This is a story I was not expecting. Based on a true story, Florence is a woman married to a devout minister who tosses her and her oldest son out when he discovers her infidelity. She was forced to leave their child together - a young son of seven - with a selfish, self-absorbed, man who hid his nasty demeanor under the cloak of heaven.

The story is a heartbreaking, well-written chronicle of a faithless, selfish woman who thinks she is doing what she must to survive and two selfish men who put what others think in the way of fatherhood. At times, I felt sorry for her – the poor woman forced to spy for Germany against her own country. This was unbelievable. The WWII era certainly showed some cracks in the era’s treatment of such women, and the awful men that entered her orbit. Florence goes from one bad situation to another, and her children pay the price. I stopped feeling sorry for her halfway through.
The setting was well-described, and the characters vivid, if annoying for much of the tale. From the minister to Florence to the next man she fell in love with, the character portraits were so real and so irritating that I wanted to jump inside the book and give them an earful.

It is a great WWII story of life in England during the war and the pain this woman’s children were forced to endure as she leaves not one but all of them behind.

It’s a good read, fast and well-written, but be prepared to meet a character you hope you will never meet in your lifetime.

I want to thank Net Galley, the author, and the publisher, for the opportunity to read this tale as a free ARC. This review is mine and mine alone.

Based on a true story during WWI. A marriage that should not have been. A love affair that brings tragedy. I was quickly caught up in this story. I loved it!

This was a well written novel that definitely gave me a roller coaster of emotion. I really loved the writing but I was not a fan of Florence. I found this novel to be interesting and disturbing but its based on real people and a war time era. I thought it was a well researched book that kept me thinking about it long after I finished. I can't wait to read more from this author. I definitely recommend this novel to history/historical fiction readers.

Thank you Net Galley, Rising Action Publishing, and Patricia Clough

What a story! To know that it is based on real characters, it makes it even more irritating! This Florence was not only a despicable mother, but also a faithless and self-centred woman. She traumatized her children and I am not talking about WWI ! Nevertheless, I do appreciate the honesty of the novel's writer. It couldn't have been easy to learn about Florence and what she had done to her family.
I was very astounded to hear how spies were recruited during WWI ! How, they convinced them to betray their country for money (which some people really needed as was Florence's case!)...
Overall an interesting novel but the writing left me cold: no emotion, more telling rather than showing. It did reflect Flo's character. It felt more like reading the news .
I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I have voluntarily written an honest review.