In Times of Rain and War
By Camron Wright
Adult Historical Fiction, WWII
Hardcover & ebook, 312 Pages
April 6th 2021 by Shadow Mountain
Summary
During World War II, an American soldier encounters a German woman living a secret life in bomb-blighted London.
In September of 1940, the Blitz had begun. Like other British civilians, Audrey Stocking is determined to survive, except she isn’t from England. She is a German—a young Jewish woman with a fake passport and a nearly-perfect British accent, trying her best to blend into the city. Her days are kept busy working for the Woman’s Voluntary Services to evacuate British children into the countryside, saving them from nightly bombings over London. But she also writes secret letters addressed to her father’s factory back home. Audrey longs to be reunited with her father and younger brothers in Germany, but she isn’t holding out much hope. If the bombs don’t get her, British Military Intelligence will. And then there’s the paralyzing nightmares and flashbacks—something from her past she can’t quite remember. When an air raid leaves an unexploded bomb wedged in the floor of Audrey’s flat, an American soldier training with Bomb Disposal Company 5 is a welcome sight.
Lieutenant Wesley Bowers arrived in England the day the Blitz began. He knows the average life expectancy of soldiers disarming bombs is ten weeks, and not all of the men in his unit will survive. Wes struggles with the idea of losing men who are starting to feel like family. Although he’s committed to being a soldier, he grapples with the thought of death. Meeting Audrey, an attractive, intelligent, and caring British girl has been the one bright spot during the war’s unending bleakness. Wes has a girl waiting for him back home, but he’s never met anyone like Audrey. There’s an immediate connection between them, and they open up to each other, sharing their innermost feelings. Will he still feel the same if he discovers the truth about her identity? Even Audrey doesn’t know the whole truth. Not yet.
In Times of Rain and War is a gripping and heartbreakingly beautiful story about the strength and resilience of the human heart and spirit, reminding us there is always hope in hard times.
My Review
IN TIMES OF RAIN AND WAR is a story of two Jewish Germans who have escaped to London during WWII and are trying to do what they can to help others. It's also a story of an American soldier who is in England to learn to diffuse bombs by joining an English troop doing just that. Their paths cross and an unlikely friendship springs between them. What follows is a heartbreaking story and a must-read for historical fiction fans!
Wesley and his troop of English soldiers were my favorite part of this story. Wesley had a bit of a challenge being accepted by the group as a whole and it was fun seeing how the comradery built between them. Wesley was also just a great guy and easy to cheer on, as were all the boys trying to diffuse bombs. I also thought the whole process and how the Germans continued to develop different types of fuses quite interesting.
Audrey was also a great character and I enjoyed her story as well. She felt a bit young, but I think some of that came from Claire's treatment of her. It was heartbreaking to see her deal with anxiety attacks that were so brutal, especially for anyone who personally or has a loved one who has dealt with intense anxiety.
I really loved seeing Wesley and Audrey slowly develop a relationship. They have very different backgrounds, but find they also have some things in common. They just really balanced each other out so well. Their relationship was solidified by the things they faced and went through together. It's a heartbreaking story in so many ways, but I liked that the author didn't tie everything up too perfectly. It felt authentic and genuine.
I have really high expectations with this author. The Rent Collector is still a book I recommend to everyone and was so impactful. I think with this book I wanted just a bit more development and to dive a bit deeper into these characters, particularly Audrey. Having said that, I still loved this book!
In the end, was it what I wished for? This is a book that will definitely stay with readers after they've finished it. It's a story that touches the heart and is so relevant today, with wonderful characters who persevere in terrible times. Highly recommended!
Content: Some war violence, but clean
Wesley and his troop of English soldiers were my favorite part of this story. Wesley had a bit of a challenge being accepted by the group as a whole and it was fun seeing how the comradery built between them. Wesley was also just a great guy and easy to cheer on, as were all the boys trying to diffuse bombs. I also thought the whole process and how the Germans continued to develop different types of fuses quite interesting.
Audrey was also a great character and I enjoyed her story as well. She felt a bit young, but I think some of that came from Claire's treatment of her. It was heartbreaking to see her deal with anxiety attacks that were so brutal, especially for anyone who personally or has a loved one who has dealt with intense anxiety.
I really loved seeing Wesley and Audrey slowly develop a relationship. They have very different backgrounds, but find they also have some things in common. They just really balanced each other out so well. Their relationship was solidified by the things they faced and went through together. It's a heartbreaking story in so many ways, but I liked that the author didn't tie everything up too perfectly. It felt authentic and genuine.
I have really high expectations with this author. The Rent Collector is still a book I recommend to everyone and was so impactful. I think with this book I wanted just a bit more development and to dive a bit deeper into these characters, particularly Audrey. Having said that, I still loved this book!
In the end, was it what I wished for? This is a book that will definitely stay with readers after they've finished it. It's a story that touches the heart and is so relevant today, with wonderful characters who persevere in terrible times. Highly recommended!
Content: Some war violence, but clean
Source: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, which did not require a positive review. All opinions are my own.
About the Author
Camron Wright began writing to get out of attending MBA school at the time, and it proved the better decision. His first book, Letters for Emily, was a Readers’ Choice Award winner, as well as a selection of the Doubleday Book Club and the Literary Guild. The Orphan Keeper is a Foreword Reviews Indie Book of the Year Gold winner in Multicultural Fiction. Camron and his wife, Alicyn, live on the western edge of the Rocky Mountains and are the parents of four children.
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