The Lieutenant's Girl by Shari J. Ryan

I'm so excited to be a part of another blog tour this week, this time for The Lieutenant's Girl by Shari J. Ryan.  I've read a fair number of books lately, mostly YA and mysteries, but my heart still belongs to historical fiction, especially World War 2 stories.  And this book was just what I needed!

About The Lieutenant's Girl:

Pearl Harbor, 1941. War planes hurtle across the horizon, skimming the clouds. Gunpowder fills the air as the earth shatters. Everett’s hands cup my cheeks. “If I lose you, Elizabeth, please know that the time I’ve spent with you has been worth every second I’ve been alive.”

On the fateful day that sirens rend the air and warplanes fly over the harbor, Elizabeth and Everett had sneaked away to whisper sweet nothings to each other. As bombs rain down, they cling to each other, the ground shaking and smoke suffocating them. Miraculously, they survive—but their world is ripped apart. The beautiful island, where the turquoise ocean once lapped the golden sand, is destroyed.

Over a sweltering summer, the couple had fallen madly in love. Elizabeth was in awe of Everett’s sacrifices for the Air Force, and Everett adored strong-willed Elizabeth, a Jewish girl who defied her father’s wishes for a sheltered life by training to be a nurse.

But tragedy changes everything. Although they are hopelessly devoted to one another, they vow to serve their country. Elizabeth joins the Army Nurse Corps in Europe and Everett flies across the world chasing down the enemy. With a tearful goodbye, they promise to write.

When Everett’s letters stop arriving, heartbroken Elizabeth fears the worst. Will she ever see the love of her life again? And what chance does she have of surviving Europe, where Hitler’s tyrannical rule places her in grave danger?

My Thoughts:

Now since it is absolutely not a secret that I love historical fiction, it shouldn't come as a surprise that I loved The Lieutenant's Girl. The dual timeline features present day elderly Elizabeth telling her story in recollections to her grandson in law--how she met Everett, saw the bombings at Pearl Harbor, joined the Army Nurse Corps, and eventually posted to Europe.  As the reader follows along with her story, the horrors of the war are mixed with her devotion to Everett who is also sent to Europe, leaving one wondering if they will meet again.

I really enjoyed the dual timeline being past and present Elizabeth telling her own story. There was something quite touching about the elderly woman sharing her thoughts with the grandson in law she can't quite place but feels the need to tell him anyhow.

Author Biography:

Shari J. Ryan is a USA Today Bestselling Author of Women’s Fiction, WWII Fiction, and 20th Century Historical Fiction with a focus on the Holocaust and Pearl Harbor.

Shortly after graduation from Johnson & Wales with a bachelor’s degree in marketing, Shari began her career as a graphic artist and freelance writer. She then found her passion for writing books in 2012 after her second son was born. Shari has been slaying words ever since.

With two Rone Awards and over 125k books sold, Shari has hit the USA Today Bestseller List, the Amazon's Top 100, Barnes & Noble's Top Ten, and iBooks at number one. Some of Shari’s bestselling books include Last Words, The Other Blue Sky, Unspoken Words and A Heart of Time.

Shari, a lifelong Boston girl, is happily married to her personal hero and US Marine and have two wonderful little boys. For more details about her books, visit www.sharijryan.com.

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