Canada 1930's. Max (Jew) and Molly (Protestant) have grown up as friends and neighbors together and they fell in love. The families had a strong bond during the Great Depression. The influence of Nazi Germany along with an event at the Christie Pits Riots in 1933 caused a complicated division between members of the families. Max became a doctor and joined in the war effort along with the young men he had grown up with. They were fighting together against the Japanese. Some were killed, some were wounded and others survived as POW's in Hong Kong. The love story is touching. The extensive research by this author brings the horrors of war, the brotherhood of friends, the trauma of survival and the difficulty of adjusting to coming home. This time of Canadian history needed to be told.

Whenever times get tough, the tendency for people to blame someone else for their problems goes way up. What I didn’t know was how much people in Canada (and I’ve learned America) blamed the Jews for the Depression.
Letters Across the Sea starts in 1933 and moves on through WWII. It covers two families in Toronto, an Irish Protestant working class family and a more well off Jewish family. The teenage children are friends. But as time goes by, their paths diverge.
This book fulfills my number one mandate for historical fiction - that I learn something while reading a good story. Not just the pre-war anti-Semitic feelings in Canada, but the battle of Hong Kong and the horror of the Japanese POW camps. And if we thought that biased news was something new, this book puts the lie to that idea.
Graham does a wonderful job of creating characters I really cared about. In fact, this book did an equally good job of engaging me emotionally and intellectually. The chapters alternate between Molly and Max, which worked well to keep the story moving forward.
Make sure to read the Author's Note, as Graham provides a detailed account of the real life episodes that inspired this novel. I haven’t read Graham’s other works, but I will definitely be seeking them out.
My thanks to netgalley and Simon & Schuster for an advance copy of this book.

I loved this author. I couldn’t put down her other book I read so I was looking forward to this book. But I couldn’t get into it. The relationship between Max and Molly was too much, it came across as cheesy almost and I really liked both of them so I wanted it to be a good story. It was very predictable. Given the content and the historical background I wanted so much more for the story. I loved the historical information and the author did such a great job with it. Very interesting. But the characters were too forced.

With Letters Across the Sea, opening with the following; "If you’re reading this letter, that means I’m dead. I had obviously hoped to see you again, to explain in person, but fate had other plans." (Which that isn't a spoiler, it's in the synopsis from the publisher.) You would think that it would just grab you and immerse you into a book that you just can't put down. But it didn't for me, I was over a quarter of the way through the book before it really grabbed me. I felt that the characters were forgettable and flat. The storyline is good, but predictable. However, one of the things I did truly enjoy was learning the history that this book covered from race riots in Toronto, and a small glimpse of the role that Canada played in WWII. I also truly appreciate Graham tackling head on the return of soldiers after war. She talked about their wounds, physical, emotional, and mental as well as the chaos it causes in families. These are the things that are raising my rating from 3 stars to 4. Thank you #NetGalley and Simon and Shuster for allowing me the opportunity to give my voluntary and honest opinion of #LettersAcrosstheSea.

This is not an epistolary novel. Despite that fact, I definitely enjoyed this book a lot.

Molly and Max grew up across the street from each other and when he returns from college he discovers that she has turned into a rather stunning young woman. The only problem is that her family's Protestant and his is Jewish. Leading into WWII, there was a lot of animosity in Toronto between the two groups. Once the war escalates, everything changes.

The author dives into the issue of POW camps and covers some other parts of WWII history that may not be widely known. I found it interesting and someone that doesn't know a lot about WWII history would probably find it rather enlightening.

I definitely recommend this.

First , I must say that my rating of this book is skewed by two facts. One, I love epistolary novels and seeing this title I incorrectly assumed it was such a novel. Even though a letter leads to a turning point in the story, it is not an epistolary novel. Two,I feel that I am experiencing WWII novel burn-out. The rash of WWII novels out there is overwhelming. Of course, this is the first I read that was based in Canada. Many have been wonderful ; however, I need to take a break. So with this in mind, as I started this book I found that I needed to restart it several times before I could wish to read. It is a depressing book in many ways even though it is hopeful ,too. Family difficulties due to depression, deprivation, war, anti-Semitism- not much positive happens for a long while. I understand and commend the author on writing and researching this book. It was a story that needed to be told. If you are interested in Toronto prior to WWII and the fate of the Canadian soldiers, esp in the Battle of Hong Kong you will find this a fascinating read. It is not a light-hearted read but then all books do not have to be so.

This is a story about Canada's involvement in WWII and the events leading up to it. I knew nothing about Canada's involvement in the war; nor any of the events that occurred in Toronto before the war. This historical fiction story is a very interesting read and very informative. The author is very descriptive with the riots; one could almost feel they were there. The same goes for the battle scenes in Japan and the POW camps there. POW camps in Japan were the absolute worst and most people are not familiar with that part of the war. This book focuses on that and what the POWs went through from the Japanese.
The story between the two families from different backgrounds is very realistic. Molly and Max’s story was pretty common at that time; families like theirs would not have wanted either of them to have a relationship and would have tried anything to break them apart.
I was confused about the title. I thought, before reading the book, that it would be in the form of letters back and forth. It wasn’t until I finished the book that I realized how letters “found” years later can change one’s feelings or ideas. And how letters never delivered can change the outcome of one’s life.
I enjoyed this book; found it very easy to read and follow.

