Tuesday 5 September 2023

Review - Love at War by Jill Barry

Love at War by Jill Barry
Publisher: Mereo Books
Release date: 14 June 2023
Back cover blurb: Set in the Welsh seaside town of Barry during World War two, Anna Christensen is not only stunningly attractive, but she’s young and bright. Despite the war she has everything going for her. She’s soon given the opportunity to cover when a secretary is ill. Her home life is complicated and she wants to be independent. She’s determined to show what she’s capable of, especially when she realises, she has the support of her secretarial teacher and the woman in charge of the typing pool. However, being beautiful has it’s drawbacks, particularly when she doesn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. Inevitably, she ends up with three potential boyfriends – the charming Captain, the handsome 2nd Lieutenant and the boy next door. Emotions run high as she favours one, then another. The backdrop of war is ever present and you appreciate you’ve got to live for today. No one knows what’s going to happen next which makes for a truly emotional story that sweeps you along to the very last page.




Love at War is a beautifully written emotional journey of a young woman living in South Wales during WW2.

Anna Christensen is very bright and has ambitions to go far. Society and her family would have her marry and settle down immediately following her graduation from the local business school. But Anna wants more from life and is determined to have a successful career before she submits to becoming someone’s wife.

When Anna starts her first job role in a typing pool, she immediately impresses her superiors and is quickly given the opportunity to cover a secretarial role for someone suffering poor health. She wishes the poor woman well, but is grateful for the opportunity and wants to make a good impression. Which she immediately does, not only on her new boss, but also several men who work in the vicinity. For not only is Anna bright, she is also exceptionally beautiful.

Unfortunately for Anna being so attractive has its drawbacks, and she draws attention from those that she’s rather not. Anna doesn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, and having had quite a sheltered upbringing is naturally curious about the opposite

She is first asked out by an old friend and Neighbour who she doesn’t believe she is remotely attracted to, until he kisses her, and then she wonders just what kind of woman she is, when she enjoys it, but doesn’t really like him. Of course, it is possible to feel a physical attraction to someone without having feelings for them, but Anna is yet to learn this.

At work, Anna has two other potential suitors in the form of a particularly charming captain, and a handsome 2nd lieutenant who is possibly even nicer and more willing to please than Anna herself. In a blink of an eye Annas love life goes from non existent to what we might call these days ‘a bit messy’.

With War raging on in the background, Anna knows that she should live for today, but what exactly does that mean for her and her chosen man.

This is a gentle but unputdownable read, and I look forward to reading more from this author.

Love at War is available now via Amazon and all good book shops.

Thank You to lovereading.co.uk and the publisher/author who sent me a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.




No comments:

Post a Comment