Description
In spring of 1943, seventeen-year-old Lorene Stewart isn’t looking for complications. She’s content on her parents’ Illinois farm, longing for the day she might travel beyond the cornfields of Potomac. But when Amos Alexander chooses her angel food cake at the town cakewalk, everything changes. For the first time since tragedy struck her family long ago, Lorene’s heart stirs with hope. Yet as quickly as their romance sparks, a world torn apart by war threatens to extinguish it
When Lorene befriends Dietrich, a German POW whose kindness and mysterious past captivate her, she begins to question everything. How can someone deemed “the enemy” side with all that’s right and good? And what if Amos has inherited his father’s deep prejudice, which he swore to resist? Amos seems to know what he wants, but when his father forbids him to court Lorene, it’s unclear if he will honor his parents’ wishes or pursue true love no matter the cost. Lorene must discern who she can trust if her dreams are to become reality. Her hope of a future spent changing the world with the right man at her side depends on it.
As another year comes and goes, Lorene seeks freedom from a burden of guilt she’s carried since childhood while navigating the treacherous waters of first love and family loyalty. With a community divided by fear and suspicion, a forbidden friendship that challenges everything she thought she knew, and her own stubborn heart standing in the way, she has to determine if love is worth the risk—or if some messes are too hopeless to become dreams.
Hannah Ruth Johnson –
From page one, it was SO evident that this story was drawn from the author’s family histories, and the result was a novel that is wholesome, homey, and so very REAL. Lorene, Amos, Ruby, Dietrich, and all the other characters in the books felt like actual people through their mannerisms, conversations, and the events. The storyline isn’t farfetched in the lest but still kept me turning pages. Also, because Lorene is seventeen, it works for young adults VERY well, which is amazing, since it’s near impossible to find many Christian young adult historicals. It reminds me of Rachel Coker’s sweet books!
Jessie Mattis sprinkles in SO many historical tidbits that I wouldn’t have otherwise known–such as collecting milkweed for deployed soldiers’ lifejackets, strategies for treat-making while under pretty severe rations, and fun historical traditions! She also explored the prejudices and tensions as US farmers took on POWs as farmhands, and I enjoyed seeing the German men through different lenses. As Lorene learns, they are all unique, multifaceted individuals, and you can’t look at one and draw conclusions about the whole lot.
The romance was gentle, honest, and lifelike, albeit a bit fast-moving (timeline-wise). But I suppose marrying fresh out of high school was probably even more common back then, and it still happens now, so that’s probably just nonexistent-love-life Hannah speaking.
As the author herself noted in an interview I did, it’s very relationship- and character-driven. There isn’t wild suspense driving the plot forward, but I loved it all the same. What a delightful read! Ruby was the perfect rebellious sidekick for our good girl lead, and I loved watching Lorene navigate the battles life threw at her and Amos. I can’t wait to read the rest of their story over the next two installments!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are my honest opinion.