by Beezy Marsh
First published 2019
Annie believed she had escaped the hardships of London slum life when she married Harry. Their wedding promised an end to years of struggle and heartache. But the Blitz shatters their newfound happiness. As bombs fall on London, Harry works as an air raid warden, witnessing destruction that awakens his buried trauma from the First World War. The man Annie married becomes a stranger, leaving her to manage their two young children and wartime survival alone. Meanwhile, Harry's sister Kitty has spent years protecting him, concealing their father's scandal to help them survive their Newcastle childhood. When she uncovers Harry's own shocking secret, she faces an impossible choice. Annie grows suspicious about Harry's refusal to discuss his past or introduce her to his family. The truth threatens to destroy everything they have built together. This story spans from London's bombed streets to Newcastle's industrial docks, exploring how family bonds endure even when secrets tear at their foundation.
Genres: romance, historical-fiction, 20th-century, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: London, Newcastle
Period: Blitz
352 pages · Paperback · Pan
Content warnings: war