The Blitz, the Luftwaffe's strategic bombing campaign on London, commenced in September, 1940. A bomb wedged itself in the floor of Audrey Stocking's flat. Seventeen year old Audrey, choking for air, was able to gingerly evacuate the flat where the bomb had fallen through the ceiling, ripping part of a supporting wall while clouds of grit enveloped the entire building. Once Audrey and her Aunt Claire arrived at an Underground Shelter, Audrey realized she had forgotten her list, a directory of children who would be sent to the English countryside by the Women's Voluntary Services (WVS), a cause championed by Lady Reading, the organization's founder. "Hidden carefully beneath her mattress...a rectangular wooden box made of carefully carved and stained ebony. If the letters inside this box were discovered, it would ruin everything". Bomb or no bomb, Audrey was determined to sneak into her flat to retrieve her list and ebony box. The building, now roped off, had a sign that read "No Entry, Unexploded Ordnance". A guard was stationed at the barricade.

Audrey explained to Wes Bowers, an American Marine stationed at the building and deployed to observe the method of defusing unexploded bombs, that in the confusion, she had forgotten a list of child evacuees. Before removing the bomb, Wes scanned the flat finding Audrey's binder and her treasured ebony box. A budding friendship was soon to arise. This special bond aided Audrey who experienced crippling bouts of anxiety and melancholy. Audrey and Aunt Claire were trying to ride out the war in London using forged passports. They must keep their true identities secret. Lady Reading of the VWS had detected Audrey's slight accent, however, Audrey Stocking's ethics and assistance in saving children was beyond reproach.

Second Lieutenant Wesley Bowers, an American, had recently arrived in England. Bowers would be shadowing a British Bomb Disposal Squad. The average life expectancy of those working bomb disposal was ten weeks. Colonel Moore, a pensioner in his 60's and an experienced soldier of the Great War would command the small squadron. "...the war pits Bomb Disposal sections, with little more than basic tools...against the best scientists Germany has to offer...technical lads take the information and hardware we send them and tear it apart, analyze it, and experiment with it, looking for creative ways to defeat the German bombs".

In alternating chapters, Audrey works relentlessly to help prioritize the children and deliver them to farms and communities outside London. Wesley, as part of Colonel Moore's team, learns the intricacies of defusing bombs. "It's different when you know you'll be standing right beside it, touching it, dancing with it...Your pulse will beat like a kettledrum...your muscles will snug into what feels like a single knot...after a while it gets considerably easier".

"Most who have suffered trauma in life tend to stay quiet, not talk about it...". Audrey's ebony box took center stage as it contained letters sent to and received from her papa. She shared her letter writing philosophy with civilians and military personnel she met in WWII London. "A well-thought-through letter whispers with sight, touch, smell-and, most importantly time". "Wesley felt better having taken the time to consider his feelings, to express them on paper...".

"In Times of Rain and War" by Camron Wright is a novel of historical fiction that "teaches the truth" based upon the experiences of Wesley Bowers, a member of the British Bomb Disposal Unit. Although a fictionalized account, the novel is based in part upon volunteers who wrote diaries as they were witnessing the devastation and destruction during the Blitz. "Life is seldom what we ask for, and we should thank heaven for every painful, wearisome, hurtful, joyous, amazing, gentle moment". Highly recommended.

Thank you Shadow Mountain Publishing and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was very good. It brings to light a part of WWII that most people have never heard of. I loved it.

Some books offer up entertainment value and/or a chance for a temporary escape from our reality. Others offer the ability for growth and have the potential for shaping our lives. In Times of Rain and War is one of the those. This marvelous book gives us a very person look into the lives of two people who were in London during the Blitz. The descriptions are so lifelike it is bone chilling.

This is not an easy, feel good type of book. Yet it is enjoyable and even entertaining. The prologue was instantly captivating and the story held my interest through the very end. The are a few curse words, but the language is not vulgar. There are no sex scenes in the book. The violence is strong, but it is a book about the cold realities of war. You will want to have a box of tissues handy as it pulls heavily on the emotions. I highly recommend this book to everyone. You will not be disappointed.

