It is 1944. Lily & her sister Sophie live in Clapham. They are wondering when the war will ever end. They are both typists. Sophie is is the opposite of quiet Lily she longs for excitement & the coming of the GI's seem to promise that. Her Mother invites two of them for Sunday lunch & this leads to outings with the two young me. Jack is the outgoing brash one that seems perfect for Sophie.The very quiet Matthew somehow manages to appeal to Lily. Just before the men are sent into action Lily goes to find Matthew only to find pigeons with messages in German in his shed.

Forward to present day. Abby lives with her father on their apple farm. One day Simon appears. He has a war medal, a purple heart, that had been awarded to her grandfather. Abby & her father rarely speak & he seems totally disinterested. Abby finds a war medal in the attic, a distinguished service cross with Matthew's name on it. Simon is desperate to find out the answer to this mystery & Abby finds herself drawn in.

Told from two timelines, this is an absorbing story with interesting characters & it has been well researched. I really enjoyed it.

Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture and Kate Hewitt for lending me an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!
London 1944, Lily Mather’s life has drastically changed. The American GI’s have taken over their city, catching the attention of Lily and her sister. Soon the sisters find themselves falling for the American paratroopers, but it’s not that simple. London is crumbling around them, people are hungry, men are lost to the war and the Americans will have to return home at some point. We are given a stark and real look at the hardships of living in war-torn London during WWII. Kate Hewitt brought the war to life, keeping me completely engrossed. The scenes of war grabbed you and sucked you in, taking you on the journey Lily.
Flash forward to current day Wisconsin, Abby Reese is living on her family’s apple farm when she receives a letter from an Englishman, Simon Elliot. Simon has found a metal that he says belonged to Abby’s grandfather, Tom Reese. Simon isn’t just returning a metal, though, he is writing a book and hopes that Abby can be the key to figuring out the history of her grandfather and his grandmother.
Kate Hewitt blew me away with her ability to bring the war to life with her words. We were given a stark, heartbreaking look at how the war affected generations of families and left lasting scars on the hearts of many. This book will break your heart at parts, but at the end you’ll leave knowing love can get through anything. This was my first Kate Hewitt and I will definitely be reading more of her work in the future!

What a lovely story. Simon the Englishman, travels to America to reunite a Purple Heart with the family of the man to whom it was awarded. Abby, grandfather Tom has given it to Simons grandmother as a keepsake at the end of WWII. But...Abby knows very little about her grandfather and her father is adamant about not uncovering the past. So Simon and Abby set out to learn more about her grandfather and why he himself had another man’s WWII amidst his belongings. Family secrets, survivors guilt, and love intertwine in the time hopper novel.

It’s a bit slow at times but the intensity of WWII totally makes up for it. What I loved most about this book is something that you don’t always see in, survivors guilt. One of the main characters from the past, Matthew is a German Jewish refugee who was able to escape to America and ultimately joined the army as an interrogator. While it’s Important to him to serve his new country well, he aches to know what has happened to his family. That plagued him throughout the war...especially when the camps are discovered and liberated. The same goes for Abby who holds herself accountable for a terrible tragedy in her family. Simon also struggles with some familial issues and together they are able to start over in a way and it’s all thanks to digging up the past.

This book represents another Eason why I love WWII fiction so much...there are so many different perspectives. And you learn so much...like the Ritchie boys from this book who I’d never heard of before. They were a group of Jewish German immigrants trained by the army to be interrogators. They returned to their homeland and faced evil in the eye under the safety net of the American Flag. Such an interesting chapter of the war and I’m so glad I was made aware of it thanks to this novel!

