Love and War
The Ack-Ack Girl, is the first in her World War II series, Love and War, and serves up plenty of story on both sides of that equation in its portrayal of Ava Armstrong, the “Ack-Ack” girl of the title. And what a story it is! Chanticleer Book Reviews
“To my way of thinking, Chris did a lot of research before or during the writing of The Ack Ack Girls. During the whole book I could see, hear and feel the characters. Chris has that way of writing.”
Gladys Reviewer
The Ack Ack Girl
“The first explosion sounded from across the river, many blocks away. Ava closed her eyes and whispered, “Thank you.” A wave of guilt hit her. Part of the city was destroyed. Londoners were dying while she gave thanks. But she was grateful.” This paragraph seem to set the theme for the story ahead. This book deserves a second read!:
Amy’s Bookshelf Reviews
‘The Ack Ack Girl’ has been given a 5-Star Review by Book Marketing Global Network: Global Library and won the April 2021 Cover Contest Award.
Love and War A country under attack and the story of one woman’s fight to protect England and her heart. 1941. The German war machine has crushed all of Europe-only England holds fast. To force a surrender, the German Luftwaffe bombs cities and villages the length of the country. As the battle rages, Britain is in desperate need to put more pilots in the air. To free up more men a new unit is formed: The Ack Ack Girls. These special teams of courageous women will now fight in the anti-aircraft stations. Determined to be part of the effort, Ava Armstrong, volunteers for one of the special teams. Her unit just happens to be located near an RAF airfield teaming with pilots. Sparks fly, and not just from artillery, When Ava crosses paths with Chris Fairfield, a handsome and cocky pilot stationed there. But nothing is easy in time of war, not even love.
Broken Faces – Love and War Series Book 2
Amidst the devastation of World War I, a young American woman named Abigale Belorman discovers a profound calling: to restore hope to the WWI wounded soldiers. In France they were called ‘Gueules Cassees’, or ‘Broken Faces’. Using her sculpting skills, she begins crafting intricate masks that conceal the scars of war, offering a semblance of normalcy to those who have endured unimaginable suffering.
Colm Harp, a skilled metalsmith, is driven by his own wounds and a personal tragedy to join Abigale’s mission. His younger brother, Danny, has returned from the war with devastating facial injuries, and Colm is determined to give him a chance at a life worth living. Together, Colm and Abigale embark on a journey of compassion and resilience, their work becoming a beacon of hope for countless wounded soldiers.
As they navigate the challenges of war-torn Europe and the limitations of early 20th-century medicine, Abigale and Colm discover the transformative power of human will. Their story is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, the enduring power of love, and the extraordinary lengths people will go to make a difference in the world.
War changes all their lives, but if you can improve one person’s life, is yours not for the better? What if you could help hundreds? What would you give up?
Series Links and Blurbs
Love and War A country under attack and the story of one woman’s fight to protect England and her heart. 1941. The German war machine has crushed all of Europe-only England holds fast. To force a surrender, the German Luftwaffe bombs cities and villages the length of the country. As the battle rages, Britain is in desperate need to put more pilots in the air. To free up more men a new unit is formed: The Ack Ack Girls. These special teams of courageous women will now fight in the anti-aircraft stations. Determined to be part of the effort, Ava Armstrong, volunteers for one of the special teams. Her unit just happens to be located near an RAF airfield teaming with pilots. Sparks fly, and not just from artillery, When Ava crosses paths with Chris Fairfield, a handsome and cocky pilot stationed there. But nothing is easy in time of war, not even love.
As World War I rages on, a New York socialite and an Irish metalsmith join forces to create lifelike ceramic masks for wounded soldiers, offering hope and a chance at a normal life.
Broken Faces is a collaborative new fiction from Chris Karlsen, the winner of the NYC Big Book Award and Chanticeer’s Global First Prize for historical suspense. Jennifer has landed in the Amazon top twenty authors.
It’s 1945. U.S. Marine, Ron Day, has been fighting on island after island in the South Pacific. His company has another brutal battle on the horizon-Okinawa. Ron has been given leave in Melbourne, Australia before shipping out to Okinawa.
In Melbourne, he meets Charmaine Sturgis, a gorgeous big band singer. Like so many things that happen in war, they fall in love over the short leave time.
…And war steals from us all.
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