This is a debut novel from Spence-Ash, who is an American author. It is an historical fiction set during the WWII years and the years afterwards. When the bombs start falling on London, Millie and her husband make the almost impossible decision to send their 11-year-old daughter to live with a host family in the USA. Bea arrives in Boston and is greeted by Mr. & Mrs. Gregory and their two sons, William (who is a little older than Bea), and Gerald (who is slightly younger). The Gregory's have more money and Bea learns to love both the family and the lifestyle, especially the summers at the cottage in Maine. Of course the war eventually ends and Bea returns home and has to adjust all over again. The story is told from multiple points of view, the chapters are short and time passes quickly, but the story is a beautiful one that explores yet another aspect of WWII and is a wonderful recommendation for historical fiction readers. 4.5 stars..

“What’s past is prologue,” is the hopeful message repeated through this family story that comes full circle. As a child in England, Bea is sent by her parents to to live with a family in Maine as a refuge during WWII. Bea adapts to America and becomes a part of this vibrant fun-loving family. She even develops strong feelings for one of the brothers, William. Her bond with the family and their special home in Maine grows as her own father passes away back in England. Eventually, though, the war winds down and Bea returns to England to be with her mom. Alone with each other, Bea and her mother live a dreary existence. Bea works her way up through a decade of work and time brings her back to Maine and this time she and the other brother, Gerald, find deep love together. They buy back the family home from their childhood and raise their daughter there, bringing family members together including Bea’s mom.
Bea’s past with the family was just prologue for the real story, the beginning of her life with Gerald. Up to that point, there was healing and growth and loss… everything necessary for Bea and Gerald to find each other anew and begin again. This is a beautiful, hopeful story. I’d recommend it.

This was so good. Tears were involved.

Beyond That, the Sea is the story of Beatrix, an eleven-year-old girl who is evacuated from London during WWII and relocated to the United States to live with the Gregory family. She quickly warms to their affluent and exuberant lifestyle and becomes close to both of their sons, even though she misses her parents. When the war ends, Beatrix has to return to London and figure out how to adapt back to her old life.

The story is told through multiple (eight!) points of view, over several decades, but it’s never hard to tell who is talking. I love that Spence-Ash provided all of these perspectives because it gave the characters great depth and complexity and makes you empathetic to what they’re all experiencing. This insight made the book even more moving than if you only heard from Beatrix’s perpective, even if she is the heart of the story. I was sobbing by the end.

This is weirdly the second “WWII relocation” story I’ve read this month - the first was the amazing middle grade historical fiction book The War That Saved My Life (which is quite a bit more cut-and-dry about who you want the kids to stay with, but still breaks your heart).

I absolutely loved this book and am picking it for my neighborhood bookclub to read and discuss in June.

I first heard about "Beyond That, the Sea" by Laura Spence-Ash on BookishFirst. So when I saw it on NetGalley I knew right away that I wanted to request it! And I'm so happy I did. I really enjoyed this book. Bea is just 11 years old when she is sent to live with strangers in America to escape the war in England. She bonds with this family. This story covers the years that follow, with chapters from a different character in the story. They are all very well developed and this is a touching story. I will definitely look from more from the author.

What do you do when you belong in two places, so are never truly whole in either?

Beyond That, the Sea begins in 1940, when young Beatrix Thompson is sent by ship, from the UK across the Atlantic Ocean, to live with an American family during the war. Her parents’ decision to evacuate her will cause repercussions that will echo and reverberate in both families for the rest of their lives.

We journey with Bea from her preteen years to her late forties, experiencing all of the love and losses the years bring her.

I loved this story and didn’t want it to end. I will read it over and over again.

Read this if you liked: Foster by Claire Keegan or The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman, and be prepared with tissues and blueberry muffins. I paired my readings with cups of hot blueberry tea.

My gratitude to the author, the publisher @celadonbooks, and @netgalley for the review copy.

Congratulations, Laura, what a tremendous debut! 🥰 😭

I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this book. It's 1940, World War II, England stands against Germany. Many families were forced to deal with the issue of what to do with the children in order to keep them safe. Many were sent to the English countryside, and some were sent to the United States; this involved two weeks aboard a ship. Millie and Reg, Beatrix's parents, chose this option for their daughter, age 11. Arriving in Boston, knowing no one and with no idea how long she would remain there, carrying only one small suitcase, she is met by her United States family. She was one of the lucky ones. The Gregory family accepted her fully, and she grew to accept them and fit into their family perhaps better than shefit with her own parents back in England.

William Gregory is 13, and Gerald is nine so Bea fits right in the middle. Mrs. G. always wanted a daughter and now she has one. The family appears to have an affluent life style, Harvard educated father is a teacher at a private school. All three children attend the private schools just across the park from their home. Mrs. G. stays home and cares for them all.

Following the war, Bea returns to a London certainly not the same as when she left. Bea realizes she doesn't fit in her old life anymore, but what choice does she have? Our hearts ache for William, who struggles to fit into a life he doesn't want, and Gerald, who often feels lost but finds his way.

The story is character-driven; we learn how the people's lives intersect and watch the children grow to adulthood. It's a tearjerker, and the characters in this lovely story will stay with you for quite a long time. A debut novel, well done.

