For American Claire Stewart, joining the French Resistance sounded as romantic as the storylines she hopes will one day grace the novels she wants to write. But when she finds herself stranded on English shores, with five French Jewish children she smuggled across the channel before Nazis stormed Paris, reality feels more akin to fear.
With nowhere to go, Claire throws herself on the mercy of an estranged aunt, begging Lady Miranda Langford to take the children into her magnificent estate. Heavily weighted with grief of her own, Miranda reluctantly agrees . . . if Claire will stay to help. Though desperate to return to France and the man she loves, Claire has few options. But her tumultuous upbringing―spent in the refuge of novels with fictional friends―has ill-prepared her for the daily dramas of raising children, or for the way David Campbell, a fellow American boarder, challenges her notions of love. Nor could she foresee how the tentacles of war will invade their quiet haven, threatening all who have come to call Bluebell Wood home and risking the only family she’s ever known.
Set in England’s lush and storied Lake District in the early days of World War II, and featuring cameos from beloved literary icons Beatrix Potter and C. S. Lewis, Until We Find Home is an unforgettable portrait of life on the British home front, challenging us to remember that bravery and family come in many forms.
Gohlke’s Until We Find Home is a sweet, sweeping saga about the seemingly ordinary lives changed by displaced children during World War II. I hadn’t thought much about how taking in foreign children might change the dynamics of a household, only about the effects it might have on the children themselves; being away from their families, perhaps living in a foreign country, it felt quite traumatic for a child, but I never considered it from the other angle. How difficult it must have been to care for and connect with children whom you might not even be able to speak to! I don’t mean emotionally, although I’m sure that could be difficult, but I mean logistically. Supplies were rationed, food was short, people were without their normal resources, and here were more children in need of attention – how did everyone make all of that work? It’s baffling to me, and so Gohlke’s insight into the potential issues that might arise was fascinating.
There were many other things to love about this story. I loved the touch of whimsy with the castle-like estate and the garden details that were written into the story. The setting was described well, and I liked the role that this played into the action of the story. Even the role of Aunt Miranda, as an American living s a somewhat outcast in England, was touching to me. It was easy to relate to her situation as I’ve often felt that way myself after moving away from home.
Until We Find Home reads somewhat differently than many other novels written today; it covers a time period of several years and isn’t about a single incident. Instead, it’s more about a spiritual journey on which Claire unknowingly embarks, and so the story continues until that has been completed. The ending is somewhat abrupt, all told, but the expanse of the story reminded me of a Danielle Steele novel I read long ago. With its broad cast of characters, changing scenery, and high emotional impact, Gohlke will draw you right into the pages of Until We Find Home.
I received a free copy of this book from LitFuse Publicity. All opinions are my own.
