World War II serves as a backdrop for this novel, which is ultimately a study about resilience and how life carries on even as it seems to be falling apart. Heartfelt and honest, it was a quick and thoughtful read.
I liked how the author started the story before the beginning of the war. It allowed the reader to get a feel for the town and the characters. The underlying knowledge that things were going to change added tension.
Not that there was more needed. Bella and her family face quite a few challenges, war or no war. I did feel like one particular moment early on was glossed over rather quickly. I would have expected it to have more impact and taken up more space in the plot.
I think because it happened so early, I hadn’t had the chance to get a good understanding of the character. That resulted in the event almost feeling more contrived that it should have been.
I really enjoyed Bella’s “professional” trajectory. I’m a big fan of the Andrews Sisters, so I imagined them quite often throughout the book. That brought back some happy memories of learning about their music (and the era) when I was younger.
While I love historical fiction, especially WWII, I also liked that the war served more as a backdrop rather than a main plot point. It was a reminder that people still had everyday worries with the war piled on top.
I thought the message of music as a relief from the personal strains of life was also a good one. The importance of finding something that makes you happy, regardless of what else is going on, should never be underestimated.
Oh, and just a nitpicky thing about the blurb: accurate events, not in the same order as the plot.
Author Bio
Pam is a retired interior designer, mum to three daughters, grandma to seven assorted grandchildren and roadie to her musician partner.
The inspiration for Pam’s first novel came from her teenage years, working in a record store, and hanging around with musicians who frequented the business. The first novel evolved into a series about a fictional band The Raiders. She is a fan of sixties music and it’s this love that compelled her to begin writing.
