This book was a little different from Karen Kingsbury's other books in the fact that it was historical fiction. Through it I learned about the Office of Strategic Services, a government organization that sent out several thousands of American spies; four thousand of whom were women. I also learned more about Pearl Harbor, different battles in World War II, and felt what it would have been like to live during such a difficult time.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher Atria for the chance to preview this book!

Let me start by saying I love Karen Kingsbury books. This one did not disappoint. It was the sweet love story of Irvel and Hank. They had been friends and probably in love since middle school. That love took a few bumps along the way as they dated others in between they managed to come together again. Both entered the war effort after Pearl Harbor was attacked on Dec 7. Irvel has a secret she tells no one for many years. Hank worked hard to survive extreme hardships to come back to the woman he loves.
Mrs. Kingsbury informs readers at the end of the book about the research she did to make sure the battles and stories from the war effort was as close to realistic as they could be and she did a very good job. I would love to see this made into a movie.

3 stars Thank you to Book Club Favorites at Simon & Schuster for this free copy for review. Hard copy publication expected November 14, 2023 by Atria Books.

This novel is pretty far off from what I usually read. I am not a romance reader, nor do I read Christian fiction, which pretty much sums up this book, so it is a bit hard for me to justly review it.

The story takes place during WWII and involves three main characters - two brothers and the girl they both love. All three of them end up serving their country, in different capacities, at the time of war. Two of the three survive. So does the girl end up with the brother she really loves?

Kingsbury is a very popular author, having a number of series books, along with stand alone stories, published in a number of languages. I believe that this book is a good representation of her work and of the Christian fiction genre. Although this book was sent to me in place of the book I requested, in reading this, I found that the story moved along quickly, was character driven, and was an easy read. For anyone who favors this genre, I think this story would be a very rewarding read.

Thank you Karen Kingsbury for writing this book and making it available on NetGalley!
I read a lot of books that are set during this time period and this is right there with "Nightingale" as my favorite. I loved the way that you combined the Alzheimer's story with the war story. Just enough for us to understand Irvel's frame of mind at the beginning and why the story was being told.
I just need to know if the blond on the bike that Hank saw, was it Irvel?
I work in a small library and have several patrons that do not read historical novels. I will definitely encourage them to read this one. I would hate for them to miss out on such a great book!
Oh, and the surprise at the end!
Thank you!

Whether you are just meeting Irvel or have known her for years, this love story will not disappoint. It whets the appetiate for learning more about the role of spies during WWII. Thank you to the publisher for inviting me to read a copy of this book!