When Valley's Bloom Again

As war approaches in 1939, Abby Stapleton’s safety is under threat. Her father, a British diplomat, insists she go back to America until the danger passes. Abby vows to return to her home in London—but where is home? With her family facing mortal danger so far away and feeling herself isolated, she finds it hard to pray or read the Bible. Did she leave God behind in war-torn London too? Abby becomes friendly with Jim, a gardener on her uncle’s estate.

Jim can’t get Abby out of his mind. Did she have a sweetheart in England? Was it foolish to think she’d consider him? He curses his poverty and the disgrace of his father’s desertion and drunkenness haunts him. Can he learn to believe in love for a lifetime and to hope for a happy marriage?

Abby couldn’t know the war would last a long time, nor that she would fall in love with Jim—soon to be drafted by the US Army—or that she’d have to confront Henri, a rejected suitor, determined by his lies to ruin her reputation and destroy her faith in God’s providence. Will she discover the true meaning of home and find happiness with Jim?

My thoughts: I enjoyed Abby's story and how it spans over the course of the World War II. I can only imagine how it would feel to be sent away by your parents to keep you safe. It would be hard to be separated and learn to live in another country! Especially when your country is seeing so much change and suffering under heavy fire. 

A lot of the WWII stories that I read are just set in a small part of the war, so I liked that this one is different and follows the characters over a longer time frame. This is an enjoyable historical read!

I received this book through Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review.

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