Helen Burnside inherits a Yorkshire cottage from her great aunt when she dies. After she moves in, she stumbles onto many family secrets dating back to World War II. Much of the story is told in a dual time format. The story has been well researched and the World War II details feel very authentic. While I found the story interesting, I never really connected on an emotional level with the characters.

I loved this well written and engrossing story.
It's well researched, the plot is well crafter and the characters are fleshed out.
I was fascinated by two storylines, the descriptions of everyday life and the historical background.
I look forward to reading other books by this author.
Recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Helen's great aunt Alice is an enigma to her. She doesn't understand why Alice was estranged from the family or, more immediately, why she left her a cottage. Set in Thornbeck, Yorkshire, this has some nice local color but more importantly, it's a reminder of how old attitudes split families. Helen's research into Alice leads her to events during WWII and Alice's love. It's a good old fashioned read. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Set in 1990 and during World War two. Helen Burnside is single lives in Blackpool, near her mother and grandmother, when her Great Aunt Alice dies, Helen moves to Yorkshire to live in a cottage she inherits from her Great Aunt Alice. Helen makes a new life for herself and gradually gets to know her neighbors. As she sorts out her Great Aunt’s mementos Helen finds a small box with old letters and other small items revealing that Alice had a war time romance. Helen’s mother and Aunt don’t want to talk about Alice’s life and the reason she moved to Yorkshire after the Second World War.
Helen is determined to find out more about Alice’s life and the family secrets going back to the 1940’s and 1950’s.
This was a war time romance about families, adoption and secrets.

In her recent novel, A Wing and a Prayer, Margaret Thornton has followed the popular formula of writing two stories in parallel with each other. The first is told in present time and the latter takes place during and immediately following WWII, in Britain. While the story set in WWII is engaging and captures the readers sentiments the one set in present time is a predictable romance.

To its credit the novel is well researched and written. It leaves one pondering the fate of the many children, who were surely born out of wedlock, during a time of intense emotions and turmoil. If you like syrupy love stories and have an interest in the everyday life of civilian women during WWII you will definitely enjoy this book.

It’s 1990 when Helen Burnside learns that her Great Aunt Alice has died and left her a cottage in Yorkshire. Helen loved Alice, but the rest of the family severed ties with her years ago and Helen never understood why. Now, in the cottage, Helen learns why Alice was estranged from the family as she uncovers a series of secrets dating back fifty years. I liked this quiet, contemplative read about the complexities of family and the devastating effects secrets can have.