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The Canadians #1
The Chalky Sea
Two troubled people in a turbulent world.
In July 1940, Gwen Collingwood drops her husband at the railway station, knowing she may never see him again. Two days later her humdrum world is torn apart when the sleepy English seaside town where she lives is subjected to the first of many heavy bombing attacks.
In Ontario, Canada, Jim Armstrong is debating whether to volunteer. His decision becomes clear when he uncovers the secret his fiancée has been keeping from him. A few weeks later he is on a ship bound for England.
Gwen is forced to confront the truth she has concealed about her past and her own feelings. Jim battles with a bewildering and hostile world far removed from the cosy life of his Canadian farm. War brings horror and loss to each of them - can it also bring change and salvation?
From the author of A Greater World, Kurinji Flowers, Letters from a Patchwork Quilt and The Green Ribbons.
In July 1940, Gwen Collingwood drops her husband at the railway station, knowing she may never see him again. Two days later her humdrum world is torn apart when the sleepy English seaside town where she lives is subjected to the first of many heavy bombing attacks.
In Ontario, Canada, Jim Armstrong is debating whether to volunteer. His decision becomes clear when he uncovers the secret his fiancée has been keeping from him. A few weeks later he is on a ship bound for England.
Gwen is forced to confront the truth she has concealed about her past and her own feelings. Jim battles with a bewildering and hostile world far removed from the cosy life of his Canadian farm. War brings horror and loss to each of them - can it also bring change and salvation?
From the author of A Greater World, Kurinji Flowers, Letters from a Patchwork Quilt and The Green Ribbons.
348 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2017
1230 people are currently reading
1294 people want to read
About the author
Clare Flynn
45 books221 followersClare Flynn is the author of eighteen historical novels and a collection of short stories. She is the 2020 winner of the UK Selfies Adult Fiction prize for her best-selling novel The Pearl of Penang, was shortlisted for the RNA Industry Awards Indie Champion of the Year for 2021 and won the award in 2022.
Clare lives in Eastbourne. on the south coast of the UK. She is a fluent Italian speaker and loves spending time in Italy. In her spare time she likes to quilt, paint and travel often and widely as possible.
Clare Flynn is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, an active member of The Romantic Novelists Association, The Hostrical Writers Association, The Alliance of Independent Authors and The Society of Authors. More information about her books can be found at www.clareflynn.co.uk
Clare lives in Eastbourne. on the south coast of the UK. She is a fluent Italian speaker and loves spending time in Italy. In her spare time she likes to quilt, paint and travel often and widely as possible.
Clare Flynn is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, an active member of The Romantic Novelists Association, The Hostrical Writers Association, The Alliance of Independent Authors and The Society of Authors. More information about her books can be found at www.clareflynn.co.uk
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 157 reviews
August 22, 2021
Jim Armstrong was a happy man. Engaged to be married, he helped run his parent’s farm with his brother Wade on their land in Ontario, Canada. Their father had served in the first world war and refused to allow his sons to experience a war as he did. But it was 1940 and Canada had joined the war, so when Jim discovered a shocking secret, he immediately volunteered and within days was on a ship to England. Jim expected to join the war effort on the front lines, but they spent more time on English soil doing drills day in and day out.
Gwen Collingwood saw her husband Roger depart at the railway station, heading overseas but he couldn’t say where. He warned Gwen that he’d be unlikely to be able to contact her, but he was sure he’d be back. Gwen had a stiff, prudish and formal manner – her mother had raised her to be nothing else – but with Roger gone, her home was big and lonely. When the bombing started, Gwen invited a woman and her two girls who’d lost their own home, to make her home theirs, and so Pauline, Sally and baby Brenda came into her life. But when the Canadians arrived in Eastbourne and had to be billeted out, three such men joined Gwen in her home. Among those three men was Jim.
As everyone battled the war in their own way, Gwen found a dear friend in Pauline and another in Jim. What would happen to these people – who would never have met except for the war – once the war was over?
The Chalky Sea is the 1st in The Canadians series by Clare Flynn and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Heartbreak and sadness, combined with hope and friendship, loss and love, ripple through this novel, which is based on the actual bombings of Eastbourne. The Chalky Sea is a novel I can highly recommend to fans of historical fiction.
Gwen Collingwood saw her husband Roger depart at the railway station, heading overseas but he couldn’t say where. He warned Gwen that he’d be unlikely to be able to contact her, but he was sure he’d be back. Gwen had a stiff, prudish and formal manner – her mother had raised her to be nothing else – but with Roger gone, her home was big and lonely. When the bombing started, Gwen invited a woman and her two girls who’d lost their own home, to make her home theirs, and so Pauline, Sally and baby Brenda came into her life. But when the Canadians arrived in Eastbourne and had to be billeted out, three such men joined Gwen in her home. Among those three men was Jim.
As everyone battled the war in their own way, Gwen found a dear friend in Pauline and another in Jim. What would happen to these people – who would never have met except for the war – once the war was over?
The Chalky Sea is the 1st in The Canadians series by Clare Flynn and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Heartbreak and sadness, combined with hope and friendship, loss and love, ripple through this novel, which is based on the actual bombings of Eastbourne. The Chalky Sea is a novel I can highly recommend to fans of historical fiction.
did-not-finish
January 21, 2018Did not finish 40%. Sexual content just got too heavy for me personally. :)
July 26, 2017
I think apart from the Cold War era, my favorite time in history is the Second World War, especially if the book is set in the UK. I love reading about the romantic dalliances during the Blitz, or tales of everyday bravery carried out by those working on the Home Front - women putting out fires, nursing men wounded in war or making copious cups of tea.
Clare Flynn’s latest novel is set during this period in the seaside town of Eastbourne, which became a target for the German Luftwaffe with devastating consequences. Gwen, a stiff-upper lip Englishwoman who has learned throughout her life to keep her emotions hidden deep inside of her, says goodbye to her army officer husband and decides to join the war effort. As she comes in contact with death and destruction and forms an unlikely friendship with an ordinary, working-class woman, her beliefs on how she should lead her own life change.
Meanwhile, a Canadian farmer, Jim, gets life-changing news at home and decides to volunteer for the war in Europe. He’s shipped to the UK where he finds self-discovery through newly forged friendships and romance. The inexperienced soldier finds that love takes many forms and is never as simple as he thought.
It’ll be no spoiler to tell you that these two main characters’ paths do eventually cross, but the ending of this stylish and well-written WW2 novel is as surprising as it is believable.
I highly recommend this engaging novel, I couldn’t put it down and found myself turning the pages even when at my desk, trying to write my own next book!
Clare Flynn’s latest novel is set during this period in the seaside town of Eastbourne, which became a target for the German Luftwaffe with devastating consequences. Gwen, a stiff-upper lip Englishwoman who has learned throughout her life to keep her emotions hidden deep inside of her, says goodbye to her army officer husband and decides to join the war effort. As she comes in contact with death and destruction and forms an unlikely friendship with an ordinary, working-class woman, her beliefs on how she should lead her own life change.
Meanwhile, a Canadian farmer, Jim, gets life-changing news at home and decides to volunteer for the war in Europe. He’s shipped to the UK where he finds self-discovery through newly forged friendships and romance. The inexperienced soldier finds that love takes many forms and is never as simple as he thought.
It’ll be no spoiler to tell you that these two main characters’ paths do eventually cross, but the ending of this stylish and well-written WW2 novel is as surprising as it is believable.
I highly recommend this engaging novel, I couldn’t put it down and found myself turning the pages even when at my desk, trying to write my own next book!
July 2, 2017
I was lucky enough to get the ARC of this book through TBC so thanks to Helen Boyce and the author. There are two separate stories to start with, one is about a Canadian farming family with two brothers. After a family betrayal Jim one of the brothers enlists in the Canadian army to fight along side the allies against Hitlers Germany. He is sent to do his training at Aldershot in England but events don't turn out as he expected. The other story is about Gwen a well to do quintessential English woman who's husband volunteers to do his bit for King and country but she has no idea where he is being sent. She is a volunteer for the WVS in Eastbourne and after a particularly bad bombing raid she invites a young mother to share her large home and although they are from totally different backgrounds they get on well. The stories merge when Jim is sent to Eastbourne to carry on his training and await further orders. There are lots of different aspects to the book and I really enjoyed it.