Thanks so much to NetGalley for the chance to read this a little early

In the past few years, Kate Hewitt’s books have become must-reads for me. Her novels are always full of emotion and ordinary people thrust into extraordinary circumstances and drop you into their lives as you watch how they react and grow. INTO THE DARKEST DAY is no exception. Told in a dual timeline, one in the present and the other during WWII, this novel will draw you into the lives of the characters and won’t let you go.
In the present, Simon travels to Wisconsin at his Grandmother Sophie’s request to return Abby’s Grandfather’s Purple Heart. The errand opens a mystery: Why did Simon’s Grandmother have the medal and who was she to Abby’s Grandfather? Why is Abby’s father so insistent about leaving the past alone? The more they find out, the more questions they uncover.
Lily and Sophie Mather are sisters in London, working for the government to support the War effort, living at home with their parents, waiting for the war to end. When two American GI’s come to dinner, their lives are forever changed. Tom Rees and Matthew Lawson couldn’t be more different, but each sister gets to know one of them, it’s Lily and Matthew we get to know the best. Matthew is different, there is something about him and when Lily discovers his secret, it ultimately brings them closer together. Not only do we see first-hand how London was affected by the Blitz, but we also see how Tom and Matthew continue to be linked when it comes to the War, and we get a front row seat to not only their interactions but the brutality of what Matthew encounters in the Europe as he does his job. Hewitt describes these horrors with a deft hand, and the images are heart-breaking.
This is a novel that will take you through a gamut of emotions until the very end. Once again, Hewitt has outdone herself and delivered a stellar novel.
Thanks to the Publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.

I love WW2 based novels and I love Kate Hewitt books so this combination was great and did not disappoint. Following the lives of 2 women in London and their American soldiers during WW2 era plus Simon and Abby in modern times is fascinating and harrowing at the same time. I couldn’t put the book down and wanted to know how the 2 eras intertwined. A great love story and historical novel.

Brilliant. This story is a real emotional rollercoaster. There is heartbreak and lies but there is also joy and love. Events in World War 2 still have an affect in the present day. Love stories of 2 different generations are beautifully told. I was captivated by this story from the start and read into the night to finish it.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

Master storyteller Kate Hewitt is a writer at the top of her game who in her latest novel, Into the Darkest Day, has penned a tale of devastating secrets, illicit passion and healing from the past that will hold readers in thrall from beginning to end.

In 1944, Lily is determined not to take a leaf out of her sister’s book and start an affair with an American GI. Lily will not be so reckless nor will she set herself up for needless heartbreak by doing something so stupid and senseless. But while her head is telling her to keep her heart firmly under lock and key, her heart refuses to listen. When Lily meets Matthew, her every instinct is telling her to keep him at arm’s length and to give him as wide a berth as possible. Yet, when temptation proves absolutely impossible to resist, Lily and Matthew realise that succumbing to the attraction between them will be inevitable – even if Matthew has a secret that could change both of their lives forever…

In modern day USA, Abby lives a quiet and sedate life on an apple farm in Wisconsin. Still tormented by the tragic deaths of her mother and brother, Abby refuses to leave the farm unless absolutely necessary and has no qualms about living a small and serene life cut off from the rest of the world – until English man Simon Elliott contacts her and claims that he has a medal which belonged to her grandfather. Simon has his own heartbreak and demons and he hopes that this quest to piece together the broken pieces of the past will prove to be the distraction he so badly needs. As Abby and Simon begin to dig deeper into their relatives’ lives they discover shocking secrets and ground-breaking revelations and a burgeoning love which could well prove to be the key that will set them free from the prison they have condemned themselves in.

Are Simon and Abby ready to stop living in the past and embrace this unexpected chance of happiness? Will they manage to lay old ghosts to rest? Or will the past continue to exert its hold over all of their lives?

Into the Darkest Day is an emotional read packed with dark secrets, searing emotional conflict and uplifting romance that continues to cement Kate Hewitt’s position as one of popular fiction’s most gifted writers. Kate Hewitt effortlessly draws readers into her story and keeps them captivated throughout – and will have them reaching for the tissues on many an occasion.

A wonderful story of putting the past to rest, finding the courage to move and redemption and renewal that touches the heart, Into the Darkest Day is another winner for Kate Hewitt.

Emotional and gripping. Kate Hewitt has once again hit me right in the heart with her evocative storytelling. London 1944 Lily meets charismatic American G.I. Mathew, at the same time that her sister meets another American G.I. Present day Wisconsin Abby is living a quiet life on her family’s apple farm navigating a difficult relationship with her father. When Simon an Englishman reaches out to her about a war metal that he wants to return to her as it belongs to her grandfather, Abby is confused and intrigued. When Abby and Simon meet up they find out that their families are somewhat entangled and have many secrets yet to be revealed. Two Beautiful stories woven together seamlessly.

