2024 Readers' Favorite Book Awards Bronze Medal Winner in Fiction – Historical – Event/Era
2024 Living Now Book Awards Gold Medalist in General Fiction
2024 American Fiction Awards Winner in Adventure: War and Military
2024 IPPY Awards Gold Winner in Military/Wartime Fiction
2023 Chanticleer International Book Awards Winner in the Hemingway Book Awards

“One of the most-anticipated historical fiction titles of 2024”
—Hasty Book List

“Kate’s War is both an emotional journey and a captivating historical piece, vividly painting a picture of the era it represents. Its blend of historical authenticity and deep character exploration makes it an engaging road for enthusiasts of historical fiction.”
—Literary Titan, 5-star review

“. . . engagingly written historical drama.”
—Kirkus Review

“(Kate’s) journey is compelling, and readers are likely to empathize with her struggles and triumphs. With its well-developed characters, evocative writing, and exploration of universal themes,Kate’s War is likely to resonate with fans of historical fiction and anyone seeking a moving story of love and resilience during tumultuous times.”
—Readers’ Favorite, 5-star review

“Linda Stewart Henley’s Kate’s War, the story of a quiet English girl living a quiet life just outside London in the late 1930s, becomes the story of a life made larger and deeper in the run-up to the beginning of WWII. As in Henley’s two previous novels, the creative life of main characters battles with the demands of daily life, and Kate’s singing and teaching of music acts as a foil against the trauma of persecution and war. Henley’s rich creation of pre-war England and the resilience of ordinary people called to become extraordinary make this well-written novel a wonderful read.”
—Barbara Stark-Nemon, author of Even in Darkness & Hard Cider

“Like a fledgling songbird, Kate Murphy makes several attempts to flee the nest before she soars. A mesmerizing and heartfelt narrative of a young woman’s inner and outer battles at the cusp of WWII just south of London. Another wonderful read from award-winning author Linda Stewart Henley. Highly recommended.”
—Ashley E. Sweeney, author of Eliza Waite

“In this fast-paced, gripping story of strength, humanity, love, and perseverance, Henley paints a drama-filled portrait of a family’s struggles at the onset of WWII. Filled with emotional wealth, Kate’s War is a moving and revealing story.”
—Laurie Buchanan, author of the Sean McPherson novels

“Kate’s War not only illuminates a forgotten part of WWII history, it’s also a beautiful story about a young woman finding her way in the midst of war, which builds to a gripping and unexpected ending.”
—Jody Hadlock, author of The Lives of Diamond Bessie

“Henley’s very readable novel is grounded in the historical fact of the time. The details are woven into Kate’s story so expertly that the reader is drawn into caring about this one family’s particular world in wartime.”
–Jane Ward, StoryCircle Book Reviews

“I read a lot of WWII books but this one is different because it concentrates on one young girl who grows up during the war . . . a fresh look at the day-to-day changes that everyone in Britain had to endure with food rationing and the constant worry . . .”
–Girl Who Reads