Secrets on War Street : A gripping wartime saga of love, loss and survival in the Blitz

by N.R. Downs

'Raw, immersive, and heartbreakingly human'

Wartime London. The air-raid sirens may scream across the sky, but for Vera, the real terror waits behind closed doors. On War Street, every family hides something - and Vera’s secret could destroy everything she holds dear.

This powerful saga follows one woman’s fight to battling not only the bombs raining from above, but the fury of an abusive husband whose temper blazes as fiercely as the fires lighting the night. When he’s sent overseas to serve, Vera finally dares to breathe again - until a handsome fireman arrives to battle the flames consuming London. Amid the ruins, an unexpected love ignites - dangerous, forbidden, and impossible to extinguish.

Torn between fear and desire, loyalty and freedom, Vera must make an unthinkable protect the man who hurts her, or risk everything for the one who might just save her.

Set on the home front during World War II, Secrets on War Street throws you straight into the smoke, fear, and fierce resilience of the Blitz - a gripping tale of love, loss, and survival that brings the courage, heartbreak, and unbreakable spirit of wartime London vividly to life.

373 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 27, 2025

About the author

N.R. Downs is a TV producer, author, and self-confessed history obsessive. By day he works in television, and by night he writes stories that explore the extraordinary lives of ordinary people. His fiction is rooted in a love of 20th-century history, combining grit, wit, and emotional honesty to capture the heart of everyday life.

Nick has published several children’s picture books (under his real name Nick Withers) but has recently turned his hand to adult fiction, drawing inspiration from real social history and the resilience of working-class Britain. Whether writing for grown-ups or kids, his stories are united by a sense of warmth, humour, and hope.

Reviews

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. I like anything that is a war story. This one was very different and on the issue of an abusive relationship, but it was still good. First book finished post baby too!

[Julie Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing story

I couldn't put this book down, the story was absolutely amazing.
It. Captured me from the first to last page, in fact I didn't want it to end.

[M McNeill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set against the terrifying backdrop of the London Blitz, this novel crafts an engaging story that is as gritty and raw as it is beautiful.

While bombs rain down on London, the novel beautifully captures the daily struggles of normal people caught in extraordinary times, making the history feel incredibly intimate. Downs does a remarkable job of illustrating wartime Britain, brilliantly capturing the sights, sounds, and ultimately the spirit of this unique time in history.

However, the Blitz isn’t the only battle being fought. There is also another one happening ‘behind closed doors’ for the protagonist Vera…

[DJ Boe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it.