This book gives you so much. Erin McKenzie does an excellent job of evoking the emotions of the reader. You feel the terror and fatigue that the characters experience, you revel in their joy of finding true love, and you despair over the sacrifices they have to much in such a perilous time. You yearn for these characters just to find peace and happiness.

This is a great read. If you love amazing female protagonists and a good love story this is the book for you. You cannot go wrong with this one.

When the book begins we meet Ellie Winthrop an aristocrat with dreams of being more than some man’s wife. Ellie, a feminist, has aspirations of helping the world and zero interest in gossiping over tea with the other ladies. Her mother wants nothing more than for the 22-year-old to pick a husband and begin her own family, but with World War One sweeping across Europe, Ellie has different ideas and new opportunities arise. When Ellie’s twin cousins die in battle, Ellie disobeys her mother’s wishes and enlists as in the Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) to support in the medical care of wounded soldiers.

Ellie is assigned her duties and arrives at a general care hospital on the northern coast of France in the winter of 1915. There she meets nurse, Johanna Lennox. Lennox suffers no fools and is hard on the VAD’s, as she expects they are more interested in adventure than really facilitating care of the war-ravaged soldiers. To Johnna’s dismay, Ellie proves repeatedly she is capable, intelligent and kind. Respect grows into friendship, and friendship grows into love.

This book gives you so much. Erin McKenzie does an excellent job of evoking the emotions of the reader. You feel the terror and fatigue that the characters experience, you revel in their joy of finding true love, and you despair over the sacrifices they have to much in such a perilous time. You yearn for these characters just to find peace and happiness.

This is a great read. If you love amazing female protagonists and a good love story this is the book for you. You cannot go wrong with this one.

Good story, couldn't wait to keep reading all what was going to happen. This was a nice introduction to an author that I'm overly familiar with but gave me a sense of good things to come.

Lovely book. Beautifully written, terrific story. It's not all roses and gives the reader a gentle insight into the horrors of war.

Quite often I find that I enjoy and appreciate one of the major characters more than the other, but in this book, the author has managed to deliver two genuinely interesting characters in a relatively short read.

Definitely encourage you to read this.

[CW: war, off-page deaths of family]

This is a beautiful historical romance across classes set in WWI Great Britain and France.

Ellie Winthrop is high-born, a feminist, and holds big dreams during a time women cannot even vote. Her mother is eager to marry her off at twenty-two, but Ellie enlists in Volunteer Aid Detachment. At the hospital, she meets Johanna Lennox, a working-class, twenty-four-year-old nurse with a no-nonsense attitude. As the pair gradually become friends, they can no longer resist their yearnings for each other's bodies. But with Ellie's mother pestering Ellie with marriage, Johanna wonders if she, being poorer and a woman, could ever be good enough for her.

I love books that incite emotions, and McKenzie’s "While My Heart Beats" is one of those. Throughout the read, my heart aches at every little interactions between Ellie and Johanna, and I long for them to be physically together.

It was very easy to connect with both characters. Ellie is open, friendly, energetic, and a little naïve. It is impossible not to smile when she brings happiness into a room with her. Johanna, an experienced professional nurse, is more or less an ice queen character. She is drawn to Ellie's exuberance, friendship, and softness, and with her, Johanna is no longer distant nor snappy. But she has a tendency to run toward actual danger instead of facing her own insecurities. Honestly, that is very relatable.

Apart from the adorable mains Ellie and Johanna, I love Ellie's younger brother Theo. I am going to assume he knows of his sister's relationship here. Theo, who is about five years junior to Ellie, seems like an incredibly responsible, supportive, helpful young man, and also one with grand dreams. I love how he is very understanding and also fun to be with. Matron Campbell is also a wonderful character. I love that she is loving and sort of a mother figure to Johanna.

The book is set from 1915 to 1917, with the epilogue in 1919. Its writing is beautiful in a way only historical fiction can be as the two women struggle to make sense of their feelings for each other. Throughout the whole book, my heart aches for them, and their letter exchanges make my knees weak. I think I have a thing for love letters.

