Letters Across the Sea

Category: Book
By (author): Graham, Genevieve
Subject:  FICTION / Canadian
  FICTION / General
  FICTION / Romance / Historical / 20th Century
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Published: April 2021
Format: Book-paperback
Pages: 484
Size: 9.25in x 6.12in
Our Price:
$ 24.99
Availability:
Available to order

Additional Notes

From The Publisher*Inspired by a little-known chapter of World War II history, a young Protestant girl and her Jewish neighbour are caught up in the terrible wave of hate sweeping the globe on the eve of war in this powerful love story from the #1 bestselling author of The Forgotten Home Child.

I'm writing to say goodbye…
With all my love,
M

Summer 1933

At eighteen, Molly Ryan feels as though she is always looking for work to help her family through the Great Depression crippling her city. The one bright spot in her life is playing baseball with her best friend, Hannah Dreyfus, and sneaking glances at Hannah's handsome older brother, Max. Molly knows that her Irish Protestant parents disapprove of her spending so much time with their Jewish neighbours, and she also sees the signs that say "No Jews Allowed" outside Toronto's stores and parks. But unlike many of the city's residents, Molly doesn't blame Hannah and Max for the mass unemployment and unrest-they're her beloved childhood friends.

As more of Hitler's hateful ideas cross the sea, tensions between the two families and their communities rise, spilling over one smouldering day in August when a local "Swastika Club" unfurls a huge white banner bearing the Nazi symbol at a baseball game. A riot erupts, throwing Molly and Max together and sparking a secret they must keep from everyone they love.

When Max enlists to fight overseas, their love is put to the ultimate test, the letters between them a tenuous bond. By war's end, both of their families will be scarred by painful betrayal as devastating truths come to light.

Perfect for readers of The Daughter's Tale and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Letters Across the Sea is a poignant novel about the enduring power of love to cross dangerous divides even in the darkest of times.
Review Quote*Praise for The Forgotten Home Child
Review Quote*"If there's one thing that defines The Forgotten Home Child, it's the essence of the past. In these pages, one family discovers the truth about their personal history and realizes that while our pasts are imperfect and multi-faceted, and can bind us or set us free, in the end, they inform our identity. Genevieve Graham captures the reader's attention from the beginning in this exquisite journey to the heart of what makes us human."
- ARMANDO LUCAS CORREA, bestselling author of The German Girl and The Daughter's Tale
Review Quote*"Drawing on a dark, yet little-known chapter in Canada's history, Graham paints a searing portrait of a childhood shattered by isolation and brutality. I was profoundly moved by this tale of courage, fortitude, and the heart's ability to open again in the wake of great injustice. The Forgotten Home Child is a powerful and engrossing read, brimming on every page with both heartbreak and hope."
- ROXANNE VELETZOS, bestselling author of The Girl They Left Behind
Review Quote*"Another gem from one of my favourite historical fiction authors! Graham reveals our past-both the shame and the hope of it-in the truest possible light. In doing so, she offers promise that the future can be changed by the telling of such important stories. This novel is heartbreaking yet romantic, distressing yet charming-and perfect for fans of Joanna Goodman and Jennifer Robson!"
- MARISSA STAPLEY, bestselling author of The Last Resort
Review Quote*"The Forgotten Home Child is a poignant, edgy, and skillfully written portrayal of a home child's experience that typified so many. The absence of any sugar coating makes this story come to life and brings a level of reality that is often lacking-an emotional journey well worth reading."
- LORI OSCHEFSKI, CEO of the British Home Children Advocacy and Research Association
Review Quote*"Brings alive in the imagination the lives of what were once called Barnardo children-kids who came from England to Canada to be adopted into families here. While historically not all of the stories were positive, Graham evokes the experience of a groundswell of young immigrants from which many in this country are descended."
- Toronto Star
Review Quote*"Graham . . . has crafted a sensitive, moving tale of a group of displaced children and their search for belonging on our shores. This little-known piece of our nation's history couldn't be in better hands."
- Canadian Living
Review Quote*"[A] page-turner. . . . Graham writes about ordinary people living at important moments in Canadian history, from the displacement of the Acadians to the Yukon Gold Rush to the Second World War. In The Forgotten Home Child, she ensures the British Home Children are remembered and honoured."
- Winnipeg Free Press
Review Quote*"Graham has immense talent when it comes to making our nation's history interesting and weaving a riveting story around historical facts."
- Niagara Life Magazine