This novel, set in the 1930s, explores life during the Spanish Civil War and how the Quakers helped alleviate the suffering of many of its victims. Two brothers take opposite sides in the war and head to Spain, one joining the international brigades to fight against Franco and the other to act as a journalist for an anti-Republican paper that celebrates and supports Franco’s regime. Worried for the brothers' safety, Lucy (the main protagonist) promises their mother that she will do all that she can to bring them back home. Also motivated by a desire to make a difference in the world, she joins the Quakers' mission to help refugee children in Spain. This novel is very well researched and peppered with historical detail, but the portrayal of too-good-to-be-true Lucy was less compelling. Guessing which brother our heroine will end up with (or not) drove the story along for me and the ending was satisfying and better than expected. Reading about the amazing and selfless work done by wartime aid workers was also inspiring and heart-warming.

"Acts of Love and War" is unusual in that the focus of the narrative is on the humanitarian relief efforts undertaken by various organisations, including the Quakers, during the Spanish Civil War. At the heart of the story is Lucy, a young woman searching for something useful to do and which will allow her to escape from the drudgery of caring for her widowed father. She is also trying to look out for her neighbours two sons, Tom and Jamie, who are almost like brothers to her. There is love and friendships a plenty as the war rages on. There are visible parallels between Franco and Putin, as well as the threat of the increasing power of Hitler.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for the opportunity to review this book.

This book starts in Hertfordshire in 1921. Lucy is content with her life. She lives next door to Tom and Jamie, two very different brothers who she loves equally.

1936 and the Spanish Civil war is dividing people. 

Tom then makes the decision to travel to Spain to fight in the War on behalf of the Spanish republic. He is quickly followed by his brother Jamie, who is supporting fascist General Franco. Lucy then decides that the only way to bring the boys back safely is to travel to Spain herself to persuade them to come home. This is however against her fathers wishes.

When she sees the horrors of the war she quickly becomes immersed in the work the Quakers are doing to to help the many civilians, most are refugees and the children are her main concern. 

As the war progresses which brother will Lucy end up with or will any of them return to the UK alive.

This was a great book with great characters and you can see why Lucy fell for both brothers. Well written and I really enjoyed reading it.

This isn’t a book I’d have chosen to read ordinarily but I’m so glad I did.
The story is so vivid. You can imagine being there and the desperation. The lead is an amazingly resilient strong woman who you are just drawn to. I couldn’t stop reading. I cried, I smiled and was sad when it ended.
I really enjoyed it and have recommended it to my family.

The story of two brothers on either side of the Spanish Civil War, an interesting and absorbing read. I have read accounts of the war but not the huge humanitarian efforts that took place. There were many interesting facts along side the fictional tale which worked well. It may have helped that I read this whilst in southern Spain.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers Random House for this ARC copy

This book was catnip for me - the Spanish Civil war and a woman torn by her love of two brothers but so much more. Lucy travels to Spain as a volunteer in the struggle to provide aid to the numerous refugees of the civil war, but also to bring home her two best friends Tom and Jamie who find themselves on opposite sides of the conflict. The plight of the people of Spain especially the children and the efforts of the aid agencies who helped them will remain with me - as well as the horrors of war inflicted on innocent civilians sadly still so relevant in today’s times.
I was sad to leave Lucy and her friends and hope that maybe I will be able to follow her story further.
Thank you Random House for giving me the opportunity to review this book. I will look word to reading other books by this author.

Wow, what an amazing and compelling read, set during the Spanish Civil War. It brings home the suffering of the ordinary Spanish people who on the whole had very little in the way of possessions but when they had to abandon their homes to flee Franco's army everything became much worse than they could ever have imagined. The story begins in Hereford with Lucy and her two best friends and neighbours, Tom and Jamie who Lucy has loved for as long as she can remember. Everything is to change when Tom decides he must go help the Spanish people fight the fascists led by Franco who also had help from Germany and Italy. He is closely followed by his brother Jamie who although not going to fight he is going to support Franco. Once Lucy turns 21 she decides to travel to Spain to try and persuade the boys to return home, her journey is supported by the Quackers, once she arrives in Spain she realises that there is so much work to be done supporting the refugees especially the children and that they must become her number one priority. The brother however are never far from her thoughts. I have read other books about the Spanish Civil War and this is up with the best, I know Spain quite well and the descriptions made it all the more realistic.