August 13, 2017
I must say that I am not a big lover of history books but I am fascinated with books set around the war years. There was such a tremendous innocence about the whole idea of fighting for ones King and Country. It was glorified sending off young men into a reality that was nothing like they were equipped or prepared for. Many dying on the first days they were fighting. Canadian volunteers were flown over to train to fight, although rarely used and stationed eventually at Eastbourne, one of the heaviest bombed places throughout the war. Two of these soldiers were estranged brothers, Jim and Walt Armstrong, farmers from Ontario.
When Gwen Collingwood's husband Roger went off to do his bit for the war effort, she soon volunteered herself to help round the town and discovered that the local poorer folk were far less reserved in all matters than she was. Being more of the middle upper class, Gwen had been raised to keep all of her emotions well under control. What she had thought were duties to be endoured in the bedroom as little as possible, these women found pleasure. To say that this left her feeling confused and dare I say a wee bit wanting would be an understatement. Circumstances soon had it that the she wouldn't be living in her big house on her own much longer. The lodgers she took in were to open her eyes into another world.
What I loved about Clare Flynn's book was the changes that took place with the characters. It made the people more open and honest, talking and taking opportunities as they came up. Life got a value back in Eastbourne because here they knew that anyone could die any day. It seemed that every sense was awakened and heightened. Unlikely friendships were made that would have been unthinkable just a few years earlier. The friendships that formed crossed the barriers of class with life being the greatest commodity one could have.
This is a heartfelt story, beautifully told. There is also additional facts about Eastbourne through the war years in the back of the book.
When Gwen Collingwood's husband Roger went off to do his bit for the war effort, she soon volunteered herself to help round the town and discovered that the local poorer folk were far less reserved in all matters than she was. Being more of the middle upper class, Gwen had been raised to keep all of her emotions well under control. What she had thought were duties to be endoured in the bedroom as little as possible, these women found pleasure. To say that this left her feeling confused and dare I say a wee bit wanting would be an understatement. Circumstances soon had it that the she wouldn't be living in her big house on her own much longer. The lodgers she took in were to open her eyes into another world.
What I loved about Clare Flynn's book was the changes that took place with the characters. It made the people more open and honest, talking and taking opportunities as they came up. Life got a value back in Eastbourne because here they knew that anyone could die any day. It seemed that every sense was awakened and heightened. Unlikely friendships were made that would have been unthinkable just a few years earlier. The friendships that formed crossed the barriers of class with life being the greatest commodity one could have.
This is a heartfelt story, beautifully told. There is also additional facts about Eastbourne through the war years in the back of the book.
Read
August 1, 2017I give this book a 5 because i love the book and the part of peoples lives and the history. CAN NOT WAIT FOR SECOND BOOK
Would tell everyone to read it as i said you could not put down, the people and history were interestingn
Would tell everyone to read it as i said you could not put down, the people and history were interestingn
September 5, 2017
These are not dark days; these are great days— the greatest days our country has ever lived. – Winston Churchill - 1941
In July 1940, in Eastbourne England, Gwen is at the railway station saying goodbye to her husband, Roger Collingwood, a military officer working for the Foreign Office and involved in top secret missions. Gwen has ample cause to be apprehensive for it was hardly a month since Roger had managed to escape from Dunkirk, and now he was off again on another assignment, which Gwen is not privy to. Since they have no children, Gwen would be alone in the house, and also mindful of the German’s impending attack, Roger suggests Gwen to go to Somerset to be with his mother. However, Gwen (harboring a secret from her past), prefers to stay on in Eastbourne, for she didn’t want their empty house to be requisitioned by the military and get messed up. Despite the heavy bombing attacks by the Luftwaffe, which soon follow, she continues her work with the WVS, helping out in the evacuation and other war efforts.
Meanwhile, in Ontario Canada, Jim Armstrong, a young, hard-working farm boy, is getting ready to harvest the wheat crop on his parent’s farm. Although he’s about to be married to his sweetheart, Alice, following a disgusting incident, wherein he discovers her surreptitiousness, and much to the dislike of his parents, he enlists in the Canadian Army. Soon Jim is shipped to England to a training camp in Aldershot, where most of the Canadian Army is billeted. There Jim is at first please to see, his brother Walt’s school friend, the instructor Corporal Tim Howardson. However, Jim’s euphoria soon evaporates when Tim doesn’t even acknowledge him and, although merely a corporal, asks to be addressed as “sir.” Tim drills the troops much like a gunnery sergeant, and even bosses them around during their free time. To make matters worse, Walt also enlists and shows up at the Aldershot camp. The servicemen are put through endless training and long to see some real action. It’s only a matter of time when things get out of hand at the military establishment and at the local bars, and tempers flare leading to fist fights and other unsavory activities. Although Jim befriends fellow servicemen, and meets an attractive Englishwoman, Joan, who’s fiancé is serving abroad, and spends some time with her; he is glad when he’s transferred to Eastbourne. There, Jim lodges in Gwen’s house and is drawn to her. With war ravaging Europe and the incessant bombing of England, the numerous characters, each having both physical and mental struggles with their jobs and those around them, strive to go about their daily lives. We are drawn to the novel’s conclusion, to learn how they would survive the horrors of war, their losses, and resolve their conflicts.
Clare Flynn has penned a wonderful romance novel. The well-researched settings during the WW2 with the details of the war and the lives of interesting characters during that tumultuous period make the book a page turner. The descriptions of military training, the work of the WVS, the operation of the German transmission’s listening station, and other war efforts are presented most realistically. The characters’ dialogue, mannerisms, and living conditions, in Canada and England, are vividly detailed such that we feel as if we are traveling amongst them. There is much to be learned from the participants’ experiences. Although there are several coincidences in the lives of the characters, which require a bit of suspension of disbelief, however, these are no more than what would normally be present in a fictional novel of this magnitude. The introduction into the plot of Gwen’s childhood in India during her father’s service there, adds more spice to the story. While most of the story lines are resolved, Ms. Flynn has left ample room for a continuation of the narrative of the future lives some of the characters, which could imply that a sequel might be forthcoming. Readers would be anxiously looking for more books by Clare Flynn. Highly recommended.
I borrowed a copy of this book from my Kindle Unlimited membership.
In July 1940, in Eastbourne England, Gwen is at the railway station saying goodbye to her husband, Roger Collingwood, a military officer working for the Foreign Office and involved in top secret missions. Gwen has ample cause to be apprehensive for it was hardly a month since Roger had managed to escape from Dunkirk, and now he was off again on another assignment, which Gwen is not privy to. Since they have no children, Gwen would be alone in the house, and also mindful of the German’s impending attack, Roger suggests Gwen to go to Somerset to be with his mother. However, Gwen (harboring a secret from her past), prefers to stay on in Eastbourne, for she didn’t want their empty house to be requisitioned by the military and get messed up. Despite the heavy bombing attacks by the Luftwaffe, which soon follow, she continues her work with the WVS, helping out in the evacuation and other war efforts.
Meanwhile, in Ontario Canada, Jim Armstrong, a young, hard-working farm boy, is getting ready to harvest the wheat crop on his parent’s farm. Although he’s about to be married to his sweetheart, Alice, following a disgusting incident, wherein he discovers her surreptitiousness, and much to the dislike of his parents, he enlists in the Canadian Army. Soon Jim is shipped to England to a training camp in Aldershot, where most of the Canadian Army is billeted. There Jim is at first please to see, his brother Walt’s school friend, the instructor Corporal Tim Howardson. However, Jim’s euphoria soon evaporates when Tim doesn’t even acknowledge him and, although merely a corporal, asks to be addressed as “sir.” Tim drills the troops much like a gunnery sergeant, and even bosses them around during their free time. To make matters worse, Walt also enlists and shows up at the Aldershot camp. The servicemen are put through endless training and long to see some real action. It’s only a matter of time when things get out of hand at the military establishment and at the local bars, and tempers flare leading to fist fights and other unsavory activities. Although Jim befriends fellow servicemen, and meets an attractive Englishwoman, Joan, who’s fiancé is serving abroad, and spends some time with her; he is glad when he’s transferred to Eastbourne. There, Jim lodges in Gwen’s house and is drawn to her. With war ravaging Europe and the incessant bombing of England, the numerous characters, each having both physical and mental struggles with their jobs and those around them, strive to go about their daily lives. We are drawn to the novel’s conclusion, to learn how they would survive the horrors of war, their losses, and resolve their conflicts.
