100 Pages A Day...Stephanie's Book Reviews

Near the end of 1939 in East Jeddore, Nova Scotia the three Baker brothers don uniforms and head off the fight against the Germans. Their sister, Grace is left behind to tend the local general store. At times, Grace feels as if she is not doing enough and she is constantly worried about her three brothers, Eugene, Harry and Norman. Then, the war comes close to her home as Grace finds out that German U-Boats are lurking in the waters around East Jeddore. Grace's frustration with the war and hatred for the Germans rise as she finds out further news about her brothers. As Christmas approaches Grace finds hope, with Eugene home for the holidays, the siblings attend a Christmas dance. At the dance, Grace is approached by a stranger; after one dance together Grace is enchanted. However, the stranger seems to be from far away and she doesn't even catch him name. Time passes, and the U-Boat that has been threatening Jeddore's shore has been found and bombed. After that, Grace's mystery man shows up at the general store for supplies. She finds out that his name is Rudi and he is trapping along the shore, but everything else about him remains a mystery. When the truth about Rudi comes to light, it will force Grace and her family to make difficult decisions in the light of the war. 

Written with wonderful atmosphere and memorable characters, Come from Away blends history, the effects of war and romance into a story of hope and change. I was so happy to continue the story of Daniel and Audrey from Tides of Honour. This story of course focuses on their children, the three boys they rescued and their daughter, Grace and can be read as a standalone. It is very interesting and informative for me to read about Canada's role in World War II, as it is something often forgotten or glossed over in US education. I absolutely loved that one little know fact was the basis for Grace's love story and change of perception. At the end of 1942, several men from a U-Boat did indeed attend a dance along the Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia. From this fact, Genevieve Graham creates Rudi. The writing bounces back and forth between Grace and Rudi's point of view. Through this style, I was not only anxious to find where their stories would intersect, but I gained perspective on a German Nazi soldier trained from his youth to carry out the job he was given as well as a young women whose life is changing around her due to a war far away. The most important message in the story is one that still has a lot of impact in the world today, compassion and fighting stereotypes. I enjoyed watching Grace grow and her relationship bloom. Overall, a well written historical romance that digs much deeper than love during war. 

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.