I've often imagined what those who lived during WWII experienced. So many people all having different experiences and memories. My grandfather and many great uncles all served in the war. I never met my grandfather as he passed away before I was born but my great uncles never spoke about it. I have many stories that my grandmother would share. Her experiences and memories as she supported her husband during his training, his deployment and her staying home trying to care for everything and the constant worry she had for him and her brothers and friends. She rallied the other army wives and was a great support to them, all while she was just a young girl herself. We have the letters my grandfather wrote to her while serving and I love reading them. He doesn't talk much about what he was experiencing but it shows the tender and sweet love and relationship between him and my grandmother. Something to hold onto and think about that had nothing to do with the war.

This book showcases a couple different groups of people and their experiences during this time. A young girl, Audrey, of German and Jewish heritage hiding in England. A young American, Lieutenant Wesley Bowers, being assigned to work with an English group of bomb diffusers. Their paths cross in the form of a bomb that has landed in Audrey's apartment and needing to be disarmed. Of course this is not the very beginning of the story. The author creates the scene and gives the history of these two main characters before they meet.

I felt almost as if this book read similar to The Book Thief. Of course minus Death as the narrator. It is different but has some similarities and the story being set during WWII. It was very interesting and one that I came away having learned more from it. The bomb diffusing was fascinating to learn about. I've watched a few shows about WWII and had learned some from those about the bomb diffusing groups so it was neat to learn a little more, even if it is a fictional story, there's plenty of truth and history included.

I kept wanting to find out more about Audrey and Wesley as individuals, as friends and their struggles and triumphs. I loved seeing the connections they made with others and how all of their lives intersected and connected and diverged. If you're a history fan or just enjoy a good emotional book this one would be a good fit. I finished it more nostalgic and introspective than before starting it.

Content: Clean. It is a book about war so there is some peril, suspense, bombings, death and such. The author didn't write it overly graphic. There are a few minor swear words and a kiss.

I received a copy from the publisher, Shadow Mountain Publishing, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

Camron Wright is an awesome author. When you read his books, it feels like you just sat down at the table and he starts telling a story. I love his writing style and I loved this book.
Of all the WWII books I’ve read, which is a lot, I had never even thought about how the bomb squad members dealt with or handled the unexploded bombs. Yes, this is a love story but it is also so much more, especially since it is based upon a true story. A really good WWII book. I did go ahead and read the follow-up book to this and once again, the author also hit that one out of the ballpark.
Kudos to Camron Wright, he is going into my all-time favorite author list and I will be reading many more of his works. I highly recommend.
I want to thank Shadow Mountain Publishing along with NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read an ARC. Comes in with 5 stars.

To be perfectly honest, the first thing that drew me to this book was the cover. It just pulled at me. Gratefully the story inside was just as great! It was definitely a view I hadn’t encountered in previous books of this time period. And I have read a lot. But I very much enjoyed the suspense in this one.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley.

This book was very well written. I really loved that is was an easy read and think that it is a must read. It is a must read

Wright is a master storyteller, and I love the way he puts words together. This book taught me about a new aspect of WWII, the bomb disposal. I had no idea how horrendous Hitler's bombs were and the havoc they wreaked on both physical landscape and the hearts of the citizens of England.

Although told in dual POV from a male/female perspective, this book was not a light, happily-ever-after romance. Rather, it addressed the realities of war, the good and the bad, the joy and the sorrow, the fear and the hope. At the same time that it dealt with a heavy topic, it was not a depressing book--unless you're looking for a feel-good HEA. Some of the characters were real people and most were fictional, but many of the stories includes were based on fact, taken from journals of people who lived through the War.

A historical novel based on a real person and events of WW2.

Audrey is a Jewish German woman hiding in England and passing for English because she can speak well enough to hide her accent. She is living with her aunt in England where nightly bombings happen. When a bomb falls into her apartment but doesn't go off- she meets Wes Bowers (the one who was a real person)

Wes is an American who is on a bomb dismantling team of English men. They become friends and then a bit more. It was a sweet story and I cried a bit at the end.

In Times of Rain and War is a novel with a very different perspective on World War II. Set in London during the Blitz, Audrey Stocking is a German woman who is Jewish helping evacuate children out of London to safety. When a bomb hits her apartment building but does not explode we meet Wesley who is sent on a mission to diffuse the bomb. So interesting to hear about how important these men were who saved thousands of lives disposing of these bombs.. Really learned a lot that I hadn't heard about before.