Clare Flynn has penned a wonderful romance novel. The well-researched settings during the WW2 with the details of the war and the lives of interesting characters during that tumultuous period make the book a page turner. The descriptions of military training, the work of the WVS, the operation of the German transmission’s listening station, and other war efforts are presented most realistically. The characters’ dialogue, mannerisms, and living conditions, in Canada and England, are vividly detailed such that we feel as if we are traveling amongst them. There is much to be learned from the participants’ experiences. Although there are several coincidences in the lives of the characters, which require a bit of suspension of disbelief, however, these are no more than what would normally be present in a fictional novel of this magnitude. The introduction into the plot of Gwen’s childhood in India during her father’s service there, adds more spice to the story. While most of the story lines are resolved, Ms. Flynn has left ample room for a continuation of the narrative of the future lives some of the characters, which could imply that a sequel might be forthcoming. Readers would be anxiously looking for more books by Clare Flynn. Highly recommended.
I borrowed a copy of this book from my Kindle Unlimited membership.
August 28, 2018
Disclaimer: the author is a friend. But I never read friends' books because they ask me to and my opinions are my own.
What I particularly enjoyed about this tale of love and loss during World War Two was the depiction of how Eastbourne--a pleasant seaside town not too far from where I live--came under heavy bombing and attacks by aircraft during the conflict. The disruption and human costs of war were nicely sketched in the lives of the characters, some of whom are Canadian to bring in the presence of Canadian military along the coast (not something I knew much about). As always with Flynn's novels, events didn't always take a "storybook" turn but I found Gwen's journey out of her emotional isolation heartwarming.
Flynn's style is more that of the writer of epics (think Ken Follett or Edward Rutherfurd) than the kind of book where you're deep in the mind and emotions of just one or two characters. This has the effect of bringing the historical background to the fore, and that worked particularly well in a book dealing with a vivid slice of history. In fact I'd really like to see her tackle a massive multi-generational epic set against a major historical event. In any case, I'm going to pick up the sequel.
What I particularly enjoyed about this tale of love and loss during World War Two was the depiction of how Eastbourne--a pleasant seaside town not too far from where I live--came under heavy bombing and attacks by aircraft during the conflict. The disruption and human costs of war were nicely sketched in the lives of the characters, some of whom are Canadian to bring in the presence of Canadian military along the coast (not something I knew much about). As always with Flynn's novels, events didn't always take a "storybook" turn but I found Gwen's journey out of her emotional isolation heartwarming.
Flynn's style is more that of the writer of epics (think Ken Follett or Edward Rutherfurd) than the kind of book where you're deep in the mind and emotions of just one or two characters. This has the effect of bringing the historical background to the fore, and that worked particularly well in a book dealing with a vivid slice of history. In fact I'd really like to see her tackle a massive multi-generational epic set against a major historical event. In any case, I'm going to pick up the sequel.
February 20, 2018
This is an emotional story about a woman who has spent years suppressing her feelings and a man who runs headlong into danger when his heart is broken, but it is more than that. Gwen’s story begins by her saying goodbye to her husband as he sets off to war but it isn’t long before the war finds Gwen in her hometown of Eastbourne which is just a few miles from me.
Jim sets off for his new life in the military but it isn’t the tonic he thinks he needs. Not only do his troubles follow him to England but him and his fellow Canadians are far from the war, leaving him plenty of time to explore his surroundings and get into trouble.
The historical element of the novel is well-researched, and it fits well into the romance and emotional ties the characters form. It is a good portrayal of life on the home front without getting bogged down with details.
Jim sets off for his new life in the military but it isn’t the tonic he thinks he needs. Not only do his troubles follow him to England but him and his fellow Canadians are far from the war, leaving him plenty of time to explore his surroundings and get into trouble.
The historical element of the novel is well-researched, and it fits well into the romance and emotional ties the characters form. It is a good portrayal of life on the home front without getting bogged down with details.
January 16, 2019
I really enjoyed this poignant war love story. I confess that I have not encountered any books written specifically about Canadian soldiers during the war despite knowing their involvement. Jim Armstrong, a farmer's son in Ontario is suffering from a broken heart and on impulse joins up to fight in WW2. The book portrays how well the war caused a social revolution and how it put the most unlikely people together. The characters are so likeable, genuine and perfectly relatable. Gwen in Eastbourne waiting for her husband to return from war and her war work. It intrigued me how Gwen and Jim changed as the plot progressed and their experiences shaped their outlooks. A sensitively written novel. I got attached to the characters and now I shall read the second book in the series.
Available on KindleUnlimited
Available on KindleUnlimited
December 16, 2017
The Chalky Sea is a beautiful book. It shows how war affects people in very personal ways. I particularly liked Gwen who is a complex, subtle character who experiences real change in her emotional life. All the characters are well drawn and the narrative has excellent pacing, making it very readable. Strongly recommended.
October 17, 2017
This book has received a Discovering Diamonds Review:
Helen Hollick
founder #DDRevs
'This is a stylish, unusual and well-written Second World War story which I heartily recommend.'
Helen Hollick
founder #DDRevs
'This is a stylish, unusual and well-written Second World War story which I heartily recommend.'
July 21, 2018
A riveting, emotional account of wartime England merging two continents and people from very different backgrounds. This was beautifully told story and I can’t wait to read it’s sequel.
Gwen is a wartime lady of the manor keen to do her bit for queen and country. Her husband has gone overseas to fight and her seaside town has been invaded by volunteer Canadian soldiers.
I adored the plot and thought the author painted a very vivid picture for her reader as she described the English towns damaged by air raids. This was a perfect example of historical fiction done right. The story is emotional without being sappy, and it flowed easily from start to finish making it difficult to put down. I loved it. This may be one my new favourite genres.
Gwen is a wartime lady of the manor keen to do her bit for queen and country. Her husband has gone overseas to fight and her seaside town has been invaded by volunteer Canadian soldiers.
I adored the plot and thought the author painted a very vivid picture for her reader as she described the English towns damaged by air raids. This was a perfect example of historical fiction done right. The story is emotional without being sappy, and it flowed easily from start to finish making it difficult to put down. I loved it. This may be one my new favourite genres.
August 10, 2019
Once I started properly reading this book by Clare Flynn, the time simply flew by! There are a few different characters with storylines that flow into one another, but none of it feels forced.
The pace started out a bit slow, but not at all boring. All the storylines kept my attention until the very end.
I’m happy to say there are two more books after this one,making the series, “Canadians” into a trilogy I’m looking forward to continuing. I dearly love sequels, sagas and series :-).
A quick last note - I’m not sure why some of the other reviewers found this book to be TOO sexual or sexually explicit. Nothing could be further from the truth! Trying to come up with an explanation for such an odd complaint, I thought of one that might make sense.
If you are listening and reading this book (Audible/Kindle Whispersync app), the reader, Sarah Zimmerman, does narrate quite a few WWII era Christian historical Fiction. Perhaps the readers who were unhappy about the mention of anything of a sexual nature were expecting more of a Sarah Sundelin type of novel, where Sarah Zimmerman does an excellent job narrating.
I highly recommend this for those who can’t get enough of WWII British Home front.
The pace started out a bit slow, but not at all boring. All the storylines kept my attention until the very end.
I’m happy to say there are two more books after this one,making the series, “Canadians” into a trilogy I’m looking forward to continuing. I dearly love sequels, sagas and series :-).
A quick last note - I’m not sure why some of the other reviewers found this book to be TOO sexual or sexually explicit. Nothing could be further from the truth! Trying to come up with an explanation for such an odd complaint, I thought of one that might make sense.
If you are listening and reading this book (Audible/Kindle Whispersync app), the reader, Sarah Zimmerman, does narrate quite a few WWII era Christian historical Fiction. Perhaps the readers who were unhappy about the mention of anything of a sexual nature were expecting more of a Sarah Sundelin type of novel, where Sarah Zimmerman does an excellent job narrating.
