Fields of Battle

FIELDS OF BATTLE is the story of Rilla, a young, lower-class working girl, and Barnaby Wainright, the second son of a family of landed gentry. They meet just as WWII is breaking out in England, and almost against Barney's will, he's forming a relationship with Rilla, who is sweet, rather shy and naive. They are married in December of 1939 and their story covers the war years. I don't want to write much about the plot because that would provide too many spoilers. This is a well written, involving story, with a strong flavor of realism (in other words, the reader gets the sense that these characters could have actually existed). It's not always 'just a romance'. Barney's war service is exciting and tense, and in some ways, these chapters are the best part of the book. The war years and various tragedies form Rilla into a determined and brave woman, and Barney loses his superficiality and arrogance. I thought the author did a superb job with these characters, and also in pulling all the threads together and giving the reader a strong, believable ending. A very good read, and I recommend it highly. I honestly had a hard time putting it down.