Love Letters in the Sand

July 1, 2015

British author Francis's multiple sagas (Memories Are Made of This; It Had To Be You) taking place in Liverpool are popular in England but less well known in the United States. In her most recent offering set in 1958, older teen Irene is feeling adrift. She loves her job as a nursery teacher to orphans, isn't sure about what the future holds, and desires new challenges. Irene's friend Peggy is also struggling with her future, as her long-term secret fiance Pete is a Protestant, and she knows their marriage will be vehemently opposed by her Catholic family. The city of Liverpool is powerfully evoked, portraying a connected community going through changes and modernization. This novel has a large cast of characters with tangled affairs, and the changing viewpoints can be confusing. On the positive side it grapples with questions of religion, prejudice, family, and identity. The story starts with the tragedy of Irene's stepfather's death, navigates through secrets both hidden and revealed, and ends in a satisfyingly tied-up romance. VERDICT A light read that will appeal to nostalgic readers interested in the 1950s, especially those who are knowledgeable about or interested in the city of Liverpool.--Jan Marry, Williamsburg Regional Lib., VA

Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2015
The latest novel from historical-romance author Francis (It's Now or Never, 2014) takes readers back to post-WWII Liverpool. Irene Miller lives at home with her mother and brother after her near drowning, which cost her stepfather his life. Irene's friend Peggy is in love, but her boyfriend is Protestant and will not be accepted by her Catholic father. As Peggy works to keep her relationship secret, Irene falls for Peggy's older brother, Marty. Yet their connection is doomed from the start because Marty is married, however unhappily. Peggy ends up in the middle of a vicious fight between her boyfriend and her father and decides to run away from her problems. Meanwhile, Irene loses her job, and her family makes decisions which take them away from town, leaving her completely alone. With an offer to work in America, Irene also decides to start anew. But with their families and emotional attachments left behind, can Irene and Peggy stay away, or will they follow their hearts back to Liverpool? Francis aptly captures post-war life in this layered love story.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)