Review: Tides of Honour by Genevieve Graham

Source: Received a copy from the publisher to give an honest review.
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Canada
Release Date: Already released.
Number of Pages: 432 (Paperback)


Description from Goodreads:

A novel of love, loss, and honour amidst the horrors of war and its aftermath.

It’s 1916, and the last thing Nova Scotian soldier Danny Baker expects to find in war-torn France is the love of his life. Audrey Poulin is alone in the world, and struggling to survive the war in the French countryside. When Audrey and Danny meet and fall in love, it seems like the best version of fate.

But love is only the beginning, as Danny loses a leg in the Battle of the Somme, and returns home to Halifax with Audrey, only to discover that he’s unable to leave the war behind. Danny and Audrey struggle with their new life together, and must face not only their own internal demons, but a catastrophe that will soon rip apart everything they think they know about themselves and each other.

Genevieve Graham, author of Under the Same Sky and Sound of the Heart, brings her passion for weaving history and fiction together in a seamless tale that will capture and enthrall the reader.

*****

"Evocative of place and time, a novel blending tragedy and triumph in a poignant and uplifting tale that's sure to leave its mark upon your heart."
-SUSANNA KEARSLEY, New York Times & Globe and Mail bestselling author

“Travel back to 1917 and explore a world of suffragettes, Bolsheviks, and the Great War - and the love story that illuminates them all.”
- JON TATTRIE, author of Black Snow

I started reading TIDES OF HONOUR while preparing to move, so my reading was interrupted a little bit, but once I picked the book back up, I couldn't stop. I just had to know how Audrey and Danny's story ended! 

One of the things that I loved most about Tides of Honour was how quintessentially Canadian it was. I really enjoy historical romance, and this was the first time that I'd ever read one that was set in Canada...and it was fabulous!! Tides of Honour takes place during World War I, and also during one of the worst tragedies in Canada's history. I have to admit that prior to reading Tides of Honour...I had never heard of the Halifax explosion. I guess Canada's history curriculum could use some work since in Alberta we definitely didn't learn about it, but even though it wasn't something I was familiar with, I really enjoyed how Genevieve Graham wove the event into her story. She described it so vividly that I was able to imagine and picture just how horrible both the explosion and the aftermath were. It was also really amazing to see how people worked together after such a horrible event, especially when the country was already being ravaged by WWI.

With WWI and the Halifax explosion being a part of the story, there was no shortage of hardship in Tide of Honour, but even during the difficult times, there was also happiness and love. It was wonderful to see how Audrey and Danny's love started to grow after they met during the war, and I thoroughly enjoyed the way that their relationship evolved, even while they were separated. Both Audrey and Danny were wonderful characters, and I loved seeing them meet, reunite, and then overcome the obstacles and hardships that were in front of them. I loved how passionate they both were as individual characters, especially Audrey with her art. And Danny went through so much throughout the story. I just wanted to give him a big hug, and I was so proud of him by the end of the book. He changed a lot throughout the story, and during the last half, his parts were my favourite. :)

Tides of Honour was a fantastic story with great, dynamic characters, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! The writing was wonderful, and it was a captivating story that made me desperate to see how it ended. I'd recommend Tides of Honour to historical romance fans, especially fans of romances set around WWI, and it'd be even better if they those fans also like Canadian history. :)

What do you think?
Does Tides of Honour sound like something you'd like to read?