About the Book
Author: Linda Shenton Matchett
Genre: Christian Historical Romance
Release Date: July 8, 2025
He thinks he’s too old. She thinks she’s too young. Can these teachers learn that love defies all boundaries?
Born and raised in London, Isobel Turvine knows nothing about farming, but after most of the students in her school evacuate during Operation Pied Piper, she’s left with little to do. Then her friend Margery talks her into joining the Women’s Land Army, and she finds herself working the land at a manor home in Yorkshire that’s been converted to a boys’ school. A teacher at heart, she is drawn to the lads, but the handsome yet stiff-necked headmaster wants her to stick to farming.
Left with an arm that barely works from the last “war to end all wars,” Gavin Emerson agrees to take on the job of headmaster when his school moves from London to Yorkshire, but he’s saddled with the quirky manor owner, bickering among his teachers, and a gaggle of Land Army girls who have turned the grounds into a farm. When the group’s blue-eyed, raven-haired leader nearly runs him down in a car, he admonishes her to stay in the fields, but they are thrown together at every turn. Can he trust her not to break his heart?
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My Review
This is a lovely historical romance. It is during war and lives are in turmoil. Boys are uprooted from their families and understandably, some act out. It was good to see how they eventually take responsibility and mature. We see how women have to take over some of the farming tasks that men would normally do, men who are now on the front lines. We also see how wealthy land owners give up their fields for growing food for the war effort and their big manor homes to house teachers, students and farm workers.
Although this novel is short, we get to know the characters quite well. We become sympathetic with Gavin's vow to not marry and struggle with him when he falls in love. Isobel is a delight, city girl turned humble farmer but so loved by the women she leads. Both characters are very likable and we hope for their future.
There is not as much detail given to the setting as one might find in a full length novel. But that did not detract from the enjoyable nature of this novel. It is truly a heart warming one with a strong faith message.
My rating: 4/5 stars.
About the Author
A native of Baltimore, Maryland, she was born a stone’s throw from Fort McHenry (of Star-Spangled Banner fame) and has lived in historical places all her life. She is a volunteer docent and archivist at the Wright Museum of WWII and a former trustee for her local public library. She now lives in central New Hampshire where she explores the history of this great state and immerses herself in the imaginary worlds created by other authors.
More from Linda
The Women’s Land Army was originally formed in 1917, during The Great War to help Britain with its food production. After the men returned home, the group was disbanded. Once again at war in 1939, the WLA was reestablished, and over the course of the conflict, more than 200,000 women served all over the United Kingdom. Many came from cities and towns and knew very little about working on a farm. Most had to be taught how to drive, milk cows, collect eggs, sow, and reap the harvest in addition to the many other tasks associated with farms.
Among the largest crops to be produced were potatoes. They were cheap, and several varieties matured quickly providing food to citizens, troops, and refugees. Rationing was a necessary part of wartime life to ensure everyone had enough to eat. The government issued pamphlets and cookbooks with easy-to-follow recipes made with readily available food (tinned and fresh).
Lord Woolton Pie, a vegetarian potpie named after the Minister of Food, is one of those recipes. By all reports it was not well-received, however, I’ve made it on several occasions and find it quite tasty.
1lb cauliflower
1lb rutabaga (I use parsnips)
1lb carrots
1lb potatoes
Bunch of spring onions chopped
2 teaspoons of Marmite (yeast extract – or you can use a stock cube)
Tablespoon of rolled oats
Salt and pepper to taste once cooked.
Parsley (fresh or dried)
Pastry
8oz wholemeal/wholewheat flour
4oz mashed potato
3oz margarine or lard
2 tsp of baking powder
couple large pinches of salt
Dash of water if needed.
Procedure
- Chop up the vegetables into chunks with those that take longest to cook into smaller pieces.
- Place in pot and bring to simmer with just enough water to reach 3/4 of the way up the veg in the pot.
- Add in Marmite and rolled oats, salt and pepper and cook until tender and most of the water has been absorbed.
- Place mixture in deep pie dish and sprinkle with fresh parsley (or add dry parsley to mixture and mix in)
- Make the pastry by mixing the flour with the baking powder and salt and then rubbing in the margarine.
- Mix the mashed potato in to form a dough and knead (add a little water to the mixture if too dry)
- Roll out to form pie crust and place on top and decorate then brush with milk.
- Place in oven at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or so until top is form and browned.
Newspaper recipe: Bromley & District Times, February 1941
Lord Woolton Pie: By autumnroseuk – Woolton pie, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=46161211
Blog Stops
Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, November 4
She Lives to Read, November 5
Simple Harvest Reads, November 6 (Author Interview)
Patti Wolf – Scribbling Spiritual Sand, November 6
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 7
Texas Book-aholic, November 8
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 9
Guild Master, November 10 (Author Interview)
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, November 11
For Him and My Family, November 12
Pause for Tales, November 13
Mary Hake, November 14
Fiction Book Lover, November 15 (Author Interview)
The Mommies Reviews, November 15
Life on Chickadee Lane, November 16
Leslie’s Library Escape, November 17
(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)
5 comments:
Thank you for being part of my tour. I’m pleased you enjoyed Isobel’s and Gavin’s story.
Thank you for the review.
What techniques do you use to create engaging dialogue?
This looks like an awesome read. Thanks for sharing.
Sounds like a great book! Ty for sharing!
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