I received a free copy of this book from Author for an honest review.
This does not affect in any way my opinion of the book nor the content of my review.

A Rose in Flanders Fields by Terri Nixon
Series: Oaklands Manor Trilogy #2
Published by Carina UK on July 17, 2014
Genres: Historical Fiction
Source: Author
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Driving an ambulance through the mud in Flanders, aristocrat Evie Creswell is a long way from home. At Oaklands Manor all she had been expected to do was to look pretty and make a good marriage. But with the arrival of World War One everything changed . . .
And Evie, to the horror of her family, does not choose a husband from her blue-blooded set; instead she weds artist Will Davies, who works as a butcher’s apprentice. Soon she is struggling nightly to transport the wounded to hospital, avoiding the shells and gas attacks–her privileged home life, and her family’s disappointment at her marriage, a lifetime away.
And while Evie drives an ambulance in Belgium, Will is in the trenches in France. He withdraws from her, the trauma of his experience taking hold. Evie has the courage to deal with her war work, but it breaks her heart to think she is losing Will’s love. Can their marriage survive this terrible war? That is, if they both get out alive . . .

A Rose in Flanders Fields may not have had the same big emotional impact that hit me as much as Maid of Oaklands Manor did, but it made an impact nevertheless. Besides the first part of the book—where through some unpleasant turn of events we also see the development of Evie and Will’s relationship—the rest of it keeps you in the fields with your heart racing, and not just for the main couple. Brutality and injustices make war horrors even harder to live in and, if they touch someone close to you, the reality of it all makes your already difficult living practically unbearable. But Evie is a very strong heroine, she does everything in her power to help others and she constantly fights for love and justice. So, what if something stands over it? Light certainly must be done over a mystery that in the end could surprise the reader . . .

Even though I felt like sometimes the pace went too fast and I wouldn’t have minded seeing—and perhaps getting—Will a bit more, I really enjoyed the read. If you’re new to The Oaklands Manor Trilogy, I would definitely recommend to start from the first instalment, Maid of Oaklands Manor. Doing so, you’ll get additional helpful details to follow the first part of this story better, and you’ll also be able to create a stronger connection with the characters.

Terri Nixon pushes my curiosity to the point where I can’t stop reading once I started! I’ve been left wondering over the third main young woman, Kitty, and I really can’t wait to see where she goes from here . . .

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