Though these are not forgotten side plots, I still wonder about Anna, Ellie's dead cousin's fiancée, and Rose, Ellie's friend. The former drives an ambulance, and I guess that is a very impressive feat for a woman in 1915. The latter is the one who mentions intimate partnership between people of the same sex. They both seem like amazing young women, and may their futures be bright.

"While My Heart Beats" is a lovable story that made my heart burst with emotions. It took me two hours to read, but Ellie and Johanna's tenderness is going to stay with me much longer than that.

This is quite some read. It's a historical romance set in the twentieth century during World War 1. The main characters are polar opposites in terms of class and background. One is the daughter of a fisherman and the other from an affluent background where girls are expected to become society wives as soon as a suitable match can be arranged.

They meet in a makeshift hospital not far from the battlefront in France and against all odds are drawn to each other. From then on in it's a gritty story of love amongst the grim reality of war. And it is powerful. The author has a way with words and the imagery she paints portrays a realistic backdrop to this really special love story. There are lots of lovely moments and the secondary characters also come into their own and are well-portrayed, adding credence and extra layering to the storyline.

I loved it. 5*

Ellie is an upperclass girl who decides to volunteer with the Red Cross and Johanna is the stoic nurse in charge of training her. Set during World War I, this story follows Ellie and Johanna through the horrors they witness at the hospital and how they help each other cope.

I enjoyed this story and from what I can remember from my history classes, it does seem to be historically accurate. The forbidden love between Ellie and Johanna is one that I’ve seen before (but I do still like it). Johanna is from a working class family and Ellie is from an upperclass family. Johanna feels like Ellie deserves better so she pushes her away, not once, but twice. However, the trope that I do thoroughly enjoy is one person is super friendly (aka a ball of sunshine) while the other person is reserved/aloof and the friendly person breaks down the other person’s walls and they fall in love 😍😍

Such a sweet story!
I loved the romance between the women, the angst and the love. It's really hard to find a good lesbian historical fiction, because most of them, the main characters can't be together because in society it was like committing a crime.
This one is sad in some parts, but the romance and the sex makes it all worth it. I'd recommend the book to everyone, it talks about the war, the reality of the soldiers, the suffrage, women fighting for their rights and all. It's amazing.
I received a copy for a honest review.

Ellie Winthrop, a rich British socialite joines the Voluntary Aid Detachment during World War I and tries to melt the heart of her stern supervisor, Johanna Lennox, a working-class Scottish nurse. As they grow closer, Johanna worries that she’ll never fit into Ellie’s world and they’ll never have a future after the War, that is, if they can survive it.

I really enjoyed this book. I’ve had trouble concentrating long enough on print books to finish much these last couple of months, but Ellie and Johanna pulled me into their world. I’m a sucker for queer period pieces, because I feel like most historical romance is heteronormative. Both Ellie and Johanna defy the social norms of their time to be fierce, independent workers on the front lines of the most horrific war the modern world had known up to that point.

McKenzie built the romantic tension well, and once they were together, I was rooting hard for them to make it through the war and back to each other. I’m a a sucker for lovers from different worlds, and stressful situations make for great romantic drama. I’m not one to romanticize war, and I think McKenzie did a good job of balancing the true horrors of war while telling a heartwarming love story.

This is a great summer romance to add to your TBR whether you’re headed out on vacation or staying on your couch for the duration. It moved quickly and only took me a couple of days to finish, because I couldn’t put it down.

This book was phenomenal. I have never been a fan of historical romances, previous ones I read just weren't that great. But this one was everything and some. The love they had for each other was so intense. At first I thought it wasn't going to work out between them, but the way they found their way back to each other was breathtaking. The words that were spoken, "I need you like I need air." And the poem that Johanna had written at the end of the story was perfection. Thank you Ms. McKenzie for this wonderful book. Perfect read during these rough pandemic times.

Received an ARC from the generous author via Netgalley.

