eras that still make sense for this day and age. Fans of the hit television series This is Us will enjoy this novel, as it has a similar feel and not just because of the Vietnam parts. There's a lot of jumping back and forth between times and we get to see the characters from 1969 and 1989 as they age and change over time. All three main characters were put into tough situations and it was interesting to see how they weathered their storms, both for themselves and for each other. Some parts I did not see coming left me reeling when they hit me all of a sudden. I went through a book hangover that lasted from Saturday night until Wednesday morning, during which time I wasn't ready to start a new book.
Tess Woods continues to impress me with her thoughtful and sensitive writing style and I miss her characters so much afterward. (I still think about characters from her previous novels and I no doubt will continue to think of the ones from Love far into the future.) I already am clamoring to read whatever she writes next. I only wish there had been a soundtrack with CJ's songs to accompany this novel. (Like what Jodi Picoult did for Sing You Home.)
Movie casting suggestions:
Jess (1969): Katherine Langford
Jamie (1989): Daisy Ridley
Jess (2017/18): Stockard Channing
Jamie (2017/18): Saffron Burrows
CJ: Lara Robinson
Finn: Cole Sprouse
Simon: Mark Deklin
Frank (1969): Lincoln Younes
From the review at Chick Lit Central.
July 13, 2019
I took my time reading this book, because I’ve waited almost 2 years for it and I don’t regret it. I wanted to let the information sink in and not rush it. 5 stars, Tess! Because this book connected with me in more ways than you could possibly imagine. CJ was my soul mate character.
So... let’s begin this review adventure.
Love and Other battles is a book written in two parts: love and (obviously) other battles. The first part - love - is an introduction into the lives of 3 women from 3 generations who are blood related (grandmother - Jess, daughter - Jamie and granddaughter - CJ). This part is written in different years, explaining how each character took a glimpse at love and gave it a chance.
As I was saying earlier CJ was my favorite, not because she’s closer to my age, but because she’s been through the same experiences as I did. Love is painful... and I felt in on my own skin too. I’m not ashamed, but I wish I would have thought better before doing this to myself. I was young and naive... In order to understand what I’m talking about, you - the person who reads now my review - have to read Love and Other battles. I promise you, it will be one of the most beautiful and inspiring books you will ever read.
At the beginning of the first part - to be more specific at page 8 - the second paragraph reminded me of my ex boyfriend who died a year ago, in a car accident. As you can expect, a memory like this one made me rewind. It made me think about all the memories and the good times I had with him. Instantly I felt a deep connection with this book... and of course, it was just the first step, because while reading more, the book turned out to be telling a lot of experiences that I’ve had too. So yeah... The book really connected with me. Even the mention of country music melted my heart, because I love country music and I always dreamed about going to America just to experience this: country lifestyle and country music.
And of course, I lost myself into details. But let’s get back to the book.
The second part of the book - other battles - concentrates on the present time, with a blink in the past. I have to say that the second part kind of killed me. I cried a lot and I was so angry sometimes because I put myself in the characters’ places and I felt the same emotions as they did. Especially since same parts were already known to me. But I don’t want to take the spotlight, because the book is important here!
Each love story from this book had its own appeal. Jess and Pat/Frank, Jamie and Scott/Andrew and CJ and Finn tough me that love requires sacrifices in more ways that you could think of.
Jess had a hard time while her husband was confronting with an illness that has no cure - Parkinson’s disease. I can’t imagine how hard it was to her to see the man she loved for such a long time, in such a way. Incapable of speaking properly, shaking all the time, wanting to die... and poor woman, when she tried to help, she got caught. And on the other hand, reliving - through some amazing letters - a love story with her nasho. I have to admit that I liked Frank’s story more. But I had no idea until the end, that I was reading two side stories for Jess’s part. This was so shocking for me and this is why you are an amazing author Tess, because you never cease to amaze.
Jamie was also a powerful woman who raised her child as a single mom and sacrificed her own happiness for the happiness of the man she loved. Also, I loved Andrew’s side of the story more. How could I not?
But the own that I want to talk about more, is CJ. She was the one who suffered the most. I remember how it is when you are a teen suffering for your first love, but this girl had a lot of pain to deal with. I hated Finn, even tho in the beginning he was so cute and he seemed such a perfect fit for CJ. But after he revealed his true self, I despised him. I hated him with all my heart. How could someone be so evil? How could a child get such a revenge? I totally get it why CJ felt the need to hurt herself. Because it’s a release. Not the best one, but at least, for a moment she forgot about her problems. And oh my God, I got scared that night when she almost ended her life. That was the part where my heart almost bumped out of my chest. Because there’s when the story caught me the most. I was also happy when CJ found out who her father was and how they reunited. I didn’t like Scott, but I was happy for her.
