About the Book:

At the brink of the Civil War, Henrietta Frontenac is a fierce protector of her five younger sisters. As poverty and despair threaten their survival, Henrietta takes a bold step to protect her family. She disguises herself as a man to find work at the docks and is soon swept into the ranks of the Confederate army. Facing unimaginable risks, will she maintain her secret identity, or will unexpected love unravel all she’s worked for?
In the present, Everly Moore, a former wild spirit turned compassionate chiropractor, has spent fifteen years trying to redeem her past. When her beloved sister Ivy faces the heart-wrenching challenge of infertility, Everly finds herself at a crossroads, unsure if she can confront her own trauma and step up as Ivy’s surrogate. After Everly and Ivy stumble upon the story of their brave relative Henrietta, they are inspired to confront their own fears. But will they make the difficult choices that could change their lives forever?
Dive deep into this intertwined narrative where past and present collide, showcasing the unyielding strength of sisterhood. A story of love, resilience, and the battles that unite us across generations.

| Goodreads |

My Review:

Whatever It Takes by Sarah Hanks
Rating: 4/5
Pages: 370
Published: April 9, 2025
Series: Sisters in Arms

Disclosure: I received this book free from the publisher/author. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a positive review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

I haven’t had time to really unpack my thoughts on this one, and honestly don’t know if/when that will happen, since life has been so busy lately. But I wanted to review it anyway before forgetting the details or my thoughts, even if this is just a more condensed and overview type review.

I’m so thankful to have been a part of the launch team for this one, and that I choose to push through and finish it, since I had some doubts somewhere between the 25%-36% mark (if my tracking %s are correct here) and Ivy infuriated me to the point of wanting to quit and be done with the whole thing around there… I honestly kept reading mostly for Henrietta at that point, and the ‘mysterious stranger’ a little later on. They honestly redeemed the story, but Ivy and Everly’s part gets a lot better after the 50% mark as well. I ended up loving the story of sisterhood and family, love and devotion, dedication and perseverance. This is such a wonderful story that is both healing and comforting, while also being challenging and inspiring all at once.

I struggled with Ivy’s blatant disregard and abuse of her sister’s kindness and need to please, dismissing the signs and assuming ‘all is well’ without even to really stop and think. This actually boiled to the point where I was stressed to even pick this one up and continue reading (which is where Henriette really comes in and saves the show…at lest for a time. I ended up loving the other characters too, but during those few chapters or so, I really struggled for a bit to keep reading.) Which makes the surprise and heartwarming twist at the end all the more precious and endearing to me!

I’m so glad I read this one, and while I did struggle at one point with it, that all the more led to the healing and growth as I continued reading. It’s in the struggles, in the difficulties and trials of life that we learn. We learn who we are, what we’re really made of. What we are capable of, and what really matters. That’s part of the beauty of this story. As the characters faced these challenges, I as a reader faced some of my own, and growing together made their story extra special. I loved getting to read their story, getting to know them and seeing a part of their journey, and learning a bit of history along the way. Such a wonderful and touching story, and one I’m glad to have been able to read!

Other books in the series:
(Below is a list of the other books I’ve read & reviewed for this series)

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