This has been a story set in the early twentieth century, in World War I, with glimpses of the early suffragettes and some of the early feminism. In the midst of this situation is Ellie, a 24-year-old woman who is urged by her family, mainly her mother, to marry and start a family, as is appropriate for a woman of her social status. But she does not have that in mind and when she hears the call of the Red Cross asking for volunteers to go to the front to assist the wounded soldiers, she does not hesitate to enlist. There she will meet Johanna, a woman of about the same age, a registered nurse and from a humble family of Scottish fishermen. Johanna has to assume, much to her regret, the mission of training the volunteers among which is Ellie. Johanna views these women with some contempt, thinking that they will not be able to bear the harshness of the war. But Ellie is slowly going to show her that she is not like that. The story describes crudeness and unpleasant situations that are caused by wars, but it does not gloat in the negative. It builds a rather romantic and sweet account of the bond that these two women create with each other, despite their inexperience and little knowledge of what is happening to them, of the attraction and desires they arouse in each other. And it does not have excessive drama, it has not been exaggerated or illogical. It's been pretty quick to read, which means the story hooks and you can't help but know what's going to happen next. In my opinion, it has been a very interesting story, a good historical romance.

This is a wonderfully-written book. It's set in World War I and features Johanna, a nurse from a working class background and Ellie, a high-born woman who signed up as volunteer nurse aide. I've read a lot of war books, but have not really read about WWI from the viewpoint of the nurses. They are there helping the wounded and trying to save lives. For those who work near the front lines, there are also those who were killed. I think these people are the heroes that are not written about in history books. We also see the issues facing women of that time period. This is when women does not have the right to vote. Of course, women loving women is something that has to be hidden. Such is the world that Johanna and Ellie lived in. This is truly a tale of hope and love during a dark time of history.
**Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Stroke Books for giving an ARC in exchange for an honest review.**

This book is a wonderful love story that is set during World War I. Typical I don't read books that happen in this era, but this book was the exception. I was transported to that typical due to the imagery and the writing itself. It is about a nurse, Johanna and a volunteer recruit, Ellie. They work side by side in France. Ellie has misgivings about Johanna in the beginning, but that changes as Ellie shows her that she is willing to learn.
As they spend more time together, they realize the feelings between them.
I would recommend this book!
i received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is sweet story. I liked the flow of it, nothing mind-blowing however it's well written. I'm going to add, that I liked Johanna a lot. And the growth in Ellie,

I've bought the book and read it. I thought the approval was actually a rejection lol since it took long time. However I'm grateful for the free copy in exchange of honest opinion
Here's my review on the book when I finished it

This is the story of Ellie, an upper class volunteer, and and Johanna, a working class nurse, set during World War I. This story is one of forbidden love not only between two women, but also one of different classes set in the midst of war.

Ellie is a strong and memorable character who defies the norm by leaving her luxurious life with her wealthy British family. Her mom’s only mission in life is to marry Ellie off to a proper British man, but Ellie goes against the family when she volunteers to help with the injured in the war. Ellie meets and falls in love with Johanna, a brilliant but stiff nurse who has barely any family. While all the new volunteers feared Johanna at the beginning, Ellie actually works very well with her, earning Johanna’s respect and killing all of the stereotypes that Joanna had about wealthy British volunteers who were coming only for an adventure.

I soooooo needed this book!!! Finally my reader’s block is cured !!! Finally !!! It has been such a long time since I got into a book this much! I was hooked from beginning to end..

Big disclaimer: this is NOT an easy read! It’s about the brutality of war, and the author brilliantly makes you feel what the characters felt! The scenes were so well written and the emotions so real..

Again I have to say that i loved both MCs .. I think this was the big reason I fell in love with this book.. 2 extremely strong women from different backgrounds but yet going through the same experience.. What I loved about their relationship is that they complemented each other.. their love was so strong and I was rooting for them from beginning to end!

I loved how the author somehow made this a happy story, with such a bloody, horrific and scary setup!

I totally recommend this book.. my rating is a 4.5 rounded up to 5.

“I received an ARC for an honest review.”

This book was deep and touching. It dealt with socioeconomical issues, sexuality issues, and not to mention WWI. Ellie’s character is so strong, it makes me think that she is the type of woman I would be back then, she didn’t give up when she believed in something. Excellent book. I definitely recommend it.

