Girls on the Line: An Empowering Novel of Friendship and Family by Aimie K. Runyan

Carol Maxwell: Really enjoyed this one, love the fact that Aimie researched all the history for the storyline, it was well written and interesting.

United Kingdom on Jun 15, 2023

Kindle Customer: This was a great story of the women telephone operators that served in the Army in WW1. I actually didn't know about this until a few years ago. They were brave and went over the top to be of service to their country. It is sad that they had to wait so long to be recognized for their service. There was one taking of the Lord's name in vain that I didn't like, but a good story and I would recommend it.

United States on Mar 24, 2023

Kindle Customer: I loved this book. Having read several books set in WW11, it never occurred to me how front lines contacted those back at base. Very much a 'Doh!' moment for me.
As well as enjoying the novel, I felt I learnt about the US social system as well as the part women like Ruby played in the war.
I really liked the author portrayal of Ruby mother. Whilst she wasn't a central character, she was wholly essential, sitting in the background as Ruby upbringing, morals and ethics were tied up in her mother beliefs.
I could easily imagine her, and grinned through all of her conversations in the book.
This different view of the war, made a great read.

United Kingdom on Apr 16, 2022

Agnes Harvey: A really good and interesting read based on the experiences of the real ladies who did the job.
I hadn’t heard of these American ladies, recruited from the WW1 era of telephone exchange operators, and their service in France.
Although this is fiction, it gives a good insight into what their lives and living conditions were like and the work they performed - their loves and their friends. Very enjoyable.

United Kingdom on May 04, 2021

Sandy Mcewan: The story centred on Ruby who joins the women's signals corps to be sent to France in 1917 as a telephonic facilitating communication between the front line etc and HQ. I had never realized the importance of this before. Some good insights into the conditions suffered by those involved.
There is also a lot of woman's own type stuff that would appeal more to female readers . All in all pretty good read.

United Kingdom on Mar 14, 2021

Girl_Lucky: This was one of those books I knew instantly that I was going to love. I don’t pick up a book like that very often. I savored every sentence. When I had finally read the last page, I honestly did not know what to do with myself. I was lost. I needed more. Luckily the author mentioned the documentary that kind of goes along with this book and I quickly started looking for a book that went along with that documentary. I found it! The Hello Girls. And I immediately started it. I’m not sure how this one is going to play out yet, but I’m intrigued so far so that’s a good sign.

There was a little heartbreak, a little happiness and a lot of good stuff in between. I loved the characters. I could visualize each of them and I miss them so much already! I don’t get attached to characters very often, but I sure got attached to the whole group in this book. It will definitely be a reread later on.

I’ve been reading a lot of WWI/WW2 books lately and this has been far my favorite. I think just because it tells a little different side to those wars. It focuses on the women that served and tells their stories from a different angle. Loved this story so much.

I’ve...

United States on Nov 28, 2020

kmthoennes: This was a book club choice that I enjoyed. I haven't read a lot of WWI era stories and the ones I have were very depressing (probably rightly so). While this one touched on the harshness of WWI, that wasn't the main focus. I loved Ruby's character and enjoyed learning more about her. Her budding relationship with Andrew was fun to read and so satisfying by the end. Another thing I love when reading historical fiction is the bit after the story where the author tells you where her inspiration came from and what parts were based on truth. The author of this book gave some great background in that bit. I also thought it fun that I ended the book on the 100th anniversary of women's suffrage and the last chapter of the book was the day women's suffrage was passed. The celebration of women as told in this book was fantastic. While there is still some work to do for women's rights, things have come a long way thanks to many women who came before and worked hard to change things for the better.

United States on Aug 24, 2020

Kelly: This is a novel about an aspect of WWI that I had never been aware of before. I downloaded Runyan's book because the story of the telephone operators was intriguing, and a new perspective on the military roles women played in France during the war. Prior to reading this, I had assumed that women at/near the front were all nurses. The book is very well written and I grew to admire the characters and eagerly follow their experiences. Ruby in particular was so real; a perfect blend of pragmatic and human. The romantic element did not take prominence over the actual historical storyline, but enough to satisfy readers who enjoy that aspect. I look forward to reading her other books!

Canada on Feb 26, 2020

Maree LaRue: I downloaded this book almost by accident in a World War II reading fervor. I’ll admit, that I was a bit disappointed, at first, when I realized that it was not set during that famous war but in the Great War preceding it.

The book can read like a history book albeit with character names, but it really does give you an up close view of what these unsung heroines went through. The transition between the Victorian age and the roaring 20s is not often talked about—as a woman, Ruby would’ve felt the changes more than most.

The author depicted the passage of time as well as my new changes to Ruby’s thinking and dreams. Andrew was a wonderfully written character, with nuance and characterization that fit the times. He didn’t blindly support Ruby and everything she did, but made sure to treat her as a real person and not a paragon of virtue. Nathaniel also fit the times really well, but was not evil in anyway.

There was an overabundance of similes and metaphors, which knocked the book down a star. It was disconcerting for most of the book to be stuck in Ruby’s head of societal and gender roles of the time. I think I might’ve like the book better in...

United States on May 17, 2019

Veronica Marie Lewis-Shaw: We've all heard of the 'hidden figures' of America's space program; the women 'heroes' without whose tireless and painstaking work the history of America's space program would be quite different.

Did you know though that decades before, there was another group of 'hidden figures' in America's history? A group of women whose 'call to duty' would not be ignored or set aside.

The brave women who served with the U.S. Army's Signal Corp in battle-torn Europe during World War I.

In GIRLS ON THE LINE, Aimie K Runyan brings to life, in rich detail and engrossing narrative, the story of the 'hidden figures' in American history that predated those of America's space program. GIRLS ON THE LINE, a beautifully atmospheric set piece, is the story of a group of humble telephone operators in peacetime who became true heroines of World War I. These remarkable women, who more than once put themselves 'in harm's way', undisputedly changed the course of the war and in the process, saved countless lives.

Ruby Wagner is from a prominent Philadelphia family, engaged to be married to the son of another prominent Philadelphia family. Ruby has everything that she could ever want...

United States on Nov 08, 2018