Beatrix is an 11-year-old English girl who is evacuated from war-torn London. Her parents make the impossible decision to send her to America to live with another family during the war. She is sent to live with the Gregory’s in Boston. This is a character-driven story about how this decision changed these two families forever.

This book was written in a unique format for a historical fiction! It had multiple POVs with very short chapters, 3 to 4 pages at most. Personally, I enjoyed the way it was written!The story itself was a WWII story, but it was more WWII adjacent. There were no firsthand accounts of the horrors of the war, which was also a refreshing deviation from most WWII historical fiction. I loved watching the 3 children grow-up and navigate childhood and then adulthood together and apart.

4.5 rounded up!

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC!

A historical fiction novel based on the premise of when families sent their young children to America from European countries during the time of World War II. I was interested in the book as I thought it was a unique take on the traditional WWII novels. While I enjoyed reading, the book fell a bit flat for me. I would say more of a coming of age story than a historical fiction book. Told through quite a few multiple characters, it was hard for me to connect to any of the characters. We never stayed with one long enough. There is also a lot of time jumps where we fast forward over years of the storyline, without much reference to what may have happened during that time. It would have been nice to include some letters during these jumping points to let the reader stay connected. It was an easy read and kept my interest enough to keep reading, I just wasn't blown away. Reading other reviews though I may be an outlier with this one. I do recommend this books to those that enjoy sweeping, character-driven, coming of age tales.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read and review honestly an advanced digital copy.

I stopped at 4% in. I was really interested in the premise, but the passive voice and lack of action didn't grip me. It will definitely work for some readers, though.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon for the ARC.

Outlier opinion. Several of my friends have rated this 4 and 5 stars. Please read those reviews, too, and make your own decision.

In 1940, as the Luftwaffe were systematically bombing London, Reginald and Millie Thompson made the gut-wrenching decision to send their 11-year-old daughter, Beatrix, to live with the Gregory family in Boston. Fortunately, Nancy and Ethan Gregory and their two sons, William and Gerald, are kind and loving to Beatrix. She lived with them for five years until the war ended. During these formative teenage years, Bea becomes deeply intertwined with the Gregorys, even though she knows it is only temporary. She often feels like she is in limbo. Then when she returns home, nothing is ever the same for anyone. The story then follows the lives (and three deaths) of eight characters through August 1977.

While I enjoyed the premise of the story, there are two reasons I did not love it. First, the chapters are told from eight different points of view. At times, it seemed random and disjointed. For example, one chapter makes a big deal about how Gerald will suffer when he is sent away to a three-week summer camp. But then that storyline abruptly ends. We don't know if he actually went to the camp or what happened there because the next chapter is all about Millie in London, quickly followed by a New Year's Eve party in Boston. My second complaint about the novel is that most of the characters are semi-depressed and unable to move on with their post-war lives. Bea and her mother have trouble reconciling. William ends up in an unloving marriage. Neither Gerald or Bea can commit to a serious relationship. Millie overcommits herself. I just wanted them to snap out of it. But, to be fair, their emotions were understandable. I think that is why so many others give this a higher rating than I am.

Beyond That, the Sea is a coming of age character driven historical WWII fiction told by seven POVs written by Laura Spence-Ash. And my first thought after finishing this book was WOW! this couldn’t have possibly been written by a debut author.

We get to dive into the minds and emotional toll that each character went through from start to finish beginning with Reginald and Millie Thompson making the most difficult decision of their lives to send their daughter Beatrix to the Gregory family in America for the duration of the war in 1940. We get to follow these characters into the 1970s. My favorite character was Beatrix (Bea/Trixie) but my heart was captured by sweet Gerald.

If you are looking for a WWII book with a lot of reference to the war this is not the book for you, but if you’re interested in reading a character driven story about the effects WWII had on families check out this awesome debut by an author who is definitely on my TBR list.

I received Beyond That, the Sea from the publisher, Celadon Books, via NetGalley. All the opinions are my own and I was not required to give a positive review.

Thank you to NetGalley, Celadon Books and the author for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This was a sweet, tender-hearted coming of age story about a girl torn between two homes during WWII: her birth land of London, England and her foster family in Boston. It really made me think about what makes a family a family or a home a home…is it nature or nurture? Is it unconditional love and a shared bloodline or a sense of stability, comfort and belonging? We see how Bea’s displacement affects her and those within her inner circle.

I enjoyed the short, easily digestible chapters and I found many of the characters relatable. However, with having eight points of view, I feel as though I didn’t develop a deep connection with any one character. We just juggled between timelines and saw glimpses from each of them. I wanted it to hit me harder emotionally. I found the pacing to be quite slow and the ending felt a bit forced. The romance subplot took a turn I did not expect.

I would still recommend this book for anyone looking for a wholesome historical fiction read.

In 1940 London, working-class parents, Millie and Reginald Thompson, decide to send their daughter Beatrix to America to live out the duration of World War II with a wealthy host family. Over the years, Beatrix develops into a girl stuck between two very different lives with two very different families. Both of which she loves very dearly.