I highly recommend this for those who can’t get enough of WWII British Home front.
August 2, 2021
The Chalky Sea is a story of the physical, mental and romantic tribulations of people from different backgrounds and countries brought together by the disruptions of war. Clare Flynn has set her novel in England during WW II and tells it from two viewpoints, one English, one Canadian. I doing so, she paints a very realistic picture of the vagaries and horror of that war.
Englishwoman Glen Collinwood lives in Eastbourne on the eastern coast of England and is enduring a farewell to her husband, who is heading off to an unknown job in the Army during WW II. Despite the fact she knows she may never see him again, her goodbye is muted, almost sterile, which is an early hint to her character. Two weeks later, her sleepy little town is attacked by German bombers, who will return several times over the next two years. Jim Armstrong is a wheat farmer in Ontario, uncertain whether he should volunteer for the army. But when he learns his fiancée is having an affair with his younger brother, he leaves the farm and two weeks later, is on a ship bound for England with other enlistees.
As the war progresses, Gwen is called upon to intercept and translate German radio broadcasts, the job which Jim, who is billeted in her house, will take over. The presence of the soldiers, as well as of a young mother with two children who loses her home in a bombing attack, causes Gwen to re-evaluate her distant and unemotional relationships – not only with her husband but also with the other people in her life. A romance with Jim brings her shortcomings into clarity.
The author brings in some interesting facts – the Canadian army volunteers find themselves stuck in England, enduring unending and prolonged training before they are ever considered ready for combat, and the German bombed non-critical targets to demoralize the British. This, along with the expected disruptions caused by the war, wartime romances between young soldiers and local girls, unexpected pregnancies, rationing, and death notices underscore the common theme is how war changes people in basic ways, sometime for better and sometimes for worse. Gwen’s gradual metamorphosis is at the heart of this premise.
There were a few parts of the plot that didn’t ring true: Jim’s best friend falling instantaneously in love with one of the ‘common’ women and marrying her at once, Jim’s relationship with a woman he doesn’t understand and doesn’t seem to like, followed by his intense relationship with Gwen, which ends with no lasting emotion.
The ending was abrupt, but happy, for one of these characters, while the future of the other was left hanging at a crucial juncture. I would have liked to see the former drawn out more and the latter resolved.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed this historical romance. The characters were for the most part believable and the settings rendered with such realism that the reader is sucked into the story. The author has done her research, and the tension and deprivations the war brought to England are palpable.
This is the first book in the author’s Canadian series, and I plan to read the other two books in that series: The Alien Corn and The Frozen River.
Englishwoman Glen Collinwood lives in Eastbourne on the eastern coast of England and is enduring a farewell to her husband, who is heading off to an unknown job in the Army during WW II. Despite the fact she knows she may never see him again, her goodbye is muted, almost sterile, which is an early hint to her character. Two weeks later, her sleepy little town is attacked by German bombers, who will return several times over the next two years. Jim Armstrong is a wheat farmer in Ontario, uncertain whether he should volunteer for the army. But when he learns his fiancée is having an affair with his younger brother, he leaves the farm and two weeks later, is on a ship bound for England with other enlistees.
As the war progresses, Gwen is called upon to intercept and translate German radio broadcasts, the job which Jim, who is billeted in her house, will take over. The presence of the soldiers, as well as of a young mother with two children who loses her home in a bombing attack, causes Gwen to re-evaluate her distant and unemotional relationships – not only with her husband but also with the other people in her life. A romance with Jim brings her shortcomings into clarity.
The author brings in some interesting facts – the Canadian army volunteers find themselves stuck in England, enduring unending and prolonged training before they are ever considered ready for combat, and the German bombed non-critical targets to demoralize the British. This, along with the expected disruptions caused by the war, wartime romances between young soldiers and local girls, unexpected pregnancies, rationing, and death notices underscore the common theme is how war changes people in basic ways, sometime for better and sometimes for worse. Gwen’s gradual metamorphosis is at the heart of this premise.
There were a few parts of the plot that didn’t ring true: Jim’s best friend falling instantaneously in love with one of the ‘common’ women and marrying her at once, Jim’s relationship with a woman he doesn’t understand and doesn’t seem to like, followed by his intense relationship with Gwen, which ends with no lasting emotion.
The ending was abrupt, but happy, for one of these characters, while the future of the other was left hanging at a crucial juncture. I would have liked to see the former drawn out more and the latter resolved.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed this historical romance. The characters were for the most part believable and the settings rendered with such realism that the reader is sucked into the story. The author has done her research, and the tension and deprivations the war brought to England are palpable.
This is the first book in the author’s Canadian series, and I plan to read the other two books in that series: The Alien Corn and The Frozen River.
December 23, 2021
The story starts in 1940; WWII has begun and with it national conscription. Gwen must say goodbye to her husband, Roger as he leaves for a role that will mean she’ll never know where he is or if he is safe. As someone who, from an early age, has pushed down her emotions, she comes across as quite aloof in her goodbye but later the reasons behind her buttoned-up front are made clear. She’s carrying a lot of guilt and, for that reason alone, she has spared the suffering of others. It’s just who she is. But muddling on soon gets her down, a big house to look after and little to occupy her waking hours, she joins the WVS and begins to see the impact of war through the eyes of those who have far less yet seem to value what they do have so much more, especially when it comes to their family and friends.
Across the pond, in Ontario, Jim is a farmer who loves his fiancée and since Canada has not yet been drawn into the war, he simply gets on with his life much to his father’s joy – a man who fought in The Great War and doesn’t want to see his sons embroiled in the new conflict. But when Jim learns of the relationship between his brother and fiancée, he no longer feels he can live out the war on the farm and, telling no one, he signs up and joins a Canadian battalion heading for England. Anything to put the shock of betrayal behind him, he doesn’t even care if he lives or dies.
The Canadian battalion, however, sees no action at all for many months, and Jim becomes disillusioned. Even more so when his brother turns up, now married to Jim’s former fiancée. Fortunately, Jim already has friends to rely on, and based in Aldershot, he is drawn out of the doldrums and to a local dance to support Greg, already enamoured with Ethel. Feeling like a gooseberry, Jim is left to “accompany” Ethel’s friend, Joan … and so begins a relationship fraught with misunderstandings and jerk reactions.
Meanwhile in Eastbourne, Gwen has lost her only staff, and has invited a young mother and her two children to move into the big house after their home is destroyed in a bombing blitz along the coast. It’s the beginning of an awakening for Gwen; life with Pauline and her kids opens Gwen’s eyes and heart to the joys and pain of family life during the war years. Class barriers are broken down to reveal real people with real issues and a real, gritty determination to survive.
When Jim’s battalion is posted to Eastbourne, he’s hopeful of a playing a proper role in the war only to find he is billeted at Gwen’s house and, unbeknownst to him, has robbed her of a job translating radio messages, a job that has given Gwen a true sense of being useful and of contributing to the war effort. They don’t immediately hit it off as a result, but soon tensions thaw.
But the war obviously ends, and life must return to some kind of normality. Gwen expects Roger to return and Jim contemplates whether to return to Canada, but not before an old face from Aldershot requires him to return and tie up some loose ends with Joan. I’m so pleased this book has a sequel, as I want to know what happens to Jim and Gwen. Their stories are so very different, yet share a common thread. Their futures now look to be very different again, but not in any way either of them could have envisioned before the war.
Flynn’s descriptive writing beautifully brings the region alive and the sea’s mood compliments the dilemmas faced by the characters. There are certain aspects of the relationships that are quite easy to predict but I enjoyed how the author unravelled the details. A great read and a real saga to be enjoyed.
Across the pond, in Ontario, Jim is a farmer who loves his fiancée and since Canada has not yet been drawn into the war, he simply gets on with his life much to his father’s joy – a man who fought in The Great War and doesn’t want to see his sons embroiled in the new conflict. But when Jim learns of the relationship between his brother and fiancée, he no longer feels he can live out the war on the farm and, telling no one, he signs up and joins a Canadian battalion heading for England. Anything to put the shock of betrayal behind him, he doesn’t even care if he lives or dies.
