Book review of Until We Can Forgive by Rosemary Goodacre

Until We Can Forgive by Rosemary Goodacre

Until We Can Forgive

They survived the Great War, but will life ever be the same?

Spring 1919: WW1 is over and a fragile peace has descended over the country. Now living in Cambridge with husband Edmond, Amy Derwent is settling into her new life as wife and mother to little Beth. But the shadow of the Great War looms large, particularly as the injuries Edmond sustained at Ypres still take their toll on him today.

Edmond’s cousin, Vicky, has now grown into a fine young woman, eager to help her country. Throwing off her privileged background to train as a nurse, she spends her days tending to the many soldiers still suffering the after-effects of their time on the battlefield.

Meeting Maxim Duclos, a young Frenchman who has arrived in Larchbury, fills her heart with joy - but when it is discovered that Maxim may be hiding the truth about his past, Vicky is faced with an impossible choice. Follow her heart’s desire and risk her family’s disapproval or keep her family – but deny herself the chance of true love?

The war may be over, but Edmond, Amy and Vicky must all face a new battle, finding their own peace in a country wounded by loss.

Until We Can Forgive by Rosemary Goodacre

My review

Until We Can Forgive, the third book in the Derwent Chronicles trilogy, follows straight on from Until The War is Over, and we are back with Amy, Edmond and their daughter Beth who are settling into life in Cambridge. Edmond is at university, studying for his future, despite still recovering from his injuries sustained in Ypres, while Amy is delighted her little family are finally able to be together. 

The gentle language of this book perfectly fits with the period it is written about, portraying life in Britain as it enters the 1920’s. The war is over, but things will never be the same as they were before and lots of young men are still commissioned, working away in France or Germany. Back in Larchbury, where Edmond and Beth grew up, many families are grieving the loss of a son and there is divided opinion on the Germans. While some feel there needs to be peace between nations, others can’t bring themselves to forgive and foreigners are treated with suspicion. When a young French chef arrives, his accent and foreign ways make some uneasy, but with a few friends and a growing fondness for Edmond’s cousin Vicky, he does his best to settle in, until a scandal about his past comes to light. The villagers are quick to decide his fate, jumping to their own conclusions with little understanding of the facts.

The young people we have been following throughout the trilogy are doing their best to settle into the new period. There are weddings, babies and choices to be made that pre-war would have been unthinkable. Daughters falling in love and being determined to follow their heart rather than the social protocol they have been brought up with. Married women who have experienced the independence of working, now wanting more than just being a housewife and mother. It is not always easy for the older generation to understand.

Their war is over, but they still find themselves in difficult situations, facing loss, grief and tough decisions. I really enjoyed getting a glimpse into life at this time as we followed their journeys, including an emotional visit to a cemetery in France.

If you enjoy historical fiction, do give this trilogy a go.

You can read my reviews of books one and two here:

Until We Meet Again

Until the War is Over

 

Purchase Links

 

AMZ 

Kobo 

Rosemary Goodacre

Author Bio 

Rosemary Goodacre is thrilled to have a three book deal with Hera Books. Her World War I romance Until We Meet Again will be released on 31/10/19. Her heroine, Amy, faces many challenges as she works as a nurse and struggles to spend time with Edmond, her sweetheart.
Previously Rosemary has had a novella published, entitled A Fortnight is not Enough, and a science fiction story in the anthology Telescoping Time.
Rosemary has always loved languages and travel, mainly in Europe. In her spare time she enjoys country walking, bridge and classical music. She lives in Kent, England.

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