Lovely War

Book: Lovely War
Author: Julie Berry

It's 1917, and World War I is at its zenith when Hazel and James first catch sight of each other at a London party. She's a shy and talented pianist; he's a newly minted soldier with dreams of becoming an architect. When they fall in love, it's immediate and deep--and cut short when James is shipped off to the killing fields.

Aubrey Edwards is also headed toward the trenches. A gifted musician who's played Carnegie Hall, he's a member of the 15th New York Infantry, an all-African-American regiment being sent to Europe to help end the Great War. Love is the last thing on his mind. But that's before he meets Colette Fournier, a Belgian chanteuse who's already survived unspeakable tragedy at the hands of the Germans.

Thirty years after these four lovers' fates collide, the Greek goddess Aphrodite tells their stories to her husband, Hephaestus, and her lover, Ares, in a luxe Manhattan hotel room at the height of World War II. She seeks to answer the age-old question: Why are Love and War eternally drawn to one another? But her quest for a conclusion that will satisfy her jealous husband uncovers a multi-threaded tale of prejudice, trauma, and music and reveals that War is no match for the power of Love.-Goodreads

Review: This is a charming love story about two couples during WWI. Couple one: Brits James and Hazel, who meet right before James is shipped off. Couple two: American Aubrey, a brilliant musician and Colette, a Belgium who has lost her entire family in the war, who meet in France. The story is told by Aphrodite and Ares with a dash of Hephaestus and Hades

Berry certainly crafted a unique tale by utilizing Greek gods and goddesses but I'm not sure if it was necessary to include them. Every time they took center stage in the book I found it disconcerting. The actual love stories were well done, with the Aubrey/Colette storyline the strongest. 

Overall I did enjoy this and I will definitely read more from this author. 

Grade: 3/5