“For King, Country, and Love” Delivers Action and Romance in World War One
By James Coulter
Elizabeth Parsons is an 18-year-old girl from Newfoundland who enlists in the British Army at the start of World War One. (Or, as it was known back then, The Great War).
Her service soon has her crossing paths with a man who had previously assaulted her, along with his brother and even a potential suitor. Will she make it out of the war alive? And will she succeed in seeking justice and finding love along the way?
“For King, Country, and Love” is the fifth installment of the Love and War series written by Sebring author Mark Barie. Following his retirement, Barie has since written five books and received numerous awards for them.
His latest book is set during World War One through the eyes of a young woman seeking to overcome the obstacles in this war-torn, male-dominated world.
“Her journey into a male-dominated world of horrific violence, fearless soldiers, and blood-soaked surgeons will leave you emotionally spent but forever hopeful that true love will ultimately triumph over the death and destruction of war,” Barie wrote on his website.
Barie always had an invested interest in history. His passion was further ignited following a discovery by his genealogist wife, who had learned that several of his ancestors fought in various American wars, from the Revolution to World War II.
Since then, not only did he become even more invested in studying history, but he also decided to use the information he gleaned from his studies to weave into fictional narratives.
“I have always been a history buff since I was a teenager, and my wife describes me as a romantic slob, so, that turned into four novels, soon to be five,” he explained. “I know intimate details about a lot of wars and battles around the world, and that is where inspiration comes from, between my romantic tendencies and my love of history and [my interests in] someone who was in the trenches and the battlefield and what they went through in those wars, and the rest is made up.”
As with many authors, Barie has often suffered from “Imposter Syndrome.” However, his self-doubt is usually stifled by the many awards his books have won over the years. His first novel, “War Calls, Love Cries,” received a gold medal from the Florida Authors and Publishers Association.
With his previous four books set during the American Revolution, the War of 1812, the Civil War, and the Spanish Spanish-American War, and his upcoming book set during World War One, many people would assume that his next book will be set in World War Two. However, surprisingly enough, Barie claims it will not.
“There are too many books already, novels and otherwise, based on World War Two, so my publisher advised against it rather adamantly,” he said. “So, believe it or not, I will be going back to the Civil War.”
“For King, Country, and Love” will be published next month on Barnes and Noble and other book distributors. To learn more, visit Barie’s author website at: https://www.markbarie.com/
Recently, Barie appeared on the Chattin on the Ridge podcast to discuss his upcoming novel. Listen to his interview in the latest episode on Acast: https://shows.acast.com/chattin-on-the-ridge/episodes/ep-41-love-war-a-circle-of-friends-wcrystal-higbee-mark-bari