Not going to lie I am very burned out on WWII stories, but when I saw that Kate Hewitt was the author of this one I couldn’t pass it up. She did a remarkable job of creating a sense of time and place throughout the story especially when it came to the WWII scenes. The tension was palpable in some of these wartime scenes, my heart was pounding and I seriously thought I could actually hear the bombs going off. I also learned about some aspects of the war that I had never heard about before. The present day story was equally compelling, I was very drawn to Abby. I found her so likable and sympathetic, I really wanted her to find some real happiness. Another emotional story from Kate Hewitt that touched my heart. One day one of your books will not make me shed some tears.

This book in emojis 🍎 🎖 🪂 🇺🇸 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 🍏

*** Big thank you to Bookouture for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***

Into the Darkest Day is one of the best books I've read this year. Equal parts heartbreaking and heartwarming, Kate Hewitt has a gifted way with words. From the first page, I knew I was going to love her descriptive writing, which only got better as the book went on. Into the Darkest Day is set in World War II London and in present-day America. British teacher, Simon reaches out to Abby explaining his late grandma (Sophie) wanted him to return her late grandfather's (Tom's) Purple Heart. As they begin to unravel how their grandparents knew each other and learn to forgive their own past mistakes, we travel to London during World War II and meet sisters Sophie and Lily and American soldiers Tom and Matthew. As the book continues and follows Matthew into the warzone, I found it to be unputdownable. I needed to know if he and Lily got their happily ever after in the end. There aren't many books that really pull at my heartstrings, but this was one of them. If you enjoy historical fiction, I highly recommend picking up Into the Darkest Day.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Into The Darkest Day by Kate Hewitt is a beautifully written and poignant dual timeline saga that once started I did not want to put down. I have a fondness for books with a dual timeline and it works incredibly well here, adding to the intrigue and suspense of the story as Abby and Simon, in the present day, try to piece together the heartbreaking story of Lily and Matthew in 1944 London.

When Lily meets enigmatic GI Matthew in war torn London, she is taken by surprise when she falls head over heels in love with him. But Matthew is hiding a devastating secret. One that has the potential to shatter their lives forever.

Moving forward to the present day, Abby is tormented by survivor’s guilt after the deaths of her mother and brother. But when Englishman Simon arrives bearing a World War 2 medal that he claims belonged to her grandfather, Abby finds herself working with him to piece together the heartbreaking details of their ancestors wartime experiences.

As the story brings Abby and Simon closer together, they uncover a dark secret from the past that, like Lily and Matthew nearly eighty years before them, has the ability to tear them apart. They will soon begin to question whether you can ever truly trust someone… even those who hold a piece of your heart.

What happens when trust has been broken? Is it ever possible to forgive and forget after a devastating betrayal?

Into The Darkest Day goes back and forth between timelines, telling a heartbreakingly powerful story of love, friendship, courage, secrets and the devastation caused by broken trust. Kate Hewitt has written a beautiful story that’s filled with a poignancy that makes your heart hurt.

Into The Darkest Day is an unforgettable story of love and heartbreak, set against the atmospheric backdrop of World War 2. And I loved every single breathtaking word of it! A hugely entertaining dual timeline saga that will stay with me.

Highly recommended.

A world at war, family divisions, love and loss. Into the Darkest Day is a beautiful tale set in the present day and during the Second World War. British sisters Lily and Sophie Mather fall in love with two American soldiers, Matthew Lawson and Tom Reese. In the present, Sophie's grandson visits Tom's granddaughter and a tentative relationship emerges as they investigate the reasons that Tom may have left his Purple Heart medal with Sophie but kept a Distinguished Service medal belonging to Matthew.
As readers, we are in the privleged position of seeing both timelines. I enjoyed the present day unravelling of the mystery of the medals but my heart was caught by the tale of Lily and Matthew during the war. I read this book over the VE Day bank holiday weekend and this added an extra poignancy. Plus I am a history graduate so have an avid interest in the subject and enjoyed the historical realism.
The main four characters of Abby and Simon in the present and Lily and Matthew during the war, are appealing and inspire empathy with their dilemmas and experiences. Sophie and Tom also receive a sympathetic treatment despite their selfishness and self pity.
This book was originally titled The Forgotten Heart which I think should have remained as it has multiple layers of meaning in relation to the plot and characters. First of all, it could refer to the Purple Heart medal, but did Tom and Sophie ever really forget each other or their broken love? It could represent Abby and Simon's lost love and family in the present day which makes them both afraid of opening up their hearts again. Finally, it could refer to Matthew's lost emotions due to the heartache and cruelty he has experienced due to Nazi brutality and the bloodshed of war.
This was quite different in tone and style to the other books by Kate Hewitt that I have read (No Time To Say Goodbye, Not My Daughter, The Secrets We Keep). It was a very emotional book about the best and worst of humanity, utterly captivating.

