The novel was a delight to read. The prose was beautiful and the book practically reads itself. I finished it in record time.

Despite The Shakespeare Sisters being four, the story focuses primarily on Rosalind and the life she want to forge for herself in a world plagued by the war and by a patriarchal view of women, their place in society and who gets to decide for them. I deeply felt for Rosalind and her struggle against a domineering, extremely stubborn old fashioned and full of himself father whose goal in life to marry his children in the most advantageous of ways to perpetuate the family name and replenish the coffers of their country estate…which gave a Pride and Prejudice feel to the story, despite being set in a completely different era.

I found fascinating the way the author wrote about the generational gap (which isn’t as black and white as one might think) and about the mass constructing of homes (gentrification) in country estates and villages which is not necessarily a good thing.

If I may be allowed one little critique, I wasn’t 100% sold on Rosalind’s whirlwind romance. It was perhaps a teensy bit rushed and I am still debating if it was truly necessary. It might warrant a reread.

Nevertheless I have truly enjoyed this delightful 4.5⭐️/5 novel and I truly hope we’ll see more of the Arden sisters.

I have been a fan of Juliet Greenwood’s books ever since I read Eden’s Graden. The Shakespeare Sisters is a lovely family saga that takes place during WWII.

The Shakespeare Sisters is about the Arden family a down on their heels aristocratic family with a crumbling Tudor mansion trying to survive without a lot of money. The sisters are Bianca, Rosalind, Cordelia and Kate all named after Shakespeare’s famous female characters. The Arden estate is near to Stratford-Upon-Avon and the famiy has a rich history with ties to Shakespeare, or so they like to think. The patriarch Leo is determined to marry his daughter’s off to rich men to assist in the rehabilitation of Arden House. Rosalind rebels. Then WWII starts. Rosalind’s two brothers arrogant Will, and sensitive Jamie join up as does Will’s friend Guy Thompson. Guy and Rosalind have an attraction to each other that Rosalind’s father is not happy about as he has decided Rosalind should marry their neighbor, a rich aristocrat. Sadly Henry is a boorish man that Rosalind dislikes immensely. Usually daughters like Rosalind would have little choice but to obey in this era, but the War opens opportunities for Rosalind that she would otherwise not have. Rosalind uses her skills as a photographer to go to London and capture the true suffering and bravery that Londoners endured during the Blitz.

The story takes place before, during and after WWII.. I enjoyed the setting and the characters had depth and the storyline was compelling. This was another great story by Juliet Greenwood and I look forward to her next book.

Thanks to Netgalley, Storm Publishing and the author for the chance to read and review this book.

This is a story of family, of life in 1940, war on the horizon, sisters who have lost their mother. It is a moving story and is so immersive I felt I was there. Having been to Stratford- Upon- Avon before I could picture the setting and enjoyed the characters as the girls could have been my own sisters.

This is a heartwarming and heartbreaking read with strong characters and a good story. Easy to read but it is a bit of a saga as it is quite a long book. There are some parts that may not have been needed and other parts that could have been expanded on but all in all it is a good read and I give it 3 1/2 stars.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

