Two years ago, when Katie was pregnant, alone and afraid. Jonathan Ables—Jonty—offered to marry her to protect her reputation and so she’d receive his service pension given he was unlikely to survive the war.
(As an aside, I hadn’t realised what horrifically low chances rear-gunners had of surviving the war. That put some aspects of my family history into perspective.)
Despite several near-misses, Jonty survives the war. But his relationship with his wife is non-existent and they are living with her family, which isn’t exactly conducive to having a private conversation, let alone establishing a lasting relationship. Then there are their own personal challenges they have to deal with—Katie and her family, and Jonty and his only surviving relative.
These Long Shadows is a moving story of faith and reconciliation.
Katie and Jonty both have difficult paths to tread before they can reach their happy-ever-after ending. It’s an emotional story, but restrained in a very British way.
These Long Shadows was a wonderful conclusion to the Victory’s Wings series, and those who have read the earlier books in the series will especially enjoy seeing Maggie and Grace again, along with their now-husbands.
Recommended for fans of historical romance.
Thanks to the author for providing a free ebook for review.
About Jennifer Mistmorgan
Award-winning Australian author Jennifer Mistmorgan sometimes feels like she was born in the wrong era. So she writes romantic historical fiction set in the 1940s, against the backdrop of WWII and its aftermath. She infuses her sweet romances with wartime drama, gentle faith and a dash of intrigue. She lives in Canberra with her family and a wonky-eared West Highland terrier.
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About These Long Shadows
How do they rebuild a marriage that wasn’t real in the first place?
London, 1945: Two years ago, Jonty Ables married Katie Baines to save her and her unborn baby from shame. But now the war is all but over, the baby is gone and they must work out where their shaky marriage fits into lives irrevocably changed by war.
Clinging to the memory of a time before all happiness evaporated, Katie works hard during the day as a seamstress. At night she comes home to a tiny terrace on a bomb-scarred street, crammed with her extended family and their problems. Years of estrangement sit between her and her recently demobilised husband. She’s not even sure she loves him. So why is she so crushed that he calls out another woman’s name in his sleep?
Jonty is determined to honor the vows he made no matter how many ghosts plague him. But with such separate lives, his wife is more of a stranger than ever. When Katie’s friend goes missing, Jonty seizes the opportunity to help her find him just so they have reason to talk. But the war casts long shadows over their efforts, and fighting for their future might just be the hardest battle of them all.
Bestselling author Sandra Byrd has published more than fifty books over an editing and writing career spanning better than twenty-five years. Her traditionally published books include titles by Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster, Tyndale House Publishers, WaterBrook Press, and Bethany House. She’s also an independent author; Redemption Press will soon publish many of her established indie titles.