Stephanie Sullivan: Review - The Call of the Wrens

TITLE: The Call of the Wrens (audiobook)

RATING: ★★★★

Summary (from Goodreads): 1917 England: An orphan coming of age without a penny to her name, Marion joins the Women’s Royal Navy Service (the “Wrens”) as a motorcycle despatch rider on the Western Front, assigned to train and deliver carrier pigeons to the front line. Despite the hardships and constant threat of danger, Marion feels as if she finally belongs and that she has a purpose. Meanwhile, she and her childhood best friend, Eddie, dream of a future after the war—until tragedy strikes.

1936 England: A society girl, Evelyn has overcome a childhood disability and has found her true passion in automobile racing. When England enters WWII, Evelyn sees an opportunity to use her skills as a despatch rider, but her parents threaten to cut her off if she doesn’t start acting like a lady and marry the man they have chosen for her.

Meanwhile, a fellow Wren shows up at Marion’s door with an unwelcome call to return to her service. Told in alternating narratives that converge in a single life-changing moment, The Call of the Wrens is a vivid, emotional saga of love, war, secrets, and resilience.

REVIEW: This was my first time reading Jenni Walsh’s work and what a beautiful story! I’m always drawn to historical fiction, especially those set during World War II, and learning about the Women’s Royal Navy Service (the “Wrens”) was such a treat. I never even knew they existed and what an incredible group of women! I really enjoyed learning about their jobs as dispatch motorcycle riders during the war, but one of my favorite parts was learning about the women who took care of the carrier pigeons that relayed important intel during wartime. I loved all of the characters, even the secondary characters, because they each contributed something special to the book. You get so much with The Call of the Wrens - romance, suspense, drama, joy, heartache, etc. And I can’t say enough great things about the narrator, Fiona Hardingham. I absolutely adore her voice and accents.

The only thing that distracted me about this audiobook was the pronunciation of Evelyn (Ev-lin) as Eve-lin. Yes, it’s a minor thing, but it kept throwing me off, especially since my mother’s name is Evelyn, and I’ve never heard it pronounced any other way than Ev-lin. Regardless, it certainly wouldn’t stop me from recommending this book because it’s such a wonderful and thought-provoking story. I can’t recommend it enough, and I look forward to reading more of Jenni Walsh’s work in the very near future.

(DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this title from NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own).

2 comments:

AnonymousJune 16, 2025 at 5:55 AM
Thank you for sharing. Hugs.
www.rsrue.blogspot.com
Lark June 16, 2025 at 8:45 AM
This does sound good! I don't think I've read any books about the WRENS and what they did either. But I want to. Onto the TBR list it goes. :D