This was an amazing story, that is both tragic yet poignant. Abby Reese finds herself thrown back to the past, when Simon Elliot visits her. Simon brings with him a medal from WWII, that he believes belonged to Abby’s grandfather, Tom Reese. In returning the medal, he hopes that Abby will be able to uncover the history that links her grandfather to his grandmother, and in doing so, help him with the book that he is writing.
The story that flips back to war-time London, where Lily Mathers and her sister, are trying to cope with life, whilst bombs are dropped on London. It is during this time, that the meet Matthew Lawson and Tom Reese.
I thoroughly enjoyed the dual timeline and found myself thoroughly immersed in what was both a romance combined with a mystery. The characters were all well developed, and I found that I enjoyed more as I progressed through the story. The impact of war is vividly told, and I felt that the depth of research shone through. This is a book to savour, and one that I found myself constantly thinking about, long after I put it down.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Into the Darkest Day by Kate Hewitt was tentatively title The Forgotten Heart. Both title fit this compelling read since it is sad, heartbreaking at times and dark when some of the story takes place in WWII London. An absorbing read told in dual time periods, WWII and present day. I had read some of Kate Hewitt’s other women’s fiction, knowing that it may not be an easy read or one that has a perfect ending. Much more like life isn’t it than a pure romance story since people are hardly perfect nor does life go as we always thought it would.

It is a book that reads like life, then and now. People affect by war, family secrets, loss and death. Everything reads as if it could actually happen so the past must have involved countless hours of research. History came alive in this book. Into the Darkest Day will tightly clasp hold the heart of the reader. As least for this reader’s heart.

Fans of Kristin Hannah and Nicholas Sparks will want to read this book. Fans of well crafted stories with complex character who are developed fully but slowly will love it. Into the Darkest Day by Kate Hewitt is part history, part mystery and part romance but all together totally unforgettable.

An ARC of the book was given to me by the publisher through Net Galley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Sandy *The world could end while I was reading and I would never notice* Jones's Reviews > Into the Darkest Day
Into the Darkest Day by Kate Hewitt
Into the Darkest Day
by Kate Hewitt (Goodreads Author)
30817744
Sandy *The world could end while I was reading and I would never notice* Jones's reviewMay 13, 2020 · edit
really liked it
bookshelves: 2020, netgalley-arc, 4-star, contemporary-fiction, family-drama, historical-faction, mystery, romance, wwii, 5-star

EXCERPT: Hello, you don't know me, but I know of you - at least a bit! My grandmother, Sophie Mather, died a few months ago, and she was in possession of your grandfather, Tom Reese's, Purple Heart medal, awarded during his active service in the second world war. She told me she wanted it returned to 'it's proper owner.'

I've read on your website that your grandfather passed away some time ago, and I'm very sorry for your loss. I presume that the proper owner now would be you or your father. I'm coming to the United States this summer for an extended visit, and would love the opportunity to return the medal to your family.

Abby had read it all, her mind both blank and spinning. Sophie Mather? What medal? And a visit?

ABOUT THIS BOOK: 1944, London:
When Lily meets enigmatic GI Matthew in war-torn London, she doesn’t expect to fall in love. While her sister starts a reckless affair with another GI, Lily tries to hide her growing feelings for Matthew.

But Matthew has a devastating secret. One that could change their lives forever.

Present day, USA:
Abby lives a quiet life on an apple farm in Wisconsin. Tormented by survivor’s guilt after the tragic deaths of her mother and brother, Abby leaves the orchards as little as possible, keeping her life small, peaceful and safe… Until she is contacted by Englishman Simon Elliot, who arrives nursing a heartbreak of his own, and bearing a World War Two medal that he claims belonged to Abby’s grandfather.

