Excellent, sad novel with many layers of morality, loyalty, guilt and duty. Vivienne de la Mare does her best to provide for her 2 daughters and her aging mother-in-law on the island of Guernsey while her husband Eugene is off defending England. Many people flee the island fearing the Germans will attack.

Once Occupation begins, life becomes more challenging. Property and equipment is commandeered by German soldiers. Vivienne is frightened when 4 German soldiers move into the home next door. Leroy presents these men as very civilized, warm and professional while other German soldiers are shown to be cruel and brutal. Supplies including food become scarce, and Vivienne decides to plant a vegetable garden.

Two of the neighboring German soldiers befriend Vivienne. One, a doctor, helps heal young Millie when her knee becomes infected. The other, Gunther, smart and serious, attracts Vivienne who has been lonely for years.

The novel explores the different sides of brutality, humanity, and the need for love, respect and understanding. And how we all have choices to make. And sometimes secrets to keep.

Exceptional read. Loved learning a bit about the beautiful island of Guernsey.

The Soldier’s Wife by Margaret Leroy takes place on the island of Guernsey,the Germans are occupying it in June 1940. At first the changes are not big except there they are nextby. Later as time goes on hunger grows and the tension increases.

A slow developing affair developes between a Vivienne and one of the Germans, it begins with a gift of chocolate and a ride in the rainstorm. Vivienne has two young daughters, her husband at war. Their marriage had become very distant soon after the second baby was born. She is taking care of his mother who has never liked her, and is sliding into dementia.

There are people from concentration camps imported to the island to build a concrete wall around the island. They are gaunt and Vivienne saw a prisoner of war being beaten to death.

Gunther, her lover told her that all the non-natives (including her) will be sent to German concentration camps. Who will take care of her children? It does not look like Gunther can do anything.

This story is riveting and emotional, there are many themes woven in like the change of seasons and the garden, a mother's firm desire to protect her daughter and anguish that comes when she wants to something courageous that could put her child in danger. The problem of taking care of in-law growings more hard to be gentle wth when you know that she cannot help her demands. the unsureness of having to trust your enemy and then feeling guilty because you did.

It is an unforgetable book and it deserves to be read and discussed. It raise many moral questions. I highly recommend it. ( )

I started to read this book month's ago and other books got between. So, when I saw it as an audiobook did I pounce on it like it was the last chocolate in the world. What can I say, I do love listening to books...

Anyway, want some forbidden love, WW2, Guernsey and of course hell of a good writing? Then this is the book! I quite enjoyed both reading and listening to this book and will check out the author's other books. ( )

This is a great book no doubt about it, but somehow I felt a bit uncomfortable while reading it. I don’t know if I should rate it highly or not because of that. Personally, I think it’s a matter of principle. I don’t know if I can do what she did in those circumstances especially how everything turned out. It left me feeling a little raw at the end. ( )

I really enjoyed this book. The chapters were short which made it fun to read. Sometimes when the chapters are super long it is hard to get into a book. I loved the story.

This book is set during WW2 in Guernsey. During the occupation and how the people on the island dealt with it. I found myself wondering how we as a society would handle something like this. Would we act the same way? Would we try to defend ourselves more? Could you actually fall in love with someone from the enemy side?

The ending was one that I had expected and was pleased with it. ( )