August 1943. A fighter group of US airmen descends upon the quiet and sleepy village of King’s Thorpe in Northamptonshire. The village has never seen the like of them before: they are glamorous, rich, exciting and full of bravado.
While some of the older residents are dismayed, many of the younger ones cannot help but be won over by their charms.
And for many – including young Sally Barnet from the bakery, Agnes Dawe – the Rector’s daughter, and newly-widowed Lady Beauchamp, they will have a long lasting impact.
It will be a summer many will never forget…
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I received a copy of this book from Transworld Publishers via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
My Thoughts…
This is a gently paced WW2 historical saga novel set in 1943 in Northamptonshire England. This story captures the ethos of an English village during the second world war. The rationing, the loss of loved ones, the loneliness and the realistic mix of community spirit and village gossip.
The American airmen’s impact on the cosy villagers is perfectly pitched in this novel. The villagers are worried about their daughters and how they airmen will alter the village’s ambience. The American airmen are lonely, scared of war and dismayed with the lack of facilities and the villagers’ reluctant acceptance of them.
There’s animosity, friendship and romance in this historical saga with poignancy, humour and some happy endings.
Margaret Mayhew was born in London and her earliest childhood memories were of the London Blitz. She began writing in her mid-thirties and had her first novel published in 1976. She is married to American aviation author, Philip Kaplan, and lives in Gloucestershire.