The Canadian battalion, however, sees no action at all for many months, and Jim becomes disillusioned. Even more so when his brother turns up, now married to Jim’s former fiancée. Fortunately, Jim already has friends to rely on, and based in Aldershot, he is drawn out of the doldrums and to a local dance to support Greg, already enamoured with Ethel. Feeling like a gooseberry, Jim is left to “accompany” Ethel’s friend, Joan … and so begins a relationship fraught with misunderstandings and jerk reactions.
Meanwhile in Eastbourne, Gwen has lost her only staff, and has invited a young mother and her two children to move into the big house after their home is destroyed in a bombing blitz along the coast. It’s the beginning of an awakening for Gwen; life with Pauline and her kids opens Gwen’s eyes and heart to the joys and pain of family life during the war years. Class barriers are broken down to reveal real people with real issues and a real, gritty determination to survive.
When Jim’s battalion is posted to Eastbourne, he’s hopeful of a playing a proper role in the war only to find he is billeted at Gwen’s house and, unbeknownst to him, has robbed her of a job translating radio messages, a job that has given Gwen a true sense of being useful and of contributing to the war effort. They don’t immediately hit it off as a result, but soon tensions thaw.
But the war obviously ends, and life must return to some kind of normality. Gwen expects Roger to return and Jim contemplates whether to return to Canada, but not before an old face from Aldershot requires him to return and tie up some loose ends with Joan. I’m so pleased this book has a sequel, as I want to know what happens to Jim and Gwen. Their stories are so very different, yet share a common thread. Their futures now look to be very different again, but not in any way either of them could have envisioned before the war.
Flynn’s descriptive writing beautifully brings the region alive and the sea’s mood compliments the dilemmas faced by the characters. There are certain aspects of the relationships that are quite easy to predict but I enjoyed how the author unravelled the details. A great read and a real saga to be enjoyed.
October 21, 2018
I enjoyed this glimpse of life in Eastbourne (close to where I live in Sussex), on the home front – the way civilians were affected in this seaside town. Running parallel with this, is the account of Canadian soldiers who were billeted there, waiting for their war to begin.
There are layers to this book that made me think. Gwen, the main female protagonist, is described by another woman as being “dried up and bitter, like a bag of currants.” She’s had a difficult past and, slowly, we see her go from “playing at living” to being awakened by a passionate affair. She is married. It is “impossible to get through the war without being changed,” says one of her female acquaintances. And it was this theme that most interested me in “The Chalky Sea”.
I love the title and Flynn’s descriptive writing. “The sea lay below like a smudged grey fingerprint”; “shallow waves lapped at the shore and beyond them the water stretched out, calm and flat like unfurled silk cloth.” Beautiful.
My only gripe is that the story of Canadian Jim – whom we see at the end of the story fighting in Sicily – ends in the air. But then, I read that there is a sequel and so I look forward to finding out what happened next. It’s good to discover another author who can spin a good yarn.
There are layers to this book that made me think. Gwen, the main female protagonist, is described by another woman as being “dried up and bitter, like a bag of currants.” She’s had a difficult past and, slowly, we see her go from “playing at living” to being awakened by a passionate affair. She is married. It is “impossible to get through the war without being changed,” says one of her female acquaintances. And it was this theme that most interested me in “The Chalky Sea”.
I love the title and Flynn’s descriptive writing. “The sea lay below like a smudged grey fingerprint”; “shallow waves lapped at the shore and beyond them the water stretched out, calm and flat like unfurled silk cloth.” Beautiful.
My only gripe is that the story of Canadian Jim – whom we see at the end of the story fighting in Sicily – ends in the air. But then, I read that there is a sequel and so I look forward to finding out what happened next. It’s good to discover another author who can spin a good yarn.
November 4, 2018
I really enjoyed this book, the first in a trilogy by the amazing author Clare Flynn, whose books I have previously read.
Jim is a Canadian stationed in the UK. He tries to adjust to life there, despite the boredom of not seeing any action, and the aggravation of seeing his brother Walt whom he joined the Army to escape from, as he went off with his girl. Things are strained even further by the appearance of Tip, also from his hometown, who makes his life a misery in camp.
Gwen is an English girl whose husband goes off to war and who has to get through the best way she can. She does some voluntary work and sees sights that would give most people nightmares. She has boarders who change her life completely.
I enjoyed the dynamics between these two main characters and the secondary ones. I am always astonished at how human beings cope with things like rationing and not knowing if your loved one will ever return to you. Those men and women were tough!
This was a great book! Onto the 2nd one :)
4.5 stars from me.
Jim is a Canadian stationed in the UK. He tries to adjust to life there, despite the boredom of not seeing any action, and the aggravation of seeing his brother Walt whom he joined the Army to escape from, as he went off with his girl. Things are strained even further by the appearance of Tip, also from his hometown, who makes his life a misery in camp.
Gwen is an English girl whose husband goes off to war and who has to get through the best way she can. She does some voluntary work and sees sights that would give most people nightmares. She has boarders who change her life completely.
I enjoyed the dynamics between these two main characters and the secondary ones. I am always astonished at how human beings cope with things like rationing and not knowing if your loved one will ever return to you. Those men and women were tough!
This was a great book! Onto the 2nd one :)
4.5 stars from me.
May 10, 2018
History comes alive in this beautiful story of two people who were half a world apart until WWII changes their lives. I went to bed with the intention of reading a chapter, finished the book in the middle of the night. It isn't every day one finds a book they can't put down.
While this has a romantic element to the story, it did not dominate it, nor did it distract. The writer doesn't rush through the plot, rather she unfolds it little by little, giving the reader time to absorb the journey. The sub characters in this book all have their story too, enriching and enhancing the plot. One has time to understand and respect the effects of war on the British and it's allies. It is a timeless story of growth and redemption in adversity.
While this has a romantic element to the story, it did not dominate it, nor did it distract. The writer doesn't rush through the plot, rather she unfolds it little by little, giving the reader time to absorb the journey. The sub characters in this book all have their story too, enriching and enhancing the plot. One has time to understand and respect the effects of war on the British and it's allies. It is a timeless story of growth and redemption in adversity.
July 15, 2017
A WW2 story based upon two completely different characters. Gwen lives in Eastbourne, her husband has gone abroad on a secret mission.
Jim a Canadian joins up to fight the war only to be disappointed with the lack of fighting they had to do.
The book is based around these two characters and the chapters build up their backgrounds before there chance meeting.
The characters form various friendships through the book, which I believe gives greater depth to the characters.
A great war time story, which I enjoyed because I've never read about Canadian servicemen involvement in the war.
A great easy to read story; which held me throughout the book.
Jim a Canadian joins up to fight the war only to be disappointed with the lack of fighting they had to do.
The book is based around these two characters and the chapters build up their backgrounds before there chance meeting.
The characters form various friendships through the book, which I believe gives greater depth to the characters.
A great war time story, which I enjoyed because I've never read about Canadian servicemen involvement in the war.
A great easy to read story; which held me throughout the book.
June 11, 2017
What I like about this author's books is that she's never afraid to have flawed main characters. Gwen is a bored, middle class housewife who appears emotionally cold from the start. War comes to her sleepy seaside town and gives her the opportunity to do something useful with her life. It also forces her into relationships with people she would never have even spoken to previously, forcing her to examine the reasons behind her lack of emotion towards her husband.
Jim is a Canadian soldier, running away with a broken heart, hoping that war will put him out of his misery one way or another.
This isn't a book about war as such, nor is it a love story. It's a tale of relationships, survival and emotion and Clare Flynn is a very talented storyteller.
I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Jim is a Canadian soldier, running away with a broken heart, hoping that war will put him out of his misery one way or another.
This isn't a book about war as such, nor is it a love story. It's a tale of relationships, survival and emotion and Clare Flynn is a very talented storyteller.
I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
June 29, 2017
As a period romantic author Clair Flynn is among the best. The people of England during WW11 have become some what of heroes to me but after reading this book and learning even more of what this one town endured during this time has increased my respect even more for the English. The story is so compelling and so in keeping with the times and the people who lived that terrible time in history. I will put any of Mrs. Flynn's novel's to the top of my reading list and there are only a select few I do that for. This one is a must read for young adults and above.