This second part of the book had so many things to teach me and I’m so grateful for these stories, because in life, no matter how many battles you have to fight in, the most important thing is to embrace your family. To always know that they have your back. And that they will always be there when you need to heal.
I have to admit that the last chapters were full of shocking actions, especially the part with Jess and Pat going together, the letters that Jamie found and the song written by CJ. How could I not love this book? When it gave me all these feelings... and this connection I felt. I loved it with all my heart.
In conclusion, you need to read the book ASAP! Because this book felt so real. Unlike other books, that feel like they are just a story, this one made me feel like it was real. And this is an amazing feeling for a reader. Possibly the best.
Favorite quote:
“If she tells you she’s upset and then you’re the one who becomes upset, she then has to carry the guilt and burden of your feelings on top of her own. We know that when children feel like that, it makes them less likely to share more of their troubles. They don’t want to be responsible for causing their parents grief, so they shield them from whatever it is they’re going through and carry it all inside.”
- this quote is so true... I often preferred to not share some things with my parents, because I was afraid they might suffer too. This is the quote that every parent should read and acknowledge.
P. S. Thank you, Tess, so much for this book. I can’t tell you how grateful I am for it. And I did enjoy it. With every beat of my heart. ❤️
So... let’s begin this review adventure.
Love and Other battles is a book written in two parts: love and (obviously) other battles. The first part - love - is an introduction into the lives of 3 women from 3 generations who are blood related (grandmother - Jess, daughter - Jamie and granddaughter - CJ). This part is written in different years, explaining how each character took a glimpse at love and gave it a chance.
As I was saying earlier CJ was my favorite, not because she’s closer to my age, but because she’s been through the same experiences as I did. Love is painful... and I felt in on my own skin too. I’m not ashamed, but I wish I would have thought better before doing this to myself. I was young and naive... In order to understand what I’m talking about, you - the person who reads now my review - have to read Love and Other battles. I promise you, it will be one of the most beautiful and inspiring books you will ever read.
At the beginning of the first part - to be more specific at page 8 - the second paragraph reminded me of my ex boyfriend who died a year ago, in a car accident. As you can expect, a memory like this one made me rewind. It made me think about all the memories and the good times I had with him. Instantly I felt a deep connection with this book... and of course, it was just the first step, because while reading more, the book turned out to be telling a lot of experiences that I’ve had too. So yeah... The book really connected with me. Even the mention of country music melted my heart, because I love country music and I always dreamed about going to America just to experience this: country lifestyle and country music.
And of course, I lost myself into details. But let’s get back to the book.
The second part of the book - other battles - concentrates on the present time, with a blink in the past. I have to say that the second part kind of killed me. I cried a lot and I was so angry sometimes because I put myself in the characters’ places and I felt the same emotions as they did. Especially since same parts were already known to me. But I don’t want to take the spotlight, because the book is important here!
Each love story from this book had its own appeal. Jess and Pat/Frank, Jamie and Scott/Andrew and CJ and Finn tough me that love requires sacrifices in more ways that you could think of.
Jess had a hard time while her husband was confronting with an illness that has no cure - Parkinson’s disease. I can’t imagine how hard it was to her to see the man she loved for such a long time, in such a way. Incapable of speaking properly, shaking all the time, wanting to die... and poor woman, when she tried to help, she got caught. And on the other hand, reliving - through some amazing letters - a love story with her nasho. I have to admit that I liked Frank’s story more. But I had no idea until the end, that I was reading two side stories for Jess’s part. This was so shocking for me and this is why you are an amazing author Tess, because you never cease to amaze.
Jamie was also a powerful woman who raised her child as a single mom and sacrificed her own happiness for the happiness of the man she loved. Also, I loved Andrew’s side of the story more. How could I not?
But the own that I want to talk about more, is CJ. She was the one who suffered the most. I remember how it is when you are a teen suffering for your first love, but this girl had a lot of pain to deal with. I hated Finn, even tho in the beginning he was so cute and he seemed such a perfect fit for CJ. But after he revealed his true self, I despised him. I hated him with all my heart. How could someone be so evil? How could a child get such a revenge? I totally get it why CJ felt the need to hurt herself. Because it’s a release. Not the best one, but at least, for a moment she forgot about her problems. And oh my God, I got scared that night when she almost ended her life. That was the part where my heart almost bumped out of my chest. Because there’s when the story caught me the most. I was also happy when CJ found out who her father was and how they reunited. I didn’t like Scott, but I was happy for her.
This second part of the book had so many things to teach me and I’m so grateful for these stories, because in life, no matter how many battles you have to fight in, the most important thing is to embrace your family. To always know that they have your back. And that they will always be there when you need to heal.
I have to admit that the last chapters were full of shocking actions, especially the part with Jess and Pat going together, the letters that Jamie found and the song written by CJ. How could I not love this book? When it gave me all these feelings... and this connection I felt. I loved it with all my heart.