Together they begin to piece together the heartbreaking story of their relatives’ war. But as the story brings Abby and Simon closer—tentatively beginning to lean on one another to heal—they uncover a dark secret from the past.

And like Lily and Matthew nearly eighty years before them, it will make Abby and Simon question whether you can ever truly trust someone, even when they have your heart…

MY THOUGHTS: I went into this book thinking that it was going to be a pleasant mystery/romance. And it was. But I have read enough of Kate Hewitt's books by now that I should have known better. Anything she writes packs a punch, and Into the Darkest Day sure does that.

The story is written over dual timelines, the current day through the voices of Abby and Simon, and 1944/5 through the voices of Lily and Matthew.

Into the Darkest Day is rich in historical detail. The London blitz, with nights spent in cold and cramped Anderson shelters in the back garden while the skies buzz and scream and crackle under enemy attack, droning planes and thudding bombs, emerging after the all clear into air full of dust and the acrid smell of burning, the smell of destruction, to find a once familiar landscape cratered and littered with rubble and the scant remains of people's personal possessions.

The Wobbelin internment camp where bodies were stacked like winter logs, one atop the other, waiting to be incinerated. Where the survivors are skeletons, with skin stretched over their bones, starved to the point where to give them food would kill them.

I had never before heard of the Ritchie Boys, German Jews who acted as interpreters and interrogators in the final stages of the war, men who returned to Germany to face and confront those who had once tormented and tortured them. Please make sure that you read Kate's letter at the end of the book, AFTER you finish.

I have read a lot of books about the war, and the camps, but I don't think I have ever read anything quite so graphically described in so few words.


The characters and their relationships are absolutely absorbing, as is the mystery surrounding the medals. Yes, there is more than one. Mystery, and medal.

I loved Into the Darkest Day, as I have everything I have read by this author. This book has only strengthened my resolve to read everything that Kate has ever written. Highly recommended.

❤❤❤❤.5

Dysfunctional families are ones with people in them.

THE AUTHOR: Kate is the USA Today-bsetselling author of many books of women's fiction. Her latest releases are A Vicarage Homecoming and Not My Daughter. Under the name Katharine Swartz, she is the author of the Tales from Goswell books, a series of time-slip novels set in the village of Goswell.

She likes to read women's fiction, mystery and thrillers, as well as historical novels. She particularly enjoys reading about well-drawn characters and avoids high-concept plots.

Having lived in both New York City and a tiny village on the windswept northwest coast of England, she now resides in a market town in Wales with her husband, five children, and two Golden Retrievers.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of Into the Darkest Day by Kate Hewitt for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

3.5 Stars

Thanks go to the publisher and Net-Galley for the complimentary copy of Into the Darkest Day by Kate Hewitt for the purpose of reviewing and reading prior to publication. My opinions, my own and no one has influenced them.

Into the Darkest Day is a well-written and edited novel set in 1944 and present day. There are several principal characters since Ms. Hewitt set her book in two different times. It became a bit tedious to read and dragged. Although I enjoyed Lily and Matthew’s story a great deal. For me, the Abby and Simon storyline wasn’t as compelling.

Lily and Matthew meet when her parents open their home to two American servicemen. They develop and friendship which turns into more as the story progresses. The author’s vivid description of Lily’s emotions over the letters she must write to families of war causalities is gripping. Matthew’s response to the death camps is heart wrenching and brought tears to my eyes.

Abby and Simon’s storyline didn’t work for me. The character development could have been stronger. They too form a friendship as they try to solve the mystery of the medals and how the pieces fit together. Their backstory is tragic, but their emotions toward them wasn’t as emotional as I would have liked.

Ms. Hewitt clearly did her research and her graphic descriptions of the death camps, the imprisoned people found alive, and the devastating bombing England endured during WW II is gripping and broke my heart. This is stellar, and I enjoyed it tremendously.

If you enjoy WW II novels with realistic descriptions and a lovely romance between Lily and Matthew with a satisfying ending, then you will enjoy Into the darkest Day. Overall, I enjoyed this novel, and I’m glad I accepted the invitation. Happy reading!

