REVIEW: Lovely War by Julie Berry

We enter Lovely War in a hotel in Manhattan with World War II looming overhead. We meet our first set of main characters, which are the Greek Gods. Hephaestus catches his wife, Aphrodite, cheating on him with his brother Ares, the God of War. To try and explain why she has done so she decides to tell a tale to both of her lovers about mortal love during war times.

This is where we meet our second set of characters, Colette and Aubrey and Hazel and James. Aphrodite tells the tale of how these people meet and fall in love. Hazel is a talented pianist and meets the lovely young James just before he is shipped off to go to France and fight on the front line. They say they will write letters to each other, they do and they form such a bond that brings them closer despite the circumstances and distance. Then there is Colette and Aubrey. Colette is a Belgian singer who was orphaned due to the war and Aubrey who is a pianist first and foremost but has been shipped out to France in order to join the African American regiment. How these stories intertwine is because of Colette and Hazel. Hazel goes to help on the front lines so that she can be closer to James whilst he is fighting, and whilst she is there, she meets the lovely Colette and they themselves forming a striking friendship and depend on each other when the people that they love are away fighting on the front.

This story is one of love, loss and heartbreak. And the fact that it was told by Aphrodite and the Gods made it more intriguing to me, which is why I read it. I love mythology and I love romances like this and once I knew about it, it instantly went on my TBR. Julie Berry strikes us with her words that are utterly beautiful and picturesque, they paint a picture that the love between these four is something that I want to live myself and experience. Her writing is truly astonishing.

4 out of 5 stars.