In conclusion, you need to read the book ASAP! Because this book felt so real. Unlike other books, that feel like they are just a story, this one made me feel like it was real. And this is an amazing feeling for a reader. Possibly the best.
Favorite quote:
“If she tells you she’s upset and then you’re the one who becomes upset, she then has to carry the guilt and burden of your feelings on top of her own. We know that when children feel like that, it makes them less likely to share more of their troubles. They don’t want to be responsible for causing their parents grief, so they shield them from whatever it is they’re going through and carry it all inside.”
- this quote is so true... I often preferred to not share some things with my parents, because I was afraid they might suffer too. This is the quote that every parent should read and acknowledge.
P. S. Thank you, Tess, so much for this book. I can’t tell you how grateful I am for it. And I did enjoy it. With every beat of my heart. ❤️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 21, 2019
I read Beautiful Messy Love by Tess Woods not that long ago and really enjoyed it, so I was super excited to receive Love and Other Battles via Netgalley (thank you Netgalley and Harper Collins Australia!). Happily, I was not disappointed. This latest by Woods is another great read.
The book includes three generations of women -- Jess, her daughter Jamie, and Jamie’s daughter (Jess’s granddaughter) CJ. With this type of book I usually am more interested in one of the characters/plots but Woods managed to write three likeable female characters with equally strong storylines.
I wouldn’t really describe this book as a romance, even though all three women have romantic aspects to their plots. Jess’s story is probably the most traditionally romantic when she, a true hippy/flower child of the 60s, meets Frank, a nasho about to go on a tour of duty in Vietnam.
Jamie rebels against her parents’ hippy upbringing by becoming straight-laced, with a traditional career in teaching, which has now led to her current job as a private school principal. Flashbacks featuring CJ’s father add a further explanation to Jamie’s conservative personality. Jamie's life is thrown into turmoil when CJ is accused of using drugs (marijuana) she got from Jess.
As a mother of a 16 year old girl, I found CJ’s storyline particularly scary. Negotiating the dating minefield is difficult enough for teenagers without adding in the lack of privacy due to the internet/social media. Of the three storylines this one was actually my favourite (despite its terrifying aspects) which is a testament to its strength as I’m usually drawn to what is going on in the older characters’ lives.
Woods included many contemporary issues into the storylines seamlessly. Self harm/cutting, drug and alcohol dependency, bullying, child abuse, religious prejudice, the futility of war, the consequences of suicide, date rape, medical cannabis, and assisted death/euthanasia are all huge parts of the plot. As I said though, they’re all seamlessly added and none of them seem out of place or unnecessary. Instead, I found they added to the depth of the book and gave the reader a much better understanding of these problems than news outlets ever could.
I did love the Aussie feel of the book but I think readers from other countries will also easily connect to the characters and storylines. (They just might not know who the Aussie singers and entertainers mentioned are but I doubt younger readers would either.)
Woods’ prose is extremely readable and the shorter chapters had me flying through the book in a mere couple of days. Unlike so many other books I’ve read of late which fall flat at the end, Love and Other Battles has a satisfying ending which even includes an unexpected twist.
I highly recommend this book and can’t wait to read more books by Tess Woods. 5 out of 5.
The book includes three generations of women -- Jess, her daughter Jamie, and Jamie’s daughter (Jess’s granddaughter) CJ. With this type of book I usually am more interested in one of the characters/plots but Woods managed to write three likeable female characters with equally strong storylines.
I wouldn’t really describe this book as a romance, even though all three women have romantic aspects to their plots. Jess’s story is probably the most traditionally romantic when she, a true hippy/flower child of the 60s, meets Frank, a nasho about to go on a tour of duty in Vietnam.
Jamie rebels against her parents’ hippy upbringing by becoming straight-laced, with a traditional career in teaching, which has now led to her current job as a private school principal. Flashbacks featuring CJ’s father add a further explanation to Jamie’s conservative personality. Jamie's life is thrown into turmoil when CJ is accused of using drugs (marijuana) she got from Jess.
As a mother of a 16 year old girl, I found CJ’s storyline particularly scary. Negotiating the dating minefield is difficult enough for teenagers without adding in the lack of privacy due to the internet/social media. Of the three storylines this one was actually my favourite (despite its terrifying aspects) which is a testament to its strength as I’m usually drawn to what is going on in the older characters’ lives.
Woods included many contemporary issues into the storylines seamlessly. Self harm/cutting, drug and alcohol dependency, bullying, child abuse, religious prejudice, the futility of war, the consequences of suicide, date rape, medical cannabis, and assisted death/euthanasia are all huge parts of the plot. As I said though, they’re all seamlessly added and none of them seem out of place or unnecessary. Instead, I found they added to the depth of the book and gave the reader a much better understanding of these problems than news outlets ever could.
