A forbidden wartime romance begins just as German planes fill the skies over London in 1940. A playful and heartfelt read perfect for fans of Dear. Mrs. Bird, The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir, and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.

When Maisie Beckett steps into her brother’s struggling London hobby shop during wartime, she’s confronted with two harsh realities: the looming threat of a Nazi invasion and the shop’s dire financial situation. Determined to prove herself to her parents and keep the shop afloat, Maisie moonlights as a pinup photographer, covertly boosting the shop’s earnings. In the midst of London’s nightly bombings, Maisie finds herself irresistibly drawn to the shop’s co-owner, Cal Woodbury, captivated by his quick wit and bashful smile—and his mysterious secret.

But Cal made a promise to his best friend and business partner, Roy—a promise that he would never pursue a romantic relationship with Maisie, Roy’s sweet and beautiful sister. As the German bombs rain down upon London, and as Cal’s bond with Maisie deepens, he discovers that some promises are impossible to keep. When Roy deserts the Navy and unexpectedly appears at Cal’s doorstep, Cal is forced to choose between his loyal friend and the woman he’s falling for.

While London goes to war around them, Maisie and Cal face their own battle—finding their courage and recognizing their worth.

Excerpt

“He kissed you!”

“Nora,” I warned, putting a finger to my lips as Mrs. Martin was in the kitchen nearby.

“Sorry,” Nora whispered, barely tamping down her giddiness. “What kind of kiss was it? Was it a peck or a proper grown-up kiss?”

“I’m not telling you that.” I adjusted my sitting position on the couch in the living room and smirked at Nora. “Especially when you’re not telling me what happened last night with you and Jack. The song ended and you were gone!”

The corner of Nora’s mouth curled up and her eyes appeared even more cat-like than usual. “I told you, we went for a walk—”

“In the dark,” I added.

“—and we took a wrong turn and ended up having to spend the night at the Blackfriars underground station shelter.”

“And how was that?”

“The shelter? Rotten. The bombs overhead? Loud.”

I narrowed my eyes at her. “And you didn’t do any canoodling of your own?”

Nora pursed her lips. “We’re talking about you right now, not me.”

Sighing, I considered how much to share. “It was quite nice.”

She nodded in silent understanding and picked up her knitting from her lap.

Nora didn’t need to know how that passionate kiss made my entire body burn.

“When are you seeing him again? Outside of the shop, I mean.”

“That’s the thing,” I said, frowning. “He didn’t suggest we go on a date at all. We said goodnight and parted ways.”

I didn’t know if it was his shyness or if it was something else that stopped him.

Nora put her knitting down again and tented her fingers like some sort of professor, specializing in the mysteries of men. “I wonder if you should ask him instead of waiting for him to ask.”

I scoffed. “Don’t be absurd.”

“I’m not being absurd at all! It’s 1940, after all. Women are running the world while the boys are away.” She shrugged. “It’s a whole new dynamic.”

I sighed and watched the rain hitting the windows behind the couch.

“Cal obviously adores you.” She tapped a knitting needle against her cheek. “Is there a chance your brother told him he wasn’t allowed to date you?”

“Almost certainly,” I said. “However, Roy is missing so he wouldn’t even know about it anyway.”

But I knew Nora could be correct. Maybe Cal was just holding on to a promise from my needlessly overprotective brother.

I needed to know.

Buy on Amazon

About the Author

Jillianne Hamilton writes delightful historical fiction and historical romance novels featuring rebellious ladies and happy endings. Her stories feature feisty female protagonists and plenty of sass and wit, using the past as an exciting backdrop. Her debut novel was shortlisted for the 2016 PEI Book Award and her debut historical fiction novel, The Spirited Mrs. Pringle, was longlisted for the 2022 Historical Fiction Company Book Award.

She lives in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island on Canada’s beautiful east coast. She is a member of the Paper Lanterns Writers author collective.