|| 3 ⭐️ ||

I was intrigued by the premise of this novel—books set in WWII itself are very common, but what is it like for a soldier coming home to his family after the war and readjusting to regular life and society? Most books end just before that point, but this story gives us a glimpse into what that must have been like; not only for the soldier himself as he navigates flashbacks and PTSD, but also for his wife and young child who have been eagerly waiting for his return. I loved Sam and his fierce desire to protect “his girls” even as he wrestled through his horrific memories.

Interestingly, this book also took an unexpected turn into the thriller realm. The twists near the end got pretty wild. I can enjoy a good thriller, but in this case I just wanted more of Sam, Annie and Rosie and less of all the other characters and sub-plots. Maybe that would’ve made the plot too boring, but I don’t think I would’ve minded. 

|| Content warnings ||

War flashbacks, alcoholism, drug addiction