Carlson’s sweet tale hits just the right note for a heartwarming Valentine’s read. There is nothing particularly earth-shattering about this novel, but it is wonderfully cozy and gives readers a sense of what the world was like right after World War II. The perfect book to snuggle up with on a cold day.
In late 1945, widow Caroline Marshall and her 10-year-old son Joseph move across the country from Minnesota to California. They move into a basement apartment in Caroline’s sister’s house -— it’s a bit shabby, but Caroline is able to help her sister with her growing family. Caroline finds a job as a temporary secretary at a chocolate factory and becomes friends with a man who also works at the factory. Is she ready to fall in love again?