Really enjoyted this novel. It was beautifully written and held my attention. When you pick it up you think another book about WWII, however it is told from a different perspective, Canadians and their involvement along with the Battle of Hong Kong. So little is known about how ill prepared the soldiers were and how bravely they fought. The atrocities of prisoners at war continue to astound us and these stories need to be told for generations to come. The bravery and all they endured despite their horrible treatment continues to bring tears to your eyes.
I loved the romantic thread of Max, Jewish Canadanian and Molly, Irish Catholic; that despite their love for one another the obstacles that were in their path.

Genevieve Graham has woven a fabulous historical novel set in the city of Toronto in the Great Depression and World War II. Her research in creating this poignant tale is first rate. She covers the tumultuous period of prejudice and the famous riot and weaves a tale of two families...one Irish and one Jewish and how their lives were effected not only by the riots;, but the war, as well. Any aficionado of this time period will delight in MS. Graham’s tale.

Letters Across the Sea deserves nothing less than a five star review! Genevieve Graham’s research is praiseworthy. The book is memorable, heartbreaking, interesting and brings to light little known facts about WW11, such as the Battle of Hong Kong. Additionally, I learned so very much about the Canadians involvement in WW11, about which I had known nothing. Brava! Thank you NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Sweeping novel of two Canadian families set before and during WWII. Before reading this book, I did not know about Canada's involvement in WWII or the Battle for Hong Kong. The writer did a very good job of bringing this history to life via the families in her story. This book opened my eyes to a lot of history. It made me want to learn more about this period in time.

There are so many books written about the events surrounding WWII, it’s difficult to find a book that has a different perspective, I have never read a book about that period that centers around the Canadian part in the war so I was eager to read this one. It’s easy to forget that countries other than Europe, America and Japan were also involved in the war. There is a similar theme with a lot of war books, a love story between two people so different and on such different sides that the love is forbidden. But I had never heard of the Battle of Hong Kong and was promoted to do more research. It’s difficult to have a book about WWII that doesn’t contain brutalities and atrocities and this is no different. This time it’s the Japanese that tortured and killed Canadians, ignoring the Geneva Convention, it’s a well written, well researched book. Highly recommended

Well written and such a great new (to me) aspect of WW2 that I’d never heard of. I’ve read a lot on the subject but this is the first that I’ve read from the viewpoint of Canadians in the war, being stationed in Hong Kong and some of the POW stories. It also spoke to a large infiltration of Nazi agenda and anti-semitism in Canada at the time. I had no idea Nazi-ism had come so close to home in the ‘30s. Really enjoyed this book.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my review.

Letters Across the Sea
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I have read many novels of World War II and the Holocaust, most were taken place in Europe and dealt with the events that have taken place there. This novel dealt with Canadians fighting in Hong Kong against the Japanese. I didn’t know anything about the anti semitism in Canada in the 1930’s or Canadians fighting along the British against the Japanese. Reading the author’s note at the end made me appreciate the amount of research that went into writing this book and made me aware that the major events described in the novel really did happen. The main protagonists are Molly and Max who have grown up together as neighbors. Molly comes from an Irish family, Max is Jewish. A budding romance between them is totally unacceptable for both families. The novel brings the horrors of war to the forefront, how it affects those who served and those who were left behind. But it is also a beautiful love story with ups and downs. I can only praise and recommend this book. Definitely 5 stars.
Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the advanced copy.

Unputdownable! I could not put this book down. The story begins in Canada in 1933 when the Irish Catholic Ryan family lived across the street from the Jewish Dreyfus family. The families were great friends, parents and children alike. Molly Ryan was Hannah Dreyfus' best friend growing up. In 1939, the Jewish people began to be shunned and the friendships between the families began to crack. World War II was on the horizon and both families had sons that enlisted. This is such a powerful story of friendship, broken relationships, love, hate, tragedy, fear, sadness joy, anger, redemption, forgiveness and moving forward.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon and Shuster Can, for the ARC of this fantastic book that kept me reading through the night. I would give this book 10 stars if I could.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is the story of two Canadian families and their experiences during the great depression and WWII. Historical fiction from this time period is everywhere, and as a lover of this genre, I've read plenty, but this one is quite different from the typical stories. I enjoyed reading about the Christie Pits riot, an historical event I'd never before heard of, and the rise of anti-semitism and the "swastika clubs" in Toronto during this period.

