This book is about two elderly people and the cruel twist that WWII played on their lives. Michael is an elderly man now. He is in hospital and has lost the power of speech. He communicates by writing on a pad. Stevie is recovering from the death of her husband and living temporarily with her daughter Emily and granddaughter Anna. The two main characters tell their story in alternate chapters. They talk about how they met and fell in love but were then parted when Michael got called up. Neither of the two know about each other’s present day circumstances and we hear them reminiscing about each other.

This tale is poignant and heartbreaking, but filled with a gentle humour. Rooney has written a believable tale about wartime love and the hardships that people of that time endured. She has made the characters come to life on the pages and created a warm, uplifting tale about the power of love. ( )