Into the Darkest Day is Kate Hewitt's first foray into historical fiction and she has written an interesting and intriguing story. Whilst reading this story the book underwent a title change and to be honest I didn't see the necessity for this as I think the previous title suited it perfectly, i'd love to know the reason behind the change. I know titles play such an important role in the writing and publication of a book but despite the change it didn't detract from my overall understanding and enjoyment of the Abby and Lily's story. This is a very good first effort for someone writing in a totally new genre to them and as I love historical fiction and have read so much of it, I know what I want and look forward to in this type of read.

Lots of the elements I love were present, the dual time line going back and forth between the present and the years of World War Two, a difficult love story and a mystery. But I felt that the author has just touched on her true potential in relation to this genre and just a little bit more depth and even more mystery at times would have elevated this book to another level. Of course, I did enjoy it but when the big reveal came and connections were made I was left wanting that little bit more. I understood the reasons and sentiments for characters actions when the moment of truth came but I wasn't left reeling in shock or with that feeling of boy were on earth did that came from? How could I have missed that clue etc? I would have loved to have been thrown off track a little bit more and to be left completely reeling with the outcomes and repercussions. Saying all that and I don't mean any of it in a truly negative way as they are observations that struck me whilst reading. Pushing these aside there was a good story well told, a little slow at times but then around the half way mark it does pick up in terms of pace, character development and a sense of things being uncovered.

Abby Reese lives in America on her family's apple tree farm with her father David. She has a strained relationship with her father as they both navigate around the ghosts of the past, of things left unsaid and of emotions buried deep inside. The death of her mother and brother many years ago has left lasting scars and the pair seem to tiptoe around each other never expressing their feelings or saying what is on their mind. It is like they are stuck in a moment in time unable to move forward as the past drags them back yet neither are willing to open up. Abby had so many plans for her future but they were all cancelled as guilt eats her up and a sense of sorrow, loss and devastation just seems to emanate throughout the house and their daily lives.

Abby was a person who needed someone from outside her very small family circle to come into her life and give her a different perspective on the situation she found herself in. She literally did nothing except work on the farm and run the little gift shop with her friend Shannon. It was like she didn't want to experience pleasure or enjoyment in life because of the loss she had suffered and the impact it had had on her father. I figured there had to be more going on than what initially came across because despite the tremendous loss and suffering she had experienced you do have to move forward at some stage. But has Abby forgotten how to do this or is there something making her feel the compulsion to remain in the mindset she is in? Should a moment truly define the rest of her life when really no matter the circumstances forgiveness and healing can be sought and found?

As English man Simon Elliott arrives with something to give David, a whole can of worms is opened up that takes Abby on a journey with Simon back into the past. Maybe as they try and find out the origins of a Purple Heart medal awarded to her grandfather Tom during the war some surprises and home truths may emerge. Simon brought a whole new dimension to the story and it was as if he was the catalyst that would slowly help Abby emerge from the cocoon she had created for herself. But this wouldn't be easy as David doesn't want to hear what Simon has to say. Simon himself was hiding some things emotionally and it was because of this he found a kindred spirit in Abby. But if I had to choose I would have thought he was the stronger of the pair and more determined to face things head on and uncover the mystery behind the medal his grandmother Sophie was determined should be reunited with its owner.

As enjoyable as the present day setting was I much preferred when the book had chapters told from Lily's perspective during World War Two. She lives with her parents and sister Sophie in London and out of the two siblings is seen as the quiet one of the pair who would never put a step wrong. Lily feels like a pale shadow in comparison to the glamorous, outgoing and confident Sophie. Lily works as a Wren writing letters in an office to the families of those who have lost loved ones in battle, the burden of having to do so wears heavily on her. But with the arrival of the American GI's into Britain the girls lives are changed especially when two soldiers, Matthew and Tom, are invited to their house for Sunday dinner.

Tom is brash and outgoing and someone who would suit Sophie down to the ground but Matthew is a different kettle of fish. He seems under strain, reserved and not that willing to let go and enjoy nights at Rainbow Corner like the others do. Maybe he would be the perfect match for Lily. But Lily senses that Matthew perhaps is hiding something and with a little sleuthing she finds out things that she probably wishes she had never seen. But these surprise elements set in motion a very interesting strand to the story. Finally here was something that was gripping and thoroughly held my attention.