I really enjoyed In Times of Rain and War. It didn’t end the way I was expecting, but it was still a happy ending (one of my must haves) and made for a realistic story. I liked the little explanations sprinkled throughout that taught as well as entertained. The main characters were very likable and their situations tugged at my heartstrings.

If you enjoy World War II historical fiction I would recommend this book. I can see myself reading this again.

This wonderfully compelling and poignant book immediately grabbed me in a deeply emotive way. I must have read at least 30 WWII novels in the past few months and this...this is a firm favourite. Why? It's different, substantive and heart warming, yet gut wrenching. It's all I seek in a novel and then some. For me it has that special something that easily elevates it from a 4* to a 5* read. My first book by Camron Wright was such a pleasure! I enjoyed it thoroughly. That ending! Wow!

Compassionate Audrey Stocking helps rescue displaced children and finds homes for them. She loses her own home and belongings to a bomb but continues her work nonetheless. London is being heavily bombed and horrors are common, though impossible to grow accustomed to. Audrey values her irreplaceable ebony box and treasures within with ties to her secret life and to her family. She is fluent in English but it is imperative that she hide her Jewish German identity otherwise she would be imprisoned...or worse.

American Lt. Wesley Bowers arrives in England and is shocked by what he sees in the fiery halo of death and destruction which envelops him. He can breathe it. His job is to disarm bombs which is described in brilliant detail in the book, a topic I knew nothing about. Part of the story details his dangerous job and those he works with. I love that he learns how to write letters from his heart.

We meet several other fascinating characters including Aunt Claire, Colonel Moore and Lady Reading. The book is about heroism, relationships, the unbelievable will to survive overwhelming conditions and precious hope. I highly, highly recommend this stunning read to Historical Fiction readers especially but to any General Fiction readers as well.

One of my favourite passages (there are many!) is about rain and primrose petals. Breathtaking and memorable. The story is even more gorgeous than the title and cover!

My sincere thank you to Shadow Mountain Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this enchanting book in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated.

This book was everything I expected out of a historical fiction novel set during WWII. The characters are well developed and very easy to like. You get to know Audrey and Wes. Even the minor characters are well defined, bringing the book to life.
Audrey is in London under false pretenses with a secret that could get her thrown in prison or worse if found out. Wes is there to follow the Royal Army's bomb experts and learn all he can. When the two meet it leads to some "explosive" encounters.
I enjoyed this story a great deal, without dwelling on the ugliness and despair of those war torn years still giving the reader a accurate sense of how it was to live and survive when do many did not.
I give this book a four out of five star rating. It is easy to read, it held my attention throughout the entire book. A good chronicling of war, destruction, and despair along with love, strength and hope. Recommended for historical fiction fans along the lines of Kristin Hannah.

#intimesofrainandwar #netgalley

I had a hard time getting into this book, it just didn't capture my attention.

This is a fictional account with some real life experiences. The book started a little bit slow for me but then it kept me really engaged. It is a very tough subject. This is not a romanticized book about war. It has some hard things to read about. I felt so many things reading this book. Hope, horror, joy, love, friendship, anxiousness etc. I am a HEA person all the way, this book challenged that for me. While it ended in a way I didn't want or expect, I was alright with it. I would recommend this book. It taught me about a side of the war I didn't know about.

A story with a secret introduced early on is a good hook for the reader, in that respect I was intrigued to read on. It was also interesting to read about bomb squads and The Blitz. A good read overall.

1940. London is under blitz. Lieutenant Wesley Bowers is an American who arrives in London to help with the bomb disposal. Audrey Stocking is a German Jew trying to survive the war in London and working as a volunteer to take children out of London to the countryside.

What interested me to this story was London’s blitz and the heroine’s work of safeguarding children. However, I struggled with the prose which is wordy and I struggled to connect with the heroine. She has a secret of being Jewish and her volunteering is noble. However, I’m not drawn to secrets and besides her volunteering work there was not much there to connect me with her. I wanted her character to be better developed.

There is of course romance which is a common theme with WWII stories.

It was interesting to read about Women’s Voluntary Services and the British government’s efforts of moving thousands of children to safer ground.

There are plenty of readers who appreciate this style of writing and will enjoy this story.

I have enjoyed all Camron Wright's books, so I was really looking forward to this one. And it did not disappoint!

