About the Book:
America is not yet at war, but the country is preparing for it. And it is essential that this remain secret.
June 1941: Ruth Corey is puzzled by the attractive, enigmatic Italian-American civilian contractor, Frank Long, who is staying at her family’s hotel in Irvinestown, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. Serious and reserved, he is nothing like the friendly, outgoing British and Canadian servicemen she knows. Nor, she discovers, does he even use his real surname.
War is a time of alliances and secrets. The biggest secret in the county is the construction of an American flying boat base outside Irvinestown. Since their country is not at war, the American contractors must conceal the building project. America’s neutrality will be destroyed if Germany discovers its existence.
Ambitious local reporter, and Ruth’s almost fiancé, Harry Coalter is consumed with curiosity about the new American airbase. But why? When Ruth finds a letter Harry has written about the flying boat base she fears he is pursuing a path that will land him in serious trouble. She enlists Frank’s help to stop Harry from making a terrible mistake.
Can Ruth safeguard a military secret that will have a profound impact on the course of the war and protect her beau?
A tale for fans of Annie Murray, Ellie Dean and Margaret Dickinson.
The Yankee Years series: During the Second World War Northern Ireland hosted American, British and Canadian troops. County Fermanagh welcomed Air Force squadrons hunting U-boats and defending shipping convoys in the Atlantic Ocean and Army battalions training and preparing for deployment to Europe’s Western Front. After the Allied troops arrived, life would never be the same again. The Yankee Years novels and Short Reads weave thrilling and romantic tales of the people and the era.
Amazon
Review:
In the midst of World War II, Ruth Corey works diligently at her family hotel in Northern Ireland. Some excitement enters her life as a few Yankees come to town for a construction project. One of the Yankees, an Italian-American named Frank Longo stays at the Corey hotel. News of the project quickly spreads around the small Irish town and Ruth finds out that Frank is working on building an American air base in Ireland. However, American has not entered the war yet and the base must be kept a secret. When Ruth's boyfriend, Harry finds out about the base, he wants to write about it for his newspaper. Ruth is afraid for Harry since he is giving away war secrets and she goes to Frank for help; but, trying to help Harry might bring more harm then good between them.
This was an interesting and fast read that gave a different perspective during World War II. It was intriguing for me to hear about the United States involvement before they even entered the war and the view of the Irish as to what was going on with both sides. I felt an instant connection with Ruth's character right away, which is great for a shorter book. Ruth is caring, intelligent and determined to do the right thing. I liked that the potential romance with Frank wasn't the focal point of the story and that the plot really revolved around the plot to expose the American's base in Ireland. Overall, a fascinating short story for World War II fans that has a unique point of view.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
America is not yet at war, but the country is preparing for it. And it is essential that this remain secret.
June 1941: Ruth Corey is puzzled by the attractive, enigmatic Italian-American civilian contractor, Frank Long, who is staying at her family’s hotel in Irvinestown, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. Serious and reserved, he is nothing like the friendly, outgoing British and Canadian servicemen she knows. Nor, she discovers, does he even use his real surname.
War is a time of alliances and secrets. The biggest secret in the county is the construction of an American flying boat base outside Irvinestown. Since their country is not at war, the American contractors must conceal the building project. America’s neutrality will be destroyed if Germany discovers its existence.
Ambitious local reporter, and Ruth’s almost fiancé, Harry Coalter is consumed with curiosity about the new American airbase. But why? When Ruth finds a letter Harry has written about the flying boat base she fears he is pursuing a path that will land him in serious trouble. She enlists Frank’s help to stop Harry from making a terrible mistake.
Can Ruth safeguard a military secret that will have a profound impact on the course of the war and protect her beau?
A tale for fans of Annie Murray, Ellie Dean and Margaret Dickinson.
The Yankee Years series: During the Second World War Northern Ireland hosted American, British and Canadian troops. County Fermanagh welcomed Air Force squadrons hunting U-boats and defending shipping convoys in the Atlantic Ocean and Army battalions training and preparing for deployment to Europe’s Western Front. After the Allied troops arrived, life would never be the same again. The Yankee Years novels and Short Reads weave thrilling and romantic tales of the people and the era.
Amazon
Review:
In the midst of World War II, Ruth Corey works diligently at her family hotel in Northern Ireland. Some excitement enters her life as a few Yankees come to town for a construction project. One of the Yankees, an Italian-American named Frank Longo stays at the Corey hotel. News of the project quickly spreads around the small Irish town and Ruth finds out that Frank is working on building an American air base in Ireland. However, American has not entered the war yet and the base must be kept a secret. When Ruth's boyfriend, Harry finds out about the base, he wants to write about it for his newspaper. Ruth is afraid for Harry since he is giving away war secrets and she goes to Frank for help; but, trying to help Harry might bring more harm then good between them.
This was an interesting and fast read that gave a different perspective during World War II. It was intriguing for me to hear about the United States involvement before they even entered the war and the view of the Irish as to what was going on with both sides. I felt an instant connection with Ruth's character right away, which is great for a shorter book. Ruth is caring, intelligent and determined to do the right thing. I liked that the potential romance with Frank wasn't the focal point of the story and that the plot really revolved around the plot to expose the American's base in Ireland. Overall, a fascinating short story for World War II fans that has a unique point of view.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
About the Author:
Dianne Ascroft is a Canadian writer living in Britain. Since moving to Britain in 1990 she has lived in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
She writes both fiction and non-fiction and her fiction often has Irish connections. Her articles and short stories have been printed in Canadian and Irish magazines and regional newspapers including the Toronto Star, Ireland’s Own, Senior Times, Celtic Connection and Irish Connections Canada.
She is co-editor and a regular contributor to The Fermanagh Miscellany, the Fermanagh Authors’ Association’s yearly anthology and she also contributes material to other local history and writers’ anthologies.
Dianne is a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors, Historical Novel Society, Writers Abroad, Fermanagh Authors’ Association and Fermanagh Writers.
Dianne started life in a quiet residential neighbourhood in the buzzing city of Toronto and has progressively moved to smaller places through the years. She now lives on a small farm in Northern Ireland with her husband and an assortment of strong willed animals. If she ever decides to write her autobiography the working title will be ‘Downsizing’.
For more information please visit Dianne’s website. You can also find her on her Blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.
Dianne Ascroft is a Canadian writer living in Britain. Since moving to Britain in 1990 she has lived in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
She writes both fiction and non-fiction and her fiction often has Irish connections. Her articles and short stories have been printed in Canadian and Irish magazines and regional newspapers including the Toronto Star, Ireland’s Own, Senior Times, Celtic Connection and Irish Connections Canada.
She is co-editor and a regular contributor to The Fermanagh Miscellany, the Fermanagh Authors’ Association’s yearly anthology and she also contributes material to other local history and writers’ anthologies.
Dianne is a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors, Historical Novel Society, Writers Abroad, Fermanagh Authors’ Association and Fermanagh Writers.
Dianne started life in a quiet residential neighbourhood in the buzzing city of Toronto and has progressively moved to smaller places through the years. She now lives on a small farm in Northern Ireland with her husband and an assortment of strong willed animals. If she ever decides to write her autobiography the working title will be ‘Downsizing’.
For more information please visit Dianne’s website. You can also find her on her Blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.
RSS Feed