In the later half of the book we gain a deep insight into the mind, methods and motivations of Matthew. It certainly was something I had never previously read about in relation to the war and it amazes me that after all this time there are new elements still to be unearthed. Matthew without doubt was the stand out character in this book and when the chapters focused on his experiences of war and the reasons why he did certain things I was completely engrossed. Admittedly some of the scenes were horrifying and distressing to read but they needed to be there as they helped me to understand the connection with the cross which is what brought Simon to America in the first place. Going back to the point as to whether a moment should define us really hit home in relation to Matthew and a certain pivotal moment in the book.

Into the Darkest Hour was at times a mixed bag for me. There were definitely parts that held my attention more than others and I can see that the author has lots of promise when it comes to writing in the historical fiction genre but not everything fully hit the mark for me. This is a good and enjoyable read but just not one that will have me remembering the finer details in the months to come.

Beautifully written historical fiction following two timelines. The present day with Simon flying from the UK to America, trying to find out more about his grandmother's connection to Abby's grandfather using a war medal as their first clue.

The second timeline takes place in London towards the end of the second world war. When Lily and Sophie get involved with two GI's, their world is opened up to the horror of war, secrets, hurt and betrayal but also longing, hope and love.

A beautifully written story of courage, hope, forgiveness, love and family.

Kate Hewitt has to be one of the most versatile writers I know of. She continues to grow and expand as a writer, but no matter what, she delivers. Every time.

Books set in the WWII era are a particular favorite of mine, so I was excited about the combination of one of my favorite authors with the era. The story was interesting and truly kept me guessing until the end. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we see more along this line from Ms. Hewitt!

Holding Secrets Close

Into the Darkest Day is a story of war, it is a story of the aftermath and the consequences that continue to the future. Can one ever forgive themselves for a moment of weakness? Does that one action dictate the rest of their life? It did so for one soldier. What will happen when the granddaughter finds the secret years later.

It is the story of Matthew and Lily who met during the war. Matthew held his secret tight but told Lily before he left London for the front. Will this secret keep him and Lily from having a life together after the war?

Finally it is the story of Simon and Abby. Years later they get together to try and find out the connection between Simon's grandmother Sophia and Abby Grandfather Tom. What secret does her father not want her to know? Will Simon and Abby figure it out and will it change her life.
Simon and Paul both hold secrets close to their heart that they are afraid to tell each other. Eventually they do tell the secrets they each hold close. How will this change their budding relationship? How will it change the relationship between Abby and her father?

This is a book about Romance and about secrets. It is a book about relationships and how they can either go wrong or blossom. The book is sad and heartbreaking at times and it is romantic at others. It is a testimony to the aftermath of war and the things those involved saw and felt.

The book was well written and the characters were realistic and believable. The settings were well described. I enjoyed this book and I would recommend it.

Thanks to Kate Hewitt, Bookouture, and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advance copy in return for an honest review.

Present day, USA:
Abby Reese lives a quiet life on an apple farm in Wisconsin. Tormented by survivor’s guilt after the tragic deaths of her mother and brother, Abby leaves the orchards as little as possible, keeping her life small, peaceful and safe. Until she is contacted by Englishman Simon Elliot, who arrives nursing a heartbreak of his own, and bearing a World War Two medal that he claims belonged to Abby’s grandfather, Tom which for some reason his grandmother Sophie wanted Simon to return it to Tom
Together they begin to piece together the heartbreaking story of their relatives’ war. But as the story brings Abby and Simon closer—tentatively beginning to lean on one another to heal—they uncover a dark secret from the past.
1944, London:
Sophie & Lily Mather work as typists & live in Clapham Common where they meet two Gis Tom Reese & the enigmatic Matthew Lawson. Whilst Sophie starts a reckless affair with Tom, Lily & Matthew take things at a much slower pace.
This is the first book I’ve read by the author & it certainly won’t be the last. I'm not a fan of books that span two different eras but this time I loved it. This was a well written at times harrowing read that took me on a plethora of emotions & left me drained. The characters were well portrayed & had plenty of depth & were very likeable. The more I read the more I became completely engrossed & read well into the night to finish it. The descriptions of what Matthew saw & endured often had tears coursing down my face & brought home the brutality of war. If you’re looking for a light fluffy read then this isn't the book for you but I loved the mix of romance &istory
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read