Thank you to Simon and Schuster Canada, Gallery Books, and Netgalley for an advanced digital copy of this book.
I hate to say it but I was really disappointed by this book. I read a lot of WWII fiction and the synopsis sounded like something I would really enjoy. I love dual timeline books and stories with strong female characters. Unfortunately, this book was not for me.
What I liked: As I mentioned I really enjoy dual timeline books so I liked that aspect of this story and the present day character, Cara, was likeable. I found her work in antiques fascinating and felt she was a much better fleshed out character than Louise. I was interested in the Ack-Ack Girls as well and liked the parts that explored the role women played in that aspect of the war.
What I didn’t like: The plot and the romance. I was expecting much more of a historical focus with a dabble of romance, but the book was really strongly centered on Louise and Paul’s romance which was disappointing to me. On top of that I just couldn’t buy into the love story. I disliked Paul from the get go and could see the twist coming from miles away. Another big problem for me was Louise. To me she was a very bland character and I could not connect with her. Her only feelings seemed to be connected to Paul and very little time was spend exploring her perspective on the role she took on for the war. The personal growth her actions showed were not reflected in her inner dialogue and I found that very hard to reconcile.
Overall this book had an interesting premise and a lot of promise. More fleshed out and insightful characters and a more plausible romance would have gone a long way for me with this book.

WWII. It was a time in history when young men and women from all walks of life pulled together to fight the evil that threatened them and all of Europe. There was no thought of future plans there was only today. Love affairs become an escape, many ended in sorrow or shame. After the war secrets were kept. One girl's story unfolds 70 years later. Its discovery sends a young woman on a quest that will change her life and bring back the feelings she felt were gone, It an excellent read. Hard to put down.