I did love the Aussie feel of the book but I think readers from other countries will also easily connect to the characters and storylines. (They just might not know who the Aussie singers and entertainers mentioned are but I doubt younger readers would either.)
Woods’ prose is extremely readable and the shorter chapters had me flying through the book in a mere couple of days. Unlike so many other books I’ve read of late which fall flat at the end, Love and Other Battles has a satisfying ending which even includes an unexpected twist.
I highly recommend this book and can’t wait to read more books by Tess Woods. 5 out of 5.
August 22, 2019
Very moving story told through the eyes of three strong female characters and covering the time period from the 1960s and the Vietnam War through to 2018 and current issues facing teenagers. The story deals with difficult subject matter—drug use, sexting, self-harm, chronic disease and assisted dying—but it never overwhelms. Tess Woods is a natural storyteller—a totally captivating, emotional and unputdownable book.
June 18, 2019
Tess Woods is not afraid to tackle difficult subjects. Her last book tackled refugees and how they often struggle to fit into our society and how we as a society treat them. This time she tackles several important topics, but I don’t want to give too much away so I’ll try to be vague.
There are three time lines threaded through this novel and three generations, all connected in the present 2017 timeline.
CJ, a Seventeen year old high-school student is dealing with and going through so many things, my heart was in my throat for the first half of this novel whenever I came to her chapters. This novel took me a lot longer to read than it normally would, not because it wasn’t good, it was fabulous, but because CJ’s plight triggered my anxiety and I had to put the book down everytime I read her part of the story. This says much about Tess’s ability to write characters that are completely relatable. The fact I could put myself in CJ’s story so completely despite having passed that point over 20 years ago is impressive. I was also able to completely relate to CJ’s mum Jamie and her struggle despite not having children of my own and Jamie’s mum, Jess’s dilemmas also, despite never having had a love like hers or never having had to deal with the turmoil and decisions she is being forced to deal with. Three generations and I could put myself in each of their shoes.
Today’s youth have an even tougher time than when I went through school. I dealt with much of what CJ deals with, but at least I didn’t have to deal with the added threat and fallout of social media and smart phones. They may have their benefits, but they most certainly have their downfalls, and the issues our children deal with need to be bought into the forefront of society’s minds and youth of both sexes need to be educated in how to behave, how to treat people and how to deal with these issues when they do arise.
Jess’s timeline starts in the time of the Vietnam War, I’ve recently read a couple of novels set during this time, which I think added an extra layer to this timeline for me. Reading about Jess and Frank and their dreams, beliefs and differences and the reality of the Vietnam war, was one of my favourite dynamics in this novel.
Jamie’s story, starting in 2000 wasn’t as involved as the other two time lines, but had a huge bearing on CJ’s story and on who Jamie is in 2017.
I loved this novel, once I passed the worst of what CJ was going through, I couldn’t put the book down until I’d finished. I thoroughly enjoyed all three timeline stories and loved the way they entwined together to form the bigger picture. This is a heartwarming and thought-provoking novel, that will take you on a journey of emotions, it’s a story of love, family, secrets and so much more, dealing with many issues that need to have people thinking and talking.
There are three time lines threaded through this novel and three generations, all connected in the present 2017 timeline.
CJ, a Seventeen year old high-school student is dealing with and going through so many things, my heart was in my throat for the first half of this novel whenever I came to her chapters. This novel took me a lot longer to read than it normally would, not because it wasn’t good, it was fabulous, but because CJ’s plight triggered my anxiety and I had to put the book down everytime I read her part of the story. This says much about Tess’s ability to write characters that are completely relatable. The fact I could put myself in CJ’s story so completely despite having passed that point over 20 years ago is impressive. I was also able to completely relate to CJ’s mum Jamie and her struggle despite not having children of my own and Jamie’s mum, Jess’s dilemmas also, despite never having had a love like hers or never having had to deal with the turmoil and decisions she is being forced to deal with. Three generations and I could put myself in each of their shoes.
Today’s youth have an even tougher time than when I went through school. I dealt with much of what CJ deals with, but at least I didn’t have to deal with the added threat and fallout of social media and smart phones. They may have their benefits, but they most certainly have their downfalls, and the issues our children deal with need to be bought into the forefront of society’s minds and youth of both sexes need to be educated in how to behave, how to treat people and how to deal with these issues when they do arise.
Jess’s timeline starts in the time of the Vietnam War, I’ve recently read a couple of novels set during this time, which I think added an extra layer to this timeline for me. Reading about Jess and Frank and their dreams, beliefs and differences and the reality of the Vietnam war, was one of my favourite dynamics in this novel.
Jamie’s story, starting in 2000 wasn’t as involved as the other two time lines, but had a huge bearing on CJ’s story and on who Jamie is in 2017.
