I have always adored Lucy Strange’s books but this one is truly unique and special. Set in the early 40’s, we are immersed in WWII and the dog fights taking place over the channel.
Juliet Bell meets and falls for a handsome fighter pilot only to hear he was shot down a few days later. Her grief is immense and her father sends her to live with her sister on the coast. Here Juliet grieves for her love but also for her mother who drowned when she was a child.
Long walks and talks with her sister help until they discover the body of a young woman. This death upsets the community and Juliet dreams of the sea as a nightmare, somewhere she becomes terrified of.
Believing there is more to this death, Juliet uses her sharp mind and inquisitiveness to determine more about the girl’s life and who might have wanted her dead. Alongside this murder, Juliet meets an American fighter pilot, signs up to join the lifeboat crew and learns more about her family.
What I loved about this book was the intensity with which we come to know and understand Juliet and the life she has led. As a reader, we know the destruction and fear that war brought to the coastlines in particular. While this is a heavy part to the story, it is also about the hope of a family, the love shared and the joy that love can bring in whatever form that may be.
Is love strong enough to survive what war throws at it? I love the title, the poetry throughout and the stunning cover- it is a triumph from start to finish!
My Shelves Are Full 