A powerful story of love and loss set against the backdrop of the challenges of WWII.

I immediately warmed to Ellen and Pamela and was rooting for a happy ending. At times I thought that Ellen should show more of the strength she demonstrated when taking in Pamela against her husband’s wishes.

This book definitely has three clear stages to it and without giving too much away I did feel that the middle section was a little sombre - I wanted to give Ellen a good shake and get her to DO something about the situation she found herself in.

Despite this, I continued with the book - with tears towards the end - and found it an interesting and thought-provoking read, with an absolutely beautiful cover.

4*, still thinking about this now. Different times and all that, but it does make you wonder how you might have acted in similar circumstances.

I'm not sure that my review will do this book justice. The story is brilliant in it's simplicity, nothing fast paced or even remotely racy or sensational, just a really well told tale. A wonderful use of words, beautifully descriptive scene setting and characters who use phrases I haven't heard in years, perfectly suited to the eras in which the story is set. It has a real sense of nostalgia and took me back years, I loved it, reading this book was like coming home, warm and comforting. Perfect.