This novel I could fully see being made into an award winning film. I feel ashamed to admit that I really didn’t know anything about the bomb diffusing squads that were during The Blitz. I have read several books about the concentration camps, the United States during WWII, soldiers in Asia, but I haven’t ever picked up a book that took place in England during WWII. Camron Wright is a master storyteller, he was able to describe the bombs in detail that made it seem like he was the expert back then. I could feel the emotions of the characters, the elation at times of happiness, the deep sorrow, the anxiety that Audrey experienced. There was so much detail that to some, it may feel a bit much, to me it made me feel as though I was right there.
My only caution is that this isn’t a love story. I don’t know if it’s because the cover has a man and woman hugging, but I came into reading this expecting a full on love story. At the very least, it’s not your typical love story.
One of my favorite parts about this book is the letter writing. I love that Audrey taught Wes how to write a letter and that you should always share a secret—as though you’re sharing something of yourself. The letters were beautifully written, it made me full heartily agree that the telephone has ruined letter writing.
Now, let me share my secret, I may have bawled my eyes out a few times in this book. This book created all the feelings and it won’t be one I will forget.

Wonderful book set during WWII. We get a glimpse into what life was like for those who lived during the bombings in London. Loved the way the story was written and how we felt the emotions with the characters.

This book took me awhile to get into, but once I was able to settle in and read without distraction, I was hooked. I love stories of WWII and this one was unexpectedly different.

Tension naturally built based on the main character's involvement in the bomb disposal unit and the setting of London during the heavy bombings by the Nazis.

The relationships in the book were natural to the setting and built organically complete with natural tension and conflict.

This book elicited all kinds of emotion in me regarding the history of the time. This is not a typical story of boy meets girl and the surrounding environment. There is so much more depth and unexpected turns that elicit deeper thought.

I would recommend this book with the caveat that the subject matter is heavier and the tension is palpable. It is war after all. The book is a beautiful message of hope in dark times.

I received an early copy from the publisher through netgalley and this is my honest review.

This book was fantastic because the author surprised me with the twists & turns within the storyline! The characters were vulnerable and strong that made them so charismatic at times and appealing. I couldn’t put the book down even when I was supposed to be paying attention to my husband and what he wanted for dinner! Oh, well I guess it was a pizza night!
Audrey was in England during the War and she was actually a German citizen, but she spoke perfect English. She was trying so hard to be a productive member by helping with the displaced children and getting them to the countryside. However, she was worried someone would figure out that she was German.
Lieutenant Wesley Bowers was on loan from America to learn about bomb disposal. It so happens a unexploded bomb lands in Audrey building and her and Wesley meet under these horrible circumstances.
Right away the two become friends and it’s like they are each others cheerleader during these bleak times.
However, secrets and deaths will become a dangerous situation for these two tortured souls.

I definitely would recommend this book.

I received a free advanced copy from NetGalley and these are my willingly given thoughts and opinions.

War teaches us that it is never too late to open our hearts., and it teaches us the truth. I enjoyed this novel and liked learning of the Women’s Voluntary Services. This was a fine historical novel and I highly recommend.
Many thanks to Shadoow Mountain Publishing and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was an interesting look at not only life in World War II London during the Blitz, but also the lives of men working to dispose of the bombs that were being dropped. Depictions of the characters' anxieties and PTSD felt very real. I hadn't read anything by this author before, but I liked his writing style - sometimes funny, very descriptive - although some similes or metaphors he used felt a little odd to me. I'd definitely recommend this book to fans of historical fiction.

Thanks to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Reviewed for www.compassbookratings.com

In Times of Rain and War is a powerful, heart-wrenching story by bestselling author Camron Wright. Filled with intrigue and mystery, this World War II drama includes vivid descriptions, authentic accents, and figurative language galore. This novel is inspired by a real person, Lt. Wesley Bowers, during his service on a bomb disposal team in London. Wright has done impeccable research, writing technical bomb descriptions that are easy to understand. Wright also captures the many emotions of wartime through letters that are sprinkled throughout the narrative. The book's characters are realistic, showing vulnerabilities and suffering from real consequences like PTSD and panic attacks. While many tender scenes dot these pages, the ending of In Times of Rain and War will bring both tears and sweet satisfaction.

Review of an Advance Electronic Copy

For full content analysis, go to www.compassbookratings.com

I have read several novels about WWII, but I never thought of the men who risked their lives to physically disarm unexploded bombs. Can you even imagine? That’s a whole new level of bravery to me. It was an extremely dangerous job, more dangerous than fighting at the front. The average person only survived ten weeks while serving in this position. It wasn’t until after reading this book that I realized this is where the term “defuse the situation” comes from. The soldiers had to literally remove the fuze from the bomb to prevent it from exploding and causing damage and death.

I love books based on real people and events. This book is based on the story of Wes Bowers, an American who ends up working on a British bomb disposal team. There is even a note at the end of the book from his granddaughter, Rachel Bowers who served in the military scouting for roadside IEDs (improvised explosive devices) in Iraq. The author has written a short novel about her experience that I am looking forward to reading as well.