Fall of 1940 and the Blitz has started in London. Audrey and her aunt are working with the Woman's Voluntary Service to help move children from the city to safe havens in the country. Only the two of them are hiding a deep secret. They are living in England on false passports. If the secret gets out, it could be devastating for them.

Audrey befriends an American who has arrived in the early days of the war. America hasn't officially joined the war, but Wesley wanted to do his part. As part of a bomb disposal group, he knows his life expectancy is low. When the two meet, a special bond is formed and they bring light to this hard life they are living.

I enjoyed getting to know these characters. The banter was sweet, the story was an interesting one with the bomb information, and ultimately it was heart-wrenching. I enjoyed this unique look at WWII and being immersed in a "bomb squad".

Thank you NetGalley and Shadow Mountain for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I love all books about anything connected with WW II. Sometimes the subject matter seems to be the same in most of them. Usually it is a romance during the war, guy loves girl, girl stays behind while the guy fights for his country.

In Times of Rain and War by Camron Wright is a little different. It IS a novel that takes place in London during the Blitz, but it has a different slant and one that I had not heard of until I read the book.

Audry Stocking is a British citizen, except that she’s German and isn’t from England. She and her aunt have forged papers and are trying to stay incognito; until a bomb drops into their apartment building, but does not detonate. She has left behind a list of children she has been helping evacuate children from London to the countryside to evade the German bombs. She is desperate to find it.

Lieutenant Wesley Bowers is an America Marine working with the Bomb Disposal Company to learn how the British diffuse bombs. He is at the apartment when Audry tries to enter as the squad prepares to diffuse the bomb. They find an instant connection and have made plans for after the war.

I loved the book and especially the information that I gleaned from reading about the Blitz. This book embraces romance, intrigue, thrills, and secrets that show throughout the book. I highly recommend this novel.

An interesting story with some good plot surprises. The story is set in the background of London and involves two young people. One works as a bomb squad member, the other has a secret. The story keeps you wanting to find out what happens. This is a great read.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This novel is a beautifully written story of love and war. Like most stories about war it is a treatise of anti war dialogue but does go quite a bit beyond that. Lt. Wesley Bowers is an American that journeys to England in 1940 prior to the U.S. entering WWII. He joins a bomb disposal unit working in London and quickly learns that life expectancy for men that do the kind of work that he gets involved in is very low. That is that the average for these people is 10 weeks. He also joins the BDU (Bomb Disposal Unit) at a point that the Blitz has begun targeting London as the main point of the German air force's raids. Wes struggles to survive the horror he is involved in at the same time that he finds that the men attached to his unit have become like family to him with the obvious commonality of facing death on a constant basis due to the work they do.
Audrey Stocking is a young girl that has entered England illegally sent out from her home in Germany by her father who has arranged for her to flee what he felt was the coming horror of the Nazi party. The family was Jewish with all the downside that would create for them. Audrey traveled to Switzerland with her aunt and from there the two women traveled to England. In order to make a living both work for a group that specializes in transporting children from London to temporary homes in the north of England which are beyond the war zone. Audrey's problem beyond the basic one of being in the county illegally is that she suffers from flashbacks and nightmares that she cannot come to grips with.
Wes has a fiancée in the US, but when he and Audrey meet it generates a mutual attraction that quickly gives way to love. The story of a love that helps both people transcend the daily horror they live in is an extremely well done narrative with results that leave the reader with an emotional feeling not often encountered in a novel. Certainly instilling a desire to read future books by Mr. Wright and follow through on that.

Audrey is a 17 year old with a very vivid imagination.
Actually, all the characters appear to have vivid imaginations.

The premise is intriguing. The writing is overly flowery, going over the top with metaphors and similes galore. The author also decides to pepper as many British slang phrases as he can throughout the book, whether they fit the character or scene, or not.

Though an intriguing concept, to explore the experiences of a bomb disposal team, and a woman who is helping evacuate children during the war, the flowery prose and seemingly forced British slang served to obscure rather than enhance the sharing of these experiences.

Overall this was a difficult book to get through. The descriptions cluttered the story and made it challenging to focus on what was actually happening in each chapter.