This was such a beautifully written book, and I was enchanted from the first page. It follows the lives of the Shakespeare Sisters—a nickname given to the four girls in the Arden family: Bianca, Rosalind, Cordelia, and Kate.
When the story opens we find the sisters living at the beautiful but crumbling manor they call home. It’s summer 1938. The family is in the garden, receiving visitors, making small talk, teasing each other. We learn a little about the personalities of the different family members.
It's clear that Rosalind, our narrator, is independent-minded. She’s developing feelings for Guy, the friend of her eldest brother, Will, but is already aware that she’s expected to marry rich and aristocratic Henry—someone she despises, and with good reason.
With the fortunes of the Ardens depleted, Arden House is in need of repair. The estate village is in a terrible condition, with the villagers forced to live in damp, cold homes. The family desperately needs cash, and Rosalind’s father is hoping his daughters’ marriages will bring much-needed funds. Unfortunately, Will is of the same mind.
Will is much-loved by Rosalind, but she’s not blind to his faults. He can be haughty and arrogant and has a sense of entitlement. Jamie, her other brother, is gentler, kinder, and a disappointment to their father. Then there’s Bianca, who’s hoping to marry Oswald—not an aristocrat but rich enough to win her father’s approval. And Cordelia, who’s already decided she wants to get away from the Arden estate and make her own way in life. Finally there’s Kate, who’s part of the family and yet on the edges of it somehow. Her parentage is shrouded in mystery, and although she remembers her mother, an Italian woman, and her early childhood in Italy, she has never had it confirmed that she is truly an Arden.
The first part of the book is very much about an old way of life. Privilege and class. Rural England. The expectations placed on women of a certain class to marry well and put aside their own hopes and dreams to become mere appendages to their husbands.
Then war is declared, and we move into the second part of the book. As the Shakespeare Sisters are scattered to each do their part for the war, and the two brothers go off to fight, Rosalind is separated from the man she loves, and from the place she has always called home. But her ambitions for a career are far from stifled, and it’s during this part of her life that she truly discovers who she is and what she wants.
After the war, we find in the third part of the book an England that has changed dramatically. But Rosalind’s father is not the man he was, and the family is faced with even more challenges. Rosalind’s hopes for the future are under threat once again, and it seems she is going to be forced to choose between her own happiness or saving the home she loves.
I really felt for Rosalind, who is a modern young woman trapped in a way of life that belongs to another age. You can see the way Arden, with its traditions and responsibilities, belongs to the past. The war changes that world forever, but Rosalind’s father is unable to grasp it. Rosalind is still expected to do her duty, and when she refuses to do so she’s subjected to bullying and blackmail.
The four sisters are well-drawn, with individual personalities. Jamie is a lovely character, and I had every sympathy for him. I also felt for Alma, the children’s stepmother, who has spent so many years trying to keep her husband happy while, for the most part, being very much on her stepchildren’s side.
The novel shows how few choices people back then really had. The Shakespeare Sisters, expected to marry well to replenish the family’s fortune and save Arden House; Alma, forced to behave in a way that suits her domineering husband; Jamie, who has to fight for his father’s approval, and feels he must behave in a certain way to get it; the villagers, living in sub-standard accommodation, eking out a living, with no real way to progress in life or improve their lot; the men who must go off to fight; the women who wait in fear for news; the widows who must find another way to survive when their husbands are killed; the men who, despite having money and careers, will never be truly accepted by the aristocracy and “old families”.
War changes a lot of those things to some extent, and it’s fascinating to watch as new opportunities open up for the characters in this book, and the confidence that comes with having choices and seeing new ways of life and possibilities.
There are some beautiful descriptions of the landscape, and the countryside around Arden House truly comes to life in the pages. There are also some very evocative descriptions of blitzed London, and the terrible scenes that unfolded in the streets of the capital. The fear, the desperation, the grief, the helplessness is depicted so well.
It’s a relief to get back to Arden. To return to a post-war village in Warwickshire, and the peace and quiet. Except we soon realise that, although it all seems the same on the surface, so much has changed. England will never be the same again.
I really loved this book. The family relationships were beautifully drawn, the snapshot of a different way of life was intriguing, and the photography and archaeology threads were fascinating. I’m very much looking forward to reading about the lives of the other Shakespeare Sisters.

This was my first read of this author and I enjoyed it. I found it moving and it kept me gripped all the way through. Really good read that i would recommend.

I really enjoyed this story about the four sisters and how they go about their lives during the Second World War. Fascinating to read and once I picked it up I couldn’t put it down. Recommend this one. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

With grateful thanks for a fantastic read well firmed characters that led us on there journeys, Excellent setting an all round extremely beautiful book.

I have to admit this started so slow for me i almost dnfed it. But I kept going and I started to really enjoy it. I liked the Main characters , their grownth and spirit to live was amazing. Some of the supporting characters rubber me the wrong way. But together they made an amazing story.
I.am really.glad.i read this book.
Thank you to netgalley for letting me read this e arc in exchange for an honest opinion

I was charmed by the old-fashioned nature of The Shakespeare Sisters. It's a sprawling WWII epic about the titular sisters. It's a more modern version of the Pride and Prejudice conundrum: what do you do when you have daughters and need to marry them off? Juliet Greenwood has such a flair for engrossing drama, and luring the reader into her world. We know when Rosalind says, "I shall only ever marry for love" that the book will centre on strong female characters. There is a comfort in knowing that this novel never betrays the female characters. Greenwood writes with real humanity so that I became so much more interested in their plights (no spoilers here).

I would definitely recommend this book for a cozy weekend or a day at the beach.

#TheShakespeareSisters #NetGalley

This is an enjoyable story about Rosalind and her family trying to navigate change, war, loss, and the small but intense dramas that happen in a family. As the title suggests, the plays of Shakespeare provide a consistent undercurrent to the story, which focuses on Rosalind trying to balance her family’s needs with her own desires on both the personal and professional front. The characters feel real, and the ending is satisfying after all the twists and turns that propel the story along.

How lovely to be transported for a few hours to a world before mass media where life was much simpler! I loved being in the Stratford-upon-Avon area and immersing myself in Rosalind Arden’s life. Being born into one of the oldest families in England isn’t as glamorous as it seems and Papa Arden has big plans for Rosalind and her sisters. Hoping to secure hasty marriages for his four daughters, he offers them to the highest bidder. Little does he know how determined Rosalind is to avoid this fate. As World War Two looms, she comes upon a secret gift and is resolute to pursue her own destiny.