I loved this novel, once I passed the worst of what CJ was going through, I couldn’t put the book down until I’d finished. I thoroughly enjoyed all three timeline stories and loved the way they entwined together to form the bigger picture. This is a heartwarming and thought-provoking novel, that will take you on a journey of emotions, it’s a story of love, family, secrets and so much more, dealing with many issues that need to have people thinking and talking.
June 15, 2019
‘Jessica James never expected to fall for a soldier.’
This novel, which spans the lives of three generations of women from one family, starts in 1969. Jess James is a free-spirited young hippie. She’s against the Vietnam War, and the last thing she expected was to fall in love with a soldier about to leave for service there. In 1989, Jess’s daughter Jamie dreams of marriage and children, and then she meets a struggling musician. In 2017, Jamie’s daughter CJ ends up with the coolest boy at school, and the world changes for all three women. As the past collides with the present, all three learn that true love is not always where you expect to find it.
The battles the women face include the impact of the Vietnam War, the consequences of incurable illness and self-harm. I could relate to each of the women and their battles. I’m a little younger than Jess, but I remember the Vietnam moratorium protests (and marched in one). I could relate to Jamie and her struggle to connect with CJ, and I could absolutely relate to CJ’s struggles. But it isn’t just the women’s problems that make this novel so memorable: it’s their choices, and the way in which they support each other. Each of them has made (and will make) difficult choices. And whether you agree with the choices made, or not, they are completely congruent with the characters.
If you like novels with strong female characters dealing with real contemporary and difficult issues, then you may enjoy this novel as much as I did. But it’s not just a novel to read, it’s a novel to think about and then talk about. This is the first of Ms Woods’s novels I have read: I’ve added her others to my reading list.
Highly recommended.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers Australia for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
This novel, which spans the lives of three generations of women from one family, starts in 1969. Jess James is a free-spirited young hippie. She’s against the Vietnam War, and the last thing she expected was to fall in love with a soldier about to leave for service there. In 1989, Jess’s daughter Jamie dreams of marriage and children, and then she meets a struggling musician. In 2017, Jamie’s daughter CJ ends up with the coolest boy at school, and the world changes for all three women. As the past collides with the present, all three learn that true love is not always where you expect to find it.
The battles the women face include the impact of the Vietnam War, the consequences of incurable illness and self-harm. I could relate to each of the women and their battles. I’m a little younger than Jess, but I remember the Vietnam moratorium protests (and marched in one). I could relate to Jamie and her struggle to connect with CJ, and I could absolutely relate to CJ’s struggles. But it isn’t just the women’s problems that make this novel so memorable: it’s their choices, and the way in which they support each other. Each of them has made (and will make) difficult choices. And whether you agree with the choices made, or not, they are completely congruent with the characters.
If you like novels with strong female characters dealing with real contemporary and difficult issues, then you may enjoy this novel as much as I did. But it’s not just a novel to read, it’s a novel to think about and then talk about. This is the first of Ms Woods’s novels I have read: I’ve added her others to my reading list.
Highly recommended.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers Australia for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
July 28, 2019
Complex potting, compelling and emotional, this is a story about life’s many small and big battles for three generations of women.
As usual, the author is not shy about tackling topical themes. In this novel Tess deals with: self-harm, suicide, single-parent families, and euthanasia.
Written with strong female characters dealing with difficult, contemporary issues, this is ultimately a story of love and three generations from the one family who learn life is not black and white and happy endings can be grey.
As usual, the author is not shy about tackling topical themes. In this novel Tess deals with: self-harm, suicide, single-parent families, and euthanasia.
Written with strong female characters dealing with difficult, contemporary issues, this is ultimately a story of love and three generations from the one family who learn life is not black and white and happy endings can be grey.
June 23, 2025
An incredibly beautiful, multi-generational story exploring love, longing and heartbreaking choices.
June 23, 2019
One of the things I enjoy about Tess Woods’s novels is the way she sensitively handles difficult contemporary societal issues.
The three generations of women in Love and Other Battles all have their own challenges to overcome. But as a reader and writer of young-adult fiction, I was interested to see how Woods would tackle the teen issues of self-harm, cyber-safety, drug use, and youth suicide.
The teen in the book is CJ, the youngest of the three women in the story — CJ is Jamie’s daughter and Jess’s granddaughter. She’s grown up without knowing who her dad is and despite this, she has a great relationship with her mum. But when CJ brings home the coolest boy at school, she’s headed into unchartered waters and a massive disaster.
Woods’s description of CJ’s life and how she feels facing her challenges reads real. There is honesty here, which is what Woods does so well. What I really admire about this book is that Woods tackles current issues with both sensitivity and empathy. You get the feeling that she understands and is empathetic to the challenges facing families today. Her book may even encourage mothers of teens to have that extra chat.
There is a lot more to Love and Other Battles than teen issues. Woods also tackles ageing parents and touches on issues that many middle-aged readers may be grappling with with their own parents. And there are three intertwined entertaining stories in their own right.