Thank you to Netgalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for an ARC of this novel.
What attracted me to this novel was that its a historical fiction and its beautiful cover. Set in World War II time period this novel is based on true events regarding the bomb disposal squad. Told from the perspectives of two lead characters its a very heartwarming, unique and very touching story. Its not a love story but a story of humanity, friendship, goodness, relationships and survival. The beautiful letters add so much more to this beautiful novel.
A definite 5 stars.

I really enjoyed this book. It was very well written. I learned a lot about something I didn’t even know about before. Learning about the bomb disposal teams was fascinating. I’m glad I got to read about these unsung heroes. This book did have some romance (It wasn’t the main focus of the book). After reading this book I want to go study more about this subject. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys learning about WWII.

First and foremost, Thank you to NetGalley and Camron Wright for allowing me early access to this lovely story. And secondly, thank you to Mr Wright for introducing me to yet another perspective for WWII that I knew very little about.

Wesley Bowers, an American GI is sent to England to be a part of a bomb disposal team. Going into this assignment, he knew next to nothing about bomb disposal aside from the average life expectancy is ten weeks. Very early on, he is sent to London where German bombs had begun to rain down on innocent people. It was during one of their bomb disposals that he meets Audrey Stocking, a German Jew hiding in plain sight in England. Together they guide each other through the tough times and develop a loving relationship that they hope to continue once the war is over. Sadly, the war has different plans.

One of the things I love most about this book is the mention of PTSD. So many people came back with PTSD and no one at the time really knew what to do or how to help. People had seen so much that it traumatized them and they did the only thing they knew how...stored it away in the depths of their memory. This is such a relevant topic today as well so I was glad to see it approached from two different points of view. For a different take on WWII, I highly recommend this book

This beautifully written novel slides between great heights of hope and deep depths of despair.

Perhaps the principal character from In Times of Rain and War is a black box carefully made by Audrey’s father, somewhat like a tefillin used by observant Jews to hold verses from the Torah. It was cleverly designed to require quick presses to its corners in a particular sequence in order to slide its lid free. Inside were letters Audrey had written to her father and those he had written to her. As time passes in the novel more letters are added to the box, two of them written by Wes with whom Audrey has fallen in love. And finally are letters written to them. These letters contain much of the beautiful prose in the novel, and each of them written by Audrey or Wes contains a secret.

The novel takes place in wartime England, during the German bombing of London and before the Americans enter the war. The male protagonist, Wes, is an American marine, sent to observe the art of defusing unexploded bombs. The young woman, Audrey, is a German national who entered England with a forged passport in order to escape the Nazis. Wes and Audrey have their personal demons, but they fall in love, as you would expect. And with that a description of the novel’s plot must stop, in order to avoid spoiling the novel’s intensity and the author’s magnificent rendition of the disasters that befell the English during Hitler’s ruthless bombardment of innocent citizens.

The pace of the novel’s action is fast, but in many places the author uses a small pause in the action to illustrate a poignant moment. In a moment when Wes stands over a German airman he has killed in a small country church, he calls out “I had no choice,” as he looks up at a sculpture of Jesus on a silver cross. The author observes, “He seemed to be looking down at Wes, or was he looking past him at the dead man? Either way, he was wearing his own circle of thorns, and he looked to be crying.” Much later in the novel, Audrey holds Wes in an embrace in a warehouse despite the fact that sirens are wailing. She consoles him over the death of a teammate, and determines she will not let go even if bombs begin to fall. “She knew well, from her own experience, that emotional wounds exposed to the air at nighttime invariably cause the sharpest of pain. His sorrows would scab over, but a cut this deep would take time to fully heal.” These are but a few examples of the beautiful imagery that Camron Wright weaves into the plot.

At the end of the novel, the ebony prayer box appears to take one last letter. War changes people. A man who survives war cannot leave it behind. But Camron Wright has written much more than a PTSD novel. His beautifully written novel slides between great heights of hope and deep depths of despair. These are what war’s survivors must endure. They are what must go into the prayer box.

Mark Zvonkovic, Reviewer and Novelist
https://www.markzvonkovic.com/reviews

In Times of Rain and War is a captivating story about the strength, power, and resilience of love, friendship, and kindness. It is a beautiful and poignant book well worth the read.