The love story between Max and Molly was beautiful, although at times the plot devices were a little predictable. The experiences of the soldiers in the book were heartbreaking, and it was clear that the author had gone to great lengths in researching and bringing these forgotten stories to life.

Overall, a very enjoyable read.

Graham brings us a real Romeo and Juliet story set during the Depression and on into WWII in Toronto, Canada. . Molly's and Max's families are pitted against each other as hatred toward the Jews grows steadily, ending in a physical confrontation between the families. Molly is forbidden any connection with her Jewish friends, but she never forgets them, especially Max.
This historical novel is filled with little-known data and tells the story of the Canadian forces who fought so valiantly in both Europe and Asia. Hard to put down!

‘Letters Across the Sea’ is a wonderful love story, a rich, engrossing history lesson and a deeply, sensitive review of social prejudices that unfortunately continue today. I frequently enjoy World War II stories and this was the first time I have read about the Hong Kong battle fought by Japanese against British and Canadian forces.

I am grateful to NetGalley and the author, Genevieve Graham, for the free copy of this book in exchange for my voluntary, honest review. Reading this book was sometimes wrenching and heartbreaking, yet often thought provoking and overall a very sweet experience. I highly recommend it and also recommend the Author’s extensive notes included at the end of the book that were extremely informative and interesting.

4-1/2 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a complimentary Advance Reader ebook in return for an objective review.

So many novels have been written about the events of World War II that it's hard to imagine that one more could have a significant impact. But Letters Across the Sea did just that: it introduced me to an aspect of the war about which I had no prior knowledge, and did so in a way that brought both the facts and the emotions of this time vividly to life. Letters Across the Sea is based on true events that occurred in Canada prior to that nation's entry into the war, as well as on the experiences of Canadian soldiers in both European and Pacific theaters. It deals with rising anti-Semitism in Canada after the Great Depression, using a Romeo and Juliet style romance to thread together the events that occurred before, during, and after the war. For me, the early chapters of the book moved a bit slowly and predictably, but soon the story captured my full interest as the focus moved away from romance and more into the experiences of both Jewish and Gentile Canadian soldiers, and especially those who engaged in the devastating Battle of Hong Kong in December 1941. The novel is thoroughly researched and well-written, and is one I'd recommend to any reader who enjoys solid historical fiction.

One of the things I appreciate about historical fiction is the opportunity to learn things I never knew. This book opened my eyes to a number of things that happened during WWII, especially in relation to Canada and things happening in Japan. I feel like a lot of WWII fiction focuses on German and Europe, so I really liked this new point of view. However, this novel tried to cram too many huge historical moments into the book that they did not receive the full attention that they deserved

The novel starts out in 1933 and the budding attraction between Molly and Max during a time when tensions were high against the Jews as Swastika clubs grew in Toronto. With Max being Jewish, Molly is told to steer clear of him, but she fights against the negative attitude and poor treatment of the Jews. It all comes to a breaking point though, as a riot breaks out between the Jews and the Swastika club, the end result tearing apart Molly and Max's family. The novel then jumps to 1939 and the characters' involvement in the war effort over the next five years. Molly begins her journalism career and spends a lot of time focusing on POW camps and what's happening in Japan. Max is sent over to China to help maintain things, but after Pearl Harbor, the tides shift and he discovers just how unprepared he is for battle.

This novel was a fairly quick read as the story and characters are so captivating. I was fascinated me by what I didn't know regarding the Pacific side of WWII. However, there felt like a disconnect in the storytelling with regards to the Great Depression and riot of 1933 and then the jump of six years to WWII. There was no resolution in terms of how attitudes seemed to shift in the area against the Jews. Aside from setting up the relationship between Max and Molly in the beginning and creating a rift between the families, the first part of the novel felt irrelevant to the greater story of WWII. The author's note made it seem like this book was about the riot, but really I felt like it was more about WWII and the veterans. In a way this could have been two books because the riot was an important story, there just needed to be more attention given. While I found the WWII side of things fascinating, the storyteller in me wanted to experience more or it rather than having it be reported. A lot of information was given as Molly works on her articles and highlighted certain cases, but aside from going to the Bownmanville camp, everything is someone's telling of their experience. There was a missed opportunity to bring readers into the camps rather than removing the character for a dramatic reveal later. Instead, the character tells the story of what it was like in an interview. It turned things into a case of telling the reader what happened rather than showing them. That being said, everything story told was captivating. The author did a great job setting the scene and then showing the devastating effects of war and how it affected different people - as shown with all of Molly's brother. The last misstep with this novel is the title and comparison the the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Both seem to imply an epistolary novel, or at least multiple letters. However, while there were snippets of a few letters and two full letters, they were few and far between. Maybe the title refers to the one pivotal letter at the end, but then make it "The Letter" rather than "Letters," but that's just me being picky because I felt mislead.

As a whole I enjoyed the novel. I found the revelations intriguing and longed to learn more about that side of WWII. Most of my complaints are just nitpicking, but the story told was really great. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.