A lover of all things Shakespeare and a novice photographer myself, I was captivated by this story. In my travels, I’ve walked the Shakespeare BirthplaceTrust gardens, toured the homes, and imagined myself there, so it was easy for me to transport myself to the setting. Add to this my love of historical fiction and you can see why this one was a winner for me. I enjoyed a headstrong female main character who was brought to her knees as she faced a life-changing choice as much as I enjoyed the mystery.

Will Rosalind find true love? Can London offer her what she’s yearning for? Will the golden prison of Arden lure her home?

My only challenge was the pacing. Despite that small issue, I felt that Greenwood celebrated Shakespeare at the heart of every page. Rosalind’s journey is one historical fiction lovers won’t want to miss.

I was gifted this copy by Storm Publishing and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review

Just lovely. A charming tale with a hint of Jane Austen that brings English village life, WWII, feminism, archaeology and a sweet love story together in a way that made it impossible to put down.

Read this if:
📖 You love Shakespeare
🗝️ You appreciate well-researched historical fiction (WW2 era)
♀️You love reading from a female perspective

Some more thoughts:

📚 The plot takes us from the period immediately before the second world war, through it and to the year after yet somehow the story maintained a sort of cosy feel for me.

🙋 All very well developed characters that I found myself wanting more of, I hope there will be further books focused on the Shakespeare Sisters as it does feel set up to do so.

📍Primarily countryside near Stratford-upon-Avon and London

👩‍🎓 An easy, comfortable read that is also a great palette cleanser. Doesn't shy away from the horrors of war but also not overly graphic.

I enjoyed this far more than I expected to. The writing is compelling and the characters relatable and charming. I really hope there will be further books focusing on the other sisters.

Thank you Netgalley and Storm Publishing for this eCopy to review

I really enjoyed Greenwood's The Shakespeare Sisters. The characters were well developed, with a good setting and the plot was well paced. I really rooted for Rosalind to find a way to defy her father's and stepmother's wishes and follow her heart to marry for love. Her character really develops from being an innocent child to a grown up young lady through her work in London during WWII delivering food to soup kitchens and gaining independence through her photography work.

I lovely feel good story

I really enjoyed this story from start to finish. The characters were well written and showed tremendous character growth. Will recommend to others who love stories like this.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Set in the village of Arden, a father is desperate to marry his daughters (all named after Shakespearean characters, hence the book title) off to wealthy gentlemen so he can save his land and property. Daughter Rosalind is determined not to be a pawn in his plan and wants to make her own way as a photographer and make her own decisions regarding marriage. When war breaks out, she flees Arden for London - will her father be able to save their home, and will Rosalind be able to be her own person?

A slow burner, it felt as if it took a long time to get going, and then when it did, it glossed over some parts incredibly quickly - the war seemed to last minutes. Some interesting characters and ideas (I loved the local museum and it's curator!), with an equal amount of incredibly unlikeable figures.

For readers of Kate Morton and Lucinda Riley, this book will be one of your favorites. Sisters (all named for Shakespearian characters) are under the control of their domineering father who wishes to see them all married for financial reasons. At the start of WWII, all the family's lives will be changed (including the sister's brothers). The devastation on people's lives and the future of this family all will be decided. A historical novel that will keep you reading until the end.

The master of the manor wants to marry his daughters off to rich men. Some of the daughters comply and others fight it. At the breakout of the war, the sons go off to fight and some of the daughters want to help as well.

An endearing and satisfying read. Very recommendable. Well-developed characters populate a carefully developed setting. Easy to recommend to all historical fiction readers.

I loved this book, which was beautifully written with great characters. I felt completely immersed in the place and the period, and really rooted for Rosalind to succeed in creating the future she dreamed of. There were moments when I was moved to pause and read a section again in admiration of the way the author had expressed so perfectly the character’s deepest thoughts and feelings.
The secondary characters were interesting, especially the siblings and Alma. I will look forward to reading any sequels to this and finding out more about their individual stories, especially the mysterious Kate.
If I have one criticism, it’s that I didn’t fall for Guy, perhaps because he doesn’t appear all that much. I would have enjoyed seeing more of their developing romance. However, it didn’t spoil my enjoyment of Rosalind’s story, which had me enthralled from the opening chapter.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review - thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

An interesting book that started slow but was a good read once it got going. It really highlighted the plight of women who were generally stuck at the mercy of their fathers and then their husbands. But these sisters showed how the war changed this together with their strength of will. A fascinating family. There were a lot of unanswered questions - the sister who wasn't really, what happened to them during most of the war etc but overall a good book.