This is also the story of 17 year old Audrey Stocking, a German Jew who is hiding in London. She meets and becomes friends with Wes when a bomb is dropped on her flat but luckily doesn’t explode. Audrey selflessly spends her time helping children get out of London to safer locations.

I highlighted many passages throughout the book that stood out to me either for the way they were written, “The sun was not yet up, but it was stretching” or they were thought provoking, “The flames of her past had been forging the opportunities of her future.” (Ch 3) I deducted a little from my rating because the conversations between Wes and the colonel and between Wes and Audrey don’t always seem realistic. This surprised me because some of Camron Wright’s other books are among my favorites. I also thought it was a little slow at times, but it moved faster and kept my interest for the last 1/3. Definitely keep reading to the sweet ending.

Content warning: There are some brief but gruesome descriptions of the remains of people after a bomb explodes.
Thanks to Shadow Mountain Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC to use for my review.
3.5 rounded up to 4

Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres and I really love books set during WWII. My grandparents lived through this war in England and in fact, had a bombing the night before their wedding. My grandma ran down the stairs of their house, worried about her cake that they had saved sugar rations for, crying "my cake, my cake!" She didn't even know if my grandpa would make it to the wedding. The bombings made it difficult to get to the church from where he was stationed because the roads were demolished. He hitchhiked, and finally made it. Late, but grandma didn't give up. Thank goodness. See why I love books like this? It feels like I know a bit of my own history better.

I haven't ever read anything about the many men who defused the many bombs during WWII that fell but didn't explode. Crazy stuff. Absolutely crazy. But how important they were to saving so many people. It was amazing to read about and I learned so much. I love when a book does that for me.

This book was heartbreaking. War is so devastating. I wish all people, everywhere could avoid it. There were many moments of hope and love and friendship, but this story was a bit heartbreaking overall. I'm grateful though, for the reminder of all I have to be grateful for and all those that deserve to be remembered for giving up so much, sometimes everything, for others. Here is my favorite quote:

" The soul is a tender and complicated thing, and it can bruise easily, but I've learned it's after fighting through our deepest moments of distress that our greatest strength are found."

Content: war violence, death, peril. One kiss. A couple instances of mild swearing.

- I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

In Times of Rain and War was my first book by this author, but I certainly don't think it'll be my last. The book led me in one direction and ended in another and I enjoyed that. I loved the characters and their stories. Audrey's pre-book story especially intrigued me and I love that it unfolded slowly. I was totally rooting for Audrey and Wes both together, and as separate characters.
I just downloaded Rachael's story and look forward to reading this companion piece!
Thank you to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for the ARC.

In reading historical fiction, I often learn something new that sends me into researching the subject. In this case, it was bomb disposal teams. In all the books that I have read about the Blitz, rarely have I read about the teams that came in after bombings to dispose of the unexplored bombs. This is the story of Wesley Bowers, who, in fact was a real person. He was an American soldier sent to England to join a bomb disposal team. He arrived expecting to be trained, but instead is thrown right into work, learning as he goes, because another team has died on the job. He learns that members of bomb disposal teams are given a life span of ten weeks. The bulk of the story takes place in this ten weeks. Wes meets a young woman named Audrey Stocking when he is called to remove or detonate a bomb that landed in her flat the previous night. Audrey works for the WVS which rehomes children to keep them safe during the bombings. Audrey and Wes strike up a friendship which turns into something more. Audrey has a secret which changes everything between them. I highly recommend this book. It gives a unique view of living during the blitz. Thank you Net Galley for the ARC of this book.

I liked the overall story arc and found Wes' work disposing of bombs and Audrey's work helping children escape London, as well as the interactions between Wes and Audrey to be interesting. There were also a lot of ideas and themes that would be great for book club discussions. However, I didn't always care for the writing. There were a LOT of details about the bombs and their fuses and such, which for me, bogged down the story, and the scenes were very short, moving from one character to another very quickly (and not just Wes and Audrey but secondary characters as well), which sometimes felt jarring and made it somewhat hard to delve into the characters' experiences as deeply as I would have liked.
3 stars.
I read an ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This is a historical fiction. The writing style in this book was just not for me. I tried reading the kindle book of this book, and I ended up putting it down around 20% into it. Then, when it came out I got the audiobook to see if that would help me get into it, but the audiobook did not help me at all. I think the narrator of the audiobook was not for me either. I stop the audiobook around 40%. I give this book every try I could, but it was just not for me. I am not going to say it was bad because their really nothing that was bad about it. I did find that the first chapter was longer then I felt it needed to be. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Shadow Mountain) or author (Camron Wright) via NetGalley, so I can give honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.