September 30, 2017
A war story with a difference, in that practically none of the action in this one takes place in the theatre of war, but mostly in what until now I'd have thought an unlikely setting: Eastbourne, on the south coast of England, with a substantial part of the early section in rural Canada. I had no idea until I read this book that what is now generally thought of as a safe, sedate town had been so heavily bombed during the Second World War. Nor did I know much about Canadians' involvement as part of the Allies, all as volunteers (thank you, Canada).
This novel brings together players from both those settings, starting off as two separate stories that gradually bring together players who outwardly have little in common but actually have so much to share. (I'm being a bit evasive here so as not to spoil the plot.)
The message clearly spelled out throughout the story is that war changes everything, and although it obviously brought so much death and suffering, it also encouraged people to be more open and expressive about their feelings, and to live fuller lives after they'd come so close to death themselves.
This is an unusual and rewarding novel anchored in very well-researched and clearly delivered local history that every resident of Eastbourne and descendants of Canadian forces definitely ought to want to read, as well as anyone with an interest in social history of that era.
This novel brings together players from both those settings, starting off as two separate stories that gradually bring together players who outwardly have little in common but actually have so much to share. (I'm being a bit evasive here so as not to spoil the plot.)
The message clearly spelled out throughout the story is that war changes everything, and although it obviously brought so much death and suffering, it also encouraged people to be more open and expressive about their feelings, and to live fuller lives after they'd come so close to death themselves.
This is an unusual and rewarding novel anchored in very well-researched and clearly delivered local history that every resident of Eastbourne and descendants of Canadian forces definitely ought to want to read, as well as anyone with an interest in social history of that era.
September 23, 2017
I absolutely loved this book. So much so that I actually got up at 1 am this morning, because I couldn't wait any longer to find out what happened. And have sat here till four in the morning finishing it. Clare has an amazing skill for building realistic and loveable characters and showing the realities and emotions of life in war torn Briton.
I've been thinking a lot lately about how easy it is to judge others unfairly and this book really hit on that. Reminding me that we are all human and perfectly imperfect. The story captured me heart and soul and I was incredibly sad to see it come to an end. It will live on in my heart for a long time to come and will be a book that I know I will revisited time and again. Yes it really is that good. I visited the authors page and saw mention of a follow hope which I will now be waiting for with baited breath. Definitely worth a read.
I've been thinking a lot lately about how easy it is to judge others unfairly and this book really hit on that. Reminding me that we are all human and perfectly imperfect. The story captured me heart and soul and I was incredibly sad to see it come to an end. It will live on in my heart for a long time to come and will be a book that I know I will revisited time and again. Yes it really is that good. I visited the authors page and saw mention of a follow hope which I will now be waiting for with baited breath. Definitely worth a read.
July 16, 2017
This was a very enjoyable historical novel. It paints a vivid picture of the struggle and difficulties of those living through World War Two. The novel focuses on two groups of people whose lives were greatly affected by the war, yet not much is known about them. Firstly, the Canadian volunteer army who saw remarkably little action during the war. Secondly, the British civilians living in small seaside towns on the south coast who were bombed by the Germans. The novel weaves together historical fact with lively characters and vivid description to create an exciting read. The characters are well developed and I felt myself connecting to them and sympathising with them as I read on. I highly recommend this novel to all fans of historical fiction.
July 9, 2017
Brilliantly written two stories that merge - absolutely loved this book. I love historical stories and was always going to enjoy, but I just love the way Clare Flynn writes, I really got to know all the characters, Gwen, Jim, Joan etc and imagine how they looked and why they acted the way they did - always a winner for me. A great story from the two places I love the most - Canada and the Sussex coast
August 26, 2020
7/1940, Eastbourne (seaside town), East Sussex S. England. Mrs. Gwen Collingwood (British,
nee Bruch) had joined the Women's Voluntary Services (WVS).
She dropped Mr. Roger Collingwood (husband, special ops., former Reparations Commission) of at the railway station, knowing she might not ever see him again.
Whitley Rd. Brenda Robson (WVS coordinator) was sounding an alarm, the town was being bombed by the Luftwaffe.
Gwen came as fast as she could. Her job was to record the disaster/casualties.
Fire engines & firefighters, Air Raid Precautions (ARP) workers, Leyland DAF Vans, & ambulance drivers had already arrived.
1 dead, 20 injured, 9 houses destroyed, & 60 damaged.
7/1940, Ontario, Canada, Jim Armstrong (son/brother, farmer) is debating whether to volunteer for the Army.
Helga Armstrong (wife/mother) had fixed supper for Donald “Don” Armstrong (husband/father, retired military vet), Jim, Alice (Jim’s fiancé, librarian), & Walt Armstrong (son/brother).
Jim had gone to find Walt who was supposed to be looking after a cow who was about to calf.
There in the barn noises were coming from the loft.
It was Walt & Alice making love.
Jim & Alice spoke to each other before he made his decision.
Toronto (capital), Ontario. After several beers Mickie Miller took Jim to a brothel.
Penny (sex worker) was going to charge him $2.00.
Jim changed his mind & headed for the YMCA.
The troop carrier (converted luxury liner), would carry the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division from Halifax, Nova Scotia-Liverpool, England, then Aldershot, Rushmoor district Hampshire, England,
Aldershot camp. Salamanca barracks (Wellington lines). Jim Armstrong, Greg “Grass” Hooper (2nd Canadian Infantry Division), & the others started training.
Corporal Tip Howardson (son/brother) was checking out the new recruits.
Captain Bywater addressed them also.
Walter Armstrong, Mitch Johnson, & Joe Toupin had joined the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division.
Sunday, Later Mrs. Underwood was hosting: Jim, Greg, Mitch, Scotty & Pete from the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division.
Joan (ATS) & Ethel Underwood (cousin, munitions) showed up also.
Greg & Jim were in the wrong pub at the wrong time.
Court. The Magistrate was asking the questions to the defendants, & the prosecution witnesses.
Case dismissed.
Ethel fell head/heels for Greg.
Bayswater Westminster W. London, England, Beaver Club. Greg had planned the whole outing.
9/13/1940, Civil Defense headquarters. 3 more PPL had been killed by the German Dornier Do 17 bombers.
1941, Major Sandy Pringle (British, Daphne’s husband) asked to Gwen.
Flight Sergeant Carrington (RAF) will instruct Gwen on her job/duty.
Beachy Head radar station. Warrant Officer Irving helped Gwen (WVS) get started.
She is to listen to German VHF voice transmissions & log everything she hears.
Station X was on the air.
8/19/1942, Eastbourne seaside resort/borough county, East Sussex England. Pauline
told Jim she was taking her kids to visit her grandma who was ill.
Jim & Gwen were in love.
Ethel took Jim to see Joan (mother) & Little James “Jimmy” (their son).
5/81945, VE Day.
I do not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing free books from publishers & authors. Therefore, I am under no obligation to write a positive review, only an honest one.
An awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very professionally written Dual timeline romantic War story book. It was extremely easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a huge description list of unique characters, settings, facts etc. to keep track of. This could also make another great romantic War movie, or better yet a mini TV series. There is no doubt in my mind this is an extremely easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free author; Cranbrook Press; Amazon Digital Services LLC.; book.
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
nee Bruch) had joined the Women's Voluntary Services (WVS).
She dropped Mr. Roger Collingwood (husband, special ops., former Reparations Commission) of at the railway station, knowing she might not ever see him again.
Whitley Rd. Brenda Robson (WVS coordinator) was sounding an alarm, the town was being bombed by the Luftwaffe.
Gwen came as fast as she could. Her job was to record the disaster/casualties.
Fire engines & firefighters, Air Raid Precautions (ARP) workers, Leyland DAF Vans, & ambulance drivers had already arrived.
1 dead, 20 injured, 9 houses destroyed, & 60 damaged.
7/1940, Ontario, Canada, Jim Armstrong (son/brother, farmer) is debating whether to volunteer for the Army.
Helga Armstrong (wife/mother) had fixed supper for Donald “Don” Armstrong (husband/father, retired military vet), Jim, Alice (Jim’s fiancé, librarian), & Walt Armstrong (son/brother).
Jim had gone to find Walt who was supposed to be looking after a cow who was about to calf.