Despite the heavy content, Love and Other Battles is an easy and compelling read with a lovely plot twist at the end. This is one to pack in your suitcase.
Many thanks to Harper Collins for a copy of this book to review.
The three generations of women in Love and Other Battles all have their own challenges to overcome. But as a reader and writer of young-adult fiction, I was interested to see how Woods would tackle the teen issues of self-harm, cyber-safety, drug use, and youth suicide.
The teen in the book is CJ, the youngest of the three women in the story — CJ is Jamie’s daughter and Jess’s granddaughter. She’s grown up without knowing who her dad is and despite this, she has a great relationship with her mum. But when CJ brings home the coolest boy at school, she’s headed into unchartered waters and a massive disaster.
Woods’s description of CJ’s life and how she feels facing her challenges reads real. There is honesty here, which is what Woods does so well. What I really admire about this book is that Woods tackles current issues with both sensitivity and empathy. You get the feeling that she understands and is empathetic to the challenges facing families today. Her book may even encourage mothers of teens to have that extra chat.
There is a lot more to Love and Other Battles than teen issues. Woods also tackles ageing parents and touches on issues that many middle-aged readers may be grappling with with their own parents. And there are three intertwined entertaining stories in their own right.
Despite the heavy content, Love and Other Battles is an easy and compelling read with a lovely plot twist at the end. This is one to pack in your suitcase.
Many thanks to Harper Collins for a copy of this book to review.
July 10, 2019
Love and Other Battles is the new novel from Australian author, Tess Woods, a perfect blend of contemporary and historical fiction. Told in two parts, Love and Other Battles, it is the intergenerational saga of three women set in Melbourne and Vietnam. Jess is the voice of 1969, her daughter, Jamie,1989, and Jess’s granddaughter, C.J in 2017. With a multitude of themes including euthanasia, music, the Vietnam War, relationships, technology and secrets, to name just a handful, Love and Other Battles has something for every reader of every age.
When readers first meet Jess, she is an elderly woman. Her husband has Parkinson disease, residing in a nursing home. Jess, a hippie at heart, wants to help alleviate his pain however she could, bringing to the forefront the issue of medicinal weed. When readers step back in time to 1969, Jess is a young woman protesting against the war. To her surprise, Jess finds herself falling in love with a soldier. Their epic love story is one that has a surprise that nobody will see coming.
Jamie was a single mother, by choice, to her teenage daughter, C.J. Working in the school system, the same school as her daughter, meant that Jamie had been able to keep a close eye on her daughter. A protective and proud mother, Jamie believed that she raised C.J to be a strong, resilient teenager. These beliefs are brought crashing down when the truth about a teenage boy and C.J are brought to light.
C.J may be a teenager but, like so many others before her, she was trusting and naïve. It is never more evident when it comes to Finn, a boy she likes. When Finn asks her to perform acts that she is not interested in, C.J doesn’t know what to do. In the age of technology, C.J discovers that nothing is private and everything lasts forever.
Family ghosts will be laid to rest and secrets will be revealed when the three women come together to support each other in their time of need. Most importantly, Love and Other Battles will have you looking at the world in a different light as you race through the pages to the unexpected ending.
When readers first meet Jess, she is an elderly woman. Her husband has Parkinson disease, residing in a nursing home. Jess, a hippie at heart, wants to help alleviate his pain however she could, bringing to the forefront the issue of medicinal weed. When readers step back in time to 1969, Jess is a young woman protesting against the war. To her surprise, Jess finds herself falling in love with a soldier. Their epic love story is one that has a surprise that nobody will see coming.
Jamie was a single mother, by choice, to her teenage daughter, C.J. Working in the school system, the same school as her daughter, meant that Jamie had been able to keep a close eye on her daughter. A protective and proud mother, Jamie believed that she raised C.J to be a strong, resilient teenager. These beliefs are brought crashing down when the truth about a teenage boy and C.J are brought to light.
C.J may be a teenager but, like so many others before her, she was trusting and naïve. It is never more evident when it comes to Finn, a boy she likes. When Finn asks her to perform acts that she is not interested in, C.J doesn’t know what to do. In the age of technology, C.J discovers that nothing is private and everything lasts forever.
Family ghosts will be laid to rest and secrets will be revealed when the three women come together to support each other in their time of need. Most importantly, Love and Other Battles will have you looking at the world in a different light as you race through the pages to the unexpected ending.
June 27, 2019
Now, Tess is one of the authors with our agency - Jacinta di Mase Management - but truly, that just makes my love for her and the stories she tells that much more *wonderful*.
One of my favourite quotes from actor & author Robert Webb is; “You can still love the effortlessness, even when you’ve noticed the effort.” And that’s how I especially feel about Tess’s new release, 'Love And Other Battles' that I had the absolute privilege to read and fall in love with over and over again, at different stages - always falling into the story, and so appreciating the effort I could see going into it.
