Not only did I really enjoy this book, it was the last one I needed to meet my goal. Thanks, Kristina McMorris, for helping a girl out.
It’s 1941, and Maddie is in love. He’s not just any boy– he’s Lane, her brother TJ’s best friend. Maddie and Lane secretly elope, and all is bliss until the next morning: Pearl Harbor has been bombed. Lane Moritomo, second generation Japanese American, is now the enemy.
Lane’s father is taken away, and his family is kicked out of their house. TJ is furious with Maddie. And still the couple remains. Although Lane tries to divorce Maddie so that she can live freely, she won’t let him. Instead, she follows his family to the work camp and lives with them there. She does her best to befriend Lane’s stubborn mother and take care of his sister Emma.
When he’s able, Lane enlists in the army. TJ has also joined up. Life for Maddie is a waiting game, hoping to hear from both her brother and her husband, and wishing that they can come home.
This is a heck of a novel. The characters are likable, and often relatable. As the reader, you root for them and hope that Maddie and Lane can be together. You want TJ to come home safe. The story tugs at your heart. We all know love and loss to varying degrees, and all you want is a happy ending for everyone.
I always mention that I love historical fiction, and it’s still true here. Not only that, but it has to do with Japanese history. I had family who lived in the work camps during this time period, which makes it that much more engaging. Even if the story is fictional, the events are not.
Kristina McMorris is amazing. I recommend all of her books. I’ve read three this year, and whatever I don’t have, I’m buying soon. Check her out here.
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