“Not a dry eye in the house”, as Peggy would say! I found tears silently flowing as I read the last pages of this incredible book. Tears that were a culmination of the hope they felt throughout, the heartache suffered and the happy endings found!
From 1939 through to 1948, we share the lives of Lydia, Peggy and Teddy and their family! This clever story introduces us to the family as they navigate London during World War II, from bombings to rationing and all the heartache and hope they felt.
With each sister, you get to read their perspectives and follow their paths through a specific time period of the war. With Lydia, it’s the beginning and London is getting bombed daily, with nowhere safe. Having been evacuated to live with their Aunt, Lydia cannot help but worry about her mother. So she runs away back to find her. Danger looms and their lives are changed during this period.
We then spend time with Peggy, one who struggles with school but shows incredible talent as an artist. She has moments of clarity and others of temper, unable to control herself. This both leads her into trouble and helps her find an outlet for her emotions. By now, the family are back in London again. Peggy befriends Arno and they try to create a home from home for Arno but this has repercussions as well.
Finally, we see the end of the war through Teddy’s eyes. She has plenty of worries about her family and she tries to put these aside by learning facts and reading enormous amounts of books. When an opportunity arises to help her mother find happiness, she overcomes her great homesickness and travels to France. Unfortunately, she arrives home very ill but finally discovers just how much her family love her.
With each sister, you discover love, hope and heart through each others eyes. While the story is from each of their perspectives, the entire family all rally together around each girl. It truly is a heartwarming set of intertwines stories. It celebrates the love of a sister!
This is going on my top picks list for 2026!
My Shelves Are Full 