There in the barn noises were coming from the loft.
It was Walt & Alice making love.
Jim & Alice spoke to each other before he made his decision.
Toronto (capital), Ontario. After several beers Mickie Miller took Jim to a brothel.
Penny (sex worker) was going to charge him $2.00.
Jim changed his mind & headed for the YMCA.
The troop carrier (converted luxury liner), would carry the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division from Halifax, Nova Scotia-Liverpool, England, then Aldershot, Rushmoor district Hampshire, England,
Aldershot camp. Salamanca barracks (Wellington lines). Jim Armstrong, Greg “Grass” Hooper (2nd Canadian Infantry Division), & the others started training.
Corporal Tip Howardson (son/brother) was checking out the new recruits.
Captain Bywater addressed them also.
Walter Armstrong, Mitch Johnson, & Joe Toupin had joined the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division.
Sunday, Later Mrs. Underwood was hosting: Jim, Greg, Mitch, Scotty & Pete from the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division.
Joan (ATS) & Ethel Underwood (cousin, munitions) showed up also.
Greg & Jim were in the wrong pub at the wrong time.
Court. The Magistrate was asking the questions to the defendants, & the prosecution witnesses.
Case dismissed.
Ethel fell head/heels for Greg.
Bayswater Westminster W. London, England, Beaver Club. Greg had planned the whole outing.
9/13/1940, Civil Defense headquarters. 3 more PPL had been killed by the German Dornier Do 17 bombers.
1941, Major Sandy Pringle (British, Daphne’s husband) asked to Gwen.
Flight Sergeant Carrington (RAF) will instruct Gwen on her job/duty.
Beachy Head radar station. Warrant Officer Irving helped Gwen (WVS) get started.
She is to listen to German VHF voice transmissions & log everything she hears.
Station X was on the air.
8/19/1942, Eastbourne seaside resort/borough county, East Sussex England. Pauline
told Jim she was taking her kids to visit her grandma who was ill.
Jim & Gwen were in love.
Ethel took Jim to see Joan (mother) & Little James “Jimmy” (their son).
5/81945, VE Day.
I do not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing free books from publishers & authors. Therefore, I am under no obligation to write a positive review, only an honest one.
An awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very professionally written Dual timeline romantic War story book. It was extremely easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a huge description list of unique characters, settings, facts etc. to keep track of. This could also make another great romantic War movie, or better yet a mini TV series. There is no doubt in my mind this is an extremely easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free author; Cranbrook Press; Amazon Digital Services LLC.; book.
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
August 12, 2021
I read this novel as part of the Boxset No Woman Is an Island, which I recommend unreservedly.
Clare Flynn is a favourite author of many readers, and although this was the first of her novels I’ve read and reviewed, I am not surprised, as she is a fine writer, who combines a strong sense of place and historical detail (WWII, especially the home front experience in the UK, particularly in Eastbourne, East Sussex, a seaside resort in the South of England that was heavily bombed during the war), with characters who undergo many trials and challenges, remain strongly anchored in the era, and whose innermost thoughts and motivations we get to understand (even when we might have very little in common with them or their opinions and feelings).
The two main protagonists, Gwen and Jim, are totally different: Gwen is an upper-middle class British woman, well-educated, married, who enjoys volunteering and helping out, but whose life is far from fulfilled, as she never had children, her husband spends long periods of time away, and that gets even worse when the war starts. Jim is young Canadian farmer, engaged to be married and happy with his lot when we meet him (although feeling somewhat guilty for not enlisting), whose life takes a sudden turn for the worse, and ends up enlisting and being sent to England. Although, initially their stories only seem to have in common the fact that the action takes place during WWII, most readers will suspect that the characters are meant to meet at some point. I don’t want to spoil the reading experience for anybody, but let’s say both of them meet in Eastbourne in the later part of the war, and they help each other understand their experiences, and be ready for life after the war. Gwen has experienced many losses from a very young age, and has never been encouraged to express herself or talk about her feelings, afraid that her love could be a curse to anybody she met. Jim is presented as kind and patient (sometimes unbelievably so), but despite his good qualities he is betrayed and abandoned repeatedly, and doesn’t trust his own feelings any more. There are many secondary characters that add a touch of realism and variety to the novel (some good, some bad, some mean, some somewhere in-between), and I particularly enjoyed the details about the home front realities during WWII, the tasks women engaged in (Gwen gets to play a bigger part in the war effort than she expected), and the descriptions of Eastbourne, as I lived there for a while and the level of detail made the story feel much closer and realistic.
The story is narrated in the third person, from the points of view of the two main characters, and the author writes beautifully about places and emotions, without getting lost in overdrawn descriptions or sidetracked by titbits of real information. The novel touches on many subjects beyond WWII: there are several love stories, legally sanctioned and not; the nature of family relationships; morality and what was considered ‘proper’ behaviour and the changes those concepts underwent due to the war; women’s work opportunities, their roles, and how they broadened during the war; prejudice and social class; the Canadian contribution to the UK war effort; miscarriages/abortions and their effects on women; childless marriages; the loss of a sibling; was destruction and loss of human lives... Some of them are dealt in more detail than others, but I am sure most readers will find plenty of food for thought in these pages.
Although this is the first novel in a series, I found the ending extremely fitting and satisfying (quite neat, but I’m not complaining)! And, of course, those who want to know more will be happy to hear that there are two more books to deep into as soon as they’ve finished reading this one.
A great option for lovers of historical fiction set during WWII in the UK, particularly those with a keen interest in the home front. A novel that reminded me of Brief Encounter, with some touches of Graham Greene as well. Also recommended to Flynn’s many fans.
Clare Flynn is a favourite author of many readers, and although this was the first of her novels I’ve read and reviewed, I am not surprised, as she is a fine writer, who combines a strong sense of place and historical detail (WWII, especially the home front experience in the UK, particularly in Eastbourne, East Sussex, a seaside resort in the South of England that was heavily bombed during the war), with characters who undergo many trials and challenges, remain strongly anchored in the era, and whose innermost thoughts and motivations we get to understand (even when we might have very little in common with them or their opinions and feelings).
The two main protagonists, Gwen and Jim, are totally different: Gwen is an upper-middle class British woman, well-educated, married, who enjoys volunteering and helping out, but whose life is far from fulfilled, as she never had children, her husband spends long periods of time away, and that gets even worse when the war starts. Jim is young Canadian farmer, engaged to be married and happy with his lot when we meet him (although feeling somewhat guilty for not enlisting), whose life takes a sudden turn for the worse, and ends up enlisting and being sent to England. Although, initially their stories only seem to have in common the fact that the action takes place during WWII, most readers will suspect that the characters are meant to meet at some point. I don’t want to spoil the reading experience for anybody, but let’s say both of them meet in Eastbourne in the later part of the war, and they help each other understand their experiences, and be ready for life after the war. Gwen has experienced many losses from a very young age, and has never been encouraged to express herself or talk about her feelings, afraid that her love could be a curse to anybody she met. Jim is presented as kind and patient (sometimes unbelievably so), but despite his good qualities he is betrayed and abandoned repeatedly, and doesn’t trust his own feelings any more. There are many secondary characters that add a touch of realism and variety to the novel (some good, some bad, some mean, some somewhere in-between), and I particularly enjoyed the details about the home front realities during WWII, the tasks women engaged in (Gwen gets to play a bigger part in the war effort than she expected), and the descriptions of Eastbourne, as I lived there for a while and the level of detail made the story feel much closer and realistic.
The story is narrated in the third person, from the points of view of the two main characters, and the author writes beautifully about places and emotions, without getting lost in overdrawn descriptions or sidetracked by titbits of real information. The novel touches on many subjects beyond WWII: there are several love stories, legally sanctioned and not; the nature of family relationships; morality and what was considered ‘proper’ behaviour and the changes those concepts underwent due to the war; women’s work opportunities, their roles, and how they broadened during the war; prejudice and social class; the Canadian contribution to the UK war effort; miscarriages/abortions and their effects on women; childless marriages; the loss of a sibling; was destruction and loss of human lives... Some of them are dealt in more detail than others, but I am sure most readers will find plenty of food for thought in these pages.
