After the War Is Over (2015)

by Jennifer Robson

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The International bestselling author of Somewhere in France returns with her sweeping second novel--a tale of class, love, and freedom--in which a young woman must find her place in a world forever changed. After four years as a military nurse, Charlotte Brown is ready to leave behind the devastation of the Great War. The daughter of a vicar, she has always been determined to dedicate her life to helping others. Moving to busy Liverpool, she throws herself into her work with those most in need, only tearing herself away for the lively dinners she enjoys with the women at her boarding house. Just as Charlotte begins to settle into her new circumstances, two messages arrive that will change her life. One, from a radical young newspaper editor, offers her a chance to speak out for those who cannot. The other pulls her back to her past, and to a man she has tried, and failed, to forget. Edward Neville-Ashford, her former employer and the brother of Charlotte's dearest friend, is now the new Earl of Cumberland--and a shadow of the man he once was. Yet under his battle wounds and haunted eyes Charlotte sees glimpses of the charming boy who long ago claimed her foolish heart. She wants to help him, but dare she risk her future for a man who can never be hers? As Britain seethes with unrest and post-war euphoria flattens into bitter disappointment, Charlotte must confront long-held insecurities to find her true voice . . . and the courage to decide if the life she has created is the one she truly wants.… (more)

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The second book in this series is primarily about Charlotte Brown and her life after the war. She went back to working for Miss Rathbone, a ward councilor from Liverpool. Charlotte works in her office as a constituency assistant, speaking with and providing support for people. When Lilly (Lady Elizabeth) marries Robbie (Dr. Robert Fraser), Charlotte is again brought into contact with Edward Ashford, who is now Lord Cumberland. Edward is still experiencing the results of his 4 years in the trenches and a period as a prisoner. He has broken his engagement and wants no help. His mother asks Charlotte if she could try to help him. Lilly and Robby are back from their honeymoon and asks her to stay with them. Shortly, Edward, with Charlotte as his nurse, goes to a quiet cottage on the Cumbermere Estate. Question for the rest of the book, does Lord Cumberland marry Charlotte Brown? (

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baughga | Mar 29, 2024 |

World War, 1939-1945

BooksInMirror | Feb 19, 2024 |

This novel is a series of snapshots of the life of Charlotte Brown, an educated unmarried woman of thirty-three, in 1919 -- working for a Liverpool ward councillor, writing a newspaper column about the plights of the poor, and living in a boarding house. It also has flashbacks to her time at Oxford, to becoming a governess and to nursing during the war.

All of this is quite interesting but I was aware of a definite tendency for things to be resolved neatly -- perhaps because with so much to cover there’s not much room to explore any of the possibilities for complexity. On-going narrative tension is instead found in Charlotte’s relationship with Edward Neville-Ashford, the Earl of Cumberland and the older brother of Charlotte’s former-pupil, Lilly.

Edward is struggling to recover from injuries and trauma sustained during the war, and eventually enlists Charlotte’s help. I was disappointed that there weren’t more scenes of that part of the story -- I’d have happily read more angsty hurt/comfort, their conversations introduce much-needed disagreements and complications, and I suspect more scenes could have kept the ending from feeling rushed. Nevertheless, I enjoyed reading this. (

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Herenya | Feb 18, 2021 |

As delightful and interesting as the rest of Robson's books. I do wish that I had read all the books in order (some of the characters throughout the series are connected to each other, though you don't need to have read them in order).

I like these books because they're honest about the era (ex: expectations for women), but Robson creates strong female characters who are pushing the boundaries (ex: being independent). (

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obtusata | Jan 9, 2020 |

Good for authenticity of place. Women rights beginning, PTSD understandings beginning, care for the poor beginning. Love story across classes, of course. Too much detail of daily life of main character and not excitingly written. (

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bereanna | Jan 2, 2020 |

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After the War Is Over

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2015

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The International bestselling author of Somewhere in France returns with her sweeping second novel--a tale of class, love, and freedom--in which a young woman must find her place in a world forever changed. After four years as a military nurse, Charlotte Brown is ready to leave behind the devastation of the Great War. The daughter of a vicar, she has always been determined to dedicate her life to helping others. Moving to busy Liverpool, she throws herself into her work with those most in need, only tearing herself away for the lively dinners she enjoys with the women at her boarding house. Just as Charlotte begins to settle into her new circumstances, two messages arrive that will change her life. One, from a radical young newspaper editor, offers her a chance to speak out for those who cannot. The other pulls her back to her past, and to a man she has tried, and failed, to forget. Edward Neville-Ashford, her former employer and the brother of Charlotte's dearest friend, is now the new Earl of Cumberland--and a shadow of the man he once was. Yet under his battle wounds and haunted eyes Charlotte sees glimpses of the charming boy who long ago claimed her foolish heart. She wants to help him, but dare she risk her future for a man who can never be hers? As Britain seethes with unrest and post-war euphoria flattens into bitter disappointment, Charlotte must confront long-held insecurities to find her true voice . . . and the courage to decide if the life she has created is the one she truly wants.

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amazon com The International bestselling author of Somewhere in France returns with her sweeping second novel—a tale of class, love, and freedom—in which a young woman must find her place in a world forever changed.

After four years as a military nurse, Charlotte Brown is ready to leave behind the devastation of the Great War. The daughter of a vicar, she has always been determined to dedicate her life to helping others. Moving to busy Liverpool, she throws herself into her work with those most in need, only tearing herself away for the lively dinners she enjoys with the women at her boarding house.

Just as Charlotte begins to settle into her new circumstances, two messages arrive that will change her life. One, from a radical young newspaper editor, offers her a chance to speak out for those who cannot. The other pulls her back to her past, and to a man she has tried, and failed, to forget.

Edward Neville-Ashford, her former employer and the brother of Charlotte’s dearest friend, is now the new Earl of Cumberland—and a shadow of the man he once was. Yet under his battle wounds and haunted eyes Charlotte sees glimpses of the charming boy who long ago claimed her foolish heart. She wants to help him, but dare she risk her future for a man who can never be hers?

As Britain seethes with unrest and post-war euphoria flattens into bitter disappointment, Charlotte must confront long-held insecurities to find her true voice . . . and the courage to decide if the life she has created is the one she truly wants.

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