And now it’s finished, I love it more than ever - “‘Love and Other Battles’ is the heart-wrenching story of three generations of Australian women, who learn that true love is not always where you seek it. If you loved ‘The Notebook,’ this is a novel for you.” ❤️❤️❤️
This book is exquisite: a tender and touching story of three generations of women and the ties that bind them.
Go and read it, and if you haven’t already - then also read Tess’s other books 'Love At First Flight' and 'Beautiful Messy Love'!
One of my favourite quotes from actor & author Robert Webb is; “You can still love the effortlessness, even when you’ve noticed the effort.” And that’s how I especially feel about Tess’s new release, 'Love And Other Battles' that I had the absolute privilege to read and fall in love with over and over again, at different stages - always falling into the story, and so appreciating the effort I could see going into it.
And now it’s finished, I love it more than ever - “‘Love and Other Battles’ is the heart-wrenching story of three generations of Australian women, who learn that true love is not always where you seek it. If you loved ‘The Notebook,’ this is a novel for you.” ❤️❤️❤️
This book is exquisite: a tender and touching story of three generations of women and the ties that bind them.
Go and read it, and if you haven’t already - then also read Tess’s other books 'Love At First Flight' and 'Beautiful Messy Love'!
July 23, 2019
Smiling with tears.
All the things I love in a book - familiar Aussie setting, relatable characters, a hint of romance and a brief mention of swing dancing.
Tess Woods has done it again with another emotionally engaging Aussie fiction. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator nailed it.
All the things I love in a book - familiar Aussie setting, relatable characters, a hint of romance and a brief mention of swing dancing.
Tess Woods has done it again with another emotionally engaging Aussie fiction. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator nailed it.
August 25, 2019
Devoured this in a day.
The perfect read that once you pick up you won't want to put down.
3 interwoven stories of 3 strong women: Jess, her daughter Jamie, and her grand-daughter CJ.
The book covers heart-rending topics: the Vietnam war, teen self-harm and suicide.
I curled up with this page-turning story and sighed with happiness when I finished it.
Love Tess's books!
The perfect read that once you pick up you won't want to put down.
3 interwoven stories of 3 strong women: Jess, her daughter Jamie, and her grand-daughter CJ.
The book covers heart-rending topics: the Vietnam war, teen self-harm and suicide.
I curled up with this page-turning story and sighed with happiness when I finished it.
Love Tess's books!
February 12, 2024
Found a cute signed copy at a second hand bookstore so here I am!
April 5, 2019
There is something very exceptional about the way that Tess Woods writes. Before the end of the first chapter I was hooked and immediately very invested in her characters and their stories. I wanted them to be OK, I needed them to be OK. They're very real stories that are very relevant in their own times.
Three generations of women dealing with life's challenges in both "love and other battles" as the title suggests. The story line jumps from Jess, Jamie and CJ. Each telling their own story, jumping from the past to the present and ties all three generations together, throwing in a great curve ball towards the end.
The dialogue in this book is fantastic. It's clear, concise, amusing at times and very easy to understand. It makes the story flow and the pace quicker than I expected, which is something I like in a book.
There are some very difficult subjects in this story and Tess Woods handles them very well giving them the attention that they deserve.
It's an emotional read. I certainly had tears in my eyes at times (which makes it hard to read), but I couldn't put this book down.
A beautiful portrayal of life and love. I highly recommend this book if you enjoy an emotion charged read and very realistic characters.
5 stars!
*Publisher provided a copy of this book in return for an honest review*
Three generations of women dealing with life's challenges in both "love and other battles" as the title suggests. The story line jumps from Jess, Jamie and CJ. Each telling their own story, jumping from the past to the present and ties all three generations together, throwing in a great curve ball towards the end.
The dialogue in this book is fantastic. It's clear, concise, amusing at times and very easy to understand. It makes the story flow and the pace quicker than I expected, which is something I like in a book.
There are some very difficult subjects in this story and Tess Woods handles them very well giving them the attention that they deserve.
It's an emotional read. I certainly had tears in my eyes at times (which makes it hard to read), but I couldn't put this book down.
A beautiful portrayal of life and love. I highly recommend this book if you enjoy an emotion charged read and very realistic characters.
5 stars!
*Publisher provided a copy of this book in return for an honest review*
January 22, 2020
Where does one start when a novel is given to you like this, it's an absolute gift. So many emotions, it really packs a punch that's for sure. Tess warns the reader that it does delve into some fairly confronting territory and having not experienced any of the issues first hand as an observer I would say she does it with much care and thought. The storyline takes us back to the Vietnam War which in itself has it's own story of conflicting views and an uneasy, horrific chapter of Australia's and Vietnam's history. The controversy of conscription, and the fact we were there in the thick of things when so many people disagreed about our involvement, and then how the men and women that served were treated on their return is all there - it's hard to fathom really. The storyline also takes us to the challenges of a more modern world where the abusive use of technology can have dramatic and unimaginable outcomes for young adults. Boundaries and trust are broken which lead to devastating choices, again it doesn't hide from issues that are the utmost worst flow-on effects but also highlights the importance of seeking help and recognising that it takes hard work, understanding people who listen and a whole stack of resilience to move forward.