Although this is the first novel in a series, I found the ending extremely fitting and satisfying (quite neat, but I’m not complaining)! And, of course, those who want to know more will be happy to hear that there are two more books to deep into as soon as they’ve finished reading this one.
A great option for lovers of historical fiction set during WWII in the UK, particularly those with a keen interest in the home front. A novel that reminded me of Brief Encounter, with some touches of Graham Greene as well. Also recommended to Flynn’s many fans.
July 13, 2017
A war time set book focusing on relationships and growth in challenging times
This book follows the lives of two disparate souls (both troubled) who live contrasting lives in two very different worlds. Their lives collide and help their psychological growth, changing both of them for ever in the unsettling and dangerous war years . The story begins in 1942 and takes us to the war's conclusion.
Gwen, living in coastal Eastbourne England, is convinced a German invasion and defeat is inevitable as she says farewell to her husband leaving for his war. While in Ontario, Canada, Jim, who, like Gwen, has German blood in his veins, leaves his farm and his homeland, Canada to sign up for war in distant Europe after his marriage hopes and dreams crumble and take a disastrous turn. He arrives with his regiment first to Aldershot and then Eastbourne.
Rationing, the WVS, the sheer scale and ferocity of the bombardment, the way war changes and ruins individuals lives as the impact of the second world war stuns Britain and Europe and the death toll rises are all well described, well researched, movingly documented and feel authentic. I wasn't aware the Canadian army had a presence in Eastbourne over most of the war between 1941 - 1944 until the D Day landings, or how terrible a toll the heavy bombing of Eastbourne invoked in the inhabitants of Eastbourne and how many casualties there were. These aspects of the book were chilling and moving. (No spoilers).
I suppose what floated through my head was a thought that as horrifying as the bombing and loss of life were for Britain, as shocking as it must have been to have lives and limbs torn apart in this war, as tragic as this sum of attack was for Eastbourne, as brave as the Canadian soldiers were in volunteering; signing up for a war far from their shores at great loss of life, as angry as individuals were well portrayed in the book at Hitler unleashing murder and death upon them, there was no mention or understanding seemingly from the average Brit or soldier as to what was happening to the Jews in Europe at the time or comment or knowledge of the holocaust unleashed upon them. Maybe that's how it actually was at the time, (and hindsight is a great thing) but it did cross my mind there was no mention of Jewish refugees or conversations about this aspect of the war. It was striking too how narrow minded people in Gwen s world appeared to be and how women were perceived at the time.
However, despite this vague feeling for me that something was not quite acknowledged, (and there was nothing political about the book) I really did enjoy it. It was a very, very good story, well told, well written, good dialogue, characters that grew and changed and also slowly grew on me as they embarked on their journey and a satisfying ending I enjoyed the book a lot. An easy and enjoyable read.
This book follows the lives of two disparate souls (both troubled) who live contrasting lives in two very different worlds. Their lives collide and help their psychological growth, changing both of them for ever in the unsettling and dangerous war years . The story begins in 1942 and takes us to the war's conclusion.
Gwen, living in coastal Eastbourne England, is convinced a German invasion and defeat is inevitable as she says farewell to her husband leaving for his war. While in Ontario, Canada, Jim, who, like Gwen, has German blood in his veins, leaves his farm and his homeland, Canada to sign up for war in distant Europe after his marriage hopes and dreams crumble and take a disastrous turn. He arrives with his regiment first to Aldershot and then Eastbourne.
Rationing, the WVS, the sheer scale and ferocity of the bombardment, the way war changes and ruins individuals lives as the impact of the second world war stuns Britain and Europe and the death toll rises are all well described, well researched, movingly documented and feel authentic. I wasn't aware the Canadian army had a presence in Eastbourne over most of the war between 1941 - 1944 until the D Day landings, or how terrible a toll the heavy bombing of Eastbourne invoked in the inhabitants of Eastbourne and how many casualties there were. These aspects of the book were chilling and moving. (No spoilers).
I suppose what floated through my head was a thought that as horrifying as the bombing and loss of life were for Britain, as shocking as it must have been to have lives and limbs torn apart in this war, as tragic as this sum of attack was for Eastbourne, as brave as the Canadian soldiers were in volunteering; signing up for a war far from their shores at great loss of life, as angry as individuals were well portrayed in the book at Hitler unleashing murder and death upon them, there was no mention or understanding seemingly from the average Brit or soldier as to what was happening to the Jews in Europe at the time or comment or knowledge of the holocaust unleashed upon them. Maybe that's how it actually was at the time, (and hindsight is a great thing) but it did cross my mind there was no mention of Jewish refugees or conversations about this aspect of the war. It was striking too how narrow minded people in Gwen s world appeared to be and how women were perceived at the time.
However, despite this vague feeling for me that something was not quite acknowledged, (and there was nothing political about the book) I really did enjoy it. It was a very, very good story, well told, well written, good dialogue, characters that grew and changed and also slowly grew on me as they embarked on their journey and a satisfying ending I enjoyed the book a lot. An easy and enjoyable read.
August 17, 2020
1940 and the war is just beginning. In England, Gwen is saying goodbye to her husband, Roger as he leaves for war. She was taught from an early age to keep her emotions to herself so does not like any public display of emotion. Roger has always had an important job in the city while Gwen has tried to fill her days with meaningless things to do. They have no children although she wishes they did. Roger tells her she might not hear from him until the war is over. But she soon finds she has skills that will make her life more useful as the war takes hold.
In Ontario, Jim is wondering whether he should join the war effort or not. He has a fiancee that he loves but when he finds her and his younger brother Walt in the hay loft, he decides he has no option. He leaves without telling anyone.
When his battalion arrives in England he finds his superior is a man who was friends with Walt but he has a chip on his shoulder and finds ways to punish Jim for any little infraction. Jim knows he has no recourse but to just 'soldier on'. Then he discovers Walt has joined the army too and will soon arrive for training at the same location. He is unsure how he should respond now knowing Walt had married his ex-fiancee.
Jim becomes friends with Greg, a fellow officer who persuades him to go to the pub. When they arrive, they make their way into a back room where they meet two young women, Ethel and Joan. Greg falls head over heels with Ethel but Jim finds Joan abrasive. No matter what he says, he seems to put his foot in his mouth.
Jim's battalion finally arrives in the south coastal town where Gwen lives and they meet. He ends up taking over a position she was enjoying, listening in to the airwaves between the German pilots. Both Gwen and Jim speak German. The Germans make frequent flights over to England to drop their bombs and Gwen is busy helping out.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book because it combines a Canadian perspective as well as the English perspective. You are left wanting to learn what happened next.
I was confused though at the beginning when the author described Jim as crushing an 'ear' of wheat between his fingers to determine it's ripeness. I had never heard the term 'ear' of wheat and had to look it up before I found out it is a term common to England. Certainly not one we would use in Canada.
In Ontario, Jim is wondering whether he should join the war effort or not. He has a fiancee that he loves but when he finds her and his younger brother Walt in the hay loft, he decides he has no option. He leaves without telling anyone.
When his battalion arrives in England he finds his superior is a man who was friends with Walt but he has a chip on his shoulder and finds ways to punish Jim for any little infraction. Jim knows he has no recourse but to just 'soldier on'. Then he discovers Walt has joined the army too and will soon arrive for training at the same location. He is unsure how he should respond now knowing Walt had married his ex-fiancee.
Jim becomes friends with Greg, a fellow officer who persuades him to go to the pub. When they arrive, they make their way into a back room where they meet two young women, Ethel and Joan. Greg falls head over heels with Ethel but Jim finds Joan abrasive. No matter what he says, he seems to put his foot in his mouth.
Jim's battalion finally arrives in the south coastal town where Gwen lives and they meet. He ends up taking over a position she was enjoying, listening in to the airwaves between the German pilots. Both Gwen and Jim speak German. The Germans make frequent flights over to England to drop their bombs and Gwen is busy helping out.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book because it combines a Canadian perspective as well as the English perspective. You are left wanting to learn what happened next.
I was confused though at the beginning when the author described Jim as crushing an 'ear' of wheat between his fingers to determine it's ripeness. I had never heard the term 'ear' of wheat and had to look it up before I found out it is a term common to England. Certainly not one we would use in Canada.
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