During the onset of WWII, countries were almost asked to chose a side. Either on the side of the Axis powers or the Allies, for the small country of Ireland, they choose neither, to remain completely neutral since they didn't have enough military might to join either cause and neither did they have the resources to defend themselves. If you should find yourself unexpectedly in the country, if you remained close to the Northern border, you were allowed to cross and no one would try to stop you, however if you were caught in the middle or southern borders, all service personnel on either side would be held in respectable internment camps until the war was over. There would be no negotiations from their country to get them back into the war.
So when RAF pilot Dutch Whitney found himself in the bogs of Ireland after his plane crashed, his concern was initially where in Ireland was he, and how could he get back to his crew in London again. He wasn't even certain if any of the men he told to jump even made it and he had no clue where to begin looking for them. All he understood is that he had to get away from the crash site before anyone came looking for him. He managed to make his way to the doorstep of Irish midwife Nan O'Neil and she knew without a doubt the choices she had to make. Knowing she simply couldn't turn him in initially, not when he needed medical help, she had hoped she could doctor him up and point him to the way home before anyone in her city of County Clare discovered him. Not only would it be dangerous for him, but hiding a pilot could land her in jail.
Knowing she must keep things as normal as possible while still trying to care for Dutch, she has ton negotiate a persistent man, Finn, who believes if he can find this missing pilot, he will be in a much better position to be head of the Garda, in Ireland and then gain a respect within the community he struggles to find now. All he knows is Nan is the only woman for him, because not only is she single, beautiful but she also possesses nursing skills that would enable her to care for his aging mother. Now all he has to do is convince her that they would make a suitable couple.
I received Grounded Hearts by Jeanne M. Dickson compliments of Litfuse Publicity and Waterfall Press. In accordance with the new FTC Guidelines for blogging and endorsements, you should assume that every book reviewed here at Reviews From The Heart was provided to the reviewer by the publisher, media group or the author for free and were received, unless specified otherwise. Being a huge fan of anything to do with WWI or WWII, I immediately felt a connection to Nan's character. Not only is the position she finds herself in the midst of compromising, she follows her heart to care for a man, no matter which side of the war he is on. It conveys the difficulty of any country that tries to remain neutral in a war which is happening all around you , not knowing if you might find yourself being pressured to make a decision to choose sides or face a hostile takeover of your own country. I love Nan's cat, Mr. Dee, who finds an unlikely partner in the war effort every time Finn comes knocking and I love how this all ended. Not as you might think but I'll leave it there for those that want to read this amazing novel. For me, hands down earned itself a 5 out of 5 stars for keeping me up well past my bedtime so I can finish it.
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What do you get when you mix World War II, a brave midwife, a wounded pilot, and a risky secret? Jeanne M. Dickson's new historical fiction novel, Grounded Hearts. When midwife Nan O'Neil finds a wounded young Canadian pilot at her door, she knows she's taking a huge risk by letting him in. Still, something compels Nan to take in "flyboy" Dutch Whitney, an RAF pilot whose bomber has just crashed over County Clare. While she tends to his wounds and gives him a secret place of refuge, the two begin to form a mutual affection-and an unbreakable bond.
Join Jeanne in celebrating the release of her new book by entering to win the Celtic Knots Giveaway!
One grand prize winner will receive:
- A copy of Grounded Hearts
- A Claddagh bracelet
- A Claddagh jewelry box
Enter today by clicking the icon below, but hurry! The giveaway ends on July 31. The winner will be announced August 1 on the Litfuse blog.
