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A review by amandasbookreview
The Light Over London by Julia Kelly
4.0
Good heavens. I am back! I was lost in this World War II historical fiction. The Light Over London by Julia Kelly begins with Cara, a freshly divorced woman who has secluded herself from society because of her broken heart. She helps appraise antiques and during one of her jobs, she discovers a diary from World War II written by a woman named Louise Keene. Cara is determined to return the diary to its family but she must solve the mystery of Louise. Who is she and where did she end up after the war? Cara sparks a friendship and budding attraction with her neighbor Liam as they search for answers. Cara’s grandmother also fought in the war but has never been able to talk about it, leaving the family with many secrets. Cara hopes that solving this mystery will also bridge the gap between her and her grandmother.
When it comes to the historical fiction genre, World War II-themed stories definitely dominate it. There are so many to choose from and all of them are beautiful and heartbreaking, but as I mentioned, there are so many. Sometimes it can be difficult to stand out. This book definitely stood out for me. The author weaves 3 main storylines together, flawlessly. I loved learning about the gunner girls, how amazing they were but how much they had to endure because they were women in war. God, the main characters are unbelievable! I loved them all- Especially, Liam! He is on that list of fictional characters I would marry because he is perfect. Louise and Cara are separated by generations but still have so much in common. They are both stronger than they think. The book dives into friendship, betrayal, and love. There are some moments when the pacing slows, especially before Louise joins the war effort.
However, it does have wonderful historical detail, but because it is WWII, it is also heartbreaking. There is one quote that made me choke back tears.
“Her commanding officer lifted her eyes to meet Louise’s. “That was a block of flats. We passed it on the way in.”
“I know,” said Louise, forcing down the bile rising in her throat.
“There were children playing outside.”
“I know.”
THE LIGHT OVER LONDON, PAGE 156
It shows how devastating the bombings were in London. How lives changed in an instant.
This book is a quick read, I read it in just a few hours, but it was phenomenal none-the-less. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.
Thank you, Goodreads, Simon and Schuster, and Julia Kelly for a copy of this book!
When it comes to the historical fiction genre, World War II-themed stories definitely dominate it. There are so many to choose from and all of them are beautiful and heartbreaking, but as I mentioned, there are so many. Sometimes it can be difficult to stand out. This book definitely stood out for me. The author weaves 3 main storylines together, flawlessly. I loved learning about the gunner girls, how amazing they were but how much they had to endure because they were women in war. God, the main characters are unbelievable! I loved them all- Especially, Liam! He is on that list of fictional characters I would marry because he is perfect. Louise and Cara are separated by generations but still have so much in common. They are both stronger than they think. The book dives into friendship, betrayal, and love. There are some moments when the pacing slows, especially before Louise joins the war effort.
However, it does have wonderful historical detail, but because it is WWII, it is also heartbreaking. There is one quote that made me choke back tears.
“Her commanding officer lifted her eyes to meet Louise’s. “That was a block of flats. We passed it on the way in.”
“I know,” said Louise, forcing down the bile rising in her throat.
“There were children playing outside.”
“I know.”
THE LIGHT OVER LONDON, PAGE 156
It shows how devastating the bombings were in London. How lives changed in an instant.
This book is a quick read, I read it in just a few hours, but it was phenomenal none-the-less. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.
Thank you, Goodreads, Simon and Schuster, and Julia Kelly for a copy of this book!