One Girl, Two Families

A coming of age story of a young girl during WWII. The struggle of a young girl sent to America to escape the bombs in London. The story of two families impacted by this decision. The guilt, the heartbreak, the love and forgiveness between the two families and the young girl at the center.

When they make the decision to send their young eleven year old daughter Beatrix, the young working couple Reginald and Millie are heartbroken but they want their daughter to be safe. They send her to a family in Boston in America until the war is over.

The Gregory family Jack and Nancy, and their two sons William and Gregory meet Beautrix on the docks in Boston when her ship arrives. They soon become Beautrix's second family. She feels at home with Mrs G. and Mr G. as she calls them, and William and G as she calls Gregory.

This story tells how the families live in parallel lines to Beautrix and how it affects both families. How Beatrix does not want to return to London at the end of the war, how she never forgets her second family and her return visits to America. How they each live their own lives and times change, lives change but yet they stay in touch.

The story of young children William 13, Beautrix 11, and Gregory 9 growing up and coming of age in the most odd circumstances. She left a girl she returns a young woman.

It is the story of the classic struggle of those war times and how it was for both the parents, the children and the foster parents of those children sent away to safety. The adjustment period, and at the end of the war the readjustment period as she returns home. How confusing it must have been for all concerned.

I listened to the Audio book and I loved the narrator, the voice was pleasant to listen to and very easy to understand.

It was a good story and I enjoyed reading it. I would recommend this book.

Thanks to Laura Spence-Ash for writing a great story, to Ell Potter for the wonderful narration, to Macmillan Audio for publishing it and to NetGalley for making a copy available to me to read and review.

A somewhat epic story of the effects of war and how lives where changed. Two different families across the ocean and the way their lives became intertwined. Loves and loves lost. I enjoyed the book, I listened to the audio which was very well narrated.

I didn't finish this. After listening to the first part, it just didn't hold my attention.

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Book Title: Beyond That, the Sea
Author: Laura Spencer-Ash
Narrator: Ell Potter
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Genre: Historical Fiction, Coming of Age, WWII
Pub Date: March 21, 2023
My Rating: 3.3. Stars

In 1940 London, Millie and Reginald Thompson make the difficult decision to send their eleven year old daughter Beatrix to live with a family in America. They know she will be safe from the war three.
Reginald made the decision and allows Beatrix to believe it is her mother's decision, which affects how she feels about her mother for years.

Beatrix becomes assimilated into her American home. She calls them – Mr. & Mrs. G.
She stays with the Gregory’s for many years. Until her family feels it is finally safe to return to London.

Story is divided into three parts:
Part 1 - Beatrix in American and Parts 2 & 3 Beatrix after American.

I ended up liking this story but at times was disappointed in the audiobook narrator’s performance of many of the characters. I hung in there as I liked Beatrix and was curious.

Want to thank NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for March 21, 2023

I loved this book! It reminded me of The Summer I Turned Pretty, and also A Little Life. I loved that this book was set during World War 2, but was a different perspective of what was happening over in Europe.
Beatrix is a young girl from London who is sent to live with an American family to keep her safe during the war. She spends her formative teen years part of an all American family in Boston. Then the book follows her as she navigates how to return to her former life in England and the split she feels being torn between these two worlds.
The writing was simple and beautiful as was the story. I loved all the characters and I cruised through this book. I predict this book is going to be a big hit for 2023.

Thanks as always to NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audio version of this book. Everything I write is of my own thoughts and opinion. I am not compensated for my review in any way.
This book took me a minute to get into. Once I caught on to how the story was written and how it was progressing as a whole- I enjoyed the book. It is a progression book as in the story starts out when The main character ( I forgot her name) is a young girl and follows her throughout her life. It is a sad story with a compelling story of love loss and life. I did listen to the audiobook so that helped me- I feel that if it was a regular book or kindle I would have left it as a DNF- however with the audiobook I was able to keep my attention and finish the book. I would re listen to the audiobook so therefore I did like the book.

Wow! This was an amazing story, After finishing, I still can't stop thinking about it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for my ARC. I will share my full review on my instagram @coffee,break.book,reviews) closer to pub date.

So intensely beautiful. This exceptionally written novel has layers to be peeled away one at a time. So many characters to be analyzed and studied with a plot that unfolds slowly.
I highly recommend this to lovers of the greats. I cannot wait to hear what others say about it.

Thank you so much NetGalley for the chance to listen to this ahead of its publication date!

What a beautiful read from beginning to end. I can say nothing negative about this book. It was wholly enjoyable, through the happy and the sad moments.

During the bombings in London through the Second World War, Beatrix Thompson’s parents Millie and Reginald fear for her life and send their child over to America for the duration of the war. Upon meeting the Gregory’s, Beatrix is thrust into a work very, very different from her own.

Nancy and Ethan, along with their two sons, William and Gerald take Beatrix in and soon, it’s like she truly belongs. Spending years with this family in the US, Bea grows so much. She makes friends, she has experiences, she has wonderful summers in Maine, she flourishes. And when the war ends, she simply must go home and leave the Gregory’s behind.

Beyond That, the Sea spans 25 years and depicts the lives of both families. Bea had never been able to fully leave her life in America behind and the Gregory’s certainly were never able to forget the dark haired girl who became like family.

This was a very touching read, filled with love, loss, happiness, grief, family and friendships that span a lifetime. I loved every single moment of this book. It was written so beautifully, fully allowing you to fall in love with all of the characters.

Ell Potter gives such a powerful performance in this audiobook, giving life to the story and characters. Highly recommend the audiobook.

Bea is eleven years old in Blitz ravaged London when her parents make the difficult decision to send her to the United States in order to keep her safe. Feeling frightened and alone, Bea is soon made to feel welcome with the Gregory family in Boston. She forms close bonds with the adults and their two sons, and adjusts to living a life with status and wealth. When the war is over, Bea is called back to England, but by this point, she doesn't really want to go. Still, she packs up her things and moves home to her biological family, feeling as if she's left a part of herself behind with the Gregorys. This is an atypical World War II novel, one that focuses on the plight of those on the home front, and the feelings of guilt, worry, despair and despite everything, moments of joy