Set slap-bang in the throes of the First World War with the suffragette movement in the background, this is an extremely absorbing read.

Eleanor (Ellie) Winthrop is a rich, society girl with a decided mind of her own that refuses to knuckle down and be the person she is “expected” to be by society and especially by her mother. When Ellie runs into a Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) sign-up rally, she does so immediately. Johanna Lennox, a nurse from Scotland, has been a nurse in one of the military hospitals for a while. She has little respect and less patience for the VADs whom she sees as entitled rich English girls. She’s none too happy to be assigned mentor to the newest team of VADs and is stern, curt and stand-offish with them. However, Ellie’s hard work and general demeanour win her praise from the tough, though admittedly efficient, Nurse Lennox, and also the moniker Sister Sunshine from the patients. While their professional relationship moves smoothly, Ellie and Johanna are drawn to each other on a deeper level and don’t quite know what it means or where it can go.

Ellie and Johanna are fully realised characters. Somehow, though both are given equal weightage, Ellie is the one who stands out and stays way after you complete the book. She is a much stronger character with more nuances (given her socio-cultural background), more definition and greater strength. Or maybe we just felt that way because her love is true and strong. It is demonstrative and unwavering. It is firm and solid. It is large and expansive. She is the one who refuses to let the relationship die.

Johanna comes from a less fortunate background and has worked hard to earn her place. She is more introverted and suffers from greater self-doubts and self-worth issues. It is easy to see why she would think herself not good enough for Ellie. She’s just very, very lucky that Ellie finds her and inserts herself definitively into her life despite Johanna pushing her away (along with protestations of love). We loved the scene where Ellie has had enough and calls Johanna out (“you mule-headed woman”) asking her for an absolute answer from her about her feelings about them and their relationship.

There is angst in the relationship but thankfully it is not carried too long. The slow-burn is brilliantly done, as is the great chemistry between the MCs. The descriptions of the impact of war bring to fore the futility of hate and war evocatively.

On the whole, this is a good read.

Wow, this book was amazing! This was a beyond excellent historical romance and I couldn't recommend it more.

Its 1915 and Ellie comes from a well off family, but with her mother pushing men at her and feeling useless to help the war effort, she decides to join VAD and goes to work in a war hospital in France. It's there that she meets Johanna, a strong and stern Scottish nurse, who shows her the ropes. Seeing Johanna every day is a bright spot in the horrors Ellie experiences every day. As the two women grow closer, their attraction is harder to deny, and even harder to understand. Can a love like theirs be possible? Will it survive the war?

There was so much that happening in this book, but I thought the pacing was really well done. There was enough interaction between Johanna and Ellie to build up the tension and chemistry between them and then the ebb and flow and slow burn of their relationship throughout all the action and horror of the war made for a beautifully crafted story. Their love was such a bright spot in such a terrible time. Johanna was an amazing character, I loved her attitude. Ellie's evolution was something really special to see as well. Gosh and I had such a soft spot for Ellie's Dad.

I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Ah, what a wonderful and moving story!
It is absolutely heartbreaking to know that not only war but also the time frame is against those two. The daily tasks, learning and teaching and trying to hide their love in meantime? It always makes,me think, how some women survived not only that time frame but also the war. Both characters make you think and feel. When they end up together well, you are absolutely happy for them.

I was wary about reading a lesbian romance set around World War I. Both because what was going to happen to the characters (not that a modern book couldn't have those prejudiced too). Also, I wasn't sure if I was ready for the intensity of the war itself. I shouldn't have worried about the former, and while the latter was really well done, a lot of it in fact was very intense.

It's about Joanna and Ellie. Ellie signs up to be a Volunteer Aid person and she winds up under the tutelage of a grumpy and standoffish actual nurse, Joanna. They get closer and closer and a relationship blossoms. But, it's World War I, and so it's not a super smooth journey from point A to point B for the two women.

It was an amazing novel and even though I sometimes had to put it down (darn work), I did not want to. Not by a long shot.

I was given this ARC by Netgalley on behalf of Bold Strokes Books.