But there is also a stack of love in this novel, so much love. The title is absolutely perfect in every way. The love between people, even when the going gets really really tough is what the novel is really about - in so many ways. Love and other battles is one of the most amazing books I have yet to read. It has history, humour, humility, romance - the characterisation and research behind the storyline is absolutely superb. Highly recommend this novel but I would say to heed the warning that is on the first page, it may not be for everyone.
But there is also a stack of love in this novel, so much love. The title is absolutely perfect in every way. The love between people, even when the going gets really really tough is what the novel is really about - in so many ways. Love and other battles is one of the most amazing books I have yet to read. It has history, humour, humility, romance - the characterisation and research behind the storyline is absolutely superb. Highly recommend this novel but I would say to heed the warning that is on the first page, it may not be for everyone.
July 31, 2019
I have high expectations when I read a Tess Woods novel, and this book was one of my two most anticipated titles for 2019... and it didn't disappoint.
It did take me a little while to work out the cast of characters. I have the attention span of a gnat when I start a new story and I spent the opening part of the book trying to keep track of which generation of Stone women I was in (although the dates at the start of chapters did help), and working out who was who.
CJs story was heartbreaking, as was what her grandfather and grandmother went through facing end-of-life decisions in the nursing home, and in both storylines I felt the authenticity shone through. It's hard to imagine what near-adult children go through navigating their fledgling path through adult relationships in the digital age and for my part, I felt Tess Woods got this just right. Same with concepts of dying with dignity and merciful death, which is something I think about all too often.
I finished this story over a couple of days, settling in to a solid block of reading today because the page-turning part had really kicked in, and I couldn't leave the characters (particularly CJ) alone on the page without knowing what was going on.
It's a lovely story and well deserving of all the fantastic reviews.
It did take me a little while to work out the cast of characters. I have the attention span of a gnat when I start a new story and I spent the opening part of the book trying to keep track of which generation of Stone women I was in (although the dates at the start of chapters did help), and working out who was who.
CJs story was heartbreaking, as was what her grandfather and grandmother went through facing end-of-life decisions in the nursing home, and in both storylines I felt the authenticity shone through. It's hard to imagine what near-adult children go through navigating their fledgling path through adult relationships in the digital age and for my part, I felt Tess Woods got this just right. Same with concepts of dying with dignity and merciful death, which is something I think about all too often.
I finished this story over a couple of days, settling in to a solid block of reading today because the page-turning part had really kicked in, and I couldn't leave the characters (particularly CJ) alone on the page without knowing what was going on.
It's a lovely story and well deserving of all the fantastic reviews.
June 20, 2019
Three generations of women come together for a heartfelt story in Love and Other Battles by Tess Woods: Jess, the free-spirited hippie, her reserved daughter Jamie, and Jamie's vulnerable teenage daughter, CJ. I always admire writers who weave together different time periods and voices with seemingly no effort, and Tess is no exception here. She's created strong and memorable characters (especially Jess and CJ), and thrown a raft of conflicts at them like pacifism v war, drugs for leisure v medicine, and whether to stay in a toxic relationship. For every choice the women make, there is a battle of a different kind, and Tess gives each one balanced consideration, resulting in a read that's emotionally satisfying, as much as it is an engrossing page turner.
There is a twist as the past collides with the present, and I picked that one early on, but that didn't diminish the quality of the storytelling and the respect with which the issues, contemporary and historical, were treated. Highly recommended!
There is a twist as the past collides with the present, and I picked that one early on, but that didn't diminish the quality of the storytelling and the respect with which the issues, contemporary and historical, were treated. Highly recommended!
June 19, 2019
Love and Other Battles
OMG, this is the best book I have ever read. Tess Woods latest offering, Love and Other Battle. BRILLIANT. Tess’ ability to bring her characters to life, to feel their love, pain, disappointments and successes are second to none. I could sit here all night and sing her praises but the best way to do that is to implore you to read this book and make your own decision. Guaranteed you will love it as much as I did. A very big six Eagles from me. 🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅 and one more because it deserves it 🦅
OMG, this is the best book I have ever read. Tess Woods latest offering, Love and Other Battle. BRILLIANT. Tess’ ability to bring her characters to life, to feel their love, pain, disappointments and successes are second to none. I could sit here all night and sing her praises but the best way to do that is to implore you to read this book and make your own decision. Guaranteed you will love it as much as I did. A very big six Eagles from me. 🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅 and one more because it deserves it 🦅
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