What an incredible debut! Laura Spence-Ash takes a classic historical fiction period and develops an emotional coming-of-age story. WWII subtly provides the backdrop, but the tale digs through the deeply layered meaning of family and everything a family entails: love, loss, acceptance, and forgiveness.

Spence-Ash's beautiful prose produces a quietness to the reading experience I rarely feel. It’s emotional and heartbreaking yet with rays of hope and love. I love how Spence-Ash explores nature vs. nurture, the innate need to belong, and how marital love can take multiple forms.

The audiobook, narrated by Ell Potter, is terrific. She offers a gentleness to the characters that I felt deep in my heart. I paired the audiobook with the physical. And I love the format (structure) of the book - short chapters, a timeline printed on the bottom of the page, and conversations italicized instead of using quotes. All of which elevated the reading experience.

4 1/2 ⭐️s, this is a very good read. Amazingly told from the viewpoint of 8 characters! Each character developed in a way that is complete, I never got confused or tired of the ever changing viewpoint. Plus, the first half is a “home front” WWII story, one of my favorite themes. Beatrix is sent from war-torn London to Boston as a young child to escape the bombings, and quickly becomes a part of the Gregory family. The second half of the novel is set in the 1950s and 1960s as Bea and the Gregory boys become adults and their lives continue to intertwine. Very good writing and excellent storyline. I wanted the childhood summers on the Maine island, still do!

Two families living through the war. One sends their daughter to live in America with a foster family. After the war can she ever go back to life as it was. A touching story

What a beautiful yet sad literary fiction! There are many sacrifices brought to life in an impeccable view of what it was like for children in the 1940's in London to be sent to the U.S. to a family they didn't know. It was a risky chance for 11 year old Beatrix after her mom and dad sent her by ship to live with the Gregory family until the WWII war was over. She was one of the lucky ones to live safely with a family of an affluent lifestyle. Their home most of the year was in Boston, but their vacation home set a top their very own island in Maine.
My heart ached for Beatrix parents, Millie & Reginald. What a sacrifice! Letters and telegrams would arrive in delayed increments, but each one read brought comfort in knowing she was well taken care of. The Gregory family lathered her in clothes and vacations. The guilt would sometimes overtake Beatrix knowing her parents were hiding in bomb shelters while she lived comfortably in the U.S.
At times when the letters came, the luxurious life was contained so as not to upset her parents. The jealousy and anger for her child being smothered in love was too much for Millie to bear. The Gregory family also had two sons and Bea became enchanted by their friendship and spunk to have fun. She becomes closer to William, the eldest.
I know why it ranked high on everyone's review because it is a touching story of love, loss and true friendships for a lifetime of memories. You will not be disappointed in this book! Thank you Celadon and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I thought the story was nice and I enjoyed all of the characters, but the author basically just told us everything without showing us - every time some sort of important event was supposed to happen, it would suddenly be the next chapter with a time jump and we would just get the aftermath. We didn't actually see much of anything. I also didn't really see *SPOILER* Bea ending up with Gerald--I guess there was some lead up but her falling for both of her "brothers" just felt a little weird?

Eventually it got a little tiresome to read because nothing huge was happening, and for a character driven story I really didn't FEEL the character growth; a lot of the characters just read like the same voice to me.

Overall not a bad story at all, but based on the plot summary I suppose I was hoping for more. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC

A simply beautiful character driven work. Beatrix is sent to live in America when being in London just isn't safe anymore during the times of WWII. I can't imagine having to make that decision as a parent. The parents feel guilt, Beatrix feels anger, and actions have consequences. Quite luckily for her, the family that Beatrix is sent to welcomes her and she folds beautifully into the family. Then the war is finally over and has to go back home - but can she? This story is told from many points of view and it was so very well done!!

Wow, this was quite a book! 4.5 stars!
Imagine, if you will, being a child sent away to America during the Blitz in WW2. Being more fortunate than some, you’re taken in by a wonderful couple with two boys near your age, and after a bit of adjustment, everyone just “clicks” together. This family sees you through your beginning teen years, celebrates birthdays and holidays together each year, vacations in Maine together every summer. The war and your parents always seem far away, even though letters are exchanged over the years.
Then, WW2 finally ends… and you find yourself leaving the place that has been home for more than 5 years, heading back to the country of your birth…and everything in you longs to stay put.
This book takes the reader from the ‘40s into the ‘70s. Written in third person, one “gets into the minds” of Bea the evacuee child, her host family, her parents that let her go for her own safety, and a few others, over the span of four decades. Years of global changes, and personal changes as well.
Beautifully written! For an avid reader of historical fiction like myself, this book was like chocolate candy!
*Thanks to Netgalley for a digital copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.*

What a lovely debut! Laura Spence-Ash’s Beyond That, the Sea, is a captivating, intelligent, emotional, coming of age tale of love, family, grief and resilience. Ambitiously told from the perspectives of multiple characters, this story is beautifully written, if occasionally meandering, melancholy and sad. And the sense of place through decades from WWII London to New England is strong throughout. The descriptions of the WWII era summers at the Maine island and family home are particularly exquisite.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the complimentary ARC. Opinions are my own.